A/N: I just want to thank everyone for the reviews- and you know what? I will. At the end of this chapter. So that takes care of that! This is a VERY long chapter, so rejoice, and be glad.

Disclaimer: excerpts from the original 'Order of the Phoenix' have been taken for this chapter, and all credit for them goes to JK Rowling, whose imagination has sparked all these fics…some 80,000 last I heard. :)

-*-

        When Ginny woke up on the twelfth of August, a week or so since Harry's arrival, it was quieter than it had been for months.  Curious, she yawned and slipped her legs over the side of her bed, pulling down her oversized green t-shirt.  Hermione wasn't sleeping, but Ginny didn't find that too strange; Hermione always got up before her.  She went to her dresser, grabbed some black shorts and pulled them on, her vision still blurred by the leftovers of sleep.  Pushing some loose hair out of her eyes, she walked out into the hallway and quietly made her way down the stairs, the portraits on the wall giving her evil looks as she passed them. 

        "Mum?" she called once she had reached the bottom. 

        "Ginny, come in here for some breakfast love," her mother replied through the door of the kitchen.  Ginny couldn't help but feel relieved at the sign of life in the silent house.  She pushed open the swinging door and happily drank in the kitchen with her amber eyes.  Ron and Hermione were sitting at the table already, sharing a rack of toast and reading the Daily Prophet together intently.  Ginny grinned as she realized who the pair reminded her of; her mum and dad on Sunday mornings.  She impishly came up behind Ron and snatched a piece of toast off the rack and bit it happily.

        "Oy!" Ron said annoyed, but he smiled slightly at the sight of her in a good mood.  Ginny had been in a sulky mood since they had their exclusive talk, and had been sure to let them all know it. 

        "Morning Ginny," Hermione greeted her, flicking her eyes upward for an indulgent second before returning to the Daily Prophet. 

        "Morning," Ginny replied, twirling her way to the fridge, humming a little.  Mrs. Weasley looked at her with mild astonishment on her plump features.

        "What's got you dancing about?" her mum demanded, now in the process of putting away the orange juice.

        Ginny grabbed it from her deftly and poured it into a nearby glass smiling mysteriously.  "Back to school soon I suppose.  Sick of this place."  From their place at the table, Ron and Hermione exchanged amused glances; they made Ginny almost spit up her drink again in disgust.

        "Well then why don't you direct your energy towards something more useful?" Mrs. Weasley snapped back irritably.  Clearly, it hadn't been a very good morning so far.  Ginny stuck her tongue out at her mother's back as the short figure moved to the dining room door and popped her head in.  "Sirius, have you talked to Alastor about that Boggart yet?"  Ginny perched herself on the countertop chewing on her toast as she listened for the reply.

        "No- he hasn't been here since he brought Harry," Sirius' tired voice answered her.  Mrs. Weasley sighed impatiently and came back in the kitchen, going back to her pan scrubbing.  Ginny however, had the smallest of a spark in her brain…a ghost an idea…dare she do it? 

        It only took a second for her to decide.

        "I'll be upstairs changing- no one walk in on me please," she added, gulping down the rest of her toast, hopping off the countertop and walking briskly from the room.  Behind her she hard Ron say, 'Blimey she's a firecracker today, eh?'

--

        The writing desk was vibrating with the consistency of an automobile motor as Ginny looked at it apprehensively.  This idea was stupid, it was reckless it was- ridiculous.  A twist of a grin came across her lips as she gripped her wand very tightly, having found it in the depths of her trunk.  She would get reported for this, she had no doubt, but wouldn't it be worth it when she saw their impressed faces? "Well done Gin," she could imagine them saying proudly.  "Getting rid of a Boggart by yourself- I couldn't have done that when I was your age."  With these fantasies in mind, Ginny took a deep breath and clicked the door of the desk open. 

        How hard can it be? Ginny told herself in a slight panic as the Boggart began to take form..  You defeated a Boggart last year in DADA remember?...with the rest of the class…and you never did get a crack at it…but still…just a Boggart…

        What came out of it was far worse than she had anticipated; her wand fell out of her clammy hands and fell onto the hardwood floor.  "Tom," she whispered, backing up against the closed door.  The Slytherin robe clad teenager loomed over her, smirking and holding something Ginny hadn't seen for years- a small black diary. 

        Desperately telling herself 'it's just a Boggart, it's just a Boggart', she dropped to the floor to pick up her wand.  Boggart Tom sneered and floated over, flipping through the pages lazily. 

