An Acceptable Risk
Part Thirteen
Ginny and Hermione crept silently up the staircase that led to Dumbledore's office. "Good evening ladies," said a voice behind them. "A bit late for an evening stroll, isn't it?" Hermione gave a soft scream, and Ginny whipped the cloak off and turned around on the stairs to see who had snuck up behind them.
"H-headmaster Dumbledore," she stuttered. "How? Why?"
"Please ladies, let's go upstairs and continue this conversation," said the elderly headmaster.
The two girls stepped aside and allowed him to pass, and lead the way to his office sanctuary. "I'm assuming you two are out for more than a midnight constitutional. May I offer you a drink and some ginger biscuits?"
"Yes, please," said Ginny. "I'm quite hungry for some reason."
"It's because you are not eating at meals Ginny. You have to take better care of yourself," said Hermione.
Dumbledore listened to the two girls chattering as he readied their snack. When everything was arranged on the tray to his satisfaction, he floated the tray over to a low table that was situated in front of a roaring fire. "Please, join me over here girls. It will be far more comfortable." The girls crossed the room and sat on the small, overstuffed sofa and helped themselves to tea and biscuits. Dumbledore allowed Ginny to eat as well as gather her thoughts before he asked why they were there.
Ginny set her teacup and saucer down on the table and told Dumbledore about her encounter at the Three Broomsticks with Draco. "He can apperate sir. That's how they are meeting with Voldemort. Apparently, they are taking a secret tunnel out of Hogwarts that leads to somewhere just off the grounds. Then they apperate to wherever they are being called. Draco told me there is some special stone or crystal they have which can block the fact that they are apperating. So the ministry has no idea it's even happening."
"Well, Voldemort is nothing if not intelligent," said Dumbledore. "As to what type of crystal it is, I do have some ideas, but I don't have to tell you Ginny, any piece of information you can provide us will help us in the defeat of Voldemort. Is there anything else you want to tell me about?" Ginny flushed and looked at the floor. Hermione took pity on her and gave Dumbledore an abbreviated version of the discussion they had overheard in the common room.
"Hm, very interesting, I must say. It appears as though your plan is a resounding success so far. You do realize of course that you are putting the possibility of a serious relationship with Mr. Potter in serious jeopardy, don't you?" Again Ginny flushed and stared at the floor for a moment. She raised her head and stared Dumbledore in the eye and said, "Well, I bloody well won't have any chance of a relationship with him if he's dead, now will I?" Hermione's jaw dropped at the blunt statement from her friend, and she turned to stare at Dumbledore to away the dressing down she was certain would come. Much to her surprise, instead of getting angry, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he gave a small chuckle. "Well said Miss Weasley, well said indeed. Now, I realize that this is your plan Miss Weasley, and while you are doing an excellent job, I would like to offer a suggestion if I may." Ginny nodded and Dumbledore continued. "You cannot keep having your altercations with Miss Granger in the Great Hall during meals. Miss Granger is correct in saying you are not eating properly, and I am sure that is part of the reason." Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but Dumbledore raised a hand to forestall her outburst.
"Please, hear my proposal out," said the elderly headmaster. "Miss Granger, this will require some acting ability on your part. Do you feel as though you are up to the task?"
"I don't know sir," she said honestly. "All I can say is that I will do my best."
"Excellent, one couldn't ask for anything more. Tomorrow during your potions lesson, I want you to purposely make a mistake and ruin your potion. Professor Snape will take you to task for your error, and you will then argue with him. Professor Snape will use that opportunity to assign a punishment for you. You will become his assistant in sixth year Gryffindor/Slytherin potions class. I believe you have a free hour during that slot." Hermione looked a bit sick at the thought of staging a fight with Snape, but she nodded.
"Excellent. That will provide Miss Weasley with another opportunity to fight with you in front of the Slytherins. For your part Miss Weasley, you will need to botch whatever potion you are working on that day so that Professor Snape can have Miss Granger assist you."
Ginny nodded, trying to hide the fact that she was slightly relieved. It was getting harder and harder to find reasons to fight with Hermione. "Thank you Headmaster," she said. "But are you sure that Professor Snape will go along with it?"
"Leave Professor Snape to me, Miss Weasley. Now, I also have a message from your mother to pass along. She said to tell you to be careful, and she asked me to give you this." He pressed to gold galleons into her hand. "Where did Mum get these?" she asked. "This is a fortune."
"Not to worry Miss Weasley. She thought you may need extra funds to help you in your subterfuge."
"Thank you sir. I believe I may have a use for them," she said. "Now, if I may, I have a question for you. Draco wants to teach me how to apperate. What should I do?"
"By all means, allow him to teach you. I am certain you have the ability, and will learn quite quickly. But Ginny," he said in a dark and serious voice. "I want your solemn word that you will not go to a gathering of death eaters without informing me first."
"I can't do that sir. I can't make a promise like that. If the opportunity comes, I must take it, but I will do my best to let you know."
Dumbledore was less than satisfied with her answer, but he knew that she, like the rest of the Weasley's were extremely stubborn. "Then I must urge you to exercise great caution," was all he said. Ginny nodded and gathered up the invisibility cloak as she and Hermione prepared to leave. "I am glad you found a good use for the cloak," he said to her. "Yes sir, I did, and I thank you for it. I also have a few ideas for other uses of it."
"Use it with care," he said. "It only makes you invisible, not invulnerable."
The girls covered themselves with the cloak and made their way back to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Hermione uttered the password, and the portrait swung back to reveal the passageway to the Gryffindor common room.
"You go ahead," Ginny hissed. "I have a few things I need to do."
"Ginny, no, it's late, and you need to get some rest. Besides, what else can you possibly do tonight?"
"I'm going to Draco's room," she said as she pulled the cloak off of Hermione and enveloped herself in it." Once she was hidden from view, she walked down the hall in the direction of the Slytherin tower.