Chapter V: Mosaic and Rienhardt
Ginny's first class the next day was Defense Against Dark Arts. After Professor Credulous, who had met such a tragic end when he met up with a minion of the Dark Lord Voldemort, Ginny was wondering who the next teacher would be. Amilia and Ginny sat together, as they always did. Things seemed really quiet. Ginny supposed that the other students were as anxious as she was to meet the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher.
"What do you think he'll look like?" Amilia asked Ginny.
"I haven't the slightest," Ginny told her.
"Maybe we'll have a return," Amilia voiced. "Like Moody or-"
"Lupin?" Ginny finished.
"No!" Amilia shouted. "He's a werewolf!"
"He's a good werewolf," Ginny assured her. "Harry and Ron told me so."
"Sure," Amilia began. "You'll believe anything Harry Potter tells you."
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I would not want to risk having a werewolf for a teacher," Amilia sneered.
"How about a servant of You-Know-Who?" Ginny asked. "That's what Moody is..and Quirrell."
"We've never had a teacher named Quirrell," Amilia informed.
"He was here the year before we came," Ginny explained.
"Well, we can't have Lockhart," Amilia told her. "He's kinda out of it."
"Even if he wasn't," Ginny began, "who'd want him."
"I thought he was handsome," Amilia whispered.
Ginny laughed, "You would."
"I guess we're not having a return," Amilia said. "Everyone's out of the question."
"Silence!"
Ginny and Amilia's heads shot toward the front of the room. A very tall and slender woman stood in front of the desks. Her hair was long and a blinding white. Her stern face was made to look conceited by her pointed, up-turned nose. She wore deep purple robes that fit tightly down to her knees and then flowed out sleekly. Her countenance reminded Ginny of the vindictive Potions teacher, Professor Snape.
"Turn immediately to chapter forty of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection," the teacher commanded. "Read this chapter for exactly ten minutes. After such time, we will have a test on that you read."
Ginny took out her book and began to read.
"By the way," the professor said, her tight, black lips twisting into a smiled, "I am Professor Mosaic."
Ginny only got the gist of the chapter since she only had ten minutes. Chapter forty was about the use of dark arts on artifacts, such as jewelry. Ginny knew much about charming artifacts since her dad worked for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic. In one section, the chapter talked about spells being casted on rune charm necklaces. This caught her memory because of her interest in runes. Unfortunately, as she was really getting into this section when...
"Ten minutes is up," Professor Mosaic snapped. "Close your books and take out a piece of parchment and a quill."
Ginny hurried to do as Professor Mosaic said. As she pulled her pack of parchment, her ink bottle fell from her bag and broke on the floor.
"What was that?" Professor Mosaic demanded.
"I-I spilt my ink," Ginny sputtered.
"Clean it up!" Professor Mosaic ordered.
"What about the test?" Ginny asked.
"You will make it up after class," Professor Mosaic told her. "Oh, and five points from Gryffindor."
Amilia glanced dismally at Ginny.
Once Ginny had finished the test, she didn't waist time in getting out of the class. Luckily, Amilia was waiting for her in the corridor.
"Boy, am I glad to see you," Ginny sighed. "I can't stand that woman!"
"Who can?" Amilia asked.
A wide and muscley boy with bristly hair that grew all the way down his forehead walked passed the two girls, holding a bouquet of deep purple flowers with black stems and loads of thorns. Ginny recognized the boy as Gregory Goyle, from the train. Ginny and Amilia watched as Goyle turned into the Defense Against Dark Arts classroom.
"Speffle dilvry," they heard Goyle croak.
The girls stood aghast for a few moments before they turned to each other.
"Why would Goyle be giving Professor Mosaic flowers?" Amilia whispered.
"D'you think that Malfoy might-" Ginny didn't have to finish her thought.
Without another word, the two girls hurried down the hall.
*******************
"Did you hear?" Ron asked Harry and Ginny over a game of wizard's chess in the Gryffindor common room.
"Hear what?" Ginny questioned.
"Colin Creevy is a spy," Ron told them.
The three looked at each other and then burst out laughing.
"I did hear that actually," Ginny said as they calmed down. "Ernie Macmillan was telling some people that on the train."
"I sure hope nobody believe that nonsence," Harry began. "Can you imagine what it would do to Dennis' Quidditch career if his older brother was a spy?"
"Pawn to D2," Ron told the board.
The pawn immediately obayed him.
"Knight to F8," Harry commanded. "Why do you suppose Ernie's got it in for Colin?"
"Who knows?" Ginny began. "Ernie's always looking for a story he can spread around."
"He may be the new Rita Skeeter someday," Ron chukled. "Bishop to C1."
Harry scanned the board and then said, "Pawn to E1"
"Can you believe that new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher?" Ron asked.
"Oh, I can't stand her," Harry commented.
"She's so severe," Ginny voiced.
"She took five points from Gryffindor because I read the wrong chapter," Ron explained. "It was an accident. She said I didn't look at the page numbers well enough. Even if that were true, it's not something to take points for."
"She gives witches a bad name," Ginny said.
"Did you see how she favored Malfoy?" Harry asked Ron.
"Oh, yeah," Ron laughed. "She kept touching his shoulder everytime she walked by. I mean, what's up with that?"
"I don't know," Harry admitted, chortled.
"Pawn to E1," Ron said, taking Harry's pawn.
"Hey, Hermione," Ron yelled across the room. "You wanna play winner?"
"I can't," Hermione called back. "I'm helping Neville."
"Helping Neville," Ron grumbled.
"What's up with you?" Harry asked. "Rook to F1."
"What's up with me?" Ron echoed. "What up with her?" indicating Hermione. "She's the one always hanging out with Neville Longbutt!"
