Chapter One - Ghost Train
The first morning of September was a bright one. The late summer sun pushed it's way through early morning clouds and cast patches onto the fields surrounding the burrow. Ginny could hear the birds twittering through her window, but did not enjoy their song as she usually did. Dumbledore was dead, the ministry had fallen, and today the Hogwarts express would be missing three very important students.
The ghoul in Ron's room was moaning in a happy sort of way, and had done since late July when it moved in. From downstairs, Ginny could hear her mother making breakfast with what sounded like far to much fuss. There were only three members of her family left in the house. Charlie had left for Romania as soon as the wedding clean up was over; Fred and George had gone back to live at Diagon Alley; Bill and Fleur had just moved into their new house on the coast. As for Ron. Who knew where Ron was except for with Harry. What Ginny wouldn't give to swap places with Ron?
Still the house was not as empty as it should have been. All the extra rooms had been set aside for various members of the Order of the Phoenix who came to stay for a few nights at a time whilst between assignments. Kingsley's deep tones reverberated through the house as she thought about how much her life had changed in a few short weeks. The weight of all the grief and worry peaked and she screwed up her eyes against the oncoming surge of emotion. She couldn't cry. Her mum had to believe that she was strong enough to go back to Hogwarts. With Snape as headmaster and no more big brothers left to keep an eye on her, Ginny's mother was frantic about sending her daughter off to school. If it weren't for the presence of the Order in their house, Ginny was sure that her mum would have packed up the family and gone into hiding abroad to avoid the laws that kept her youngest in school.
Despite Mrs Weasley, her trunk was packed, Arnold the pygmy puff was in his cage and Ron's broomstick – which he had left to her in a fit of brotherly feelings – was propped up beside them. Ginny watched Arnold quivering in an excited way as she rolled out of bed and walked over to her desk, where her clothes were laid out next to the items she planned to hold close to her. Once she had pulled on her jeans and a raggedy Weird Sisters t-shirt, she started to fill her pockets. Her wand went into her right pocket for a quick draw, nestled tightly against a half full purse of small coins she had found in her room. Ginny wasn't taking any chances. If Hogwarts turned to bad she would 'do a Weasley'. In her left pocket she slipped a packet of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, a Decoy Detonator, and most importantly, a photo of her and harry that had been taken the previous school year.
She smiled up at herself from the immortal picture. Forever happy standing next to the boy she loved. Forever content with sitting by the lake and allowing herself to be hugged and kissed by him. Even now the adoration on his face stunned her. To be loved so much by someone so extraordinary was difficult to comprehend. Losing that love was even more so. Shaking these thoughts from an already crowded mind, Ginny replaced the folded photo in her pocket and straightened up. She practiced her brave face in the mirror, just as she had done as a child about to face six big brothers, before dragging her trunk out of the door.
After much fussing in the kitchen about what she might not have packed, and whether she had had a big enough breakfast, Ginny was finally given the go ahead by her mother to leave for school. It was the only time Ginny could ever remember her mum taking time getting her to school. Her mind drifted back to earlier years. Her second year when she had been almost completely alone because all her brothers had been off with friends (which in Ron's case meant flying a car the length of the country with Harry). She had spent almost the entire trip writing in that diary. Third year, when the dementors had searched the train, Harry fainted and Lupin gave them all chocolate. Ginny could only imagine what had been going through Harry's mind when that creature had entered the compartment. She had a pretty good idea of what dementors would feed on if they found her right now.
With thoughts of the past taking up her concentration, Ginny didn't even notice as the taxi pulled into a side street near Kings Cross Station. Her father got out to help her with the trunk.
"Now remember Ginny." He said, reaching for the handles. "This year will be different. If Snape was bad as a potions master it's nothing to what he'll be as a headmaster. Especially with two other death eaters behind him. Keep your head down and please don't draw attention to yourself."
The pleading note in Mr Weasley's voice was more than the resigned sound of the man who had raised Fred and George, it was real worry. Before Ginny could do any more than frown at her father he had moved off with the trunk on a magically conjured trolley.
