REQUEST: I'm trying to keep the story canon. So, if you found something un-canon, please tell me.
Author's Note: I can't tell you how delighted I was because of the three reviews. I have been over the skies, from the moment I learned about it and have a hard time writing. So, a big Grawp sized thanks to the three who reviewed and Hagrid sized thanks to the hitters.
CHAPTER – 4
UNKNOWN SIDES
Ginny stomped to her room and looked around wildly. There was nothing to do. She sighed and slouched downstairs. She entered the sitting room and sat on the sofa. There was a knock on the door and hurriedly her Mum came out of the kitchen, pointing her wand at the door, she asked, "Identify yourself."
"Charlie Weasley," the man at the door said. Her Mum didn't wait long and opened the door and engulfed him in a hug. He awkwardly patted her back and Ginny blurted out loudly, "You were here."
Charlie turned to her, looking startled and confused at the same time and asked Ginny, "What do you mean by it?" He sat on the sofa and Ginny flopped in the armchair.
"I forgot that you are here," said Ginny plainly, "Not in Romania with your beloved dragons."
Charlie looked indignant and her Mum said, "Manners Ginny." And she walked in the kitchen, looking weary.
There were footsteps and after a moment, the twins stood in front of them, grinning. Fred and George squeezed Charlie in between, when they sat on the dingy sofa.
"Where have you been, Charlie?" said Fred, not even mildly interested in the answer.
"I was in the pub," replied Charlie, and to his and Ginny horror a smirk appeared on the twins faces.
"I didn't know, you have some of your dragons here to have affairs with," said George, his eyes glinting.
"I was with my friends," said Charlie, craning his neck to scoff at George.
"But we were in the illusion that you only socialize with dragons and do certain things with you know," said Fred, snickering at Charlie when the latter expressions changed to disgusted ones.
"I will hex the hell out of you," snarled Charlie.
"You can't frighten us, now," replied George.
"You bet it," replied Charlie, his hand twitching to get hold of his wand, which was squeezed by Fred thighs.
"You can't even get hold of your wand," laughed George, which was only shared by Fred.
"What were you doing there, anyway?" asked Ginny, interjecting anymore rubbish that was going to come out of the twins mouths.
Charlie looked a little relieve, when the scope of the conversation was changed and said, "I —"
"Where are your manners, Ginny?" scolded Fred.
"When two elders, in this case, three elders are talking, the younger one should lock their mouths and shouldn't disturb," continued George in an imitation of her Mum.
"I met with some of my colleagues today," continued Charlie as there had been no interference, but his eyes were blazing with anger, "and I wanted to tell them that I would not come for a week or so —"
"So, you lot got into pub," said Fred, interjecting Charlie, "and started checking out the witches there. You dirty minded lot."
"Because up to my knowledge," continued George as Charlie started to wriggle, to get his hand on the twins, "It takes merely a minute to give a leave application."
Charlie tried to get up and was yanked down by the twins. Scowling he said, "No —"
"Don't lie," interjected Fred again, much to the displeasure of Charlie, "we know its human nature to check out the opposite sex."
"What kind of blasphemy are you talking about, Fred?" said George furiously, standing up from the sofa. Charlie was stunned in silence, so was Ginny. There had been some previous incidents today where they had started dramatizing things, but it was going over the top now. George looked furious, despite the fact that no one could see his face, except Fred. Fred looked like he knew nothing about what was going on.
"Charlie checking out witches," said George theatrically, after a long pause, "what would happen to her dragon girlfriends, he had in Romania, which he had promise to marry, as soon as this maelstrom ends."
George ducked a punch thrown him in his direction, and Fred jumped from the sofa, pushing Charlie, face first on the floor. Ginny was rocking with laughter, and Charlie let out a muffled string of words, which Ginny couldn't understand, but suspected it must be swearing. Charlie whipped out his wand, and bellowed, "You both are dead men."
Her Mum came out of the kitchen, looking irritated, her hands folded over her chest, as she glared daggers at her children. Ginny raised her hands, showing her innocence and pointed at her three brothers, when her Mum looked at her with a suspicious look. She turned to look at the twins, but they hurriedly ran to her, and hid themselves behind her, while Charlie followed them, his wand raised.
"What is going on?" asked her Mum, completely disgruntled and infuriated.
"Charlie is threatening to hex us," said George as Fred peered from behind her.
"See, he even has his wand pointed at us," said Fred, with a mock fear in his voice.
"Charlie put your wand down," ordered her Mum.
Charlie reluctantly followed the order and stowed his wand back in his robes. Her Mum turned to the twins, who instantly jumped from her reach and stood a little distance away from Charlie, making sure that they were well out of reach of both of them. Her Mum asked them, with a stern expression, "What did both of you did?"
"We did nothing," said Fred indignantly.
"We just asked him where he was all this time —" said George innocently.
"— and the next we knew he was advancing on us with his wand raised and threatening to hex us,"
"Not that we couldn't hex him into hell our self…"
"… but we possess something called manners, which our lovely Mum had taught us,"
Her Mum turned a light shade of pink, after the last sentence. Ginny stared at the twins incredulously and at the same time admiring them for making such flattering excuses at the drop of the hat and their unbeatable co-ordination. It always looked as they were able to read the other one thoughts. She stared at her Mum, who looked as she was stunned into silence and Charlie was staring at them with his mouth agape.
When everyone in the room looked at her Mum expectantly, she said, "Don't cause — trouble." And she turned and left the room. She seemed to be too shocked to form long coherent sentences. Fred and George grinned sheepishly at their Mum retreating back and Charlie looked at the twins, with a look of loathing and admiration.
"How did you do that?" asked Charlie, flopping on the sofa, "you never seemed to be able to sneak your way out from Mum wrath."
"Time changed, brother," said Fred flicking his wand. A book materlised in front of him. He grabbed it and flashed the cover page around. In bold, golden-red letter was written 'How to Charm People Right off Their Feet' and below it were magnificent swirl of colour swirling around the thick black cover. Fred showed it around, Ginny eyes following it around and as Fred stopped in front of her, she grabbed it. The binding was posh, little golden threads binding the book together. The cover felt soft under her hands and it shone magnificiently in the light. She turned the book around. The book was not very thick; it had around hundred or one fifty pages, but they were coloured golden around the ages. She opened it and saw that the pages were not white; they were a little gold-ish and also shone in the light, like the covers. She nearly dropped the book, when she saw the price, 64 Galleons.
"How the hell did you purchased something this costly?" asked Ginny, her eyes transfixed on the now closed book.
Before the twin could open their mouth, Charlie asked, "What's the cost?"
Ginny didn't answer; she just gave him the book. He opened it, and wasn't as lucky as Ginny. The book fell off from his hand, with a soft thud on the floor. Fred let out a series of cursing as he levitated the book in his hand and dusted slowly and delicately with his hands.
