A/N: Is it wrong of me to feel silly updating without reviews? I hope not, because I'm updating anyway. But I would really, really, like it if you reviewed. How else am I going to know your opinion? Anyway, here's the second chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 2: The Letters Arrive
It had been almost a week since Ginny and her friends had departed from Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione had shown up at the Weasley home only three days after the end of the school year. At the moment, Ginny stood in her room with Hermione, dwelling on what the letters from Dumbledore would say about Camp Warthog.
"Come on, Gin. It's not going to be as horrific as you think," Hermione told her.
"Yeah, not for you!" Ginny responded. "Your partner counselor is Harry!"
"Well, you are right about that. I'm lucky I've got one of my best friends to hang out with."
"Friend?" Ginny joked. "Stop kidding yourself and go snog him already. It'd make all our lives much easier." At that Hermione turned a bit pink.
"Don't say things like that. We're just friends. And I thought you still liked Harry, or something."
The red-haired girl answered, "No, I got over him last year, when I started to notice how you were totally in love with him."
A flying pillow just grazed Ginny's ear as Hermione shouted humorously, "I am not in love with him!"
A new, male voice asked, "In love with who?" Harry strode into the room, followed by Ron.
Ron inquired teasingly, "Yeah, who are you in love with Hermione?"
"No one," the chestnut-haired sixth year answered hastily. "Just the lead singer of that boy band, er… the, the, um…"
"the Jonas Brothers," Ginny finished for her friend.
Ron raised an eyebrow. "I've never heard of that band," he said.
"Y-yeah, well they're a Muggle band so…" Hermione stated lamely.
Harry and Ron looked at each other. Ron said, "They're both a bit odd, did you ever notice?"
"Yeah," Harry replied, "but I thought I wouldn't say anything, just in case you didn't agree." Hermione laughed and shook her head at the boys, seeming very carefree after her nervousness had settled. She suggested they all go down to the kitchen and see what was for dinner. When all four friends arrived in the kitchen they found Molly Weasley cooking up spaghetti, and Arthur Weasley in the living room with his feet up on the small, crooked coffee table. He was scanning a Daily Prophet.
When Mr. Weasley noticed them, he said, "Did you see? Dumbledore's started up a summer camp for the smaller kids at Hogwarts. Don't you think that's nice?"
"Yeah," Ginny lied through her teeth. Just like it was nice when people called her the Anti-Christ. Not that she knew anybody who would call her the Anti-Christ. Except for Draco Malfoy. Of course, she was paired with the only person who would call her the Anti-Christ.
"About that, Dad," Ron said, "me, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione have all been selected as counselors for that camp. It starts in about a week, and tomorrow we should be getting letters containing more information."
"Oh, well that's a fun way to spend your summer, you'll all be going together," Mr. Weasley retorted, grinning.
Ginny said sarcastically, with an inclination of her head, "I know, isn't it fabulous?", and received a kick in the back of the calf from Hermione. With a glare at her friend, she stopped talking. There was an awkward silence.
"Let's go outside and play some Quidditch, two on two." Harry said.
Hermione smirked playfully and remarked, "Yeah, 'cause I've just been dying to get back on a broomstick and flaunt how much I suck at Quidditch."
"Shut up, Hermione." Ginny laughed and turned to Harry and Ron. "I'll be right out, I just want to put some of that Muggle stuff on, sunscreen, or whatever." She held up a piece of her hair and said, "I've got enough red on my body to last a lifetime without a sunburn."
The Golden Trio all nodded and made their way out the door. Ginny retreated to the bathroom and lathered the sunscreen onto her legs, arms, neck, and face. After she was done applying the white cream, she stared absently at her reflection in the mirror. Draco Malfoy, of all people to be stuck with…
She decided she had best be getting back to her friends outside. Ginny walked through the Burrow to the door and exited. She found Hermione, Harry and Ron all mounted on broomsticks, but still grounded. When Ginny had climbed upon her broomstick, they all pushed off of the grass, Hermione a bit unsteadily. They enjoyed a nice game of Quidditch with their regular teams of Harry and Hermione against Ron and Ginny. No one kept score, but they played until Mrs. Weasley called them back in for dinner.
When Ginny and Hermione were settled in their beds in Ginny's room, they said their last goodnights before the lights went out and they tried to get some sleep. Hermione's earlier words of reassurance rang in Ginny's head before she slipped into a peaceful unconsciousness.
The following morning, everybody was the tiniest bit excited about what Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione's letters from Dumbledore would say. Would they be brief, or very informative?
Suddenly four owls could be seen approaching the Burrow through the kitchen window. Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione were sitting around the table eating breakfast, and silence fell when the four sighted the owls. The tawny owl that turned out to be carrying Ginny's letter got through the now open window first, ahead of the others by about ten seconds. Ginny tore open the letter.
"What does it say?" Ron asked dubiously, appearing over her shoulder. He tried to read her letter, but Ginny swatted him away.
The letter read:
Ginevra Molly Weasley,
As you know, you have been selected as a camp counselor for Camp Warthog this year. All camp counselors should report to the west coast of Grendall Lake (A/N: I made that up so don't go looking for it :P), in Epping Forest (A/N: Actually didn't make that up), by 10:00 a.m. in six days. The campground is accessible only by Apparition, so those without an Apparition license must use Side-Along Apparition. Counselors will then be given an introduction to the camp and camp activities by the camp facilitator and spend the night pupil-free, readying themselves for camper arrival the next day. Counselors will stay at the campground with camp in session until August 1st and it would be appreciated if all counselors would be on their best behavior, so as to set an example for younger Hogwarts students. A packing list is attached to the backside of this letter. It includes all supplies necessary for counselors to bring to camp.
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Ginny looked up and found the other three looking at her, waiting for her to finish her letter. "Do your letters say the exact same thing as mine?" she asked. Hermione glanced at Ginny's letter and nodded.
"I'm a bit excited, you know," stated Ron thoughtfully. "I've never been to camp before."
"Neither have I," the remaining three retorted in unison.
"Wonder who the camp facilitator is," said Harry. "And why it doesn't mention their name," he added.
"Oh no," Ron uttered, "you're not going to go all auror on us and say it's some kind of trap, are you?"
Harry chuckled and replied, "No. Just curious."
"I'm going to go get started on packing," Hermione smiled.
Ginny asked, "You're already going to pack? We have about a week, you realize."
To that, Harry said, "Oh, she realizes that. But you know Hermione, she always has to be ready."
"Yes I do," Hermione called, her back to them as she jogged up the stairs.
So. Like it? Hate it? Or what? Anyway, as I've never been there, I have no really accurate means of knowing if the terrain of Epping Forest is how I describe itin the following chapters. So just pretend, and I apologize if I get it all wrong. Please REVIEW! Thanks!
