The next morning, Ginny walked down to the Great Hall alone; the school still buzzing with tales of Umbridge's inspections since she had been made the High Inquisitor. The sky in the Hall was bright, but the clouds moved quickly across it. After eating quickly and on her own, Ginny lined up to go to Hogsmeade with Michael and his friends Anthony and Terry, both Ravenclaws, and both rather boring.
"So where is this meeting again?" asked Michael cheerfully as they started down the path towards Hogsmeade. Ginny glanced backwards, giggling, for Filch was sniffing Harry as if he was some delinquent. Which, of course, was true in its own heroic and romantic way. Ginny looked up at Michael.
"The Hogs Head is what Hermione said. Seems a bit dodgy, though, don't you think?" Michael nodded.
"I've never been in there before," said Terry, frowning. "But some seventh years were talking about sneaking in Firewhisky from there—I think it was actually Fred and George, Ginny." Ginny sighed. Why would she care?
"They're always in trouble, so I wouldn't be surprised," she said offhandedly. "Hmm. I wonder where Ceridwen and Trista are?"
"Trista?" asked Anthony Goldstein sketchily. "As in—that little Slytherin in your year?"
"Yes, that's exactly who I mean," said Ginny, smiling. "And what have you got against Slytherins? They're not all that bad, you know…" Everyone looked at Ginny in disbelief.
"Because Draco Malfoy's an absolute angel!" exclaimed Michael sarcastically.
"Oh, whatever," said Ginny, rolling her eyes. "Yes, he has been a bit of a prat lately, but…"
"Lately?" asked a laughing voice behind them.
"A bit of a prat?" added another. Ginny turned around happily after glaring at her boyfriend and his friends.
"Ceridwen! Trista! I didn't know you two knew each other…" Ceridwen flipped her long black hair over her shoulders and grinned.
"We don't know each other," laughed Trista, her blue eyes twinkling. "Anyway, we just met a moment ago. And we both know you, obviously… and we're both going to this defense meeting. Should be interesting. My parents have forbidden me to disobey Umbridge," she laughed. "Yeah, right. With someone like Ginny as a friend?"
Trista smiled cautiously. "My parents have forbidden me to have anything to do with either Dumbledore or Umbridge. They were really pleased I was in Slytherin—family tradition—but they told me not to mix with any of the death eater children." Ginny frowned thoughtfully.
"But Trista—they used to let you come to our Manor all the time!"
"They still believed your Dad—er, Mr. Malfoy, I mean…." This created a somewhat awkward silence, broken only when they reached the Hog's Head two minutes later. It was already quite crowded, Ginny noticed, and as she entered the room with her friends after Michael, her eyes had to adjust to the darkness.
There were several sketchy figures inside who weren't with the Hogwarts students. There were two people who looked like dementors, a large man with ripped wizard's robes and several tattoos showing, a witch with a thick black veil, and a man Ginny swore could have been a vampire. After exchanging looks with her friends, Ginny couldn't help but stare back at the witch for a second, for she looked oddly familiar.
After noticing the odd people in the bar, Ginny took a seat and had a chance to look around curiously. Nearly everyone there was in Gryffindor; there was Neville, Dean, Lavender, and Parvati; and the Quidditch girls Katie, Alicia, and Angelina; Dennis and Colin Creevey. The next largest group had to be Ravenclaws—Michael, Anthony, and Terry of course; Cho Chang, Padma Patil, and another girl with reddish curly hair; and Luna Lovegood, who looked as if she was quite lost and out of it. There were a few fifth year Hufflepuffs who Ginny didn't know. The last to enter the bar were Fred, George, and their friend Lee. Trista was the only Slytherin. Ginny glanced at her uncomfortably, but Trista was determinedly looking at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were whispering together, looking as if they were even arguing.
"Hi," said Fred loudly, snapping Ginny out of her deliberations. "Could we have… twenty-seven butterbeers, please?" The barman glared at him for a second, and Ginny and Ceridwen fought back the urge to laugh. He then stopped wiping dirty glasses with an even dirtier rag, and started handing butterbeers away as Fred rummaged through his coins. "Cheers!" he said happily. "Now cough up, people, I can't pay for all of these!" Ginny took out a few sickles and handed them to her brothers.
