Author note: Sorry this took so long everyone but I had major writer's block for awhile.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything associated with it. Anything that you recognize from another publishing I do not own. I make no profit from this.
Chapter Six: Order Meeting and It's Not a Date:
Dear Sirius,
How are you? How is the "Order's Little Princess"? By the way, Ginny wants to know who came up with that name. She loves it but is afraid you all might be spoiling Maggie May.
Things here have just taken a strange turn. I don't know what to think. This morning Ginny and I were walking down to breakfast and we ran into Draco Malfoy. He has been acting weird all year but today was the strangest. He gave Ginny and I a warning. It wasn't one of his usual taunting warnings either. It seemed sincere. I know, it could be a trap but I can't take that chance. You see we believe the warning is about Margaret. Malfoy didn't say it to us, he just handed us a piece of parchment that read "The Dark Lord Knows Of Her."
Now don't worry, I'm not going to do anything rash. After breakfast Ginny and I will talk to Professor Dumbledore and let the Order take over from there. But please Sirius, protect Margaret for me. I know I hardly know her but I am already starting to think of her as my little girl and I can't explain it but I already love her more then life itself.
Harry.
Sirius looked up from his letter with a frown. 'How could he know?' he asked himself. Across from him sat Margaret eating her breakfast, or rather merrily playing with it. 'Such a small child, and I brought her into this mess. Sure her own dimension was worse but maybe this one isn't safe enough either. But she does seems happy enough.'
Margaret has surprised everyone when she had taken to her new life instantly and happily. Really the only problem that had arisen was when she had first seen Lupin. Lupin, like Sirius was living at the Burrow, and had arrived one night after being away on Order business. During a happy reunion between the two old friends Margaret had come into the room. The moment she had seen him, she had run into his arms crying hysterically.
# # Flashback # #Both Molly and Sirius moved to comfort her but Lupin beat them to it. Without knowing this child or understanding what was going on he scooped her up into his arms and rocked her as she sobbed.
"I'm sorry Grandpa Remus. I tried to wake you but you wouldn't get up." She sobbed into his shoulder.
"It's okay love. I'm fine. See I'm here and I'm awake. There is nothing to be upset about." Lupin cooed.
"Grandpa Remus is fine Margaret. Why don't you come with me and we'll make cookies while Grandpa Sirius talks to Grandpa Remus, okay?" Said Molly.
"Okay". Margaret followed Molly into the kitchen.
"Grandpa Sirius?" Lupin asked with a chuckle.
"You should talk, Grandpa Remus." Sirius mocked.
"Yes, about that. Why don't you explain."
# # End Flashback # #Margaret had met other Order members in the weeks since then. She had loved when Tonks had changed herself to look just like Margaret and they had confused Molly. 'Yes' Sirius thought to himself 'It was right to bring her here. She is loved and happy. Not to mention what it's doing for Harry.' Sirius thought with a smile.
# 00 # 00 # 00 #
That night Snap stepped out of the Burrow living room fireplace and dusted off his robs. He hated these Order meetings. He knew he wasn't trusted by most of the Order and he was tired of the snide remarks and cold looks. 'Dumbledore knew the truth and that's what matters' he thought to himself.
"Who are you?"
Snap looked down to see a small child with bright red hair and big green eyes looking up at him. Behind him he could hear Lupin chuckle lightly. He glared over his shoulder at Lupin and then turned back to the little girl who was patiently waiting for an answer.
"I am Professor Snape. Am I correct in assuming you are a Weasley?" he asked with a sneer.
Taking no notice to his sneer she lifted up her arms, silently asking to be picked up. Snape, taken completely by surprised obliged the child and lifted her into his arms. Once their faces where level she answered with a big smile " Nope, I'm a Potter!"
Snape nearly dropped her out of shock.
"Maybe you should come into the kitchen and let us explain." Lupin said from behind him. Snape, still confused could only nod and follow Lupin to the kitchen.
# 00 # 00 # 00 #
An hour and two cups of tea later Snape had the biggest headache of his life. The headmaster had informed him of the survival of Black but seem to have left out a few details.
