Title: A Fresh Start
Author: Snowdrop
Rating: Pg 13
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything in his world.
A/N: This is not a continuation of Ginny's Purple Chicken Pox or Oliver's Luck. It has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with that story. Please read and review…it will make me very happy and when I'm happy I write more.
A Fresh Start
Ginny Weasley did not live a mundane life, not at all; her problem was that her family ignored her. She actually lived a good life, well she wasn't where she had expected to be but these things take time. She worked at an apothecary in London's Diagon Alley. Five years ago she had apprenticed herself to one of Britain's leading potions masters, now that her apprenticeship has ended for the past year and a half she found herself working as his assistant. She did her own research and experiments and she had taken the tests she needed and was now a fully qualified potions brewer. She had a wonderful and loving boyfriend in Oliver Wood, the quidditch sensation turned auror. So the fact that she still lived at the burrow was no big deal.
Ginny worked for Mr. Casper Sinclair, Potions Master. She would arrive at eight in the morning and she would leave at seven, working a standard workday with a break at noon. The other two hours were for study and research. Her boss was in the back lab and she was stocking shelves when she heard the door open and a familiar cadence stride over to the counters.
"I'll be right with you sir," she said climbing off the ladder.
"No need to hurry Miss Weasley, I actually happen to have all day."
"Professor Snape," she started wiping her hands on her apron. "How have you been sir?"
"Fine, and you Miss Weasley?"
"Great, Professor, and by the way congratulations on becoming headmaster at Hogwarts." She said, in her sixth year she had become Snape's assistant, she had been one of the only students to know of his double life.
"I need some Mandrake root, Miss Weasley," he said.
"Doesn't Hogwarts grow its own mandrakes," she asked.
"They are immature and I need them now." He said as she handed him the other ingredients that he had ordered, "And one other thing Miss Weasley, I have a job opportunity that I would like to discuss with you if you have the time."
Ginny was about to respond when her employer entered the room. He was a tall and lanky man; his white hair was always short, and on his face he had a tired expression unless he was brewing a potion. Except for his eyes, his green eyes were always dancing full of mirth.
"Ah, Severus good afternoon."
"Casper, how are you?"
"Wonderful, and Virginia you may take your lunch now, I can handle the 'crowds'." He joked good-naturedly his green eyes laughing. He always knew what was happening in his store much like Professor Dumbledore at Hogwarts. Ginny grabbed her cloak and walked to the Leaky Cauldron with her former potions professor. They walked the whole way in silence. When they sat down Tom took their orders right away.
"Miss Weasley, as you know I will be assuming the role of headmaster and therefore I will not be able to teach potions." He started once Tom had left. The minute he started Ginny's heart started racing she knew where this conversation was going, "and I have been looking at several replacement candidates and I have decided to offer the job to you first. I have gone over your tests and research, and I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty to talk with your employer and I came to the conclusion that you were the best candidate for the job. You don't have to answer now." There food had arrived and Ginny ate it while she thought of a response.
"Thank you so much for even considering me sir, and I will take the job." She said grinning from ear to ear.
"Very well can I contact you at the burrow."
"Actually only for a few more days, but you can reach me at Oliver Wood's place in Scotland." She said blushing slightly
"Very well, Miss Weasley, I bid you a pleasant afternoon." He politely said as he stood from the table laying down a few coins for his part of the bill. Leaving Ginny smiling from ear to ear as she made her way back to work.
Ginny arrived back at work to see her boss finishing up with a customer.
"Virginia, did you take the job?" he asked smiling.
"You don't mind do you?" her boss shook his head.
"Of course not Virginia that is a better job and it's your life, and now I can find a new apprentice. Now you can leave for the day. Oh, and say hello to Oliver for me."
"Of course, and thank you," Ginny went in to the back room and packed her things. It was bittersweet; she was finally leaving home, not just the burrow and everything to go back to Hogwarts something that she always wanted. She packed her cauldrons and her own ingredients that she used here. She placed her parchments of research in her bag, along with her potions books. She walked over to her boss and said goodbye as she hugged him.
"Make sure that you come and visit me once in a while, my dear," he had told her before she left. Then she flooed to the burrow to tell her family the good news about her new job.
The burrow was as busy as usual, and as it surprised everyone that Ginny was home early no one commented on it. She tried to talk to them, but her mother was busy scolding the twins, even thought they were in their mid twenties. She went up to her room and started to pack, about an hour later she was called down to dinner. Everyone was there for the meal so Ginny felt that it was time to tell her family the news. She tried sometime after her father told of the muggle computer he had seen that day.
"Hey I have some…" she tired.
"Fred and me, are going to open a new store in Diagon Alley," George interrupted her. Then there was a conversation about the twins' joke shop that Ginny ignored.
"Everyone I…" she started again, and was passed the mashed potatoes by her brother Percy.
"Hey, I got a promotion," Bill said.
"That's great dear, will you still be in Egypt?" Molly asked her eldest son.
"Yes, mum," he said.
"I have some news too," Ginny said.
"Virginia, don't interrupt your brother its rude." Her mother scolded. Causing Ginny to flush with anger, instead of blowing up at her family like she wanted to she rose swiftly from the table ignoring her mother all together. She ran up to her room and slammed the door. Leaving her brothers open mouthed, wondering what could be wrong with Ginny.
Ginny sat in her room with her tears streaming down her face, she was tempted to throw things at the wall, and in fact she did just that. She threw empty vials at the wall and then repaired them. It was just getting fun when she heard a timid knock at her door.
