Chapter Four: The Box
Ginny awoke the next day, glad that it was a Saturday and that there would be no classes today. Her room-mates chattered excitedly about the upcoming contest, hushing slightly at the sight of Ginny, for everyone knew how she felt about Harry.
But today, Ginny really did not mind too much. In fact, Ginny could not care one jot what the others thought of her. She grabbed a grubby old cardboard box from under her bed, and still in her night-dress, she padded into the warm cosy common room.
Everyone noticed her, yet no-one seemed too bothered at her appearance, realising what Ginny must be going through - though Ginny did hear a couple of giggles from some first years. Dumping herself down in her favourite armchair by the fire, she placed the box on her lap and slid back the tatty piece of string that held her box of memories secure.
Inside were scraps of poetry, many sketches and unsent letters all centred on one Harry Potter. Ginny still had a sketch she had done when Harry had first visited their home those years ago...
It was embarrassingly awful.
"That's really cute Ginny" drawled Penny Riven, a clever class-mate who fell out with Ginny last year over an argument about Harry Potter and she had never really gotten back together since. Ginny shot Penny a glance, then kissed the picture and threw it into the fire.
"Oh dear Ginny, finally figured out that Harry does not love you?" smiled Penny, suddenly sympathetic and with a slight quaver of worry in her voice. Ginny smiled back. Penny rallied and threw her arms around Ginny. "Welcome back." she whispered in Ginny's ear.
Ginny felt happiness wash over her. Penny was not a bad girl, but got terribly jealous should her friends not always want to spend time with her. 'Penny the Pain' is what Ginny and her other friends had secretly named her, but Ginny loved having Penny around dearly.
Penny pulled up a chair and soon the pair were going through the box together. Old photos, poems which attempted to rhyme "Harry Potter" with "my heart a-flutter" and many doodles torn from her scrolls and the margins of magic books all went up in the dancing flames.
"Oh my!" gasped Penny! "Do you remember this!" With trembling fingers, Penny passed Ginny a small circular black-rimmed vanity mirror, which glimmered slightly under its magical glamour. Ginny smiled. Both she and Penny had spent two months piecing together a bewitching spell from various trips to the library. And though they were not sure, they were confident the spell had mainly worked.
It should have been that the bearer of the mirror could stare into it and enter the dreams of the victim. The victim was, of course, Harry Potter - and this was thanks to a few hairs stolen from his bed one afternoon.
Ginny had used it only four times last summer, and was tempted to do so again. The first couple of times, the mirror stayed blank all night long. Penny had dozed off next to Ginny and had gone off the project. Yet on the third night of trying, Ginny saw what Harry was dreaming in the mirror. Nothing special really. Something about schoolwork with Hermione, beating up Malfoy and teaching Hagrid to fly a broomstick.
Ginny was so excited that she almost forgot what she had to do. Whispering "Succubitus" into the mirror, Ginny felt her head spin and she saw herself inside the mirror too. Ginny was actually now inside Harry's dream! Harry ignored her, and just as Ginny was getting used to wandering around, Harry had woken up, causing Ginny to snap out of her reverie sharply and leaving her with a nasty headache for the next day or two.
After a week of being pestered by Penny, Ginny once more stayed up all night and the pair watched Harry's dream. This time, he was alone in a big dark room, calling out for his parents. He seemed a little shy and confused. The girls smiled and both whispered "Succubitus" into the mirror.
The pair entered Harry's dream together. As Ginny had been ignored last time, this time she was determined to grab Harry's attention. Both Ginny and Penny had concentrated hard upon their appearance before they had asked to enter the dream, and now both were heavily made-up, wearing sexy black underwear and skimpy nightdresses.
Of course Harry noticed them immediately, if only because both girls stopped to giggle long and hard and point at each other. The pair immediately regained their composure and tried to walk coolly towards Harry, Ginny pausing only to elbow a giggly Penny halfway.
"Hello gorgeous" cooed Penny. Harry went very red and backed away, clearing his throat. He managed a weak, confused smile. Ginny smiled and felt wonderful. She ran up to Harry and hugged him. This must have had some profound effect upon Harry for the girls both found themselves back in Ginny's bed instantly with aching heads.
"Owww! Ginny! You should've played it more cool!" moaned Penny, until she saw tears in Ginny's eyes. "Oh Ginny... Sorry! Guess Us two were too much for him!" and Ginny smiled. The pair giggled about what they had done to poor Harry and spent the following week watching him avoid their gaze and teasing him for not having the stomach for two such "wonderful babes", as Penny had put it.
Penny and Ginny exchanged smiles, but Penny knew that Ginny would not give up the mirror. And Ginny knew she would never use it again. The magic had faded on the mirror slightly and the second headache had stayed longer, causing Penny to faint during a lesson the day after their prank.
Ginny put the box of memories on the fire and went back to her room. Getting dressed and ready for a day out with Penny, she placed the mirror beside her bed and stared into its depths. Ginny saw a beautiful redhead, blossoming with life and opportunity staring back at her. And that girl smiled, wider than any small mirror could hold, brighter than the Autumn sun outside and longer than both Ginny and her reflection had done so for a long time.
