Draco walked to his father's study.
"Ahh, Draco." Mr. Malfoy said, "Come for help on you summer homework?"
"No Father, I'm afraid it's Ginny once again."
"If I help you with this will you start and finish your summer work?"
"Yes father."
"Well Draco, what is it?"
"She was tearing pages out of books and writing on them. I noticed when there was an ink spot on her forefinger. Here," he said handing his father the paper. "I just wanted to make sure it's nothing more than it seems." Mr. Malfoy took the paper from his soon and glanced over it.
"It appears to be a only short story of sorts, wishful thinking of getting out probably. Harmless daydreaming really."
"Okay"
"Draco, is this girl distracting you?"
"Of course not Father!" Draco said wide-eyed.
"You are a terrible liar son." Mr. Malfoy said matter-of-factly.
Draco sighed, "Well yes- she is, but I promise I'll get my homework done." he said quickly.
"I think I'll put a repelling charm on her room so you can't visit her."
"What? Oh please no! I promise I'll get my homework done."
"I'm sure you will but to ensure that you get it done promptly and well, I am simply going to forbid you to see her."
"Father I-"
"Enough!" his father interrupted him, "I don't ask much of you, just that you go do your homework and do it well. And don't give me that look!" Mr. Malfoy said turning and glaring at Draco who was now slouching and glaring through narrowed eyes at his father, "Don't pull that 'poor little rich boy' routine you've become so fond of. All I ask is that you do your homework and get it done promptly and well!!"
"Fine," Draco finally yielded. "Can I at least bring it to you to check?"
"Check yes, but don't expect me to do it for you."
"Alright." he signed, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
"Good luck with your essays." Lucius Malfoy called cheerfully after his son. Draco simply raised a hand to acknowledge his fathers words.
As soon as he reached his room he let out a loud yell of frustration and slammed the door, grateful for the silencing charm he had bestowed upon his room in years past. Only his father could vex him this much. Merlin's Beard! Why did he have to do his homework now? It was only the second week of August!!! He still had over two weeks until September 1st! He didn't see why his father wouldn't make a house elf do it for him like most of his other friends' fathers did. He yelled again and levitated the first breakable thing he saw (a clock) then burst it into a hundred pieces. He sat there and cooled down for a second before repairing it. As if he wasn't ahead enough ahead of the rest of his classmates because his father had gotten the ministry to turn a blind eye so he could use magic over the summer. He mused as he roughly pulled his Herbology off his shelf and slammed it down onto his desk. He sat down with another "ARG" and began to write his essay.
Ginny was staring up at the ceiling for lack of anything better to do. She had laid down planning on plotting ways of likely escape but without meaning to she had allowed her mind to wander to Harry being there when she had gotten back and looking at her as if in a new light. She was in the middle of picturing herself landing on Malfoy's new Firebolt which she had stolen to fly back to her family (of course she hadn't quite worked out the details as to how yet...) and Harry would be saying something like, "Wow! That's some great flying! You know Gryffindor could use a chaser!" when Lucius Malfoy appeared right next to her bed. She screamed and scampered back curling herself into a little ball in the corner.
"Relax," Lucius said, "I'm only here to charm this room so Draco can't enter."
"Wh-Why?" she asked in spite of her fear.
"Because, little girl, my son finds you very distracting and he must finish his summer homework." he said, "Now, shush, I need to put a charm on here.' Mr. Malfoy said and finished the charm.
"How does it work?" she asked, part curiosity, part hoping it wouldn't hinder her escape/rescue.
"Why do you want to know?" he asked suspiciously.
"Boredom." she shrugged, "With Draco not coming back for a bit it seems I'm going to experience a lot of It." he looked her up and down and weighed her answer.
"It's simple enough really," he finally supplied, "Every time Draco comes near here the floor around him will start to sink in."
"So by the time he reaches my door he'll be ear deep in carpet?"
"Exactly" Ginny giggle in spite of herself.
"What's so funny girl?"
"The thought of Draco waist deep in carpet." Mr. Malfoy glanced towards the door a small smile turned up the corners of his mouth as he pictured his disobedient son swimming though the hall.
