Disclaimer- not mine! JKR owns Potter universe
Chapter 16- Visiting the Potters, the new employer and Venezuela
I.
I never did apologize to Harry. In fact we avoided talking to each other, if we did converse, a chill would set in. But it turns out he wasn't really interested in Kayla. Terry Boot had asked Harry to ask a 5th year student about her. How do I know this? Hermione told me after she goaded him for information.
It was eleven AM Saturday, I packed some clothing and went to Tonks's quarters where Remus and Tonks were waiting for me with a dress. It was a navy blue off shoulder, completely appropriate for the occasion. Tonks helped me put last minute touches and I left for Hogsmeade from where I was portkeyed into a garden at 7 o'clock Eastern time.
I opened the door to the house and walked into a small corridor. Taking a left turn I saw that I had reached the living room. The house was beautiful. Whoever had decorated it had a good taste. It was classy, but it still had the feeling of home. I walked around the room looking at the photographs of the past generations of Potters. There was one that was my favorite. It had James with his arms around Lily who was holding a baby Harry. Just as I turned around there was a loud, resounding "CRACK!" and I pulled out my wand.
In front of me stood an old house elf with large almost violet eyes wearing a small dress and an apron, "Who's you?"
"Uh, Ginny Weasley, what's your name?" I introduced myself, sticking out my hand. The elf just stared at it before looking at me suspiciously, "What you doing here?"
I looked at her nervously before answering, "Um…Harry's mum…I mean Lily Potter asked me to come here."
Her eyes widened even more and her face broke into a large smile before she threw herself at me knocking me down to the floor.
"Oh I am sorry Miss Wheezy. You must be Mister Harry's new bride! But Miss Lily is dead, oh, she must leave you a letter, yes?"
New BRIDE? Oh bugger!
"Well, uh- I don't know your name-"
"My name is Libby Miss Wheezy."
"Yes, Libby, the thing is, oh boy, wait for a few minutes outside the room will you?" "Of course Miss." It was time to bring the Potters back.
I got Lily back first. She hugged me stood aside while I performed the spell to get James Potter back.
My first thoughts were, Holy Bejesus! Harry looks exactly like his father!
He came up to me brown eyes twinkling, "Look at you, you've become a beautiful young lady!" I stuck my hand out to greet him since my vocal cords decided to stop working due to nervousness. But he just caught me in a great big bear hug and squeezed the air out of me.
After everything was explained to Libby who had gone into hysterics when she saw the Potters, we headed out to town. Although the house was in New York State, we had to portkey to the City. Once we reached James hailed a cab for us. Dinner went really well and we returned home around ten o clock.
After we had changed into more comfortable clothing I had to perform the spells once more. We were sitting in the family room when James asked, "So, I understand my son has taken after me in stupidity."
To tell the truth, I really didn't know how to respond to that. I mean, what do you say to something like that, 'Yeah, he's the epitome of thickness.' Or do you act coy and say, 'No, he's a wonderful person who just doesn't know that I exist.'? I decided to gape at him wordlessly. It worked too, because Lily slapped the back of his head.
James clutched his head and glared at her, "OWE! What'd you do that for?"
She merrily glared back and he grumbled, "Well, Sor-ry! It was just a question!" Then he turned to me and asked, "What are you going to do? I think you should just walk up to him and snog him senseless. If I know my son, it'll work like a charm." I resumed my gaping expression at that. But he continued anyway, "So, your animagus form is a firebird huh?"
I nodded. He chuckled, "It really is perfect, see Harry's is a Phoenix." Firebirds and Phoenixes mate together…common wizarding knowledge. Obviously I blushed, I tried hard to keep my capillaries from bursting and asked, "How do you know what form he takes?"
"Oh, he and his friends have also been training…you know, for the upcoming battles. Your bushy haired smart friend is an owl and your brother turned out to be a weasel." I groaned, Malfoy would have a field day if he came to know. The wise owl and the weasel, sidekicks of the Phoenix who doesn't see his Firebird. Wundervoll!1
"Anyway. I don't think anyone told you, I doubt you would remember, you were only a baby. Your parents were very close friends of ours, even if they were older than us. They had been head boy and head girl when we were in first year. Boy! Did we bug your dad! Then we met them again once we joined the order and became good friends. They were there for our wedding, and Harry's birth. We used to meet for dinner frequently and they used to bring all the kids. Bill and Charlie were good kids, occasionally mischievous but they were generally polite. Percy of course was always proper. The twins were always a lot of fun. They used to get after Ron and you all the time. Especially Ron, but you would come and protect him. Because of your interference they would get after you. This was when you must have been a year and a half and Harry was a little older than 2. Harry became so protective of you. He wouldn't let the twins near you. He really loved you Ginny, he would even give you tiny kisses. We used to joke that the two of you would probably get married some day. And then Voldemort came and Harry was taken away to live with those people."
