quick note opinions and helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I don't consider myself a that fine of a writer, it's just for fun. O, can anyone kindly explain what a beta is? Heh, I'm sort of behind on terms. Sorry for the wait, I made the chapter a little bit longer. And yes, it might come across as a little bit slow, but you need rising action before right? grins impishly, okay, I'm done rambling now, read and enjoy!
Chapter Three: Temporarily Banned
There's something in the dark.
Ginny sat up in terror. This had occurred every night ever since Dumbledore's funeral. Every time, she woke up scared shitless. The hair on the back of her neck prickled and she crossed her arms. Ginny couldn't help but fear that she was being watched. By who, she did not know, but something told her someone was watching her. Ginny got up quickly and as quietly as she could without trying to wake up Hermione. Pressing her slender fingers against the windowpane, she peered out trying hopelessly to distinguish something or someone in the darkness.
No one. Nothing at all. She sighed but stood at the window a moment longer. It was nearly impossible to anything out except for shadows of trees and bushes.
Snap out of it Ginny. There's nothing outside, it's just your imagination working overtime.
Yea right. Imagination working overtime, pff. I'm telling you, there is something out there!
You need sleep, you look like death warmed you over twice.
Oh, gee, thanks.
No Ginny, you need sleep, now. Bed equals good. Good means happy, and you have dress fittings tomorrow.
Must you remind me?
Bed, now.
Ginny gave up arguing with her mind and crawled back into bed. But she did not fall asleep for a long time.
Harry and Ron were eating breakfast the next morning when they heard hell coming down the stairs. Ginny was swearing enough to make a sailor blush! She stormed down the stairs with her wand in one hand and a muggle baseball bat in another. She yelled loudly coming down the stairs, "WHERE THE HELL IS MY BLUE AND BLACK TANK TOP?"
Gabrielle froze on the spot. She just happened to be wearing a blue and black tank top that she had snitched from the evil red head girl's room. She hurridly tried to finish her breakfast.
"AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THE DRESS ISN'T SKY BLUE, IT'S AQUAMARINE? WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN! AND NO! I WILL NOT TRY TO GAIN ANY EXTRA WEIGHT, WE HAVE LESS THEN A GODDAMN WEEK BEFORE PHLEGM AND BILL TIE THE KNOT." Ginny bellowed.
They could hear Mrs. Weasly's shouting and she too thundered down the stairs. Mrs. Weasly felt ashamed about how her daughter was acting. Ginny was usually more level headed and more logical about things. Now she was screaming and shouting loud enough to wake up god! This is where she had to draw the line; lay down the law. To show them whose boss, and who washed their socks!
"right! That it is Ginny! I've had enough of your silly attitude. Being shut up in that dumpster of a room, sleeping at odd hours and taking five hour naps! Honestly, you would think you had aged a hundred years or so!"
"Mum!"
"No! You listen to me. Fleur and Bill are getting married, whether you like it or not. And you're going to show your support. And you will have to show some more warmth you Fleur now. Otherwise…." Mrs. Weasly said waving her wand threateningly.
"Otherwise what Mum? What Mum? What are you going to do? Lock me in my room? 'Cos let me remind you, the days where you can simply send me off to my room without dinner are gone now Mum. I'm not your little girl anymore" Ginny challenged.
Harry could make out that what Ginny had just said had hurt Mrs. Weasly deeply. She had a wounded look in her eyes. However, Ginny maintained her tough stance. She folded her arms across her chest and set her lips in a firm line. Her deep brown eyes looked angry. Ron, Hermione and he watched this face off solemnly. Hermione was watching Ginny rather closely and Ron looked utterly unsurprised. This was nothing new for him.
"You're right. You're not my little girl anymore. You're a young woman, which means I'll have to treat you like a young woman now. Ginny, though I hate to say this, I think it's best that you stay out of the house for a few days or so" Mrs. Weasly said trying to keep her voice from wavering.
"Oh, like you mean I get to set up camp out in the backyard?" Ginny asked raising an eyebrow.
"No." Mrs. Weasly said slowly. "I mean, pack up a few of your things and go off to Fred and George's. You're temporarily banned from home."
Ginny opened her mouth and then closed it. Rather then admit defeat, she angled her chin; (which Harry had to admire) and looked her mother straight in the eye. "Fine. Have it your way Mum, don't worry, I'll be fine." She gave a twisted smile and then disappeared up the stairs.