Walking through Kings Cross to the hidden platform Nine-and-three-quarters, Ginny got the distinct feeling that the muggles knew something was not quite right. Although they continued with their everyday lives, there was a subdued chill in the air that was quite apart from the weather. She remembered Harry telling her about the effect the Dementors had had on his cousin and wondered gravely if that was what the muggles were feeling. Poor muggles, forced to feel alone and hopeless with absolutely no idea why. Casting a wary eye through the crowds for anything wearing a hood, Ginny quickened her pace and followed her father and the trolley to the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
Gone were the days when she had to take a run up to it to quell the fear. She walked purposefully towards the magically concealed gateway and did a graceful turn on her heals so as to make sure nobody saw her as she vanished. On turning back around she found herself on the hidden platform. Surely though, this was wrong. The throng of students, parents, pets and baggage that usually smothered the platform had reduced in size quite dramatically. What was more, the students who remained seemed to be at least a third Slytherins – even so it was hard to see through the thick plumes of smoke issuing from the train. Ginny scowled. She often scowled when things weren't as she expected.
In an attempt to make the most of the situation Ginny went off to find people she knew. Her best friends from the sixth year Gryffindor class were all of 'low birth' so she didn't think they would be here, but she knew enough decent pure bloods to hope that some of them might have braved school.
Just as she was about to lose hope she spotted a wonderfully familiar head of dirty-blonde hair emerging from the smoke. Luna Lovegood and her father (who was even more 'loony' than his daughter) were moving towards Ginny in a very bouncy fashion. Unable to wait for the distance to close of it's own accord, Ginny took a run at Luna and gave her a hug.
"Oh I'm so glad you're fine after the wedding I was afraid they might start tracking the guests down!" Ginny squeezed Luna perhaps a little too enthusiastically for somebody she had seen only a few weeks ago.
"Hello Ginny." Luna replied, returning a slightly gentler hug and smiling benignly. "I would ask if you had a nice summer, but I suppose it was frightful what with the wedding ending so quickly and then Harry, Ron and Hermione disappearing and all..." Luna drifted off, losing interest in her own words and frowning at the platform in general. "There aren't many people here today are there?"
"No I was just thinking, all the Muggleborns are too scarred to come back and even some of the half bloods won't be able to prove their blood status because they have Muggleborn relatives or they don't know their parents." She paused for thought. "Come to think of it we shouldn't really be here because I bet they're going to try and get rid of us soon, being blood traitors and everything."
"I hope you're right." Said Luna – seeming to miss the negativity in Ginny's voice – I don't think I will enjoy Hogwarts without Dumbledore. Snape never really liked me. Perhaps he thought me a bit weird?"
"Snape doesn't like anyone half decent. Murdering git." Ginny snarled, stopping at the beginning of her rant only to say goodbye to her parents. Her dad helped her get the trunk onto the train where she and Luna would share a compartment, and then she lent out of the window to wave as the train moved off. As her mother's face began to accelerate away she saw it fall into a pained expression quite unlike any she had ever seen there before. It was not the concern of a parent who would miss their daughter until term ended, it was the sort of uncertain expression of a parent who wasn't sure they would ever see their child again. It made Ginny nervous.
Luna on the other hand was already settled into a seat by the time Ginny tore herself away from the window. The Quibbler was a comforting site, with it's bright cover and very eccentric style of illustrations facing her. It was familiar. It was safe.
"What news of the world has your dad got for us then Luna?" Ginny asked, perching on the edge of the opposite seat, so as to lean forward and examine the cover more closely. "Anything we don't know?"
"Well yes... thee are a few things." Luna replied in that dreamlike, slightly musical, voice. " There's a woman in here who threw a gnome into orbit and is following it's position on the sky, apparently it's magic is keeping it alive in space!" Ginny allowed herself to switch off for Luna's next couple of explanations to save herself such images as a Gnome flailing around in orbit. She was waiting for the other sort of articles, the ones which told the public what was really going on. After Harry's interview of a year and a half before, Mr Lovegood had seemed to realise that spreading the word about Harry and what was really going on with Voldemort was a great little niche in the market for the quibbler. So every so often the Quibbler would run a story which shed light on any recent Death Eater or Harry related events. Of course now the ministry had fallen the Quibbler would be a lone voice in a torrent of confusing propaganda and Ginny was anxious to hear what else Xenophilious had picked up recently.
