I woke up on a bed, much softer than the one I'd been sleeping on at Aunt Muriel's since Easter. Aunt Muriel, I shot up out of bed and instantly regretted my choices. My head pounded and my stomach turned. I looked around quickly and found a bedpan in the chair next to me. I instantly vomited bile.
How long have I been out? I was in a hospital bed, with curtains drawn. The linens were soft and the smell of antiseptic. There were no lights, and upon inspection of the area, it looked like the sun was just about to break on the horizon. I laid back slowly, assessing the damage. My head was pounding, probably from the multiple rocks that had fallen on me during the battle.
The battle, Harry! I shot up again and felt the consequences come back up. I retched into the bedpan once more.
"Alright there?" A voice called from a short distance away. It was oddly familiar.
"Think so," I responded, spitting a bit as I did.
"Want some water?" It called again.
"That'd be great," I didn't dare move again as I knew it would only yield the same results.
"Hold on," I heard the rustling of the boy getting out of his bed and walking over to mine. He shuffled slowly, clearly, he was injured too.
Ginny you selfish cow, of course, he's injured too. Just as I started to ask him to stop, the curtains around my bed were moved to the side and the chair next to the bed was occupied by a boy about my age. He was tall, much taller than me, with sandy blonde hair, grey eyes, and a face that looked almost familiar enough to place. He was skinny, his complexion almost grey, and he bore scars over his face.
"Here you are, ma'am," He smiled and handed me a large glass of water. His scars almost disappeared when he smiled. He looked quite handsome this way.
"Thank you," I replied, gratefully accepting the drink and bringing it to my lips. As I drank I felt him study me, I must look a sight. I'd been out for god knows how long, and before that, I'd been injured by rubble and thrown back twenty years in time. "Not to be rude, but I must speak to Albus Dumbledore. It's urgent."
"I 'spose he'll be around in a bit. He's come in every morning to see if you're awake."
"How do you know?" I asked.
"I've been here since Tuesday, a bit of a rough-" he paused "Er, week. You came in shortly after. It's Friday now."
"Friday? I've been out for three days?" I jerked my head to him too quickly and instantly regretted it. All the liquid I'd just consumed came right back up.
"Take it easy there," The boy patted my back as a means of comfort. I flinched in response, clearly, it had been a rough landing. "Sorry-"
"Don't worry about it," I winced "Been a rough week for me too."
"What happened?" He asked.
"Long story." I paused to study the boy before me, how did I know him? "I'm Ginny by the way."
"Remus, Remus Lupin," He replied giving me a kind smile. I was in awe of the boy before me who would grow to become one of my most beloved professors and an asset to the Order. This boy before me was nothing like the man I would know. Here he seemed carefree and happy, whereas as an adult he always seemed to be glancing over his shoulder. He was still kind, I was happy to see that nothing would change that. "What house are you in? I don't think I've seen you before."
I paused, thinking up a story on the spot, "I'm not," I started, hoping he wouldn't smell a lie. He'd always known when I was lying as a student, maybe he wouldn't know now. "It's kind of a long story, things have changed for me recently. Suddenly. So now I am coming here."
"Changed?" The boy Remus, asked.
"He-" I started but suddenly couldn't finish as another wave of nausea came over me.
"Ginny? I'll get Madam Pomfrey." Remus stood slowly, how could I have forgotten that he was injured too? He hobbled away and walked toward a wooden door where the matron stayed. "Madam Pomfrey, she's awake! She needs help!"
"I'm fine," I called after I'd regained control of my stomach, "let her sleep."
"She'll want to know you're awake. I should've gotten her when I first heard you." He continued knocking on her door.
"Remus Lupin you get your arse into bed," a young Madam Pomfrey emerged from her quarters looking much prettier and younger than I'd ever seen her.
"She's awake, Madame Pomfrey," Remus pointed over to me where I must have looked like death.
"Oh goodness," The matron rushed over to me, pulling the curtains around my bed closed before pulling my hair away from my neck. "How are we feeling Miss?"
