Disclaimer # 1 - Not my characters.
Disclaimer # 2 - non con, mpreg, preg, Albus!Whumping! House Elf alert
Disclaimer # 3 – foggy thoughts of AD/ED, a little mention of GW/HP
Al was lying in his bed, and there was a boy snuggled next to him. The younger boy had greenish skin and his face was covered with pockmarks but the wide smile that lit up his face more than overcame his physical shortcomings.
"Thank you for helping me with my charms homework," the pockmarked boy wheezily said. His attack of dragon pox had affected his lungs, so he was prone to wheezing. "I'd never pass without your help."
"It's what friends are for," Al assured his friend. "Have more faith in your ability, El. You're really quite talented."
Their homework completed, the two boys, young men really, stayed just as they were. Snuggled like spoons, their hands were often entwined, and they were perfectly content just to enjoy their time together..
"Al," the greenish tinged boy whispered, unexpectedly, painfully shy. He grew bold and stated, "I like you."
The pockmarked boy's bravery exhausted, he then flushed, as though fearful that his admittance would ruin their perfect friendship.
"El," Al softly answered. "I
really… really… really… like you, too…Like... Simon and
Ruthie…"
Ruthie was a tart who put out, least according to their year mate Simon who loudly boasted of tasting her considerable physical charms.
"Oi! Really?" The younger boy asked, obviously gobsmacked.
A bashful Al blushed and nodded, his face matching his fiery hair.
"You're not… mad?" the other boy hopefully whispered. El turned to face his friend, and there was a promising look in his eyes.
"You know… I've been doing a lot of reading… and in ancient Greece…back then it wasn't considered shameful to be a soddomite," Al whispered. "Many of their most powerful wizards were men that liked…other… men…the way I like you…"
After that not very poetic declaration, the two young men mashed their mouths together, their inexperienced tongues tangling as they explored each other's mouth, and their breaths quickened. They began rubbing their bodies against each other, delighting in the new sensations that were just so… enjoyable.
They had been lucky, an overflow of Gryffindor boys for their year had required the use of two dorms, and they had managed to acquire a room completely to themselves. Let the eight other boys of their year cram tight in their dorm, safe from interacting with the son of a feared muggle hater and his so called dimwitted sidekick. It mattered not at all to the two boys that they were social pariahs. For they had discovered the rarest of gifts, kindred spirits and mutual physical attraction.
Al woke then, and there was someone next to him in his bed.
"El?" He whispered, as he peered at his bedmate that had black hair and sallow skin. Not El, Al sadly thought. El was Good. But where was he?
"El?" Al whispered louder, hoping that El was nearby. El would keep him safe, Al knew. El was gentle, and he'd help Al.
No answer and so Al began rubbing himself against his bedmate, wanting to remember his Good dream and how Good El felt. Al had felt warm and hot and meltie… His dreams disappeared rapidly from his damaged mind, and he wanted to treasure this Good Dream for as long as he could.
But who was El?
El was like Min but not. Both Good, but different.
Could there be different types of Good?
His bedmate woke, and then turned to face him. It was Good Not-Good Sev who appeared seriously annoyed with Al.
"Bloody hell, Al, there will be no frotting in my bed! What will Nessie think?"
Al put his hands over his head to shield his face. It was an instinctive gesture because whenever one of the Not Goods spoke like that, pain to Al was imminent. He didn't understand what Good Not Good Sev was saying, but the acidic tone was distinctively Not Good.
"Al… I don't mean to yell at you," the Good Not Good Severus said in a gentler tone. Well, one would call it a kinder tone only if one could was looking for it as industriously as Al was. "Frotting only ensues after dinner and drinks, Al."
Good Not Good Sev barked a laugh, before gently ruffling Al's hair. Sev rolled over and then fell asleep, leaving a confused Al to ponder the strangeness of their encounter.
Good Not Good Sev made Al's head hurt.
Minerva glared at Poppy, who was not intimidated in the slightest by the ill woman whose far too colorful past was quite familiar to Poppy. Others might view Minerva as the Stern, Unyielding Bastion of the Resistance, but Poppy knew the first year student who had sulked that she couldn't try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team even though she was far better than the team members.
"I brought you plenty of smut, Poppy," Minerva wheedled. "Mermaids, Centaur sex and even the latest volumes of your Triple Wizards of Ashoken."