"... which must have been terribly difficult as snargalluff stumps are very violent and I don't suppose they like socks." Luna finished, with a frown over some absurd article she had just been explaining to an oblivious Ginny. "Anyway, we're in here too."
"Really?" Ginny jumped up and crossed over to Luna to see what she was talking about. Her heart, which had been preparing to somersault, sank gently back to where it should be as she saw the headline DEATH EATERS: WEDDING CRASHERS and realised that this was – to her – old news. Luna passed Ginny the article.
"It doesn't mention names specifically. Daddy thought it would be safer for you if we didn't go making a fuss about your family, what with you being blood traitors." Ginny smiled at the idea of Death Eaters despising her family for being good people. Just the thought that her existence angered them made her feel proud to be Weasley.
A couple of uneventful hours passed during which Luna scribbled notes on her Quibbler and Ginny watched the countryside blur past with a purring Arnold on her lap. The day seemed duller than usual. It was far too early in the day for dusk to start falling but the clouds had a deep grey shadow that made it seem as if the sun wasn't bothering to shine on the other side. the dark forces that were affecting the muggles must be gaining strength all over, she thought. Then, just as a particularly dark grey cloud slide overhead and rain started to fall, the train began to slow.
"Uh-oh." Ginny muttered darkly, giving Luna a meaningful look. The only other time the train had stopped mid journey had been in their second year. The year that the dementors had been searching for Sirius Black.
As if in response to this thought, the glass around the windows began to crackle with the sound of ice forming and a dark figure hurtled past the door. Dementors can't hurtle though, and just as this dawned on Ginny the figure was back, sliding the door quietly open and slipping into their compartment.
"Lumos." whispered the hushed tones of Neville Longbottom.
"Neville!" Luna whispered happily, standing to hug him and letting the Quibbler slide to the floor. Ginny put Arnold back in his cage and went to join them by the floor.
"Hi," Neville smiled faintly at the two of them and gave them both a squeeze. "Nice day isn't it?"
"What's going on?" Asked Ginny, trying to peer out of the window into the corridor but seeing nothing except darkness.
"It's the death eaters," Neville murmured, sitting on the seat next to Luna, "or at least, something like death eaters. They've brought a couple of dementors on board and are searching the train for muggleborns. I think they're dragging them all straight to the ministry by the looks of the robes they have on. Either way," he lifted his wand a little, "I thought I should find you two so it's all blood traitors together and patronuses at the ready."
Ginny pulled her own wand out of her pocket and laid it on her lap, right hand rested on top of it. She hoped they would at least make it to school without a fight but if those ministry death eaters meant business then they weren't going to go quietly. There was no hope of seeing anyone coming through the small window in the compartment door because a fog was settling inside the train and the light from Neville's wand was obscuring all vision beyond a short distance.
They didn't have to wait long before Neville's reports were confirmed. After a few short minutes sat in silence with only furtive looks thrown across the carriage, they heard the unmistakable guttering breaths of a dementor growing louder along the carriage. Footsteps and voices were getting louder too and a scuffle appeared to be taking place further down the train. The incoherent screams of a scared child – no doubt muggleborn – were carrying through the walls of the train. Ginny could take the inaction no longer and stood up, crossing swiftly to the door, but as she slid it open, a hand grasped the other side and a body filled the doorway.
"Sit down, girlie," snarled the man who pushed his way into the compartment, "this will be a lot faster and less painful of you are all good kiddies and do what I say and answer my questions. Otherwise," he grinned horribly, "I'm gonna introduce you all to my friend here. Mr Greyback so enjoys the taste of children." There was a harsh laugh from the corridor, the noise was almost kanine and it sent chills down Ginny's spine. "Hopefully it doesn't come to that. Now sit down and tell me your name and blood status."
