Disclaimer--The Potterverse and its inhabitants don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them with grateful respect for those who brought it into being for us to visit. Any influences from the books, movies, or fellow fanfic writers are not intended as copyright infringement, only the sincerest form of flattery.
Author's Notes--"You're right about the different reviews. I try to read them when I can, and the other reviewers really do come up with some very insightful views that really make me think about some things that I wouldn't normally. If any of you other reviewers read this, you guys are a great "club!" *cheers*" --Adrienne. :-)
Strawberries and Blueberries--Sounds like quite an interesting rumble upcoming. *grins* Hopefully the update won't distract you too much...I'd hate to give Voldie an advantage. *winks*
Bee11--I couldn't have said it better myself...Three cheers for "Our" Ginny! *hugs*
Adrienne--I'm glad you're enjoying the book club as well. *beams* "Vanilla Whispers" is wonderful--linger and enjoy every last morsel--but I think "Vanilla Dreams" is even better. *winks* I think you make an excellent about blaming ourselves for things we can't control...Ginny and Lupin more so than most...but as you say, they are helping one another through it, and I've really enjoyed watching that unfold. You described Hermione's position and her relationship with Ginny perfectly...too bad the boys don't recognize the difficulty or the value of either...yet. *winks* I enjoyed the article, too, but I wasn't sure it was nasty enough to sound much like Rita Skeeter! *grins sheepishly* Was it just me, or did that moment almost seem more powerful than some of the longer ones? *frowns thoughtfully* Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts about what happens next. *hugs*
EEDOE--Adrienne has good taste, doesn't she? Bravo! I totally agree...MORE LUPINS in school, please!! *stamps feet* Does my story really give you that feeling of something unknown and unseen lurking? It tickles to me to think it might invoke that a little, because I'm sure that has to be a lot of what Ginny and Harry are both feeling this year. No, I totally agree...much of Ginny's "deductive" work has been done on gut instinct...she goes with her feelings, and it's both her weakness and her strength *giggles as she realizes she sounds like Master Yoda* To be fair...I'm not sure even Ginny and Hermione recognize at 13 how rare loyalty like Hermione's really is...Ginny is probably a bit closer than Hermione herself, but it's a tough concept even for those doing it. I'm so glad you think I captured how Ginny and Hermione would speak to each other...your dialogue usually does a great job of that! Yup...Bill is Weasley to the core. *winks* Tee hee...you got me...I added that phrase just for you. *winks again* Rita Skeeter...makes me glad I'm not Buddhist...I can swat bugs. Yeah...I miss my raw jumble of heaving nervous hormones too. *sighs and pouts* Stupid growing up...although you have a point about going through adolescence being a damaging experience. *shudders* Donald Duck! *giggles* Or...eh...Until next time. *winks* *hugs*
Bill--I'm SOO glad you thought the article was funny! I was afraid the poison pen might not be poisonous enough--I couldn't think of anything nasty to say about your namesake! Actually, I think you may be close to the mark on what happened. *shudders* I agree...of all the worried and troubled people this year, Lupin has to be most affected. It is good that Ginny can recognize his tension and listen to what he's willing to tell her, but I'm sure a lot of it just can't be communicated. He's just a beautiful and tragic figure at this point. *sighs sadly* I agree...keeping the boys' trust is the best thing Hermione can do to assure Ginny any secrets she tells her will stay secret! Three cheers to Hermione! *hugs*
**********
By the time she had finished her breakfast, Ginny was thinking of longingly of a broom and the Quidditch Pitch under the blue-wash of the early spring sky reflected in the Great Hall ceiling, possibly followed by a pleasant afternoon wandering through the first flowers in Hagrid's garden. Unfortunately, teachers weren't inclined to approve of students leaving the castle at any time of day following Sirius Black's latest appearance...and Hagrid was in London for Buckbeak's hearing. The thought of the dark-robed dementors hovering just outside the gates, waiting to devour her every doubt and fear until there was nothing left made captivity easier to bear...or it would have if the teachers' caution had extended as far as canceling the last trip to Hogsmeade.
It must be some sort of cosmic joke she spent her life wishing she were just a year older...Ginny pushed away from the table, suddenly in a hurry to get back to the tower. She didn't want to see the others line up for an outing she would be left out of. To her surprise, Hermione came with her.
