Legend
Chapter XI: Chat
by Marie McKinnon
The Gryffindor girls' dormitories were probably just slightly more spacious than the
boys'. They were all semi-circled in shape, with beds arranged around the curved edge. On the
flat side there was a fireplace and a portrait of a matronly figure related to the Fat Lady.
Whenever the girls needed advice, they went to her, because she had been around for quite a few
years. About a thousand, to be exact. It was rumoured that she was related to Gryffindor in
some way, but she never wanted to talk about herself. Her advice was always good, whether it
was about controlling family members or on how to put stubborn hair up into a fabulous 'do.
So after making sure that none of her dormmates were anywhere near the room, Ginny
locked the door with a spell that blocked even the Alohomora charm and sat down on the sofa,
head in hands. A loud sigh escaped her lips. She didn't like sharing her problems, but a painting
couldn't make fun of her and wouldn't tell anyone. Matron had been told so many secrets in her
years that she could clear up any mystery with her background knowledge. However, she had
never revealed any of them to anyone but the person who had told her.
"Is there a problem, dear?" Matron asked. Had she been able to pat her charge on the
shoulder, she would have.
"No. Not just a problem. Lots of problems." She sighed again and lifted her head from
her hands.
"If you don't want anyone to hear, perhaps you should spell the door."
She nodded and dug her hand into her pocket for her wand. It wasn't there. That wasn't
possible. She'd just done a spell, and spells that complicated require wands, whether you're a
powerful mage or not. So how on earth had the door been locked shut?
"I--I don't have my wand," she stuttered in disbelief. "I locked the door a minute ago,
but I don't have it. Did you see me with it when I came in?"
The painting creased her painted forehead. "No," she said hesitantly. "But you locked
the door, I'm sure of that. Would you mind trying to spell it without your wand?"
"All right. Should I just point at it, then?" Matron nodded. "Here goes nothing." Ginny
screwed her eyes shut in concentration, pointed her index finger at the door, and said
"Silencieus!" Her inanimate companion stared in amazement as a bolt of silver encompassed the
portal, blocking all passages for the sound to escape. Opening an eye nervously, Gin asked "Did
it work?"
"Apparently." A strangled tone came into the portrait's voice. "Is this one of the
problems you wanted to discuss with me?"
"It is now. I've never been able to do that, and I don't think even Professor Dumbledore
can. He's the most powerful wizard in the world!"
"I believe the last recorded instance of a witch doing magic without a wand was Morgan
Le Fay, but she used a gem to focus her magic. An opal, I think it was. Black opals are the best
for spell casting."
It was Ginny's turn to sound strangled. "Opals? Did you just say opals?"
"Yes, I did. Are you having trouble with your hearing as well?" Matron asked
impatiently.
"No, I've just been having dreams about a black opal. I think it may have to do with this
wandless magic thing. Do I need an opal to use this magic properly?"
She shook her head. "It would help. I think Morgan could work without one, and did so
for a bit before she acquired the gem, but this is unheard of. Even Merlin couldn't perform any
charms without his staff."
"So I need to get an opal. You wouldn't happen to have any, would you?" The last was
meant to be a joke, as a portrait couldn't be expected to have hidden any precious stones away.
"Not quite. There are some in the castle, though." Her head cocked to one side. "In
some part of the Gryffindor wing. Godric was a bit of a nut about Arthur and his belongings. He
hid away the opal and some other Arthurian relics. If the opal works for you I'll be quite
surprised. Morgan charmed it to only work for her or her descendants. Unless..."
"I am in no way related to Morgan Le Fay, if that's what you were going to ask."
"Well, it was worth a try. You may want to practice without the stone. It would make it
easier for you once you managed to get one."
Realizing that they had gotten completely off the topic, she switched the conversation to
her original request. "Have you heard anything about Harry Potter lately?"
"I've heard say that you're his latest conquest," Matron said delicately. "Are you two
having a lover's spat?"
"NO!" Ginny was on her feet. "We're not having a lover's anything. The only thing the
b****** wants is to get me in his bed, which he has demonstrated sufficiently already!" Her
eyes blazed.
"Ah. That would be the first problem, then. Have you tried to discourage him in any
way?"
She rolled her eyes. "Let's see. I've flipped him onto his back and punched him in the
mouth. He had to go to Madam Pomfrey the second time, but not the first."
"That hasn't dissuaded him, has it?"
"He caused an almighty uproar when he saw me ice skating with someone, and has made
it clear that he wants me, but nothing physical."
The portrait nodded. "I would keep up the attacks. Hopefully he'll end up so bruised that
he won't want to risk it. Anything else you'd like to discuss?"
Ginny sat down again, more relaxed now that it wasn't thought that she was involved
with Harry. "Remember how I said Harry got mad when he saw me ice skating with someone?"
When her companion nodded the affirmative, she continued. "It was Draco Malfoy. He's really
confusing me, and I think I know what he wants, but he's going about it in an extraordinary way.