"Nauseous," I cracked.
"That'll be the concussion," She murmured, placing a cool cloth on my neck. It felt like heaven. "You had quite the nasty one. I did my best, but they do take some time to heal even with magic."
"Thank you," I whispered
"You also had four broken ribs, a cracked pelvis, a burst spleen, and a nasty cut on your head," She listed off and began to place a calming hand on my head. "I healed most of it, but you'll want to stay here at least until tomorrow. I haven't seen injuries like this since my training days at St Mungo's. May I ask what the hell happened?"
"I must speak to Albus Dumbledore," I quickly said.
"Should've guessed," She murmured. "On the bright side, your fever has broken. I'm Madame Pomfrey by the way, I run this place."
"I can tell," I smiled slowly and began to lean back on my pillows.
"Mr. Lupin do not make me ask you again." She quickly pulled the curtains back to reveal Remus huddling close by trying to listen.
"I just wanted to make sure Ginny was alright Madame Pomfrey, she is my newest friend after all." He smiled a slow and charming smile which wilted the woman before him.
"She'll survive, Mr. Lupin. Now, if you would get back to bed I might let you out of this place by dinner." She said with a wink.
"Anything for you, ma'am." Lupin limped over to his bed and crawled beneath the covers and flashed us a thousand watt grin.
"My model patient." Madam Pomfrey said with a roll of her eyes. "Ginny's your name?"
"Yes," I said. 'Ginevra We-" I paused, remembering everything Dumbledore said "Ginevra Cole, Ginny for short."
"Well welcome to Hogwarts. I'll tell Albus you're awake, I expect he'll be down in a few hours. You should get some rest."
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," I said as she made a motion that seemed to say it was nothing. I closed my eyes slowly and was out before you could say Quidditch.
"Leave her alone, Padfoot." I heard muffled through the curtains.
"Oh come on, Prongs. Aren't you a little curious?" Another voice whispered from just a few feet away from my head.
"Yes, but Mooney said to leave her alone."
"And when have we ever listened to Moony?"
"Moony is right here and he says to leave her alone or Pomfrey will never let me hear the end of it," Remus whispered, though it wasn't quite as soft as the other voices.
"Well, I'm going to check her out."
"If you're going to check her out, could you at least bring her some water?" I said loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Oh shit, sorry, we were just um-" the second voice started.
"So is that a no on the water?" I asked, my throat was so dry and cracked from all the vomiting I'd done early in the morning.
"Hold on," there was an amount of shuffling going on behind the curtain. It crossed my mind to move the fabric to the side but I didn't dare move quickly for fear of another wave of sickness. Instead, I tried to sit up very slowly. The curtain was pulled back quickly, and I winced as the sunshine shined on my face, "M'lady"
A very handsome boy about my age stood in front of me. I felt a wave a familiarity come over me as I studied his face. He was tanned like he played Quidditch and stood much taller than I would, had I been standing. His black curly hair was worn long, nearly at his shoulders, and it was obvious he took great pride in it. His Gryffindor tie hung loosely around his neck and he wore a look on his face that proved he knew just how handsome he was.
"Thank you," I smiled up at him, suddenly ashamed of how I must look. Three days of bed rest, a battle, and a hefty amount of time travel could not have been good for my hair and at that moment I wished for nothing more than a hairbrush and some sleek easy potion. I reached for the glass slowly, desperately praying that I wouldn't get sick.
"Here," He said. Clearly seeing me struggle, he transfigured a pin on my bedside table to a straw and placed it in the cup bringing it over to my lips. "Take it easy." I drank heartily and instantly regretted it.
"Bedpan," I managed to say as I held down what I could. The bedpan was quickly placed in front of my face, and the boys free hand pulled back my hair just in time for me to see the water come back up.
"Should I get Pomfrey, Ginny?" Remus asked I hadn't heard him come to sit in the chair next to my bed.
"I'm okay," I said, looking up at the boy holding my hair and nodding gratefully. "Should've listened to the advice. I'm Ginny, by the way."