"I thought Neville was your friend," Ginny voiced.
Ron groaned, "Bishop to F4."
"Ah-ha!" Harry exclaimed. "Rook to F4."
"I can't believe you let Harry take your bishop," Ginny said.
"Shove it, Gin!" Ron snapped, scanning the board.
"Why does it bother you that Hermione is helping Neville with Arithmacy?" Harry wondered.
"It doesn't bother me," Ron assured.
Ginny and Harry stifled a laugh.
"Alright, it bothers me a little," Ron admitted. "It's just that, I'm having problems with Transfiguration. Hermione can never help me, though. You know why? It's because she's always working with that gawky git."
"Sounds like someone's jealous," Harry whispered to Ginny.
Ginny giggled.
"I heard that!" Ron shouted. "And I am not!"
"Whatever you say," Harry muttered. "It' your move."
"Knight to C3," Ron said through his teeth.
*****************
Snow fell early that year. Ginny had to wear a scarf and heavier robes as she walked along the grounds. The frozen blades of grass crunched under Ginny's shoes on her way toward the lake. To her surprise, there was a couple other people at the lake. Even more astounding was the fact that one of them was swimming. Ginny jogged up to these people, unable to comprehend who would be swimming in that weather. The person still on the land, looked at her. It was Cho.
"What are-" Ginny began, but then Cho gave her the most diabolical smile.
Ginny stood still, unable to understand what was going on, as Cho gazed across the water. Ginny looked too. It was Harry who was swimming.
"Why is-" Ginny started to asked.
Cho hushed her and then leaned down and pressed her lips to the water. The moment Cho kissed the lake, it instantly froze over. Ginny couldn't see Harry. With some unexplainable knowledge that the lake was completely froze, Ginny ran out across the lake, looking for Harry. She caught a glimpse of his forms frozen under the water. Cho came up behind her and began to scrape at the ice with a knife. It took only seconds for Cho to carve Harry out of the lake. His face was pale and fixed into a terrified expression. Before Ginny could think of what to do, Cho set Harry's lifeless body on fire just by starring into his eyes. No matter how hard she tried, Ginny could not put the flames out. Harry was slowly consumed in the inferno.
Ginny flung from her bed, trembling and sweating. Unable to hold tears back, she sobbed. Ginny wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her nightgown as she got out go bed. She walked slowly to the window and gazed down at the lake. The lush green grounds that shined silver were quite contrasting to the dark lake. Nothing was frozen. It wasn't snowing. There was no one near the lake. Ginny bit her lip and went back to bed.
*****************
"Did you see Malfoy in Defense Against Dark Arts?" Ron laughed at breakfast.
Ginny sat silently, thinking of her dream and listening to Harry tap his quill on the table. Harry finishing up some homework from Transfiguration as he ate his breakfast.
"Yeah," Harry replied to Ron. "Must have been the strangest thing ever."
"I've never seen Malfoy raise his hand so eagerly," Ron commented. "He beat Hermione by, at least, five seconds."
"Why do you suppose he was so anxious to answer a question about Wraiths?" Harry asked.
"I think he has a thing for Professor Mosaic," Ron whispered.
Ginny gaped at Ron, unable to believe her ears.
"Malfoy have a thing for Professor Mosaic?" Harry repeated. "That's improbable. He's Malfoy."
"Well, if he were to go after someone," Ron began, "don't you think Professor Mosaic would be his type."
"I suppose so," Harry admitted.
"We have History of Magic with Ravenclaw after breakfast," Ron changed the subject. "I do believe that our test on Hengist of Woodcroft is today. Did you study?"
"I was doing my Herbology homework all night," Harry excused. "I couldn't study during class, either. I was too distracted."
Ginny knew what it was like. Herbology was her worst subject. It took her five minutes of reading a sentence over and over before she could get her brain to focus on the meaning. She just didn't have enough interest in the subject.
"Distracted, huh?" Ron asked, smirking at Harry. "I know what you were thinking about."
Harry smiled, turning a little pink in the face.
Ginny was debating whether to ask what they were talking about or not.
"Cho Chang sure looks lovely when she's turning those pages," Ron commented. "Doesn't she, Harry?"
Harry shrugged, looking tensely at Ginny.
"C'mon, Harry," Ron laughed, "you'd know. Was it just me or did Cho giggle awfully hard when she saw you staring at her?"
Ginny felt the heat getting to her. She was getting terribly jealous.
Harry smiled sheepishly.
"I think she likes you," Ron teased.
"Nah," Harry said, occasionally glancing at Ginny. "I don't think so."
"Oh, come on!" Ron exclaimed. "She's been hanging around you an awful lot."
Professor McGonagal stood up and cleared her throat loudly. A hush fell over the Great Hall. Everyone's eyes were on the teacher's table.
"Students," Professor McGonagal addressed, "Halloween is coming soon. We teachers have decided to have a Halloween dance. This dance is for sixth and seventh years, who may ask younger years to be their partners. I'm sure this event will become the focus of much conversation, but don't let it interfere with your schoolwork."
Professor McGonagal sat down.
Ron looked at Harry suggestively.
"What?" Harry blurted.
"Going to ask her?" Ron asked.
"Maybe," Harry said indecisively.
"You're right," Ron began as if Harry had explained something, "you don't want to ask her right away. Don't want to seem to eager. Girls don't like guys who are too eager."
"What do you know about girls, Ron?" Ginny interrupted.
Ron sneered at Ginny.
"If I decide to ask her," Harry said, "I'd probably need to ask her sooner the later."
"What do you mean?" Ron asked.
"I don't want someone to ask her first," Harry explained. "Like when I asked her to that Yule Ball."