"Would be a bit of a spectacle wouldn't it?" Mr. Malfoy said as he turned to leave.
"Mr. Malfoy!" Ginny called, as he was about to shut the door. He turned towards her, "Mr. Malfoy, Draco told me you're leading the search at the Ministry."
"I am."
"I'm not stupid enough to believe it's going well or anything but my father, how is he? Is my family okay? Lucius studied Ginny, her eyes were round and pleading, and if truth were told she really was genuinely interesting. The fact that she was making herself seem more desperate was really just a bonus.
"Your father and as far as I know, family, are doing just fine," then as if on an afterthought he added, "They all miss you very much."
"Thank you." Ginny said legitimately grateful. She really hadn't gotten a letter back from her parents yet and was very curious to know how they were doing. Mr. Malfoy nodded and shut the door.
Just Two hours later, after Ginny had planned out about thirty different ways she could escape, each more ludicrous than the last, she heard the ever-joyous tapping on the window pain. It was Hermes, Percy's owl. It took all her self-control not to screech with joy at the though of getting an owl. She wasn't so excited about receiving a letters as being able to send hers. The letter she got from her family was much as she had expected. The handwriting was unmistakably Mr. Weasley's and Ginny could just picture in her mind eye what the scene looked like surrounding the letter. Mr. Weasley would be seated at the scrubbed wooded table surrounded by a mass of red hair (and possibly a little black?) the owners of the hair all shouting their contribution's to the letter.
Dear Ginny, [the letter read]
Hello! We miss you so much! Hedwig just brought us your letter! We're so sorry to hear that you're at the Malfoy Manor. As you probably already figured out we can't go the Ministry because Mr. Malfoy will just cover it up and we're guessing you'd be punished. Of course if you feel differently, (honestly) tell us and we'll go right to the ministry. You're Mother is shouting in my ear to 'tell my baby I love her' [Ginny could just picture Molly going 'ARTHUR' after seeing what Mr. Weasley wrote.] The twins of course, are always looking for new test subjects for the Wesley's Wizard's Wheeze and hope to find a certain silver hair Slytherin come the start of next term. ['Mom left the room?' Ginny reasoned]. Ron, (who's been made a chaser by the way) along with Harry (who's Quiditch captain) pledge to beat Slytherin in every game they can this year, winning every single one in your honor. [In spite of early fantasy, the thought of Harry telling the team to 'win for Ginny' thrilled her beyond belief and she couldn't help but giggle in delight]. Percy wishes to remind you to keep forming plans and 'hang in there'. I hope you're okay. You're a strong girl Ginny; you've grown up with six brothers and I believe you can take on one Malfoy.
I love you,
Dad, Mom, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Harry
She read over the letter a couple of times. It felt nice to have someone really caring about her again. She was also quite honored by her father's statement. After she had the letter pretty much memorized she went to the bed both to retrieve her letter and hide this one away. She tied her letter to Hermes's leg and sent him off through the window. With a tired and happy sigh, even despite the fact she would be bored to death for a few days, she called Zally and asked for her lunch.
|||||||||||||||||||
Draco Malfoy was sitting in his room having just finished his transfiguration essay and was not working on BSing his way through a fill- in-the-blank potions scroll Snap he given them. It didn't really matter if he got the answers right. Snape had always been nice to him in case Voldermort came back and he needed Draco to put a good word in for him with his father. Draco enjoyed the power and was constantly debating weather or not to tell his father that he believed Snape was loyal to Vodermort. So far, he was leaning towards yes, more so because he didn't want Snape to stop favoring him then actually thinking he was loyal. Of course he wasn't. Either way, what he told his father could change depending on his marks for the term. Zally suddenly appeared before him.
"Ginny wants lunch Master Draco." she squeaked.
"You can give Ginny meals whenever you like from now on Zally," Draco said distractedly, still filling in random potions ingredients, "You don't have to ask me anymore unless she wants more then three meals or something besides food. Understand?"
"Yes Master Draco" Zally bobbed and disappeared with the slights pop before Draco returned his full attention to his potions homework.