"Sirius Black," He winked at me. I took in an audible breath. How could I not have seen it before? Of course, this was the man who I'd nearly lost my life attempting to save. Or well, thinking that we were attempting to save him. He looked almost unrecognizable. This was a happy Sirius not bogged down by the demons of Azkaban.
"I'm sorry they woke you, Ginny." Remus began, my mind was still reeling at the revelation before me. "I asked them not to bother you." I still hadn't torn my eyes away from Sirius.
"We kind of thought he was making things out to be more serious than they were." Another boy said, peeking around the curtain. Finally, I peeled my eyes away from Sirius to find the third boy before me. Harry? "James Potter at your service ma'am." The boy before me took off an imaginary hat and bowed melodramatically. He looked identical to his son, except for the eyes. Harry had green eyes. But of course, this was not Harry. Harry never had this kind of carefree attitude. I'd never seen a version of Harry that joked like this with a stranger. My stomach lurched and again I found my face in the bedpan.
"Now that's a first, Prongs has never had a girl get sick at the sight of him," Sirius said after letting out a barking laugh.
"You alright there, Ginny?" Remus asked me when I finally pulled myself together.
"Yeah, sorry," I shook my head slowly feeling the pounding come on again, "Been a rough week."
"How rough?" Sirius asked, his eyes shone with something I'd never seen in the man before. Was it mischief?
"Leave her alone, Padfoot, she's still trying to heal," Remus warned the boy on my other side.
"Oh come on, Moony, we're just getting to know each other. Now Ginny, tell us what brings a beautiful stranger like yourself to Hogwarts this fine day."
"I think that will be enough visiting, for now, Mr. Black," The voice of Albus Dumbledore drawled behind them. I hadn't heard anyone enter the room, and there was no telling how long he'd been there. "Classes start in ten minutes Mr. Potter, and Mr. Black, I would hate for you to be late. Professor McGonagall is a stickler for punctuality."
"Yes, Professor," James murmured quietly. He gave Sirius a pointed look and both boys walked over to Remus's bed to pick up their bags.
"A pleasure, m'lady," James bowed and dramatically exited.
"Our wishes of health upon you," Sirius added, again bowing dramatically and following his friend outside.
"Mr. Lupin will you go to your bed now? I have things to discuss that I'm sure should be kept private." Dumbledore looked at the boy next to me. Remus nodded and walked away.
In the silence that followed Dumbledore closed the curtains around my bed. He waved his wand in an intricate pattern and turned to face me. "That should give us some privacy. Now, first things first, who are you?"
"Ginevra Cole, but please call me Ginny. Everyone does."
"And what brings you here?" He asked
"I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you,"
"Try me." This was the Dumbledore I knew.
"I'm from the year 1998. You sent me here, along with another man, on a mission that will change the course of the war."
Dumbledore spent a moment mulling over my words, his brow stitched together in deep concentration. "And how am I to know if this is true Miss Cole? If what you're saying is true and I sent you here myself, then I certainly must have sent you with proof."
"When I arrived-"
"Quite the theatrical entrance, if I do say so myself." Dumbledore smiled.
"I came with some things, one of them is for you. It should explain everything." I looked around, "Where-"
"I thought it best to leave your belongings in my keeping until we knew your intentions," This younger version of Albus Dumbledore was just as wise as he would be in twenty years. He pulled out the bag, the parchment, but not my wand.
"The note is for you," I said reaching for my bag as Dumbledore began to read the parchment before him. I studied him as his nose brushed the parchment. He was younger than the man I remembered, though young is not the word I would use to describe him. His beard seemed less grey than it usually was, his eyes seemed lighter, and his hand was clearly not decaying. He still smelled the same as he did my first year, like lemon drops and butterscotch candy. Suddenly he looked up from the parchment.
"Well, then Miss. Cole, welcome to Hogwarts."
"That's it?" I asked I had planned on explaining myself more.
