A/N: I am aware that this plot has been done over and over again, but I hope to throw a little spin on it and keep someone interested long enough to determine that it's just not one of those time travel fics and they might actually want to read it. That's what I'm hoping people will think anyway. I started out with a pretty generic version, but I like to think it's improved. Order of the Phoenix spoilers, go out and get yourself a copy! Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize? Good, it's not mine.
Let me explain my time logic. Okay, so Harry Potter was supposed to have his first year of Hogwarts in 1996, right? And all this ultimately means that Harry would have graduated this year an interesting note.
That would make his birth year: 1985.
Assuming his parents had him at 27, their birth year is: 1958
Their Hogwarts term would have therefore been: 1969 – 1976
And explaining the Weasley kids age…
Assuming Bill was 25 when Harry and Ron were 14, there is an 11 year difference.
Which means Bill would have graduated in: 1985, Harry and Ron's birth year
In turn he would have started in: 1978, two years after Harry's parents graduated.
So, in their fifth year, 1974, Bill would have been: 7 years old.
Making Charlie, four years younger in my book, : 3 years old
(you're enjoying this, aren't you?)
Percy, who won't make an appearance as of yet would then be 3 years apart from Charlie, the twins would be 2 years from Percy and Ron two years from the twins and Ginny a year from Ron and whopping 12 years from Bill
That is my, somewhat fuzzy, math.
When the Tables are Turned.
Light came through the lace curtains and streamed onto Ginny Weasley's pillow and head. She sat up and stretched her arms over her head. She had the whole house to herself today, except for Harry. But she didn't mind that, they always found something to do. On the couch, on the counter, on her bed, in the garden, cut that, never in the garden. Anyway, she was safe for another for few hours, from his horndog tendencies, he and Ron had been out late last night. She was safe to make pancakes, and make noise.
"The talk of the town! Du nuh du nuh, Mr. Tangerine Speedo! You're all over town du nuh du nuh Mr. Tangerine LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!" She sang loudly collecting ingredients and dumping them into a bowl. Harry poked his head into the room. He squinted at her, he didn't have on his glasses. Only pajama pants. She shimmied over to plant a kiss on his lips, he returned it blearily. She went back to her mixing bowl. "Women can't resist a man who looks good in a speedo." She waved to him and cracked eggs into her bowl. "PLEASE GIVE ME A TOW-" She stopped singing as Harry turned off the radio and headed back upstairs.
"Be quiet," were his parting words. She followed him grumpily.
"What's your problem?"
"Tired." He grumbled. "I want to sleep, honey." He whined, scratching the back of his neck.
"Where did you and Ron go last night?" She sped up so she was walking alongside him. He glared at her for a moment.
"None of your damn business." He muttered, instantly regretting it as she leapt in front of him and pressed her arms against either side of the hallway to bar his way. He stared and stopped.
"Now listen here Harry Potter! If you have a reason for turning off my music either than a hangover I'd be glad to hear it! Otherwise stay upstairs and put a pillow over your head! If it doesn't block out the sound then you can use it to smother yourself and do us all a favor." She bellowed then knocked past him and went back downstairs, stormily turning the radio back up and finishing breakfast. Harry came back down showered and dressed. She crashed a plate in front of him and he winced.
"I'm sorry, Ginny." He muttered. "These are very good."
"I'll bet they are." She snapped. "You know, you have no reason to act like such a prat and –"
"I wasn't acting like a prat." He defended weakly.
"Could've fooled me." Harry winced again. He chose to remain quiet. Ginny finished her pancakes first and picked up the newspaper, crossing to the living room to curl up and read it. Harry joined her a few minutes later.
"You're so damn loud in the morning." He accused. She considered him testily for a moment and then smiled. He gave a tentative smile back.
"There's nothing interesting in the newspaper! Thank Merlin!" She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into the armchair with her. "I'm not a morning person!" She whooped. "Let's shag!"
"Ginny, I'm as thrilled as you are that there's nothing in the Prophet, and I support your decision to shag. However, Ron and Hermione were going to stop by here for lunch and seeing how's you're not a morning person, even though I heard you get up around noon, I think we should wait an hour or two."
