Harry knew the instant that he descended the staircase the next morning that something was wrong with Ginny. She was sitting nervously on a couch in front of the fire, wringing her hands repeatedly, and Harry thought he could detect black circles under her eyes. It did not look like she had slept much.

"Ginny! What's wrong?"

Ginny didn't answer him at first. He sat down beside her and watched her nervous eyes darting around the room. It wasn't until he gently laid a hand over her nervous ones that she looked up into his eyes.

"Something happened last night, Harry. Do you remember me telling you about the diary that I thought Mum had bought me from Diagon Alley?" Harry nodded his consent. He remembered. "Well I haven't written in it before. It was having so much more fun writing to you, when there is someone to write me back." Ginny looked nervous about admitting this to him.

"Don't worry, Gin. I like writing to you, too." She smiled gratefully at him before continuing.

"Well, I wrote it in it because I was wanting a place to put my thoughts about something, and I didn't feel comfortable talking to you about it."

"Gin…" he interrupted, "you can talk to me about anything." Ginny blushed spectacularly.

"Not this." He looked at her curiously, but did not press the subject, so she went on. "Anyways, I was writing in it when… it started writing back."

"What!"

"It said its name was Tom Riddle."

Harry's face went white. He knew that name. That bloody bastard had tried to hurt Ginny. His Ginny. He did not pause to dissect the sudden possessiveness he felt over his best friend, but then he had been steadfastly ignoring many feelings he felt about the pretty redhead by his side. None of these things were important right now. What was important was that Voldemort had tried to hurt Ginny, and he was going to stop it. Voldemort would never touch her again. Harry looked down, somewhat shocked to discover that he was now standing, to see Ginny looking up into his face, a confused expression on her face. She looked startled to see that much anger on his face.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Harry. I'm sorry I didn't write to you." Harry drew in a ragged breath and tried to calm his temper for the moment.

"I'm not mad at you, Gin. I'm just angry about Tom trying to hurt you."

"Do you know who Tom is, Harry?"

"Yes, I do. But we don't have time to talk. Do you still have the diary?" She nodded. "Can you go get it? We need to go see Dumbledore."

"Why?"

"Please, Ginny?"

She looked at him curiously for another second, then took off up the stairs to her dorm, leaving Harry to pace in front of the fire. She wasn't even down the staircase all the way before Harry had rushed over and grabbed her hand. And then he was dragging her hurriedly through the corridors. Ginny followed him, occasionally having to run a few steps to keep up. She had never seen Harry like this. I would have scared her if he hadn't been holding her hand. For though his gaze was practically murderous, quite a feat for a twelve year old boy, his hold of her hand was very gentle.

Harry stopped abruptly in front of a large griffin statue. He hissed "everlasting gobstoppers" at the statue—something Ginny had never heard of—and then continued to pull her up a staircase. The door at the top burst open before they even reached and Harry pulled her straight through without pausing. Ginny's eyes widened at the office. There were fascinating things everywhere, not the least of which was a large red and gold bird in the corner. She had never seen anything so beautiful. When they entered the office the bird looked up and let out a soft trill, it made her feel a little better instantly.

"Harry, Ginny, what is wrong?" Dumbledore was already standing and looking at them carefully. His wand was in his hand.

"Ginny found a diary in her school things. She wrote in it today and it wrote back." Ginny wondered if she was imagining the hardness that suddenly appeared in Dumbledore's eyes. "Claiming to be Tom Riddle." There was no way she was imagining the look in his eyes now. Dumbledore was furious.

"Is this the diary?"

"Yes, sir." She answered timidly. She wasn't used to speaking directly to the headmaster. "I stopped writing in it as soon as it started writing back last night. It made me nervous. But…"

"Yes, Ginny?"

"I had to lock it in my trunk. It was almost like I wanted to write in it, even though I knew I shouldn't."

Harry looked at her quickly, she had not told him that before. She could see his eyes swirling with anger. They no longer looked like sparkling emeralds. There were two hard pieces of jade staring daggers at the book in her hand.

"Even now… I know I shouldn't write in it, but I want to."

"You have done a great thing, Ginny, bringing this to Harry and me. I will need to see how it works, though, to understand it completely. Are you brave enough to write in it once more, if Harry and I are here?"

"NO! Uncle Albus, she can't!"

"I assure you, Harry, that I will let no harm come to Miss Weasley."

"Why can't I write in it, or you?"

"Because it appears that the diary has already made a connection with Miss Weasley. We do not want to alarm it by switching users. It will only be for a minute or two, and then we will destroy it."

"But… you know who Tom Riddle is!"

"Yes, I do. Though I am curious as to how you do. But this is not the time for that discussion. It is important that we learn exactly what kind of magic resides in the diary so that we can understand what needs to be done. There might be more at work here than it seems."