"It says right here everything I need to know. I do trust myself quite fully, I've always had a good instinct. I will start on my mission straight away, and you must start to recover." Dumbledore patted my knee gently. "Poppy said you've had a rough morning. Though I cannot relate exactly, I can imagine the effects of travel over such a distance," His eyes twinkled at the joke.
"Sir, what will we do about me?" I asked before I'd left we had never discussed it.
"It's all here my dear," He picked up the parchment reading from it slowly "Ginny Cole arrived in my office via port key, she was injured extensively and required a short stay in the hospital wing. Upon release, Ginny was sent to Gryffindor house to continue her schooling. Though it doesn't say what year."
"Seventh," I said, though my sixth year had been a bit of a joke in terms of schooling, there was no way I'd repeat it no matter what decade I was in.
"The seventh year it is then," Dumbledore smiled.
"I think we should tell people that Voldemort killed my family," I said slowly, "It'll explain why I have no one here and the injuries."
"How clever," Dumbledore smiled, "And if it is alright with you, I will call you my goddaughter. A student having weekly meetings with the headmaster is suspicious, but a godfather asking for weekly tea with his goddaughter is not."
"Weekly tea?"
"If this letter speaks the truth, then I cannot allow myself to forget and neither can you. If this book contains what I say it does then there is nothing more important."
"Sir," I murmured after a brief pause, "In my time-"
"Miss Cole I ask that you tell me nothing of the future, there is no telling what the consequences may be. I already know that I am dead, do an old man a favor and let me discover the rest as I grow."
"Yes sir," I sighed, choosing my next words very carefully. "Things are very- different in my time. And with the- with everything that was happening, I was given very little notice about my mission. I didn't get to-" I breathed again searching for the right words, but failing. "I don't quite know when the hell I am."
Dumbledore smiled "It is 1977, my dear goddaughter," He smiled at his pet name, "Everyone is listening to Celinda and the Linda's these days, very popular amongst the students. I find myself quite fond of their first album, Full Moon Fever. The Chudley Cannons are dominating the English Quidditch league, the students have been bleeding black and orange this year."
"Sir, I meant-"
"I know what you meant dear," Dumbledore's eyes turned dark and his smile disappeared. He took a long pause before continuing. "He is quite powerful, unlike anything we've ever seen before. I remember the sense of fear when Gillert Grindlewald was gaining power, this is quite different. His following is growing by the day. My students are safe in this castle, but I cannot protect them or their families once they're outside these walls. They're trying to keep things quiet, the ministry is, they don't want to panic everyone. I fear that we are far past that point. Every day we hear the whisperings of more killings, torture, and worse. I cannot fathom where we go from here."
"Thank you, sir," my stomach was in knots. It wasn't nausea from before, but from the stories about the man who haunted my dreams.
"I can guess without being told that he affected your life too, though that will be many years from now." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with tears, a man grieving for a child he'd one day know.
"Maybe one day I'll tell you about it, uncle," I glanced up at him to see if the nickname would stick. The smile on his face told me that it would.
"You must rest now, Ginny, I fear that Poppy will have my head if I should keep you awake for any longer."
"Sir," I said quickly, almost moving, but catching myself. "Those boys who were here before, I-" I paused again choosing my words so as not to break the rules, "I know what will happen to them. How do I-" I trailed off not knowing how to finish my question.
"How do you make friends with the people whose fates you already know?" Dumbledore turned to me, "I suppose you would do it by starting with a smile. I suppose it might be easier to ignore those whose fates are not bright. However, often what is easy is not what is right. I trust you to make the right choice."
"What if I could save them?" I asked, getting excited at the thought.
"There is more than one side to a choice, let's say you choose to save me, as we both know I will die before the war's end. What are the consequences of your choice? Will the fact that I live cause another to die in my place? Or worse, if you choose to save me, will it give the Dark Lord more power in the end?" He paused for a long time while staring into my eyes as if he knew the answer, and I did too. "Just a thought," He smiled, breaking me out of my head and giving me a wink. "Now I do not fear anything as much as I fear Madam Pomfrey when someone is doing harm to a student. I will let you rest." He started to turn away but jumped and abruptly turned around, "I almost forgot." He pulled my wand out of his robe. "You'll be needing this. I'll be in to check on you this weekend. Now rest."
