A/N: Just read it.
Summary: In the myths of Old England, there were three young girls who defied their families and tradition and went to battle. In 1997 they returned, but why?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
~~**~~
Whisper to a Scream
~~**~~
Feast on the Surprises
~~**~~
Ginny Weasley, her brother Ron and their friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sat in tensed silence during the sorting ceremony at the beginning of their seventh year. Sure Ginny was happy and all about moving up a year, she was with her brother and friends in the same classes, and she was sure happy that everyone had finally dropped the fact that she DOES NOT like Harry, but she was hungry beyond belief. They had last eaten four hours ago, and that was too long. Ginny was a growing girl, though most would say that she had grown enough. Not that she was fat, actually, she was pretty slim, most of what she ate seemed to go up instead of down to her thighs or butt like most girls. Over McGonagal's voice and the shouts of the sorting hat she could hear her stomach rumble loudly, she tended to have a bigger appetite than even Ron.
Ron looked pained beyond belief and was banging his head on the table mumbling something along the lines of, "Food, food, food, food, food. Why can't we eat 'while' we watch the sorting?"
Hermione was tugging on her hair concentrating on everything but her stomach and the noise from Ginny's stomach. She was staring at Ron with glazed eyes, but then she noticed who she was looking at and turned away abruptly.
Harry on the other hand, wasn't even thinking about his stomach, it was too painful. Instead, he was staring at a piece of paper in his hand with a dopy grin on his face. This was beginning to annoy Ginny who had become his little sister over the summer, she was painfully hungry and there he was smiling his little head off.
"And why is Mr. Potter so darn happy?" Ginny said still looking clearly annoyed.
"Read this." Harry handed her the letter and she snatched it away and read it quickly, then read it again.
"Is he serious?"
"Of course he is, that's his name isn't it?"
"Harry, don't toy with my mind when I am hungry. You remember what happened last week?"
Harry grimaced, he remembered all too well. Ginny had come down for breakfast hungrier then usual, and he had held a bowl of eggs out of her reach, then she kicked him hard in a most painful spot. "Yeah Gin, I remember."
"Good. Now is he serious?"
"Is who serious?" Ron said holding his head a couple inches off the table.
"Here read this." She tossed him the piece of paper and he caught it with out looking up.
Ron slid the paper between his head and the table and his eyes widened in surprise at what the note said. "Hermione, Hermione, read this." He poked her in her side and she yelped in surprise.
"Wha?"
"Earth to Hermione! Read this." Ron shoved the paper at her.
Hermione snatched the paper scowling at him for the poke and read:
Dear Harry,
You will never guess what happened, That traitor Wormtail actually showed up in the middle of a ministry meeting, claiming that he was lost and confused. They forced some Vertasium on him and he confessed to everything. Guess what? I'M FREE!!!!!!!!!! You now have a real legal guardian! Meet me in Dumbledore's office after dinner.-Sirius
"Wow Harry, that's great!"
"Yeah great." Mumbled Ginny.
"What's wrong Ginny?"
"Potter, where have you been for the last two hours? I'M HUNGRY!" Ginny had shouted this last bit and the whole hall went silent. Ginny looked around and turned red.
"Well Miss. Weasley, we only have two more people to sort and than you can eat. Do not worry, they shall be here shortly."
Then the double doors opened slowly revealing a cloaked figure who only looked to be about 5'5". The figure was holding what looked to be a dripping mass of dark wet cloth in her arms. The figure walked up the center isle between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. A large bull mastiff trotted behind her wearily dripping water, in its mouth looked to be two boards of something.
Ginny gasped and pointed at the ground behind the new arrival. There was not only water, but something else too, something red. Ron and Hermione stared at the blood in horror while Harry's eyes stayed glued to the figure in black. Ginny's gaze zipped from the figure to the dog to the floor to Dumbledore and back to the figure again.
The figure's head raised and looked directly at Dumbledore. The mouth inside of the hood opened. "The balance has been disrupted. The burden of authority has shifted." Said a feminine voice before the figure groaned in pain and dropped to the floor.
Several people screamed, most gasped, but Harry, Ginny, Professor McGonagal, and Professor Snape vaulted out of their seats and straight towards the figure crumpled on the floor.
As they approached the figure, the dog dropped the boards and growled at them menacingly.
Ginny reached the dog first. She looked at the boards it had dropped. They were both covered in water and mud, but half of one also seemed to be covered in blood.
