AN/ Since when did I turn into a angst writer anyways? Happy times, revelations for Ginny, but the unfortunate but necessary sad times as well. Will not use any spoilers, but as you all as so vociferous in telling me, yes Ron is a git, and you'll have to wait to read Harry's PoV to see why Hermione's acting like she is.
Marmite Update: Thanks to BESSIE who informs me not only do Britain and Australia have the fool goo from hell, but also SOUTH AFRICA do…good gawds its spreading
ALSO…32 reviews! I love you guys soooo much, have a big kiss and a thank you from me!
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"I feel so claustrophobic in this place!" I burst out one night, sick of sitting in the same chair in the same common room doing the same boring tasks.
Harry looked up from his parchment with a mild smile on his face, as I stuffed all my papers in my bags violently, and kicked it under the table.
"I don't care if I get a detention, I'm not touching another piece of homework tonight!" I stated, folding my arms across my chest, daring Harry to contradict me.
"Well in that case I can't very well go doing mine then can I? I'd look like a right nerd" said Harry, getting rid of all his parchment as well before putting his feet up on the table.
"So, I vote, we go and do something" I said desperately.
"But Miss Weasley" said Harry indignantly looking at his watch, "Its nearly half past ten, we'd be breaking school rules by going out of the common room"
"I know that" I said happily before my face fell at a sudden thought, "Although we'd probably be caught by Filch, it's a miracle we didn't get caught the other night on the way back from Hogsmeade"
"Ah you sweet, innocent little angel" said Harry condescendingly, "You have so much to learn in the art of sneaking out. How do you think we managed it all those other times without getting caught?"
I let the reference to Ron and Hermione pass me by as my curiosity rose, clearly this was going to be another revelation to me, like the invisibility cloak was. Harry however didn't answer my pleads but merely walked off to his room, coming back carrying two things. Firstly was a bundle I recognised as his cloak, and second was a piece of tattered parchment. He sat next to me, and regarded me with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"This" said Harry with a flourish laying the parchment on the table, "Was given to me by some very good friends of mine"
I picked up the piece of blank parchment and turned it over, looking at it closely. It seemed nothing more than what it looked, but I could tell by the way Harry was looking at it that it was much, much more.
"What is it?" I asked finally, deciding this was the least stupid way to start off.
"This is what's known as the Marauder's Map. It was written a while ago by four wizards, and it details every corridor, secret tunnel and passage way on the grounds of Hogwarts, as well as every person and password" said Harry, looking at the map fondly.
I choked back my questions as I looked at the parchment in a new light, this thing was priceless I thought to myself, picked it up reverentially.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good" said Harry, touching the page lightly with his wand, and I gasped in delights as small ink lines began to spread across the page, snaking and swirling until an intricate web of tunnels and passageways were created.
I watched the map for some minutes, taking in the fine detail of the castle and it's occupants. Right now I could see Albus Dumbledore walking about in the kitchens, Argus Filch patrolling the trophy room, and Virginia Weasley sat in the Gryfinndor common room. I smiled broadly as I watched the passageways, counting at least four people not in their common rooms.
"This…is amazing!" I whispered in awe.
"I know, it's saved my life countless times" laughed Harry.
"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs…I wonder who those people were?" I muttered, reading the curly script at the top of the page.
Harry's smile faltered for a second and if I'd thought anything of it, I would have asked him about it but I was too busy marvelling at the intricate artwork of whomever had drawn it.
"You know, whoever drew this must have been so talented, and the charms on it!" I said in admiration as Harry smiled at me broadly.
"Well, what's say we put it to the test and go for a little stroll?" asked Harry.
I jumped to my feet and hurried to the portrait, safe in the knowledge that 'Ronald Weasley' was in his dormitory and 'Hermione Granger' also in her own. Once outside the Portrait the cloak was swung around my head and we made a steady progress through the corridors, map pulled close my nose as I was walking in front.