"Yes, sir," I smiled. He pulled my curtains back and moved to close them as he left, "Wait," I almost shouted, "I haven't seen a sunny day in ages, leave them open."
"Anything for you goddaughter," He said with a wink, and strolled out of the hospital wing humming to himself. I turned to see Remus Lupin secretly studying me behind a book, he looked baffled.
"May I help you?" I called out to the boy a few beds away.
"What? Oh just- umm," He stuttered, clearly shocked that he was caught.
"Good night, Remus" I yawned as he tried to pretend he hadn't been staring. I leaned back against my pillows, really feeling the effects of everything I'd been through in the past week. Madam Pomfrey came bustling in with a tray full of vials, just as my eyes were closing.
"Not so fast, Miss Cole." She set the tray on my bedside table, "You'll need to take these before you sleep again. If they do their job, I think we can try some lunch in a few hours."
"Yes, Ma'am," I smiled swallowing the potions dutifully as she handed them to me. As I was drinking she ran her wand over my body in a series of intricate patterns, muttering incantations under her breath as she went. I grimaced after swallowing a particularly nasty potion.
"That'll be the Skele-gro," she supplied. "Now, off to bed with you."
Her instructions weren't exactly needed as I slowly positioned myself back on the bed and was out before she'd even finished speaking.
I woke up to the sun shining on my face, it was a welcome warmth that I hadn't felt in ages. Before moving, I did a once-over of myself. The throbbing in my head was now a dull ache that seemed to be receding. My back still felt like it was littered with bruises, but nothing more than I could handle. It was easier to breathe than it had been this morning, which told me that my ribs were healed. I finally opened my eyes and started to attempt sitting up. Slowly, and methodically, I moved my head off the pillow and then my shoulders and so on. I stopped often to ensure that my stomach would not protest. Upon sitting up instead of the twist of sickness I felt it rumble with hunger. A good sign.
"Look who's awake," Remus called from his bed. He was reading a book on potions while lounging. He seemed to have more color in his cheeks now than he did early this morning. I wondered if I'd be alone after tonight.
"Morning," I croaked through a dry throat.
"It's nearly dinner, I'd say you missed the morning," Remus laughed.
"I've missed nearly a week, what's another morning?" I looked around me and found a glass of water on the bedside table. I took it slowly and sipped with care, not wanting a repeat of this morning. When I didn't feel the need to throw it up I decided I'd earned myself something to eat. "Any idea how a girl can get a meal around here?"
"Madam Pomfrey will be by in three minutes, she checks on you every hour and she's almost due."
"You're keeping track of me?" I asked.
"It's either that or charms homework, and I don't much feel like starting that until Sunday," Remus joked. "Mind if I join you for Supper?"
"I thought you'd be set free by dinner," I said, remembering the matron's words from this morning.
"You look like you could use some company," Remus smiled at me, "That is if you want it."
"I'd love it," I smiled back. "I promise to keep as much of it down as I can."
"I'll hold you to that." This was a Remus Lupin I had never known, yet he was the same. He was just as kind as the man I'd met as a professor. He seemed to genuinely want to keep me company and even be my friend. However, I'd never known a version of Remus Lupin that was so happy.
Maybe I could change that. Maybe I could keep him from becoming so sad.
"Happy to see you're back with us, Miss Cole," Madam Pomfrey said as she swept into the room.
"Me too," I replied. "I was wondering if I could get something to eat. I don't feel nauseous anymore."
"I think some soup and toast might do you good," She smiled, clearly pleased with her patient. "Now how's the head?"
"Almost bearable."
"It should be fine by morning, maybe we'll get you out of here sooner than I thought," She said. She began to wave her wand again in the same intricate pattern as before, muttering under her breath. "I'll get you some food."
She turned to walk over to Remus's bed to find him sitting up straight like a model patient. "And what may I do for you Mr. Lupin."