"Don't you know anything about respecting books?" scolded Fred.
"How the hell, you could have that much finance to purchase this book?" asked Ginny completely bewildered.
"The more pressing and important question is why the hell did you need something that costly?" asked Charlie, looking at the twins with the most amused expression.
"First thing first," said George in a bossy sort of voice, pointing at Ginny, "you ask how we got the finance."
"Its simple, as you know," said Fred, staring at Ginny, "our business boomed and we made quite a bit of money."
"And as for your question, Charlie," continued Fred, "we are doing business. We need to persuade people —"
Charlie haughtily interjected, "You could've purchased a little less costly book. What good a book have of 64 Galleons, when you could have purchased the same book in 64 Sickles!"
"Brother," said George in a very good imitation of Percy, "it does have an effect."
"You know, quality," said Fred.
"But, it is just the same tricks. They have just glittered it here and there," said Charlie, still shocked that his little siblings were so daft.
"We never knew, you were such a scrooge," said Fred idly.
"No, I'm not. I'm just worried about you," snapped Charlie.
Fred and George sat on the arms of the sofa, their faces frowned in thinking. After a whole minute, Fred said, "Let's give you a example. What is a difference between Firebolt and a Nimbus Two Thousand? Tell me?"
"A Firebolt is a much improved broom than Nimbus Two Thousand, to sum it up all in one short sentence," replied Charlie, looking skeptically at the twins.
"So, if you have a choice and the finance which broom would you purchase?" asked George flatly.
"Firebolt," replied Charlie instantly, still staring skeptically at the twins.
"Why not Nimbus Two Thousand?" said Fred, clearly suppressing a grin, "it is after all a broom."
"As you said they have just glittered it here and there," said George plainly, his mouth quivered in a smile.
Charlie gulped and said, "It's different."
"No, its not," protested George.
"Don't turn now," said Fred, "when you have to eat your own words."
Ginny smiled at the twin's effectiveness to mend a situation to their own likings and said, "So, why did you purchase this book?"
She remembered their little act and added, before they could speak, "And I suppose all the dramatic and flattery part was also given in it."
"Right you are, Gin-Gin" said Fred, and Ginny bared her teethes at him, "We purchased it to learn the magical art of persuading. Because of some nasty and accusing customers that always find some faults in our very perfect products."
"But I can see you are putting a quite a use of the book, on Mum too," said Ginny grinning and the twins grinned back. Charlie looked grumpy, which Ginny suspected was because of the embarrassing defeat by his younger siblings. He was frowning at no one in particular and the words seemed to take time to reach his ears. When they reached, a look of questioning appeared on his face and he asked, "What's Gin-Gin?"
Ginny groaned and buried her head in her hands, as Fred said, "You caught it at last."
"It's Ginny new pat name" replied George with an enthusiastic smile.
"Gin-Gin," repeated Charlie, scratching his chin, evidently in deep thoughts, "Kind of good, but how come you became so creative?"
Ginny sank in the armchair and chanced a glanced at the twins. Fred was frowning, and opened his mouth to say something, when George nudged him and said to Charlie, with a smirk playing on his face, "Don't tell me that you also don't know about our little brother life?"
Charlie shook his head, looking a little confused, which was surely because his mind would be working in overdrive thinking what the twins would tell him. Fred at once started a summary of Ron last year, and George was filling in the gaps.
Ginny buried her face again in her hands and brought her knees up to her chest to cover her bowed face. Commonly, she would have enthusiastically taken part in insulting Ron, but this time it was all different. She knew for a fact that the moment they ended, their target would shift to her. Ginny could skive-off, but the urge of missing any detail, which she didn't know overcame her fear of being the butt of jokes and secondly, she didn't want to go back in her room. Not this soon. Her room was haunting her and Ginny didn't want to turn her cheerful mood into a gloomy one. And all the occupants present in the Burrow were sitting here, except her Mum and Fleur. Her Mum was pissed off and it could be dangerous to go near her now. And Fleur, well Ginny would chose to jump from a cliff, than spend time with her. She sat their, like a statue; her eyes close as she thought of planning how to strangle the twins in their sleep.
Suddenly, there was a silence. Even Ginny, who had been lost in thought, was pulled back in reality. And then, a feeling of self-anxiousness ran over her body, making her hackles rose and a shiver ran down her body like she suddenly had been exposed to bone freezing cold. She parted her knees a little, and saw from the crack of the fingers that all of her three brothers were staring at her with so intensity that a flush crept over her body, making the temperature of her body rise. But, still the shiver didn't go and the hair on the back of her neck, felt as they were trying to broke off their roots. She gulped and stared at them with more focus. All of their faces were screwed in worry and concern was ebbed all over it. She flushed more deeply, but it was nothing like before. She felt a surge of anger, and the strange feeling vanished in a snap. She threw her legs wide and straightened with so haste that Charlie forced his back in the sofa and Fred toppled-off on the ground while George dangled on the arm of it. The three of them were panting, looking at her with an expression mixed of concern and fear. A smug smile formed on Ginny lips.
"Blimey!" panted Fred, resuming his seat, "you scared the hell out of us."
Before George or Charlie could speak, Ginny roared, making Charlie jump, "Why in the name of Merlin were you staring at me like I was put on some bloody exhibition?"
There was no prompt answer. The three of them looked uneasy, chancing glancing at each other, often. Ginny stared at the three of them, her hands twitching to place a punch, if answer didn't come soon. Fred noticed it as he backed a little and stuttered, his eyes bouncing between the stairs and Ginny hand and said slowly, "Well — Ginny …"
"It is — was — um …" trailed off George, looking uncertainly at Charlie, as he was supposed to lead the way from there.
Ginny gritted her teeth, as her hand flew to her jeans. For a moment, Fred looked relieved, but it was vanished in a speck. Ginny caught hold of her wand and pulled it out, halfway between her jeans and air.
"You can't use it," said Fred at once, eyeing the wand with great fear.
"You bet that," hissed Ginny, maliciously.
Fred turned to Charlie and all but barked at him, who looked as he had seen snakes dancing in front of her eyes, "Now, please favor us with your dulcet voice."
Charlie looked at him uncertainly, before continuing in a calm voice, which clearly didn't mask the fear in his voice, "You both are qualified wizard. Why are you — scared from a um… underage witch?"
"Because we know better," said George, "we like to see ourselves handsome and dashing, like we always do, when we look into the mirror, not look ugly as you look."
Fred and George snarled at their older brother, while Ginny watched their little play. When the silence stretched on she stamped her foot, making the three of them jump. Then, Fred suddenly spoke, "Well then. If you have decided that you are going to keep your ugly mouth shut, fine."