He stopped for a few minutes. The three of us had tears in our eyes, he looked up once more, his eyes shining, "I know he still loves you Ginny. That love could never die. We all knew it when we saw you two together. He just needs to find it and I am sure he will." They both came and sat by me. James took my hand and squeezed it, "Welcome to the family Gin." I smiled and hugged them in turn.
"Did you open the locket yet?" Lily asked. I shook my head and opened it. On one side a photograph of a baby Harry kissing me on the cheek and on the other was a photograph of Lily and James.
"James gave that to me when Harry was born. It only had our picture before. But when I saw Harry kissing you I had taken a photograph and I just had to put it here. I want you to keep it with you so you always remember how much we love you." I thanked them for everything and the conversation switched to Quidditch. James knew a lot of plays so he taught me some tricks the chasers on his team had used to win the cup. It was pretty late when we finally turned in for the night.
This had definitely been a good day.
II.
The next morning they gave me a tour of the house. Since it had been handed down to me, it responded to my commands. A lot of the wizarding houses that belonged to wealthy families have magical properties. It makes it easier to set up wards against people one doesn't want entering the house, but it can be inconvenient because there's always one room which keeps on moving to different parts of the house. Bloody inconvenient if you ask me. Basically No one can really come looking for me once I leave.
Once I had learned how to put the settings for the wards and rooms, Lily and James left, and I got dressed for my meeting with my new employer. I portkeyed to the city again, this time with my folder containing sketches of clothing I had designed.
I managed to get stuck in the revolving doors of the humungous building until someone came and helped me out. I scowled as I punched the buttons on the elevator, thank god Bill showed me how to use them, or I would be making a fool of myself again. I got off at the fourteenth floor and the woman at the desk in front gave me directions to the room I had to go to. I knocked on the door and entered when an elderly woman opened it. "Have a seat Miss Weasley, Mister Dempsey will be right with you." The woman said as she showed me to one of the sofas in the lounge. Five minutes later a tall, slim man who looked like he was in his late 50s came out. He had small eyes that were accented by his long eyelashes, a long nose, large lips, and a clean-shaven face. He sort of looked like the lead singer of the muggle band Aerosmith, especially since his hair was shoulder length. His hobo looking clothing contrasted greatly with the posh surroundings. He was nothing like I had imagined he would be. He took me into his office and offered me a seat.
"So, Miss Weasley, your friend Colin tells me you are very gifted in designing clothes. Have you taken any classes for this or is this something you have been doing as a hobby?"
"I have not taken any classes for designing. You see, my family is not very wealthy and it is hard to get nice clothing from second hand stores, so since the time I have been able to draw my mother would ask me to draw out dresses I wanted and she would try and make them. It's a lot more affordable for us to make the dresses and skirts because the cloth was cheap. Later on, mum started teaching me how to sew so I could make my formal and semi-formal clothing whenever I have the time." I explained.
"I see. Do you have some sketches that I can look at?" I nodded and opened the folder.
"I have gotten my earliest sketches to the most recently completed ones and a photograph of each item once they were made. I drew this one when I was five and this is me wearing the frock after my mother had made it" I said showing him the scribbled sketch and a photograph with me wearing the dress at a party. I saw his mouth quirk up a bit, but as I continued showing him my progress from scribbles to coherent drawings and to the dress I had designed to wear on my cousin's engagement the year before, his eyes held respect for my work making me feel proud. It was a pity Fred had set it afire by mistake, I could have worn it to dinner, it really had come out well.
"This excellent work! I am glad Colin recommended you and I am convinced I am making the right decision. Congratulations Miss Weasley, you are my new apprentice!"
I grinned and thanked him. After going over all the details and a tour of the building I went back to the house from where I flooed to LoL's HQ.
When I got there, everything was in chaos. "There you are!" Chris exclaimed and then proceeded to berate me for not telling them I was leaving the castle for a few days. What she told me next made more happy than I had EVER been before.
"You were right Ginny. Sirius is alive, we found him at the location you gave us. I still can't believe it!" Tears of relief rolled down her face and everyone got into a big group hug, months of hard work had paid off and Sirius was coming home.