Two days after Ginny sent her letter, where she was constantly bored, and Draco was constantly trying to figure out his homework so he could have Ginny back found the Burrow bustling with excitement. The Weasley clan had just received Ginny's letter.
Hello! [Mr. Weasley read above the joyous chaos.]
Your letter has given me new resolve. I know you can't tell the ministry you found me because Draco (Being the stupid git that he is...) has already boasted that his father is the one leading the search down at the ministry. I'm obviously not allowed to read magic books but tore this page out of literature. If you could research a few things for me I could get out. I need to know about a charm that would make a door (Namely: the one of the room I'm locked in) burning hot to one person (me) and not at all to another (Draco). Can anyone find the counter charm? Also please find out if the Malfoy Manor is on the floo network. I'm assuming it is but I really need to know what room the fireplace is in. If anyone else has any other useful charms to help me get out I'd really REALLY appreciate it. Thanks so much!
With Hope,
Ginny.
"OOOO," Hermione screamed. "I know that spell! I've read all about it. I have the book with me that will give us the counter charm. Let me go get it!!!" Hermione screeched and was up the stair skipping toward Ginny's room where she was staying before anyone could get a word in edgewise.
"What's the name for the Malfoy Manor and the floo Network?" Harry asked quietly.
"I don't know" Mr. Weasley said, "But I'm willing to guess it's just Malfoy Manor. Paranoid as he is, Lucius isn't very creative."
"What happens if you say a name that isn't on the floo Network?"
"You end up in the spot with the name closes to what you said."
"So if I was to take my invisibility cloak and a little extra floo powder with me I could end up in the Malfoy Manor, or somewhere else for that matter, then come right back?" Harry reasoned.
"You've got an invisibility cloak?" One of the twins said in awe. Harry chose to ignore them.
"That's a fabulous idea Harry!" Percy said, "Surprised I didn't think of it myself really." Everyone rolled his eyes at that.
"Yeah, great idea." Rob pitched in, "that way we can tell Ginny where the floo fireplace is."
"It seems so dangerous!" Mrs. Weasely said. Harry didn't care though; Mr. and Mrs. Weasely had been so nice to him that he wanted to repay them somehow, and Helping them get Ginny back seemed like a good way to do it.
"I want to help Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.
"Oh Alright!" Mrs. Weasley said and went to the kitchen only to return seconds later with a "Magic Seal' Tupperware container which she put floo powered in.
"Just to be sure the fire doesn't get it." she explained. Harry nodded and ran to Ron's room in order to obtain his cloak from his trunk. On the way he passed Hermione, who had a book in hand.
"Where are you going?" she asked him.
"To get my cloak. I'm using to floo network to try and help Ginny."
"Oh!" Hermione said and tore out the page the book was open to, "give her this it's the counter charm to that charm on the door she was asking about."
"Thanks." Harry said.
"There's a problem though," Hermione chirped, "It can only be used when the one who charmed the door in the first place is in the room and can only be done from the inside."
"Well that's a lovely counter charm now isn't it?" Harry said sarcastically.
"There's more. The charm makes the door unbreakable so it's impossible to just blast it apart."
"Hermione, I'm not really planning on finding Ginny just finding the floo fireplace."
"Oh, well take this just in case." she said and thrust the paper into Harry's hand.
"Okay," Harry said and stuffed it into his pocket. Then turned and ran up the stairs.
"Oh and Harry," Hermione said.
"Yes?" Harry replied turning to face her.
"Be careful."
"I will." Harry nodded and continued to his trunk upstairs finally retrieving his cloak and heading back downstairs to the hearth.
"BE CAREFUL!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "What on earth will we tell you aunt and uncle if you get hurt?" she asked exasperated.
"You welcome," he chuckled, "Trust me they'll be more upset that you let me come back from danger then if I died." Mrs. Weasley gave a disapproving sigh but obviously cared more for her child and had faith in Harry. Harry put the cloak on and grabbed some floo powder. "MALFOY MANOR!" he called as he stepped into the fire after throwing the floo powder in. Harry felt himself being sucked through the fireplace and whirling around, tumbling through fireplace after fireplace.