"And run the risk of being caught by my parents? No way! Ron will recover." Ginny stared at Harry a moment before starting in on him again.
"Just a few hours," Harry coaxed.
"Okay! Absolutely! I agree!" She wasn't acting like it. There was polite coughing from the entranceway. The couple looked up, startled, as three people crossed the threshold and went to greet them. Ron, Hermione and Oliver Wood. Ginny beamed and met Oliver with her hand outstretched in greeting. She was only too aware that she was still in her pajamas, robe and all important, fluffy slippers.
"I saw him down in Diagon Alley, shopping all on his own, and asked him here for lunch." Hermione explained, looking slightly apologetic and mostly embarrassed.
"Harry and I have just had breakfast…" Ginny began.
"Obviously, and we could tell you were preparing for lunch." Was Hermione's dry response.
"We just had breakfast, but I could whip something up for lunch." Ginny wrinkled her nose at Hermione, who wrinkled her nose back. Hermione made the noise and motion of a whip cracking. Ron was laughing, thrilled at the fact that Ginny and Harry were finally together. Teenage pregnancy? Who cares, it's Harry Potter! Ginny blushed at her own thoughts and excused herself.
"I'll help you out." Oliver offered eagerly. "I'm not a bad cook." Harry bit his lip, but Hermione whispered something to him and he was sated. The door swung close behind them in the kitchen, Ginny heard talking and laughter from the other room.
"Thank you so much…" She grabbed his elbow confidentially and leaned to whisper in his ear. "Most of these guys couldn't make that the statement, 'I am not a bad cook', under the strongest truth potion out there." He chuckled, she kept a firm hold on his elbow, slightly hoping that Harry would come in. He had been so grumpy, this morning.
"So over there's the oven."
"Yes, let's just see if we can't whip something together." Oliver gulped. Ginny knew that she wasn't extraordinarily attractive, but she could get what she wanted.
"Right then, I'll just move this table and give us some more room." He raised his wand and performed a simple spell. Unexpectedly a bright, blue light flared up. Ginny clung to Oliver's arm tighter, not knowing that years later she would spend hours reflecting on the simple motion that would have taken her away from his arm and completely changed her life. She lowered her arm that she was unaware she had raised against the blue glow. "That was unexpected." Oliver said and then let out an angry yell. "And look, the damn table didn't even move!" Ginny looked around at their surroundings.
"Oliver, you're wrong. I don't know how you did it, but we're like a mile away from my house. Levitate the bloody table, never mind! Let me do it and we'll head back up." They had a laugh as they started out.
"I swear, I do that spell almost everyday and that's never happened before." Oliver snorted. Ginny cackled. "Honest." He protested, unable to hold a straight face. They caught up all the way back. Finally, the Burrow was in sight. Ginny squinted, something was different. Oliver hadn't noticed and they continued back up to the house. As they got closer, something rocketed out of the screen door, yelling triumphantly. Before the screen door could slam shut, an impressively pregnant Molly Weasley ran out, equally fast. Ginny grabbed Oliver's arm and he hung back, looking confused. Ginny jumped the screen door slammed closed, Molly noticed them and gave a little wave, looking a moment too long at Ginny's pajamas. Ginny blushed and pulled her robe closed.
"I'll be with you dears in a second!" She said through gritted teeth. "William Wallace Weasley! I'll wallop you with my broom! Come back here this instant with that wand!" There was maniacal laughter from the trees bordering the Burrow and the sound of some sort of explosion, suddenly hysterical crying echoed through the air. They ran to the group of trees, Molly was picking up her wand, with some difficulty, and smiled at them. She casually walked away, apparently deaf to the crying.
"Where did he go?" Ginny asked, it seemed that her favorite brother was gone.
"Oh, don't worry, dear." Molly brushed off her ratty maternity robes. She surveyed Ginny's pajamas. "That's the fifth time this week he's turned himself invisible. He'll be back home." She followed them back to the table. She looked just as confused as they did. "You've brought a… table?" She seemed to be searching for a better word. "Is it for us?" She scratched her head.
"Yeah, yeah we did." Oliver said quickly. Ginny elbowed him in side.