He's nice sometimes, mocking sometimes, and then others he just stares at me. It was so much
fun when we were skating, but at the end he picked me up and would have kissed me if Harry,
Ron, and Hermione hadn't bellowed at him."
"Draco Malfoy was going to kiss you?"
"What, did you not hear me? That's what I said."
Matron looked a bit surprised. "I've heard nothing good about Draco Malfoy. Actually,
that's inaccurate. Nothing good about his personality, but the number of girls blithering on about
his good looks is unbelievable. You're not egging him on, are you? Because he wouldn't think
twice about it, and you're probably quite appealing to the young men."
She went red, remembering how she had practically dared him to do something like that
almost-kiss. It might not have been so bad, she thought, then went an even darker red for
thinking about kissing Malfoy. He's amazingly handsome, and not at all clumsy or stupid, one
side of her mind argued. And it's not like he wouldn't have enjoyed it, it added slyly. Don't try
to deny it. He's probably quite good. After he fell on top of you he was grinning like the
Cheshire Cat; I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd been imagining doing certain things with
certain people. The red was almost maroon now.
"I may have seemed to be encouraging him," she finally admitted. Her deep blush gave
her away. "We were ice skating, and he had one of my ankles. My hands were on his shoulders.
I jumped, and he caught my other leg so he was holding me. He made a big spiral, and when he
got to the centre the spin went really fast. The whole time he was looking right at me. Then he
stopped, and I kind of looked at him in a way that may have persuaded him to act. But Ron
shouted, so he put me down."
Eyebrows a mile high, the portrait coughed slightly to attempt to keep a hold on her
dignity. "Well. I'm not a mind reader, but I'd say you wouldn't have minded if your brother
hadn't interrupted."
Her face was on fire. She had to admit it, though, it would have been nice. She'd never
been kissed before. A new experience was always welcomed in her dull life.
"I can see that I was correct. Just don't do anything you'll regret, dear."
"Thank you, Matron," Ginny managed to say while fighting off the urge to tear the
portrait to shreds. She would have had to admit that she wouldn't have minded if he'd
continued, but to have a painting tell her was almost more than she could bear. A solution came
to mind almost immediately. "Oh, and Matron?"
"Mmmm-hmmm?"
"I'm glad we had this chat, but you'll just have to forget all about it. Obliviate!"
As she walked out of the room, she heard Matron's sleepy murmur of "Chat? What
chat?"
Chapter XI: Chat
by Marie McKinnon
The Gryffindor girls' dormitories were probably just slightly more spacious than the
boys'. They were all semi-circled in shape, with beds arranged around the curved edge. On the
flat side there was a fireplace and a portrait of a matronly figure related to the Fat Lady.
Whenever the girls needed advice, they went to her, because she had been around for quite a few
years. About a thousand, to be exact. It was rumoured that she was related to Gryffindor in
some way, but she never wanted to talk about herself. Her advice was always good, whether it
was about controlling family members or on how to put stubborn hair up into a fabulous 'do.
So after making sure that none of her dormmates were anywhere near the room, Ginny
locked the door with a spell that blocked even the Alohomora charm and sat down on the sofa,
head in hands. A loud sigh escaped her lips. She didn't like sharing her problems, but a painting
couldn't make fun of her and wouldn't tell anyone. Matron had been told so many secrets in her
years that she could clear up any mystery with her background knowledge. However, she had
never revealed any of them to anyone but the person who had told her.
"Is there a problem, dear?" Matron asked. Had she been able to pat her charge on the
shoulder, she would have.
"No. Not just a problem. Lots of problems." She sighed again and lifted her head from
her hands.
"If you don't want anyone to hear, perhaps you should spell the door."
She nodded and dug her hand into her pocket for her wand. It wasn't there. That wasn't
possible. She'd just done a spell, and spells that complicated require wands, whether you're a
powerful mage or not. So how on earth had the door been locked shut?
"I--I don't have my wand," she stuttered in disbelief. "I locked the door a minute ago,
but I don't have it. Did you see me with it when I came in?"
The painting creased her painted forehead. "No," she said hesitantly. "But you locked
the door, I'm sure of that. Would you mind trying to spell it without your wand?"
"All right. Should I just point at it, then?" Matron nodded. "Here goes nothing." Ginny
screwed her eyes shut in concentration, pointed her index finger at the door, and said
"Silencieus!" Her inanimate companion stared in amazement as a bolt of silver encompassed the
portal, blocking all passages for the sound to escape. Opening an eye nervously, Gin asked "Did
it work?"
"Apparently." A strangled tone came into the portrait's voice. "Is this one of the
problems you wanted to discuss with me?"
"It is now. I've never been able to do that, and I don't think even Professor Dumbledore
can. He's the most powerful wizard in the world!"