'I'll tell me yours if you tell you mine.' Neville piped up, grimacing at the intruder. Ginny stared at him. It was one thing for her to be reckless and want to run out of the carriage in search of trouble, she was a Weasley. It was a another thing entirely for Neville 'where-is-my-toad" Longbottom. Ginny didn't have much time to be startled before the death eater crossed the room to Neville and pushed his wand into his chest.
'Name.' The man commanded in a drawn out whisper, as the smell of singeing fabric rose from Neville's jumper. Neville stared him in the face, jaw clenched and eyebrows set, but Ginny could see the smoke beginning to rise from the point where the wand make contact.
'His name is Neville Longbottom and he is a pureblood.' Ginny said in a rushed but even tone. 'I am Ginny Weasley: pureblood. That is Luna Lovegood, also pureblood.' As she watched, the death eater jabbed his wand quickly into Neville's chest, making him wince, and then withdrew it.
'Longbottom, Weasley and Lovegood? Well I know they are pureblood names. Blood traitor names I thought.' He raised an eyebrow at Luna who was staring serenely at a stain on the floor. 'You're all on the list, but it won't be long before they strike all the blood traitors off and put them in the same place as the mudbloods and maggots. You just wait. Come Christmas, I will have you all.'
'I look forward to it.' Neville muttered, not quite looking into the death eaters eyes.
'You watch your mouth boy or I'll curse it off.' came the reply and a quick flash of the mans wand left a large gash in Neville's shoe. Neville jumped but he didn't cry out and he lifted his foot onto his knee, eyes closed in pain as the death eater and his associate moved on to the next carriage, slamming the door behind them.
'You are a complete idiot, Neville.' Ginny scolded, sliding over to him on the seat. 'Does it hurt?'
'Sorry, I just thought, what would Ron do, and that is what came out.' Neville started unlacing his shoe while Ginny contemplated his reasoning.
'Why Ron?' She asked. 'Why not Harry?'
'Ron was the one who told me to stand up to Malfoy in first year. He was the reason I got completely pummelled by Crabbe and Goyle but it was the first time I ever really stood up for myself. The second time I did, I got ten points for Gryffindor and we won the house cup.'
'I never knew that.'
'Well no, I mean when people tell the story of the philosopher's stone, they tend to leave out the part where Hermione cursed me with the full body bind and they left me there until morning.'
'It sounds a little less heroic when you put it like that.' Ginny conceded.
'Yes, but look at me now. I stood up to a death eater and all I got was a burnt jumper and a cut foot.' Neville gingerly removed his shoe and wiggled his toes. Blood was seeping into his ruined sock. 'I think I still have all my toes at least.' Ginny shook her head and waved her wand at the sock. The blood siphoned away into nothingness. She waved it a second time and the sock repaired itself. On the third wave, the leather of his shoe became smooth once more.
'Wow, thanks Ginny. You're really good at non verbal spells. I thought that they were a sixth year thing?'
'Simple spells are easy to do non verbally and I am the only daughter of Molly Weasley. You think she'd allow me to grow up in peace without drilling every household spell there is int my brain? I started practicing them non verbally last year when you all started because I figured it would be useful. And they are. Do you know how much easier it is to sneak around the castle at night if you don't have to say anything out loud?' She gave him a Weasley grin. 'But I can't do anything about your foot I'm afraid. Those spells are beyond me. Which is a problem because I think we will need them this year.' They exchanged a frown and then both turned to Luna who had been extremely for several minutes. It transpired she had pulled parchment and quill from somewhere and was scribbling rapidly. it was the first time Ginny had ever seen Luna do something as normal as writing.
'What's that, Luna? A letter?'
'Oh no. It's a list.' Luna beamed, without looking up. 'I am trying to remember everyone's name.'
'Whose names?' Ginny and Neville both asked. To which Luna stared at Ginny and whispered pointedly;
'Dumbledore's Army.'