Hello! Sorry for the long delay! I had my dance exam on Saturday and I was really tired! I would like it if you readers could send in some interactions between the characters or some scene which you want to see. Because I would love some new insight!
Anyway, on with the chapter!
What happened in the last chapter:
There came a sound of someone stepping up behind her. Ginny spun around and promptly fell off her chair. The 5 guests were standing in front of a door which Ginny didn't know was there. 5 people, she didknow well enough.
It was James, Lily and Harry Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.
Ginny stared, not believing her eyes. James took a step forward and the movement snapped Ginny out of her daze. She scrambled off the floor, pulled out her wand and levelled it at his head. He stopped at once, impressed by the speed by which she pulled out her wand. Her brown eyes were still gleaming with unshed tears, but a determined look in them made the visitors feel a bit intimidated.
"Change" she demanded, her voice a harsh whisper. It did seem like a vague request but both James and Sirius knew what she was asking for. They knelt on the floor and suddenly there was a majestic stag and a bear-like dog in place of the two men.
Ginny dropped her wand in relief and shock. She ran to James, who had changed back and flung her arms around him. She sobbed into his shoulder as soon as his arms wrapped around her. She felt the tension leave her body and let herself relax in the familiar embrace of her favourite 'uncle'.
"I've missed you so much," she said in between sobs. James squeezed her tighter. "I've missed you too, firecracker".
Ginny gave a watery chuckle. "I missed you calling me that."
"I missed saying it."
Ginny caught sight of Lily over James' shoulder and went over to her. Lily couldn't hold back her tears and both the women clung to each other, tears streaming down their faces. Lily couldn't believe that this beautiful young woman was Ginny. The younger girl pulled away, rubbing her eyes.
Sirius was next to be engulfed in a bear hug by the redhead. The dog animagus had a soft spot for the girl since she was little. "You still need to take me out on your motorcycle" came her voice, muffled from where her face was pressed against his chest. Sirius laughed. "Of course. I thought you would have forgotten about that." Ginny then made her way over to Remus, whom she had not seen for an even longer time than any of the others because he was not there during the last Order meeting. After a short whispered conversation, Ginny turned to the last person in the group.
Harry had grown from the cute little boy she had known to a handsome young man. His hair was still as messy as ever and his green eyes vibrant. He stood tall at just shy of 6 ft but still towered over Ginny's short 5'3. He was dressed in a black t-shirt that stretched tight over his chest, paired with dark jeans and converse shoes. Ginny felt that small part of her awaken which had died the moment she heard that the Potters were dead.
"Don't I get a hug, Gin?"
The deep baritone voice shook the redhead out of her musings and a brilliant smile lit up her face. She threw herself onto him, arms wrapping around his neck. Harry sighed and pulled her closer, burying his face in her red hair. "Merlin, I've missed you so much." Harry's heartfelt expression made tears spring up in Ginny's eyes as well. She responded with a "Me too" and hugged him tighter. A throat being cleared made them look up, still not letting each other go.
Dumbledore had his trademark twinkle in his eye. "Well, now that you have met them, I can tell you my announcement which I will be making again during dinner. Harry will be joining Hogwarts as a student. James will be helping Minerva with Transfiguration classes. Remus and Sirius will be taking the DADA position together and Lily will be an Assistant Professor for potions with Severus."
Ginny couldn't help the wide grin that spread over her face. "You're staying? All of you? Harry, what year will you join?"
"Sixth year." Harry laughed at the jump and squeal that Ginny did. The Marauders and Lily chuckled at the excitement she was showing.
"Oh, I can't wait!"
Remus put forth a question. "Ginny, aren't you a year younger than Harry? Then technically you should be in the fifth year, right?" Ginny looked a little taken aback by the question. Then she answered.
"Well, when Neville came to Hogwarts for the first time, I was obviously at home because I had to wait a year longer. But when I had just changed into my pyjamas, suddenly I was transported to the Great Hall during Neville's sorting. It turned out that apparently the Sorting Hat summoned me and sorted me then and there. It said something about me being important and I had to be in this year despite being a year younger." Before anyone could comment on this, Dumbledore told all of them to make their way to the Great Hall for dinner.
On their way, they met Neville coming down the stairs. His face lit up when he saw Ginny with the 5 people he had met in the morning. "Met the surprises then?" he asked with a quirk of his eyebrow. Ginny nearly bowled him over with a hug and he laughed. She smacked him on the shoulder, "You prat! I can't even be mad at you for not telling me!" The marauders chuckled and all of them went into the Great Hall which was filling up with students. The adults went up to the professors' table and sat with them. Harry went to stand next to Professor McGonagall who stood near the platform with the Sorting Hat.
Professor McGonagall called out "Potter, Harry" and all the chattering in the Great Hall ceased at once. Everyone knew about the mysterious disappearance of the supposed Boy-Who-Lived. The dark-haired wizard sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the battered old hat on his head. Ginny watched as Harry sat in front of the student crowd with the Sorting Hat. They seemed to be having a silent conversation. Then the mouth at the brim of the Hat opened and shouted "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table burst out into cheers and applause. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables clapped too. Only the Slytherin table remained silent. Harry gave the hat to McGonagall and made his way to where Ginny had saved a seat for him beside her, sitting opposite Neville and Hermione Granger. Dumbledore announced the same thing he said in his office about the new professors. Then he went back to his chair at the Heads' table and dinner appeared.
Hermione, in true Hermione-fashion, started her line questioning to know everything about Harry. "How is it that you didn't come to Hogwarts when you were 11? Where were you all these years? How do Ginny and Neville know you? Are you related to all the new professors? Why did Ginny get to meet you first?"
This last question threw Harry out of the loop. He raised an eyebrow at the slew of questions thrown at him. He did answer them because Ginny and Neville needed some answers as well. "Well, I was in hiding with my family, though we were thought to be dead here. We were living in America till last month when we came here. That's why I didn't come to Hogwarts at the beginning. Ginny and Neville have known me since we were babies. They are my best friends. The new professors are my parents, godfather and uncle. And as for Ginny meeting me first, what the hell do you mean by that?"
Hermione was drinking in all the information given to her. "Well, maybe I could be your friend too. I've always wanted to meet the Boy-Who-Lived. I'm a muggle-born and Ginny never told me that she used to know you."
Ginny was fuming. She and Hermione had never gotten along well. They tolerated each other because Hermione had no one else to talk to other than her and Neville. Hermione hadn't like the fact that a 10-year-old was allowed to be a first-year and who could score better than her. Ginny, on the other hand, did not like Hermione's thirst for knowledge, wanting to know everything about everyone and blind faith in those having authority. She had tried to stop Ginny's attempts on pranking the Slytherins by tattling to McGonagall under the guise of extra tutoring.
Harry didn't know how to answer her back. He could tell Ginny did not like Hermione and he had no intention of making either witch mad. But Hermione put forth a new question which made Ginny and Neville prick their ears up as well.
"Why did You-Know-Who come after you and how did you survive the Killing Curse?"