"Minerva, you're stretching yourself too thin. Are you trying to have a stroke?" Poppy protested, swayed not in the least by the thought of all that unread hot, sweaty wizard porn waiting to be devoured. "You need to take a break. Let Filius or Remus handle the rebellion for a few days. They're your Seconds. Let them support you!"
"I would if I could," Minerva admitted. "But why don't you come up to my quarters and we can drink and read bad smut?"
Poppy cursed her with language that would surprise anyone that didn't know Poppy as well as Minerva did.
"You feel better, dear?" the patient good-naturedly asked. "Venting is good for the soul and all that nonsense. Though you really shouldn't use such language in front of your victims!"
"You're impossible!" The mediwitch growled.
"I try," Minerva gleefully admitted.
"Yes, you're very trying," snapped Poppy, who added a ferocious glare for good measure.
Naturally, Poppy's Evil Eye failed to scare Minerva, worthy descendant of countless brave Celtic Warriors.
"I have a message for you," Poppy finally admitted. "Filius said to inform you, that there was a fiery phoenix merrily playing havoc in Galway last night. It sat on the Spanish Arch for a bit and sang until three dozen Death Eaters showed up to handle it. It then decided that it was long past time to leave the scene, so it then jumped into the Corrib to extinguish itself. It appears that the Death Eaters were completely incapable of handling it."
Minerva barely managed to refrain from loudly cheering from her sick bed. Like he had promised, Severus had delivered! Now she just needed to send someone to the closest bookstore to the Spanish Arch to discover if Severus had left a message.
"Sang? Any idea what tune?" Minerva questioned when it became apparent that Poppy was expecting her to freely admit ownership of the operatic phoenix.
"West End Show Tunes for a bit, before it burst into a falsetto and sang an extremely off color, exceedingly offensive version of 'Hoggy Warty Hogwarts'," Poppy sniffed. "I believe there was a stanza that described He Who Must Not Be Named's bits in extremely graphic and rather unflattering terms."
She couldn't help it; Minerva began to giggle at the very idea of the stolid Fawkes singing bawdy ditties about He Who Must Not Be Named's Shrunken and Inoperable Private Bits. When McGonagall's giggles became roars of laughter, Poppy at last joined her in laughing.
"I have to give you credit, Min. It's hard to find a word to rhyme with miniscule," Pomfrey gasped before she began uncontrollably cackling.
"Don't blame me, blame Albus!" Minerva weakly protested between gasps of laughter. "It's something he would have done!"
His little family was having a spot of breakfast when he and Al were summoned to the Dark Lord's chamber. The Dark Lord appeared to be in an arse-on mood, and Severus carefully schooled his mind. Al immediately went to pieces, squeaking, and cowering behind him.
"My lord? Whatever is the matter?" Severus asked.
"I wish to examine Albus,"
the Dark Lord purred. "Events occurred last night that I believe he
might have had a hand in."
Actually,
truth demands that I state that it wasn't his hand that was humping
my leg last night.
"What exactly occurred, my lord?" Severus quickly questioned. "We were together last night, and in fact, he shared my bed. I can assure you that he did not leave my quarters."
There, the giggling would begin along with the muttered asides that Severus Snape was regularly topping the Head Master. It mattered not to Severus, as his presumed physical attention to the Head Master would deter others from taking an interest in playing with Al. Sometimes it was a very good thing to be feared.
"There was a burning phoenix sighted in Galway," the Dark Lord announced. "Unfortunately, your fellow Death Eaters were unable to handle the situation properly. It will be necessary for you to teach the others how to remove it in a quicker manner."
"By your command, it will be done," Severus easily agreed. "But if they were having problems, they should have immediately notified me."
"I believe your fellow Death Eaters worry about you being too highly favored, and they do not wish for you to gain still more favor with me. Such small minded jealously will naturally be punished. Nevertheless, bring Albus here as I wish to examine his mind," the Dark Lord ordered.
An unwilling Al was brought before the Dark Lord, and he mewled and shook in his fear. The Dark Lord placed one scaly hand on Al's cheek and peered into his vacant, blue eyes. Al began to shriek uncontrollably while the Dark Lord mercilessly plundered his mind, searching for the slightest spark of intelligence.
When the Dark Lord was finished, a cowering Al had collapsed in front of him. His plaintive mewling had stopped, and instead he was hysterically weeping.
"It wasn't him. He's a cabbage," the Dark Lord dismissively spat. "Take your sex toy away, Severus."