Ginny awoke the next day, glad that it was a Saturday and that there would be no classes today. Her room-mates chattered excitedly about the upcoming contest, hushing slightly at the sight of Ginny, for everyone knew how she felt about Harry.
But today, Ginny really did not mind too much. In fact, Ginny could not care one jot what the others thought of her. She grabbed a grubby old cardboard box from under her bed, and still in her night-dress, she padded into the warm cosy common room.
Everyone noticed her, yet no-one seemed too bothered at her appearance, realising what Ginny must be going through - though Ginny did hear a couple of giggles from some first years. Dumping herself down in her favourite armchair by the fire, she placed the box on her lap and slid back the tatty piece of string that held her box of memories secure.
Inside were scraps of poetry, many sketches and unsent letters all centred on one Harry Potter. Ginny still had a sketch she had done when Harry had first visited their home those years ago...
It was embarrassingly awful.
"That's really cute Ginny" drawled Penny Riven, a clever class-mate who fell out with Ginny last year over an argument about Harry Potter and she had never really gotten back together since. Ginny shot Penny a glance, then kissed the picture and threw it into the fire.
"Oh dear Ginny, finally figured out that Harry does not love you?" smiled Penny, suddenly sympathetic and with a slight quaver of worry in her voice. Ginny smiled back. Penny rallied and threw her arms around Ginny. "Welcome back." she whispered in Ginny's ear.
Ginny felt happiness wash over her. Penny was not a bad girl, but got terribly jealous should her friends not always want to spend time with her. 'Penny the Pain' is what Ginny and her other friends had secretly named her, but Ginny loved having Penny around dearly.
Penny pulled up a chair and soon the pair were going through the box together. Old photos, poems which attempted to rhyme "Harry Potter" with "my heart a-flutter" and many doodles torn from her scrolls and the margins of magic books all went up in the dancing flames.
"Oh my!" gasped Penny! "Do you remember this!" With trembling fingers, Penny passed Ginny a small circular black-rimmed vanity mirror, which glimmered slightly under its magical glamour. Ginny smiled. Both she and Penny had spent two months piecing together a bewitching spell from various trips to the library. And though they were not sure, they were confident the spell had mainly worked.
It should have been that the bearer of the mirror could stare into it and enter the dreams of the victim. The victim was, of course, Harry Potter - and this was thanks to a few hairs stolen from his bed one afternoon.
Ginny had used it only four times last summer, and was tempted to do so again. The first couple of times, the mirror stayed blank all night long. Penny had dozed off next to Ginny and had gone off the project. Yet on the third night of trying, Ginny saw what Harry was dreaming in the mirror. Nothing special really. Something about schoolwork with Hermione, beating up Malfoy and teaching Hagrid to fly a broomstick.
Ginny was so excited that she almost forgot what she had to do. Whispering "Succubitus" into the mirror, Ginny felt her head spin and she saw herself inside the mirror too. Ginny was actually now inside Harry's dream! Harry ignored her, and just as Ginny was getting used to wandering around, Harry had woken up, causing Ginny to snap out of her reverie sharply and leaving her with a nasty headache for the next day or two.
After a week of being pestered by Penny, Ginny once more stayed up all night and the pair watched Harry's dream. This time, he was alone in a big dark room, calling out for his parents. He seemed a little shy and confused. The girls smiled and both whispered "Succubitus" into the mirror.
The pair entered Harry's dream together. As Ginny had been ignored last time, this time she was determined to grab Harry's attention. Both Ginny and Penny had concentrated hard upon their appearance before they had asked to enter the dream, and now both were heavily made-up, wearing sexy black underwear and skimpy nightdresses.
Of course Harry noticed them immediately, if only because both girls stopped to giggle long and hard and point at each other. The pair immediately regained their composure and tried to walk coolly towards Harry, Ginny pausing only to elbow a giggly Penny halfway.
"Hello gorgeous" cooed Penny. Harry went very red and backed away, clearing his throat. He managed a weak, confused smile. Ginny smiled and felt wonderful. She ran up to Harry and hugged him. This must have had some profound effect upon Harry for the girls both found themselves back in Ginny's bed instantly with aching heads.
"Owww! Ginny! You should've played it more cool!" moaned Penny, until she saw tears in Ginny's eyes. "Oh Ginny... Sorry! Guess Us two were too much for him!" and Ginny smiled. The pair giggled about what they had done to poor Harry and spent the following week watching him avoid their gaze and teasing him for not having the stomach for two such "wonderful babes", as Penny had put it.
Penny and Ginny exchanged smiles, but Penny knew that Ginny would not give up the mirror. And Ginny knew she would never use it again. The magic had faded on the mirror slightly and the second headache had stayed longer, causing Penny to faint during a lesson the day after their prank.
Ginny put the box of memories on the fire and went back to her room. Getting dressed and ready for a day out with Penny, she placed the mirror beside her bed and stared into its depths. Ginny saw a beautiful redhead, blossoming with life and opportunity staring back at her. And that girl smiled, wider than any small mirror could hold, brighter than the Autumn sun outside and longer than both Ginny and her reflection had done so for a long time.