She knew the older girl would insist she had too much to do to waste valuable study time in Hogsmeade...and that it was true...but, all the same, she couldn't help feeling as though Hermione was really staying behind to keep her company, she couldn't help feeling better. She glanced over at Hermione, smiling and uncertain, and got a somewhat wistful half smile and fractional nod in return.
There was absolutely no danger of running into Ron and Harry, so they stayed in the Common Room. Ginny read another book Professor Lupin thought might help her with her Occulumency, while Hermione grumbled over the pointlessness of palmistry in Divination.
Colin and Tempest were showing some first years the finer points of wizard chess-Ginny secretly made a mental note to pull the first years aside later and explain the real strategy, as both Colin and Tempest were somewhat hopeless at the game-which made for some interesting noise in the background. The chess pieces were nearing open revolt when the portrait hole swung open and Neville Longbottom crawled in, looked rather lost and abandoned.
"Forget something, Neville?" Ginny asked helpfully after several minutes with no sign of change in his expression.
Neville was watching the back of the Fat Lady's portrait as if expecting it to do something.
"Um...well...no. At least, not that I know of-Harry said he left his Vampire Essay in the library. He was going to go and get it...I thought he'd come back after that and explain it to me, but...I must have misunderstood," he finished a bit awkwardly.
"Maybe he remembered something he wanted to look up after he found it," Hermione said, but she'd stopped doing her homework to look at Neville with an odd look on her face.
"Oh...yeah...that makes sense," Neville said. "Well...maybe I'll go upstairs and..."
"Neville," Ginny said a bit hesitantly. "Why...did you think Harry would explain his essay?"
"Well...I...don't really understand all of it-that bit about garlic, for example. I mean, do they have to eat it or is it the smell they don't like? And Harry finished his essay last night, so--"
"I'll explain it to you," Hermione said suddenly.
Ginny flashed her a covert grin.
"I...well...that is, I don't want to be a bother," Neville said uncomfortably.
"If we were having trouble with something you understood, you'd explain it, wouldn't you?" Ginny asked.
"Of course!" Neville said, his whole face grave with sincerity, "but I hardly ever understand anything--"
"You just answered a very difficult question in Herbology yesterday," Hermione reminded him, pushing the book to the end of the table. "Just because Harry got caught up in the library doesn't make you a bother. The review would probably be very helpful."
"And vampires are interesting!" Ginny added stoutly, and blushed at Neville's disbelieving look. "Hermione read me some of the more unusual facts when she wrote her essay," she explained somewhat sheepishly. Neville looked awed by the very concept of sharing bits of homework for fun.
By the end of the morning, Tempest and Colin-as well as all of the first years-had joined in the makeshift lesson, trying to shout out the answers before anyone else. Even Hermione looked as though she had forgotten her workload and her worries about Scabbers and Buckbeak for a bit.
The first years were reluctantly filing away for lunch when the owls arrived. Two of them, both school owls by the look of them. They perched on top of Hermione's Divination book and stared at them. "Who'd be--" Ginny began uncertainly, and saw understanding spark through Hermione's eyes.
"Hagrid!" They both shouted together, so loudly Neville nearly tumbled out of his chair.
Ginny reached out an arm to catch him, but didn't pause in ripping open the note addressed to her.
She knew the verdict the instant she saw the writing without even reading what it said. The great blotchy splotches obscuring Hagrid's usual scrawl said it all. It tore her heart to think of him crying, but she forced herself to read the words anyway, hoping against hope they might be tears of joy.
~~Dear Ginny,
We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts.
Execution date to be fixed.
Beaky has enjoyed London.
I won't forget how you stood by me like family. I'm proud of you.
Hagrid~~
"That's it," Ginny said, "I'm going to see him." She folded the note and shoved it in her pocket, wishing it could have been Lucius Malfoy's head. "Coming, Hermione?"
Hermione looked as uneasy as the twins in a room full of teachers.
"We still have time to make it before curfew," Ginny assured her. "As long as we hurry, any way." As far as the teachers went, they hadn't actually forbidden students from leaving the castle during daylight hours, and if they didn't like it, they could drag her before Dumbledore himself. She didn't care if she was expelled. As for Sirius Black and the dementors, at least she'd be able to see them coming.
"It's not that," Hermione said, looking so torn Ginny could almost see her split, "what about Harry and Ron?"