"Nonsense, Ginny, we can pay for yours…you're our sister!" said George, rolling his eyes. Ginny shrugged and pocketed her money, resuming light chatter with Trista as Ceridwen paid. Several moments later, the group began moving around Harry and his friends. Ginny stood up and hoisted herself onto a table as people quieted. Hermione decided to speak first, throwing a rueful look at Harry.
"Well—er—hi," she said loudly, biting her lip. Everyone's eyes darted from her to Harry. Ginny watched with interest as Hermione stammered.
"Well, erm, you know why you're here. Erm…well, Harry had the idea—I mean" she retracted as Harry threw her a sharp look, "I had the idea—that it might be good if people wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts—and I mean really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us...because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts," she said, her voice suddenly becoming stronger as Anthony agreed loudly. "And, well, I thought it would be good if we, well, took matters into our own hands." She paused for a moment, glancing offhandedly at Harry. "And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells—"
"You want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. too, though, I bet?" asked Michael, as he looked at her keenly. Ginny turned around and gave Michael a dirty look. Who did he think he was dealing with? Those three knew more about Defense and facing the Dark Lord than everyone else there! Even Ginny, probably, who had herself been possessed by Him!
"Of course I do," she said quickly, "but I want more than that, I want to be properly trained in Defense because…because…" She took a deep breath. "Because Lord Voldemort's back." The reaction was instant; the Ravenclaw girl with the red hair screamed, Trista gasped, Terry Boot flinched, Lavender and Padma both shuddered, and Neville yelped, quickly trying to act as if it had been a cough. Ginny managed to avoid shuddering, and simply looked back at Harry, chilled. Though she was one who had proof of the Dark Lord's return, it was still quite scary hearing people actually say it.
"Well…that's the plan anyway," said Hermione. "If you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to," she began, but she was interrupted immediately.
"Where's the proof that You-Know-Who's back?" demanded a Quidditch player for Hufflepuff.
"Well, Dumbledore believes it," said Hermione obviously, only to be interrupted once again.
"You mean, Dumbledore believes him," said the boy, directing his words at Harry.
"Who are you?" stipulated Ron in a rude tone. Ginny wanted to smile at Ron for this, but decided not to.
"Zacharias Smith, and I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes him say You-Know-Who's back."
"Look," said Hermione, "That's not what the meeting was supposed to be about…"
"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry, finally speaking. Ginny noticed that he looked worn out, or tired. He turned warily to the boy, Smith.
"What makes me say You-Know-Who's back?" he asked, looking right into Zacharias' eyes. "I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you don't believe him, you won't believe me, and I'm not wasting any time trying to convince anyone." The whole group was silent, until Zacharias spoke up again, determined, it seemed, to argue with Harry.
"All Dumbledore told us was that Cedric Diggory got killed by You-Know-Who, and that you brought Diggory's body back to Hogwarts. He didn't give us details, he didn't tell us exactly how Diggory got murdered, I think we'd all like to know—"
"If you've come to hear exactly how it looks when Voldemort murders someone I can't help you," said Harry coolly, his temper rising. "I don't want to talk about Cedric, all right? So if that's what you're here for, you might as well clear out," he said, unfairly looking at Hermione angrily. Ginny glanced at Cho, who was watching Harry with utmost attention, and felt a peculiar twinge of jealousy.
"So…" began Hermione with a high-pitched voice, "like I was saying…if you want to learn defense, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet, and where we're going to—"
"Is it true," began a Hufflepuff interestedly, looking at Harry, "that you can produce a Patronus?" Ginny looked at Harry curiously.
"Yeah," said Harry defensively.
"A corporeal Patronus?" she asked quickly.
"Er—you don't know Madam Bones, do you?" he asked her curiously. The girl smiled happily.
"She's my Auntie. I'm Susan Bones. She told me about your hearing. So—is it really true? You make a stag Patronus?"
"Yes," said Harry. Ginny had already known this, staying with the Weasleys and Harry over the summer, but Ceridwen and Trista, as well as Michael, all looked very surprised.
"Blimey, Harry!" exclaimed Lee. Ginny smiled at him; he was definitely growing on her. "I never knew that!"
"Mum told Ron not to spread it around," laughed Fred. "She said you got enough attention as it was." Indeed, Ginny could remember Mrs. Weasley warning them all about this over the summer.
