Holyhead Harpies Stadium, Holyhead, Wales
Ginny leaned into Harry as they walked towards the stadium. Ron stood on her other side. Her scarf was pulled over most of her face and her hood covered most of her crimson hair. She silently wished that Harry or Ron had thought to cover their faces. She wished they could just floo, but of course Harry and Ron did not have access. She watched as her brother and boyfriend scanned the area before continuing towards the stadium. The good thing about having Aurors as a brother and boyfriend was that they knew how to be stealthy. They had almost made it to the front door when they saw the crowd of press standing around. She glanced up and saw that Harry and Ron both had their heads down as they walked. The press however, had already recognized both of them.
"Miss Weasley"
"Miss Weasley"
"Miss Weasley, over here" Ginny heard the clicks of multiple cameras, and watched as the flashes made her head spin. One of the reporter rushed into their paths
"Miss Weasley, Is it true that you aided You Know Who?" Harry held her close as the press circled them
"Miss Wealsey, can you confirm what Witch Weekly reported?"
"How did you open the chamber?" Harry pulled her closer as the crowd moved in. It seemed that the press, for the first time, realized he was there with her.
"Mr. Potter, can you confirm that you were hit by the killing curse?"
"Do you have a second lightning scar?"
"How do you feel about your girlfriend working for the dark lord?"
"Are you still together?"
"Was she really possessed?" Ginny closed her eyes, hoping they would just go away. Harry was trying to tell her something but she couldn't hear him. She heard a whooshing sound and then something hard hit her forehead. She fell back, hitting the ground. She opened her eyes and saw a small rock, a couple of feet away. It had a blood spatter on the corner. She felt her forehead. It stung. She saw the blood on her gloves. She looked up dazed. Harry was kneeling on the ground while Ron yelled something. She saw a man standing close to her. Ron was keeping him away. The reporters kept flashing their cameras.
"Fucking Bitch" He sneered
"You could have killed her!" Ron screamed
"Bitch deserved it. She could have killed my daughter"
"She was possessed" Ron yelled back
"Bullshit" the press pushed the man back. The circled again
"Mr. Weasley, are you saying that your sister was really possessed"
"I-" Ron stuttered
"Was she truly weak enough to be possessed?" Harry stood up, his face bright red.
"Voldemort took over Ginny after months of trying. Do you know how Fing impressive that is? He barely had control over her when she was 11. I couldn't resist him like that. Not at 11 not at 15 and definitely not now"
"Mr. Potter, are you talking from personal experience?" Harry turned away and helped Ginny up. He seemed to have a new drive to get through the crowd. Ron grabbed his arm.
"What about that bloody-"
"We can pick him up later". Harry pushed his way through the crowd. They got to the front door. They only just managed to get inside. Ginny was nearly crying when they did.
"Gin, do you want to go find the Harpies Healer?"
"I'm ok" Gwenog saw them and hurried over
"Ginny! What happened to your head?" Gwenog asked, dabbing the injury with a cloth towel
"Someone threw a rock at her" Ron muttered
"Ginny, are you ok?" Gwenog asked
"I'll be fine"
"I can tell Morgan to let you go"
"I said I'm Fine"
"What's this meeting even about?" Harry asked
"It better be Fucking worth that" Ron growled gesturing outside
"The board wants to speak with her"
"Why?"
"I don't know," Gwenog admitted. "They're already here"
"Can we come too?" Ron asked
"It might be better if you do. For your sake Ginny"
"Let's go" Ginny muttered. Ginny followed Gwenog up the stairs, passed the players lounge, the press office and the Marketing office. She felt her heartbeat quicken as they arrived at the door. Two security guards opened the door. The small party walked inside. The harpies' small board was sitting at a table, facing them. A tall older woman sat at the end of the table. Louise Stewart, owner and perhaps the most famous Harpies captain ever. She had been the one who saved the club from Quidditch's most misogynistic branches. She had a regal and powerful air around her. Glynnis Griffiths, the harpies former seeker sat on her left. Next to her was Joscelind Wadcock. On the other side was Catriona McCormack and the only man on the board Denison Frisby. Morgan was sitting next to Frisby. A man Ginny did not recognize sat next to Wadcock. Ms. Stewart's stare froze Ginny in her place. Gwenog pulled her down into a chair.
