Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, so give it up to J. K. Rowling for creating this wonderful universe for me to play in.
All text in italics is Ginny's thoughts. This story isn't exactly according to the books. For one, Ginny doesn't play Quidditch, and two, Sirius is most definitely alive!
Pairings: GW/DM, and maybe some other pairings later on, though I am not sure what they might be yet.
Chapter 2 – In Which Ginny Realizes Scissors Can Be Very Dangerous
Ginny sat down next to Colin in the Great Hall, about to burst with excitement. She couldn't wait to tell Colin about her new plan; she just knew he would love it. Or maybe not. Colin was one of the few people that actually knew the real Ginny, and he loved her just the way she was. If only everyone could feel that way. Ginny looked up as she say the fabulous Golden Trio sit beside, oddly silent for the first day back to Hogwarts. Something was going on with them; she just couldn't put her nose on it. Not as if I care though. Hmmph.
Ginny looked up as she heard Dumbledore call for silence.
"Welcome back, my dear children, to Hogwarts. I hope you all had an enjoyable summer, now that the war is over. And with that great thought, it's time to bring in our new students. Professor, the Sorting Hat if you please."
Professor McGonagall carried an old battered hat to the stool in the front of the all, and then walked back to the new children. That hat sat there for a moment, droopy and dusty from lack of use. All of a sudden, the hat sprang to life, scaring the living wits at the children about to be sorted. Then the hat began to sing. Ginny had to laugh at the looks of the children's faces. The poor kids, they don't know what they are getting into.
"I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat, though Pretty I may not be.
You may think your Caps better, but that they cannot be.
You see I am a Thinking Cap, Extraordinary and Rare.
Just place me upon your head, and I will tell you where you need to be.
I might place you in Hufflepuff, if you're Loyal as can be.
Or you might seek refuge in Ravenclaw, where all the Brains seem to be.
Is it Courage that you seek? Well Gryffindor it'll be.
And if you're Sly, and know how to Hide, then Slytherin you'll be!"
Then the roll call began as students were sorted into various houses. Ginny waited impatiently. There always seem to be more and more kids here every year. Oh, finally we're on the Z's.
"Zillian, Denby." A thin child timidly walked to the hat, sat on the stool, and looked up with fear as the hat was placed upon his head. After a few seconds, the Sorting Hat hollered out with much enthusiasm, "Ravenclaw!" There were great cheers and loud clapping from the Ravenclaw table as the boy headed to his new house.
"Welcome everyone. Before we eat, I would like to introduce a few new teachers. Our new DADA teacher this year will be Professor Ty Banks. We have also added a new class for those in fifth year and up. It is a class on the Healing Arts, and teaching it is Professor Rufus Lumin. Also, I would like to remind you that the curfew is strictly enforced, and that the Forbidden Forest is off limits at all times. And with that, let us begin the feast!" As Dumbledore sat, large quantities of food appeared on the tables.
People dug in, echoing muffled voices as the housemates caught up with old friends. Ginny turned toward Colin.
"Oh, Colin, it's great to see you again. I have so much to tell, but I have to wait until we're, err, not so crowded." Ginny said, looking around their crowded table.
Colin shrugged. "No problem Gin. Hey, take a look at my new camera."
And so Ginny and Colin caught up after their long summer apart. Neither of them noticed, however, the piercing eyes watching over them. Of course, Ginny wasn't the only one being watched. Many secrets sat in the Great Hall that day, Ginny's plan at a new life just one needle in a very large hay stack.
The Golden Trio walked towards the Great Hall, lost in their thoughts. Then Hermione broke the silence, asking Harry, "Where did you go during the train ride Harry?"
"Oh, I was just walking around, trying to really grasp that, you know, that he's gone for good this time. I just cannot believe he's really gone." Harry answered.
"Don't worry mate. That bugger won't be back. We socked it to him good!" Ron grinned, remembering the look in Voldemort's face when he realized that he'd been defeated.
"Ron is right Harry. He won't be back. It isn't possible." Hermione reasoned.
"Yeah, I guess you guys are right. Hey, let's hurry and get in there. I don't want to miss the new Sorting Hat song!" The trio then ran to the Great Hall, though none of them really wanted to return there, even if they wouldn't say it aloud.
The Potion's Master watched as first the youngest Weasley, then the Trio sat down at the Gryffindor table. His thoughts though, were only on one of the four.
Pansy turned to Draco at the Slytherin table. "Draco you've been awfully quiet. What's wrong?"
He reluctantly turned to face her, his trademark smirk glued to his face. "Is it a sin to not flap my mouth nonstop like you've been doing for the past hour?" Draco asked in a bored tone. Pansy, scorned, turned away, and Draco went back to his task.
Two other Professors were watching the Golden Trio. Professor Banks turned to his comrade. "How long do you think it will take him to figure out who we are?"
Professor Rufus shook his head sadly. "I don't know. I still think we should tell him."
Banks nodded in agreement. "Yes, but you know what Dumbledore said, the war may have been won, but the battles aren't over. It would only worry him to know what's going on, and he's been through enough already."
In the center of the table, the Headmaster stood up, a twinkle bright in his eyes. "I believe that we are all tired after our travels today. Let us retire to bed." Within a blink of an eye, the food had disappeared, to Ron's great dismay, and students began to file towards the door, heading to their common rooms.
