"Ginny Takes a Dare"
By Shortshanks4
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters bla, bla, bla, they belong to J.K. Rowling. So don't sue me.
"So Professor Lupin actually let you deal with a boggart?"
The small group of Gryffindor girls, most of them second years, was gathered in their dormitory, engaging in a late night chat. All the younger ones had agreed that it was quite unfair that the third years had actually gotten to deal with something potentially dangerous during their Defense against the Dark Arts class.
"I bet I could do in a boggart," Ginny Weasley declared, angrily crossing out a miswritten sentence in her Transfiguration homework, "If I can learn how to change a teacup into a rat, then I can sure as heck shout 'ridikkulus' at some dratted creature hiding in a cupboard."
"It's not as easy as it sounds," Parvati Patil informed her, an edge of irritation creeping into her voice, "It took a lot of guts to face my worst fear. Sometimes it's really hard to remember that it's just a boggart."
"That's right," Lavender agreed, "I'd like to see you face your worst fear without a flinch."
"I faced a Grindylow once, and those aren't harmless," Ginny argued.
"Less harmless than a boggart," Katie Bell, one of the older students, informed her, "They can't make you go insane."
"But they can bite you," Hermione said, showing them a set of scabbed puncture wounds on her hand.
"He let you handle those too?" Ginny whined, positively seething with jealousy.
"'Course he did," Parvati replied, "Any self-respecting wizard has got to know about Grindylows. They live in practically every swamp and lake in the country!"
"Grindylows creep me out," Katie said, shuddering slightly, "Nasty, warty little things. Professor Lupin had one in his classroom yesterday. It threatened me the whole time."
"I could show a Grindylow a thing or two," Ginny muttered.
"Oh really?" Lavender sniveled, "Prove it."
"How would I do that?"
"Well duh," Parvati scoffed, "Lupin has one in his classroom. Why don't you get it?"
"Oh, I'm not that stupid. We're not allowed out of the common room after nine."
"That's never stopped anyone," Katie said, "You just have to be sneaky."
Ginny glanced nervously at all the girls. They seemed to be waiting for what she would say next. Determined to prove her mettle, Ginny said, "Right. I'll do it. I'll bring that Grindylow back in the common room for all of you to see, and then I'll put it right back where I found it."
"Sure you will," Lavender snorted.
"You shouldn't leave the common room," Hermione argued, "You'll get in trouble!"
But Ginny wasn't listening. She had taken the challenge; she was going to get that Grindylow if it killed her.
A few moments later, Ginny scrambled out the portrait hole and darted down the hall. She heard the Fat Lady calling after her.
"What? Huh? Who goes there?"
Ginny trotted down the stairs, automatically jumping over the invisible one. Her footsteps sounded at least ten times louder than they did in the daytime, compelling her to run on her toes and bob her head like a chicken. She glanced around the corner before bolting out onto a moving staircase, taking it down to Lupin's floor and trotting silently down the hall.
"Yes, my darling, we'll find those students, and one day Dumbledore will be gone and we will be allowed to punish them as we see fit. Isn't that delightful?"
Ginny almost jumped out of her skin when she heard Filch's voice and plastered herself behind a suit of armor. He craned his head and tried to look at her but didn't quite have the range of motion and gave up just as Filch approached.
"Ha! Who's that? Who's out after nine?" Filch barked.
Ginny held her breath and became as flat and still as possible.
"Just the knight, you say, Mrs. Norris? Ah, well, I'll take your word for it. You can hear better'n I can. Come now, we must check around the Gryffindor Tower. Those filthy runts're the worst about curfew."
As Filch's steps faded down the corridor, Ginny jumped out from her hiding place and continued. By now she was shaking with adrenaline. She came upon Lupin's classroom and tried the door. It was unlocked, so she quickly pushed it open and slipped inside. It was very dark and quiet, so Ginny took out her wand and whispered, "Lumos." Unfortunately, she did not see any Grindylow.
"Must have taken it to his office," she hissed, "Great! Hope I don't run into Filch."
With that, she set off again, silently jogging down the corridor and back onto the Moving Staircase. Unfortunately, it took her to the wrong floor and she was forced to take a roundabout path and a few immobile staircases to Professor Lupin's office. She tried the door, but it was locked. She was just jiggling the handle when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. A quick glance told her that it was Snape. Hoping that he was heading for Lupin's office, she pointed her wand at the lock.
"Alohomora!"
The lock clicked open and Ginny slipped into the room, closing the door as quietly and quickly as she dared. It was dark, save for soft beams of moonlight pouring through the window, but Ginny could see the tank in the corner and hear the scrabbling of the Grindylow within.
"Ah, there you are, you little bugger," Ginny whispered. She waited until she heard Snape's footsteps pass by, and then she made a beeline for the Grindylow. The top of the tank was attached very tightly, and Ginny had a minor wrestling match with it before it came off and clattered to the ground. She stood up and aimed her wand at the hissing Grindylow.
"Stupefy!" she shouted, but the Grindylow dodged just in time. "Wait, you blasted thing, hold still…stupefy! Stupefy!" Finally Ginny gave up trying to chase the Grindylow around its cage with her wand and grabbed it around the middle. It promptly sank its fangs into her finger. Ginny had to stifle a scream before hissing, "Petrificus totalus!"
The Grindylow immediately let go of her finger and went completely rigid. Feeling quite pleased with herself, Ginny smiled and stuffed her wand back into her robes.
Just then, the hairs on the back of Ginny's neck bristled. Hot, rank blasts of air were hitting her at regular intervals. She realized with a jolt that something was breathing on her, something very big.