Chapter 2

A Ginger Legilimens

"Alright, guys, I'm going in."

"Yeah, for the ten billionth time."

"Hey, I could use a little support, you know!"

"I support you, James!" said Peter readily.

"Thank you, Peter, you are my one true friend." Peter beamed and Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Just get it over with, already, we all know what her answer's going to be," said Remus.

"SHE SAID YES!" yelled Sirius as James sank triumphantly into one of the cushy common room chairs.

"SHE SAID YES!" yelled Remus, just as surprised.

"I believed in you, James!" yelled Peter.

"Oh, shut it, Wormtail," said Sirius. He turned back to James' grinning face, "SHE SAID YES!" he yelled again.

"Indeed she did, my unbelieving friends," said James calmly.

"Where did this come from?" said Remus, "She's been refusing you every day…."

"Sometimes three times a day," cut in Sirius.

"…sometimes three…."

"Or four," muttered Sirius.

"…sometimes four times a day and all of a sudden she accepts your invitations of love?"

"Indeed she does," said James. "She said, and I quote, 'Fine, just to shut you up. But, James Potter, if you prove to be as annoyingly immature as I think you are I will dump you in front of the entire school."

"She wouldn't," squealed Peter who was mortified of being publicly humiliated.

"She would, Wormtail, my dear friend," said Sirius, nodding sagely. "The female mind is vicious and teeming with cruel plots. Trust me; I have enough experience with the female population at this school."

"No kidding. Sirius has personally snogged as much as half of all the girls in our year," agreed Remus, looking up from his book.

"On that wonderful note," said Sirius happily, "let us proceed to DADA and see your lady love, Prongsie."

"Wonder what those new teachers will be like," muttered Peter as they exited the common room.

"Hmm…," said Sirius, suddenly looking very thoughtful.

"What, wondering how best to get the new teacher, Padfoot?" asked Remus slyly.

"Oh, don't worry, Paddy. Just turn on that irresistible Marauder charm. Works every time," said James absentmindedly.

Only one of the expected two defense teachers was in the classroom when the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws arrived. "Sit, please, anywhere," said Ginny, gesturing for the class to enter. There was a sharp intake of breath from Sirius as they entered the room. Professor Weasley was sitting behind one of the two desks that had been brought into the classroom. Her long hair was out and falling in a red wave down her back. She was wearing a tight t-shirt and well-fitting jeans. Her long legs were propped up on the desk; she was languishing back as though bored. Ginny's eyes swept over the students as they sat down, muttering interestedly as to the whereabouts of their second DADA teacher.

"Professor…Weasley," one girl stammered.

"Ginny," Ginny replied. The girl looked utterly confused.

"Call me Ginny. You can call the other professor Harry. I'll have none of this professor nonsense."

"Alright…Ginny," the girl hesitated as though unsure whether she was about to receive a detention. "The class is short one desk. I've got nowhere to sit."

"Oh. That's hardly a problem. Here," Ginny drew out a wand and waved it. A desk and chair appeared out of thin air and hovered before zooming into place.

"Tha…Thanks," the girl stammered, rather surprised.

"Not a problem." Ginny stood up and walked around her desk, finally settling for sitting on top of it. "Books away, please; wands on your desks." There was a collective murmur throughout the classroom. "Harry is out setting up for your first lesson and has left me to the fascinating job of taking roll. Would the first row please stand." The entire class was rather taken aback. Stand to take roll? Nevertheless, though, the first row stood rather nervously.

"I want each of you to concentrate on your name. Think it; think your name," said Ginny firmly. Sirius craned his neck to get a look at the people in the first row and what the professor was doing. Ginny was staring, no, glaring was a better word, at a girl in the first row. Sirius knew that her name was Amelia Bones, Ravenclaw. For a second the girl looked nervously around, as though hoping the teacher was looking at someone else, but Ginny was still staring firmly and unrelentingly straight at her. Slowly, Amelia returned the look, gazing straight into the Ginny's eyes. The intensity of Ginny's stare increased for a moment and Amelia furrowed her eyebrows, screwing up her face as though being pricked by a needle. Then it was over and Ginny was looking down at a clipboard in her lap. "Amelia Bones," she said, "here." She made a mark on her board. A great amount of muttering filled the class.

"How did she do that?" asked Sirius excitedly. "Amelia didn't even say a word."

James shrugged, "Beats me." Everyone's interest in the new teacher increased tenfold after this little demonstration. It increased even more as Ginny glared into the eyes of each student in the first row and correctly marked their names.

"Second row, stand, please, concentrate on your name. First row, you may sit." The second row of names were all correctly guessed as well as the third. "Forth row, please." The Marauders stood. Sirius had already drawn his own conclusions as to Ginny's uncanny abilities. Sirius was victim number one.

Before Ginny had a chance to begin her death glare, Sirius piped up, "Do you have everyone's names there on the clipboard. A seating chart or something?"

Ginny looked momentarily stunned that a student was bold enough to say something like that. Looking up she saw who it was. "No, I haven't got a seating chart, cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. Are you thinking of your name?"

Sirius nodded. He was determined not to think of his name. Looking straight at his teacher he took in her flaming red hair and the freckles across the bridge of her nose. He was drawn back into the present as Ginny looked away. He thought she gave him a funny look for a moment, but it was gone in a moment and replaced by an amused smile.

"Sirius Black you are not thinking of your name, but thank you for thinking that I'm damn fine, as you put it." Sirius blushed scarlet, but recovered quickly. He had dealt with more than one patronizing female.

"How did you know my name then, if I wasn't thinking it?" he countered.

"I would know your name anywhere, Mr. Black. Professor McGonagall felt it her solemn duty to warn me and Harry of your immaturity. You may sit." The class laughed heartily and Sirius blushed some more. He sank back into his chair. Ginny continued down the row, guessing everyone's name correctly until she came to James. Ginny glared at him for a moment and then gave another highly amused smile.

"James Potter, thinking of someone else's name will not fool me. I was also informed about you by Professor McGonagall. Is your infatuation with Miss Evans such common knowledge in this school that even your transfiguration teacher is aware of it?" Sirius felt a pang of sympathy for James as he blushed the deepest maroon color Sirius had ever seen on anyone.

James, being the last person to be glared at in the room, sat back down. Ginny surveyed the class for a moment before speaking.

"I have just used a powerful magic against you. It is called Legilimency; the art of delving into the minds of others. If I had chosen to I might have dived right into your deepest, most secret memories. For an accomplished Legilimens there is no need for Veritaserum or truth serum. For an accomplished Legilimens your mind can be read as easily as any book. However, there is a way of counteracting a Legilimens. This term you will be learning Occlumency, the art of blocking your mind off from the curiosity of others and…."

But right at that moment the door to the classroom opened and the second professor entered. He looked over the class for a moment, his eyes resting briefly, or so it seemed, on Lily Evans and James Potter. Then he turned to Ginny.

"I've found one," he said comfortably and he turning on his heel, walked right back out the door.