"GO AWAY!" she cried.
"Ginny, please," came Ron's quiet voice.
"Did they send you up here Ron?" she asked and when he did not respond she said, "Go away Ron."
"Fine Gin," she heard his footsteps go down the stairs. She quickly left a note telling her family that she had to leave. She did not tell them where she was going but that she would be safe, so that they didn't worry.
About two hours later with her things just about packed in her trunk she heard her family shrieking with laughter, her outburst long forgotten. So after she shrunk her things so that they fit in her travel bag, she pulled on her worn blue travel cloak. She crept slowly down the stairs. Her family was in the living room with Harry and Hermione who had just gotten engaged. She walked over to the family clock and pulled the hand with "Ginny" on it off.
"Can't have them finding me. Not that they'll even know." She said sadly as she put the hand in her pocket. She quietly left the happy home and apprated.
She arrived just outside a small cottage in the Scottish highlands. She smiled to herself as she thought of all the memories she and Oliver had made in this house since he bought it three years ago. This was where he told her he loved her, and where they first made love. She walked up to his door and knocked.
"Ginny!" Oliver exclaimed, "You're early."
"Do you mind," she flashed him a cheeky grin and pulled his head down so that she could kiss him, "Ollie, I need sanctuary."
"Why?"
"Long story that I will tell you tomorrow." She said listening to the voices inside her lover's home. "Sorry, you have company."
"That's ok, love, its just some guys from work, who by the way are not as important as you and you kiss better. Come on in." She sent him a perplexed glance and took her hand and pulled her inside.
Meanwhile the Weasley clan was sitting in the living room, listening to Hermione tell them every detail of when and how Harry purposed to her. That night everyone but Ron went to bed without a second thought of Ginny. Ron couldn't sleep because he sensed something was missing. He woke up Charlie, with whom he was sharing a room, and talked to him about his nagging worry.
"Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, breakfast," Molly called her children and then went to the door and called for her husband. Her bellowing voice woke all her children and one by one they stumbled down the stairs following the smell of eggs, bacon, and fresh coffee.
"Go get you sister," Molly said, "she needs to go to work this morning." The Weasley boys looked at each other and grimaced. Ginny held a grudge and her temper was quick; none of them wanted to be the ones to set it off.
"Ron, you go you're her favorite," Fred said.
"Why should I go, you and George always cheer her up?" He replied.
"Wait a minute, why us?"
"Come on guys she's not a dragon," Charlie added.
"Well Dragon Master you do it," Percy said.
"You're the level headed one Percy," Bill said.
"I nominate Bill," Charlie spoke again, "he's the oldest."
"I second the nomination," Fred said, "now lets vote."
"Boys, she's your sister, one of you go," came the tired voice of their father. "Bill would you please go."
"Fine dad," he grimaced at his brothers and at a slow pace worked his way up the stairs.
"William Weasley, I am getting sick and tired of the way this family is behaving, you're all adults, now move." Molly said with a bit of tension in her voice.
"Well, maybe if you hadn't started anything last night," Bill muttered under his breath.
"What was that young man?" his mother had reached the end of her fuse.
"Nothing mother."
Bill knocked on Ginny's door and when no answer came he tried to open the door. It was locked. He took out his wand and unlocked the door, he opened it and the room was practically bare. All that was left was the bed, desk, chair and the posters that she put up as a little girl. All her books, cauldrons and other potions supplies and ingredients, her pictures and clothes were gone. She even took the potions that she had brewed and the ones she normally brewed for the family stock.
"MUM, DAD," he called, "you better get up here."
His parents panicked at the sound of his voice and ran up the stairs. Molly started crying when she saw the empty room. Arthur saw the note and picked it up with shaking hands.
Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, and Ron,
I certainly hope that I didn't forget anyone because I would feel just terrible if I did. Lord knows I know how it feels. I'm guessing by the time you found this note it is breakfast time. And boys, which one of you was brave enough to wake the sleeping dragon.
It really doesn't matter I guess, I suppose I should feel honored by all the attention that I'm getting now, too bad I happen to be gone and can't enjoy it. I decided to leave on my own free will; I am also safe and have a new job. Don't bother trying to contact me.
Virginia
Arthur read the note to his family after they told the boys that Ginny ran away. Ginny's six brothers not wanting to believe it decided to look for her on their own, leaving their parents at the burrow.
"Can Ginny apparate?" Bill asked.
"Yes, Bill you check Gringotts," Fred said, "look to see if she was there, and if you can get that love potions book she keeps there."
"FRED! Keep your mind on the task of finding Ginny, not her potion books," Percy scolded, "Ron you check out Hogsmeade, Charlie check out the apothecary where she works."
"What about that guy she's been seeing." Charlie asked.
"What guy," Bill asked, "Ginny's got a boyfriend. What's his name?"
"Wood, she dating Oliver, I think," Percy added.
"Yeah, they've been dating for a while now a few months or something." George said
"MERLIN'S BALLS," Ron exclaimed, "don't you guys know anything about Ginny, yes, she is dating Oliver Wood, come on Percy, he's only your best friend. George, she has been seeing him for a little over three years, don't you remember her harping about their anniversary, Bill, you knew about Oliver she made sure he met you and Charlie. And Fred you can't get Ginny's book because she keeps it in her vault, and she'll kill you if she ever finds out that you have it. Fred, George, you go see Oliver. Percy, you check out diagon alley." So the boys split up to go find Ginny.
To be continued...
A/N: Please tell me what you think and if I should continue, by reviewing. I like reviews! Please don't make me resort to bribery.