"Really, that's excellent! Bill's just blown ours up!" Two ears came up beside Molly, they turned red. Molly noticed them and tapped her foot, as if expecting something. "Is there something you want to say?" She admonished sternly.
"Sorry, Mum." She grabbed one of the ears and pulled it along to the house.
"Come in, come in! Bring the table." Ginny hung back for a moment, watching them head for the house. "Come on!" Molly said, somewhat impatiently. Oliver spurred into motion and levitated the table, grabbing Ginny's hand and pulling her towards the house.
"I don't understand." She whispered to Oliver. He shook his head.
"I don't either, but it looks like we'll just have to play along until we do understand."
"Oliver… Oliver I think we've gone back in time." He rolled his eyes.
"Oh, well spotted." He muttered. She scowled at him. He sheepishly ran a hand through his brown curls. "Sorry, I just thought that was kind of obvious." He said.
"We have to get to Hogwarts." Ginny said desperately.
"Let's just orient ourselves, and then we'll figure things out." Oliver snapped, putting the table at an odd angle and willing it through the door. Molly directed him where to put it down.
"Um, Mu-" Oliver elbowed her in the ribs. "-a'am. Would you mind terribly telling us, what day it is?" Ginny said shakily.
"I believe it's the 25th." Molly said cheerily. When she saw them waiting she whispered, "Of June?" As if ashamed they didn't know. A chubby toddler knocked into Ginny's knees, and she looked down, dazed. A small freckled boy stuck his arms in her face.
"I want to hold you." He whispered. Ginny had the distinct impression that it was like he was asking her to go to bed with him. She looked up at Molly, looking absolutely horrified.
"He wants you to pick him up." Molly sounded exasperated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Ginny gingerly picked him up and looked at Molly for approval. The little boy toyed with her hair lovingly. Molly beamed.
"He's such a little lady-killer. Our Charlie." Ginny almost dropped the boy. He laughed, as if it were a game. Naturally, this was Charlie, she should have thought of it before. He showed her a purple cup he was holding.
"This is my cup." He delivered it flawlessly as a pick-up line.
"Oh." She steadied herself. Her near infant older brother was hitting on her by telling her about his personal dishware. It was a little surreal. Bill came downstairs, looking complete except for his knees, hair and nose. "Hello, little chap, how old are you?" He showed her with twitching fingers, "Uh…" Ginny looked at Molly hopelessly confused.
"He's seven. This many, Bill!" Molly showed him with her own hands. "He gets a little odd after performing spells on himself. I'm starting to think it'll be part of his system forever. He gets hold of my wand at least ten times every damn day."
"Mum, you aren't supposed to say damn in front of us!" Bill tugged at his Mother's dress.
"William!" Molly looked horrorstruck. "Where do you learn these words? Those are naughty words! NAUGHTY WORDS!" She roared. Bill looked terrified and windswept.
"Well. We'll just be going now." Oliver pulled at Ginny, who set down Charlie.
"Oh, thank you for the table. I don't know why exactly-" She said quite frankly.
"Oh well…" Oliver seemed at a loss for words. Ginny and he started for the door. Ginny patted herself quickly down, trying to gain her composure. They started down the steps.
"Hold on a second. I don't have my wand." Ginny turned back. Something darted past them.
"WILLIAM WALLACE WEASLEY!"
* * *
"I pity your mother, I swear I do. Having kids like that all the time. Seven of them." Oliver threw his hands up in the air. They were sharing an ice cream in Ottery St. Catchpole. It was lucky Oliver was carrying around Muggle money. They only had enough for a few meals, not enough to get Ginny new clothes. She was getting odd stares.
"She never had seven living under the roof at one time." Ginny explained. "By the time I was born, Bill was in school full time. I've been trying to work that out and everything. He's seven now, so what year would it be?"
"What year did he start Hogwarts?" Oliver asked. Ginny shrugged. "What year was he in when you were born?"
"2ND." Ginny answered definitely. She was catching on… "and I was born in 86' so…"
"86 minus 12." Oliver fiddled with the spoon of the ice cream. "It's 1974."
"I figured it was the 70's. Have you seen some of these clothes?" Ginny snorted. She sighed. "The sun's going down on our first day in the past."
"That was poetic." Oliver watched her. Ginny ignored him.
