Chapter 8: Come Together
She had spent a few weeks in the past now and she now knew some things for certain she hadn't known before.
First, Professor McGonagall was an oddly soft woman, behind all the sternness and pride. Perhaps it was just that she was now considered family, but Ginny found a certain pleasure in her teatime with the older woman.
Second, apparently Marlene and Frank were going to be her inductors to the Order. So when the time came for her to go out on missions, they were the ones to follow her. Despite how condescending that sounded to her ears, Ginny was quite satisfied with the arrangement. Frank had a very calming influence, on her and on other people. While Marlene, well she had a lot of very sketchy contacts.
Third, she was now a friend to Peter. Peter Pettigrew, Wormtail, the boy who betrayed the very people she loved and she didn't actually mind all that much. Did that make her a bad person?
Fourth, James knew something, as did his mother. Though she wasn't sure how to find out what without asking them directly – which she wasn't ready to do.
Fifth, Sirius was a complete cad.
Meet me in the Hog's Head this weekend, on your Hogsmead trip of course. I have no doubt you can sneak out of the castle without getting caught, but why risk it when you have a perfectly valid excuse to be out and about.
There are some people I want you to meet.
Marlene
"Are you sure you don't want to join us today?" Peter asked at breakfast, in the middle of stuffing his face full with food.
Ginny had lost count on how many times the boy had asked her, knowing full well that all of her friends were occupied. Alice was meeting Frank, Lily was going with James and Oona was off with a Ravenclaw boy, no one had a clue where Althea where at, Elizabeth were going with Nathan and Elinor was serving a detention. Peter had offered her to join Remus and him for the Three Broomsticks for lunch, constantly the last couple of days. It was starting to become quite frustrating.
The fact that she was still a bit shaken up from the Map Incident, as she had started to call it, didn't help these matters.
"Can't, meeting someone there," she smiled.
"Can't you and your friend join us?" An eager smile appeared, making Ginny smile ruefully.
"We'll see, if we get time."
"Leave her alone Pete, she'll meet up with us if she get the time," Remus butted in, shrugging apologetically while sharing an amused look with Ginny.
"I promise, Peter, that if we get the time we'll stop by. But I'm not sure what we'll be doing exactly. I'm not the one in charge."
Peter's small smile was answer enough, and Ginny returned to chew on her breakfast. She had no idea who the people Marlene wanted to introduce her to were, and that made her nervous. Or maybe not nervous, more unsettled she supposed. Things were out of her control, and Ginny wasn't used to it, nor did she like it very much. Despite popular belief growing up with Fred and George didn't automatically make your life chaotic.
Especially if you wanted to be able to make a prank, or as it was more in Ginny's case, sneak away and avoid, you needed a certain level of control of things around you. Letting Marlene decide where to go, and who to meet with for a day took away the control Ginny was so fond of, especially now when she had it back in a much larger scale than she had had the last couple of months back in her time.
Her reverie was abruptly broken by two, very loud, chorused "HOGSMEADE!"
The two ravenet boys who'd done the screaming made their way down the lines of the tables continued with their half-screams, half-songs about "HOGGY HOGGY HOGSMEADE!"
Realising a bit too late that she was sitting right next to the other half of the Marauders and where therefore going to get right caught up in their theatrics Ginny sighed in defeat.
"Sweetest dragon, who graces us with her presence on this finest of days."
An arm flung around her and she was met with the grinning face of James. Sirius sat down with much more grace and dignity, though how he managed that while singing off-key was beyond her.
"Do you have any idea of what day this is, my dearest feline?"
"Feline?"
"Yes, you're a cat too, right? Like Minnie up there?" James nodded in the direction of the staff table.
"Err, no?" Ginny felt a tad bit confused, if she was honest.
"Oh, pity," James actually sounded disappointed in the fact, but he quickly sent her another grin. "So, the day?"
"It's Hogsmeade day?" She tried.
"Yes, that's true. But it is also THE BRIGHTEST! THE MOST AMAZING! THE DAY OF DAYS!" He shouted out.
"No, no, James. IT'S THE DAY OF KINGS! NO! THE KINGS OF DAYS OF KINGS!"
Sharing an exasperated look with Remus, Ginny decided that the best course of action was to simply put her head in her hands and wait for it to run out.
"Are you coming with today as well, McGonagall?" Sirius asked once the two boys had stopped grinning manically at each other, the unreadable expression on his face made Ginny question if he was for or against the idea. Why was he so hard to read?
"Eh, no. Meeting someone there." She gave them a tight smile.
"What? Is the littlest Dragon deserting us? Why?"
Giving James, the drama queen, a pointed look Ginny gathered her things. "Don't you start as well! I may or may not see you in Hogsmeade, have a nice day."
"What did I do now?" She heard James ask as she left.
This time when Ginny entered the Hog's Head there were a few more customers drifting about. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, and when she couldn't find Marlene or anyone else she knew, she strode up to the bar, sitting down on one of the toil-worn barstools.
"Could I have a butterbeer, please?"
The bartender eyed her warily and stopped with his wiping of the counter.