He quickly bowed in acquiesce to the Dark Lord's wishes, and he managed to grab the sobbing Al by his arm and quickly pull him away from the Dark Lord.
"It's time to go back to our rooms, Al," Severus informed him after they left the Dark Lord. "Here, have a treat for being my brave little cabbage."
Severus pressed a piece of chocolate into Al's mouth, and gently closed his mouth. The effect was miraculous, as Al stopped crying; instead his concentration was focused completely on the sweet in his mouth.
"You're a bloody cabbage, Al, but you're my cheeky chappy cabbage, my little duffed up cabbage and my responsibility," the double agent softly whispered. "Nessie will change you and put you to bed. Perhaps I'll let her give you another chockie. It's been a very rough day for you."
"Come along, Arthur," Remus gently ordered. "Filius wants to cast the spell. If we can change your appearance, you'll be able to leave the room. We've set up quarters for you two on the third floor."
Arthur Weasley nodded his head, and Molly gave him an encouraging smile.
"Can we talk first?" Molly questioned. "Just a quick moment."
Filius nodded, and Molly pulled Arthur close to her.
"I'll go first," Arthur bravely insisted, determined to protect his wife. "Then if I'm fine, only then can you go through with it."
"Filius said that it is perfectly safe for the baby," Molly assured him. "He would know, if anyone would."
"Yes, but it's our baby, not his," Arthur gently reminded her.
The two Weasleys hugged each other, and after Arthur and Molly separated, Molly pulled her husband down to her level so she could whisper in his ear.
"Arthur… will you still be interested if I'm no longer ginger?" Molly whispered. Her red face clashed with her ginger hair as she worried that Remus or Filius might overhear.
Yes, they hadn't been intimate in some time, but Molly still had her priorities straight.
"You're my Mollywobbles," Arthur tenderly promised. "No matter what your hair color is, no matter what you look like, you'll always be my Mollywobbles, much like I will always be your Arthur."
He kissed her on her cheek, and then he gave her a gentle smile.
"I know… I haven't been the husband you've needed… I'll try harder, love. Don't give up on me," Arthur whispered.
"Like I'd actually do that?" Molly playfully snapped. "We've been through too much together."
"That we have," Arthur agreed. With a strengthened resolve, Arthur nodded his head toward Filius. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"
The diminutive Charms Instructor gave him a cheery smile, and assured him that it wouldn't hurt a bit. Then with a muttered incarnation and fancy wand work, Arthur Weasley disappeared. He grew taller, his balding, ginger hair filled in with short, coarse salt and pepper hair. His blue eyes darkened into a dark mocha brown. He grew a neat full beard, and put on a little weight, growing broader in his shoulders. Even his glasses changed to a dark metal frame.
"Wow. That was interesting," Arthur said in a deep voice, as he took off his glasses. "Now I have a new found sympathy for sausage skins. You get stretched and pulled and stuffed. It's the most unnatural experience."
He looked at his grim wife, and realized that perhaps his comments were a tad unhelpful.
"But it's over quickly and it didn't hurt a lick," he quickly assured his Mollywobbles.
"You still stand like Arthur," Remus explained. "Do you still need the glasses?"
"I'm afraid so," Filius said. "But I changed the style. Rather spiffy pair if I do say so myself."
"Now, I'll take you to Poppy, and hopefully she says that everything's in the right spot. How do you feel, Arthur?" Filius questioned.
"Fine," Arthur assured him. "Shall we be off?"
"Yes, but Arthur, you can not speak to your children," Remus reminded him. "I know it will be difficult, but it's very important."
"I understand," Arthur promised. "But I need a new name. Molly? Do you think you could call me Gideon?"
"It's a wonderful name," she tenderly agreed, her eyes full of tears.
"Fabian tried to kill me when I was courting Molly," Arthur easily explained to Remus. "He was a little overprotective of his younger sister. Gideon just took me aside and threatened me with a fate worse then death if I ever hurt her."
"What's a fate worse then death?" Remus questioned.
"There was a black haired Hufflepuff that was chasing Arthur. Nasty girl, face like a horse, laughed like one also. Gideon desired to tell her about Arthur's secret crush on her." Molly explained.
"Arundel. Gideon Arundel. That way if any of us slip, we can claim Arthur was actually Arundel," Remus decided.
"Gideon Damien Brian Arundel," Arthur stated.
"Good name. Solid." Filius decided. "Now you two go."