The whole kitchen fell silent. Then Gabrielle asked timidly, "Does she still want her blue and black tank top back?"
Ginny's mind was hurling insults and blue oaths and bouncing them off her skull; she was that mad, and surprised and a little shocked. Her own mother was 'temporarily banning' her from her own house? The nerve of her! Oh shit, now she was starting to sound like her mum. Oh god. Ginny shuddered. Muttering under her breath, she flung opened her battered wardrobe, and began pulling out random blouses, tee shirts, shorts, and jeans. She tossed them one by one backwards into her traveling trunk. Then she threw in some books and her sketchbook and slammed the lid shut.
"Ginny?" a voice called out.
She spun around and heat rose into her cheeks. Harry was standing in the doorway with his hands tucked into his pockets. Self consciousness came into her mind. Is my hair brushed, why did I have to choose such and old tee shirt? Ginny knocked these thoughts away and tried to say 'hello' but nothing came out. She exhaled and then tried again. "Hey Harry"
"Er, are you ok?" he asked awkwardly coming towards her.
"Do you want the truth?" Ginny replied.
Harry looked at her silently for a moment. Ginny suddenly felt ashamed of how she had acted beforehand. She lowered her head.
"You've been acting a lot stranger lately. Is anything wrong?" he asked gently.
"Oh…..yeah Harry, there is a lot that's going on and a lot that's wrong" Ginny blurted out.
"So? Do you want to tell me what's happening?" he asked in a caring tone.
Ginny really wanted too. She really did. To see his eyes filled with concern again, to see him actually care about her again. He had been on her mind the whole summer. And now he was here, talking to her, being around her again. Ginny deeply missed him. But she couldn't. Not now, she just couldn't right now. You see, Ginny was still deeply hurt. How could anyone get over him?
"I'm sorry Harry, I really want too. But I can't. Not now at least. I have to go" she heard herself say.
Harry looked at her with hurt in his green eyes. Ginny felt like she was tearing him to pieces. But then her mum called her downstairs. "Ginny, come down now!"
She dragged her trunk behind her and was almost out the door when Harry tugged on the back of her long ponytail to bring her back.
Ginny smiled in spite of her situation. She had forgotten he had used to that.
"Yes Harry?"
"We need to talk"
The four dreaded words in the English language.
"Alright we will. I suppose we'll see each other in Diagon Alley today…. I promise to talk" Ginny said desperately.
"Good." He said quietly.
Like waking through a funeral procession, Ginny gravely came down the stairs again. She hugged Hermione, tousled Ron's hair and passed by Gabrielle and Fleur. Ginny ignored her mother and let herself out the door. Everyone turned towards Mrs. Weasly. All of a sudden, she burst into tears.
Once Ginny was sure that she was far enough from the house. She sat on her trunk and cried a few tears herself. Once she had calmed down, she hung her head between her knees. Breathing in a couple of breaths, she made her way to the muggle payphone near the outside of the circle. Dropping in some coins, she contacted Fred and George.
"Hello? Fred? Can you hear me?" Ginny asked uncertain.
"Bloody hell! Ginny? Why are you calling us of all things?" came Fred's voice loud, clear and exasperated over the phone.
"'Cos I couldn't contact you soon enough by an owl. Mum 'temporarily banned me' from the house for god knows what reason" Ginny said with her old sarcasm filtering back into her voice.
"Temporarily banned? First the bat boogey hexes, then the season of boyfriends, and now temporarily banned from your own house! You've become a mad delinquent Ginny!" Fred teased her.
"Season of Boyfriends?" Ginny asked offended wrinkling her nose.
"Never mind. Okay, where are you?"
"Outside of St. Ottery"
"Damn. Um…well me and George have to wait till our lunch break to get away…. reckon you can sort of…..stay there?"
"Oh yea Fred. A fifteen year old girl with shorts and a tee shirt sitting on top of a trunk outside a telephone booth. Won't attract any suspicion at all" Ginny retorted over the phone cynically.
"righto. Well, we'll see what we can do. Otherwise, stay put, in fact, just stay inside the telephone booth for a while"
"But---"
"See you…. hopefully sometime soon".
Click.
Ginny raised an eyebrow at the telephone that she held in her hand and stuck her tongue out at it. Not wanting to be holed up in a telephone booth, she resigned to dragging her trunk outside where she took a seat. She propped cupped her chin in her hands and waited. And waited. And waited.