"Good point," Ron commented.
"You going to ask someone?" Harry queried.
Ron smiled sheepishly.
"I do have someone in mind," Ron told Harry.
"Who?" Ginny asked, quite puzzled on who Ron would want to go to a dance with.
"I'll tell you only if she says yes," Ron said.
Ginny looked at Harry. He just shrugged at her.
***************
Ginny picked up her books after her Divination class and went to go down the trap door. She was sad to leave the perfumed air and shady scarlet light. It had always been her favorite place at Hogwarts. A place she could glance into the smokey light in a crystal ball or gaze through her own mind to find the deeper meaning of the waving flames.
"Miss Weasley," an airy voice came behind her.
Ginny turned around to stare into Professor Trelawney's magnified eyes.
"Parvati and Lavender are graduating my advanced class next year," Professor Trelawney told her. "I thought since you have such a distinct inner eye, you might like to take my advanced class, too."
"Advanced class?" Ginny repeated. "What would that entail?"
"You will learn the complex interpretation of the tarot," Professor Trelawney breathed, "and experience the depths of internal cabalistic."
Ginny gaped at Professor Trelawney.
"Huh?"
"Visions, darling," Professor Trelawney clarified. "You will have visions."
"Oh," Ginny began. "Alright. That's sound splendid."
"My advanced class will take place next Tuesday at eleven o'clock," Professor Trelawney whispered, pulling her shawl close and walking toward her chair.
"I'll see you then," Ginny assumed.
"Yes," Professor Trelawney said mistily. "You will see me."
******************
Ginny held her Rune dictionary and Wrong Rune, Right Rune close to her as she stepped down the steep hill, toward the spot where her Runes class was held. Stepping lightly as to not fall, Ginny's mind began to wander. As usual, she found herself thinking about Harry. The dream disturbed her. Was Harry really in danger? Was Cho really evil? It seemed like a very sudden change that she decided to hang out with Harry. Besides that, Cho's last boyfriend had died. Maybe she had some curse on her that all her boyfriends would die. Ginny wrinkled her nose. That didn't seem very likely.
"Woah!"
Ginny spun around just in time to see Harry hit the ground from an apparently long fall. He was tangled in his robes, struggling to get free. He emerged triumphant, throwing his robes tot he ground.
"Ruddy broom!" He yelled to the sky.
Ginny glanced up and saw the silhouette of the Thunder Hawk floating merrily as if happy to be rid of poor Harry.
"Are you alright?" Ginny asked, walking up to Harry.
"Sure," Harry grumbled. "My first Quidditch game is tomorrow and that bloody broom keeps throwing me off. I am about ready to take an axe to it."
"I wish there was something I could do," Ginny offered.
Harry looked at Ginny.
"There's not much anyone can do," Harry told her. "I think that broom has been gawked at and admired so long that it has gain an superiority complex."
Harry bent down and picked up his robes. As he began to dust them off, he glanced to Ginny who was peeping at him.
"So," He began, "Where are you off to?"
"The Study of Ancient Runes," Ginny told him.
"Runes, eh?" Harry said, half smiling. "I thought I'd get some flying practice before Care of Magical Creatures started."
Ginny gazed over at Hagrid's hut, where some students had already gathered.
"I didn't know that we had classes so close," Ginny admitted. "My runes class meets down there," indicating a patch of land between the Lake and the Forbidden Forest.
"You have class outside?" Harry asked.
"We do this year," Ginny informed. "Using runes requires a connection to nature. The stones have a hard time working in such a lethargic environment. Mother Earth aids us in all rune ceremonies."
Harry nodded, pretending to know what she was talking about.
"D-did you ask Cho to the dance?" Ginny asked quietly.
Harry glanced at her.
"No," Harry told her. "I really never said I was going to."
"But you are, aren't you?" Ginny accused.
Harry was silent.
"I'll see you," Ginny said, walking off toward her Study Ancient Runes class.
Ginny sat next to Amilia on the ground. Their professor was a sickly thin wizard with a small bald head. His robes hung off him, almost staggering him.
"Everyone bring their Rune stones?" He asked. "We will be using only the six personal stones."
Ginny pulled the smooth river stones from a small pouch in her robes. Each had several rune signs on them. Some had more then others.
"You will need your Ground," he told them.
Ginny took the rolled-up piece of leather out of her rune dictionary and laid it down on the dirt. The ground was painted with a circle inside a larger circle. The large circle was separated in four sections. Each section had a sign beside it.
"Place the six rune stones in a line across the center of the Ground," the professor instructed.
"Professor Hawthorn," called a large-nosed boy several people from Amilia and Ginny, "I forgot my Ground."
"Go and get it," Professor Hawthorn allowed.
The boy stood and ran off toward the castle.
"What was I saying?" the professor asked himself. "Oh, yes. Line the six stones along the middle of your Ground."
Ginny did so.
"Now, that you're started," said Professor Hawthorn, "I shall leave you."
Ginny gaped at him. How could he just leave them? Wasn't that against some teacher's rules?
"I must meditate," He explained. "Follow the directions on page 95 in Wrong Rune, Right Rune."
Professor Hawthorn pulled a stick and a knife from his robes and set off into the Forbidden Forest. Ginny wondered what he was going to do with a stick and a knife. Amilia turned to page 95.
"Let's work together," She proposed.
"Alright," Ginny agreed.
"Anything going on?" Amilia asked, reading over the instructions.
"Anything?" Ginny repeated.
"Wasn't someone walking you over here for a while?" Amilia queried.
"He wasn't walking me," Ginny explained. "Harry just-"
"It was Harry Potter!" Amilia shouted. "I thought you were getting over him."