"Ms. Weasley, I'm sure you are wondering why you were called here today?" Ms. Stewart asked
"Well, I could take a wild guess," She said. Gwenog elbowed her. McCormack, Griffiths and Frisby looked at her disapprovingly. Ms. Stewart chuckled.
"Morgan told me you were cheeky. I believe her now" there wasn't any malice behind Ms. Stewart's words. Maybe her snark wasn't a stupid idea
"Ms. Stewart, the issue at hand" Frisby said. Ms. Stewart nodded to McCormack
"As a club, we need to have a certain reputation. We are a woman's team in a man's world. We need to have power and elegance in how we present ourselves. We can not and will not tolerate any sort of publicity stunt that could negatively affect the team. Especially one with your name on the cover, given your fame outside of the club"
"Wait, hang on, you think I told the press any of that?"
"Miss Weasley, the article had personal information that the press could not have gotten from any old source. Who else could it be?" Frisby said
"Oh you are right, of course I would want the whole wizarding world to know about the most traumatic experiences of my life" Ginny's words were dripping with venom. Ms. Stewart watched the exchange. She sighed
"I have spoken to Morgan and Lana. I don't believe you would freely speak to the press about Quidditch, Ms. Weasley, let alone anything remotely personal. I do need to ask you some questions of my own"
"Go ahead, given that all of my childhood trauma is already out in the open"
"Did you lie to the press when asked about Mr. Potter"
"I did" several of the other board members whispered to each other and looked at Ginny suspiciously
"Hold on, Ginny had to lie. That was supposed to be classified information about the Battle" Harry said
"Ah, I see" Ms. Stewart said "Mr. Potter a question for you, you have no intention to become the next dark lord"
"Definitely not," Harry chuckled. Ms. Stewart turned her attention back to Ginny.
"You did open the Chamber of Secrets but you were possessed?"
"Yes, that is true"
"You were not acting out of your own free will?"
"Yes"
"Well I think that settles the matter of if you would be a liability to the team." Ginny's heart sank. "We all knew you would bring publicity to the club. Now, no woman should ever be judged based on a man she is with, but you are dating one of the most famous wizards ever. No matter what you did, the press would follow you. You have no control over that. However in this situation, you brought worse press than we planned for. However, you were the victim in this situation. And you are a damn good chaser. We will not be dismissing you from the team" The man sitting next to Wadcock glared at Ms. Stewart
"Ms. Stewart, as the club's benefactor, shouldn't you discuss the issue with me?"
"Do you disagree with me, Mr. West?" She glared
"Er, no ma'am of course not"
"Good, because you know shit about Quidditch and I can easily get another benefactor if I truly needed it" She winked at Harry, who looked up confused
"Right ma'am"
"Wait, West as in Myra West?"
"Ginny, meet Cornileus West, Myra's grandfather" Gwenog introduced
"Pleasure to finally be introduced" He said
"You too"
"Right, now that introductions are out of the way, there is another issue. Ginny, someone gave your information to the Prophet. Someone close enough to you to know that about you" Ms. Stewart said
"No one knows all of that besides Ron, Harry, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Professor McGonagall and the minister. They would never do this"
"Are you sure no one else?"
"I'm sure"
"What I need to know is if it is anyone at the club" a silver otter bounded through the room
"Excellent timing, Hermione," Ron clapped his hands.
"I got the name from Skeeter. Someone called M. West. She didn't give her first name" the silver otter said
"Myra!" Ginny shouted. Her face was turning red and her fists were clenched. She turned and stormed out of the room with Ms. Stewart, Mr. West, Gwenog, Harry, and Ron in close pursuit
"Ginny please don't do anything stupid" Gwenog begged. Ginny slammed the door to the player's lounge open
"Hey Ginny" Gilat said, not looking up
"Ginny, are you ok?" Lei asked
"What happened to your head?" Nichole asked. Ginny stormed past.
"Don't worry about it Vasi, I'm sure it will be fine, '' Myra laughed. Vasilina was standing with Myra. A realization hit Ginny. Vasilina must have told Myra everything.
"You fucking Bitch" Ginny shouted. Myra stepped forward to face Ginny.
