Chapter 8 Taking It Out on Ginny

    "I have finished grading your last assignment! This one was particularly difficult, but many of you had made commendable efforts! " barked Alastor Moody, Professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts. "Please review my comments. And remember, CONSTANT VIGILANCE! Class dismissed!"

    There was a scramble as students grabbed their individual assignments (which had magically appeared on their desks) and tumbled out of the classroom.

    "Mr Malfoy, I want a word!" barked Professor Moody again. Draco stopped in his tracks and frowned. What did the old dingbat want with him this time?

    "Yes, Professor?" Draco asked with a wary politeness. He did not like Alastor Moody. He always felt that Alastor Moody could see right through him dabbling in the Dark Arts (even though he did it in the privacy of Malfoy Manor). Nevertheless, he was polite to him, and Professor Moody had always scored Draco well in his classes.

    "Your assignment" Professor Moody begin.

    "I hope I haven't done too badly?" Draco held up his parchment which had received ninety-eight out marks out of one hundred marks.

    "Your assignment" said Professor Moody again, "is excellent, as usual. You topped your class for this one, and also among your fellow students in my other class."

    "Why thank you, Professor"

    "However, this assignment will not count towards your grades...." Professor Moody's third eye was peering into Draco's cold grey ones.

    "And why not?" Draco almost sneered.

    "This is a Defence Against the Dark Arts assignment, and you can understand that I cannot accept a student's work which proposes countering the one dark curse with another dark magic."

    "What?" Draco looked down at his parchment. Realization dawned on him.

    "In one of your propositions, you mentioned the use of the Revoltus charm to counter the Venomosis Curse. The Revoltus charm is a piece of dark magic, and a very old one at that. I am surprised a student at your level knows about it. Not many adult wizards at this present age has even heard about it " Professor Moody's eye was glistening dangerously.

    "I, er, I read this in a book from the Restricted section of the Library before, er...for my last assignment on Dark Charms, and and I must have accidentally...I didn't think." Draco managed to cough out what he hoped desperately was a good explanation.

    "Yes, that must be it." Professor Moody's eye was still glistening dangerously. "Would you then care to re-do this assignment using more orthodox means?"

    "Yes, of course. I apologize for my oversight, Professor. I was too enthusiatic to write down all I know."

    "Knowledge is always good, but we must choose what we do with our knowledge, yes? Good, then I would expect a new parchment first thing on Friday morning."

    "Yes."

    "You may go, Mr Malfoy, and CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

    "Thank you, Professor" Must he always say that? Draco thought exasperatedly. He nodded his head to Professor Moody and went out of the clasroom, feeling Professor Moody's third eye on his back.

    He felt like kicking himself! Of all the bloody carelessness!

    He had read about the Revoltus Charm in one of the many books on dark magic which resides in his father's secret Library. He was fascinated by it. But when he was doing his assignment, his mind had drifted somewhere else, to a certain someone, and he had completely forgotten that the Revoltus Charm is dark magic and had blindly written it down on his parchment without thinking.

    Father would be disappointed, Draco thought darkly. A Malfoy should always cover their tracks well, and never to be caught like this. This is unforgivable. Stupid, stupid me! He cursed and sweared at himself before resolving never to let it happen again. Never, never, he vowed with a vengance.

    Draco was still cursing at himself when he bumped into Ginny at the corridor. She was turning at a bend, when she walked straight into Draco.

    Draco stumbled backwards, and saw Ginny. "That wretched weasel! It's all her fault! If it wasn't for her…" he thought darkly.

    "Watch it, Weasley!" snapped Draco. "Desperate to throw yourself at me these days, don't you?" He was feeling particularly vindictive, after the episode with Alastor Moody.

    Ginny was annoyed at the sudden outburst. After the embarrassing incident, she had managed to stay out of his way so far. Now, finally, they had to meet.

    "Not in the least. I rather throw myself into a pool of mud rather than you!" she retorted back.

    "Ah, I forgot, you are a mudblood lover. No wonder, I can understand." He sneered.

    "Go away" she tried to push past him.

    "You are the one who has repeatedly cross my path. Typical Weasley. Showing up when they're not wanted. Pathetic! Scram off!"

    Ginny felt hurt. Somehow, Malfoy's words hurt her. It must have shown on her face, for Malfoy's expression soften slightly, before Ginny pushed past him, tears stinging her eyes.

Author's Note (30 December 2002): The new year is coming, and I am going to be very busy in 2003. I dread to think about it. As a form of courtesy to my readers, I like to mention that I might not be updating this story as frequently. But I definitely finish it! Please be patient with me. I am targetting for one to two additional chapters a month. This story would end by chapter 15 (approximately) and I hope to post it by September 2003, before JK Rowling's new book "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is out. This is because I have heard rumours that Ginny might die in Book 5. I originally plan to do a sequel for Shades of Grey as well, depending on the reviews I get but if Ginny dies, it is no longer meaningful to do one. I hope that Ginny doesn't die in Book 5. Happy New Year to everyone!