"But, personally we both don't fancy bat-bogeys on our faces," said George, glaring at Charlie, "So, get ready to make a run for your life."
"Ginny," said Fred, turning sharply to her, "Charlie has been insinuating that you were crying."
The confession wasn't that big. Not that big, she had been expecting. But once the words sank in her mind, her eyes narrowed instinctively and she could feel the heat bubbling in her face, as her stomach twisted with pure rage. Crying, she repeated it again and again like a mantra, all the while her anger bubbling above the surface. She had been crying for a while, but it was all righteous, not the extra leaking people do. Glaring at Charlie; she hissed vehemently, all the while her wand twirling between her fingers, "Crying, huh? Do you think I'm a little helpless girl, who had made it a hobby to cry her eyes out? Tell me?"
"I didn't say that," replied Charlie, cowering a little.
"But you meant that?" said Ginny, as another surge of anger rose in her body, "how many time have you seen me crying?"
"Not much," said Charlie, looking at the stairs and the kitchen, with a sneaky expression on his face.
"Then, how come you said that I was crying?" asked Ginny, her eye narrowed at Charlie up to a point that her eyes were rarely visible.
Fred and George sniggered, who both have been rather enjoying the brawl of words. It gave a momentary distraction and Charlie used it at once. He whipped his head at once, and looked at the twins with a pleading expression. Fred simply shook his head and said, "Don't let us disturb both of you."
"Yeh, continue. Think that we are not here," said George, grinning at Charlie.
"You are both going to regret this?" threatened Charlie and kept his head turned, so not to see Ginny face, which was contorted in rage.
"What are you going to do, huh?" said Fred, looking at Charlie with a raised eyebrow.
"Call your dragon girlfriends, and unleash them on us," said George, nudging Charlie on the head.
Charlie was about to retort, when a voice bellowed in the sitting room, "Vat is this!"
Charlie sighed and yelled to her Mum, "I'm going Mum," and added to his younger siblings, "Need to help our sister-in-law and change the clothes. I'm a bit uncomfortable in those."
He vamoosed out, looking happy, which was undoubtedly because that he didn't have to explain himself more. Ginny stowed his wand back in her jeans and Fred said, "That was one hell of a fake warning."
"What do you mean by it?" asked Ginny, though she knew that they were right.
"Oh, don't play the innocent girl in front of us," said George, grinning at him.
"We know you enough to know how twisted minded you are," sad Fred, lifting the book from the sofa.
Ginny cast a look of admiration on the book. Its design and covering was breath taking, but then a thought hit her mind and she said, looking at the twins suspiciously, "But, I can't believe that you would waste 64 Galleons on that book. Because I know both of you fairly well too and you were never the bookish kind. I would swallow a gnome if you have something that could prove otherwise."
Fred contemplated her for a moment, and said, "You are right. And we both would never waste our money on such a useless lump of a book."
"We would have purchased it," said George, and elaborated seeing the look of confusion on Ginny face, "if it would have told us one thousand and one new ways of pranks."
"So, how did you get hold of the book?" asked Ginny, skeptically, "Didn't nick it?"
"How can you even say that?" said Fred indignantly, "We never nicked anything from anybody, except maybe Filch."
"And if we would want to nick something," said George, flopping on the sofa, "we would've nicked something worthy. Not this piece of plain shit."
"Then, how come you have it," said Ginny and glanced a look at the face of twins and added, "Don't you say that you found it somewhere?"
"We weren't going to," said George, taking the book from Fred and spinning it on a finger, "it was a sort of — present."
"Present?" asked Ginny, laughing derisively.
"Yes," was the only reply that came from Fred.
"Who would give you a present," said Ginny, eyeing them suspiciously, "when everyone knows that you hate reading as much as Hermione love house elf liberation?"
"He was a nutcase," said Fred, "gave us a free copy, said it was promotion. Maybe he thought that people will notice a book in a prank shop."
"We thought that it was a cursed book," said George, "we used every spell we know and it turned out to be a common book."
"And we even send an owl to the publishers," said Fred, grinning, "They were bigger head cases than the man who gave us this copy."
"Still the book wouldn't have been bad, if it was not so costly," said George, "maybe if it's rate was around one or two Knuts it would have been worth it."
"Yes," supported Ginny, "the dramatics was just too much."
"But, they actually work," argued Fred, staring at Ginny.
"No, its common thing. It's called tactful speaking, if you want to know," said Ginny, tantalizing.
"Oh! So that's how you worm your way out of the trouble, Gin-Gin," said Fred idly.
"Yup," said Ginny, "so what are you going to do with the book?"
"We plan to give it as a birthday gift," said George, staring at the ceiling, as he played with his interlaced fingers.
"Who?" asked Ginny at once, eyeing the book with loathing now, "Surely not me?"
"Why not?" piped Fred, holding the book in front of him, "You liked it, didn't you?"
"Nope," supplied Ginny, leaning against the armchair, "I would want something bit of adventurous and secondly I'm persuasive and tactful enough without this book and I don't want to spoil my techniques."
"Surely," said Fred, "we didn't plan to give it to you in the first place."
"Then who? Hermione?" asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised skeptically.
"Good idea, but no," said George, getting up from the sofa.
"We have to do some work," said Fred also standing up and turned to leave.
"But who are you going to give the book to," said Ginny in desperation to stop the twins from leaving. They didn't heard her or they ignored her as they trotted upstairs, leaving Ginny to sulk.
Ginny stared at a distinct point, her eyes unfocussed. The time seemed to slowdown. After gazing at the wall, she turned to look at the clock and it only showed that one minute has passed. Cursing colourfully under her breath, she stood up and stormed around the room, trying to find anything to pass her time. She flopped on the sofa, became bored again after merely one minute. She tried to sleep, forcing her eyes close and trying to keep her mind blank. It was impossible. She jump up and stamped her feet on the floor, trying to busy her mind. None of them worked, except the fact that a dull pain echoed through her legs because of the excessive stamping. Out of frustration and boredom, she kicked the wall and let out a low yelp. Jumping on one foot and cursing her luck, she resumed hopping around the room. As soon as she turned in the direction of kitchen, she saw her Mum standing there, ladle in her one hand and looking at her with confusion and frustration, as she stood on one foot. Her Mum stared at Ginny for a moment and than she barked at her, "Why are you causing such a commotion? I'm trying to cook."
Knowing better than to shot a hot retort at that time, Ginny answered in a small and innocent voice, "I'm bored."
"Go and talk with Fleur," said her Mum, who looked completely exasperated. Ginny stared at her in complete disbelief, and repeated with a note of panic in her voice, "Go and talk with Fleur."