We tested out a few of the tunnels and I marvelled at the passwords my picture form was giving me, and the way the tunnels could cut twenty minutes out of some journeys I took everyday. We were sitting in one such tunnel, examining the map closely when I once again wondered about the names of the manufacturers. I knew almost all the people who made pranks and mischief items around, a shortcoming of being the sister of Fred and George, but these were new to me.
"So who really gave you this map?" I asked, as Harry grinned at me.
"That's is for me to know, and for you to find out" he said, laughing as I pouted.
"Aw come on Harry, why can't you just tell me?" I asked giving him The Look.
"Because where's the mystery in that?" he said, completely ignoring the never-failed look used countless times on siblings and parents alike.
"How do you do that?" I asked, in a mixture of awe and frustration.
"Do what?" he asked absently, gazing at the map once again.
"How do you manage to be completely unaffected by The Look?" I whined.
"The Look?" asked Harry quizzically.
"Yes, this look," I said demonstrating, "It NEVER fails to work on anyone but you!"
"That's because," said Harry importantly, "I'm special"
I gazed at him stonily for a few seconds before blurting out laughing, he could be such an idiot sometimes. After my giggles had subsided I looked back at the map again, my eyes being instantly drawn to the names heralding the top of the parchment. There was something about them that made me stop and think, something that I couldn't quite explain. Something was nagging me in the back of my mind, like I'd heard the names before somewhere.
"There's something really familiar about all of this," I said after a few minutes of frustrating contemplation, "There's something important about those names"
Harry was silent and I looked across to him to see him looking quite pale from the glow of my wand. He was looking at the names as well, biting his lips and running his hand through his hair unconsciously, like he always does when he's worried.
"What is it?" I asked, frowning at him slightly.
"There's something special about each one of those names" said Harry eventually, in a rather anxious tone.
"Tell me" I told him, and for once there was no need for the ineffective puppy dog look.
"I don't even know where to start" said Harry heavily, before picking up the parchment, "But I suppose I better start by telling you these peoples real names"
"They were four students of Hogwarts, collectively known as The Marauders. Moony is otherwise know as Remus Lupin, Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew, Padfoot is Sirius Black and Prongs…was James Potter"
I felt my mouth drop open with each name, all of which I recognised for very different reasons. I gazed dumbstruck at Harry who was looking sad and I attempted to say something.
"Your dad…Knew Sirius Black?" I whispered, hesitating slightly at saying the name.
"They were best friends at Hogwarts, as close as brothers, and Sirius was made my godfather when I was born" answered Harry as I struggled to come to terms with the news.
Harry's dad was best friends with the guy who was trying to kill him two years ago? He was Harry's godfather? His godfather was the person who had been sent to Azkabam for the murder of thirteen innocent people?
"He…your…I don't understand" I said, struggling to understand.
"Well, you better get comfy because this might take a while" said Harry, grinning sadly as I looked on with eager, curious eyes.
And I sat, open-mouthed, reeling with shock as each detail of the lives of those four people were told to me, by a very grim looking Harry. I heard about the four at school were the popular pranksters who would do anything for each other, even if it included becoming illegal animagi. I listened with tear-filled eyes as Harry told me how his parents came to be discovered whilst they were in hiding, how they had been betrayed by their best friend, how Sirius had been framed for the murder and left to rot in prison. I cried out in alarm when he told me the real identity of Scabber's the rat, and what happened when they emerged from the Whomping Willow.
Harry made for a good story-teller as I sat enraptured by a horrific tale of betrayal, murder and heartache, overwhelmed by all the information I was receiving at once. I felt my eyes fill with tears when I thought of Sirius, alone and on the run, while his best friend was led to his death by who he considered a friend. And finally Harry finished his tale, with how Sirius was in hiding with professor Lupin, and Pettigrew back with You-Know-Who.