"So, I figure we should catch the Knight Bus eventually. Do you have the fare? I don't have any money." She gestured at her clothing. "Obviously. I guess I'm lucky I wasn't wearing the pj's Harry likes."
She shuddered and Oliver laughed.
"I bet I have the fare." He said finally, wiping his eyes. Ginny nodded. "Where are we headed? The Knight Bus doesn't go to Hogsmeade."
"Maybe it does in this time." Oliver stared at her incredulously. "But if it doesn't, we'll head for Diagon Alley. We can figure out what to do once we're in a better place.
"Okay." He finished up the ice cream. A group of teenagers passed by them and laughed at Ginny's pajamas.
"Christ Almighty. Look at those pants." Ginny seemed in disgusted awe. "Where do you get spray paint that color? I'm so glad I missed this decade." Oliver helped her up. It got steadily darker and finally, looking around carefully they lit their wands and summoned the Knight Bus. It arrived with a bang. A man in his late 20's stepped onto the curb and smiled at them.
"Me name's Ernie Prang. Welcome to the Knight Bus. What're you wearing ,girl?" He stared at Ginny, who edged behind Oliver.
"How much to go to Hogsmeade?" Oliver asked. Ernie squinted at him.
"Don't go to Hogsmeade, too many charms around it."
"London then, how much to London?" Ernie checked a chart.
"Sorry, new at this job." He looked back up at them. "Eleven sickles to London. For thirteen you can have hot chocolate. Fifteen for a toothbrush and hot water bottle, and a Galleon for the lot."
"Two of the lot." Oliver handed him two galleons. Ernie let them on and escorted them to the beds right next to the driver, a young, bubbly woman with wild blonde curls and bright pink robes. Ginny elbowed Oliver when she caught him staring. He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.
"Hi there! I'm Allegory Robbins, but you can call me Buttons!" She giggled and swung the wheel wildly, causing an entire house to jump out of their way. Oliver's expression turned abruptly somber and he sat down on the bed.
"Hi Buttons." Ginny said cheerily, accepting her hot chocolate, toothbrush and water bottle. She hung her robe up on a peg and climbed into the bed, pressing her feet comfortably into the warm water bottle and sipping down her hot chocolate quickly. She handed the cup to an eager Ernie Prang and curled up, toothbrush in fist, and finally fell to sleep.
She woke up a bit later with Oliver rubbing her back and shaking her. "Hmmm?" She sat up shakily. The bed seemed to have moved a foot or two. Oliver looked positively green. He handed her her slippers and robe and gestured for them to get out. "Are we at the Leaky Cauldron?" She asked, stretching her arms above her head. He nodded and she pulled on her robe and slipped on her slippers. She grabbed the hot water bottle and checked her new toothbrush and old wand. They got out and the Knight Bus disappeared with a bang. Oliver disposed of the ice cream they had in a flowerpot. Ginny winced and rubbed his back. "Poor Oliver, come on."
"We were the last stop on the list. They even let the people that come on after us get off before us. It's nearly dawn. I hate them… and I hate Buttons. I hate her."
"You didn't seem to mind her before." Ginny said sweetly, Oliver shot her a death glare. The bell rang lightly in the Leaky Cauldron. Embers were mildly flaring in the fireplace. Tom, whom she recognized, entered in a nightshirt and cap. He smiled at them. Ginny counted six teeth.
"Hello. Can I get something for you?" He continued to grin, though it began to slip as he looked over Ginny's clothes.
"Please sir, we don't have any money. Unless you're taking Muggle money?" Oliver said desperately. Ginny looked at Oliver, alarmed, what did he mean they didn't have any money? Tom shook his head.
"I don't take pounds, young master." He said gravely.
"Do you have a back room where we could kip for the night?" Oliver flushed. "I wouldn't ask sir, except, we have no where to go. We need to contact Albus Dumbledore."
"Albus Dumbledore? Won't be able to speak to him until the Hogwarts term." Ginny and Oliver looked at each other, faces crumpling. Whatever were they going to do.
"Why not? If you don't mind me asking?" Ginny piped up, trying not to cry.
