Making a Stand
Chapter Four: Never Underestimate the Power of Magic...

The next day, Ginny got up in her refrigerator of a house and got dressed, only to remember that she was unemployed. She gulped. Unemployed. Just the sound of it made her throat form a lump.
She remembered her mother, and how disappointed she would be when she heard the news.
Then she remembered Mrs. Sulucas.
Just the thought of that rat made her fume.
Her wand in her pocket sharted vibrating. "What's this?" Ginny murmured. She picked it up and a voice came from it.
"Ginny! I heard what happened from Harry and he feels really bad-- Hedwig is ok though-- and I wanted to help, you know, get your job back."
"What?"
"Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know, sorry-- it's Hermione."
"You don't sound like Herm--"
"Oh, that's what Harry told me," Hermione said with a giggle. "But we want to help! Ron, too. And all of your brothers."
"D-does my mum know?"
"Oh, probably not. Fred and George want to revolt, though. They'll sure be first on the picket line. Meet us thoday, outside the Menagerie.
"I'll come on my broomstick."
"All right, look for a bunch of readheads-- and one black one, of course."
OK, I'm on my way, bye!" and Ginny set her wand back into her pocket.

* * *

She rode over Diagon Alley, about fifty feet above, and looked down. Sure enough, a bunch of orange dots were waving at her.
Ginny landed. Ron was still tall and gangling, Bill and Charlie were there too, Percy looking, again, like the self-elected most-dignified-wizard-on-the-face-of-the-earth, and Fred and George with a bunch of wooden signs with stuff on it like "Down with Sulucas" and "Work or Bust".
"Ron!" Ginny cried. "Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Percy!" She looked at the tall, dark-haired someone standing there as well. "Harry!" They hugged her, Percy using one arm as not to dirty up his robes.
"Where's Hermione?"
"Here I am!" "What?" Ginny looked around. On the other side of Harry stood Hermione, not looking like Hermione in the least. Well, her hair changed. It was rather fluffy, and rather auburn.
"Hermione, your hair..?"
"Got in the way of a spell. I wish I hadn't!"
"It's just f--"
"Hey!" shouted Fred. "Are we revolting or what?"
"You certainly are quite revolting, Percy said huffily.
"Oh, shut up, Percy," said George. "Go on, then! Down with Sulucas!" Passerby stared.
"Yes, you keep doing that, all of you. Me, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny'll go inside," said Ron.
They entered and everyone else (except Percy) picked up a sign.
"Vot iz it choo vant?" she said in a bored tone. Then she saw Harry's scar.
"Harry! Harry Potter! Don' choo remember me?"
Harry wrinkled his brow. "Fleur?"
She ran out from behind the counter and flung her long, slim arms around him. "You saved Gabrielle! I remember is like it vas yesterday!"
"Yes, well, ahem," said Harry, staring down her back and slightly dazed. Hermione rolled her eyes and Ginny went pink.
"Where is Mrs. Sulucas? It is quite important..." Harry said.
"I vill vetch her." Fleur glided through the door with Sulucas' name on it.
Mrs. Sulucas came out, and her expression was different than the day before. She was rosy and smiling. "May I help y--" her expression changed quickly. "Ginny? What are you doing here?"
"I want to know why you fired me.
"Oh," Mrs. Sulucas began. "You wouldn't unders--" "I will perfectly well understand!" said Ginny wholeheartedly, banging her fist on the counter. treat me like a child, you have mistaken who the child her really is."
"How dare you say that!"
"How dare you fire me," Ginny replied coolly. "Why did you do so?"
"You used the store's personal potion!" Mrs. Sulucas shouted. "Wht else do you think?"
"I saved this owl's life," said Ginny, pointing to Healthy Hedwig on Harry's shoulder.
"Even so--"