"I was..I mean I am," Ginny sputtered. "I don't think that I can especially since.."
"Since what?" Amilia asked.
"I had this dream," Ginny began, "it had Cho and Harry in it. Cho tried to kill Harry."
Amilia gawked at Ginny.
"Cho?" Amilia repeated. "Cho who?"
"Cho Chang," Ginny blurted. "Who else is there with the first name Cho?"
"She isn't a Gryffindor, is she?" Amilia asked. "I'd think I'd know her if she was."
"She's the Ravenclaw seeker," Ginny explained.
"Oh," Amilia said. "Isn't she that dark-haired girl who hangs out with Harry Potter in the halls?"
Ginny nodded.
"So you dreamed that she killed Harry Potter?" Amilia asked.
Ginny nodded again.
"'Find three stones that contain all of the Rune symbols,'" Amilia read from the book. "So what, you think that Cho Chang is going to kill Harry Potter now?"
"I don't know," Ginny admitted, looking for a stone with all the rune symbols out of her line. "I don't think she's who she appears to be."
"Uh-huh," Amilia groaned, "and the fact that Harry Potter hangs out with her all the time has nothing to do with you thinking she's evil."
"I didn't say she was evil," Ginny corrected. "Of course, it is possible."
"You're mad," Amilia commented, taking a stone from her line. "I don't have three that have all the symbols."
"I think you're supposed to pick another stone," Ginny told her. "So you don't believe me."
"It's hard to when you talk crazy," Amilia said. "Despite that, I would probably believe you if Harry Potter wasn't so fond of Cho Chang."
"You think I'm jealous, don't you?" Ginny accused.
"If the shoe fits-" Amilia began.
"I'm not just..It isn't because..Jealously isn't what..." Ginny muttered. "Oh, shove it!"
Amilia laughed, "You are so totally jealous."
Ginny couldn't argue. Amilia was right. Ginny was jealous of Cho. But that wasn't why she though Cho was evil. She knew that her dream, however unreal, had to do with the future. No one could convince her otherwise.
After Study of Ancient Runes class, Amilia and Ginny walked up to Gryffindor tower. Ginny tried to do her homework in the common room, but things were much to noisy, so she went up to her room.
Ginny's Defense Against Dark Arts homework that night was to write a report on the Unforgivable Curses. The Imperius Curse didn't sound very pleasant to her. Of course that was probably the reason why it was Unforgivable. She couldn't imagine how horrible it would be to not have control over your own actions. It was simply cruel. She read about Death Eaters using that particular curse but she never knew what it was until now.
"Ginny!" Amilia called as she burst into the room. "I need five more for my report."
"Five more what?" Ginny asked.
"People," Amilia said as if it that explained everything. "So are you muggle-born or a pure-blood?"
"Pure-blood," Ginny reluctantly answered.
"Where do you live?" Amilia said swiftly.
"A little outside Ottery St. Catchpole," Ginny explained.
"Uh-huh," Amilia began, writing something on a piece of parchment. "How many siblings do you have, what's their genders, and where are you placed among them?"
"I have six older brothers," Ginny said simply.
"You don't say," Amilia gasped. "I can't imagine. I have one older brother and he's the pits."
"Is that all you need for your survey?" Ginny asked.
"Yup," Amilia exclaimed, turning to leave.
"Wait, what about your family?" Ginny queried.
"Huh?"
"Muggle-born or pure blood?" Ginny said.
"I am half and half," Amilia explained, sitting on her bed. "Dad was a wizard and Mum was a muggle. Their romance is truly tragic."
Ginny smiled as she laid on her belly, pleading, "Tell me."
"Well, Dad was a recent graduate of Hogwarts," Amilia told Ginny. "He was young and romantic. That's what Mum says anyway. He was in the muggle world with a couple of his friends. They wanted to have a look around and travel before settling in a job. He was separated from his friends in a crowd at London. He asked a waitress if she'd seen a couple guys in funny- looking cloaks. She didn't know where they were, but he decided that he would rather be in her company. They talked a bit and he told me that he fell head-over-heals that very moment. She agreed to see him later. By their arranged time, Dad had found his friends. He wanted them to meet her so he brought them on their date. He was planning on introducing them and then giving them the sign to make an excuse to leave. When he gave the sign, one of his friends wouldn't leave. He invaded their date. Dad says Mum was quite taken with him, but Mum maintains that they were just talking and there was absolutely nothing between them. I'm really not sure how that's possible, though. The three had many dates together. Each guy wouldn't let the other alone with Mum. One day, the two men told her to choose."
"And she chose your dad," Ginny sighed.
"Actually no," Amilia said. "Mum chose that other guy."
"What?" Ginny blurted. "Then how-"
"Wait and let me tell it," Amilia interrupted. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Mum chose that other guy. Dad was devastated. He thought Mum hated him. Turned out, though, that Dad's friend had bewitched her. Dad said he had some magical charm that made it so that Mum would love him. Dad tried to tell Mum about the charm, but she wouldn't listen to him. She refused to see him after he confronted his friend and punched him out. Then, one night, Dad knew it was over so he decided to take one more chance. He went up to her room and kissed her. Somehow, the spell broke. They got married and had me."
"How very lovely," Ginny whispered. "Amilia, what ever happened to you dad's friend?"
"Don't know," Amilia said. "Well, better be off."
"Wait!" Ginny exclaimed. "Don't you want to find out about that charm?"
"What for?" Amilia asked.
"I don't know," Ginny said. "I just think it'll be fun."
"Nah," Amilia began, "I've got to get four more for my survey."
As Amilia left the room, Ginny found herself thinking about that charm. She wasn't sure why it sparked her interest so much.
