Disclaimer: Not mine.


So here I was.

Stuck.

No one to talk to, no one to listen.

After it became clear that I was going nowhere, that I was clearly dead, I settled down, let myself breathe (or whatever it is you do when you're dead). . . .

And then I got bored.

I mean, I couldn't leave the castle, couldn't have a conversation with anyone so it was inevitable that boredom would settle.

I followed Nearly Headless Nick around for the first few weeks and he unwittingly taught me how to float slightly and travel through walls but both of these things made everything a little too real and I tended to walk, only floating through doors when I needed too.

After that, all I could really do was sit and people watch. People came and went, rebuilding the castle, meeting with people. I listened for any trace of the status of my family and was lucky enough to catch snippets of things like 'they're recovering' and 'Weasley Wizard Wheezes is striving'. Occasionally, I caught a glimpse of bright red hair among the repair team and I would rush after it to try to see someone but it was as if my legs never moved fast enough.

I missed them all, I truly did. Having a large family like mine can take its toll but you always know you have someone to back you up in the end. . . . But I was glad they were trying to move on . . . or at least making an appearance too.

They were supposed to be starting school again in a couple of months, I heard Professor Flitwick say one day. McGonagall was going to be the Headmistress. I wondered who all would come back. I wondered if Ron, Hermione, and Harry would take the year over. I know Ginny'd be here for her last year so even if Ron didn't come back, I'd see someone.

Still, being dead had its advantages. . . .

How?

Well, it was interesting to see what some people did when they thought no one was watching them. Sprout loved dancing around in greenhouse three to the Weird Sisters 'Warts and All' single after work. Filch wore 'My Pretty Kitty' pajamas under his night robes.

Did I feel bad sneaking around spying on people?

Eh, slightly.

Did that stop me from doing it?

Not in the slightest.

But I did try to not do it too often.

Sort of.


School started back up September 1st as it always did.

I stood back and watched them all walk in, though the atmosphere seemed slightly less energetic than it had been before the war. There were only a couple of people I recognized from Ron's year. Justin Finch-Fletchy of Hufflepuff had returned, along with Hannah Abbot and Neville Longbottom. And of course, one could never overlook Hermione who proudly sat with a Head Girl badge pinned to her robes. It figured she'd be back. Next to her sat Ginny, though she looked slightly uncomfortable to be there. I sure mum made her come back.

Sighing, I moved to the Gryffindor table, standing behind the two girls. As I got closer, I realized that Hermione had her hand on Ginny's arm and Ginny looked as if she were trying not to cry. "It's just so weird being back here," she was whispering. "To think how many people we saw lying here – Fred. . . ."

Hermione didn't say anything but I could tell by the look on her face that she felt the same way. I was glad they were back though. It was nice to be able to see familiar face. I reach out to put my hand on Ginny's shoulder but of course my hand went right through. Giving up, I crossed my arms and stood there as the Sorting progressed.

McGonagall approached the podium after food had been eaten, clearing her throat. "I wish to welcome you all back to another year at Hogwarts. It took us a lot to get here and I am glad to see that you all made it here with us. Same rules apply, however. The Forbidden Forest is off limits as always, no magic in the corridors. . . . Am I forgetting something?"

Sprout cleared her throat, nodding her head at the Slytherin table. McGonagall nodded. "Oh yes. . . . Until further notice, the Slytherin house, on request of the Ministry, has been placed under surveillance. Certain rules will be enforced. . . ."

I looked over at the Slytherin table where, sure enough, a surly, strict-looking Ministry wizard stood next to the table. None of the seventh years from Hermione's year had returned but looked like everyone below them had come back and none of them looked at all happy about the prospect of being under surveillance. I couldn't help but feel slightly bad for them. It wasn't their fault that the seventh years were practically psychopaths.

My eyes trailed down the table and I stopped when I felt someone's eyes on me.

It was that girl.

She was staring at me again. Her hair was longer, brushing against her shoulders now but it still hung in her face, covering up those brown eyes. Her eyes were wide, confused as she watched me. And I stared back. It was obvious that she was a student here, maybe a seventh year this year. A Prefects' badge rested on her robes, the emblem of Slytherin visible again. So . . . how was it she could see me?

McGonagall dismissed the school and I moved away from the Gryffindor table to follow the first year Slytherins. The girl kept glancing back at me over the heads of the first years while the boy Prefect (some tall lanky guy I'm sure I've never seen) blathered on about the school as if he were giving some kind of tour.

I followed them all down into the dungeons while the girl seemed to get more and more frustrated. She stopped suddenly, and turned, her hands clenched into fists by her side. "What do you want?" she said angrily.

The rest of the group stopped and looked to where she was looking . . . but they all looked through me. The other Prefect chuckled, looking arrogant with his hands in the pockets of his slacks. "I introduce to you all Simone Zabini, weirdest girl ever known to Hogwarts and resident cuckoo. How on earth she ever got into Slytherin is beyond us all. We believe there must have been some sort of defect in the hat that day. Zabini, do try and keep your strangeness to yourself this year, won't you? Wouldn't want to the first years to get the wrong impression of the Slytherin House."

The boy laughed as if it were the funniest thing, continuing towards the Slytherin common room. The first years laughed too, though some looked like they weren't sure whether or not they should laugh, before following after the boy, leaving Simone in the hallway.

So she was a Zabini. I heard Blaise had a little sister but I had never seen her before. She stood there now, as if this was normal treatment for her. I hadn't meant for her to get ridiculed. Stepping forward, I said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to –"

She looked up at me, obvious tears in her eyes. "Just – don't."

Spinning around, she hurried down the corridor away from me and I was left there, confused and angry. The one person that could see and hear me and I scare them off.

Good job Weasley.


A/N: So it's been ages I know and I'm sorry. I have been so busy that I barely got a day off Monday. Again, I'm sorry. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for the next one.