"What about them?" Ginny said shortly.
"Well...Hagrid's important to them, too..." Hermione said, "I think...they'd want to know."
Ginny sighed. "Why haven't they been around if it means so much to them?" she asked, but without any real irritation. "Okay...but by the time they get back we won't be able to see Hagrid--"
"I don't want him to be alone either," Hermione said unhappily. "I could wait here to tell Ron and Harry, but I don't think you should walk across the grounds alone."
"Probably not," Ginny admitted briefly, "but--"
"I'll go," Neville said suddenly, squaring his shoulders.
"Oh, Neville, that's sweet, but you don't have--"
"Are we going or not?" Neville demanded. It would have been a bit more effective if his voice weren't shaking, but Ginny wasn't about to point that out.
She looked Hermione straight in the eye. "If Harry and Ron don't appreciate this, they're going to deal with me. Let's go, Neville," she added, without waiting for Hermione's response.
A few minutes later, they were huddled on Hagrid's doorstop, craning their heads anxiously in every direction and pounding on the door. Hagrid's dark eyes were rimmed with red, and his nose was starting to resemble a tomato, but he seemed strangely calm, though he wrung Neville's hand and thanked him for coming and clasped Ginny into such a fierce hug black spots had begun to dance in front of her eyes before he let go. "Yeh did everythin' yeh could," he said gruffly, "you and Hermione. I was jes' so nervous and uncomfortable all dressed up like tha', I kep' droppin' me notes, an' forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me. An when Lucius Malfoy said his bit, the Committee did jus' what he told 'em."
Several cups of tea later, Hagrid marched them back up to the castle. "Now see here," he told Ginny firmly, "I 'preciate wha' yeh did, an' all, comin' to see me tonight, but yeh can' be wonderin' about wi' Sirius Black on the loose, so don' let me catch yeh coming down ter me hut again without a teacher, unnerstand?"
"But, Hagrid, if you're in trouble or upset--"
"I'll know yeh'd be there if yeh could, but I'll rest easier knowing yeh're safe."
"Fine," Ginny huffed ungraciously.
Hagrid grinned and patted her on the back. "Good girl," he said.
Ginny and Neville watched him amble his way out of the castle before turning slowly back toward the tower.
Author's Notes--"You're right about the different reviews. I try to read them when I can, and the other reviewers really do come up with some very insightful views that really make me think about some things that I wouldn't normally. If any of you other reviewers read this, you guys are a great "club!" *cheers*" --Adrienne. :-)
Strawberries and Blueberries--Sounds like quite an interesting rumble upcoming. *grins* Hopefully the update won't distract you too much...I'd hate to give Voldie an advantage. *winks*
Bee11--I couldn't have said it better myself...Three cheers for "Our" Ginny! *hugs*
Adrienne--I'm glad you're enjoying the book club as well. *beams* "Vanilla Whispers" is wonderful--linger and enjoy every last morsel--but I think "Vanilla Dreams" is even better. *winks* I think you make an excellent about blaming ourselves for things we can't control...Ginny and Lupin more so than most...but as you say, they are helping one another through it, and I've really enjoyed watching that unfold. You described Hermione's position and her relationship with Ginny perfectly...too bad the boys don't recognize the difficulty or the value of either...yet. *winks* I enjoyed the article, too, but I wasn't sure it was nasty enough to sound much like Rita Skeeter! *grins sheepishly* Was it just me, or did that moment almost seem more powerful than some of the longer ones? *frowns thoughtfully* Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts about what happens next. *hugs*
EEDOE--Adrienne has good taste, doesn't she? Bravo! I totally agree...MORE LUPINS in school, please!! *stamps feet* Does my story really give you that feeling of something unknown and unseen lurking? It tickles to me to think it might invoke that a little, because I'm sure that has to be a lot of what Ginny and Harry are both feeling this year. No, I totally agree...much of Ginny's "deductive" work has been done on gut instinct...she goes with her feelings, and it's both her weakness and her strength *giggles as she realizes she sounds like Master Yoda* To be fair...I'm not sure even Ginny and Hermione recognize at 13 how rare loyalty like Hermione's really is...Ginny is probably a bit closer than Hermione herself, but it's a tough concept even for those doing it. I'm so glad you think I captured how Ginny and Hermione would speak to each other...your dialogue usually does a great job of that! Yup...Bill is Weasley to the core. *winks* Tee hee...you got me...I added that phrase just for you. *winks again* Rita Skeeter...makes me glad I'm not Buddhist...I can swat bugs. Yeah...I miss my raw jumble of heaving nervous hormones too. *sighs and pouts* Stupid growing up...although you have a point about going through adolescence being a damaging experience. *shudders* Donald Duck! *giggles* Or...eh...Until next time. *winks* *hugs*
