Girl Talk and an Accusation
Disclaimer: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters.
"This is so unfair!" Ginny exclaimed as she took the stairs two at a time. "Why doesn't Alistair have to come to history of magic?"
"He completed his requirements at Durmstrang," Bianca replied.
Ginny grinned at her blonde friend and said, "I know that, dear. Rhetorical question."
"Oh, right," Bianca said, swishing her hair in front of Ginny's face.
When they reached Binns' classroom, they slowed to a walk and took a few deep breaths so their haste wasn't obvious. They took their seats and smiled at each other; they had made it on time.
Just a few seconds later, Professor Binns swooped into the room and began his monotonous lecture.
Ginny had a good grade in history of magic. She liked history; she just preferred to learn it on her own. Therefore, Binns' class always gave Bianca and Ginny a chance to talk.
"So, Ginny, is there something you wanted to tell me about a birthday present or something?"
Ginny gave her friend a startled look. She hadn't mentioned anything about her mysterious gift. She had actually decided to keep it to herself- at least for a while. But despite Bianca's lack of common sense, she occasionally showed signs of being a mind reader, or a seer.
"Did I mention that?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, it's been on your mind," Bianca replied, smiling mischievously.
"Ah," Ginny said, pursing her lips.
"So, are you going to tell me or not?"
Ginny quickly made up her mind. Why shouldn't she tell her best friend? "Alright. On the night after my birthday, when I went upstairs after the party, I- "
"Whoa. Wait a second. What?" Bianca interrupted.
"What?" Ginny asked, confused.
"You said on the night after you birthday, after the party. We had your party on your birthday."
"Oh." Ginny was silent.
"Ginny?" Bianca said, when it was apparent her friend was fully enthralled with Binns' lecture.
"Okay, Bianca, my birthday is on the 11th. I guess everyone just forgot."
"Are you serious, Ginny? I am so so sorry. It really is on the 11th? I feel so bad. Why didn't any of us remember that? Are you positive it's not on the 12th?"
Ginny nodded. "But you know what? It's fine. Don't make everyone feel bad about it. Just make sure you remind them next year, okay?"
Bianca nodded. She looked so remorseful that Ginny gave her a reassuring hug. And Ginny wasn't usually a very huggy person.
"So, Ginevra," Bianca began, "you were telling me about that gift."
"Right you are, B-I-anca."
"Hey! That's mean!"
"Need I remind you of what we just discussed?"
Bianca blushed and said, "You're right, I am a bitch."
Ginny smiled agreement then said, "Don't worry. I doubt I'll use B-I-anca very often. It's kinda cheesy, don't you think?"
Bianca nodded, and was about to say something when Ginny said, "Of course, I could call you by your initials: BS."
"Oh, bullshit! You wouldn't actually do that," Bianca said, laughing.
Ginny laughed with her, then stopped when she remembered that they were in class. She tapped Bianca on the arm and pointed to Binns, who hadn't seemed to notice their laughter.
"So, anyway," Bianca said, "tell me about the gift. Now!"
"Right. Well, that night, when I went up to the dormitory, there was a little box lying on my bed. There was no indication of who it was from. I started using it to keep bits of paper where I wrote down what I had to be grateful for, to read when I get sad, you know?"
Bianca nodded.
"Well, since then, I've found notes in the box from someone who seemed to think it was their box. So, to make a long tale short, we finally figured out that this guy and I have identical boxes. And last night we just wrote back and forth for a while."
"Gin, what did I tell you about making long stories short? It's not a good thing to do! I want details!"
Ginny sighed, and told her story in greater detail.
"Wow," Bianca said when she was through. "This is amazing! Who do you think he is?"
"I don't know," Ginny said. "I call him OMM for O Mysterious Man."
"Let's hope he's a man. He could be an eleven year old. Or, he could be eighty!"
"No, he already told me that he got the box for his 15th birthday. So he's at least fifteen. And he told me that he was at Hogwarts, so he can't be eighty."
"He could be a professor at Hogwarts. You can't really be sure, can you?"
"No, you're right. But you know what? It almost seems like it could be-"
"Who? Who?" Bianca said, grabbing Ginny's arm.
"No, never mind. It's stupid."
"Now, Gin, you know the rule. If you bring it up, you have to bring it out."
Ginny laughed. They had made up that rule in their second year. "True. I suppose I can't break the rule now."
"You most certainly can't."
"Fine. I was going to say that it almost seems like it could be… Alistair."
"Oooo," Bianca's eyes got big. "Could it be?"
"Who's to say it couldn't?"
"Ginny you have to ask him!"
Ginny immediately cringed, then said, "You know, I could do that. I could talk to Alistair."
"And it'd be better for you to know whether or not it was him. If you didn't ask him,
you'd be thinking of your box buddy as him, even if it wasn't."
"You're absolutely right. I'll talk to him tonight."
"Yes! And you'll tell me afterwards, right?"
"Always," Ginny replied. Bianca gave her a funny look, so she said, "What?"
"Well, you weren't even going to tell me about the box..."
Ginny winced then said, "Sorry. But you forgot my birthday!"
"Forget about both and call it even?" Bianca suggested.
"Sounds perfect," Ginny agreed.
Bianca kissed the palm of her own hand and held it out. Ginny grinned. Completing another tradition from when they were twelve, Ginny kissed her own hand, then shook Bianca's.