"So Margaret has been staying with us since Halloween." Finished Mrs. Weasley
"Have Potter and Miss Weasley been informed of the situation?" asked Snape.
"Oh Yes" Answered Mrs. Weasley.
"And both seem to be handling it quit well." Added Lupin.
During Lupin and Molly's explanation other Order members has filtered into the kitchen for the meeting. Margaret had been taken and put to bed by Sirius. Now all the members sat around the magically enlarged kitchen and listen to the story. Some had already heard it. The others asked questions and made comments until Dumbledore had entered and put an end to the discussion.
The meeting had progressed as normal. Snap gave is report of the inner workings of the Death Eaters, Lupin had reported from his trip and Arthur reported of Charlie's foreign workings.
"Any other new news?" asked Dumbledore.
"I have some." Said Sirius
"I thought you might." Smiled Dumbledore.
"I received a letter from Harry today telling me of his encounter with Draco Malfoy." Sirius told the group of everything Harry had written and Dumbledore filled in with a few things Harry and Ginny had told him.
"Could it be a trap?" asked Tonks.
"I do not believe so." Answered Snap. "I agree with Potter's assessment that Mr. Malfoy has been acting strange all school year. Maybe some further investigation is needed."
"Wonderful idea Severus. Would you please look into it?" asked Dumbledore.
# 00 # 00 # 00 #
Later that week Ginny and Colin Creevey finished their last class before lunch and were heading to the Great Hall.
"I don't know how you do it Ginny." Colin stated as he and Ginny headed up from the dungeons. "I mean, you have to be the only Gryffindor Snap doesn't hate."
"That's because I love potions, and I seem to really have a knack for them. It's not that he likes me or anything, he just respects my potions abilities."
"I wish I has your talent at potions. Did you see the look on Snaps face when he looked at my Elixir to Induce Euphoria. 'Does that look like a sunshine-yellow color to you Mr. Creevey.' 'No sir it looks like green pea soup.' I hate him! I knew it was wrong, but he just had to rub it in before he vanished the whole thing and gave me a zero. Stupid git!" Colin fumed.
" Its okay Colin, I'll help you study for the next one." Ginny told her friend.
" Thanks Ginny."
" Hey, what are best friends for." She laughed as they reached the Great Hall.
"Ginny." Ginny turned to see who had called out her name. There was Harry walking down the stairs with Ron and Hermione. "I'll see you guys inside, I need to talk to Ginny for a minute.
"What's up Harry?" Ginny asked as Ron and Hermione walked into the Great Hall with Colin.
"Ron got a letter from your mom this morning telling him I was welcomed to the Burrow for Christmas."
"That's great, we can both spend the holiday with Margaret." Ginny said with a great big smile.
"That's what I was thinking too, but I don't know what to get her." Said Harry with a sigh.
"Well my parents always give us gifts from the both of them, maybe we should go in together and get her something from us." Said Ginny thoughtfully.
"That's a great idea. There is a Hogsmeade trip this weekend, why don't we go together and find her something." Harry said excitedly.
" That would be great." Ginny smiled. Just then they heard a small gasp and saw Lavender and Parvati run past them into the Great Hall.
" What's up with them?" asked Harry.
Harry and Ginny found out what was up with them the moment they entered the Great Hall. Everyone was talking about it. 'Harry and Ginny were going on a date to Hogsmeade together.'
" Oh no." Harry and Ginny said together.
The two spent the rest of the day telling anyone who asked that it wasn't a date. By that night as dinner ended and everyone came to the common room they were both on their last nerve.
"For the last time, it is not a date!" Harry nearly yelled at a third year who had been stupid enough to bring it up again.
"What isn't a date, Mate?" Asked Ron as he walked through the portrait hole.
"Ginny and I are going to Hogsmeade together." Harry answered exasperated. It wasn't until the words were out of his mouth that he thought about who he was talking to. He looked over at Ron and cringed. The whole common room grew quiet and held its breath as they watched Ron. His face started to contort to the automatic response to someone dating his sister… rage. But surprisingly that quickly faded to a smile.
"Its about time Mate." He said with a grin.
"It's not a date Ron." Ginny repeated for what felt like the hundredth time that night.