Arthur rubbed his face, and made a disgusted face. "I'll have to get used to having a beard. I could never understand why Albus wore a rug on his face."
In fact, at that very moment, Severus Snape was debating the very same issue regarding Al.
The morning sickness had begun, which seemed rather strange to Severus as Al wasn't that far along. But respect for traditional had never stopped Albus from doing whatever the hell he wanted, whenever he wanted, and so Al had power puked his brekkie besides power puking his chockies, and his beard was an absolute stinking mess.
"Nessie," Severus decided. "Al's beard has to go. Clean him up, get him changed, and then we're shaving off his beard."
"Master wanting Nessie to take it all off?" Nessie sadly questioned. "It's so soft and pretty."
"It's not pretty now, Nessie," Severus reminded her. "You don't need to completely shave him, but I think a neat, close trim might work better than the mess he has now. After his morning sickness has passed, I'll do a quick growth spell for his beard."
"Master is so smart!" Nessie gleefully announced. "Master is so kind and handsome. Master is so gentle with Al. Master's baby is lucky to have him!"
The House Elf stared at him with such hopeless adoration in her eyes that Severus felt quite ill. What in the name of Merlin's bloody left tit had the House Elf endured that she thought he was such a wonderful Master? After all, he was wanted for the murder of Albus Dumbledore, and knowing the Order, they'd kill him first and then debate the issue.
"Have some chockie," he finally stated. He gave her a piece that had been destined for Al's gastric delight until the vomiting had commenced. "I appreciate the fine job you've done with him. It's not been easy, but you've done exceedingly well."
Merlin's scrote was it really necessary for the House Elf to burst into tears and soak his knee?
Remus Lupin and his new friend Gideon Arundel stepped out of the fireplace and into the infirmary. To Arthur's horror, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Ginny, who was sitting on a bed, apparently waiting for Poppy's attention. She looked healthy, though her wan face appeared washed-out against her ginger hair.
He tapped Remus to get his attention focused on his daughter and Remus nodded his head.
"Gideon? Would you mind waiting here? I see someone I know. Her father just died and I've been keeping an eye on her," Remus explained.
"Absolutely," Arthur replied.
Remus walked over to Ginny and sat down next to her. They held a quiet conference for a bit, and then Remus nodded his head. Ginny then gave the werewolf a fierce hug. Lupin seemed a little gobsmacked by either their chinwag or the hug, though he was mightily struggling to hide his astonishment.
"I will talk to you in about two hours," Remus promised. "Promise me that you won't do anything before then."
"No," Ginny promised.
"I'm really sorry that we can't chat now; I need to take my friend Gideon Arundel to see Poppy. It was a stroke of good luck that Minerva saw Gideon and his wife when she was out yesterday. They've been on the run for a while, and we can use their skills," Remus explained.
Arthur's heart broke when his daughter looked at him and there was no sign that she recognized him.
"Hello, miss," he whispered. "Not feeling poorly are you?"
"Just a checkup," Ginny easily explained before she turned toward Remus. "Thank you, Remus. With my dad not here, you're the only one that I thought I could actually talk to that might actually be helpful. Bill would freak, Charlie would think it's funny, Percy… oh Merlin's tit, Percy would be horrified and let's not discuss the advice that George and Fred would give me. Ron needs help himself, so I certainly couldn't ask him."
It was on the tip of Arthur's tongue to chastise Ginny for her language, but he knew he couldn't protest her language. Who did this Gideon fellow think he was? Her father?
"I'm quite honored that you trust me," Remus assured her. "Now, I'll see you in two hours in my quarters? Sirius and Dora shouldn't be there. If they are there, I'll kick them out. Sirius would be most unhelpful, and well, Dora would only be slightly less."
Ginny blushed and thanked him once more.
"See you then," Remus promised. Ginny hugged him once more and the werewolf managed to barely escape from her clutches before Poppy descended upon them.
"Remus? Who is your friend?" Poppy questioned.
"Minerva brought him in yesterday. Gideon Arundel is his name. He and his wife need to be checked over when you have time. Is Minerva up to having visitors?" Remus questioned.
Poppy gave him the once over, and there was no doubt that she recognized him as a Transformed Arthur. With a curt nod of her head, she gave approval for the two men to visit Minerva.
"As long as you keep things quiet," Poppy assured him. "Why don't you bang on the old harridan's door and announce that you're popping in. Some visitors might do her good."
"She's being difficult?" Remus laughingly asked.