This seemed to make her Mum realise what she said, as she was much too familiar with Ginny hearty loathing and dislike of Fleur. She thought for a moment, the ladle tapping against her thigh, and she said, looking and sounding resigned, "Look at the album."
"Album?" repeated Ginny and her Mum looked at her, with an expression suitable for having lost an almost won cooking contest.
"Yes," mended Ginny hastily and continued in a small voice, "Where is it?"
"In the drawer," said her Mum and she turned to march back in the kitchen. Ginny put her foot down and a pain pierced through her leg. Braving it, she took a step and the pain subsided a little. Taking small and feared steps, she reached the drawer and pulled it open. Extracting the album out, she hipped it close and sat on the sofa, the dusty book on her lap. The leather cover looked old and in fading golden letters was written 'Weasley's Golden Memories'. Tracing the name with her finger, she looked at the book affectionately, before opening it. On the first page was a fading picture of her Mum and Dad, at the altar, her Mum flashing her wedding ring to the camera. She turned the page and saw the picture of her Mum with her two brothers Fabian and Gideon Prewett, waving at the camera. A jolt of panic and gratitude filled her heart as she saw them. She turned the page and saw a little baby, smacking his fists in air, in the arms of her Mum. It was Bill and then second picture showed another baby, in her Mum arms and a two or three year child in her Dad arms, laughing merrily at the camera. She turned a page and saw her Mum and Dad, carrying a baby in each of their arms, as they cradle them and young Bill looking proud and Charlie, standing taking the support of his older brother. She turned a page and saw another boy in her Mum arms. She turned two pages hastily without looking at them more and saw a cute looking baby in her Mum arms. She looked happier than ever, as her Dad cooed over the baby. She turned a page, and saw Bill with a prefect badge on his chest, looking smug as Percy looked at his older brother with jealousy. Ginny let out a giggle and turned a page again and let herself mesmerized in the fond memories of her family…
Someone prodded Ginny hard in her back and said softly, or rather loudly, she couldn't distinguish, "Get up sleeping beauty."
Ginny opened her eyes, and was met with darkness. Her eyelids scrapped across something, and a dull pain throbbed at the intersection of her back and hips. She straightened herself, and her back creaked loudly. Straining her eyes to see, she saw everything blurry and the light seemed to taunt her eyes. She blinked her eyes, forcing her eyes to co-ordinate with the bright light. She ran fingers through her hairs, unknowingly as sleep lingered in her body. Her hand was met with tangled locks and as she tried to pull on it and a pain ran in her head, snapping her straight in reality. Massaging her head, where her hands had tried to pull her hairs out, she turned around and looked. Twins were grinning at him with a look of… evil interest. Even in her sleep filled eyes, she could make out that look. Her hand smashed on something, which was sticky and hard. It obviously wasn't her lap or the cushion of sofa. She looked down, and saw a picture of Ron, Harry and Hermione glistering. It was odd, really odd; the black and white picture didn't glitter commonly. She ran her hand over it again and felt something sticky. A hand instinctively found her lips and it traced her lip line. And realization dawned on her. She looked at the picture, then at the twins and then concentrated on her hand. There was something sticky on her chin too. She had been drooling. She at a alarming speed, raised her hand away from the picture and shrugged it off her lap and said, her voice showing her disgust, "Eugh."
"What happened, Gin-Gin?" said Fred and with every word his voice was getting louder.
"Disgusted of your own spit," said George, "And who were you drooling on?" he completed with a hint of mirth in his voice.
Before Ginny could lift the album, the album soared in the air towards Fred hand and he opened it, scrutinizing every page. George was peering over his shoulder, with the same look on concentration on his face. With every page turned, Ginny was cursing her luck and her body for sleeping out of her room.
Fred stopped at a picture, just before when Ginny was about to sneak off the room and said to Ginny, "And you said we were perverts." His voice was not high (they didn't want Mum to get a hint on what they were talking) but it had a note of disgust and mirth under it.
"I'm not," said Ginny indignantly, though she knew why they said that.
"So, why were you drooling all over Harry picture," said George, with a note of embarrassment and disgust in his voice.
"I was sleeping," replied Ginny and regretted it the moment she saw the looks on twin face. Fred said, "And don't elaborate what kind of dreams you were seeing." He said giving a visible shudder and when Ginny opened her mouth to speak, he shouted, "No. No…"
Ginny huffed and looked at the clock. It was eight. Snatching the album from Fred hand, who looked relieved; Ginny took it to the basin to wash her face and the book.
She returned and stowed the book back in the drawer. The sitting room was deserted again, and a sweet smell of stew lingered in the air, making her stomach grumble. Massaging a hand on her stomach, she moved to the kitchen, and was met by a lesser grumpy Mum. She looked cheerful and the kitchen also looked fine. Ginny seeing the simmering stew said, "Mum…"
As Ginny said that she remembered that her family ate the dinner together. Casting a disappointed and longing look on the dinner, she stood there and imagined herself eating, which caused her to drool. She smacked her lips and wiped her mouth with the back of her hands, and her stomach let out an involuntarily groan for food. Her Mum turned and said, "Wait for your Dad and Bill. They would just be back in a minute, it's more than eight."
Ginny wanted to stand there and look at the food and try to sneak some too. But the sight of food, made her stomach churn and wriggle, like a horde of toad was bouncing in it. When her stomach groaned again, she forced her legs out and wrinkled her nose to stop the mouth watering smell to assault her delicate nose. Now, the sitting room looked welcoming, but the lingering smell of the dinner rampaging in the air was ready to assault her delicate nostrils and make her carve for the food which would make her impossible to sit there. Her next step took more effort, and it felt as she was wearing trainers of solid metal. Stamping all the way to her room, she felt lonely. She reached her room and stood in front of her room door, staring disdainfully at it. And a thought crossed her mind; visit Fleur room. She winced at the thought, but it was her only option. Staring at the door and the stairs in turn, she tried to contemplate which was better. Her room felt gloomier than ever in her living memory and Fleur sounded much better. But, stamping on the thought, she opened the door.
The flickering candle light in the lamp was giving the room an eerie feeling. The yellow light was sprayed across the room, illuminated her bed. She walked towards the window and looked out in the night sky. The night sky was inky black, some violet clouds staggering around the sky with stars twinkling along, making patterns in the sky. Extracting her book of astronomy, which took quite a time, owing to the fact that the contents of her trunk was thrown inside it haphazardly, which reminded her of her previous promise to clean her trunk. After successfully taking it out and throwing everything back in her trunk, she walked to the window. Looking out of it, she gazed in the night sky; naming the clusters of stars or simply praying that Harry was also looking at the same star she was looking. She also kept an eye on the path to her house, waiting for the distinct figures of his Dad and Bill, walking towards the Burrow. But after a time she was mesmerized in the stars, having a bit of laugh when she spotter unusual clusters of stars, some like Harry glasses or his scar or Hermione head. The book was soon disregarded and was strewn on the floor, as Ginny leaned across the window, the night sky looking welcoming and for once in the past hectic days, she experienced the true euphoria of thoughtlessness.