"I think you need to control your temper Gin-Gin" Myra poughted. Ginny took out her wand and pointed it at Myra's neck
"Never call me that again" Ginny growled. Harry ran forward
"It's ok Gin, everything with the team worked out and they know she's behind this, we can just go home and I have the rest of the day off-" Ginny lowered her wand slightly as Harry spoke
"Oh let me guess, another trauma Gin-Gin?" Myra sneered at her and cut Harry off. Ginny raised her wand again and Myra whipped out her own.
"Levicorpus" Ginny cast
"Protego" Myra cast her shield. It was not even close enough to being strong enough to block Ginny's curse. Myra hung up in the air until Ginny dropped her down. Myra cast a charm with red light. Ginny cast a more powerful shield, catching the curse. Myra cast another spell with red light. Ginny physically dodged it. Myra cast an impediment jinx. Ginny was met with a deep cutting charm hitting her shoulder. It wasn't a very precise or well done curse but it hit a muscle. Ginny gripped her injury. Myra smirked at her. Ginny cast a far more precise cutting charm that hit Myra on the side of the cheek. The cut was deep but thin. The other harpies stepped farther back, as if they just remembered that Ginny wasn't just any witch, but a DA member and a soldier. Ginny was ready to cast another curse when she felt her feet off the ground. She looked around herself fuming, only to see two freckled arms holding her up
"Ronald Wealesy put me down this instant!" Ginny yelled
"Ron? What?" Harry asked
"I panicked. Ok? It used to work when we were kids" Ron argued. Myra raised her wand again, but Harry easily disarmed her.
"Mr. Wealsey, put her down," Ms. Stewart said. She looked at Myra "You first revealed a teammate's personal information to the press, brought down the club and then attacked a teammate. After the winter holiday, you will be suspended for one month. Unpaid and you will be fined 100 galleons"
"That's not fair-" Mr. West began
"As of now, you are lucky to still be on this team and you are on thin ice. Don't even think about going to the press again. Ms. Wealsey, you will be suspended for one week after the holiday and you will have your shoulder and forehead looked at before you leave. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes ma'am" they both said, glaring at each other
"Good" Ms. Stewart left, along with Harry and Ron led Ginny to the team's healer's room. Ginny sat down on the bench and removed her coat and jumper, leaving only her tank top on, so the healer would be able to get to her injury. The jumper was blood stained, as was her coat. The wound was much wider than the cut in her coat implied. It was still bleeding, with blood smeared on most of her shoulder. The Harpies' healer rushed over with water, a needle and thread. She washed the wound while Harry, Ron and Ginny sat in silence. Ginny gritted her teeth as the healer began the stitches.
"You ok Ginny?" Harry asked
"Do you need something for the pain?" Ron aked
"I'm fine. This is not the worst pain I've been in, not by a long shot" Ginny muttered. An uneasy silence fell back over the group.
"Ginny, I have a question" Ron said
"Go for it" Ginny said
"Why did you freak out at Myra? You seemed like you calmed down and then, boom" Ginny bit her lip
"She called me gin-gin, no ones called me that since I was 11" Ron's face seemed to light up
"I remember, Mum and Dad used to call you that until you exploded at them in Egypt" Ron said "I always wondered why"
"Take a guess genius," Ginny said. Ron thought about it for a moment, still looking visibly confused. Ginny sighed "Tom used to call me that" Ginny growled
"You never told me that," Harry said
"Well maybe I didn't want to talk about it- ow" the Healer finished the stiches. Ginny moved her arm in discomfort. The healer put some creams on her arm. She guessed it was some sort of healing potion. The healer wrapped her arm in a bandage. She then began to examine the cut on her forehead. She cleaned the cut and then covered it.
"Right, the cut on your arm should heal in about two weeks and you can come and get the stitches removed then. The cut on your forehead should heal on its own. You're lucky you didn't get a concussion though"
"Am I good to go?" Ginny asked
"Reapply this cream on your shoulder twice a day, and this one on your forehead. Keep your shoulder wrapped" she handed Ginny a pack of adhesive bandage wraps and two different creams
"Can I go now?" Ginny asked. The healer nodded Harry, Ginny and Ron made their way to the Harpies fireplace and left the stadium with a pop