"I was hoping you would make good on a promise you made earlier," Remus smiled charmingly at the woman before him.
"No fidgeting," Madam Pomfrey instructed as she waved her wand over him a few times. She said four different incantations and when green mist flowed over Remus's head she nodded firmly. "Off you go Mr. Lupin, a pleasure doing business with you."
Remus stood quickly and pulled his bed curtains shut, clearly looking forward to trading his hospital pajamas for real clothes.
"I'll be right back with the soup," Madam Pomfrey left the room quickly.
I looked out the window that faced the black lake. It had been months since I'd been in Hogwarts, and how I'd missed it so. You've never been to this Hogwarts Ginny! I thought to myself. Yet despite the fact that this was my school twenty years before I would ever know it, it still felt like home. The walls still hummed with magic, and the hospital wing still bore the scratchy too hard beds. I could see students heading outside to enjoy the last moments of fall before the cold rain and snow would turn the season to winter.
I hadn't been outside in months. After Ron had been spotted with Harry we'd been forced to go to Aunt Muriel's house in hiding for fear of what the Death Eaters might do to a family of blood traitors. Aunt Muriel's house was small, and the food was scarce. I could feel my ribs through the thin cotton pajama top I wore. My cheeks, once plump and pink, were now hallowed and thin. I hadn't seen a mirror in weeks because the last time I looked I hardly recognized myself. I'd been avoiding them since.
"How do I look?" Remus's voice broke me out of my thoughts as he pushed back his bed curtains to reveal him wearing his uniform. The shirt was wrinkled, and the pants needed repair, but he was starting to resemble my beloved professor more and more.
"Quite nice," I smiled over at him, though it was obvious my smile did nothing to disguise my thoughts because Remus suddenly walked over to my bed and sat down seriously.
"Is everything alright?" He asked softly.
"Fine," I sat up straight to pretend it was, hoping he'd take my answer for its face value.
"If you say so," He said quizzically. Just as he did the doors burst open to the hospital wing.
"Mooney, we've come to spring you!" James Potter shouted as he walked towards his friend.
"Spring me? I've been released on the count of good behavior," Remus drawled at his friend from the seat next to my bed.
"Then why aren't you rushing to the common room to bask in our friendship?" Sirius responded as he entered the room, they were followed by a third boy. He was short and overweight who followed Sirius and James like he worshiped the ground they walked on. This must have been Peter Pettigrew, I drew back from him in revulsion. It did not go unnoticed by Remus.
"You alright?" Remus asked me.
"Fine," I said coming up with an excuse, "Just a lot of noise."
"You heard the woman, James, quiet down," Sirius whispered as he pulled a chair over to my bedside and took a seat.
"Gosh, Prongs, I bet they could hear you from Diagon Alley talking that loudly," Pettigrew smirked at his friend. The dig was very half-hearted as if the boy feared to upset James.
How odd.
"I'm sorry, I never meant to do any harm," James whispered over to me, his face shining in mirth.
"I think I'll survive," I whispered back to him earning a loud laugh from all of the boys.
"Seems like you're feeling better," Sirius smirked at me.
"A bit," I said, was he flirting with me? "Madam Pomfrey thinks I can eat." I was almost giddy at the thought of a meal from Hogwarts. If there was one thing that might not have changed over time I was hoping it would be the food.
"I like a woman who eats," Sirius winked at me. I rolled my eyes at him in response, he looked taken aback at the idea of a woman not falling to his charms.
"So are we going down to the great hall? I'm starved." Peter said while looking around at his friends to jump up and leave.
"Sorry, mate, I told Ginny I'd keep her company for supper," Remus smiled at the boy. "But go on without me, I'll catch up with you lot later."
"Well someone has to stay here and protect Mooney from the beautiful stranger," Sirius smirked at me again.
"I'll go with you Pete," James stood up from his chair and started to leave. He turned around suddenly saying, "But you two better tell me everything. Come on, Wormtail." The two boys left as I turned to gaze accusingly at Sirius and Remus.
"Tell you him everything?" I asked.