Ginny didn't remember for how much time she has been marveling the beauty of the night sky. The dark seemed to enhance the beauty of the stars sprayed across the sky. She turned and felt a suffocating sensation. Her room was lost in darkness, but without any stars to twinkle it. Thinking that it is a dream, she slapped herself, rather furiously than she intended to. A surge of pain gripped that area and she felt her nerves throbbing there. She took a foot forward precautionary and her toe collided with something. She jumped in surprise and a hand clasped over her chest to control her heart, which started beating at alarming rate. She slumped against the wall and took the thing with which her foot collided. It was a book, which she couldn't tell, but strongly suspected that it must be her Astronomy book. She threw the book, where she supposed was her bed. She stood up, slowly, leaning against the wall and found her table. She clapped the table, trying to find the lamp. The lamp was not there. Her leg collided again and she let out a string of swearing. Fully intended to throw the thing out, she lifted it up to her eye level. Her eyes which were now accustomed to the dark, showed her an object which looked like a lamp. Ginny sighed and peered inside the glass to see what had happened to her candle. The wisp of the candle was broken and she strongly suspected that it was because of her. She quietly ignited it again and looked at the clock. It was nine. Feeling hungry up to the point that she could have ate vegetable peelings, she stormed out of her room, the door closing lazily in her wake. She flounced in the sitting room and saw her Mum staring at the door wistfully. Fred and George sat at the floor, also with the same expression. Fleur and Charlie were not in the room. Ginny sat beside her Mum, who was clutching the grandfather clock. Ginny consolingly patted her Mum back. Charlie came trotting downstairs some moments after and asked in a surprised tone, "Why are you lot so sad?"
"Oh! Because it's our hobby," said George dryly, without the mirth in his voice.
"Mum, what happened?" asked Charlie, turning to her Mum and ignoring the groans of the twins.
"Your Dad and Bill are not back," said her Mum and her voice sounded as she was on the verge of tears. Ginny draped an arm around her shoulder, as her heart started to fill with worries and anticipation, stopping the clamoring noises from her stomach at once. Charlie slapped a hand on his forehead and said, a tone of guilt in his voice, "I thought I told you. I told Fleur —"
"Get on with it," snarled Fred, his face contorted.
"Umm… I met with Bill and he said Dad and he will be a little late for dinner," said Charlie.
Ginny took time to digest the information and when she digested the piece of information, anger boiled in her stomach. How in the name of Merlin did he have the guts to hide this information? But her anger was channeled through Fred, who yelled, "You are telling us, NOW. Mum had gone half dead worrying and the one person you fit to tell is FLEUR."
"Do you even have a single ounce of brain in your thick skull?" said George, his face contorted with anger. Ginny was taken aback. She knew Charlie was wrong on his part, but seeing the twin yelling at someone so coldly was a very rare and horrifying sight. George took a deep breath and continued, shaking from head to toe with anger, "Why did you tell us now? You should have waited until Mum was ready to be admitted in St. Mungos." He spat at the floor and Ginny at once knew it wasn't any flattery, it was pure rage derived from the love for their Mum. Charlie was horrified at the new form of twins and as Fred opened his mouth, her Mum cut across, "Fred keep quiet."
It wasn't an order, it was a request and Fred complied at once, sitting rather forcefully on the floor, and George followed suit, but before sitting he threw a glowering look at Charlie.
"When did you met Bill?" asked her Mum to Charlie, who was still in a trance. Ginny cleared her throat rather forcefully "Hem Hem" channeling some of her anger through it. Charlie was whipped into reality and said, while wiping the sweats on his face, "What?"
"Mum asked 'When did you met Bill'?" snapped Fred, his voice heavy with contained anger. There was noise of scrapping of feet's and was followed by an irritated Fleur. She flounced downstairs and said, "V…"
She dropped dead, when Fred and George gave her a glowering look. She turned around and was met with same glowering look of loathing by Ginny. Fleur pursed her lips together and it seemed as the gloomy atmosphere of the room had finally caught with her. She shuffled on her feet's, not daring to meet anyone eyes. The silence stretched on and then, suddenly George snapped at Charlie, completely exasperated, "Answer."
Charlie was startled and so was Fleur. But Ginny and the others were quite normal; they all seemed to be expecting it. Charlie hesitated for a moment and said, "When I was at Leaky Cauldron and just before I left it, Bill came and told me about it. He said he will tell rest of us afterwards and he will be with Dad. He hinted that it was some kind of meeting, before trotting off."
"Did he said at what time they would be back?" inquired her Mum.
"Nope." Charlie replied at once.
"I will then serve the food for you lot," said her Mum getting up from the sofa.
"Mum we will eat when Dad and Bill comes," said Fred, pointing at George and himself. Ginny overcoming the grumbling of her stomach said, "I will also eat when Dad and Bill comes." It was punctuated by a grumbling from her stomach, which turned her red with embarrassment.
"I will too," said Charlie.
"And me too," said Fleur in a much smaller voice than she commonly used.
There was a string of silence, which was broken by George, "Who fancy a game of Exploding Snap?"
They all sat there playing Exploding Snap. Fred and George anger over Charlie was gone and Fleur was back in her haughty mood, much to the displeasure of Ginny. Every now and then, room was filled with soot and the sound of explosion and hearty laughs.
They sat there for about an hour and a half, the worries forgotten from their mind. They only realised that they were playing for a long time, when someone knocked on the door and Ginny eyes flew to the clock. The time was ten.
"Identify yourself?" said Charlie, his wand pointed at the door.
"Arthur Weasley with William Weasley," came her Dad unmistakable voice, from beyond the door.
Her Mum flung at the door and yanked it open. She hugged her husband and her son and let them into the room. Bill stomach grumbled and Fred and George laughed as Bill face grew a slight shade of red.
"Let's have dinner," said Ginny, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.
"Yes, we should have before ickle Ginny starts to eat the furniture," said Fred, pocking Ginny at the back of her head. Ginny scowled at him in return; much hungry to do anything else.
They strode toward the kitchen and sat at the table. Ginny glanced at her Dad for the first time and he looked a little weary and tense. But Ginny was hungry enough to forget all about that now. She was eyeing the food with great interest and had to clench her jaws tight to stop drooling all over the table.
"Where were you, Arthur?" asked her Mum, ladling stew into Ginny plate, who has spoon clutched tightly in her hand.
"Mum, can't we talk about it after dinner," said Bill, looking wistfully at the stew.