Bill--I'm SOO glad you thought the article was funny! I was afraid the poison pen might not be poisonous enough--I couldn't think of anything nasty to say about your namesake! Actually, I think you may be close to the mark on what happened. *shudders* I agree...of all the worried and troubled people this year, Lupin has to be most affected. It is good that Ginny can recognize his tension and listen to what he's willing to tell her, but I'm sure a lot of it just can't be communicated. He's just a beautiful and tragic figure at this point. *sighs sadly* I agree...keeping the boys' trust is the best thing Hermione can do to assure Ginny any secrets she tells her will stay secret! Three cheers to Hermione! *hugs*
**********
By the time she had finished her breakfast, Ginny was thinking of longingly of a broom and the Quidditch Pitch under the blue-wash of the early spring sky reflected in the Great Hall ceiling, possibly followed by a pleasant afternoon wandering through the first flowers in Hagrid's garden. Unfortunately, teachers weren't inclined to approve of students leaving the castle at any time of day following Sirius Black's latest appearance...and Hagrid was in London for Buckbeak's hearing. The thought of the dark-robed dementors hovering just outside the gates, waiting to devour her every doubt and fear until there was nothing left made captivity easier to bear...or it would have if the teachers' caution had extended as far as canceling the last trip to Hogsmeade.
It must be some sort of cosmic joke she spent her life wishing she were just a year older...Ginny pushed away from the table, suddenly in a hurry to get back to the tower. She didn't want to see the others line up for an outing she would be left out of. To her surprise, Hermione came with her.
She knew the older girl would insist she had too much to do to waste valuable study time in Hogsmeade...and that it was true...but, all the same, she couldn't help feeling as though Hermione was really staying behind to keep her company, she couldn't help feeling better. She glanced over at Hermione, smiling and uncertain, and got a somewhat wistful half smile and fractional nod in return.
There was absolutely no danger of running into Ron and Harry, so they stayed in the Common Room. Ginny read another book Professor Lupin thought might help her with her Occulumency, while Hermione grumbled over the pointlessness of palmistry in Divination.
Colin and Tempest were showing some first years the finer points of wizard chess-Ginny secretly made a mental note to pull the first years aside later and explain the real strategy, as both Colin and Tempest were somewhat hopeless at the game-which made for some interesting noise in the background. The chess pieces were nearing open revolt when the portrait hole swung open and Neville Longbottom crawled in, looked rather lost and abandoned.
"Forget something, Neville?" Ginny asked helpfully after several minutes with no sign of change in his expression.
Neville was watching the back of the Fat Lady's portrait as if expecting it to do something.
"Um...well...no. At least, not that I know of-Harry said he left his Vampire Essay in the library. He was going to go and get it...I thought he'd come back after that and explain it to me, but...I must have misunderstood," he finished a bit awkwardly.
"Maybe he remembered something he wanted to look up after he found it," Hermione said, but she'd stopped doing her homework to look at Neville with an odd look on her face.
"Oh...yeah...that makes sense," Neville said. "Well...maybe I'll go upstairs and..."
"Neville," Ginny said a bit hesitantly. "Why...did you think Harry would explain his essay?"
"Well...I...don't really understand all of it-that bit about garlic, for example. I mean, do they have to eat it or is it the smell they don't like? And Harry finished his essay last night, so--"
"I'll explain it to you," Hermione said suddenly.
Ginny flashed her a covert grin.
"I...well...that is, I don't want to be a bother," Neville said uncomfortably.
"If we were having trouble with something you understood, you'd explain it, wouldn't you?" Ginny asked.
"Of course!" Neville said, his whole face grave with sincerity, "but I hardly ever understand anything--"
"You just answered a very difficult question in Herbology yesterday," Hermione reminded him, pushing the book to the end of the table. "Just because Harry got caught up in the library doesn't make you a bother. The review would probably be very helpful."