There was a long silence and I looked at the four names again, amazed by the world of information hidden behind each name, marvelling how their pasts, future and present selves were so interconnected and intertwined with one and other.
"I can't believe it…" I said, still rather shocked by it all.
"I still can't, sometimes it just feels like some kind of horror story" said Harry laughing grimly.
"So your parents were…they died because their best friend betrayed them?" I asked haltingly, not sure if Harry ever did or wanted to talk about it.
"Yeah…." whispered Harry.
"And Sirius was in Azkabam all those years, knowing he'd not only lost his best friend, but that it was Peters fault" I whispered, horrified at the thought.
Twelve years is a long time, especially if spent in the company of those dementors. The very thought of them made my spine tingle and my blood run cold, and that was nothing compared to what I felt when they appeared in a train compartment two years ago.
"I really can't believe it. So all this time I've been petrified Sirius Black would find you and finish what I thought he'd started, when all the time the real murderer had been living in my house? Sitting in my room, being cuddled by me!" I said, disgusted by the very thought of what 'Scabber's' must know about my family and myself.
"That's nothing compared to how Ron felt, but we were so terrified when we first met Sirius we didn't believe him, we thought he was still trying to kill me. Ron even tried to protect me, he placed himself between me and Sirius and said 'If you're going to kill Harry, you're going to have to get through me first'"
I looked across to Harry to see him look even sadder, apparently lost in thoughts of the good times with Ron, when they were still talking.
"Do you miss Ron? And Hermione?" I asked quietly.
"No of course not" Harry said giving me a false smile and wrapping me in a hug, "I've got you"
I smiled slightly at his words even though I knew they were a lie. I knew Harry really did miss Ron and Hermione terribly, but would never admit to it, and once again I felt a terrible sense of guilt. It was all my fault that he didn't have his best friends any more, that he didn't have people who knew him or understood him, and had been through what they had together. I also felt a strange sense of jealousy, because I knew that no matter how much he loved me, he needed Ron and Hermione too.
"You're a terrible liar Harry Potter, has anyone ever told you that?" I said, laughing at the guilty look on his face.
"Yeah, I think you have on several occasions" he said affectionately.
"Well, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you don't have your best friends anymore. Its all my fault, if I hadn't written in that damn book!" I said, tearful once again.
"And like I said before Ginny, its ok, it's not your fault! I'm sticking up for what's right here. Ron had no right to speak to you like he did, he had no right to do what he did"
"Yeah but there's no point in you loosing your best friend over a fight between me and Ron. I mean if you did that every time we had a fight, you'd have a relationship rockier than his with Hermione" I said.
"That's true," mused Harry before looking angrier again, "But that still doesn't excuse Ron, or Hermione. I can't believe she was so blind, she's supposed to be the smart one here"
"Once she sees past her fear she'll know, and then she'll speak to Ron" I said thoughtfully.
Harry nodded and we were silent for a few minutes lost in either happy memories or angry thoughts.
"And you know, one day when we're all together again, we'll look back at this and laugh" I said hopefully, although on the inside I felt my heart breaking.
I just wanted to be in my life a few weeks ago, before the diary was discovered, when we were all happy and friends and would sneak out to the kitchens together, or stay up late doing homework and playing chess. Even though I was furious with Ron, I couldn't help but miss him. I'd even go back to last year, when I didn't really know Harry, when Hermione was just a friend and Ron was my annoying brother. Just so I could start again with it all, and make no mistakes.
"But what's done is done and there's no way to change it" said Harry firmly, getting up signalling it was time to leave.
I stood up as well and soon we were both enveloped in the cloak, walking slowly so as not to trip over ourselves. I had the map pressed close to my face, and seeing the coast was clear, we hurriedly swept down the corridor and into the common room. Harry pulled off the cloak and I giggled as I saw his hair stand on end with the static.
"What're you laughing at?" he asked suspiciously.
"Oh nothing" I said, standing on tiptoes so I could flatten his hair, or at least attempt to.