Ginny's first class the next day was Defense Against Dark Arts. After Professor Credulous, who had met such a tragic end when he met up with a minion of the Dark Lord Voldemort, Ginny was wondering who the next teacher would be. Amilia and Ginny sat together, as they always did. Things seemed really quiet. Ginny supposed that the other students were as anxious as she was to meet the new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher.
"What do you think he'll look like?" Amilia asked Ginny.
"I haven't the slightest," Ginny told her.
"Maybe we'll have a return," Amilia voiced. "Like Moody or-"
"Lupin?" Ginny finished.
"No!" Amilia shouted. "He's a werewolf!"
"He's a good werewolf," Ginny assured her. "Harry and Ron told me so."
"Sure," Amilia began. "You'll believe anything Harry Potter tells you."
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I would not want to risk having a werewolf for a teacher," Amilia sneered.
"How about a servant of You-Know-Who?" Ginny asked. "That's what Moody is..and Quirrell."
"We've never had a teacher named Quirrell," Amilia informed.
"He was here the year before we came," Ginny explained.
"Well, we can't have Lockhart," Amilia told her. "He's kinda out of it."
"Even if he wasn't," Ginny began, "who'd want him."
"I thought he was handsome," Amilia whispered.
Ginny laughed, "You would."
"I guess we're not having a return," Amilia said. "Everyone's out of the question."
"Silence!"
Ginny and Amilia's heads shot toward the front of the room. A very tall and slender woman stood in front of the desks. Her hair was long and a blinding white. Her stern face was made to look conceited by her pointed, up-turned nose. She wore deep purple robes that fit tightly down to her knees and then flowed out sleekly. Her countenance reminded Ginny of the vindictive Potions teacher, Professor Snape.
"Turn immediately to chapter forty of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection," the teacher commanded. "Read this chapter for exactly ten minutes. After such time, we will have a test on that you read."
Ginny took out her book and began to read.
"By the way," the professor said, her tight, black lips twisting into a smiled, "I am Professor Mosaic."
Ginny only got the gist of the chapter since she only had ten minutes. Chapter forty was about the use of dark arts on artifacts, such as jewelry. Ginny knew much about charming artifacts since her dad worked for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic. In one section, the chapter talked about spells being casted on rune charm necklaces. This caught her memory because of her interest in runes. Unfortunately, as she was really getting into this section when...
"Ten minutes is up," Professor Mosaic snapped. "Close your books and take out a piece of parchment and a quill."
Ginny hurried to do as Professor Mosaic said. As she pulled her pack of parchment, her ink bottle fell from her bag and broke on the floor.
"What was that?" Professor Mosaic demanded.
"I-I spilt my ink," Ginny sputtered.
"Clean it up!" Professor Mosaic ordered.
"What about the test?" Ginny asked.
"You will make it up after class," Professor Mosaic told her. "Oh, and five points from Gryffindor."
Amilia glanced dismally at Ginny.
Once Ginny had finished the test, she didn't waist time in getting out of the class. Luckily, Amilia was waiting for her in the corridor.
"Boy, am I glad to see you," Ginny sighed. "I can't stand that woman!"
"Who can?" Amilia asked.
A wide and muscley boy with bristly hair that grew all the way down his forehead walked passed the two girls, holding a bouquet of deep purple flowers with black stems and loads of thorns. Ginny recognized the boy as Gregory Goyle, from the train. Ginny and Amilia watched as Goyle turned into the Defense Against Dark Arts classroom.
"Speffle dilvry," they heard Goyle croak.
The girls stood aghast for a few moments before they turned to each other.
"Why would Goyle be giving Professor Mosaic flowers?" Amilia whispered.
"D'you think that Malfoy might-" Ginny didn't have to finish her thought.
Without another word, the two girls hurried down the hall.
*******************
"Did you hear?" Ron asked Harry and Ginny over a game of wizard's chess in the Gryffindor common room.
"Hear what?" Ginny questioned.
"Colin Creevy is a spy," Ron told them.
The three looked at each other and then burst out laughing.
"I did hear that actually," Ginny said as they calmed down. "Ernie Macmillan was telling some people that on the train."
"I sure hope nobody believe that nonsence," Harry began. "Can you imagine what it would do to Dennis' Quidditch career if his older brother was a spy?"
"Pawn to D2," Ron told the board.
The pawn immediately obayed him.
"Knight to F8," Harry commanded. "Why do you suppose Ernie's got it in for Colin?"
"Who knows?" Ginny began. "Ernie's always looking for a story he can spread around."
"He may be the new Rita Skeeter someday," Ron chukled. "Bishop to C1."
Harry scanned the board and then said, "Pawn to E1"
"Can you believe that new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher?" Ron asked.
"Oh, I can't stand her," Harry commented.
"She's so severe," Ginny voiced.
"She took five points from Gryffindor because I read the wrong chapter," Ron explained. "It was an accident. She said I didn't look at the page numbers well enough. Even if that were true, it's not something to take points for."
"She gives witches a bad name," Ginny said.
"Did you see how she favored Malfoy?" Harry asked Ron.
"Oh, yeah," Ron laughed. "She kept touching his shoulder everytime she walked by. I mean, what's up with that?"
"I don't know," Harry admitted, chortled.
"Pawn to E1," Ron said, taking Harry's pawn.
"Hey, Hermione," Ron yelled across the room. "You wanna play winner?"
"I can't," Hermione called back. "I'm helping Neville."
"Helping Neville," Ron grumbled.
"What's up with you?" Harry asked. "Rook to F1."
"What's up with me?" Ron echoed. "What up with her?" indicating Hermione. "She's the one always hanging out with Neville Longbutt!"