"I certainly don't. He's at that Wizengamot trial for the wizard Grindelwald, who finally is scheduled for an appeal. Dumbledore was the one to defeat him." Tom said with pride, as though he had done it himself. "They've got a gag order and all the council's got a check on their mail. Ain't nobody but the Mistress of Magic allowed to write to them now. You'll have to wait for the next term. Are you Hogwarts students?" He squinted at them.
"Yes." Ginny said at the same time that Oliver said they weren't. "I am, he isn't." She said when he looked at them suspiciously. "Anyway, we're very tired. Is there anyway-?" She looked at the old man, pleading with him silently. He frowned for a moment and then broke into another grin.
"Sure you can! And I wouldn't put you in no backroom. Come on up. I've only got one available room, is that alright?" He looked between the two of them before continuing without letting them answer. "You look like you're starving, the both of you. Have you had anything to eat today?" Both shook their heads. "Well, bless my soul, you'll have to eat before anything." He warmed up a thick, hearty stew for them. Ginny gratefully gulped down the chunks of carrot, beef and potato. It all seemed to melt in their mouths. When they were finally in their room, they quickly prepared for bed and fell in together, not caring that one was next to the other, completely exhausted.
* * *
"Hey Wesley! How long does it take to get a couple bloody butterbeers?" Ginny gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes at Tom who uncapped the bottles and set them on her tray. He smiled at her.
"Don't worry about them." He whispered and pinched her cheek. She beamed and carried over the four butterbeers setting them in front of the four boys who came in everyday. And she was never happy to see them. Potter, Lupin, Black and Pettigrew. The Marauders.
Her and Oliver were posing as The Wesleys, a couple struggling to stay together and make ends meet. They had taken a more permanent residence in a small flat in Diagon Alley. Oliver had gotten a job in the Ministry of Magic and Ginny worked at the Leaky Cauldron for Tom. He was stubborn at first, he had never hired help before, but when she saved him from a rampaging customer he reconsidered. Her and Oliver ate over here everyday, they played with the grandchildren and waited until they could catch the Hogwarts Express ,September 1st , to Hogwarts and get the whole mess sorted out. Ginny found herself enjoying the 70s in spite of herself. The clothes were atrocious, sure, but she was getting used to them, and it seemed that robes hadn't changed extraordinarily, so the wizarding world was much the same. Fashion wise, at least. Ginny sighed and wished for her family, for hundredth time that week. She had been working for almost a month and had another month to go. When she went back to her family, at least she would have lots of money. Tom refused to charge them for anything and had even bought Ginny all her robes. He wouldn't take pay, only insisting that she never wear her pajamas in public ever again. She gladly complied.
"Hey Wesley!" Ginny shook out of her reverie and set down the butterbeers in front of each boy. "Won't you join us, for one?" Sirius pulled at her robes and gestured to the seat. She was tempted, he was one of the best looking boys she had ever known, but she shook her head.
"Come on, Wesley." James moaned, pulling at her from the other side. "When are you going to go on a date with me?"
"I don't date children." She whispered furiously and pulled her robes away from them. A woman was pulling at them from another angle so she turned around and bent over to take the faintly talking women's order. "Ma'am," she whispered, "We don't serve chilled blood here."
"I'll have it warm, then." The woman whispered in an even quieter voice. Ginny jumped up abruptly. She had just felt a hand on her ass. She turned around quickly, Sirius and James were pointing at one another then laughed and pointed at a blushing Remus.
"I didn't, honest." He stuttered. Tom came behind her.
"I won't have you harassing my wait staff, Potter." He said furiously. Ginny blushed, Potter wasn't anything to shake a stick at either.
"Sorry, Tom." Was the mumbled response. Tom broke out in a grin and pushed down the bill of Potter's cap.
"Don't let it happen, again." He failed to sound stern. "Can't say I blame you though." He pinched Ginny on the cheek, the one on her face.
"Honestly, Tom." She blushed, she didn't mind his teasing. "This woman wants to order blood." She whispered, pointing at the woman who was pulling at her robes again.
"Mary!" Tom shouted. "I've told you again and again, no blood!" He roared. "How about some tomato juice, or a bloody Mary?"
"Con cerveza, me amigo." She shouted back at him.
