A/N: This idea came to me during a study and so I followed through with it. I have replaced my old chapter with this one.
Disclaimer: For the last time, I do not own Harry Potter or any of the associate characters.
Buzz buzz!
Ginny's alarm clock went off. She reached over and hit the snooze button before went back to sleep.
"Ginny! Don't you dare push that snooze button," Mrs Weasley yelled up the stairs.
"How is her hearing so good?" Ginny grunted and rolled onto her side.
"Ginny! Ron! Wake up. Your letters from Hogwarts have arrived and we have to go to Diagon Alley," Mrs Weasley's voice floated up the stairs.
Ginny pulled off the covers and yawned. Suddenly she was excited at the thought of a new school year.
"Come on Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said peering in through the door as she came up the stairs. "Breakfast is on the table."
"Alright mum, I'm up," Ginny grumbled crawling out of bed. She sighed and got dressed into her jeans and hooded jacket.
Ginny heard the gentle squeak that the top stairs made and then Mrs Weasley was knocking on Ron's door.
Ginny slowly made her way downstairs still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She sat down in her seat at the table and helped herself to some whole meal toast and scrambled eggs. Next to her on the table were two Hogwarts letters. Excitedly she took hers and opened it. Inside was the regular booklist and letter explaining about the new school year. As she unfolded the booklist a smaller piece of parchment fell out narrowly missing her plate.
Mrs Weasley returned to the kitchen and began to butter herself a piece of toast.
"What is this?" Ginny asked holding up the parchment.
"I don't know," Mrs Weasley said. "Open it and find out."
Ginny carefully broke the seal and began to read it aloud.
Dear Miss Weasley
You have been selected among a few other students to represent our school in Australia. The school will pay for the flight over there and you will be staying at Rextrotter School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will leave on the second day at Hogwarts and return one day before school breaks up for the Christmas holidays; you will not come home anytime between. The other students chosen were: Luna Lovegood, Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, Hannah Abbott and Padma Patil. There will be a brief meeting after the Great Feast. Please send back the attachment with your parental permission to participate in this special privilege.
Regards, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster
Ginny's eyes opened as wide as they could go and her jaw dropped.
"What is it?" Mrs Weasley asked.
Before Ginny could reply Ron suddenly burst into the room his face red with excitement. "Bloody hell, I am going to Australia!"
(O)(N) (T)(H)(E) (T)(R)(A)(I)(N)
A few days later Ginny leapt excitedly out of bed. Finally it was the day she was to return to Hogwarts. Mrs Weasley had signed Ginny and Ron's permission slips two days ago and had sent the notes using Errol. Ron was ecstatic about going to Australia and had been sending letters to Hermione and Harry non-stop since he had received his letter. Sadly the two of them weren't able to visit the Burrow this summer and Ginny was incredibly excited to see them again.
"Morning Ginny," Mrs Weasley said brightly as Ginny entered the kitchen and plonked herself down next to Ron.
"Good morning Mummy," Ginny said happily delving into a stack of bacon.
"Are you both all packed?" Mrs Weasley asked.
"Yes Mum," Ginny and Ron said in unison before helping themselves to another piece of bacon.
Finally they were ready to go. Ginny and Ron rushed to get the front seat of their new car. They had got the car to replace the old car that now lived in the Forbidden Forest. Ginny got to the car first so she sat in the front while Ron was squashed in the back amongst their trunks. Mrs Weasley got into the drivers seat and they were off. Ginny looked back at the Burrow and thought about how long it would be before she saw it again.
Once at the train station Ron went off to find them trolleys as Ginny and Mrs Weasley began unpacking the trunks from the car.
The train station was busy but they found no trouble slipping through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾ unnoticed. Ginny was the last one through and as she emerged she couldn't help but stop and grin at the sight of the gleaming scarlet steam engine. The platform was swarming with students saying their goodbyes and she turned and enveloped her mum in a hug.
"Have fun," Mrs Weasley said tearfully before turning to Ron. Ginny stood and watched wishing that her father could've been there too. Unfortunately he had been stuck at the Ministry all summer and she had hardly seen him.
When the goodbyes were over Ron and Ginny boarded the train and began to look for Harry and Hermione.
Ginny kept walking past all the compartments looking at who was in them until she finally found Hermione and Harry sitting in the very end compartment. She walked in the room and sat on one of the vacant seats.
"Hello Ginny," Hermione said lifting her head from one of her new textbooks to give her a smile.
"Hey Hermione," Ginny smiled back. "Hey Harry. How was your summer?"
Harry smiled up at her from his position at the window. "Same as usual."
Ron entered the compartment and chose to sit next to Harry and opposite Ginny rather then the vacant seat next to Hermione.
"Hello mate," Harry said.
"Hey." Ron gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Good to see you survived mate."
"No thanks to the Dursley's," Harry answered.
Hermione snuck a glance at Ron who had grown about a foot taller over the summer before turning to Ginny. Ginny had noticed but held back her snicker. "Did you get a special letter from Dumbledore?" Hermione asked.
"Yes we both did," Ginny said indicating both herself and Ron. "You and Harry did too right?"
Hermione nodded her eyes sparkling.
"Yes," Harry replied. "It's going to rock!"
"I can't wait!" added Hermione. "We will get to experience a completely different culture."
Ron opened his mouth to add his two cents when the door of their compartment slid open and Draco Malfoy and his crones, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle walked in.
"What's up Weasel? Trying to catch a fly?" Draco sneered.
"Well of course no train trip would be complete without the visit of Draco Malfoy," Ron said sarcastically.
Draco ignored him. "I have noticed that all your names are on the list to go to Australia. I think it is a pity that the spots should have gone to two weasels, a scarhead and a mudblood."
Hermione's face hardened but her eyes flashed with hurt and anger.
"Shut your face Draco," Ron said through gritted teeth balling his hands into fists. "Didn't your mother ever tell you 'if you have nothing nice to say than don't say it'?"
"Get out Malfoy," Harry said reaching his hand down to his pocket where his wand was.
"Whatever," Draco answered scornfully. "Just know that my father will have something to say to Dumbledore about what privileges he should award to whom."
"Yeah," Crabbe and Goyle agreed gruffly before all three turned and made their exit.
Ron stood up and slammed the compartment door behind them. He threw a concerned glance at Hermione before taking his seat again.
Hermione looked calm however as she tucked her book away into her bag. "Chocolate frog Ron? The food cart is here," she said.
The rest of the trip was uneventful as they pigged out on sweets from the food cart and then changed into their robes. Before long the train was slowing down and they peered out the window at the familiar sight of Hogsmeade station.
I would like to thank my beta kittyluvr for her help