        "Hello Ginny," it said.  Ginny froze in the process of grasping her wand.

        "You're not real," she said loudly, more to convince herself than anything. 

        "What makes you say that? I look like Tom…I sound like Tom…and I feel like Tom don't I?" Boggart Tom said softly, closing the diary and looking at her intently; his piercing green eyes were so familiar to her, she saw them before, in the Chamber…with the snake…and blood…so much blood…

        Two seconds later and Ginny was out in the hallway, running to her room as fast as her legs could take her.

--

        She lay face down on her bed, red hair fanning out over the pillow.  Deep breath in…deep breath out…it was just a Boggart… Ginny shakily turned over and watched the cracks in her ceiling move as she gently let go of her wand, letting it roll off the bed and onto the floor.  The déjà vu made her head spin; she had to close her eyes to rid the images from her memory.  Humiliated tears grazed her inner eyelids.  She was so stupid, and they were right, she was too young…couldn't even face her bloody past…that's all Harry does everyday…and Dumbledore…hell, even Ron was more mature than her! No wonder they had sent her away from the dinner table…

        Brushing away the tears that coated her cheeks, she sat up and breathed in slowly.  She was being so selfish, holed up blubbering in her room when- what was going on today anyway?  Ginny dabbed at her eyes with the sheets as she reached for her day by day calendar.  The day 'August 12' was blinking bright blue as she looked at it.  There was a small footnote next to it: 'Harry's Hearing'. 

        Oh God.  No wonder everyone was so serious!  And here she was crying her eyes out over something that didn't even exist…she breathed out determinedly and, after minimal consideration, placed her wand in her nightstand drawer.  She didn't need it right now.  There were more important things to do, and although she was too young, she'd do them the best she could.  Who knows what this year would bring; maybe she'd get older with it.

--

        Forty minutes later, a bright and cheery smile had been pasted on her face as she trotted down the stairs.  As she entered the kitchen, she met the amused expression of her older brother Ron.  He and Hermione were now in the midst of a game of Exploding Snap with the twins, who looked up and winked at her simultaneously before returning to their hand.  "That's the longest it's ever taken you to get changed Gin," Ron said.  He got up and passed her as Ginny scowled.  "Must use the loo. Be back in a tick."

        "Well I took a shower too," she called after him, sitting down in his vacated seat.  She was all too aware that her oldest pair of jeans and a red t-shirt wouldn't convince anyone of an hour long decision. 

        "Trying to look nice for Harry when he comes back eh?" George teased, receiving a sharp blow on the head from his younger sister as a result.

        "Oh stop with that," Hermione said wearily, putting down her cards temporarily.  "You know she's over him and onto Michael!"

        "Yes thank you Hermione," Ginny said, glaring at her older brothers.

        "We know, we know…" Fred chuckled as he shuffled his Snap cards idly.  "Tall bloke, brown hair, ego out to here?" He puffed up his cheeks and held his hands out as far as they could go.  Ginny sighed in mock exasperation as her brothers cracked up in laughter.

        "You'd better be taking the mickey," she said playfully as she grabbed Ron's Snap cards. 

        The twins grinned happily as she did so; Ginny was a much better card opponent than Ron, chess champion or not.  She was grateful that at least they still believed in her.  The twins were quickly becoming her favorite brothers, although to be fair, they had an advantage over the ever absent Bill. 

        A few rounds of Snap, the return of Ron and peals of laughter later, there came a soft knock on the front door.  Ginny's stomach did flip flops as Ron and Hermione stood up so fast they almost knocked the table over.  Fred and George looked at each other apprehensively and then at the door as Sirius came charging out of the dining room, looking frazzled. 

        "Who is it? What's going on?" he said hurriedly, absently picking up a chair he had knocked over. Ginny could see the family resemblance between him and Tonks at this. 

        "I think Arthur's back," Mrs. Weasley breathed anxiously, twisting her towel around her hand.  "I'll just go get it shall I?"  She ran off to the hallway with Sirius at her heels.  Ginny looked at her twin brothers over her hand of cards; if Harry got expelled, she knew there would be an abundance of large canaries in the Ministry the next morning. 

        Harry came into view, looking slightly shell-shocked.  Mr. Weasley stood behind him with his hand on his shoulder, and Mrs. Weasley was looking over.  Sirius came striding into the kitchen, a small smile on his face.  Ginny echoed it as she realized that it must be good news…

        "Cleared," Harry said weakly, sitting down in a chair.  Hermione sighed with relief and held a hand to her eyes as Ron whooped.  Ginny smiled happily and the twins threw their cards on the table and went to go shake Harry's hand ecstatically.

