Chapter Three: Lana Stone
Ginny had a horrible dream that night. She was running through the forest and something was chasing her. She could only see the shadow, which stretched eerily across the ground. A horrible gasping noise, as if someone had trouble breathing, was coming from the shadow. Ginny screamed out and an alan flew right in front of her and started yelling.
"Ginny, wake up!"
Ginny's eyes shot open, and she sat bolt upright. Her breathing was heavy, and she was covered in sweat.
"Ginny, you were screaming." Mary said, looking scared.
"I was in the forest...something was chasing me." Ginny wiped the sweat from her forehead and wiped her hand on her sheets.
"Do you want me to put a sleeping spell on you?" Mary asked, showing Ginny her wand.
"No thanks, but I could do with some water." Ginny watched Mary conjure up some water. She drank it thankfully, then watched as Mary climbed into her own bed.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not go back to sleep, nor did she want to. The dreamed seemed so real, and that shadow... Ginny clutched the sheets closer to her and waited for day light.
"Ginny, you look horrible." Ron stated as he watched his sister sit down for breakfast.
"Gee, thanks Ron." Ginny mumlbed, collapsing in her seat.
"Ginny, Ron has a point...you look beat." Harry added, looking concerned.
"Where's Hermione?" Ginny asked, changing the subject.
"Library." Both Harry and Ron said at the same time.
"I think she found a way to absorb nurriture from books, 'cause she's spending more eating time in there." Ron said, tearing apart a roll and eating half of it.
"She probably started studying for the Forbidden Forest." Ginny said.
"That's ages away." Ron said with bits of roll spilling out of his mouth.
"How attractive." Ginny smiled.
When the bell rang she walked with Harry and Ron out towards the corridor, but parted ways. She headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, a little nervous. This was one class she didn't share with anyone she knew. Hermione had Advanced Arithmancy, and both Harry and Ron had a N.E.W.T preparation class.
Ginny entered the classroom and took a seat in the very back. The class slowly filled up with students Ginny recognized, but didn't know well enough to start a conversation with. Ginny wasn't real shy by nature...just around people she didn't know.
"Ok, class!" Professor Stone said, entering the room. "My name is Professor Lana Stone. Yes, I'm American, as you can tell by my accent. I am hear to teach you how to defend yourselves against the dark arts. But first, I feel it necessary for us to get to know each other. How can I teach you if I don't know you?" She paused, then pointed to the desk in front of her. "What is your name?"
"Stewart Crenshaw." A seventh year said, sitting straight in his chair.
"And what house are you in?"
"Hufflepuff."
"Tell me a bit about yourself."
"I'm seventeen, I live in Wales and I hope to become an Auror as soon as I gradutae."
Lana Stone continued this questioning with everyone in the class, and finally she came to Ginny, the last person.
"And you are?"
"Gi--Ginny Weasley." Ginny barely squeaked.
"What house?"
"Gryffindor."
"And..."
"I live in England...I'm the youngest of seven children and I want to join the Muggle Department...ma'am." A few Slytherin's snickered in the corner.
"Please...don't call me ma'am...makes me feel old." Lana gave Ginny a very friendly smile, melting away the barrier. "Ok, now that I know a bit about you, you ask me questions."
The class seemed a bit astonished. This was unorthodox, but none the less, hands went up.
"How old are you?"
"Awe, I knew that was coming...twenty four."
"Are you married?"
"No...almost was though."
"Are you against dating students?" The future Auror asked.
"Now, please, I thought you were more mature than that..."
The questions continued, some not as silly as others. By the time the class had had their share of Lana Stone, the bell rang. Everyone quickly got out of their seats in case Professor Stone decided to assign some homework. Ginny was about to walk out the door when Lana called her back in.
"Yes?" Ginny asked, warmly.
"Are you feeling alright?" She asked, leaning against her desk. "You look like you've been up all night."
"Oh, it was just a bad dream...nothing big." Ginny smiled.
