Disclaimer: This is the only time I will write this, because I am REALLY
lazy. I do not own Harry Potter, or anything remotely related to the
Potterverse, except for my own twisted little plotbunnies, which have
probably been enhanced and started by other people's ideas.
Author's Note: I have too much time on my hands, but strangely enough I have no time to do anything I'm supposed to do, and so cannot guarantee regular updates. I can, however, request that someone be willing to serve as a Beta Reader, who can look over my chapters and get on me about updating. Please review, but don't flame. If you don't like it, don't read it. I'm insecure enough without the help of people I'm not related to.
Ginny Weasley wanted only two things from life; one of those things was easily remembered and just as often denied. That thing would be Harry Potter, because of course, giving up on someone or something does not mean that the someone doing the giving up has actually arrived at the point in which he or she has actually gotten over said someone or something.
The other thing, ironically enough, also seemed to revolve around a certain Mister Potter. Because the second thing that Miss Ginny Weasley, only daughter and youngest child of Arthur and Molly Weasley wanted most in this world, was to get as far away from Mister Potter as humanly possible. Unfortunately, when one considers the relationship between the rest of the Weasleys and Harry, the war hanging ominously just over the horizon, and (of course, she mustn't -could never- forget her own semi-stable friendship with Potter, her second wish wasn't looking very likely. In fact, the sudden (even more frequent than before) overprotective tendencies of a certain Mrs. Weasley towards her children made Ginny's second wish seem even less likely than her first.
Lost in her thoughts on a disgustingly beautiful June day, she was quite surprised to see Professor Dumbledore climbing out of her living room fire place. "Umm. Sir?"
"Miss Weasley, I'm sorry if I startled you. How are you?"
"Just fine," she lied, feeling a bit chagrined at the direction her thoughts were going. "Mum's in the kitchen."
"Thank you. Have a nice day."
Ginny frowned curiously, but left it at that. "Yes sir."
Quietly, she watched her headmaster gracefully make his way to her kitchen. Deciding that he was probably here to discuss, Harry, and despite the fact that a certain part of her wanted desperately to hear, if not be included in, that conversation, Ginny slowly made her way up the stairs. When she reached her landing, the intense quiet of the house created in her an intense longing for her brothers. The only one still at home was Ron, and he was so busy mooning over Hermione and worrying about Harry that he really didn't notice his sister. The twins had always noticed her, even if it was only to pull a prank on her or to tease her about Harry. Bill and Charlie had always made time for her, doting on her constantly and mock fighting about who was her favorite brother. She even missed Percy, the big git that he was. He had always been around for advice, even if it wasn't particularly good advice.
Lying on her bed, Ginny reached over to her nightstand to drag a small wooden case closer. Holding it over her, partially to block the irritating sunrays, she carefully went over every detail. It was a birthday present from Bill and Charlie after her. ordeal. with the Chamber of Secrets. The box itself was almost as beautiful as the thing inside. The box was made of dark mahogany wood, with exotic engravings inlaid with gold. On the top, her full name was deeply etched in calligraphy. Ginny rested the box on her stomach and slowly opened it to reveal a stunning flute, hand carved out of flawless amethyst crystal.
Little Ginny placed the flute to her lips and lost herself in the rich and soothing tones. So lost was she that she had no idea how much time she had spent playing, nor that her parents and Professor Dumbledore were standing in her doorway listening to her play. In fact, she only noticed when Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Miss Weasley, but there is something I'd like to discuss with you."
"If it's about Harry, Professor, forget it. I can only get him to listen to me when we're face to face and I have my wand in hand. And I don't think even a Bat-Bogey Hex would get through to him now."
"It's not that, Miss Weasley. May we come in?"
Slowly, and a little apprehensively, Ginny sat up against her headboard, allowing room for her parents on her bed and a chair near the door for the headmaster. Distantly, Ginny noted that thankfully she had remembered to clean her room the day before. "What is it?"
"There isn't much time for you to decide, so I'll cut things short. With the war with Voldemort, the need for allies is extreme. The United States has a large wizarding population and an amazing wizarding military. Unfortunately, they have yet to be convinced to help. They have agreed to have an exchange program, however, so that they might test the waters, so to speak."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that we have a chance to strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two countries through our students. I would like you to be one of those students, Miss Weasley."
"What? Why me?"