"I thought Neville was your friend," Ginny voiced.
Ron groaned, "Bishop to F4."
"Ah-ha!" Harry exclaimed. "Rook to F4."
"I can't believe you let Harry take your bishop," Ginny said.
"Shove it, Gin!" Ron snapped, scanning the board.
"Why does it bother you that Hermione is helping Neville with Arithmacy?" Harry wondered.
"It doesn't bother me," Ron assured.
Ginny and Harry stifled a laugh.
"Alright, it bothers me a little," Ron admitted. "It's just that, I'm having problems with Transfiguration. Hermione can never help me, though. You know why? It's because she's always working with that gawky git."
"Sounds like someone's jealous," Harry whispered to Ginny.
Ginny giggled.
"I heard that!" Ron shouted. "And I am not!"
"Whatever you say," Harry muttered. "It' your move."
"Knight to C3," Ron said through his teeth.
*****************
Snow fell early that year. Ginny had to wear a scarf and heavier robes as she walked along the grounds. The frozen blades of grass crunched under Ginny's shoes on her way toward the lake. To her surprise, there was a couple other people at the lake. Even more astounding was the fact that one of them was swimming. Ginny jogged up to these people, unable to comprehend who would be swimming in that weather. The person still on the land, looked at her. It was Cho.
"What are-" Ginny began, but then Cho gave her the most diabolical smile.
Ginny stood still, unable to understand what was going on, as Cho gazed across the water. Ginny looked too. It was Harry who was swimming.
"Why is-" Ginny started to asked.
Cho hushed her and then leaned down and pressed her lips to the water. The moment Cho kissed the lake, it instantly froze over. Ginny couldn't see Harry. With some unexplainable knowledge that the lake was completely froze, Ginny ran out across the lake, looking for Harry. She caught a glimpse of his forms frozen under the water. Cho came up behind her and began to scrape at the ice with a knife. It took only seconds for Cho to carve Harry out of the lake. His face was pale and fixed into a terrified expression. Before Ginny could think of what to do, Cho set Harry's lifeless body on fire just by starring into his eyes. No matter how hard she tried, Ginny could not put the flames out. Harry was slowly consumed in the inferno.
Ginny flung from her bed, trembling and sweating. Unable to hold tears back, she sobbed. Ginny wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her nightgown as she got out go bed. She walked slowly to the window and gazed down at the lake. The lush green grounds that shined silver were quite contrasting to the dark lake. Nothing was frozen. It wasn't snowing. There was no one near the lake. Ginny bit her lip and went back to bed.
*****************
"Did you see Malfoy in Defense Against Dark Arts?" Ron laughed at breakfast.
Ginny sat silently, thinking of her dream and listening to Harry tap his quill on the table. Harry finishing up some homework from Transfiguration as he ate his breakfast.
"Yeah," Harry replied to Ron. "Must have been the strangest thing ever."
"I've never seen Malfoy raise his hand so eagerly," Ron commented. "He beat Hermione by, at least, five seconds."
"Why do you suppose he was so anxious to answer a question about Wraiths?" Harry asked.
"I think he has a thing for Professor Mosaic," Ron whispered.
Ginny gaped at Ron, unable to believe her ears.
"Malfoy have a thing for Professor Mosaic?" Harry repeated. "That's improbable. He's Malfoy."
"Well, if he were to go after someone," Ron began, "don't you think Professor Mosaic would be his type."
"I suppose so," Harry admitted.
"We have History of Magic with Ravenclaw after breakfast," Ron changed the subject. "I do believe that our test on Hengist of Woodcroft is today. Did you study?"
"I was doing my Herbology homework all night," Harry excused. "I couldn't study during class, either. I was too distracted."
Ginny knew what it was like. Herbology was her worst subject. It took her five minutes of reading a sentence over and over before she could get her brain to focus on the meaning. She just didn't have enough interest in the subject.
"Distracted, huh?" Ron asked, smirking at Harry. "I know what you were thinking about."
Harry smiled, turning a little pink in the face.
Ginny was debating whether to ask what they were talking about or not.
"Cho Chang sure looks lovely when she's turning those pages," Ron commented. "Doesn't she, Harry?"
Harry shrugged, looking tensely at Ginny.
"C'mon, Harry," Ron laughed, "you'd know. Was it just me or did Cho giggle awfully hard when she saw you staring at her?"
Ginny felt the heat getting to her. She was getting terribly jealous.
Harry smiled sheepishly.
"I think she likes you," Ron teased.
"Nah," Harry said, occasionally glancing at Ginny. "I don't think so."
"Oh, come on!" Ron exclaimed. "She's been hanging around you an awful lot."
Professor McGonagal stood up and cleared her throat loudly. A hush fell over the Great Hall. Everyone's eyes were on the teacher's table.
"Students," Professor McGonagal addressed, "Halloween is coming soon. We teachers have decided to have a Halloween dance. This dance is for sixth and seventh years, who may ask younger years to be their partners. I'm sure this event will become the focus of much conversation, but don't let it interfere with your schoolwork."
Professor McGonagal sat down.
Ron looked at Harry suggestively.
"What?" Harry blurted.
"Going to ask her?" Ron asked.
"Maybe," Harry said indecisively.
"You're right," Ron began as if Harry had explained something, "you don't want to ask her right away. Don't want to seem to eager. Girls don't like guys who are too eager."
"What do you know about girls, Ron?" Ginny interrupted.
Ron sneered at Ginny.
"If I decide to ask her," Harry said, "I'd probably need to ask her sooner the later."
"What do you mean?" Ron asked.
"I don't want someone to ask her first," Harry explained. "Like when I asked her to that Yule Ball."