"She's not wrong," mumbled Harry. Ginny laughed, and her attention was drawn once more to the familiar veiled witch, who shifted slightly.
"And didn't you kill a basilisk with that sword in Dumbledore's office?" demanded Terry Boot. "That's what a portrait told me when I was in there last year…" Ginny looked at the floor with sudden guilt overtaking her. She hated being reminded of the Chamber. Several people looked at Harry, impressed, as he told them that he had indeed killed the basilisk. And to think, none of them—Ginny hadn't even told her best friends—knew that Ginny was there that day as well. She felt even worse when she saw Harry, who was blushing and trying not to look at Cho—failing very obviously. He didn't even care that Ginny had nearly died—he didn't even remember; didn't even look at her! And Ron had probably forgotten, too, that that day they'd saved his sister. Undoubtedly, Ron hadn't wanted to go save a Malfoy that day… Ginny suddenly wanted to cry.
"And in our first year," said Neville loudly to the whole group, "he saved the Sorcerous Stone—"
"Sorcerer's!" hissed Hermione.
"Yes, that, from You-Know-Who." Everyone looked at Harry in awe, Ginny trying furiously not to cry. Stop feeling! Who cares what they think, or if Harry likes Cho? Be a Malfoy…don't show emotion! She commanded herself.
"And not to mention," said Cho, "all the tasks he had to do at the Triwizard Tournament! Getting past dragons and Merpeople and acromantulas and all…."
Everyone exchanged impressed looks for a moment before Harry spoke desperately.
"Look," he said urgently. "I…I don't want to sound like I'm trying to be modest or anything, but…I had a lot of help with all that stuff…."
"Not with the dragon," argued Michael quickly. "That was seriously a cool bit of flying!" Trust Michael to relate anything and everything to Quidditch!
"Yeah, well," said Harry, sighing.
"And nobody helped you get rid of those dementors this summer!" reminded Susan Bones.
"No. No, okay, I know I did bits of it without help, but the point I'm trying to make is—"
"Are you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff?" asked Zacharias suspiciously. Ginny glared at him.
"Here's an idea," said Ron loudly, taking the words out of Ginny's mouth, "why don't you shut your mouth?" Zacharias turned red as Ron glared at him as if wishing to beat him up.
"Well, we've all turned up to learn from him, and now he's telling us he can't really do any of it!" exclaimed Zacharias in his defense.
"That's not what he said," said Fred viciously.
"Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?" asked George, pulling a long metal thing from his Zonko's bag.
"Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this," added Fred.
"Yes, well," said Hermione quickly before everything got out of hand, "Moving on…the point is, are we agreed we want to take lessons from Harry?" There was a murmur of agreement. Ginny looked at Zacharias with still mounting dislike, as he crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air.
"Right. Well, then, the next question is how often we do it. I really don't think there's any point in doing it less than once a week—" began Hermione happily, thankful that finally everyone agreed on something. However, this was not long lived. Immediate concerns about interfering with three different Quidditch teams followed, and then some more slander of Umbridge. After a pompous Hufflepuff said something about the horrible woman, Hermione explained that the Ministry believed Dumbledore was starting an army. Nearly everyone looked stunned at this, except for Luna Lovegood.
"Well that makes sense. After all, Fudge has got his own private army," she said casually. Ginny stared at her.
"What?" asked Harry quickly.
"Yes, he's got an army of heliopaths," said Luna solemnly. Ginny tried once again not to laugh, and exchanged slightly incredulous looks with Trista and Ceridwen.
"No, he hasn't," snapped Hermione.
"Yes, he has," said Luna.
"What are heliopaths?" asked Neville, confused.
"They're spirits of fire," said Luna. "Great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of—"
"They don't exist, Neville," said Hermione, sounding uncannily like Professor McGonagall.
"Oh yes they do!" argued Luna vehemently.
"I'm sorry, but where's the proof of that?"
"There are plenty of eyewitness accounts, just because you're so narrow-minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you—" Ginny, rolling her eyes, decided to speak.
"Hem, hem," she said, imitating Umbridge quite well and making several people look around, startled. Then, seeing Ginny, they laughed, leaving Ginny to fully appreciate her new Gryffindor/Weasley-ness. She did look nervously at Trista, who didn't seem to care, before speaking. "Weren't we trying to decide how often we're going to meet and get Defense lessons?" she asked, exasperated.