"Make her Bloody Mary with beer, will you?" Tom ushered her away. Ginny served it to the woman who smiled at her with shiny, black teeth. The Marauders persuaded her to join them for a butterbeer. Tom waved her down in the seat. She took a long pull off the butterbeer and shook her head like she had just taken a shot of hard liquor. They stared at her.
"Don't ask." She said. "So you guys are heading back to Hogwarts in September?"
"Yeah, but we don't want to talk about that. We want to talk about you."
Peter said adoringly. She smiled in spite of herself. Peter really seemed like a sweet guy. Too bad she knew he wasn't. "We'll be in fifth year." He blushed as if he had said something really revealing. She was two years older than them.
"Will you be going to Hogwarts?" Remus wanted to know. Ginny shook her head.
"I don't think so, mate." She fiddled with the label of her butterbeer.
"Then why are you and Oliver going to be riding the Hogwarts Express?" Sirius asked. Ginny
brushed his hand away from her knee.
"Who told you we were riding the Hogwarts express?" She said squeakily.
"Tom." James said, "Ginny will you ride with me?"
"No James." She made to stand and was pulled back into place by eight separate fists.
"Yeah, Prongs, she wants to ride with me, and me alone." Sirius wrapped his arm around Ginny's shoulders and puffed out his chest.
"Yeah right, Padfoot!" Remus punched him in the arm. "She wants the sweet, strong, silent type."
"No way, Moony!" Peter punched Remus in turn. "She wants the cute one."
"Then she wouldn't pick you, Wormtail!" Remus shot back.
"You guys have such odd nicknames." Ginny said thoughtfully, knowing why and enjoy their faces as they realized their mistake.
"Uh-oh guys, it's the hubby." Sirius whispered. Ginny felt a hand lay across her shoulder and give a squeeze. She looked up into the stormy eyes of Oliver. Sirius pulled his arm away and coughed.
"See you guys later." She was pulled up by her arm and picked their butterbeers up and set them down on the counter. Oliver pulled her into the corner.
"I thought I said I didn't want you hanging with that lot."
"They really are sweet guys, Oliver, if you only…" She broke off as he scowled. "You know I wouldn't cheat on you. Remember, we're married." She and Oliver had gotten together shortly after they had arrived. He got extremely jealous, a trait she hated in men. They hadn't gotten married… yet.
"You were acting like you were going to cheat on Potter that day, the day we arrived." Oliver shot back at her, scowling furiously.
"Don't you bring Harry into this…" As much as she loved Oliver, being apart from Harry was rough. She had, after all, been madly in love with him from the first.
"I'LL BRING POTTER INTO IT IF I WANT TO." He roared. Ginny glanced over at the Marauders, James met her eyes before quickly bringing them back to stare at his butterbeer. Sirius seemed to be cracking up. Oliver pulled her face back to look at him. "THAT'S NOT HARRY POTTER! DON'T CONFUSE ONE WITH THE OTHER!" Her chin trembled and she pulled away from him, ripping off her apron and throwing it in his face.
"I'm not! You're the only one who seems to be confused." She whispered furiously. She ran sobbing into the back alley, leaning against the trash can around the entrance and sobbing furiously. A hand patted her gently on the cheek and offered her a lacy handkerchief. She wiped her eyes and looked up to see the woman who had order chilled blood.
"There, there." She croaked. "Men are awful creatures." She clucked her purple, forked tongue. "My name's Mary Caldwell by the way, I'm a professor at Hogwarts. Defense Against Dark Arts." Ginny nodded, strangely comforted by this otherworldly sort of woman. "I'm her with my niece, Abigail."
"It's Pita, Aunt Mary." Ginny looked up to see the most beautiful girl she had ever seen in her entire life appear from the shadows. She had her nose pierced, Ginny instantly wanted one of the same. She wore Muggle clothes, tight fitting jeans and a tiny cashmere sweater, but ones seemingly from Ginny's time. She had waist-length blue hair tied in French-braided pigtails. "Stands for pain in the ass." She informed Ginny haughtily.
"Pita's an auror." Mary Caldwell said matter – of – factly.