        "We need our Seeker don't we?"

        "Good job outwitting the fat cats."

        Suddenly, George grabbed Ginny by the hand and started doing some sort of a song and dance: "He got off, he got off, he got off, he got off, he got off…"

        Ginny squealed as Fred snatched her other hand and within instants they had her in a circle, chanting maniacally. 

        My brothers are mad, she thought fondly…but before she knew it, she was chanting along with them.  They didn't stop until Mrs. Weasley finally had enough and bellowed, "SHUT UP!!!"

--

        There was a much more relaxed, happy atmosphere in the house after Harry was cleared.  Although Ginny was grateful for the change, she still couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts; it was nothing short of awful being stuck in the same dingy house with the same people for months on end.  Hogwarts was a castle on vast grounds, the exact opposite of the Order of the Phoenix headquarters.  Ginny couldn't wait to just let herself go and run all over the grass, maybe even fly over it…

        Flying lessons had stopped in her second year.  She knew it was just to give them a taste of what it was like, but she found herself craving the air whipping against her hair as she flew.  When she was little, she would take out a broom and fly it every day after her brothers had gone in for supper.  They never knew, and that kind of made it one of Ginny's secrets from her brothers; she didn't have many of those.  By watching them practice, she picked up how to play Quidditch.  Her favorite position had to be Chaser, although Seeker looked like a lot of fun.  The only person she had ever told of these things was Hermione.

        Ginny lay stomach first on her bed, picking at the lint on the covers and thinking longingly of fresh air.  Her thoughts were interrupted by a large owl carrying two thick envelopes in his beak.  Ginny jumped up in alarm as it flew next to her and hooted, dropping its cargo.  She stroked its head and picked up an envelope: Miss Hermione Granger, 12 Grimmauld Place, The Bedroom with Miss Weasley, London. Squealing in delight she picked up the other one; the book lists were here!

        Excitedly she turned it over and grinned happily at the address: Miss Virginia Weasley, 12 Grimmauld Place, The Bedroom Next to the Bathroom, London.   "Well that's poetic," she murmured, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling. 

        Hermione burst into the room.  "I just saw a Hogwarts owl- is there one for me?" Ginny nodded and handed it to her, slipping her own list out of its pouch.  She walked to the door as Hermione ripped it open enthusiastically and yelled, "Mum the lists are here!"

        "Very good dear!" came the faint reply, and Ginny stuck her head back in. 

        "That takes care of that," she said to Hermione, but Hermione didn't hear her for shrieking.

        "Oh my gosh!  Look!  Look what came with mine!!" she squealed, jumping up and down on her bed in excitement.  Ginny had never seen Hermione like this, so she cautiously walked over to see what had her so lively.

        In Hermione's hand lay a little pin that Ginny recognized from the days when Bill, Percy and Charlie had worn it: it was small, red and gold with the letter 'P' on it.  She couldn't say she was surprised though, seeing as Hermione was the most brilliant mind in their house, and also someone who abided by the rules…for the most part anyway.

        "Congratulations!" she said, giving her friend a hug.  Hermione returned it, looking at her pin happily.

        "Mum and Dad will be so pleased," she said ecstatically, bouncing off the bed.  "I have to go see Harry and Ron; if I got one then I'm almost positive Harry got the other." 

        Ginny laughed.  "You're probably right- who would make Ron a prefect?"

--

         It was an embarrassed Ginny who entered the dining room that evening.  Draped on the rafters was a huge scarlet banner her mum had made, reading 'CONGRATULATIONS RON AND HERMIONE- NEW PREFECTS'.  Hermione, who came in behind her and the twins, was looking slightly guilty but glowing at the decorations.  Ginny knew that she had worked for something like this ever since she had received her first Hogwarts letter. 

        "I thought we'd have a little party, not a sit-down dinner," Mrs. Weasley told her, Hermione, the twins, Ron and Harry as they walked in.  "Your father and Bill are on their way Ron, I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled!" Ginny heard George snort next to her, but she was happy about this; Bill was coming!

        She spotted Tonks sitting on a chair on the other side of the room and happily walked to her, Hermione behind her.  It was an unlikely friendship, Hermione and Tonks, but the two seemed to get along very well.  "Hallo," Ginny said, coming up to her.  Upon seeing her friend's new appearance she let out a laugh and gave her the thumbs up.  Tonks' hair was red and down to her waist, and to the casual observer it would appear that she was Ginny's older sister. 