Harry, who knew Ginny had a way with animals held the professors back with an arm.
Cautiously she extended her hand out towards the mastiff who sniffed her hand warily. It shook its body out then licked her palm friendly like. Ginny took this a acceptance and rushed to the figure's side. The dog, content that someone would look after his master, slumped onto the floor panting heavily.
Slowly, she removed the black hood to reveal masses of black hair streaked blue and a face that would have been beautiful had it not been covered with blood and bruises.
Ginny's quiet exclamation echoed around the quiet hall. "Oh my gods." She pulled the cloak away from the body of the mystery girl only to reveal more bruises on her neck and arms. Her left arm lay at an unnatural angle that made it impossible not to be broken. The side of her shirt was stained badly with blood, and when Ginny applied a slight pressure to the spot she could hear the metallic sound of bones grating against each other. She spun on her knees and looked straight at Harry. "Quick, get her to the infirmary. She's got a broken arm and what looks to be a couple of broken ribs."
Harry gathered the girl in his arms and rushed out of the hall.
As he picked her up, a chain with a small charm fell unbidden to the floor. Ginny knelt to pick it up. It was delicate silver with a shield charm dangling from the connected links. Ginny looked to Professor McGonagal who was busy giving the large dog a check up and to Snape who was inspecting the boards. They both stood and left with the dog and boards.
Ginny turned to what the girl had dropped, an extremely large mass of cloth. She slowly began to unwrap it and screamed at what she saw. It wasn't just a cloak, it was a person- a dead person. Her hand went shakily to her mouth and she slowly back away from the bloodied mess. Sparkling from the hollow of a blood covered throat was an untouched silver chain, but it was empty of any charms.
The Ravenclaws at the nearest table screamed, and a couple of the girls fainted, the rest of the school was silent, though a couple of people looked ready to cry. The Slytherins were standing in their seats trying to get a better look at what was going on.
Ginny leaned her head back and took a couple of deep calming breaths, then stood and beackoned to her brother, then at the mass on the floor. Ron stood, gathered the mass into his arms and walked out of the room. Hermione jumped up and ran after him.
She stood their, her arms covered in blood, her skin pasty white in a great contrast to her flaming red hair. The entire school was silent, and the footsteps echoed around the hall as Dumbledore walked slowly to Ginny and put an arm on her shoulder. "I suggest that you follow them to the infirmary Miss. Weasley." Ginny gulped and nodded, but stayed rooted to the spot staring numbly ahead of her. Dumbledore shook his head sadly and turned towards the Slytherin Table. "Mr. Malfoy, would you please escort Miss. Weasley to the infirmary? Thank you."
The boy in question stared at the headmaster in confusion for a minute before he stood and gently grabbed Ginny and pulled her from the room.
As soon as they started to walk away, Dumbledore began to speak again. "Due to the extraordinary circumstances of the feast so far, prefects, could you please escort your houses to your common rooms and dinner will be served there. Any further announcements will be continued in the morning. Please, hurry and-"
What ever else he was going to say was cut off as the door to the great hall shut behind the two students. Ginny tensed at the sudden silence and Draco stared at her. "You all right Weasley?"
"Once I throw up, I'll be just peachy, and if I can erase the memory of that body, I'll be even better."
Draco looked at her, then continued walking, only to stop again when she began shivering violently. Startled, he looked at her.
She was standing still, but her convulsions threatened to knock her over any minute. Her eyes were like misty glass staring forward. Her hair and cloak rippled from an unseen and unfelt wind that whipped through the hall loud and frightening. Her hair changed colors in waves with each ripple of wind that sent it flying.
Draco backed away from her slowly until he hit the wall behind him.
A small white light that could have been a star flew in through an open window somewhere down the hall and spun around her neck faster and faster until it formed a continuous wreath of light. Slowly, the circle of light grew smaller and smaller until it was just a hair's breadth away form her neck, then the light flickered out and a sparkling silver chain was left in its place. A miniature silver sword hung in the hollow of her neck, dangling from the delicate chain.
Suddenly, the wind stopped, and so did Ginny's convulsions. In slow motion equal to a motion picture film the muggles watch, her body bent into a graceful arc and she crumpled to the floor.
For a minute all was silent, then Draco moved towards Ginny Weasley, gathered he in his arms and rushed to the infirmary, full of questions he wasn't sure would be answered.