"Auntie, they don't have those yet." Pita said through gritted teeth, rolling her eyes. She pulled out her wand, Ginny suspected to perform a memory charm. She wiped her eyes and sniffed loudly.
"I know what an Auror is." She said urgently. "Are you… are you from the future?" She whispered, blinking rapidly to keep tears of happiness from her eyes. Pita and Mary exchanged horrified looks. Pita leaned forward with her wand.
Ginny stumbled into the pub, taking her apron from a confused Oliver, who stumbled out of the pub. She smiled blearily at Tom and poured herself a shot of Firewhisky, taking it quickly and shaking her head. The effect was almost instantaneous, she sagged to the floor and giggled into her apron "What's wrong with ya, Ginny? I saw Oliver yelling at you and saw you leave, but you know you can't take alcohol." Tom sounded more exasperated with Oliver than her. She blinked at him and snorted.
"Oliver, yelling at me. Honestly, Tom, where do you come up with these things?" She laughed a little too hard and pulled herself to her feet. "Hey look, the Marauders!" She yelled and waved. They waved back, looking confused. Tom finally understood.
"Alright, goddammit! Whose performed a memory charm on my serving girl?" She disappeared under the counter again. Tom heaved a sigh and, finding no guilty party, went to set Ginny up in cot in the back.
* * *
Ginny woke up with a splitting headache, and she didn't recognize her surroundings at first. Then she recognized the back room of the Leaky Cauldron and groaned. What had happened? Things came back in bits and pieces. She took a swill of Tom's Hangover Concoction. She blinked her eyes as everything came back into focus. She heard voices from the front, she started to swing the door open, but stopped. "She's a nice enough girl, dodgy husband, though. Yells at her like he shouldn't." She recognized Tom's voice and another one she recognized that sent her heart soaring answered.
"And you say she said what when she was talking in her sleep?" Albus Dumbledore whispered.
"Started talking about you and getting to the future. I don't know whether it's true or not, even though she asks if she can contact you about every damn day. I'm sending her and her husband on the Hogwarts Express, you can speak to them when they arrive. She's in the back now, can't take alcohol for damn, but as soon as she'd had that memory charm she went in and threw one back. I usually try to cut her off after a few butterbeers." Tom chuckled.
"Alright, thank you, Tom." There was a pop and Ginny pushed the door open.
"You could have called me, you know." She said grumpily, coming to sit next to him. He looked up at her startled.
"I thought you'd have been down for the rest of the night. You're an odd girl, taking Ogden's like that." Tom shook his head. "Don't become a drunk now."
"It helps you to remember things after you've had a memory charm. I learned it when I was a kid and I kept walking in on Mommy and Daddy time." She winced. "I suppose I was sort of a drunk back then. I didn't really want to remember, but it was like instinct or something. I remember a little bit. I remember that woman who ordered the blood and someone else, who was a pain in the ass. They were the one's that did it. I don't remember why. And I remember the Marauder's." She scratched her head and shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Now, how come you get to talk to Dumbledore when no one can?"
"It don't matter." He ruffled her hair at her disgusted look and handed her the week's pay. "Have yourself a good weekend." She smiled at him and scratched her head.
"I suppose I will." He sighed and watched her peacefully.
"You're becoming like a daughter to me, lass." She blushed.
"Tom…"
"No, I mean it. You'll come visit us, won't you?" She sighed, she would miss Tom when she got back to the future.
"Whenever I can." She whispered. He beamed again and gave her a little shove.
"Get home to that damn husband of yours." He smiled.
"Tom, I'm sorry I haven't been completely…" He waved away her explanation.
"I can see your heart, Ginny. It's never looked dishonest from here." He patted his own chest, and Ginny found herself running out before she burst into tears. She entered Diagon Alley and walked down the dark, deserted alley. What time was it, anyway? She squinted at her watch in the darkness, wishing she had a glowy thingy like Oliver. She barely had time to yelp as she was pulled deeper into the shadows by a strong pair of arms. She could hardly pant, let alone scream with an arm cutting off most of her air supply.
"Go on, give it all to us, lass." A hoarse voice whispered.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed my first installment. Happy Days! Read and Review please. Flames are welcomed if you are so inclined. If you love it tell me, if you hate it, let me know.