"It won't work, believe me" said Harry laughing at my attempts, as the hair always sprang back up again, "It just grows like that"
"Where have you two been?" came a sudden and angry voice from behind me, and I froze, arms still lifted up.
I could see Harry looking over my shoulder, and I slowly turned around to see Ron and Hermione standing there, arms folded across chests glaring at us.
This was the first time they'd spoken to either us since the argument and I wasn't sure how to act. A few hours ago I would have still been furious at them, but now a small place in my heart was reserved just for sadness, and a longing for it all to be back to the way it was before.
"Where have you been?" repeated Ron when neither of us answered.
"Out" I said in a neutral voice.
"Out where?"
"I was just showing Ginny the map" said Harry calmly, obviously he didn't want to start a fight tonight, and especially not one with such a highly-strung Ron.
"I bet you were" laughed Ron derisively as Hermione watched on, the silent partner yet again.
I felt my cheeks flush slightly, but stared back at Ron angrily, I really wasn't in any mood to break my good mood I'd just recovered. I became aware that Harry had stepped forward and placed himself in front of me, typical for him I thought rolling my eyes.
"So what were you doing?" asked Ron calmly, before screwing up his face in a disgusted look, "On second thoughts I really don't want to know"
"Look Ron, if you've got a problem with me seeing Ginny, just go ahead and say it" said Harry furiously, so much for avoiding an argument I thought with a sinking heart.
"Fine. Fine I'll say it, I have a problem with you seeing Ginny" said Ron simply.
"And what's the problem?" asked Harry, glaring at him steadily.
"The problem is she's my little sister and I'm just trying to protect her"
"You're the one I need protecting from Ron. You've caused me more heartache these past few weeks than Harry ever could" I spat furiously, ready to bolt, I didn't have to stand here and listen to all this rubbish.
Ron angry expression slipped off his face at once and for a second he almost looked worried. I realised it must be a little taste of his own medicine, lets see how he likes it. It was short lived though because almost as soon as it had come, the expression died and was replaced by anger.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that" he said calmly, and I felt Harry stiffen up next to me.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" asked Harry, his voice a deadly whisper, eyes slitted dangerously.
"Figure it out for yourself Harry" Ron replied coolly.
I was confused for a second, not really sure what they were talking about but I could tell from Harry's face that he understood perfectly, and whatever it was it hurt. I'd never seen him so angry, or so horrified and he was nearly shaking with rage.
"You never cared" hissed Harry.
"Maybe, but the thought crossed my mind" replied Ron and I saw a new look of horror and hurt in his eyes, like everything his world had just came crashing around him.
"I would never do anything to hurt Ginny" stated Harry, breathing heavily.
"Maybe not," replied Ron steadily, before dropping the bomb he'd been cradling so carefully, "But you're not exactly the safest person to be around are you Harry?"
And all at once like a hammer crashing down I understood what they had been talking about, Ron thought You-Know-Who would use me to get to Harry and when I realised I gave a gasp of anger or fear I'm not sure which. However, I had more important things to worry about presently as Harry made a violent start towards Ron, who looked just as ready for a fight. He threw a punch, which landed squarely on his jaw while I gave a scream and darted forwards, an action mirrored by Hermione.
There was a confusion of screams and shouts and a whirl of robes before I had a hold of Harry's robes and jerked him back violently. I had grown up with six brothers, I knew how to end a fight. Hermione had done the same and I placed myself in front of Harry, looking calmly into his eyes.
"It doesn't matter to me. Leave it" I said slowly, holding his eye contact shocked at the amount of anger and hurt his eyes betrayed.
I could hear Ron from behind me, and some quiet words being spoken by the up until now silent Hermione. Harry was breathing heavily and I flinched as he spat blood onto the carpet. I had to grasp the front of his robes to keep him still but suddenly I was pushed away to the side as he made for Ron again.