        "Hi Ginny," she replied, waving.  "So you like the look eh?" Ginny laughed and nodded.  Tonks' gaze moved to Hermione, who was standing behind Ginny looking around the room.  "Congratulations Hermione!" Hermione jumped and beamed.

        "Thank you very much Tonks," she said grinning happily. 

        Ginny suddenly heard Moody talking to her mother from behind her.  "Drawing room…desk in the corner?  Yeah I see it…yeah it's a Boggart…want me to go up and get rid of it Molly?"  Ginny's insides jumped as a flash of Boggart Tom went through her mind, but she shook it off.  It's a party, be happy for God's sakes! She was about to ask Hermione if she had seen the cake her mum had baked when her father cleared his throat loudly. 

        "Well I think a toast is in order," he said, looking over at Ron and then to Hermione proudly.  Ginny and Tonks scrambled for a goblet of pumpkin juice as the rest raised their own into the air.  "To Ron and Hermione, the new Gryffindor prefects!"  Next to her, Hermione was practically shining as everyone gulped down their drinks; Ginny chugged her goblet quickly and went to the table to get more.  Tonks and Hermione followed.  They got in the forming queue behind Harry as Tonks chattered happily.

        "I was never a prefect myself.  My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities," she said cheerfully as she reached for the salad tongs. 

        "Like what?" Ginny asked curiously, whose arm snaked across Tonks' to get to the baked potatoes.  She saw Harry out of the corner of her eye next to Sirius, both of whom were listening to their conversation.  She turned to Tonks for the reply.

        "Like the ability to behave myself," Tonks said simply, grinning.  Ginny laughed as Hermione stifled her own laughter; the result was her choking on her Butterbeer.  Patting Hermione quite hard on the back, Ginny shifted her concentration to Sirius, who was debating between boiled or mashed potatoes.

        "What about you Sirius?" she asked as Hermione continued coughing.

        "No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time in detention with James.  Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge," Sirius said, grinning fondly at these memories. 

        "I think Dumbledore might have hoped I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," Lupin's somber voice added from behind Sirius; Ginny almost jumped from surprise.  "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally." Ginny grinned.

        "Well they turned out all right didn't they?" she said, nodding her head towards Sirius. 

        He let out a bark of laughter.  "Me, all right? Yeah, I suppose if you count living in his demented mother's evil ridden house as a fugitive then yeah, I turned out fine."  His sarcasm was thick, and not even Ginny could ignore the undertone of bitterness that this statement coated.  Tonks cleared her throat.

        "Trout?"

--

        That night Ginny was way too excited for the next day's journey to Hogwarts that she couldn't bear to go to sleep.  Luckily for her, Hermione felt the same way.  Mrs. Weasley, Sirius, Lupin and Mad-Eye had left the party early for some secretive reason, and Ginny couldn't care less at the moment why.  She was going back to Hogwarts the next morning!! Hermione sat Indian style on her bed in flannel pyjamas, a book flipped open on her lap, but for once she wasn't reading it.  Ginny sat in a straddle split, stretching in what Hermione called 'unnatural twisty ways'. 

        "Can you believe we're going back?" she asked Hermione in an excited voice, bringing her hand to her right foot and grabbing it.  Hermione winced on her behalf before answering.

        "It seems like I just got off the train at King's Cross at the end of term," Hermione said, playing with the edges of the pages absently.  "I can't wait to see what Parvati and Lavender did over their summer…"

        Ginny raised an eyebrow.  From everything she had heard from Hermione about the 'Giggly Gossip Girls', she had no interest in any of their activities, let alone looked forward to hearing about them.  "Why?"

        "Because at the end of last year they thought I was sleeping, right, when in fact I was listening to them exchange idiotic views on the blokes at our school."  Hermione took a moment to scowl before continuing.  "Anyway, they made a bet: last one to…you know…with a guy would have to-"

        Ginny interrupted, disbelief etched all over her freckled face.  "Are you joking?  They made a bet placed on sex?"

        "No!" Hermione protested, flushing as Ginny started laughing.  "No shut up Ginny, come on!" Hermione's lips twitched as Ginny fell out of her split and proceeded to roll on the bed in hysterics.  One well aimed pillow soon brought Ginny out of her giggles. 

        "All right all right, I'm listening," Ginny said, getting up and hugging the pillow. 

