Globes & Maps
Chapter One
You'll Never Scream So Loud
I hear sound echo in the emptiness
All around but you can't change this loneliness
Look at what you've found
I've fallen down
...Down
"Ruth! I've got to go now! Lauren swore she would wake me up early and I need some sleep!"
Ruth came out from her office with a stack of envelopes. "All right Ginny, but we'll miss you around here."
Ginny smiled. "Of course you will." She twirled around and giggled. "Who wouldn't miss this?"
Ruth laughed. "How true. LIsten, you'll come and visit us when you get breaks from classes right?"
"Definitely." Ginny stopped spinning and hugged her boss of the past 3 years and one of her best friends. She had been working here at the lab since she was 15 and now she was 18 and heading off to college.
Getting into her car a few minutes later, Ginny thought about the past 4 years she had spent with the Cross familyi. She had just finished with the wizarding work that Professor McGonagall had been sending her over the years and now she could use magic anytime she wanted. The Professor never mentioned anything about the war in the letters she sent by Muggle Post and though that disappointed Ginny, she knew it was safer that way.
Ginny was less than a block away from her house when she heard the screams coming from an alley nearby. She quickly pulled over and got out of the car, making sure that her wand was in the back pocket of her jeans.
She ran into the alley and crouched behind a pair of trash cans. Peeking over the top of them, Ginny bit her lip to keep in a gasp as she saw what was making the scream.
A young man was curled up on the ground and in the very dim light of the moon, Ginny saw two black hooded figures crouched over the man. A second later the air around her changed and she felt terribly depressed.
"Shit," Ginny muttered, "Dementors."
I'll be home before the morning comes
And you won't have to be alone
...Miss America
Ginny stayed behind the trash can just long enough to decide that the disadvantage of lighting her wand (being noticed) outweighed the advantage (being able to see) and so she left the alleyway dark as she moved out from behind her hiding place.
"Silencio," she whispered quietly, waving her wand around the alley so that none of the neighbors could hear what went on.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Ginny yelled and a silver lion erupted from her wand, roaring as it charged at the dementors and chased them off. She rushed toward the man on the ground- but before she could reach him he slowly got to his feet and held out his hand to stop her from coming any closer.
"Thank you," he said and then he disapparated with a pop. Ginny barely had time to register that he had an English accent before she ran back to her car: she needed to talk to Dumbledore.
I'm in power for the hour
I guess today's gonna blow us away
...21 and Invincible
"Ginny!?" Lauren's voice rang out through the first floor of the Cross's home as Ginny ran through the front door. "What are you doing home? I thought Ruth and Kathy were throwing you a party?"
"They did," Ginny gasped out before coming to a halt on her knees in front of the fireplace. It had been hooked up to the floo network in case of emergencies, but no one could come through it, only Ginny could go out. She threw a handful of powder into the flames. "Albus Dumbledore!"
Lauren entered the den just as Professor Dumbledore's head appeared in the fire. "What's going on?" they both asked at the same time.
"Dumbledore!" Ginny said, ignoring Lauren for the moment. "Dementors! Just a block away from here!"
Dumbledore's eyebrows went up. "When?"
"Just a few minutes ago," Ginny replied. "They were attacking a man in an alleyway and I chased them off with the Patronus but then the man disapparated."
Dumbledore sighed. "All right, I'll try and figure out what's going on. For now, just stay put. You two," he looked to Lauren, "are leaving tomorrow morning, right?" Ginny nodded and Dumbledore smiled thinly. "Well the only thing I can tell you at the moment is to stay inside and put a few spells and alarms on the doors. I can't send any Aurors out at the moment, we're on full alert for an attack."
"So the war's officially started then?"
Dumbledore nodded, his eyes without their usual twinkle. "Just three days ago. It'll be a long one Ginevra, I'm sorry."
The corner of Ginny's mouth twitched upward. "Oh well, at least Lars and I will have the chance to open our clothing shop."
Dumbledore grinned. "That's the spirit. Now, I must be off, I have an important visitor coming so I'll leave you two. Be careful what you do from now on. Not many places will be truly safe."
And with that last warning, Dumbledore's head disappeared from the fire.
I want to read good news, good news
I want to be innocent again
I want to read good news, good news
But nothing good is happening
....Good News