"I may have something for you." Lana went around to the front of her desk and pulled up a very old looking box, made of some sort of leather with strange writing on it. When she opened it she pulled out a beautifully intricate dream cather, like the one hanging in the window. Three eagle feathers were dangling from it.
"Wow, it's beautiful." Ginny whispered.
"My mother makes them...she's an Indian witch. They're very useful. Hang it above where you sleep, and it will catch your dreams. Later, you can organize them, and analyze them...look for patterns. Just touch your wand to it." Lana winked, then handed Ginny the dream catcher.
Ginny mumbled a thanks, and headed out the door. She just barely had time to put it in her room and make it to her next class before the bell rang.
Potions wasn't Ginny's best subject. No matter how hard she tried, she could never excell in it. She had a suspicious feeling it was because she was related to Ron. She hated being the last of all those kids. By the time she got to school, every teacher expected her to do as well as Bill, Charlie and Percy...and waited for her to screw something up like Fred, George and Ron.
Snape was keeping a very cold eye on her throughout class, no doubt ready to pounce if she made the wrong move. Ginny tried to ignore him, and soon he gave up. When the bell rang for lunch she was the first to leave. The thankfully entered the Great Hall and gave a sigh of relief. She didn't have Potions again until Friday.
"She looked at me!" Ron yelled, pointing to himself.
"No, she was obviously looking at me!" Harry yelled back, also pointing to himself.
"What are you guys arguing about?" Ginny questioned.
"Professor Stone looked at me when she said that some students in her class were more mature than she thought we'd be." Ron said, sitting up strait.
Ginny began to giggle, causing Ron to blush.
"Ron, she said the same thing in my class." Ginny stated, noting the hurt looks that came over Ron and Harry. "Look at the sky." Ginny said.
They all looked up at the enchanted ceiling which was clear blue with a few puffy white clouds floating by.
"I think I'm going to eat outside...we're not going to have too many more warm days like this for long." Ginny stashed some food into her book bag and got up, waiting for Ron and Harry to join her.
"Nah, can't...promised Hermione we'd wait for her." Ron shrugged.
"It's ok, I should start on that potions essay anyway." Ginny smiled, hiding her disapointment.
There was a warm breeze outside coming from the direction of the lake. A few students had the same idea she had and were lounging on blankets underneath some shade. Ginny headed towards the secret cove, wanting peace to do her work. She laid out the blanket and dropped her book bag, watching an apple fall out. She grabbed it, took a huge bite, then pulled out her potions essay.
"Essence of Mandrank helps the Clear Sight Potion because..." Ginny took another bite of her apple, searching for the answers.
"Because the Mandrake is known for its excellent eyesite, able to see things the human eye cannot." A voice behind her made her jump.
"Malfoy!" Ginny yelled, throwing her apple core in his general direction. "It's not nice to sneak up on people."
"Since when am I known for my niceness?" Draco said, coming closer to peer over her shoulder at her parchment. "Besides, I'm helping, aren't I?"
"Well...I guess." Ginny's eyebrows crinkled in confusion. "But still, you should make your presence known!"
"I thought I did." Draco smiled then sat down next to her. "That's wrong." He said, pointing to a portion of her paper. "Snape'll mark you down on that."
Ginny read the lines he was pointing at. "No...Snape even said that frog eyes could be substituted for Fermungus Toadstools."
"Only if you use a gold cauldron...it's a trick question. Snape tried it on us last year also." Draco put his hands behind his head and layed down.
Ginny was busy erasing the wrong answer, and began writing the correct one to notice Draco eating her apple.
"Hey, that's mine!" Ginny grabbed at her apple.
"I helped you with your essay and you yell at me? Besides, you already had an apple."
"You're so--so-- impossible!" Ginny yelled.
"Is that all you got?" Draco started laughing. "Believe me, I've been called worse."
"You--you--you stink of...filth!"
Draco sniffed at his clothes. "You're right...I've been hanging around you too much." Draco took one last bite of the apple then chucked it into the water, causing it to ripple. He left, just as he had the time before.
"Dont' come back here!" Ginny yelled at his retrieving back.