"And vampires are interesting!" Ginny added stoutly, and blushed at Neville's disbelieving look. "Hermione read me some of the more unusual facts when she wrote her essay," she explained somewhat sheepishly. Neville looked awed by the very concept of sharing bits of homework for fun.
By the end of the morning, Tempest and Colin-as well as all of the first years-had joined in the makeshift lesson, trying to shout out the answers before anyone else. Even Hermione looked as though she had forgotten her workload and her worries about Scabbers and Buckbeak for a bit.
The first years were reluctantly filing away for lunch when the owls arrived. Two of them, both school owls by the look of them. They perched on top of Hermione's Divination book and stared at them. "Who'd be--" Ginny began uncertainly, and saw understanding spark through Hermione's eyes.
"Hagrid!" They both shouted together, so loudly Neville nearly tumbled out of his chair.
Ginny reached out an arm to catch him, but didn't pause in ripping open the note addressed to her.
She knew the verdict the instant she saw the writing without even reading what it said. The great blotchy splotches obscuring Hagrid's usual scrawl said it all. It tore her heart to think of him crying, but she forced herself to read the words anyway, hoping against hope they might be tears of joy.
~~Dear Ginny,
We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts.
Execution date to be fixed.
Beaky has enjoyed London.
I won't forget how you stood by me like family. I'm proud of you.
Hagrid~~
"That's it," Ginny said, "I'm going to see him." She folded the note and shoved it in her pocket, wishing it could have been Lucius Malfoy's head. "Coming, Hermione?"
Hermione looked as uneasy as the twins in a room full of teachers.
"We still have time to make it before curfew," Ginny assured her. "As long as we hurry, any way." As far as the teachers went, they hadn't actually forbidden students from leaving the castle during daylight hours, and if they didn't like it, they could drag her before Dumbledore himself. She didn't care if she was expelled. As for Sirius Black and the dementors, at least she'd be able to see them coming.
"It's not that," Hermione said, looking so torn Ginny could almost see her split, "what about Harry and Ron?"
"What about them?" Ginny said shortly.
"Well...Hagrid's important to them, too..." Hermione said, "I think...they'd want to know."
Ginny sighed. "Why haven't they been around if it means so much to them?" she asked, but without any real irritation. "Okay...but by the time they get back we won't be able to see Hagrid--"
"I don't want him to be alone either," Hermione said unhappily. "I could wait here to tell Ron and Harry, but I don't think you should walk across the grounds alone."
"Probably not," Ginny admitted briefly, "but--"
"I'll go," Neville said suddenly, squaring his shoulders.
"Oh, Neville, that's sweet, but you don't have--"
"Are we going or not?" Neville demanded. It would have been a bit more effective if his voice weren't shaking, but Ginny wasn't about to point that out.
She looked Hermione straight in the eye. "If Harry and Ron don't appreciate this, they're going to deal with me. Let's go, Neville," she added, without waiting for Hermione's response.
A few minutes later, they were huddled on Hagrid's doorstop, craning their heads anxiously in every direction and pounding on the door. Hagrid's dark eyes were rimmed with red, and his nose was starting to resemble a tomato, but he seemed strangely calm, though he wrung Neville's hand and thanked him for coming and clasped Ginny into such a fierce hug black spots had begun to dance in front of her eyes before he let go. "Yeh did everythin' yeh could," he said gruffly, "you and Hermione. I was jes' so nervous and uncomfortable all dressed up like tha', I kep' droppin' me notes, an' forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me. An when Lucius Malfoy said his bit, the Committee did jus' what he told 'em."
Several cups of tea later, Hagrid marched them back up to the castle. "Now see here," he told Ginny firmly, "I 'preciate wha' yeh did, an' all, comin' to see me tonight, but yeh can' be wonderin' about wi' Sirius Black on the loose, so don' let me catch yeh coming down ter me hut again without a teacher, unnerstand?"
"But, Hagrid, if you're in trouble or upset--"
"I'll know yeh'd be there if yeh could, but I'll rest easier knowing yeh're safe."
"Fine," Ginny huffed ungraciously.
Hagrid grinned and patted her on the back. "Good girl," he said.
Ginny and Neville watched him amble his way out of the castle before turning slowly back toward the tower.