"You're the girl who never used her room," he said, just when Ginny was starting to doubt that he would ever react to her.
"I-err, Sorry?" Ginny replied, she accepted the butterbeer while trying to ignore the dirty glass.
"You're meeting up with McKinnon, aren't you?"
Her eyes shot up to him, surprise written all over her features, but he had moved his attention back to the counter.
"Yes, I am," she couldn't hold back the guarded tone in her voice, making the bartender look back at her.
"You don't trust me."
It wasn't a question, yet Ginny wasn't sure how much truth was in the statement either. Doubt, it had been her constant companion since she had arrived here. Doubt whether or not she could trust people, doubt whether or not she was strong enough, doubt whether or not she was capable.
"Doesn't matter, friends of Marlene can always find sanctuary here. My name is Aberforth."
"I know," Ginny couldn't hold back the words, making her ears obtain a scarlet tint.
"Of course you do, wouldn't be a friend of Marlene if you didn't," he muttered, though the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
She brought up the glass to her lips, sipping on her butterbeer in order to hide her lips curving.
She was watching Aberforth fiddle behind the bar when someone flung their arm around her the second time that day. Turing around swiftly, with a startle look on her feature, she saw Marlene's sparkling peal eyes.
"Here already? Thought I would be early."
"You're about as early as Mad-Eye is relaxed," Ginny replied with a wry smile.
"Or maybe I'm right in time and you're just one of those horrific early birds that haunts our planet."
"Did you just call me a bird?"
"Not the point, I also called you horrific, spawn of Satan-"
"You did not call me spawn of Satan!"
"I did just now!"
"So by your logic, Professor McGonagall is Satan's sister?"
"Wouldn't surprise me in the least."
Staring at the other girl, Ginny started laughing, somewhat hysterically. Every now and then she tried to regain her composure but then she met Marlene's eyes and she was lost again. Marlene's eyes twinkled in a Dumbledore-esque way, her lips curling as she watched her.
"Pull yourself together," Marlene finally said after waiting in vain for Ginny to calm down, but her smile softened the sharp words and tone. "We have things to do and I can't have you babbling all over the place."
When Ginny only laughed harder Marlene gave up a heavy sigh.
"Seems like I'm stuck with a bumbling little twit."
"Oi!" Ginny stopped laughing to glare at the blonde. She sat up straighter and pulled at her George-sweater. "I am not a twit!"
"Aw, Ginbug, you're really unattractive when you're pulling that face," Marlene said, ending with a laugh. Then she cooed, "You know I love you."
Swatting away her hands, Ginny smiled a wry smile.
"Wasn't you supposed to introduce me to some people?"
"Oh, right. It's not as much people I want you to meet as getting you settled things and places."
Furrowing her brows, Ginny watched Marlene – who seemed unsure of how to phrase herself exactly.
"And…and you know, make sure you know who's on our side, officially and unofficially."
Then she smiled impishly, "come on!"
Marlene's hand grasped around hers and she was dragged across the pub, with a brief nod towards Aberforth, Marlene then continued towards the staircase, but instead of going up it, she hurried inside a small room behind the bar.
"I didn't know this was here," Ginny said in wonder.
"No one does, except those who the old Goat has told about it," Marlene grinned.
It was true, Ginny supposed, seeing how the door had been hidden, melting into the wall leaving no trace what-so-ever that it existed. It was small too, making it inconspicuous from the outside.
"So, what are we doing in here?"
"I'm about to show you where the good things are," was the answer she got as Marlene swept her hands over the dirty floor. A triumphant look flashed over her face before she yanked up a hidden flap door.
"After you, princess."
"D'you think she'll join us later? I know she said she was meeting someone, but what if she only said that because she thought she would be in the way?" Peter asked while making it down to Hogsmeade along with Remus and Sirius.
"Who cares Wormtail, she said she didn't want to come, just leave it at that," Sirius growled out.
"She never said she didn't want to, just that she was meeting someone," Peter grumbled back. "But what if her friend ditches her? She's new here after all and she doesn't know that many people."
"I'm sure she's fine, Wormtail," Remus replied, punching Sirius in the arm at the same time to hinder him from saying anything else.
Sirius sent him a glare in return, "could we please get to Zonko's today?"
"What is this place?"
"A haven," Marlene replied with a gin. "Or whatever you want it to be."
"Like the Room of Requirement?"
"The whatnow?"
"Err, nothing," Ginny mumbled, while letting her gaze sweep across the room.
The room itself was nothing special, a cellar like any other. No, it was the objects that truly fascinated her, and puzzled her as well. There was a large desk, covered with scrolls, stack of papers and quills. In the furthest away corner, books on books was stapled – a mess that would've surely made Hermione cry.
There were also shelves covering the entire opposite wall, filled with odd trinkets and devices. Everything was a mess, and she was pretty sure she even spotted a skull in the mess. The only thing that was cleared from it was a small door that looked completely out of place.