"Did he ask you to go with him?" asked Ron.
"Yes, but…" she started to answer.
"Is it just going to be the two of you?" he interrupted.
"For some of the time, but…" she tried again.
"Well then it's a date." He said triumphantly. "Way to go Mate! You got one of the best girls in the school, but watch out for her temper." Ron laughed.
"Oh Ron."
"Yeah Ginny?" said Ron.
"If Harry is going with me then who are you going with?" She sweetly asked.
"Well, I had planned on going with Harry and Hermione, as always, but now I guess it will just be me and Hermione." He said.
"So it will be just the two of you?"
"I guess so."
"Did you ask her to go?" asked Ginny, still in that sweet voice.
"I asked her if she had any other plans and she said no so yeah I guess I did." Ron answered.
"Then it's a date." She smiled. Ron turned bright red and the common room laughed. Harry chucked at his friend and then leaned do to were Ginny was sitting.
"You are brilliant, you know that, right? Scary but brilliant." He whispered in her ear.
# 00 # 00 # 00 #
The week finally ended and Saturday morning shown bright and sunny, with a cold crisp wind. 'A perfect winter day.' Ginny thought to herself. She had always loved fall and the start of winter. The wind always smelled so clean and the ground looked so pretty with the first snow.
After showing Ginny dug in her trunk for her favorite blue jeans and last years Weasley jumper. She pulled her long red hair into a ponytail, knowing leaving it down on a windy day like today would be bothersome. Ginny grabbed her cloak and gloves and left her room. As she headed for the stairs down to the common room she passes the sixth year girls dorm. She tried to sneak by quietly and thought she was in the clear when she heard her name called from inside the room. Ginny turned around to see Lavender stick her head out of the door.
"You aren't wearing that on your first date with Harry are you?" she asked with wide eyes that took in Ginny's outfit.
"It's not a date." Ginny sighed. Hermione's head joined Lavender's.
"You can't go looking like that!"
"What is wrong with the way I'm dressed?" Ginny asked as she was dragged into the room. She never got an answer. Thirty minutes later Ginny stood in front of a full-length mirror completely transformed. Her jumper has been replaced with a soft looking white one, while her jeans has been replaced with a short baby blue wool skirt. She knew she was going to freeze once she got outside but she liked the affect. They had redone her hair, pulling only the top back into a small ponytail and leaving the rest to fall into soft curls onto her shoulders. Parvati had convinced Ginny to let her apply a light layer of baby blue eye shadow and some sparkly lip gloss.
"Now you are ready for your date." Said Lavender from behind her.
"It's not a date." Ginny only half mumbled as she stared at herself in the mirror.
"Come on you have to get going or Harry will leave without you." Said Hermione. Ginny looked at the clock on the wall and gasped. They had spent all of breakfast getting her ready. 'Great now not only am I going to freeze but starve too' Ginny thought to herself.
She headed down the stairs with her cloak and gloved in hand and found Harry sitting with Ron in front of the fire. Ginny watched as Harry smiled at something Ron said and she was stunned. It had been a long time since anyone has seen a really smile on Harry's face. The affect was amazing. When had he grown so hansom? Ginny watched as Hermione walked over to the boys and said something to Harry. Harry turned to Ginny with the smile still on his face. Ginny felt like she was going to faint. The smile had not only brightened up his face but his eyes as well. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his. He seemed to be having the same problem.
"Are you going to stare at her all day or are you going to take her to Hogsmeade?" asked Ron. Harry blushed and looked at the floor.
" Ron!" Hermione smacked him in the arm and then dragged him out of the common room. Harry finally got up and walked over to Ginny.
" You look beautiful." He shyly said only glancing in her eyes.
" Thank you." She said as she broke into a smile. He smiled to and extended his arm.
" Shall we be off then?" he asked. She took his arm and they headed out of the portrait hole.
Author note: Cliff Hanger! hehehe. This chapter was getting too long and I wanted to spend a lot of time on "The Date" so I decided to devote the whole next chapter to "The Date".
Thanks to all my reviewers. Keep reviewing and telling if you like it or not.