(Gryffindor Common Room)
Unlike usual, the Golden Trio parted ways once in the common room. Hermione went upstairs to her new room she received as Head Girl. Ron went directly to bed, asleep before his head hit the pillow, and still in his school robes. Harry, a far off look in his eyes, went back out the painting, saying he had to talk to someone. All of this was fine with Ginny, because it meant that she and Colin were alone in the room.
"Okay Gin, what's up? You've been nervous to show me something all evening. Give it up." Colin said, a little impatient with Ginny's excitement.
"Okay, okay. I think I have found the perfect way to get people to notice me." She shoved the book at him, a sloppy grin on her face. Colin looked at the title, "How to Change Yourself in 30 Days."
"Gin, I don't know about this. I know you want to get Harry's attention and…" Colin attempted to say, but was cut off.
"This isn't about HARRY! Okay. This is about me. I'm tired of people walking all over me, thinking not of me as Ginny Weasley, but as Ron's little sister or the Golden Trio's tag along. This is for me. I want to change. I can't be that shy little girl anymore. I want to be me, and not some stupid title." Ginny explained.
"But Ginny, if you do what this book tells, you won't be yourself, you'll be whatever they tell you. It'll just be another title." Colin said, worried about his best friend.
"Well, I'll figure that out when I get to it. How do I know it's not the real me if I don't try it out first? Please say you'll help me Colin. I can't do it on my own!" Ginny looked at him, crocodile tears in her eyes.
"Okay, okay Gin. I'll help you out, but only because I know how much trouble you can get into without my help." Ginny grinned. "So, what's first?" He asked.
Ginny opened the book to the first chapter. "Umm, I think this is going to be the hardest part!"
"Why is that Gin?" He asked.
"Because it wants me to change my hair!" Ginny squeaked out.
Colin started laughing. "Ginny, you're not seriously going to mess with your hair are you?"
Ginny, sat there pouting. "I have to. If I ever want to change who I am, then my hair has got to go. So, here, take these and have a go." Ginny said, handing Colin some scissors.
"Whoa!" Colin said, stepping away from the scissors. "I'm not going to be the one to cut your hair. I'd never hear the end of it if I messed up!"
"I can't cut my own hair Colin. What can I do? Ginny asked, a little upset.
"Umm, you could charm the scissors to cut and style your hair. We are witches after all."
"Of course, why didn't I think of that before?" Ginny asked, as she ran to her dorm room. She came back after a short moment, her charms book in her hand. She began to rummage through it, and then yelled with triumph as she found the charm.
"Ah, ha. Here it is." Ginny cleared her throat, trying at the same time to clear away her nervousness. She really didn't want cut her hair, but she knew that is she ever wanted people to notice her, she had to. With a wave of wand, Ginny began to chant over the scissors.
"Verto illa forfex in a decor suffragium!" With a loud pop, the scissors rose into the air, a strange purple glow surrounding it. The scissors turned toward Ginny and zoomed at her head. Ginny yelped with fright and starting running around the room, glowing scissors following right behind. She jumped of the table, crashed into the chess set, and then finally tripped on the rug. The scissors gave a triumphant clip, and began their work on poor Ginny's head. Colin was laughing so hard that he couldn't move to help Ginny, let alone cast a silencing spell. The race around the common room had woken up the whole Gryffindor house, and people raced form their dorms, thinking that another attack at Hogwarts was in progress. To their surprise, Hogwarts wasn't being attack, but Ginny was, and by a pair of glowing purple scissors to boot. They joined Colin in his laughing, too amused to help.
With one last clip, the scissors finally left poor frightened Ginny, and fell to the floor, the charm's magic fading into nothing. All in the room gasped as they saw Ginny. Her hair! What had happened to her hair! Her beautiful red hair no longer there!
"Uh, Ginny, you might want to look in a mirror." Colin told her, coming by her side to help her, now that his laughter was controllable. Ginny gasped, and then ran, pushing her way through the crowd in a desperate attempt to get the bathroom. When she reached a mirror, all she could do was scream at the face looking back at her. What have I done? Her hair, which just five minutes before had been a beautiful Auburn down to her waist, was now a hot pink that came just below her chin.
A small smile crept onto Ginny's face. I bet they notice me now! With that pleasant thought, Ginny slipped into her pajamas and crawled into her bed to dream about glowing scissors.
Author's Notes: Hey! Hey! Chapter 2 is here. Sorry it took so long, but you can blame it my beta and my own laziness to get to a computer. This one is a little longer than the first one, and they'll gradually grow longer.
Plots, plots and more plots! Okay, so you still don't know who the eyes belong to, and you also have two more people to guess at, but suspense is always a great thing. The next chapter Ginny changes her dressing habits, which we all know can't go well, Hermione gets a detention gasp, and Harry has some troubling thoughts. We also get to see a little into the mind of the all knowing candy-crazy Headmaster and also get to learn a little more about the new professors. Please R&R! Thanks for all the reviews I have already gotten.
SilverandSilent- Wow, I totally didn't realize that I was a son of a llama. Thanks for the info. Glad you liked the story!
Just some HP reviewer- I am so very glad I could make your day better. Enjoy the next chapter.
hugz69- All in good time you'll see what happens. Thanks for reading.
Lettie- Love ya girl. No worries, Ginny will most definitely not be shy.
cherbi161- Yes, Ginny does need a little more air time, but no worries, it's coming soon.
Thanks to my beta chellelovesfics! You're awesome!