"Difficult isn't the word. I may ask Hagrid to physically restrain her to the bed so she can't leave," Poppy snapped.
"Very well, Gideon? Shall we face the lioness in her den?"
"Looking forward to it," Arthur lied.
The two men walked away from Ginny's bedside, and before long, curtains were drawn around the bed. Remus walked for a few meters, and then he pulled Arthur into an empty cubicle.
"Arthur, don't worry, Ginny is just fine. But I need your help. Ginny wants to have a serious conversation about… sex," Remus turned pale after he admitted that to Ginny's father.
It was obvious that the werewolf was prepared for Arthur to belt him. Instead, Arthur laughed.
"Remus, you have a fine son, I'm sure you know where all the parts go," Arthur retorted. "If you're not sure, Ginny can tell you. She and I had a very open relationship. She would come to me regarding all her questions as I was calmer than Molly regarding these issues."
It was obvious to Arthur that Remus couldn't understand how the woman that exemplified the Mother Goddess of the Order could be uptight about sex.
"She's overprotective because of her brothers dying so young," Arthur explained. "Now, I'm rather surprised that Ginny is asking you any questions, as I thoroughly explained everything to her years ago. We discussed this very matter this past summer. I even taught her all the known contraceptive spells, including the morning after ones, before she first left for Hogwarts. Remus, stop looking like that! For the love of all that's magical, Lupin, my wife and I do use contraceptive spells… else there would be quite a few more ginger haired boys running around."
His face fell as he whispered, "I use them regularly unless I'm being compelled…"
Remus quickly changed the conversation from unhappy things to the subject at hand. "It's Harry. You know that they're engaged, and you might not be aware that they had decided to wait until the wedding night. Now, she's feeling a little lost and she's debating about not waiting. She was asking me how she'd know if she was really ready for such a big step."
Arthur paused, and he thought about the matter. Then he carefully weighed his words before he spoke, "Remus, I thoroughly approve of Harry. He was a fine boy that's grown into a remarkable young man. Molly and I love him just as much as if he was our own son. He treats Ginny well, and I'm delighted that he'll be part of my family. If it helps you at all, remind her that it's a big commitment, and that it's a wonderful way of expressing love between two, or in your case, three people. Just please go over all the contraceptive spells with her, please. I'm not ready to be a grandfather. Also don't tell Molly about your conversation with Ginny, as she'll fret."
Remus' smile returned after Arthur finished.
"That's exactly what I needed to hear," Remus admitted. "I'm glad I don't have to look forward to talking to Teddy about this stuff just yet. Though I think Dora better give him The Talk. I barely understand Metamorphmagus sex even though I am more than a willing participant."
They stood next to the private room where Minerva was resting, and Lupin knocked. There was a rather obscene comment that caused Remus some concern, but Arthur opened the door.
"Best you go in first, Remus. Else she might blow me up first, ask questions later," Arthur declared.
Minerva took a long appraising look at the new features of Arthur Weasley. She made him turn this way and that, stand up and sit down. Her curiosity not quenched, she also requested that he walk and talk to see how much of Arthur's mannerisms remained in Gideon. It was only after she asked him to juggle for her, did the two men realize that she was being bit of a daft prat.
"Filius does nice work," she admitted, ignoring Arthur's strangled protestations that he wasn't a raree show. "He'll also ensure that you will be unable to admit to your family who you really are. I am truly sorry, Arthur. I can't risk losing Severus if anyone discovers that you're both alive. He might be the only way we can actually still win this war."
"I know," Arthur slowly agreed. "I saw Ginny outside, and it really tore my heart apart that I couldn't acknowledge her."
"I'm really sorry," Minerva repeated. Her green eyes filled with tears, and Remus offered her a handkerchief. "Bullocks! I'm weeping like a crazy bint."
"No, Min, it's just reassuring proof that you're all soft and squishy underneath your rock hard exterior," Remus quipped.
"Don't ever make fun of a woman's wrinkles. Not if you want to live until morning. I earned every single one of them after dealing with you and your friends," snapped Minerva.
Poppy then popped into the room, and she was about to speak when she stopped. There was a perplexed look on her face.
"Cat got your tongue?" Remus joshed, ignoring Minerva's stern look. The animagus hated cat jokes as she had heard all 2,342 of the clean ones at least six times and far too many of the risqué ones in her lifetime.