"Good point," Ron commented.
"You going to ask someone?" Harry queried.
Ron smiled sheepishly.
"I do have someone in mind," Ron told Harry.
"Who?" Ginny asked, quite puzzled on who Ron would want to go to a dance with.
"I'll tell you only if she says yes," Ron said.
Ginny looked at Harry. He just shrugged at her.
***************
Ginny picked up her books after her Divination class and went to go down the trap door. She was sad to leave the perfumed air and shady scarlet light. It had always been her favorite place at Hogwarts. A place she could glance into the smokey light in a crystal ball or gaze through her own mind to find the deeper meaning of the waving flames.
"Miss Weasley," an airy voice came behind her.
Ginny turned around to stare into Professor Trelawney's magnified eyes.
"Parvati and Lavender are graduating my advanced class next year," Professor Trelawney told her. "I thought since you have such a distinct inner eye, you might like to take my advanced class, too."
"Advanced class?" Ginny repeated. "What would that entail?"
"You will learn the complex interpretation of the tarot," Professor Trelawney breathed, "and experience the depths of internal cabalistic."
Ginny gaped at Professor Trelawney.
"Huh?"
"Visions, darling," Professor Trelawney clarified. "You will have visions."
"Oh," Ginny began. "Alright. That's sound splendid."
"My advanced class will take place next Tuesday at eleven o'clock," Professor Trelawney whispered, pulling her shawl close and walking toward her chair.
"I'll see you then," Ginny assumed.
"Yes," Professor Trelawney said mistily. "You will see me."
******************
Ginny held her Rune dictionary and Wrong Rune, Right Rune close to her as she stepped down the steep hill, toward the spot where her Runes class was held. Stepping lightly as to not fall, Ginny's mind began to wander. As usual, she found herself thinking about Harry. The dream disturbed her. Was Harry really in danger? Was Cho really evil? It seemed like a very sudden change that she decided to hang out with Harry. Besides that, Cho's last boyfriend had died. Maybe she had some curse on her that all her boyfriends would die. Ginny wrinkled her nose. That didn't seem very likely.
"Woah!"
Ginny spun around just in time to see Harry hit the ground from an apparently long fall. He was tangled in his robes, struggling to get free. He emerged triumphant, throwing his robes tot he ground.
"Ruddy broom!" He yelled to the sky.
Ginny glanced up and saw the silhouette of the Thunder Hawk floating merrily as if happy to be rid of poor Harry.
"Are you alright?" Ginny asked, walking up to Harry.
"Sure," Harry grumbled. "My first Quidditch game is tomorrow and that bloody broom keeps throwing me off. I am about ready to take an axe to it."
"I wish there was something I could do," Ginny offered.
Harry looked at Ginny.
"There's not much anyone can do," Harry told her. "I think that broom has been gawked at and admired so long that it has gain an superiority complex."
Harry bent down and picked up his robes. As he began to dust them off, he glanced to Ginny who was peeping at him.
"So," He began, "Where are you off to?"
"The Study of Ancient Runes," Ginny told him.
"Runes, eh?" Harry said, half smiling. "I thought I'd get some flying practice before Care of Magical Creatures started."
Ginny gazed over at Hagrid's hut, where some students had already gathered.
"I didn't know that we had classes so close," Ginny admitted. "My runes class meets down there," indicating a patch of land between the Lake and the Forbidden Forest.
"You have class outside?" Harry asked.
"We do this year," Ginny informed. "Using runes requires a connection to nature. The stones have a hard time working in such a lethargic environment. Mother Earth aids us in all rune ceremonies."
Harry nodded, pretending to know what she was talking about.
"D-did you ask Cho to the dance?" Ginny asked quietly.
Harry glanced at her.
"No," Harry told her. "I really never said I was going to."
"But you are, aren't you?" Ginny accused.
Harry was silent.
"I'll see you," Ginny said, walking off toward her Study Ancient Runes class.
Ginny sat next to Amilia on the ground. Their professor was a sickly thin wizard with a small bald head. His robes hung off him, almost staggering him.
"Everyone bring their Rune stones?" He asked. "We will be using only the six personal stones."
Ginny pulled the smooth river stones from a small pouch in her robes. Each had several rune signs on them. Some had more then others.
"You will need your Ground," he told them.
Ginny took the rolled-up piece of leather out of her rune dictionary and laid it down on the dirt. The ground was painted with a circle inside a larger circle. The large circle was separated in four sections. Each section had a sign beside it.
"Place the six rune stones in a line across the center of the Ground," the professor instructed.
"Professor Hawthorn," called a large-nosed boy several people from Amilia and Ginny, "I forgot my Ground."
"Go and get it," Professor Hawthorn allowed.
The boy stood and ran off toward the castle.
"What was I saying?" the professor asked himself. "Oh, yes. Line the six stones along the middle of your Ground."
Ginny did so.
"Now, that you're started," said Professor Hawthorn, "I shall leave you."
Ginny gaped at him. How could he just leave them? Wasn't that against some teacher's rules?
"I must meditate," He explained. "Follow the directions on page 95 in Wrong Rune, Right Rune."
Professor Hawthorn pulled a stick and a knife from his robes and set off into the Forbidden Forest. Ginny wondered what he was going to do with a stick and a knife. Amilia turned to page 95.
"Let's work together," She proposed.
"Alright," Ginny agreed.
"Anything going on?" Amilia asked, reading over the instructions.
"Anything?" Ginny repeated.
"Wasn't someone walking you over here for a while?" Amilia queried.
"He wasn't walking me," Ginny explained. "Harry just-"
"It was Harry Potter!" Amilia shouted. "I thought you were getting over him."