Her Mum smiled and said, "Okay, but…"
"Molly," her Dad interjected, "it was a kind of Order meeting."
All went quiet and her Mum didn't raise any more objections. The table went silent; Ginny didn't mind. She was too busy stuffing herself to feel discomfited because of the silence. But the twins having a hard time coping it, asked, "So, Bill and Fleur are going tomorrow."
"Yes," replied Fleur enthusiastically.
Bill said with a tone of cheerfulness behind his monotonous voice, "Tomorrow evening. I will take half day leave tomorrow."
"So, it seems Fleur got her wish," said George, as his eyes glittered mischief.
"Yes," said Bill gulping a spoonful of mashed potato, "I told you lot that before hand."
"You said that she will go and make you go to. Didn't you?" asked Fred causally.
Bill surveyed him for a moment, deciding his answer and said, "Yes and that proved right."
Suddenly, a grin appeared on the twin face and their eyes shone mischief and mirth. Fred leaning forward said, "So, it seems as you are in no mood to go, huh."
"And," said George, drooping his spoon in half finished stew, "you are been forced to go with our sister-in-law" — he turned to Fleur — "We won't let you force your own wishes on our innocent brother. Nope."
Bill turned red with embarrassment, and dropped his spoon in his plate, his mouth agape, as he stared at the twins with the expression of disbelief and embarrassment.
"So, we both have planned to rescue our brother from the clutches of Fleur. And Bill, my brother you are given full right to deny it and we will make it our personnel interest to send Fleur there alone," said Fred, giving a salute to Bill as everyone around the table stopped eating to look at the twins little dinner time act.
"Because we have heard that Fleur and you are not getting right amount of sleep, and mind you, we have seen it too," said George, glaring at Fleur as she turned a bright shade of red, and found her spoon rather interesting. Ginny choked on her stew and drank a mouthful of water, which threatened to spill from her nostrils owing to the fit of giggles she had gone into. Her Mum had a smile on her face and her Dad was shaking his head resignedly. Charlie was looking rather happy, as he was not the butt of the joke.
"And it will do great deal of good to both of you. Sleep deprivation isn't good for health, big brother," said Fred, giving a commiserating look to Bill.
"And Fleur" said George turning to Fleur, whose head shot up at once, "you can't exploit Bill like that."
At this, Charlie snorted on his water and Ginny banged her fists on the table as she laughed her lungs out. Bill was trying to sink as low as humanly possible in his chair and Fleur was red as the Weasley trademark hair colour. Fred was on all fours, as he laughed like a maniac and George was leaning heavily against the table in order to stay on his chair. Even her Mum was having hard time suppressing her laughter and scowling at the twins and her Dad was looking embarrassed and was spooning his stew.
After a while, when everyone has managed to control their laughter, and sat at their respective chairs, Fred said, clutching his stomach, while his other hand massaged his cheeks, "So, my dear sister-in-law" — Fleur snarled at him which he replied with a grin — "I request you to unload Bill luggage and if you want you can go at the crack of the dawn and spend your honeymoon alone, peacefully."
Bill at this point, started attacking his potatoes rather furiously, mashing them more. George noticed it and said, "What's on your mind?"
When Bill opened his mouth to say something, George cut across him and said, jovially, "No need to thank us, Bill. You have always been a very good big brother and it is our duty to pay you back for all your fondness."
"Yes, that I'm seeing," hissed Bill, craning his neck to the twins, "You both are getting much outspoken, now."
"So, what if we are?" said Fred and didn't even feel the need to maintain his voice low, "Going to curse us?"
"It sound as a good idea," hissed Bill, his eyes bulging with anger.
"You are forgetting we outnumber you, two on one," said George, grinning.
"I have Charlie," said Bill, his embarrassment being overcome by dignity.
"Him? I reckon he didn't even know how to cast more than three or four curses," said Fred, glancing a look at Charlie.
Her Mum looked around and stared at Ginny, aghast. If the look on her face was telling anything, it looked as she had momentarily forgot that Ginny was here. She stared at Ginny for a moment and then bellowed, "Enough boys."
Fred and George looked grumpy and disappointed, whereas Fleur looked happier and Bill neutral. They all resumed their eating's, except Ginny because her stomach was now filled with anger. She hated the fact that everyone treated her like a two-year old girl, like she didn't know any of it. She wouldn't have, but owing to the hour long embarrassing talk by her Mum and the near past consolation her Mum had given her, she felt like her Mum now regarded her as a adult. But now she was forced to shunt the thought away. She for once thought that it would be good to abandon the food in revolt, but when she looked at the food in front of her, her mouth was filled with drool. Ignoring the last comment and the look of her Mum, she assaulted the food. The rest of the dinner passed plainly, except the occasional looks of loathing and disgust, Fleur and Bill were throwing at the twins.
After the dinner was finished, everyone leaned against the chair, their stomach stuffed with treacle tart. When her Mum and Fleur were clearing the table, Bill said to Charlie in an undertone, which was hearable across the table, "These lots are bickering and threatening more than usual. We were never this nosey" — he threw a nasty look at twins — "and we surely showed much more respect to our elders and we never had the guts to discuss something like this in front of others, especially our parents."
"You are saying right. They think they are something, just because they have come of age and are allowed to do magic. I even heard them joking about my Apparition results," said Charlie, as one of his cheek muscle twitched.
"And anyone would think they had learned their lessons up to now," muttered Ginny under her breath to the twins who sniggered in response.
Fred and George waited for a response from Bill over Charlie remark, when none came, they both leaned and George said causally to Bill and Charlie, "It's a free nation, as both of you should know by now and —"
"— don't even start on guts. I sometime wonder where your food goes, after both of you stuff your mouth like hungry by-standers," continued Fred, with a smug look on his face.
"And you both have as much as guts as the impeccable love of Snape for Harry, which is to say you are gut-less." George finished, throwing a look of loathing at their older brothers.
Before Bill and Charlie could think of a retort, her Mum came and sat on the chair. She was followed by Fleur, who sat next to Bill and gave him a slavish soppy look, making Ginny wish to spit her gut out. Her Mum looked questioningly at Bill and her Dad. Before any of the two could open their mouth, her Mum said, "Fred, George, Ginny; up you go."
A roar of disapproval met her Mums word. Fred and George got up from their chair, their fists outstretched in air, in protesting. Ginny was also supporting them, yelling atop of her lungs.
"STOP," shouted her Mum and said, "You three go to your room, you aren't in the Order."
"We are," said Fred, gesturing between himself and George, "Moody approved us as Order members. Others know except you. You can ask Dad?"
Her Mum turned to her Dad, who took his time straightening his glasses and said, "Yes, Moody did. They fulfill the conditions. They are of age and left the school."