        "Thank you.  As I was saying…" Hermione mock glared at Ginny, who merely stuck out her tongue cheekily before waiting for the story to be finished.  "…last one to make out with a guy would have to put their knickers in Colin Creevey's bed and then claim it as theirs in the morning."  Ginny gasped and then started laughing again and Hermione pursed her lips in disapproval.  The McGonagall-esque look soon was replaced with a look of grim satisfaction.  "I dearly want to know which one lost!" She looked at Ginny; that was all it took.  The two girls burst into raucous laughter at the imagery of Parvati or Lavender having to claim their underwear…from Colin Creevey. 

        "That's insane," Ginny gasped, clutching her sides.  "Practically Lovegood worthy!" Hermione's laughs subsided as a confused look came across her face.

        "What's 'Lovegood worthy'?" she asked curiously.  Ginny straightened up grinning.

        "Oh you haven't heard that expression?" she asked, tucking her legs under her.  Hermione shook her head.  "There's this girl in Ravenclaw, my year, and…well, she's completely insane.  Nice enough I guess, just nutty, you know?" Hermione shrugged, looking intrigued.

        "What's her name?"

        "Luna Lovegood. Most people call her Loony…" Ginny frowned at her own statement.  "Not exactly the nicest thing to do…I mean, she doesn't hurt anyone.  She'll just…well, believe anything if there's no proof of it. It's her trademark."  Hermione raised her eyebrows at this questioningly, so Ginny barreled on.  "She went around last year saying that Lupin was a Blast Ended Skrewt in disguise."

        "Ah."  Hermione bit her lip and then cleared her throat.  "What time is it?"

        Ginny looked at the clock on her nightstand.  "2:00 in the morning."  The two girls exchanged sheepish grins.  "Reckon we should get some sleep?"

        "I'll try," Hermione replied as she turned off the light.  "But I can't guarantee anything." 

--

        The next morning, Ginny leapt out of bed at nine, only a couple hours before the train left.  For once, she was up before the sleep deprived Hermione; a noteworthy feat indeed.  Her trunk, neatly packed by Hermione the previous evening, lay at the bottom of her bed peacefully.  She ran to it and sat on it happily, contemplating how to get it out in the hallway and down the stairs.  Fred and George had always helped her with her trunk, seeing as she wasn't the most muscular of girls. 

        With this in mind she sprang up from her perch on the trunk and hurtled into the hallway, muffled sounds of Hermione getting up growing fainter as she sprinted to find them.  Her excitement was mounting as she ran; she could practically smell the train smoke now…

        WHAM.  Ginny gasped, winded, as something hard and metallic rammed into her side.  The next thing she knew, she was falling head first down flights of stairs, bashing her elbows and feet into the hard, cold marble. 

        "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!" She couldn't stop the bloodcurdling scream from coming out of her lips as she landed at the bottom of the stairs, hunched up in a little pile.  Two pewter cauldrons landed next to her, revolving on their bases before they came to a stop. 

        "Oh Christ- are you all right?"  Ginny opened one eye slightly and winced as she looked up at her twin brothers, who were looking uncharacteristically anxious and apologetic.

        "Holy fuck," she swore violently, bringing herself up slowly.

        "I know, I know, we're sorry!" George said, grabbing her under one elbow as Fred took the other.  "We were just levitating our cauldrons and-"

        "TRAITOR BRATS INFESTING THIS HOUSE OF GREAT GLORY-" came the bellowing voice of Mrs. Black's portrait.  Ginny smirked slightly as their faces went slack.

        "Mum'll hear that," Fred whispered hoarsely, trying to drag Ginny along to a seat faster now.  George cooperated by practically sprinting with his half of her as Fred panted to keep up. 

        "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!?" In unison, Fred, George and Ginny all looked up to see their mother's furious face, standing at the kitchen door with her hands on her hips.  Mrs. Weasley gasped and ran forward to Ginny, taking her from the twins.

        "Oh Merlin's beard, what happened?" she asked Ginny worriedly, looking at the bruises blossoming on her daughter's small frame.

        "Fell down the stairs," Ginny replied, grimacing at the pain in her ribs.  Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips in fury as she turned to her sons; they visually cowered as their mum looked from the cauldrons at the bottom of the staircase to their apprehensive faces.

        "YOU IDIOTS!! JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE OF AGE DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN USE MAGIC FOR EVERY SINGLE LITTLE THING!" Mrs. Weasley exploded, taking out her wand and waving it absently at Ginny, mending the bruises in seconds.  Ginny relaxed and sighed happily, sitting down on a bench as she watched her mum rant at the twins.  Bloody menaces, she thought grinning. 