Ginny had a horrible dream that night. She was running through the forest and something was chasing her. She could only see the shadow, which stretched eerily across the ground. A horrible gasping noise, as if someone had trouble breathing, was coming from the shadow. Ginny screamed out and an alan flew right in front of her and started yelling.
"Ginny, wake up!"
Ginny's eyes shot open, and she sat bolt upright. Her breathing was heavy, and she was covered in sweat.
"Ginny, you were screaming." Mary said, looking scared.
"I was in the forest...something was chasing me." Ginny wiped the sweat from her forehead and wiped her hand on her sheets.
"Do you want me to put a sleeping spell on you?" Mary asked, showing Ginny her wand.
"No thanks, but I could do with some water." Ginny watched Mary conjure up some water. She drank it thankfully, then watched as Mary climbed into her own bed.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not go back to sleep, nor did she want to. The dreamed seemed so real, and that shadow... Ginny clutched the sheets closer to her and waited for day light.
"Ginny, you look horrible." Ron stated as he watched his sister sit down for breakfast.
"Gee, thanks Ron." Ginny mumlbed, collapsing in her seat.
"Ginny, Ron has a point...you look beat." Harry added, looking concerned.
"Where's Hermione?" Ginny asked, changing the subject.
"Library." Both Harry and Ron said at the same time.
"I think she found a way to absorb nurriture from books, 'cause she's spending more eating time in there." Ron said, tearing apart a roll and eating half of it.
"She probably started studying for the Forbidden Forest." Ginny said.
"That's ages away." Ron said with bits of roll spilling out of his mouth.
"How attractive." Ginny smiled.
When the bell rang she walked with Harry and Ron out towards the corridor, but parted ways. She headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, a little nervous. This was one class she didn't share with anyone she knew. Hermione had Advanced Arithmancy, and both Harry and Ron had a N.E.W.T preparation class.
Ginny entered the classroom and took a seat in the very back. The class slowly filled up with students Ginny recognized, but didn't know well enough to start a conversation with. Ginny wasn't real shy by nature...just around people she didn't know.
"Ok, class!" Professor Stone said, entering the room. "My name is Professor Lana Stone. Yes, I'm American, as you can tell by my accent. I am hear to teach you how to defend yourselves against the dark arts. But first, I feel it necessary for us to get to know each other. How can I teach you if I don't know you?" She paused, then pointed to the desk in front of her. "What is your name?"
"Stewart Crenshaw." A seventh year said, sitting straight in his chair.
"And what house are you in?"
"Hufflepuff."
"Tell me a bit about yourself."
"I'm seventeen, I live in Wales and I hope to become an Auror as soon as I gradutae."
Lana Stone continued this questioning with everyone in the class, and finally she came to Ginny, the last person.
"And you are?"
"Gi--Ginny Weasley." Ginny barely squeaked.
"What house?"
"Gryffindor."
"And..."
"I live in England...I'm the youngest of seven children and I want to join the Muggle Department...ma'am." A few Slytherin's snickered in the corner.
"Please...don't call me ma'am...makes me feel old." Lana gave Ginny a very friendly smile, melting away the barrier. "Ok, now that I know a bit about you, you ask me questions."
The class seemed a bit astonished. This was unorthodox, but none the less, hands went up.
"How old are you?"
"Awe, I knew that was coming...twenty four."
"Are you married?"
"No...almost was though."
"Are you against dating students?" The future Auror asked.
"Now, please, I thought you were more mature than that..."
The questions continued, some not as silly as others. By the time the class had had their share of Lana Stone, the bell rang. Everyone quickly got out of their seats in case Professor Stone decided to assign some homework. Ginny was about to walk out the door when Lana called her back in.
"Yes?" Ginny asked, warmly.
"Are you feeling alright?" She asked, leaning against her desk. "You look like you've been up all night."
"Oh, it was just a bad dream...nothing big." Ginny smiled.