"But — do — why — didn't you told me?" snarled her Mum.
"We knew that you will start over-reacting," stated Fred plainly, "We didn't want to be shunted away like this."
"And if you don't remember, we were one of the two who helped Moody to get Harry here," said George haughtily, sitting on his chair.
Her Mum looked disgruntled and after throwing a look of displeasure at the twins, she turned to Ginny and said, "UP!"
Ginny sat there, fixed to her chair and glared in her Mum eyes. This time she wasn't going to let her Mum shunt her. Nope. After a minute of glaring, her Mum said, "Ginny, go. You are not of age."
"It doesn't matter, now," snarled Ginny, still glaring in her Mum eyes.
"You are going, RIGHT NOW," barked her Mum as she moved from her chair to the chair where Ginny sat. Ginny jumped to her feet at once, glaring at her Mum face with deep dislike and contempt and she said, "Ron, Harry and Hermione knew all about the Order when they were just fifteen and I'm older than them, I'm sixteen and — I see no snag. I will also hear about it."
"No, you will not," snarled her Mum and grabbed her hand. Ginny yanked her hand out of her grip, moving a little backward, then drew herself to her full height and said, "I — no — kid — I will hear everything."
There was a deep silence. Everyone seemed to have stop breathing. Ginny was staring at her Mum with the utmost loathing. Her stomach was twisted in a knot, as she drew breath in long, ragged gasps. Her face was red and hot, as her eyes blazed her unsaid fury. Then, suddenly she pointed at her Mum and said, "And I thought that you considered me a adult. How very delusional of me. If you have your own way, you will push me in a cradle and rock it day and night. I had faced much harder challenges than this." — Her voice increased to shouting, when she saw the unchanged expression on her Mum face — "I WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO FACED MORE DEATH EATERS THAN YOU HAVE EVER FACED IN THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC. I WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO FOUGHT DEATH EATERS LAST YEAR. I KNOW AS MUCH AS EVERY OTHER ORDER MEMBER DOES. BUT SEE MY OWN MOTHER IS NOT EVEN WILLING TO LET ME ENTER IN AN ORDER MEETING SUMMARY. DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT I'M DEPRIVED OF ANY INFORMATION? WITH RON AS MY BROTHER, HERMIONE AS MY BEST FRIEND AND HARRY —" she drew a deep breath, her face contorted with pure rage, "— AS MY BOYFRIEND, YOU BELIEVE THAT I KNOW LESS THAN YOU ALL LOT. ONLY MORE THAN ME — HARRY, HERMIONE AND RON KNOW. BUT WHY CARE… GINNY IS A TODDLER. IT WILL JUST MAKE HER WORRY. SO, DON'T TELL HER."
She halted; glaring at everyone and then her eyes settled on her Mums blanched face. Taking deep breath, trying to control the violent shaking, she clutched her heart. As she saw her Mum mouth open, she blasted again, "I ALWAYS WONDER WHY HARRY WENT BERSERK WHEN YOU ALL HIDE THINGS FROM HIM. NOW, I KNOW. THE PEOPLE WHO ACT AS YOU ARE ADULT AND BRAVE, SUDDENLY BEHAVES LIKE YOU ARE A CHILD; IT IS ENOUGH TO MADDEN ANYONE. HAVEN'T YOU THOUGHT, SHOWING A BIT MORE OF TRUST IN YOUR CHILDERN WILL DO THEM GOOD, SHOW THEM THAT YOU BELIEVE IN THEM. BUT NO, WHY DO THAT. SIMPLY ACT AS THEY ARE BABIES, NEEDING THEIR MOTHER ALL TIME PROTECTION."
Ginny took the support of the table, to keep herself upright. Everyone stared at her in horror. The bubbling anger in her stomach, the grief in her heart and the worries swarming her mind made the silence unbearable. Her throat was dry, but she didn't care. Every bit of the anger, grief, pain, worry, longing were at the bursting point from the day Harry had break up with her. She had controlled it, consoled herself, but the behavior of her Mum had made it out in a single pang. Taking deep breath, she continued to burst her anger out; her ability to feel emotions, guilt or embarrassed gone, or feel sorry for all the shouting was no longer in her body. She looked at her Mum and the anger flared again, clouding her senses, "ONE WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD CHAIN US HERE IF YOU GET THE CHANCE. I'M NO LONGER THE LITTLE, SCARED GIRL WHICH WAS LURED BY YOU-KNOW-WHO; I'M NOW AS INDEPENDENT AS ONE CAN GET, WITH AS MUCH AS RIGHT TO KNOW EVERYTHING WHEN MY OWN FAMILY IS CONCERNED."
She stopped abruptly and looked at her Mum with a pleading expression. Her Mum took a step forward and when Ginny didn't move, she engulfed her in a hug. They both cried on each other shoulder. After a while, her Mum pulled away reluctantly and said to her husband, "Lets listen what you got to say."
Fred showing decency, for the first time, gave Ginny a glass of water. She didn't think twice; her throat was dry and was in desperate need of water. She drank the whole glass in one swig and gave a nod to Fred, for his decency. Seeing the slightly relieved expressions on her face, he grinned at her. Her Dad looked around, when silence fell, he said, "Me and Bill met with Lupin today."
Fred let out a disgruntled sound and George snarled, "How come he have the guts to show his ugly face again when he wormed out the night we needed him the most?"
"He ran because he, Tonks and Doge were not supposed to be there," said her Dad, calmly, "But they were looking at the Burrow with a small distance and were ready to attack, if the situation got any messier."
When Fred showed every sign of interruption, her Dad continued a little loudly, "You don't suppose we didn't ask him these questions. He gave me satisfactory answers and I don't wish to repeat them."
"Then how come he came to the Ministry, when he wasn't even allowed here?" asked Fred.
"He didn't come to the Ministry. He came to Gringotts and met with me," said Bill and pressed on a little firmly when Fred opened his mouth again, "He had taken a dose of Polyjuice Potion and he had some details he wanted to share with us. He asked for Dad and we both accompanied him to one of his hide outs."
"Does it ever occur to you that he could be an imposter?" asked George.
"And what do I look like to you?" demanded Bill, glaring at the twins.
When Fred and George didn't answer, he continued, "So, I called Dad. Lupin said he had some information about other Order members."
He stopped, and her Dad continued, looking weary, "According to him, all the order connected houses were attacked. Dedalus Diggle house was burned but he wasn't there. He and some more Order members are guarding safe houses for Muggle-borns and their families. Ted family was tortured with Cruciatus curse for the whereabouts of Harry, as he was last seen there. Now, Tonks is living with them and Lupin said that she is pregnant. Moody house was searched top to bottom, but it was empty, as you all know. Kingsley wasn't at his house, when it was stripped-off and so wasn't tortured. All in all, there had been no deaths reports, just some of them are shocked and a little injured. Lupin said next he was going to meet Harry, after he had fooled the Death Eaters tailing him. He reckons they are hiding in Grimmauld Place, as he had searched every other place, where Harry as much as ever set a foot."