Harry still looked murderous, but he made no further protest. Ginny was very confused. She had no idea why this Tom person scared everyone so much. But he must be really evil if Harry was so scared to let her write to him again. But Dumbledore said it would help. She was brave enough to help!

"I'll do it."

"A true Gryffindor. You do not have to write very much, just enough to get him to respond."

Ginny slowly opened the diary in her lap. Her hand was shaking as she took the quill that Dumbledore offered her. She was immensely grateful when Harry came and stood behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder. Though she was not entirely sure he did it just for her comfort. He had his wand pointed at the book in her hand, and he was gripping it so hard his knuckles were white.

Hello again Tom.

Hello! Where did you go?

I'm sorry. My roommates called me away.

They did…

The writing paused for a moment.

Are you telling the truth Ginevra?

How did you know my name?

Ginny stiffened, and Harry's hand gripped her shoulder harder, till his fingers were almost digging in painfully. He was reading over her shoulder.

I know many things, Ginevra, and I can teach you things. Things that will make you powerful. Things that will make you better than all of your brothers. Let me teach you.

Ginny didn't answer the diary. She simply stared at the book in her hands, shock written on her face.

They don't care about you, Ginevra. You are just a nuisance to them. No one cares about you but me.

"That's not true, Gin. Don't listen to him. I care about you." Harry growled behind her.

He lies to you, Ginevra. You are nothing to him, and you never will be.

Ginny started to shake, and silent tears fell down her face. She was gripping the diary tightly in her hands.

"Ginny!" Dumbledore called. "You must fight him, Ginny! You are stronger than he is."

Ginny fought to listen to his voice, but it was so far away. She could feel Tom in her mind, fighting for control. And he was winning. It would be so much easier to let him win, but Ginny could still feel Harry's hand digging painfully into her shoulder. Tom must be wrong. Harry cared about her. Ginny fought harder.

"NO!" Harry screamed. He ripped the diary out of Ginny's hands and threw it across the room. Then he kneeled down in front of Ginny, looking up into her eyes. Only he didn't see their normal chocolate brown. They were a muddy color, as if red was mixing in with her normal brown. A wordless scream ripped through his throat. Before he knew what was happening he was across the room with his wand leveled at the small book. He did not speak, but fire burst from his wand. Brilliant red fire engulfed the small book. It curled around it, and for a few seconds it seemed that the book could not be harmed, then it was gone in a ball of flames.

Harry's eyes were still sparkling with rage as he whipped around and ran back towards Ginny. But her eyes were once more her own. With a strangled cry he pulled her out of her chair and embraced her tightly to him. The two children stood there crying, holding on to each other for dear life. Neither noticed as Dumbledore walked to the fire, or when Sirius emerged from the emerald flames. Neither looked up when Mr. Weasley followed a few minutes later. Only Molly Weasley's distraught cry drew their attention. But they did not separate. Even when Ginny was drawn fiercely in to the protective circle of her mother's arms, Harry maintained a firm grip on her hand.

"Dumbledore," Mr. Weasley finally said, "I think you had better explain."

"Harry, Ginny, why don't you sit down." Harry looked at the chairs in the office. But none were big enough for both of them. He did not want to let go of Ginny's hand. Dumbledore must have understood, for with a wave of his wand he conjured an oversized armchair. Harry gratefully pulled Ginny to it.

"This morning Harry and Ginny came to me to discuss something. Ginny had found a diary among her school books and they were concerned about it."

"A diary? I didn't buy her a diary."

"Yes Molly, I assumed as much. This was a rather unusual diary. It was rather old, and when young Ginevra wrote in it…" Dumbledore cut off. Ginny was once more in hysterics.

"Gin! What's wrong?" Harry asked, his arms once more wrapping tightly around her. He missed the look exchanged between the Weasleys.

"That's what he called me. I don't want anyone to ever call me that again!"

"I am sorry, Miss Weasley, I will not address you like that again," Dumbledore said at once, he returned his attention to the three adults. "When Ginny wrote in the diary last night, it wrote back. It claimed to be the memory of a boy that went to school here fifty years ago."

"Who, Albus?" Mr. Weasley asked, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Ginny visibly cringed at the name, and Sirius let out a shocked yell, jumping to his feet with his wand at the ready.

"Albus, who is Tom Riddle." Mrs. Weasley asked, she was shocked by the reaction this name had caused. Dumbledore's eyes had lost all of their twinkle, Sirius was looking murderous and Harry scarcely less so, and Ginny was cowering in fear, shrinking into Harry's hold.

"Tom Riddle is the birth name of the man who later came to be known as Lord Voldemort."

"No!" Ginny's shocked yell drew their eyes. "That was V…V…Voldemort?"