"Ahh, Draco." Mr. Malfoy said, "Come for help on you summer homework?"
"No Father, I'm afraid it's Ginny once again."
"If I help you with this will you start and finish your summer work?"
"Yes father."
"Well Draco, what is it?"
"She was tearing pages out of books and writing on them. I noticed when there was an ink spot on her forefinger. Here," he said handing his father the paper. "I just wanted to make sure it's nothing more than it seems." Mr. Malfoy took the paper from his soon and glanced over it.
"It appears to be a only short story of sorts, wishful thinking of getting out probably. Harmless daydreaming really."
"Okay"
"Draco, is this girl distracting you?"
"Of course not Father!" Draco said wide-eyed.
"You are a terrible liar son." Mr. Malfoy said matter-of-factly.
Draco sighed, "Well yes- she is, but I promise I'll get my homework done." he said quickly.
"I think I'll put a repelling charm on her room so you can't visit her."
"What? Oh please no! I promise I'll get my homework done."
"I'm sure you will but to ensure that you get it done promptly and well, I am simply going to forbid you to see her."
"Father I-"
"Enough!" his father interrupted him, "I don't ask much of you, just that you go do your homework and do it well. And don't give me that look!" Mr. Malfoy said turning and glaring at Draco who was now slouching and glaring through narrowed eyes at his father, "Don't pull that 'poor little rich boy' routine you've become so fond of. All I ask is that you do your homework and get it done promptly and well!!"
"Fine," Draco finally yielded. "Can I at least bring it to you to check?"
"Check yes, but don't expect me to do it for you."
"Alright." he signed, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
"Good luck with your essays." Lucius Malfoy called cheerfully after his son. Draco simply raised a hand to acknowledge his fathers words.
As soon as he reached his room he let out a loud yell of frustration and slammed the door, grateful for the silencing charm he had bestowed upon his room in years past. Only his father could vex him this much. Merlin's Beard! Why did he have to do his homework now? It was only the second week of August!!! He still had over two weeks until September 1st! He didn't see why his father wouldn't make a house elf do it for him like most of his other friends' fathers did. He yelled again and levitated the first breakable thing he saw (a clock) then burst it into a hundred pieces. He sat there and cooled down for a second before repairing it. As if he wasn't ahead enough ahead of the rest of his classmates because his father had gotten the ministry to turn a blind eye so he could use magic over the summer. He mused as he roughly pulled his Herbology off his shelf and slammed it down onto his desk. He sat down with another "ARG" and began to write his essay.
Ginny was staring up at the ceiling for lack of anything better to do. She had laid down planning on plotting ways of likely escape but without meaning to she had allowed her mind to wander to Harry being there when she had gotten back and looking at her as if in a new light. She was in the middle of picturing herself landing on Malfoy's new Firebolt which she had stolen to fly back to her family (of course she hadn't quite worked out the details as to how yet...) and Harry would be saying something like, "Wow! That's some great flying! You know Gryffindor could use a chaser!" when Lucius Malfoy appeared right next to her bed. She screamed and scampered back curling herself into a little ball in the corner.
"Relax," Lucius said, "I'm only here to charm this room so Draco can't enter."
"Wh-Why?" she asked in spite of her fear.
"Because, little girl, my son finds you very distracting and he must finish his summer homework." he said, "Now, shush, I need to put a charm on here.' Mr. Malfoy said and finished the charm.
"How does it work?" she asked, part curiosity, part hoping it wouldn't hinder her escape/rescue.
"Why do you want to know?" he asked suspiciously.
"Boredom." she shrugged, "With Draco not coming back for a bit it seems I'm going to experience a lot of It." he looked her up and down and weighed her answer.
"It's simple enough really," he finally supplied, "Every time Draco comes near here the floor around him will start to sink in."
"So by the time he reaches my door he'll be ear deep in carpet?"
"Exactly" Ginny giggle in spite of herself.
"What's so funny girl?"
"The thought of Draco waist deep in carpet." Mr. Malfoy glanced towards the door a small smile turned up the corners of his mouth as he pictured his disobedient son swimming though the hall.