        "We know Mum, we were just-"

        "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WERE DOING!  YOU COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOU IDIOTS-"

        "FILTHY HALF-BRREDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS-" Mrs. Black added to the din.

        "BECAUSE OF YOU WE MIGHT MISS THE TRAIN-" In the middle of her mum's rant, Ron came down the stairs looking confused.  Ginny waved him over to her.

        "Mum's gone mad I reckon," she muttered to him. 

        "Why do you say that?" Ron replied sarcastically.  Ginny punched him on the arm and laughed, picking up her bag that had appeared in the hallway (along with her trunk).   She grinned as she walked over to Lupin, who was comically holding a sign saying 'Frederick, George and Virginia Weasley'.

        "So you're our escort to King's Cross?" she asked him as Fred and George walked over, looking embarrassed.  

        "Yes," Lupin replied, putting away the sign with a grin.  "Arthur- your dad- will be taking Ron and Hermione, and Tonks and Mrs. Weasley will be with Harry." 

        "And we only get one escort?" Fred said with a mock hurt look on his face, recovering fast from his mum's explosion. 

        "Afraid so," Lupin said as he ushered them to the door.  "Alastor will bring your trunks, don't worry about them.  Is that your bag?" he asked Ginny, pointing to the small side bag she had slung over her shoulder and resting on her thigh.  She nodded.  "All right then- let's go."

        "What about-" Ginny began, but Lupin seemed to know what she was thinking. 

        "The others will catch up with us later," he said, opening the door and hurrying them outside. 

        Maybe it was just the fact that she hadn't been properly outside in weeks, but it was the most beautiful September 1st Ginny had ever seen.  As she looked at the perfect azure sky, Ginny knew she was truly going back…she had never been more grateful for school in her entire life.  She hated being holed up in that musty old house. 

        It took about twenty minutes to get to the station, and by the time they stepped through the platform everyone else was already there.  "Sorry we're a tad late," Lupin apologized, but Moody waved it away.

        "No trouble?" he asked.

        "Nothing," Lupin replied. 

        Moody looked around angrily.  "I'll still be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore.  That's the second time he's not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable as Mundungus," he growled, leaning on his cane. 

        "Cheers," Fred muttered under his breath sarcastically, heaving his trunk off of the cart.  Hermione, who had come to stand next to Ginny, gave him a reproachful look, but Ginny laughed.  Fred looked down at Ginny and sighed.  "Need a hand?"

        "Yes please," she said happily, kissing him on the cheek.

        "Ack, did you have to do that woman?" Fred asked in mock disgust, but winking at her nonetheless and hefting her trunk onto the floor. 

        "Well look after yourselves," Lupin said, shaking everyone's hand.  Ginny grinned at him as he did so; he was another one of her new uncles, the sensible counterpart to Sirius.  Everyone seemed to be looking at Harry for some reason, and when Lupin reached him he gave him an extra thump on the shoulder. 

        "Yeah, keep your head down and your eyes peeled," Moody warned, shaking Harry's hand also.  "And don't forget, all of you- careful what you put in writing.  If in doubt, don't put it in a letter at all." 

        "It's been great meeting all of you," Tonks said, suddenly bringing Ginny and Hermione into a bone crushing hug.  "We'll see you soon I expect."  Ginny returned the hug, and to her horror felt the prickle of tears behind her eyelids.  Any letters she sent to Tonks would seem suspicious, so they were to be very limited.  She didn't know when she'd see her new friend again.  

        "Bye," Ginny whispered into Tonks' pink hair, who grinned and let her go.  Mrs. Weasley grabbed her randomly and hugged her tightly, as her Dad gave her a sort of sad little wave.  "Bye mum, dad," Ginny said as the whistle sounded.  She flashed her best smile at them both before dragging her trunk onto the train.  Ron, Hermione and Harry followed her into a random compartment, waving madly out of the window. 

        "See you at Christmas!" Ginny and Ron called, waving and bumping each other in their haste to hang out an open window.  Ginny saw Sirius in his dog form bouncing about madly next to the train and had to laugh at his crazy antics.

        Another minute and they were on their way.

--

A/N: I know, I said they'd be in school this chapter but there was so much I wanted in this one! I wrote the next one while I was grounded (the school ones are going to be GREAT, they're so much fun), and it'll be posted in a day.  Flesh it out a little, you know.  :D yes, I'm so cruel. Anyway, please click the little link, it's not a lot of trouble and these reviews make my day!  You want to make someone happy don't you?