"I was..I mean I am," Ginny sputtered. "I don't think that I can especially since.."
"Since what?" Amilia asked.
"I had this dream," Ginny began, "it had Cho and Harry in it. Cho tried to kill Harry."
Amilia gawked at Ginny.
"Cho?" Amilia repeated. "Cho who?"
"Cho Chang," Ginny blurted. "Who else is there with the first name Cho?"
"She isn't a Gryffindor, is she?" Amilia asked. "I'd think I'd know her if she was."
"She's the Ravenclaw seeker," Ginny explained.
"Oh," Amilia said. "Isn't she that dark-haired girl who hangs out with Harry Potter in the halls?"
Ginny nodded.
"So you dreamed that she killed Harry Potter?" Amilia asked.
Ginny nodded again.
"'Find three stones that contain all of the Rune symbols,'" Amilia read from the book. "So what, you think that Cho Chang is going to kill Harry Potter now?"
"I don't know," Ginny admitted, looking for a stone with all the rune symbols out of her line. "I don't think she's who she appears to be."
"Uh-huh," Amilia groaned, "and the fact that Harry Potter hangs out with her all the time has nothing to do with you thinking she's evil."
"I didn't say she was evil," Ginny corrected. "Of course, it is possible."
"You're mad," Amilia commented, taking a stone from her line. "I don't have three that have all the symbols."
"I think you're supposed to pick another stone," Ginny told her. "So you don't believe me."
"It's hard to when you talk crazy," Amilia said. "Despite that, I would probably believe you if Harry Potter wasn't so fond of Cho Chang."
"You think I'm jealous, don't you?" Ginny accused.
"If the shoe fits-" Amilia began.
"I'm not just..It isn't because..Jealously isn't what..." Ginny muttered. "Oh, shove it!"
Amilia laughed, "You are so totally jealous."
Ginny couldn't argue. Amilia was right. Ginny was jealous of Cho. But that wasn't why she though Cho was evil. She knew that her dream, however unreal, had to do with the future. No one could convince her otherwise.
After Study of Ancient Runes class, Amilia and Ginny walked up to Gryffindor tower. Ginny tried to do her homework in the common room, but things were much to noisy, so she went up to her room.
Ginny's Defense Against Dark Arts homework that night was to write a report on the Unforgivable Curses. The Imperius Curse didn't sound very pleasant to her. Of course that was probably the reason why it was Unforgivable. She couldn't imagine how horrible it would be to not have control over your own actions. It was simply cruel. She read about Death Eaters using that particular curse but she never knew what it was until now.
"Ginny!" Amilia called as she burst into the room. "I need five more for my report."
"Five more what?" Ginny asked.
"People," Amilia said as if it that explained everything. "So are you muggle-born or a pure-blood?"
"Pure-blood," Ginny reluctantly answered.
"Where do you live?" Amilia said swiftly.
"A little outside Ottery St. Catchpole," Ginny explained.
"Uh-huh," Amilia began, writing something on a piece of parchment. "How many siblings do you have, what's their genders, and where are you placed among them?"
"I have six older brothers," Ginny said simply.
"You don't say," Amilia gasped. "I can't imagine. I have one older brother and he's the pits."
"Is that all you need for your survey?" Ginny asked.
"Yup," Amilia exclaimed, turning to leave.
"Wait, what about your family?" Ginny queried.
"Huh?"
"Muggle-born or pure blood?" Ginny said.
"I am half and half," Amilia explained, sitting on her bed. "Dad was a wizard and Mum was a muggle. Their romance is truly tragic."
Ginny smiled as she laid on her belly, pleading, "Tell me."
"Well, Dad was a recent graduate of Hogwarts," Amilia told Ginny. "He was young and romantic. That's what Mum says anyway. He was in the muggle world with a couple of his friends. They wanted to have a look around and travel before settling in a job. He was separated from his friends in a crowd at London. He asked a waitress if she'd seen a couple guys in funny- looking cloaks. She didn't know where they were, but he decided that he would rather be in her company. They talked a bit and he told me that he fell head-over-heals that very moment. She agreed to see him later. By their arranged time, Dad had found his friends. He wanted them to meet her so he brought them on their date. He was planning on introducing them and then giving them the sign to make an excuse to leave. When he gave the sign, one of his friends wouldn't leave. He invaded their date. Dad says Mum was quite taken with him, but Mum maintains that they were just talking and there was absolutely nothing between them. I'm really not sure how that's possible, though. The three had many dates together. Each guy wouldn't let the other alone with Mum. One day, the two men told her to choose."
"And she chose your dad," Ginny sighed.
"Actually no," Amilia said. "Mum chose that other guy."
"What?" Ginny blurted. "Then how-"
"Wait and let me tell it," Amilia interrupted. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Mum chose that other guy. Dad was devastated. He thought Mum hated him. Turned out, though, that Dad's friend had bewitched her. Dad said he had some magical charm that made it so that Mum would love him. Dad tried to tell Mum about the charm, but she wouldn't listen to him. She refused to see him after he confronted his friend and punched him out. Then, one night, Dad knew it was over so he decided to take one more chance. He went up to her room and kissed her. Somehow, the spell broke. They got married and had me."
"How very lovely," Ginny whispered. "Amilia, what ever happened to you dad's friend?"
"Don't know," Amilia said. "Well, better be off."
"Wait!" Ginny exclaimed. "Don't you want to find out about that charm?"
"What for?" Amilia asked.
"I don't know," Ginny said. "I just think it'll be fun."
"Nah," Amilia began, "I've got to get four more for my survey."
As Amilia left the room, Ginny found herself thinking about that charm. She wasn't sure why it sparked her interest so much.