"Oh, we've been exceptionally curious about the stranger in bed three all week. You wouldn't believe how many times we tried to get Poppy to tell us who you were," Sirius leaned back in his chair and eyed me back.
"I'm sorry, Ginny," Remus began, "Don't listen to him, I just wanted to offer the company. I had no ulterior motives."
"Boys," I said to myself and then started to laugh a little. "You lot sure are something." Just then Madam Pomfrey came bustling in with a large tray loaded with 2 large steaming bowls and a plate piled high with toast. There was a large glass of water on it. My stomach growled quite loudly at the smell.
"Well," She said, eyeing the boys sitting next to me, "I can't say that I'm surprised." She nestled the tray on top of me and began to tuck a napkin into the collar of my shirt and fuss over the pillows and blankets. By the time she pulled away my cheeks were tinged in peek in embarrassment although her fussing did give me a yearning for home. "You two have thirty minutes, and then you're gone, understood?"
"Yes, love," Sirius smirked up at her as she walked back into her office with a roll of her eyes.
I could barely wait to tuck in, but I kept reminding myself that I must start slow. There was no way I wouldn't get sick if I ate as fast as I could. I started with the first bowl which held nothing but a flavored broth. It was delicious, more flavor than I'd tasted in months. I had to stop myself from diving head first into the bowl, so after a few spoonfuls, I laid back to test the results of eating.
"How is it?" Remus asked with a smile on his face.
"Best I've had in ages," I smiled back at him. "But I don't want a repeat of this morning, so I'll take it slow."
"So where are you from Miss Ginny?" Sirius drawled from beside me.
"Near West Sussex," I replied. Keep it casual Ginny. "You?"
"London," Sirius replied. When my stomach didn't move to reject the food I continued to eat. "What brings you to Hogwarts?"
"Well I thought that was quite obvious, Mr. Black," I said cooly, "School."
"I think he means what brings you here now?" Remus countered. For someone with no ulterior motives, he seemed just as curious about me as Sirius. I put my spoon down slowly and eyed them both, formulating an answer.
"Things have," I started, going over it before it came out of my mouth, "Changed for me recently. My Uncle, Professor Dumbledore, thought it best that I come here to finish school."
"How have things changed?" Sirius tried again.
"My family's gone," I said to him softly, mulling the phrase over in my mouth. The consequences of accepting my mission fully hit me at that moment. Until then I hadn't thought about what coming to 1977 meant for me. I was living in a world where my mother did not know I existed. Where my brothers were infants, some of them not even born. It would be a very long time before a Molly Weasley dinner crossed my lips, and a very long time before I'd get to embrace my father again. It may never happen again. As I sat in the bed, a single tear streamed down my face. "Voldemort killed them."
I heard Remus gasp and felt Sirius drop his act in a second. Both boys watched me for my next move, neither knowing what to say. I couldn't think about it at that moment, as the boys watched me waiting for a reaction, so I did what any sane person would do: I kept eating.
"I haven't had a decent meal in months," I broke the silence. "I could get used to this."
"So you mean you saw him?" Sirius asked quietly, his voice had dropped to just above a whisper.
"Sirius-" Remus snapped at his friend.
"Yes," I answered, remembering my nights in the Chamber and the boy you haunted my life to this day.
"What's he like?" Sirius asked.
I took a long pause and chose my next words carefully. "Like all your nightmares rolled into one."
"I'm so sorry," Sirius murmured, he patted my hand that lay on the bed next to him. "I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine," I cut him off. "Things are different out there."
"You should eat Ginny," Remus interrupted, clearly hoping to change the subject. I picked up my spoon and began sipping the broth again, though this time I couldn't really taste the flavor.
"So what's there to do for fun around here?" I asked, hoping that they would take the bait.
Sirius launched into an extensive explanation of all things Hogwarts. Remus would pitch in here and there, but mostly it was Sirius. His eyes were bright and he laughed with such lightheartedness that I had a hard time believing this was the man who I spent the summer before my fourth year staying with. This Sirius stood taller, his eyes shown with excitement, he was charming. This was not the man I remembered.
