Caving In

Ginny slumped down the staircase after her brother. She wasn't angry anymore. She truly wasn't. Her anger had morphed into bitterness a while ago. It was true she didn't WANT to date Migell. But she could definitely see why she should. And as much as the situation pained her, she was beginning to think maybe she was the one who was wrong. Maybe she was being selfish to feel mad about helping her family in improving their social status, and perhaps even getting her father a promotion. And even though Ginny knew it wasn't as though Migell was the nicest guy on the planet... in fact he was far from it. But he wasn't horrible. Having a boring face wasn't as bad as having an ugly one. Being self absorbed wasn't worse then being cruel and unkind. There was nothing, now that Ginny thought about it that was directly wrong with him. Nothing horrible enough to give her an excuse not to date him. And although Ginny would never describe him as her mother had...as a "nice boy", really he wasn't the worst person on the planet. She could have done a lot worse. No, now the only thing making Ginny miserable were the thoughts confirming that she was the selfish one. She had been wrong. But perhaps it was nothing new. She was beginning to wonder if all the times she spent shaking her head, laughing at the ignorance of the world she had been on the wrong end. Maybe there was something wrong with her, maybe she was the one who didn't fit. It sickened her. She felt dirty and stupid and worthless. And she was not even distantly aware how skewed her vision and judgement were starting to become...

Ginny entered the kitchen and glanced at the table, startled at how empty it was. When George had come to retrieve her she'd figured that she was the only one they were awaiting, before beginning dinner. But the table was virtually empty. Hermione was shredding carrots by the counter and Fred was lying on the floor writing up some sort of new price list. The room was otherwise deserted.

"Ginny, good." Mrs. Weasley remarked avoiding eye contact. She was standing at the stove stirring some thick brown liquid. Ginny glanced at the liquid, then at her mother feeling guilty. George raised his eyebrows to his sister, then gave the goop a shifty look before winking and sitting down to help his twin

"Mum?" Ginny asked approaching Mrs. Weasley slowly

"Mmm?"

""Mum, I''m really sorry." Ginny mumbled. Her voice was hollow and cold. And she meant what she said. Her mother turned to face her, eyes shining with tears.

"Oh, Ginny" she exclaimed engulfing her in a hug. "It's quite all right. I forgive you for snapping at me. I think it's the pressure of having so much work to do still. This is why you really should have finished it earlier. You wouldn't be yelling at your family for no reason."

Flames of outrage exploded in Ginny's stomach. But she simply shuddered and pushed them down.

"You're right." she said bitterly. And she meant it. She sat down shakily at the kitchen table and glanced around. Just then, Ron and Harry walked in the door, covered in mud and sweat. "Where were you?" Ginny asked over her mother's squawks and attempts to wipe both boys clean.

"Practicing." Ron shrugged in response

"Didn't think to ask me did you?"she inquired more coldly then she had intended. But saying it so coldly felt wonderful. Ron shrugged again and looked away. He hadn't asked her to practice with them since the previous day when she had plummeted off her broom. "Don''t worry about me. Okay?" Ginny said sharply.

"I wasn't...we didn't..." Ron muttered tapping his plate with his fork.

"Hey! Don't worry about me. Ever. I'm fifteen. I'm not your fucking baby sister anymore Ronald. I'll worry about myself. I'm not even in school yet and I've done more work then you did in your fifth year! I don't need you telling me if I'm fit to play quidditch or not! All right?"

Ron, the twins and Harry gawked at her, but she didn't care. She wanted to forget her fall yesterday. More importantly, she wanted to forget what had caused her fall yesterday. But most of all she wanted Ron to stop worrying about her in any way shape or form. No one else ever worried about her. Not really. Why the hell should he? She was not worth worrying over and really she just wanted not to be looked at for once. She wanted to be normal which she clearly was not. She didn't know what she wanted. But being worried over was not on her list. Ginny smacked herself in the eye to hold back the tears she felt coming on. Why was she crying?

"Sorry..." he muttered still goggling at his sister.

"Well good." she almost barked. "Good."

Everyone''s here

"Have you found out yet why this is happening?" Ginny hissed in a voice that was licked with hatred

"N-no...I...I mean..." someone from beneath a mask choked in a whisper

"What do you mean? Do you mean to tell me you have failed me once again?"

"No!" the masked man squealed "N-no mas-"

"It is happening right now! I feel it! I can sense it! It seems to me, that you Wormtail are seemingly unaware of my strengths! I'm just an ignorant boob is that correct Wormtail?"

"No!" The man called Wormtail repeated, in a yelp of sheer terror "N-no! You are-"

"SILENCE!" Ginny screamed. "You will find out what this is. And you will find out why it is happening. I do not know what it is. But I unlike you Wormtail, am intelligent enough to know that it is not good."

"I-I know Master!" Wormtail gasped "Not good! Not good at all!"

Liquid streamed from his eyes as he wagged his head insanely. Ginny adored how frightened the idiot was...but she would have given up that wonderful feeling of adoration to simply know WHO he was. Her eyes rolled around with pleasure in her skull as she raised her wand, giving an absolutely deranged grin. WHY was she smiling? WHAT was about to happen? She gave her long wand a prolonged raise watching Wormtail cower and writhe with fear. But then she looked up. That was not her wand. No more was it her hand. She gave a strangled cry as she felt her stomach give a lurch. She jagged her hand, almost dropped the wand jerkily and stood up, not having the slightest idea what to do next. She looked around frantically, as she felt tears form in her eyes.

"M-master?" Wormtail asked daring to raise himself off the floor in the slightest... Ginny whipped around. Her wand was still raised.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" she screamed "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"I said GINNY WAKE THE HELL UP!"