"Ginny Weasley and the Memory of Power"
by Jedi Amoira
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Disclaimer--If you see something you like just assume I don't own it, and you'll be fine. I hope JK Rowling, the movies, and my fellow fanfic writers take my imitation in the manner in which it is meant--sincere flattery of their skills.

A/N--I have some great reviewers, but an author writes for praise, and I need more! I may not own any of this, but I have worked very hard and do love this story. If you like it, please say so. And please respect my work and don't print or post it elsewhere without my knowledge. Thanks!

EmeraldDream--I'm so glad you love my story, too. It's great that you've noticed the Tom's slightly telling remarks and Ginny's occasional instinctive reactions, because that's one of the things I've been trying to develop. Thanks for noticing the details...it's a huge effort, and I worry I don't include enough! I hope you keep reading!!

Bill--I want one of those watches, too! I totally agree about a steady diet of darker angst and horror...that's just not the Harry Potter atmosphere. With any luck we can balance it out with one-liners and smatterings of slapstick. Percy and Penelope have me worried...I hope I can do the scene comic justice!
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"You look as if you haven't slept in days, deary," the mirror said crisply.

Ginny made a face that probably didn't help her appearance. "Thanks," she said dryly, not bothering to add--I feel like I haven't. After all, her sleeping habits weren't any of the mirror's business. She grabbed her backpack, cast a final, longing look at her coffee cup, wishing she could take it with her to class, ran downstairs, through the Common Room and down the hall.

"I was beginning to think you'd skived off," Tempest said, shaking her head, as Ginny dropped breathless into the seat beside her.

"Just running late this morning," Ginny said needlessly, and caught sight of the empty chair beside her. "Where's Colin?"

Tempest stared at her as if she were sprouting a couple of extra heads-- /Where did that come from? I think Ron's mentioned that 3-headed dog one too many times/--and blinked. "That's right," she said, "you missed breakfast."

Ginny's stomach quavered threateningly. "Don't rub it in," she warned. "Anyway, what does that have to do with Colin?"

"Just that you probably wouldn't have heard," Tempest said, looking oddly sympathetic.

"Heard?" Ginny repeated the word warily, immediately on edge.

Tempest nodded. Ginny's skin crawled with chill as she noticed belatedly the hint of red around the rims of Tempest's eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore found him."

Ginny felt a wild spurt of relief. ""So he got caught sneaking out--that's no excuse to miss--"

"He got caught all right," Tempest said sadly. "By whoever--or whatever--got Mrs. Norris."

"Colin? He's been..." A stray image seemed not so much to form as to surface--Colin, cold and stiff and white...still as the dead...

"Petrified," Tempest whispered, as if afraid to say the word too loudly.

"He's not..."

"No," Tempest assured her. "But Dumbledore says this confirms the message on the wall."

"THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS IS OPEN--" Ginny mouthed in horror.

Tempest nodded grimly. "It's a good thing we didn't go with him."

Faintly, as if from a great distance in time, Ginny heard herself screaming...

Concentrating hard, almost grasping, she had a vague impression of a scraping sound, of something big pushing past...

"Ginny," Tempest said in the tone of someone who's been trying to get an answer for a while.

Ginny grunted slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"I...don't think...so.." Ginny said, and burst into tears.

She never knew how she made it through that awful Charms lesson. It was the first time she didn't hear a word Professor Flitwick had to say. She spent the entire time fighting tears while her classmates politely pretended not to stare. The second class was over, she bolted for the Common Room without so much as a glance to acknowledge Tempest calling her name.



--Tom, do you think it's possible...do you think you could...do something horrible and not even know you did it?--

--What do you mean?--

--Tom, Tom, I don't remember where I was...I don't remember what I did...I think I'm loosing my mind.--

--Ginny, you're obviously upset, but I can't help you, unless you slow down and try to explain.--

--Last night...I was supposed to meet Colin. We were going to sneak down to the infirmary and visit Harry--

--Harry? Did you embarrass yourself in front of him again? He probably didn't even notice.--

--Harry? Oh, Tom...how am I going to tell Harry? He's so kind and sweet and thoughtful, and he would never understand how I could...I don't understand how I could...What am I going to do, Tom? I have to put a stop to this!--

--Put a stop to what? You've lost me again. I may understand you, but I'm not inside your head.--

--Sorry. Sorry....I..don't remember going to see Harry...I don't remember seeing Colin--

--You probably fell asleep and he went without you. Is that all?--

--NO! No. I...if I concentrate really hard, I remember thinking Colin was late, so I must have tried to meet him...and...I remember a voice...gray eyes...I didn't want to kill anyone...I think...I think Colin was laying very still...so white...Tom, I think..I..attacked him.-- Ginny shivered and swiped absently at her streaming eyes with the back of her sleeve. She was shaking so hard she didn't really know how Tom could understand her handwriting.

--Ginny, Colin is your friend. Why would you attack him?--

--I..I...wouldn't..I think I didn't want to, but--

--I think you've been studying a lot and skimping on sleep, and this is just the result of an overactive imagination. You need to calm down and stop working yourself up so much over Ron--

--You think it's my imagination? It...seemed so...real. Maybe I should go and talk to Hagrid. If opened the Chamber last time, maybe he knows whether or not you can do it and not know about it.--

--Ginny, be reasonable. For all you know, Hagrid is the one who's opened the Chamber again. It may not be safe to ask him about it.--

Ginny squared her shoulders and stuck out her chin. Her hand was steady and firm. --You're right...but I don't have a choice, Tom...I need to know.--

"Got you something," Tempest said, walking over to sit beside her on the couch. She dropped a strange looking copper coin in Ginny's lap.

Ginny blinked at it.

" It's a penny," Tempest explained. "One of the Slytherins has relatives in America--apparently the Muggles there think they're good luck, so he decided to take advantage of the situation and sell them as Talismans."

Ginny poked the coin with a hesitant finger, and tried to manage a weak smile. "Thanks, Tempest. I don't deserve friends like you...you and..."

Tempest put her arm firmly around Ginny. "Don't be silly. Just because your brothers take you for granted doesn't mean everyone has to. We'll get through this--you and me...and Colin. We're going to stick together. That's what this...penny...stands for--friendship. Now...weren't you going to try to improve my skills at chess?"

Worry lightened, however little, Ginny groaned. "That's beyond my capabilities--improving your skills at chess would take a miracle."