"I may have something for you." Lana went around to the front of her desk and pulled up a very old looking box, made of some sort of leather with strange writing on it. When she opened it she pulled out a beautifully intricate dream cather, like the one hanging in the window. Three eagle feathers were dangling from it.
"Wow, it's beautiful." Ginny whispered.
"My mother makes them...she's an Indian witch. They're very useful. Hang it above where you sleep, and it will catch your dreams. Later, you can organize them, and analyze them...look for patterns. Just touch your wand to it." Lana winked, then handed Ginny the dream catcher.
Ginny mumbled a thanks, and headed out the door. She just barely had time to put it in her room and make it to her next class before the bell rang.
Potions wasn't Ginny's best subject. No matter how hard she tried, she could never excell in it. She had a suspicious feeling it was because she was related to Ron. She hated being the last of all those kids. By the time she got to school, every teacher expected her to do as well as Bill, Charlie and Percy...and waited for her to screw something up like Fred, George and Ron.
Snape was keeping a very cold eye on her throughout class, no doubt ready to pounce if she made the wrong move. Ginny tried to ignore him, and soon he gave up. When the bell rang for lunch she was the first to leave. The thankfully entered the Great Hall and gave a sigh of relief. She didn't have Potions again until Friday.
"She looked at me!" Ron yelled, pointing to himself.
"No, she was obviously looking at me!" Harry yelled back, also pointing to himself.
"What are you guys arguing about?" Ginny questioned.
"Professor Stone looked at me when she said that some students in her class were more mature than she thought we'd be." Ron said, sitting up strait.
Ginny began to giggle, causing Ron to blush.
"Ron, she said the same thing in my class." Ginny stated, noting the hurt looks that came over Ron and Harry. "Look at the sky." Ginny said.
They all looked up at the enchanted ceiling which was clear blue with a few puffy white clouds floating by.
"I think I'm going to eat outside...we're not going to have too many more warm days like this for long." Ginny stashed some food into her book bag and got up, waiting for Ron and Harry to join her.
"Nah, can't...promised Hermione we'd wait for her." Ron shrugged.
"It's ok, I should start on that potions essay anyway." Ginny smiled, hiding her disapointment.
There was a warm breeze outside coming from the direction of the lake. A few students had the same idea she had and were lounging on blankets underneath some shade. Ginny headed towards the secret cove, wanting peace to do her work. She laid out the blanket and dropped her book bag, watching an apple fall out. She grabbed it, took a huge bite, then pulled out her potions essay.
"Essence of Mandrank helps the Clear Sight Potion because..." Ginny took another bite of her apple, searching for the answers.
"Because the Mandrake is known for its excellent eyesite, able to see things the human eye cannot." A voice behind her made her jump.
"Malfoy!" Ginny yelled, throwing her apple core in his general direction. "It's not nice to sneak up on people."
"Since when am I known for my niceness?" Draco said, coming closer to peer over her shoulder at her parchment. "Besides, I'm helping, aren't I?"
"Well...I guess." Ginny's eyebrows crinkled in confusion. "But still, you should make your presence known!"
"I thought I did." Draco smiled then sat down next to her. "That's wrong." He said, pointing to a portion of her paper. "Snape'll mark you down on that."
Ginny read the lines he was pointing at. "No...Snape even said that frog eyes could be substituted for Fermungus Toadstools."
"Only if you use a gold cauldron...it's a trick question. Snape tried it on us last year also." Draco put his hands behind his head and layed down.
Ginny was busy erasing the wrong answer, and began writing the correct one to notice Draco eating her apple.
"Hey, that's mine!" Ginny grabbed at her apple.
"I helped you with your essay and you yell at me? Besides, you already had an apple."
"You're so--so-- impossible!" Ginny yelled.
"Is that all you got?" Draco started laughing. "Believe me, I've been called worse."
"You--you--you stink of...filth!"
Draco sniffed at his clothes. "You're right...I've been hanging around you too much." Draco took one last bite of the apple then chucked it into the water, causing it to ripple. He left, just as he had the time before.
"Dont' come back here!" Ginny yelled at his retrieving back.