"You have dealt with being the only girl in a family with six older brothers, all of whom are very competitive and overprotective. To survive that, you have developed a keen sense of tact and strong peace-making skills. You have also learned your own weaknesses so that you can prevent them from being exploited, and you know how to spot and exploit the weaknesses of others when there is a need to. You are a strong student, and a powerful young witch. Why wouldn't you make a good candidate?"
Ginny didn't have to think about that one. "Because I have a short fuse and a big temper. Because I have trouble meeting new people. Because I haven't been farther away from my family than Hogwarts."
"Ah, but new experiences can shed new light on old happenings. If you agree, you will be spending a year at California's Academy for the Gifted Arts. It a school for now only magic, but the magic of music, acting, and visual arts as well."
"Music?" Ginny's eyes lit up, "I could really study music?"
"Yes. In fact, I believe that the student who is to be your guide is one who is especially gifted in the musical arts. She might even be persuaded to teach you some of the other instruments that she has mastered."
Music. good. No overprotective brothers to interfere with her love life (or lack thereof). good. No Hermione. bad. No Luna. bad. No Harry. hmm. that was a tough one. "Mum? Dad? What do you think?"
"Well dear, I'd hate to see you so far from home. I worry about you enough as it is."
"But Molly, Ginny may be even safer in America. There have been no reports of Death Eater activity there."
"True. I suppose it's up to you, Ginnybug."
Ginny flushed slightly at the use of her old nickname in front of her headmaster. "I'd really like to go. But how could we afford it?"
"No worries, Miss Weasley. The California state wizarding government pays for all costs. The books you can borrow from your host, as I believe she has about three or more copies of each. There are no uniforms; most American schools have a relaxed dress code."
"And the housing?"
"There are either the dorms, free to you, or the offer of your host. She has offered a room at her house, free of charge, on the condition that you. quote 'help me get back at my brothers' end quote. I believe she has somewhere around eight?"
"Eight? And I thought I had it bad!"
The adults chuckled lightly at Ginny's sudden enthusiasm. Molly heaved a heavy sigh, "So you want to go then?"
"Yes, Mum, but only if you agree."
"Of course we agree, dear. Though you are telling your brothers."
"Deal!"
"Good, good. You don't leave until the last week of August, so I'll contact you later with the details." Dumbledore paused, "And don't worry about your OWLs, I have arranged for you to take them in America."
Ginny could honestly say that the OWLs hadn't crossed her mind at all. As the adults left her room, the only thing she could think of was that she had no idea how to break the news to her brothers. Oh what joy that was going to be.
Author's Note: I have too much time on my hands, but strangely enough I have no time to do anything I'm supposed to do, and so cannot guarantee regular updates. I can, however, request that someone be willing to serve as a Beta Reader, who can look over my chapters and get on me about updating. Please review, but don't flame. If you don't like it, don't read it. I'm insecure enough without the help of people I'm not related to.
Ginny Weasley wanted only two things from life; one of those things was easily remembered and just as often denied. That thing would be Harry Potter, because of course, giving up on someone or something does not mean that the someone doing the giving up has actually arrived at the point in which he or she has actually gotten over said someone or something.
The other thing, ironically enough, also seemed to revolve around a certain Mister Potter. Because the second thing that Miss Ginny Weasley, only daughter and youngest child of Arthur and Molly Weasley wanted most in this world, was to get as far away from Mister Potter as humanly possible. Unfortunately, when one considers the relationship between the rest of the Weasleys and Harry, the war hanging ominously just over the horizon, and (of course, she mustn't -could never- forget her own semi-stable friendship with Potter, her second wish wasn't looking very likely. In fact, the sudden (even more frequent than before) overprotective tendencies of a certain Mrs. Weasley towards her children made Ginny's second wish seem even less likely than her first.
Lost in her thoughts on a disgustingly beautiful June day, she was quite surprised to see Professor Dumbledore climbing out of her living room fire place. "Umm. Sir?"
"Miss Weasley, I'm sorry if I startled you. How are you?"
"Just fine," she lied, feeling a bit chagrined at the direction her thoughts were going. "Mum's in the kitchen."
"Thank you. Have a nice day."
Ginny frowned curiously, but left it at that. "Yes sir."
Quietly, she watched her headmaster gracefully make his way to her kitchen. Deciding that he was probably here to discuss, Harry, and despite the fact that a certain part of her wanted desperately to hear, if not be included in, that conversation, Ginny slowly made her way up the stairs. When she reached her landing, the intense quiet of the house created in her an intense longing for her brothers. The only one still at home was Ron, and he was so busy mooning over Hermione and worrying about Harry that he really didn't notice his sister. The twins had always noticed her, even if it was only to pull a prank on her or to tease her about Harry. Bill and Charlie had always made time for her, doting on her constantly and mock fighting about who was her favorite brother. She even missed Percy, the big git that he was. He had always been around for advice, even if it wasn't particularly good advice.