"Yes," agreed Hermione instantly, sending Ginny a look of thanks, "Yes, you're absolutely right…"
"Once a week sounds cool," said Lee Jordan.
"As long as—" said Angelina quickly.
"Yes, yes, we know about the Quidditch!" said Hermione impatiently. "Well, we also have to decide where to meet." Ginny closed her eyes and pondered for a moment. The library was suggested, and also an empty classroom, but both were shot down immediately.
"Right, well we'll find somewhere," said Hermione. "We'll send a message round to everybody when we've got a time and a place for the first meeting." She then went through her bag and took out a sheet of parchment.
"I-I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was here," she said quickly. "But I also think that we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge—or anybody else—what we're up to." Fred was the first to sign, but several other people looked unsure. Ginny confidently stepped forward to sign, followed by Ceridwen and Trista.
"Er," said Zacharias, "I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the meeting is…" But the Hufflepuff he was referring to also looked hesitant to sign.
"I—well, we are prefects," Ernie burst out. "And if this list was found…well, I mean to say…you said yourself, if Umbridge finds out…"
"You just said this group was the most important thing you'd do all year," reminded Harry, looking at the boy carefully.
"I—yes, I do believe that, it's just…"
"Ernie, do you really think I'd leave this list lying around?" asked Hermione, annoyed.
"No, of course not." After Ernie signed, everybody else did as well, though many looked a bit dubious still. Several minutes later, as Ginny finished her dusty butterbeer, Fred spoke up.
"Well, time's ticking on. George, Lee, and I have some items of a sensitive nature to purchase, we'll be seeing you all later." Slowly, everybody rose to leave. Ginny turned to Ceridwen and Trista.
"So, what do you think?" she asked as they started out the pub.
"I think it's great," said Trista. "But I'm glad not many people recognized me," she added in an undertone. "They don't seem to be the type that gets on with Slytherins, you know?" Ginny nodded.
"Believe me," she laughed, disquieted. "I know." Did she ever?
"I thought it was good, too," said Ceridwen. "I mean, all the things they've done! Especially Harry…I mean, God forbid we ever have to face You-Know-Who or his death eaters…" She repressed a shudder, which left Ginny to think for a moment. Surely the Death Eaters would expect her to side with them. What could she do? She didn't want to side with them, but they would probably kill her! And her family…both families, in fact. The Death Eaters didn't make an effort to spare innocent lives.
Upon reaching the Common Room, Ginny was finally at her last straw with Michael, who was annoying her to no end, always wanting to be together! She did have a life, even if he didn't. But as Ginny and Ceridwen spoke in soft whispers about what she would tell him, Ron burst in through the Portrait. Ginny looked up quizzically as he marched over to her.
"Ginevra Weasley!" Ginny raised her Weasley-red eyebrows.
"Ronald Weasley!" she exclaimed back with equal enthusiasm and anger.
"What's this I hear about you having a boyfriend?" he demanded. "Some bloke named Michael Corner?" Ginny flushed with anger as much of the Common Room turned to watch with interest.
"Er—I'm a fourth year and I have a boyfriend," said Ginny slowly and loudly. "What's the matter with you? Are you feeling all right?"
"You're too young to have boys like you! And you can't like boys—you don't know what they're thinking of! You're just a little girl, Ginny, you can't possibly—" Ginny sighed. The big-brother rant. Draco had done something very similar, as well as she remembered.
"Ron, relax! Just because you don't date doesn't mean I can't!" she said heatedly. "I've been going out with him for ages, anyway, where have you been?" Ron blushed a spectacular red.
"If I hear that he does anything to you—if he tries anything—I will sort him out! And you better not be snogging him or anything!" he added in a would-be threatening voice, which Ginny found quite funny.
"Whatever, Ronald." The moment Ron walked away, Ginny turned back to Ceridwen, sighing with defeat.
"So much for breaking up with Michael," she said sadly.
"Oh, Ginny, don't let him influence your decision!" exclaimed Ceridwen. Ginny just looked at her.
"Ceridwen, I can't let him think he's won this battle—he'll be reminding me for the rest of our lives. I'll just wait a few weeks, okay?" Her friend nodded contentedly.