I crept downstairs and made my way into the kitchen, carefully navigating the creaky floorboards so as not to wake the painting in the hall. I lept nimbly over the creakeist portion of the floor and pushed open the door to the kitchen. Sleep had been evading me all night, maybe it was because of the intense sense of forboding in the house, or maybe it was the fact that I could hear George snoring from my bed three doors down. Either way, the only thing that could get me to sleep at this point was a cup of tea.
As I pushed open the doors I found Sirius Black sitting with his back to me. He was staring into a small fire that was burning in the fireplace. His shoulders were hunched like a man who bore the struggles of the entire world on his back. I instantly regretted walking in on him and tried to sneak out without being noticed until I accidentally landed on the squeakiest floorboard in human history.
"Who's there?" Sirius turned around quickly and brandished his wand in my direction. In his other hand, he held a nearly empty bottle of fire whiskey.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," I said holding my hands up in surrender. "I'll just go back to bed."
"No stay," the man said, putting his wand away and hiding the bottle from my view. "Didn't mean to chase you away."
"No, really I can go-"
"Please stay," He whispered from across the room. The look on his face was strange, and his eyes flashed with a look I'd never seen before. "Sit, I'll make tea," He turned too quickly and stumbled a little, but caught himself on the counters edge before he could fall.
"You sit," I rushed over to help steady him. As I grabbed his arm and guided him to a chair his breathing hitched. Before I could sit him down he turned to face me and placed his hand on my cheek. "Sirius?" I asked, very confused.
"I'm so sorry," He whispered as he brushed his thumb over my lips. The gesture was far to intimate, and yet I made no move to stop it. We'd never been alone together. It seemed that any time the opportunity might arise Sirius would leave the room, or find any excuse to avoid it. What was going on? "I shouldn't have gone that night." The firewhiskey on his breath warmed my face. I didn't dare say anything. "None of this would have happened if I'd just listened to you. I'm so sorry." Tears suddenly began to stream down his face and his hand moved to my hair. "Don't let me go, Gin. Just make me stay, please don't let me go." He began to plead with me. He grabbed a fist full of my hair to hold me in front of him, it didn't hurt and I almost enjoyed the sensation, but I suddenly found the moment too intense. "Swear it, swear you'll make me stay. Do whatever you have to do, just make me stay. Swear it, Ginny."
"I swear," I said as I gently began to pull away from the man.
"Thank you," He calmed, but kept his hold on my hair.
"Sirius, how about some tea?"
The man in front of me slowly brought his face closer to mine and I began to panic. There was no way he knew what he was talking about. Clearly, he assumed that I was someone else from his past, and in his drunken stupor thought that she was here. But he'd said my name, hadn't he? Maybe it was all a strange coincidence. Or maybe it wasn't. His lips were inches from mine and I realized that he was going to kiss me. My heart was racing, my lungs unable to take in oxygen, and yet I didn't try to move. A part of me wondered what it would be like to kiss Sirius Black. Just as our lips alost brushed he stopped. It seemed that he'd realized what was happening. He moved his face to the side and let his lips brush my forehead. It wasn't a fatherly gesture, or a friendly one, it was something else entirely. His lips stayed there for a second too long. He quickly pulled away, removed his hand from my hair, and sat in his chair. He took a long swig of the firewhiskey and went back to staring into the fire.
"Sirius?" I asked again, baffled by our entire exchange.
"Go to sleep, love," He muttered without looking at me. He waved his wand and the kettle filled with water and put itself on the stove. A carton of milk poured itself into my cup, and two sugars were placed alongside it.
How did he know how I liked my tea?
Once the water was heated, and the tea poured, the cup floated over to me and landed in my hands.
"Thanks," I said, my mind still reeling from everything that just happened. "Goodnight, I guess." I turned to go, but paused at the door when I heard Sirius' voice.
"Don't forget, Ginny," He said, "You promised."
"I won't," and with that, I turned away and went to bed.