"It's the painting. Remember how you told me to let you know if there were any changes? You specifically didn't care if Albus cut his hair, but you were wondering if he has a chin underneath his rug?"
"Yes," Minerva said.
"He's got quite the chin dimple, it appears," Poppy slowly admitted. "It also appears that he's no longer wears a full beard. Albus has gotten quite the trim."
Minerva grabbed Arthur's arm for support so she could look at the painting, and when he failed to move fast enough for her liking, she physically pulled him along.
"What are you talking about?" Arthur questioned.
"The painting of Albus was moved to this room, so he could 'rest'," Minerva explained as she peered at the sleeping Albus. "During the last few days, there have been changes to the portrait. Mainly cosmetic changes to his hair and his clothes. Bloody hell…. Albus does have a chin!"
Minerva's shock over the fact that Albus did possess a chin was so great that she swayed on her feet. Least that was her explanation for her weakness, which Poppy immediately dismissed as poppycock.
"Back in bed, Min!" Poppy ordered. "When she's safe in bed, both of you two leave. Gideon, I'll have to check you later, I'm afraid. Miss McGonagall needs a thorough going over."
Molly regretfully agreed to wait until Arthur was thoroughly checked before proceeding with her own Transformation. She also declared that it was for the best as she was rather tired and wished to nap. Then Molly heartily urged Arthur to get some exercise by walking through Hogwarts. When Filius agreed that it was permissible for Arthur to do so, Arthur reluctantly agreed. It wasn't that he wanted to leave Molly, but he had enough personal experience to know that when Molly was carrying, sometimes the best thing for him to do was leave her alone. Else he'd be the victim of the hexes that were both unusual and highly appropriate according to Molly.
He didn't want to go too far, and he remembered a hiding place that Molly and he had discovered when Apollyon Pringle had been close to finding them out of bed one late night. It would do.
The talk with Remus had been rather embarrassing, Ginny Weasley had to admit.
For one thing, she didn't believe that a man old enough to be her father could be shocked by anything. Then Sirius had decided to sit in, purportedly to give Remus moral support in the discussion, but it quickly became apparent to Ginny that both men were mere babes with regards to women. It was amazing that both men could be traumatized by such innocent questions regarding sexual techniques that they liked. If she decided to make love with Harry, she really wanted not to be a fumbling idiot. Yes, maybe she could have asked Dora, but she had often found better luck asking her father these type questions rather than her mum. and so she had approached Remus.
Ginevra Weasley was a tough soul, as the result of being the little sister of Fred and George Weasley, but she still desired to be a decent lover. All those Muggle magazines she had secretly read while she was at Hogwarts, with their impossible sexual positions had quite damaged her sexual confidence. What if Harry had read something similar in those magazines that her brothers had always kept hidden from their mum? She knew that Fred and George had ensured that Harry had gotten a proper introduction to their secret sex stash during Harry's visits to the Burrow. How horrible would it be to be dead-in-bed!
How she missed her father! She could talk to her father about everything. Maybe not his preferred sexual techniques, but he'd look at her and know what she wanted to ask. Then he'd gently answer her questions in a way that eased her concerns that she had never voiced.
She decided that she just needed to be alone, in order to have a good cry. After her parents' deaths, Ginny had needed to be strong and brave, and so she had suppressed her emotions.. Bill had enough problems keeping their family's grief under control, and she hadn't felt easy burdening Harry with her issues. He had taken Dumbledore's death hard especially when he realized that Dumbledore had agreed to the parlay only because Dumbledore had believed that Voldemort was holding Harry captive.
There was a spot, a secret spot that her father had mentioned to her. It was on the sixth floor, and it would be perfect for a good crying jag.
Sneaking into the spot, she was disappointed to discover that it was already occupied by Remus' friend Gideon Arundel. He was staring out the window, lost in thought and then he noticed her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, miss… Virginia?" His voice was deep, but there was something familiar and comforting in its cadence. "Do you want to stay here for a bit? I'll leave, as you look like you're in need of some privacy."
"Ginny," she quickly explained, as she was often asked that question. "Short for Ginerva. It's Italian for Guinevere. My dad loved telling me about King Arthur's court."
That admitted, Ginny burst in sobs. To her complete surprise, Gideon reached out to her, and gave her a hug. The uneasy sense of familiarity increased when Gideon gently rubbed her back and urged her to weep.
"You need to let it out, Miss Ginny," he informed her. "Don't let your grief fester."
And Ginny Weasley cried still harder.