III.
The Aurors put glamour charms on me and the rest of the group, which consisted of Mark, Percy, Chris and some others I didn't know. I slipped on the necklace one of the Aurors gave me which had the portkey hanging from it. Two minutes later I felt the familiar tug at my navel transporting me to a small village in Venezuela. One of the people who was with us questioned the Venezuelans for information on Sirius, since the rest of us could not speak the language we stood there looking at everything surrounding us. We had portkeyed into a small village. Hand built houses were all around us, more trees that I had ever seen in London. Of course, Hogwarts has a lot of greenery, as do the fields around the burrow, but muggle London lacks trees.
Something caught my attention. It was a man. Long hair covered his gaunt face and a torn vest flitted around his thin body. His pants were also pretty worn out, truthfully, he looked quiet like the others there, but just one thing managed to draw me to him: his eyes. The blue eyes peeked out at us from behind the curtain of matted hair and I recognized him immediately. I forgot about the others and just ran up to him and hugged him tightly. But he didn't return my hug, instead he stood there, stiff, with his arms hanging at his sides.
I let him go when I realized he was not hugging me back. I pulled away and asked, "Sirius? What's wrong?" Confusion clouded his eyes, "Who are you?" He asked desperation lined his voice.
"Sirius?" A voice cut through from behind me before I could answer. His eyes flickered to the person from over my shoulder and he frowned as if trying to recognize Chris. She didn't seem to notice, though, she just let out a sob and threw herself into his arms.
Sirius hugged her back lightly, but he looked at me in confusion. Chris drew back and started speaking, "Oh god! I am so sorry. I didn't know! I should never have believed them. I am sorry about sending the ring back Sirius, I always loved you! When Ginny first told me you were dead, gods Sirius I couldn't believe it, it nearly killed me. But then, she told me that you might have been alive and I just hung onto that for hope. Please forgive me Sirius, I love you, please…"
She continued to sob and Sirius just kept looking at her in confusion and despair. I was a bit too shocked to say even one word. He pushed her back slightly and she looked at him in sadness, judging from her expression she seemed to think he hated her or something, but she became speechless like me when he said, "I'm sorry, who are you? And why do you keep calling me Sirius?"
Kiwiblue: I hope the explanation helped.
Been- Thank You! I am totally fine now. I am still deprived of sleep though.
Sleepyhead: Thanks! I like being complimented…seems I am human after all. The trio…well, Ron and Harry are going to find out near Christmas time. Please read my response to Annie in chapter 8 for what Ginny can do.
KathrynPersephone-20- Nope, Sirius isn't the lion, he can't even remember anything. Gasp! Don't beat me! Bloody Malfoy is still coming up! Keep r&r.
Paige 2310: Thanks! Hermione…as you requested. Please keep r&r.
Wolf's scream-hmm…could there be some more H/G aftyer that fight? Of corse there can! It's coming… but it'll be mainly at the end…. happy ending type thing,
Annie: It did have your name! Lol, I guess you share a name with one of my characters. Are you kidding? Who doesn't like compliments? I sure do. Sirius came back! Yay! But he can't remember anything…you hate me now don't you? Don't worry! It works out! Don't worry about your bro. I doubt JKR will put Harry with Hermione, so I guess he and the other H/H supporters will see that they were wrong. Please keep r&r.
IamSiriusgrl- Sorry! I 've been busy busy! I really haven't had much control over my life, ut I have 2 chappies up. Hope you like! Please r&r.
Lonesome-love: Not looking forward to hard work. ((sighs)) more hard workless fanfiction ((sob!)) Thanks! Please keep r&r
Celtic-wonder- Thanks for reviewing. Keep r&r
Monalex Potter: It's a H/G romance and I assure you it has a happy ending although I haven't reached there yet…so she has to be with Harry and he will worship the ground she walks upon because she deserves it. Hmm, how many chappies left? Maybe 5, maybe 7 or 8, probably around 5. Please keep R&R
Silver Warrior- lol. My dad's always after one of my bro's about that. He hates shaving, says it's a waste of time and if anyone doesn't like it they can just not look at him. A lot of people seem to think Snape has a tender side…but it's a matter of opinion I guess.
Irishchic799: Hope you got what you didn't get, if you didn't, what don't you get? I'll email you. It's easier with specific questions.
Purplish Button: If you click on me, you can try to guess what's going on…why can't Sirius seem to remember anything? CLICK!