Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling; I'm just a fat American man. I make no money off of the drivel that I write.

A/N: Yes, I posted this before, but I took it down because wasn't happy with it.

This was the first chapter of Radiant Eclipse. I took the fic down because I disliked the direction it was going, but I no longer have the motivation to rewrite it. One day I might, but today isn't that day. I'm posting this again, and may post more of what I had done on this story later.

I've tweaked it a little bit, but it's largely untouched.

So, without further ado, on with the show.

Contractual Obligations

Chapter 1: First Meetings

1 September 1991

If one were to look in on Kings Cross Station on this particular day, one would see numerous odd looking people moving in groups, all towards platforms 9 and 10, or rather a particular spot in the barrier between said platforms. Amongst these groups was one consisting entirely of redheads. In this group there was only one girl, and she was only here to see her brothers off. Her name was Ginevra--Ginevra Molly Weasley was her full name, Ginny for short.

Ginny Weasley was sad. Ron, her older brother, her one constant companion, her protector, was going off to Hogwarts. She knew that things would never be the same with him ever again. She watched as first Percy, then Fred, then George, disappeared through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4. Just as Ron was about to go, a lone boy, with messy black hair and emerald green eyes walked up nervously, asking how he was supposed to get onto Platform 9 3/4. As her mother explained how to get onto the platform, Ginny studied the boy. He looked vaguely familiar, like someone from a half forgotten dream. Just as he was about to cross the barrier, she shook herself from her thoughts and said to him, "Good luck."

As she came through the barrier with her mother, she saw Fred and George helping the strangely familiar boy heave his trunk onto the train. They came out a few minutes later looking rather excited. "Hey, Mum, you won't believe who we saw on the train!"

"Who was it, dear?" asked Mum.

"Harry Potter!" They excitedly chorused.

"Can I go see him mum?" Ginny asked excitedly.

"You saw him out there before he came through the barrier. He's not an exhibit in a zoo," Ginny tuned her out at this point, thinking again. So the meek boy she met briefly on the other side of the barrier was The-Boy-Who-Lived. Maybe that explained why he looked so familiar, but she was pretty sure that there was another reason. However, whatever that reason was she couldn't put her finger on it right now.

Later that night, as Ginny was getting into bed she looked at a picture that her mum had given her when she was five. It was dated 31 July 1981, just a month after she herself was born. Her mother had told her that it was the only picture they had of her betrothed. It was of a baby, with unruly black hair and green eyes...

Realization hit her like a rampaging hippogriff. She ran downstairs.

"Mum, who is the person in this picture?" she asked, handing her mother the photograph.

"I've told you before, Ginny, He's your betrothed. Now go back to bed," her mother said.

"But what is his name?" Ginny asked. She was pretty sure she had worked it out, but wanted confirmation.

"I guess you have a right to know by now," Her dad sighed. "Your mother and I met with his parents on the day that picture was taken, at Gringotts to set up the betrothal. That was the last time we saw any of them. Three months to the day after that meeting, his parents were killed and he was sent to live with his muggle relatives," he paused noticing the look on his daughter's face. "Yes, as you have apparently figured out on your own, you are betrothed to Harry Potter. Just don't let it go to your head, got it?" she nodded.

I'm betrothed to Harry Potter! Luna's going to be sooo jealous! She rushed up to her room and fell into a happy sleep.

--

As it turned out, Luna Lovegood, Ginny's best friend, was not jealous. In fact, she didn't even seem surprised. Well, she didn't seem any more surprised than normal. She said something about plenumwarts and then said nothing more, as if the subject bored her to no end. She had changed a lot since the death of her mother last year. Ginny hoped that she would get better soon.

--

Mid-August 1992

Ginny was woken by the sound of her mother screaming. Though she couldn't hear what she was saying, she was definitely angry. She rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. After a half an hour she gave it up as a bad job and went downstairs. She came around the corner to go into the kitchen when she saw Him. She gasped, causing Him to look up. She ran all the way back to her room.

Apparently, only His legal guardians could tell Him about the contract--and they didn't even know about it.

She forced herself not to think of the contract. Instead she thought of all that her brother had told the family about Him. About how He was a natural at Quidditch. About how He was probably the most powerful student in to attend the school in a long time, according to Professor Flitwick. About how He had faced He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, all by Himself--though Ron always made sure to remind the family that he had played an important part in helping Him reach that point.

--

The next few weeks passed fairly quickly, though Harry was beginning to really worry about Ron's sister. Whenever he tried to talk to her, she would stand there for a few seconds, mouth working silently, then squeak and run off. Though Ron had assured him that she could speak just fine, Harry had yet to hear her say a coherent word.

It was the day before term started and Harry was heading downstairs to get a glass of water before sleep when he heard what he assumed was Ginny's voice coming from her room. She was pleading with her mum about something.

"--ust tell Him?" Ginny pleaded. Harry could hear the capital 'h.'

"No! Absolutely not!" that was Mrs. Weasley's voice.

Ginny wasn't ready to give up yet. "But He'll find out eventually anyway!" There was that capital 'h' again.

"If you so much as utter one word to the poor boy, I'll make sure the contract gets dissolved!" Harry could sense the argument winding down, so he hurriedly went down the rest of the steps as quietly as possible.

While he was pouring himself the water, Mrs. Weasley came down the steps. "Hello Harry-dear. Have you got everything packed for tomorrow?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

He finished his water and went up to bed. As he drifted off to sleep, he puzzled over what the overheard conversation was about. There was definitely a 'He,' one important enough for a capital 'h.' There was also a contract of some sort, one important to Ginny.

His last thought before sleep took him was, It probably doesn't have anything to do with me, so I shouldn't worry about it. If only he knew how wrong he was.

When Harry awoke the next morning, he had forgotten all about it.

--

A/N: I know, I know. It sucked. It had some good points, but overall it was pretty bad. I do have some ideas for how to continue it in a good way, but they may never see the light of day. I will probably post chapter two later on, but, as with this one, it had already been posted. I just wasn't satisfied with what I had.