"That case over there," Marlene pointed at a case, partly hidden under a few books, "is filled with potions and medical whatsits, I'm not even sure exactly. You can use it if you ever run into trouble in the village and don't have any opportunity to get back up to the castle."
Ginny looked at the other girl with a bemused expression, "So you took me down here to show me a medical kit?"
"Err, no. See those blue books over there," she pointed at the pile of books, and right she was since there were a couple of small blue books in the mess. "Well, you know how The Headmaster always seems to know all of these things going on? Well he gets a lot of the information from Aberforth, comes in handy to own a pub as interesting as this one. Anyway, he keeps the information he comes across in them books there. You can pretty much find the dirt on anyone in those.
"Anyway, whenever we'll meet up, we being you, Frank and I, we'll meet here. So, have a look around, then we can go shopping or something." Marlene ran her hand nonchalantly through her hair, in the same manner as Ginny had noticed Sirius do.
"So, this is it then? This is what you wanted to show me? Your letter made it seems so much more important, you know with loads of people and whatnot."
"Oh, hush. You know Abe by now, and this place is a secret haven, what more do you want? If you want to know which people you shouldn't trust, then those books could tell you a thing or two. Not that I don't think you're smart enough to figure that out on your own," Marlene added when she saw Ginny's raised eyebrows.
"Fine," Ginny replied, her voice shaking slightly with repressed laughter. "I need to go to Honeydukes anyway, it's Josiah's birthday in just a couple of days."
"Who's Josiah?" Marlene immediately piqued, her eyebrows waggling. "You're boyfriend?"
"No, he's my friend, and he's a first year," Ginny replied with a frown.
"Might as well start 'em young," was the only reply she got.
"You're impossible."
"Isn't that McKinnon?" Remus inquired when the three boys exited the overcrowded Zonko's.
"Huh?"
"Over there, with McGonagall," the russet-haired boy pointed.
Sirius and Peter followed his finger to where he was pointing, and there at the end of the line they saw the blonde and the redhead mentioned.
"See, I told you she would be fine, Peter. You needn't worry," Remus said, sounded oddly proud of himself.
Peter met his eyes with a beaming smile. "I should probably ask if they want to join us for lunch later," the boy said, skitting boyishly towards the two girls, Remus chuckles followed him.
"Didn't think McKinnon would fall so low that she has to settle with the likes of Red," Sirius muttered darkly.
"You know what, Pads, this is getting extremely tiring. What is your problem with Ginny?" Remus rounded on him, his voice sounding exasperated.
"Nothing, I don't have a bloody problem with her!"
"Could've fooled me," Remus stared intently at Sirius, who started fidgeting slightly under the intense gaze. "I don't really care if you hate her guts, just try to be civil around Peter. This is his first real friends outside of us, so it's big you know."
"But that's just it, she's trying to take him from us!" Sirius exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief that made Remus look at him oddly.
"Peter only spends the time you and James are off somewhere with Ginny, so it's not like she drags him away from you kicking and screaming. Honestly, Pads, this is good for him. Let him have this, alright?"
"Fine," the ravenet grumbled, his eyes flashing over towards the place the two girls stood with Peter. "I'll let him have her."
"Erm, Sirius?" Remus asked, after a moment or two.
"What?"
"Don't you have a date with Bottomley, or someone?"
"Fuck."
"Sorry, kiddo, Ginbug-" Marlene received a punch in the arm for that, "- and I has promised to meet up Frank and Alice for lunch."
Ginny's interest piqued, really?
"Oh," Peter's disappointment was evident. "I suppose I could show you what I've bought later in the Common Room. We went to Zonko's."
Trying to converse through eye contact only, Ginny pleaded with the other girl. She really hated it when Peter made her feel like she was kicking a small, fluffy, little puppy.
"I, err, I suppose you could join us. Or are you dragging with the whole pack?" Marlene asked warily.
"Nope, only me I'm afraid," Remus appeared next to her; the corners of his mouth twitching slightly in an attempt to hide the amused grin that threatened to take over. "Sirius remembered that he had a date and had to run, literally."
"Well, good luck for the happy couple," Marlene smirked, and Remus last resolve not to smile broke, he even chuckled a little. "I'm sure Frank and Alice won't mind you two tagging along, or what do you think, Ginny-poo?"
Ginny's answer was to elbow the annoying blonde in the stomach.
A/N: I can only apologise for the long wait! Why I thought it was a good idea to take a chemistry class and an intense class of advanced English is beyond me but at the end of the day, they swallowed me whole. This only got finished because I was procrastinated from them; I have an essay for Thursday to write, to novels to read until next weak and a test to prepare myself for on Thursday as well. See, I do things when I should and need to do them, honestly!
Also, as much as I love Christmas, I dread it this year. I'm used to spend it with my grand-parents and be pre-elderly with them, but this year I have to spend it with over twenty people, along with and infant and two annoying boys who hates my guts. So chances are that I'll have another chapter up soon, you know because of my creys and things.
And I know that some of the things happening in this fic might seem a bit unconnected, but they will all tie nicely together in a few chapters or so. I build and build and the snowball will start rolling soon.