"I believe the last recorded instance of a witch doing magic without a wand was Morgan
Le Fay, but she used a gem to focus her magic. An opal, I think it was. Black opals are the best
for spell casting."
It was Ginny's turn to sound strangled. "Opals? Did you just say opals?"
"Yes, I did. Are you having trouble with your hearing as well?" Matron asked
impatiently.
"No, I've just been having dreams about a black opal. I think it may have to do with this
wandless magic thing. Do I need an opal to use this magic properly?"
She shook her head. "It would help. I think Morgan could work without one, and did so
for a bit before she acquired the gem, but this is unheard of. Even Merlin couldn't perform any
charms without his staff."
"So I need to get an opal. You wouldn't happen to have any, would you?" The last was
meant to be a joke, as a portrait couldn't be expected to have hidden any precious stones away.
"Not quite. There are some in the castle, though." Her head cocked to one side. "In
some part of the Gryffindor wing. Godric was a bit of a nut about Arthur and his belongings. He
hid away the opal and some other Arthurian relics. If the opal works for you I'll be quite
surprised. Morgan charmed it to only work for her or her descendants. Unless..."
"I am in no way related to Morgan Le Fay, if that's what you were going to ask."
"Well, it was worth a try. You may want to practice without the stone. It would make it
easier for you once you managed to get one."
Realizing that they had gotten completely off the topic, she switched the conversation to
her original request. "Have you heard anything about Harry Potter lately?"
"I've heard say that you're his latest conquest," Matron said delicately. "Are you two
having a lover's spat?"
"NO!" Ginny was on her feet. "We're not having a lover's anything. The only thing the
b****** wants is to get me in his bed, which he has demonstrated sufficiently already!" Her
eyes blazed.
"Ah. That would be the first problem, then. Have you tried to discourage him in any
way?"
She rolled her eyes. "Let's see. I've flipped him onto his back and punched him in the
mouth. He had to go to Madam Pomfrey the second time, but not the first."
"That hasn't dissuaded him, has it?"
"He caused an almighty uproar when he saw me ice skating with someone, and has made
it clear that he wants me, but nothing physical."
The portrait nodded. "I would keep up the attacks. Hopefully he'll end up so bruised that
he won't want to risk it. Anything else you'd like to discuss?"
Ginny sat down again, more relaxed now that it wasn't thought that she was involved
with Harry. "Remember how I said Harry got mad when he saw me ice skating with someone?"
When her companion nodded the affirmative, she continued. "It was Draco Malfoy. He's really
confusing me, and I think I know what he wants, but he's going about it in an extraordinary way.
He's nice sometimes, mocking sometimes, and then others he just stares at me. It was so much
fun when we were skating, but at the end he picked me up and would have kissed me if Harry,
Ron, and Hermione hadn't bellowed at him."
"Draco Malfoy was going to kiss you?"
"What, did you not hear me? That's what I said."
Matron looked a bit surprised. "I've heard nothing good about Draco Malfoy. Actually,
that's inaccurate. Nothing good about his personality, but the number of girls blithering on about
his good looks is unbelievable. You're not egging him on, are you? Because he wouldn't think
twice about it, and you're probably quite appealing to the young men."
She went red, remembering how she had practically dared him to do something like that
almost-kiss. It might not have been so bad, she thought, then went an even darker red for
thinking about kissing Malfoy. He's amazingly handsome, and not at all clumsy or stupid, one
side of her mind argued. And it's not like he wouldn't have enjoyed it, it added slyly. Don't try
to deny it. He's probably quite good. After he fell on top of you he was grinning like the
Cheshire Cat; I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd been imagining doing certain things with
certain people. The red was almost maroon now.
"I may have seemed to be encouraging him," she finally admitted. Her deep blush gave
her away. "We were ice skating, and he had one of my ankles. My hands were on his shoulders.
I jumped, and he caught my other leg so he was holding me. He made a big spiral, and when he
got to the centre the spin went really fast. The whole time he was looking right at me. Then he
stopped, and I kind of looked at him in a way that may have persuaded him to act. But Ron
shouted, so he put me down."
Eyebrows a mile high, the portrait coughed slightly to attempt to keep a hold on her
dignity. "Well. I'm not a mind reader, but I'd say you wouldn't have minded if your brother
hadn't interrupted."
Her face was on fire. She had to admit it, though, it would have been nice. She'd never
been kissed before. A new experience was always welcomed in her dull life.
"I can see that I was correct. Just don't do anything you'll regret, dear."
"Thank you, Matron," Ginny managed to say while fighting off the urge to tear the
portrait to shreds. She would have had to admit that she wouldn't have minded if he'd
continued, but to have a painting tell her was almost more than she could bear. A solution came
to mind almost immediately. "Oh, and Matron?"
"Mmmm-hmmm?"
"I'm glad we had this chat, but you'll just have to forget all about it. Obliviate!"
As she walked out of the room, she heard Matron's sleepy murmur of "Chat? What
chat?"