I felt angry at Ron for making the usually peaceful Harry get so riled up that he couldn't even contain his own anger and I wrenched him back before he'd covered half the distance. His eyes were the very picture of fury and had changed from bright emerald green to dark murky green and I shoved him back roughly, trying tog et some sense knocked into him before Ron knocked it all out.
"Leave It!" I shouted at him, as he looked at me half in anger, and half in hurt.
I grabbed the front of his robes to stop him from moving again and he started to breathe more normally. The bruise on his jawbone was a horrible yellow colour and the blood from inside his mouth mingled with that of his split lip. He looked positively frightening with his hair in disarray and his eyes blazing.
And then all at once he stopped struggling and I let go of him warily, he was staring at Ron furiously, whom Hermione was shielding. I stood in silence for a few moments as neither person made to move or even speak. Then Harry spun around, picked up his cloak and stormed out of the portrait, slamming it viciously against the wall.
"You shouldn't have said that to him Ron" said Hermione quietly, apparently forgetting I was in the room.
"He deserves a few home truths" said Ron savagely.
"He deserves nothing Ron!" I shrieked, taking him by surprise, I was sick of the way he was treating Harry now, it had gone beyond a joke, "His greatest crime was not telling you at the start, and your trying to break apart his world he's worked so hard to build! He's the last person that deserves any of this! You, me and Hermione, we're all he's really got, or didn't you think about that?"
Ron had the decency to look ashamed and they both quailed under my furious glare. Then with a motion similar to Harry's picked up the map and stormed out of the common room. Once I was in the dark, cool corridor I squinted at the map and searched for Harry, finding him running along the corridor towards the entrance hall.
I took off a once, keeping a close eye on the map, dodging prefects and teacher wandering the halls by darting into the shadows, working on pure adrenaline as I pushed forwards. I don't know how long it took me but soon I had run out onto the wet grass of the grounds, shivering violently against the cold December air.
I found him standing at the shore of the lake, watching the black waters being carved by the howling wind, which was blowing the cloak from his hand like a banner. I stood next to him, not saying anything as my hair was whipped out behind me and my eyes streamed with the wind. After a long period of silence he turned to me and I tried to smile.
"Don't listen to what he says, he's just a stupid git" I said above the wind, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"It's true though" Harry said so quietly I almost didn't hear, but his eyes told me everything.
"Listen to me," I said fiercely, "I don't care, ok? I love you!"
"I know you do, but that still doesn't change the fact" said Harry, placing his forehead on mine and breathing deeply.
"Well when the time comes we'll face it together, and we'll overcome it" I said steadily.
Harry watched me for a long time, searching my eyes with his pain filled green ones. I didn't feel uncomfortable, just praying my own tears held long enough to finish the conversation.
"I don't want to put you in danger" he said softly.
"Well that's tough luck because you're stuck with me now" I said, giving him a watery smile.
"What would I ever do without you Ginny?" he asked sadly.
"Kill Ron?" I suggested which earned a genuine smile from him.
We stood for a few minutes, with my arms wrapped around him in comfortable silence. And I closed my eyes, foreheads resting on each other as I contemplated my future, which had just become a lot more unstable. Or maybe it was already unstable, and I just didn't know it.
"We better get back before we get caught, I don't really feel like loosing 100 points for being out of bed" I suggested, pulling him towards the school.
"Yeah it's always a pain when that happens" laughed Harry as he threw the cloak over us and we made our way to through the entrance hall.
Once again we entered the common room, but this time it was empty with 'Ronald Weasley' safely tucked in bed and 'Hermione Granger' in hers. I gave Harry one last kiss before darting up to bed, and snuggling under my quilts quickly. I hugged myself tight, trying to rid myself of the cold that the wind had left on me, but after what seemed like an age of contemplative thoughts, I found myself still cold. And I decided it wasn't the wind, but fear, gripping me mercilessly until I fell into an uneasy sleep.