Summary: In the myths of Old England, there were three young girls who defied their families and tradition and went to battle. In 1997 they returned, but why?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
~~**~~
Whisper to a Scream
~~**~~
Feast on the Surprises
~~**~~
Ginny Weasley, her brother Ron and their friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sat in tensed silence during the sorting ceremony at the beginning of their seventh year. Sure Ginny was happy and all about moving up a year, she was with her brother and friends in the same classes, and she was sure happy that everyone had finally dropped the fact that she DOES NOT like Harry, but she was hungry beyond belief. They had last eaten four hours ago, and that was too long. Ginny was a growing girl, though most would say that she had grown enough. Not that she was fat, actually, she was pretty slim, most of what she ate seemed to go up instead of down to her thighs or butt like most girls. Over McGonagal's voice and the shouts of the sorting hat she could hear her stomach rumble loudly, she tended to have a bigger appetite than even Ron.
Ron looked pained beyond belief and was banging his head on the table mumbling something along the lines of, "Food, food, food, food, food. Why can't we eat 'while' we watch the sorting?"
Hermione was tugging on her hair concentrating on everything but her stomach and the noise from Ginny's stomach. She was staring at Ron with glazed eyes, but then she noticed who she was looking at and turned away abruptly.
Harry on the other hand, wasn't even thinking about his stomach, it was too painful. Instead, he was staring at a piece of paper in his hand with a dopy grin on his face. This was beginning to annoy Ginny who had become his little sister over the summer, she was painfully hungry and there he was smiling his little head off.
"And why is Mr. Potter so darn happy?" Ginny said still looking clearly annoyed.
"Read this." Harry handed her the letter and she snatched it away and read it quickly, then read it again.
"Is he serious?"
"Of course he is, that's his name isn't it?"
"Harry, don't toy with my mind when I am hungry. You remember what happened last week?"
Harry grimaced, he remembered all too well. Ginny had come down for breakfast hungrier then usual, and he had held a bowl of eggs out of her reach, then she kicked him hard in a most painful spot. "Yeah Gin, I remember."
"Good. Now is he serious?"
"Is who serious?" Ron said holding his head a couple inches off the table.
"Here read this." She tossed him the piece of paper and he caught it with out looking up.
Ron slid the paper between his head and the table and his eyes widened in surprise at what the note said. "Hermione, Hermione, read this." He poked her in her side and she yelped in surprise.
"Wha?"
"Earth to Hermione! Read this." Ron shoved the paper at her.
Hermione snatched the paper scowling at him for the poke and read:
Dear Harry,
You will never guess what happened, That traitor Wormtail actually showed up in the middle of a ministry meeting, claiming that he was lost and confused. They forced some Vertasium on him and he confessed to everything. Guess what? I'M FREE!!!!!!!!!! You now have a real legal guardian! Meet me in Dumbledore's office after dinner.-Sirius
"Wow Harry, that's great!"
"Yeah great." Mumbled Ginny.
"What's wrong Ginny?"
"Potter, where have you been for the last two hours? I'M HUNGRY!" Ginny had shouted this last bit and the whole hall went silent. Ginny looked around and turned red.
"Well Miss. Weasley, we only have two more people to sort and than you can eat. Do not worry, they shall be here shortly."
Then the double doors opened slowly revealing a cloaked figure who only looked to be about 5'5". The figure was holding what looked to be a dripping mass of dark wet cloth in her arms. The figure walked up the center isle between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. A large bull mastiff trotted behind her wearily dripping water, in its mouth looked to be two boards of something.
Ginny gasped and pointed at the ground behind the new arrival. There was not only water, but something else too, something red. Ron and Hermione stared at the blood in horror while Harry's eyes stayed glued to the figure in black. Ginny's gaze zipped from the figure to the dog to the floor to Dumbledore and back to the figure again.
The figure's head raised and looked directly at Dumbledore. The mouth inside of the hood opened. "The balance has been disrupted. The burden of authority has shifted." Said a feminine voice before the figure groaned in pain and dropped to the floor.
Several people screamed, most gasped, but Harry, Ginny, Professor McGonagal, and Professor Snape vaulted out of their seats and straight towards the figure crumpled on the floor.
As they approached the figure, the dog dropped the boards and growled at them menacingly.
Ginny reached the dog first. She looked at the boards it had dropped. They were both covered in water and mud, but half of one also seemed to be covered in blood.