Lying on her bed, Ginny reached over to her nightstand to drag a small wooden case closer. Holding it over her, partially to block the irritating sunrays, she carefully went over every detail. It was a birthday present from Bill and Charlie after her. ordeal. with the Chamber of Secrets. The box itself was almost as beautiful as the thing inside. The box was made of dark mahogany wood, with exotic engravings inlaid with gold. On the top, her full name was deeply etched in calligraphy. Ginny rested the box on her stomach and slowly opened it to reveal a stunning flute, hand carved out of flawless amethyst crystal.
Little Ginny placed the flute to her lips and lost herself in the rich and soothing tones. So lost was she that she had no idea how much time she had spent playing, nor that her parents and Professor Dumbledore were standing in her doorway listening to her play. In fact, she only noticed when Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Miss Weasley, but there is something I'd like to discuss with you."
"If it's about Harry, Professor, forget it. I can only get him to listen to me when we're face to face and I have my wand in hand. And I don't think even a Bat-Bogey Hex would get through to him now."
"It's not that, Miss Weasley. May we come in?"
Slowly, and a little apprehensively, Ginny sat up against her headboard, allowing room for her parents on her bed and a chair near the door for the headmaster. Distantly, Ginny noted that thankfully she had remembered to clean her room the day before. "What is it?"
"There isn't much time for you to decide, so I'll cut things short. With the war with Voldemort, the need for allies is extreme. The United States has a large wizarding population and an amazing wizarding military. Unfortunately, they have yet to be convinced to help. They have agreed to have an exchange program, however, so that they might test the waters, so to speak."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that we have a chance to strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two countries through our students. I would like you to be one of those students, Miss Weasley."
"What? Why me?"
"You have dealt with being the only girl in a family with six older brothers, all of whom are very competitive and overprotective. To survive that, you have developed a keen sense of tact and strong peace-making skills. You have also learned your own weaknesses so that you can prevent them from being exploited, and you know how to spot and exploit the weaknesses of others when there is a need to. You are a strong student, and a powerful young witch. Why wouldn't you make a good candidate?"
Ginny didn't have to think about that one. "Because I have a short fuse and a big temper. Because I have trouble meeting new people. Because I haven't been farther away from my family than Hogwarts."
"Ah, but new experiences can shed new light on old happenings. If you agree, you will be spending a year at California's Academy for the Gifted Arts. It a school for now only magic, but the magic of music, acting, and visual arts as well."
"Music?" Ginny's eyes lit up, "I could really study music?"
"Yes. In fact, I believe that the student who is to be your guide is one who is especially gifted in the musical arts. She might even be persuaded to teach you some of the other instruments that she has mastered."
Music. good. No overprotective brothers to interfere with her love life (or lack thereof). good. No Hermione. bad. No Luna. bad. No Harry. hmm. that was a tough one. "Mum? Dad? What do you think?"
"Well dear, I'd hate to see you so far from home. I worry about you enough as it is."
"But Molly, Ginny may be even safer in America. There have been no reports of Death Eater activity there."
"True. I suppose it's up to you, Ginnybug."
Ginny flushed slightly at the use of her old nickname in front of her headmaster. "I'd really like to go. But how could we afford it?"
"No worries, Miss Weasley. The California state wizarding government pays for all costs. The books you can borrow from your host, as I believe she has about three or more copies of each. There are no uniforms; most American schools have a relaxed dress code."
"And the housing?"
"There are either the dorms, free to you, or the offer of your host. She has offered a room at her house, free of charge, on the condition that you. quote 'help me get back at my brothers' end quote. I believe she has somewhere around eight?"
"Eight? And I thought I had it bad!"
The adults chuckled lightly at Ginny's sudden enthusiasm. Molly heaved a heavy sigh, "So you want to go then?"
"Yes, Mum, but only if you agree."
"Of course we agree, dear. Though you are telling your brothers."
"Deal!"
"Good, good. You don't leave until the last week of August, so I'll contact you later with the details." Dumbledore paused, "And don't worry about your OWLs, I have arranged for you to take them in America."
Ginny could honestly say that the OWLs hadn't crossed her mind at all. As the adults left her room, the only thing she could think of was that she had no idea how to break the news to her brothers. Oh what joy that was going to be.