The weekend went by smoothly, Ginny excited at the prospect of the meeting in the coming week. She was eager to learn defense, plagued by a feeling that she would actually need it—and soon. However, Sunday afternoon, after returning from a short walk with Trista and Maeve outside, a large sign was posted on the bulletin board in the Common Room. Ginny read the official-looking document, more and more shocked the further she got.
Umbridge had banned all clubs, societies, teams, organizations, and groups of three or more people. It was actually approved by the Ministry, and they had to go see Umbridge if they wanted to regroup! Ginny turned to Maeve, who was standing behind her, angrily.
"I wonder why they've done that?" asked Maeve curiously, unaffected. Ginny, however, knew why, or at least suspected she did. There was a leak already in the defense group! Immediately thinking of Zacharias Smith or Trista—a Slytherin, she wringed her hands together, running upstairs to get Hermione. But before she had reached Hermione's room, she heard someone bounding up from below her. With a feeling of trepidation, she turned around to see Ron Weasley. Knowing what was coming, she jumped up and grabbed hold of the railing as the stairs turned into a slide, thrusting Ron back into the common room. Ginny hoisted herself upon the railing, giving her brother and Harry a dirty look as girls came running out of their rooms.
"Ooh, who tried to get upstairs?" giggled Jaclyn and Kayla, running outside. "Why are you on the banister, Ginny?" asked Jaclyn quickly.
"Cause I was on the stairs when stupid over there," she said, nodding at Ron, "tried to come up!"
"I didn't realize that would happen!" exclaimed Ron, disheveled. "That's not fair!" he added to Harry. Hermione then came out of her room and slid down the slide. "Hermione's allowed; why aren't we—?" he began, interrupted as Hermione neatly reached the bottom. Ginny sighed and jumped onto the slide, falling and landing ungracefully on the floor.
"Well, it's an old-fashioned rule," said Hermione. "It says in Hogwarts, A History that the founders thought boys were less trustworthy than girls. Anyway, why were you trying to get up there?" she asked curiously. Ginny, knowing full well why, listened in.
"To see you—look at this!" Ron exclaimed, dragging her to the notice board. "Someone must have blabbed to her!" whispered Ron loudly. Ginny strained to listen, a few feet behind them.
"They can't have done," said Hermione eerily.
"You're so naïve," accused Ron ironically, "You think just because you're all honorable and trustworthy—"
"No, they can't have done because I put a jinx on that paper we all signed!" Ginny sighed thankfully; she would have known, then, if it was Trista, at least; she had just seen her ten minutes ago. "Believe me, we'll know exactly who they are and they will regret it."
"What'll happen to them?" asked Ron eagerly.
"Well, put it this way," said Hermione, "it'll make Eloise Midgen's acne look like a couple of cute freckles." Appeased, Ginny went upstairs to share her news with Ceridwen.
In the next weeks, several small dramas occurred, but nothing too major. The Gryffindor Quidditch team was at first not allowed to reform, but the Gryffindors suspected that Dumbledore had intervened. Also, Ginny was approached by Umbridge, who, for weeks, had been unsure what to think of her exactly.
"Miss Weasley, could you please stay after class?" she had asked after another lesson spent reading William Slinkhard and his stupid Defense theory book.
"Of course, Professor," said Ginny sweetly, turning to make a disgusted face a moment later at Ceridwen, who giggled.
"Is something funny?" demanded Umbridge in a sugary voice.
"No, Professor," said Ceridwen loudly. She then turned to Ginny, smirking and starting a coughing fit. Within moments, the entire class was coughing loudly.
"May I offer you cough drops, class?" asked Aidan loudly, mocking Umbridge's apparent inspection of McGonagall earlier.
"Detention, Mr. Ellison," said Umbridge to Aidan as the bell rang. He rolled his eyes and stood up with Ginny to go to the front of the room.
"See you in a few, Ceridwen," said Ginny as her friend left the classroom with Maeve, Jaclyn, and Kayla, all giggling at Ginny and pointing at her and Aidan, making hearts with their wands. Ginny glared at them to go away. Once everyone was out of the room, Aidan was given his detention.
"I don't tolerate people speaking out of turn in my class. You'll do well to remember this," said Umbridge in a sickeningly girly voice.
"Yes, Professor," said Aidan with a great dislike. "I'll wait for you outside, Gin," he then said in a deeper voice. Ginny nodded, trying to hide her smile. She then turned to Umbridge.