"Would be a bit of a spectacle wouldn't it?" Mr. Malfoy said as he turned to leave.
"Mr. Malfoy!" Ginny called, as he was about to shut the door. He turned towards her, "Mr. Malfoy, Draco told me you're leading the search at the Ministry."
"I am."
"I'm not stupid enough to believe it's going well or anything but my father, how is he? Is my family okay? Lucius studied Ginny, her eyes were round and pleading, and if truth were told she really was genuinely interesting. The fact that she was making herself seem more desperate was really just a bonus.
"Your father and as far as I know, family, are doing just fine," then as if on an afterthought he added, "They all miss you very much."
"Thank you." Ginny said legitimately grateful. She really hadn't gotten a letter back from her parents yet and was very curious to know how they were doing. Mr. Malfoy nodded and shut the door.
Just Two hours later, after Ginny had planned out about thirty different ways she could escape, each more ludicrous than the last, she heard the ever-joyous tapping on the window pain. It was Hermes, Percy's owl. It took all her self-control not to screech with joy at the though of getting an owl. She wasn't so excited about receiving a letters as being able to send hers. The letter she got from her family was much as she had expected. The handwriting was unmistakably Mr. Weasley's and Ginny could just picture in her mind eye what the scene looked like surrounding the letter. Mr. Weasley would be seated at the scrubbed wooded table surrounded by a mass of red hair (and possibly a little black?) the owners of the hair all shouting their contribution's to the letter.
Dear Ginny, [the letter read]
Hello! We miss you so much! Hedwig just brought us your letter! We're so sorry to hear that you're at the Malfoy Manor. As you probably already figured out we can't go the Ministry because Mr. Malfoy will just cover it up and we're guessing you'd be punished. Of course if you feel differently, (honestly) tell us and we'll go right to the ministry. You're Mother is shouting in my ear to 'tell my baby I love her' [Ginny could just picture Molly going 'ARTHUR' after seeing what Mr. Weasley wrote.] The twins of course, are always looking for new test subjects for the Wesley's Wizard's Wheeze and hope to find a certain silver hair Slytherin come the start of next term. ['Mom left the room?' Ginny reasoned]. Ron, (who's been made a chaser by the way) along with Harry (who's Quiditch captain) pledge to beat Slytherin in every game they can this year, winning every single one in your honor. [In spite of early fantasy, the thought of Harry telling the team to 'win for Ginny' thrilled her beyond belief and she couldn't help but giggle in delight]. Percy wishes to remind you to keep forming plans and 'hang in there'. I hope you're okay. You're a strong girl Ginny; you've grown up with six brothers and I believe you can take on one Malfoy.
I love you,
Dad, Mom, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Harry
She read over the letter a couple of times. It felt nice to have someone really caring about her again. She was also quite honored by her father's statement. After she had the letter pretty much memorized she went to the bed both to retrieve her letter and hide this one away. She tied her letter to Hermes's leg and sent him off through the window. With a tired and happy sigh, even despite the fact she would be bored to death for a few days, she called Zally and asked for her lunch.
|||||||||||||||||||
Draco Malfoy was sitting in his room having just finished his transfiguration essay and was not working on BSing his way through a fill- in-the-blank potions scroll Snap he given them. It didn't really matter if he got the answers right. Snape had always been nice to him in case Voldermort came back and he needed Draco to put a good word in for him with his father. Draco enjoyed the power and was constantly debating weather or not to tell his father that he believed Snape was loyal to Vodermort. So far, he was leaning towards yes, more so because he didn't want Snape to stop favoring him then actually thinking he was loyal. Of course he wasn't. Either way, what he told his father could change depending on his marks for the term. Zally suddenly appeared before him.
"Ginny wants lunch Master Draco." she squeaked.
"You can give Ginny meals whenever you like from now on Zally," Draco said distractedly, still filling in random potions ingredients, "You don't have to ask me anymore unless she wants more then three meals or something besides food. Understand?"
"Yes Master Draco" Zally bobbed and disappeared with the slights pop before Draco returned his full attention to his potions homework.