For a while, Ginny and Bianca just talked, mostly reminiscing about their childhood years together. Professor Binns was letting them out of class before they knew it.
After dinner that night, Ginny asked Alistair if he wanted to go for a walk on the grounds. He agreed, and Bianca caught Ginny's eye and winked.
When they were outside, Alistair spoke. "It's still warm in this country. In Bulgaria, we would've already had snow."
"Really? I like snow, but I have to have October for the leaves!" Ginny said, skipping, and crunching those under her feet.
"Yes, they're very colorful," Alistair said. "In contrast to Durmstrang's snow white grounds."
"Hogwarts will be beautiful when it snows too."
"Mmm. So, how far are we going to walk?"
"Well, I have something to ask you."
"Ask anything. I may or may not answer."
Ginny took a deep breath, then said it before she could change her mind. "Are you the owner of the other message box?"
Alistair gave her such and unreadable expression, she was sure that the answer, if he ever came out with it, would be affirmative. However, when he finally spoke, all he said was,
"I'm not sure what you're talking about, but no, it's not me."
"Oh," Ginny said, pulverizing the unfortunate leaf under the toe of her boot.
"Well, would you enlighten me anyway?" Alistair asked, oblivious to her chagrin.
"Sure. We can walk around the lake," Ginny said.
As they did so, Ginny told him briefly about the box and its mysteries. She didn't go into detail about her talk with OMM like she had with Bianca. They had just enough time to make it around the lake, and Ginny had told all she was going to tell.
"Well, should we head back inside?" Alistair suggested.
"Yes," Ginny said. "And Alistair?"
"Yes?"
"Don't tell anyone about my box, okay?"
"As you wish," Alistair said, giving her a little bow. "But only if you promise to tell me who your correspondent is when you figure it out."
"As you wish," Ginny repeated, and curtsied. Alistair laughed.
They entered the castle in silence, and left each other to their thoughts all the way to the common room. Ginny remembered her promise to Bianca, and told Alistair goodnight.
When Ginny walked into her dormitory, Bianca popped off her bed where she had been bouncing a moment before. "So?" she said after running over to Ginny.
"It's not him," Ginny said.
"Oh. I'm sorry, Gin."
"Hey, don't be sorry. I never said I wanted it to be Alistair."
"True. But didn't you?" Bianca asked with a knowing look.
"No, not particularly. Alistair is a good friend; I wouldn't want to complicate things."
"Oh. Okay," Bianca said. Then she put her arms out and 'flew' back to her bed. Their
dorm mates, Bridget Gagnon and Sally Connolly, looked up from what they were doing and gave her a funny look.
"Bianca?" Ginny said, fighting back a laugh, "Did you drink too much coffee, or something?"
"Oh, no, I'm just in a good mood!" Bianca exclaimed, continuing her bouncing.
"Er... right. Well, you'll know what I'll be doing if you need me. If OMM is in, that is..."
This time it was Ginny's turn for weird looks from Sally and Bridget. But Ginny didn't care. She was also in a good mood as she got out her box.
OMM, are you there?
Right here, Fire. And you can stop calling me OMM.
Oh, really? Well, do you have another name for me?
Yes.
Well?
Riddle me this: I'll follow you around all day long, never saying a word. And in the dark of night, I'll disappear.
After reading the word 'Riddle,' Ginny had to take a moment to calm her beating heart. Then she set her mind to the puzzle.
Draco was surprised at how quickly she got it.
I hope you're not really like that, Shadow.
Oh don't worry.
So, what are you like?
Why do you ask?
Well, otherwise, this would be a complete waste of time, and paper.
Well...
And ink.
I see your point.
So?
All right. I'm charming.
That's apparent. Is that all I get?
One fact a night?
How about three?
Five.
You just bargained up.
I know.
An interesting Shadow... So, what's fact number two?
You have to give me fact number one.
Alright, I'm female.
Well, I already knew that.
You didn't set any specifications.
Ahh, then I know something else about you- you're cunning.
That was hardly cunning.
But you are, Fire. I can sense it.
Thank you. Second fact?
I am... smart.
I see. I am not an only child.
I am an only child.
Did you ever want any brothers or sisters?
Yes, I've always wanted a sister.
How old are you? Answer honestly.
Sixteen. I know you're at least fifteen... how old are you?
Fifteen.
Alright, that's not a bad difference.
I would've died if you had said eighty or something.
Not yet, thankfully. Fact number three, baby.
I'm afraid of swimming in the ocean.
Understandable. That's a lot of water for one little Fire.
Who said I was little?
Younger equals littler. It's just the way it is.
Fine. I still need two more facts from you.
I come from a pure blooded family.
Ahh, that narrows it down a bit. So do I.
And my last fact... I'm enjoying this.
Is that a fact?
Yes.
Okay.
You owe me two more facts.
One more.
No, two.
I told you I'm female, not an only child, afraid to swim in the ocean, and also from a
pureblood family. One more.
Fine.
I love cats.
Alright.
We're done with five facts!
Yes.
Now I have a question for you.
Yes?
Why do you think we were both given these boxes?
Ahh. The one question I've been asking myself since we met.
Have you come up with anything?
Fate?
I don't think I believe in fate.
Neither do I.
Yet that's our only explanation.
Ironic, eh?
Very.
Have to go. I can hear my room mates coming.
Alright. Talk to you tomorrow?
Can't wait. Bye.
Bye, Shadow.