"Yes, Ginny. Harry recognized the name instantly." Dumbledore glanced at Sirius' slightly guilty expression. "I'm guessing he must have overheard something this summer. He very wisely brought Ginny and the diary here. Instead of destroying it immediately, I asked Ginny to do a very brave thing, I asked her to write in it once more."

"Albus!" Mrs. Weasley was shocked. "How could you? She's only a child!"

"Because, Molly, I needed to know what was happening. I needed to determine if it was a mere enchantment placed on the diary, or if it was something more… sinister."

"What did you find, Albus?" Mr. Weasley asked, sounding oddly resigned.

"I will have to check a few things, but I believe I know understand how Lord Voldemort was able to withstand the killing curse that Harry rebounded on to him nearly twelve years ago. This information might be enough to help us defeat him when he returns." Dumbledore turned to Ginny once more. "You did a very great thing today Ginny. Your bravery will allow us to save many lives. Thank you."

Ginny smiled weakly back at him before turning and looking up at Harry. Harry was relieved to see that her eyes once more held her characteristic mischievousness and fierceness. "I told you I would help you defeat that bastard."

"Ginny!"

Ginny stared up defiantly at her mother. She had faced him, and she had the right to call him whatever she wanted. She would not let Tom Riddle win again. She and Harry had beaten him, and they would do so again.

"So what happened to the diary, Albus?" Mr. Weasley laid a gentle hand on his wife shoulder.

"Harry was not very happy about the idea of Ginny writing in the diary again today. I do believe he nearly hexed me when I suggested it."

"I thought about it." Sirius winked at him. "But I figured you could block anything I could throw at you."

"When Ginny wrote in it, the diary seemed to suspect that something was happening. It tried to attack her." Mrs. Weasley let out a startled yelp. "If I am not mistaken, it tried to take over Ginny's mind."

"Yes," her voice was quiet. "And he almost won." Harry's arms tightened painfully around her waist, but she didn't complain. His arms felt safe.

"Harry did not react well to his friend getting hurt. He ripped the diary out of her hand, and seemed to realize that something was wrong with her."

"Yes, her eyes were turning red." Harry turned to look at her. "I like your brown much better." Ginny beamed at him.

"The color of Voldemort's eyes." Dumbledore said nodding. "Enraged, young Harry completed obliterated the diary, thus freeing Ginny."

"Harry destroyed it?" Sirius sputtered. "But how?"

"If I am not mistaken, that diary was a very dark object which could only be destroyed a few ways. Basilisk venom, Fiendfyre," Dumbledore paused, "or dragon fire. It seemed to me that Harry used the last method."

"But Albus, it is impossible to conjure dragon fire!" Mrs. Weasley protested.

"Yes, Molly, it is."


The rest of the year was relatively calm. None of the boys in the castle complained when Professor Lockhart loudly quit in front of the whole school after suffering one too many pranks, though the girls were quite vocal in wishing he would stay. Gryffindor won the Quidditch championship when Harry successfully caught the snitch six and a half minutes into the final game, before either team had a chance to score. That win put Gryffindor securely in the lead for the house cup. Harry and Ron managed to pass their end of year exams despite all of Hermione's nagging.

And no one had the courage to ask why Harry Potter refused to leave Ginny Weasley's side.

A much abbreviated tale had been told to Ginny's brothers and all of their friends. They were only aware that an enchanted diary had tried to possess Ginny. Dumbledore did not want it to be common knowledge that Harry was capable of summoning dragon fire. Especially as he still did not know how Harry was capable of doing so. Sirius had been strangely closed lipped about the subject, though he had hinted that he had an idea of how it had happened and that Albus shouldn't worry.

Harry seemed to think that the best way to cheer Ginny up was to never leave her side and play as many pranks as they could. Fred and George were enthusiastic participants in this latter goal. The four friends claimed soul credit for forcing their illustrious defense teacher out of the school. And they couldn't be more thrilled about it. Even Hermione conceded that they were probably better off without him.

And Harry spent the remaining months of the term coming to the horrible realization that he liked Ginny as more than just a friend, or even a little sister. But he kept this realization to himself. After all, he was only twelve. And there was no use him telling her about it when it could only lead to the collapse of their friendship, a friendship that was more important to Harry than his own life. Maybe he could convince her to like him, too, but in the meantime he would be her best friend. And he would stand between her and anyone else that wanted to hurt her.

His Ginny would be protected at any cost.


A/N: And we see the first use for Harry's animagus form, and he hasn't even completed the transformation yet. I hope the confrontation was lively enough for you. Happy reading! As for the Valentine, I think it suffices to say that Ginny was so traumatized by the event she will never send a Valentine in her life. I think it just became her least favorite holiday.

And for knowing Parseltongue. Ginny pretty much knows everything about Harry, except for something interesting feelings he is keeping from her. She knows. They had a lot of fun talking to some interesting snakes last summer. Ginny thought they were hilarious.