"What was it you needed to speak to me about, Professor?"
"Well, Miss Weasley, I have spoken to Draco Malfoy and some friends of his—delightful children—and they tell me that your loyalties still—ah—lie with the Malfoys and with the Ministry. Is this right?"
"Oh, yes. Most definitely," answered Ginny immediately, hoping dearly that this was a lie. It had to be. Umbridge looked delighted.
"Wonderful! Wonderful, dear! Now, sit down, have some tea…" Umbridge pushed Ginny a glass of tea. "Drink up, dear." Ginny knew better. She pretended to drink, but didn't. "Good. Lovely! Now, did you learn anything beneficial for the Ministry while at the Weasleys? About Dumbledore, perhaps? Or your family?"
"No, nothing against the Ministry except… except that they like blood-traitors and M—" Ginny took a deep breath, trying to shape the word which had once come so easily to her, "—Mudbloods. They didn't tell me much of anything. Didn't trust me, see."
"Ah. Of course. Well, would you feel comfortable trying to gain that trust? Find out about Potter and what he's planning against the Ministry? Your father—the one you're loyal to—would be so proud!"
"I would be honored, Professor," lied Ginny, smiling, pretending to take another sip. "Evanesco," she whispered as quietly as she could. The tea disappeared.
"Lovely!" repeated Umbridge, her voice unbelievingly high-pitched. "Of course, you'll get certain benefits! I will let you be on the Inquisitorial Squad, which is, for now, top secret… you will get to have powers that other students, even Prefects, haven't got. Cornelius—the Minister, I mean, approves fully."
"That sounds great, Professor," said Ginny, not bothering to inquire any more about this squad. "But I have to go—my next class is Potions, and Professor Snape isn't the happiest with me…he thinks I'm too Gryffindor or something. I was just trying to gain their trust, honestly… Do you think you could speak with him?" Umbridge pondered this for a moment.
"Of course, Ginny. I'll make him see reason about you. I can't imagine why you didn't make it into the respectable house, Slytherin… well, good-bye. I will speak with Severus. Now remember to report to me anything—out of the ordinary. Do you understand?" Ginny nodded. "Wonderful!" With that, Ginny hurried out of the room, feeling almost sick. She was getting herself into quite a wonderful position—a double agent already, and she was still only a fourth year! But, to her delight, Aidan was still waiting for her.
"Hey, what was that all about?" he asked her curiously. Ginny rolled her eyes angrily.
"Umbridge wants me in some group to help catch people who talk about You-Know-Who, basically," she said darkly. "Yeah, right. I will definitely not be working for her!" she exclaimed in a passionate whisper. Aidan grinned.
"Listen, Gin… I feel like you like me. Or are you just leading me on?" Ginny stopped in surprise.
"I—I do. I do like you, Aidan…but Michael…" Aidan sighed.
"Could you break up with him? Please, Ginny, I really like you, and if you like me, too…don't you think it could work?" No. You're not Harry, thought Ginny sadly.
"Y-yeah, I do. I'll talk to Michael. I don't think he really likes me that much anymore either. I think he likes Cho Chang," she said bitterly, "like every other guy at this stupid school…"
"I don't," said Aidan quietly. Ginny smiled.
"Okay. Thanks. I—I'll just be going then… bye," she said, laughing awkwardly.
"See you later, Ginny." Ginny rushed up to her room to spill to Ceridwen and Maeve, who were both on their beds talking and studying (Ginny had lied about Potions to get out of Umbridge's classroom faster). They squealed and giggled, and then Ginny proceeded to break up with Michael, who simply brushed Ginny off, acting as if he didn't care. Fine, thought Ginny. I don't care either! She then returned to the Common room and stayed awake until midnight talking to Aidan, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione ushered them out of the Common Room. Ginny was at first tempted to use her Inquisitorial Squad powers, but decided against it. After bidding good-night to Aidan, she raced upstairs, excited about the coming defense meeting, where she could possibly brag to Harry about being a double-agent and being able to spy on Umbridge for him. Life was good—for the night.
A/N: Hi! This update was pretty fast. I would really appreciate reviews; I've been working pretty hard on this story and getting loads of hits, but very few reviews compared to the first chapters. Please, please review! Coming up next chapter: DA meeting, Quidditch game and try-outs, and mass-breakout from Azkaban—see how the Malfoys react!