He stopped, apparently in thought and said abruptly, "You remember Rufus Scrimgeour; he always nagged Harry and Dumbledore for information, turns out that he wasn't lying after all. Some of my co-workers had confirmed the rumors that Scrimgeour was tortured for a long time, before he was killed. And he didn't open his mouth, that's why the Death Eaters were so confused and had attacked every single order connected house. Merlin bless his soul! And the crowd which attacked was a mix of Death Eaters and Ministry officials. It has been a hell of a time coping with the Death Eaters around my work place. They think I know where Harry is. And at this topic, there is going to be a meeting here, at midnight on Ginny's birthday. All will arrive at midnight in Disillusement charms placed upon them and the password will be Sirius-Moody. And yes, did Kingsley came?"
"Yes, and he also placed the Anti-Apparition jinx. Looked in quite a hurry," said her Mum, worried with the piece of information.
"He was. He couldn't risk coming earlier," said her Dad, "So, please keep a look out on eleven. I'm still following the little tip Kingsley gave me that we and every other Order members are been tracked. He told me it was just a rumor, but better safe than sorry.
"And I also caught a rumor about some commission on Muggle-borns," said her Dad, scowling and continued on a gloomy note "I wish the three of them are fine."
He got-up abruptly, and moved to his room, without casting a glance. Everyone was too shocked and slowly and steadily slouched to their rooms, murmuring their good nights.
Ginny sat on her bed having changed in her nightgown. Her mind was working tirelessly on the conditions of other Order members and most of all Harry. Her eyes found the picture on her pillow and she picked it up and gazed intently in the happy face of Harry. Flopping on her back, she pressed the picture to her heart, as she prayed with all her heart to teleport her to eleven; not because of her birthday, but because on that day she would be able to hear about Harry. She thought about Tonks and her unborn baby. She knew she should feel happy, but owing to the darkness around them, she only felt pity for Tonks and her unborn baby. Thinking over these thoughts, she slept in an uncomfortable sleep.
A gentle breeze was breezing around the grounds, which was covered with bodies. But strangely there was no blood and not even a single thing on the ground was stirring. The silence was taunting and at the same time suffocating. A girl was running down the steep of what appeared to be a mound of grass, which was around ten feet tall. Her flaming red hairs were whipping across her face, giving the look that her head had caught fire. She ran around, her eyes frantically searching for something or somebody. Kicking the dead bodies out of her way, she continued her search. The day was clear and bright with gentle sunshine, enough to lure anyone into laziness. Anyone gazing from a distance would think that it was a garbage throwing area and a red beetle was humming over it. The girl let out a shriek as she crouched over a body, stroking his midnight black hair gently, as he lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious or dead, not possible to tell. His glasses were askew, and his nose seemed to be broken.
"Get up now, Ginny." A voice came from behind her. Ginny didn't hear it, or plainly chose to ignore it as she continued stroking the boy hair's, his head in her lap, as she hummed a tune. A girl with bubble-gum pink hair came to her and halted, her hands on her knees as she drew deep breaths, and said, "Get up. You can't mourn all day. He will be back again."
When Ginny didn't show any sign of moments, Tonks put an assuring hand on her shoulder and said, "I also lost me baby. But, as Moody had always said Constant Vigilance. We can't rest, your family is waiting. They have found Ron and Hermione bodies too." Tonks voice didn't carry a note of grief and pain. It was plain, like she had been talking about normal things. Tears spilled out of Ginny eyes and fell on the boy blanched face and said slowly, "Harry"
Her hands flew to Harry eyelids and she opened them. She met with blank green almond shaped eyes which were unfocussed and staring at a distant point, not visible to anyone but himself. Clutching the body as tightly as possible, she rested her head on Harry chest, which wasn't moving. Tonks tried to pull her up, but Ginny didn't move a single bit. She stared at Tonks, wide-eyed, as she thrust Harry's head in her chest, and said, "He is sleeping, you know. I'm sure he hadn't slept for long enough. Poor Harry." — She patted his head — "sleep as much as you like. No one will wake you up." She gave him a watery kiss on his cheek and resumed stroking his hair. Tonks tried to pull Ginny up again, but she again didn't move a single bit. Tonks said resignedly, "I'll call the others here. Don't move."
"Why would I?" said Ginny to the retreating back of Tonks.
She sat their, quietly for some time, when noises of scrapping foot and swishing robes came. Ginny didn't even move a muscle; she continued to stare at the handsome face of Harry, which was now extremely pale. The scrapping of feet ended and Ginny felt someone breathing near her back. She turned and saw a greasy, black haired wizard, with shoulder length hair and a dark sunken face, with cold empty black eyes. He was Severus Snape. Seeing the pale and limp body of Harry, a smile curled on his lips. He extended a hand to feel Harry pulse, but that was slapped-off by Ginny, who said, "Let him sleep."
"Idiot girl," spat Snape, "He is not asleep, he is dead. I wish like that fool Dumbledore, I could have bought Potter's death too. But all is well. Dark Lord has won."
He glared at the body of Harry with utmost loathing and said, "Now, hand him over and I will leave yours and your family neck, you filthy little brat of blood traitor. Disgrace on the name of Wizard-kind, give me Potter and run from here for your unworthy life. Dark Lord had asked for his body."
With a lazy flick of a wand, he sent Ginny flying in the air and she landed with a...
Thud. Ginny had fallen on the floor, on her sides. Everything around her was blurry and the only sound she could hear was throbbing of her ribs and pumping of her heart. She looked around, and saw that it was still night time. Standing up proved to be a difficult task than she has thought, and left her cursing colourfully in the room. With what proved to be almighty power, she sat on her bed; her head in her hand as the sweats continue to drench her nightgown. The nightmare images were vivid in her mind as she sat there, trying to empty her mind. The dream was not true, she thought, it was just a nightmare, a dark nightmare.
This was going to be a long night.
Author's Note: (Again to nag the good people, who out of commiserating read my blunder of a story. May Merlin bless their souls.) And so, it is a quick update (just a one day gap), but it's quite understandable. Seeing me, the untalented and pathetic excuse of a writer, its no miracle. The next update (if anyone give a damn about it, which personally I doubt, being suspicious from the moment I was in the world), will be on Saturday or Monday. And as I'm your fellow normal human being, I tend to grow greedier with time and as my wishes are fulfilled. Review please, I can't do anything else except pray to you. I think I shouldn't nag you with my pity excuses of notes. They are boring, even when I'm writing.