Harry, who knew Ginny had a way with animals held the professors back with an arm.
Cautiously she extended her hand out towards the mastiff who sniffed her hand warily. It shook its body out then licked her palm friendly like. Ginny took this a acceptance and rushed to the figure's side. The dog, content that someone would look after his master, slumped onto the floor panting heavily.
Slowly, she removed the black hood to reveal masses of black hair streaked blue and a face that would have been beautiful had it not been covered with blood and bruises.
Ginny's quiet exclamation echoed around the quiet hall. "Oh my gods." She pulled the cloak away from the body of the mystery girl only to reveal more bruises on her neck and arms. Her left arm lay at an unnatural angle that made it impossible not to be broken. The side of her shirt was stained badly with blood, and when Ginny applied a slight pressure to the spot she could hear the metallic sound of bones grating against each other. She spun on her knees and looked straight at Harry. "Quick, get her to the infirmary. She's got a broken arm and what looks to be a couple of broken ribs."
Harry gathered the girl in his arms and rushed out of the hall.
As he picked her up, a chain with a small charm fell unbidden to the floor. Ginny knelt to pick it up. It was delicate silver with a shield charm dangling from the connected links. Ginny looked to Professor McGonagal who was busy giving the large dog a check up and to Snape who was inspecting the boards. They both stood and left with the dog and boards.
Ginny turned to what the girl had dropped, an extremely large mass of cloth. She slowly began to unwrap it and screamed at what she saw. It wasn't just a cloak, it was a person- a dead person. Her hand went shakily to her mouth and she slowly back away from the bloodied mess. Sparkling from the hollow of a blood covered throat was an untouched silver chain, but it was empty of any charms.
The Ravenclaws at the nearest table screamed, and a couple of the girls fainted, the rest of the school was silent, though a couple of people looked ready to cry. The Slytherins were standing in their seats trying to get a better look at what was going on.
Ginny leaned her head back and took a couple of deep calming breaths, then stood and beackoned to her brother, then at the mass on the floor. Ron stood, gathered the mass into his arms and walked out of the room. Hermione jumped up and ran after him.
She stood their, her arms covered in blood, her skin pasty white in a great contrast to her flaming red hair. The entire school was silent, and the footsteps echoed around the hall as Dumbledore walked slowly to Ginny and put an arm on her shoulder. "I suggest that you follow them to the infirmary Miss. Weasley." Ginny gulped and nodded, but stayed rooted to the spot staring numbly ahead of her. Dumbledore shook his head sadly and turned towards the Slytherin Table. "Mr. Malfoy, would you please escort Miss. Weasley to the infirmary? Thank you."
The boy in question stared at the headmaster in confusion for a minute before he stood and gently grabbed Ginny and pulled her from the room.
As soon as they started to walk away, Dumbledore began to speak again. "Due to the extraordinary circumstances of the feast so far, prefects, could you please escort your houses to your common rooms and dinner will be served there. Any further announcements will be continued in the morning. Please, hurry and-"
What ever else he was going to say was cut off as the door to the great hall shut behind the two students. Ginny tensed at the sudden silence and Draco stared at her. "You all right Weasley?"
"Once I throw up, I'll be just peachy, and if I can erase the memory of that body, I'll be even better."
Draco looked at her, then continued walking, only to stop again when she began shivering violently. Startled, he looked at her.
She was standing still, but her convulsions threatened to knock her over any minute. Her eyes were like misty glass staring forward. Her hair and cloak rippled from an unseen and unfelt wind that whipped through the hall loud and frightening. Her hair changed colors in waves with each ripple of wind that sent it flying.
Draco backed away from her slowly until he hit the wall behind him.
A small white light that could have been a star flew in through an open window somewhere down the hall and spun around her neck faster and faster until it formed a continuous wreath of light. Slowly, the circle of light grew smaller and smaller until it was just a hair's breadth away form her neck, then the light flickered out and a sparkling silver chain was left in its place. A miniature silver sword hung in the hollow of her neck, dangling from the delicate chain.
Suddenly, the wind stopped, and so did Ginny's convulsions. In slow motion equal to a motion picture film the muggles watch, her body bent into a graceful arc and she crumpled to the floor.
For a minute all was silent, then Draco moved towards Ginny Weasley, gathered he in his arms and rushed to the infirmary, full of questions he wasn't sure would be answered.