Two days after Ginny sent her letter, where she was constantly bored, and Draco was constantly trying to figure out his homework so he could have Ginny back found the Burrow bustling with excitement. The Weasley clan had just received Ginny's letter.
Hello! [Mr. Weasley read above the joyous chaos.]
Your letter has given me new resolve. I know you can't tell the ministry you found me because Draco (Being the stupid git that he is...) has already boasted that his father is the one leading the search down at the ministry. I'm obviously not allowed to read magic books but tore this page out of literature. If you could research a few things for me I could get out. I need to know about a charm that would make a door (Namely: the one of the room I'm locked in) burning hot to one person (me) and not at all to another (Draco). Can anyone find the counter charm? Also please find out if the Malfoy Manor is on the floo network. I'm assuming it is but I really need to know what room the fireplace is in. If anyone else has any other useful charms to help me get out I'd really REALLY appreciate it. Thanks so much!
With Hope,
Ginny.
"OOOO," Hermione screamed. "I know that spell! I've read all about it. I have the book with me that will give us the counter charm. Let me go get it!!!" Hermione screeched and was up the stair skipping toward Ginny's room where she was staying before anyone could get a word in edgewise.
"What's the name for the Malfoy Manor and the floo Network?" Harry asked quietly.
"I don't know" Mr. Weasley said, "But I'm willing to guess it's just Malfoy Manor. Paranoid as he is, Lucius isn't very creative."
"What happens if you say a name that isn't on the floo Network?"
"You end up in the spot with the name closes to what you said."
"So if I was to take my invisibility cloak and a little extra floo powder with me I could end up in the Malfoy Manor, or somewhere else for that matter, then come right back?" Harry reasoned.
"You've got an invisibility cloak?" One of the twins said in awe. Harry chose to ignore them.
"That's a fabulous idea Harry!" Percy said, "Surprised I didn't think of it myself really." Everyone rolled his eyes at that.
"Yeah, great idea." Rob pitched in, "that way we can tell Ginny where the floo fireplace is."
"It seems so dangerous!" Mrs. Weasely said. Harry didn't care though; Mr. and Mrs. Weasely had been so nice to him that he wanted to repay them somehow, and Helping them get Ginny back seemed like a good way to do it.
"I want to help Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.
"Oh Alright!" Mrs. Weasley said and went to the kitchen only to return seconds later with a "Magic Seal' Tupperware container which she put floo powered in.
"Just to be sure the fire doesn't get it." she explained. Harry nodded and ran to Ron's room in order to obtain his cloak from his trunk. On the way he passed Hermione, who had a book in hand.
"Where are you going?" she asked him.
"To get my cloak. I'm using to floo network to try and help Ginny."
"Oh!" Hermione said and tore out the page the book was open to, "give her this it's the counter charm to that charm on the door she was asking about."
"Thanks." Harry said.
"There's a problem though," Hermione chirped, "It can only be used when the one who charmed the door in the first place is in the room and can only be done from the inside."
"Well that's a lovely counter charm now isn't it?" Harry said sarcastically.
"There's more. The charm makes the door unbreakable so it's impossible to just blast it apart."
"Hermione, I'm not really planning on finding Ginny just finding the floo fireplace."
"Oh, well take this just in case." she said and thrust the paper into Harry's hand.
"Okay," Harry said and stuffed it into his pocket. Then turned and ran up the stairs.
"Oh and Harry," Hermione said.
"Yes?" Harry replied turning to face her.
"Be careful."
"I will." Harry nodded and continued to his trunk upstairs finally retrieving his cloak and heading back downstairs to the hearth.
"BE CAREFUL!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "What on earth will we tell you aunt and uncle if you get hurt?" she asked exasperated.
"You welcome," he chuckled, "Trust me they'll be more upset that you let me come back from danger then if I died." Mrs. Weasley gave a disapproving sigh but obviously cared more for her child and had faith in Harry. Harry put the cloak on and grabbed some floo powder. "MALFOY MANOR!" he called as he stepped into the fire after throwing the floo powder in. Harry felt himself being sucked through the fireplace and whirling around, tumbling through fireplace after fireplace.