She wasn't how sure how long she had been waiting. When she woke up, the sun was right smack dab in the middle of the sky and she had to shield her eyes from blinding herself. Groaning to herself, she stood up and stretched and then let out a yell. There was a young blonde woman standing merely inches away from her with large violet eyes and pink lip-gloss shimmering on her lips. Startled, Ginny fell backwards over her trunk.
"Thanks a lot!" Ginny said grumpily rubbing her bottom as she picked herself up.
"So you must Winny" the blonde witch said in a bored tone.
"It's Ginny!"
"Right. My name is Verity, I work in your brother's store, they sent me here to fetch you" Verity announced.
"Oh, wow. I'm jumping for joy"
"Just contain that enthusiasm there Ginny, can you apparate?"
"Do I look like I can?"
Verity surveyed her critically and then replied "nope"
"Woo, you get a gold sticker"
"Well then, just grab your trunk and hold onto my arm and off we go!" Verity said not missing a beat.
Ginny looked apprehensively at her. Not that she had anything against blondes; it's just the blondes she knew were not the brightest crayon in the box. And now Verity was bouncing up and down on the ball so her feet and whistling. Sighing, Ginny grabbed one end of her trunk and tentatively grabbed Verity's elbow. And then suddenly, without warning, Ginny felt a whooshing sound and she was gone…..
She felt her feet slam into the concrete sidewalk of Diagon Alley. Opening her eyes, she let go of Verity at once and then hoisted her trunk up. Diagon Alley was the same, full of purple and blue fliers and more and more shops being boarded up. With the news of Dumbledore's death, everyone had started to flee, out of London, out of England, out of Europe. Some, sadly, had started to commit suicide. But her brother's shop was the same. Brightly colored, with merchandise merrily displayed in the window. Smiling widely, she pushed open the door and entered a busy shop. Pushing her way through hoards of students, Ginny managed to make her way to the backroom, which she found rather dark.
"Hello? Fred, George, your mad delinquent sister that has been temporarily banned has arrived!" Ginny called out.
THUD.
Ginny's yelp of surprise was muffled as a hand clamped over her mouth. A grotesque hand. She shuddered at the skinny, icky looking fingers that had almost a greenish tinge to it. The nails were long and a sickly yellow. Ginny then heard a muffle chuckle and then realized that it was either Fred or George who was teasing her by wearing this hand. She narrowed her eyes and then stamped on the toes of her captor. He yelled in surprise and Ginny whirled around shouting. "Ha! Gotcha!"
Click. The light turned on and Ginny grinned at the red faced Fred who was hopping up and down. George was now roaring with laughter and Ginny looked highly pleased with herself. Once George had recovered from his laughing attack, he caught his breath and gave his sister a hug.
"How 'bout that one Gin?" George asked still breathless.
"I would say extremely amusing…. only if I knew what the hell that hand thingy was" Ginny replied honestly.
"Tsk. Tsk. Language young Lady" George reprimanded her in a mocking tone.
"Oh please. You've been swearing since your first year at Hogwarts"
"And hence the lesson learned. Never copy Fred or me."
"Yea, yea, yea…. so what is it?"
"Oh, the hand?"
"No, your nose!"
"Ooo. Touché"
"Shut up and tell me what the hell it is!"
"It's a hand"
"No shit Mr. Bright One"
"And it just happens to be the hand of….."
Ginny made a movement with her head to encourage him on.
"…We're not exactly sure yet" George finished somewhat sheepishly.
"Excuse me?"
"We managed to import it from India. It's really cool actually, if in the possession of the right one, the knuckles pop out and it'll sucker punch anyone apparently" George stroking his chin.
"Really?" Ginny asked interested.
"Indeedy" Fred chimed in.
"Cool….mind if I take on?" She asked in a casual tone.
"What for?" Fred asked suspicious.
"It might come in handy" Ginny answered shrugging her thin shoulders.
"Right. We'll keep on believing that" George snorted.
"So, where am I crashing?" Ginny asked changing the subject.
"Oh, we magically added a little room in our flat. C'mon, you must be hungry" Fred said pushing her out of the storage room.
She stared around their flat utterly unsurprised. It was like a hurricane had come through. Socks hung on the coat rack; little inventions were strewn about along with crumpled pieces of parchment. Books were everywhere, the kitchen had pots jumbled up pell mell in the sink and they had a broken cuckoo clock hanging in the living room. It described them perfectly. All in all, it was a rather spacious apartment, it was just throroughly cluttered. There were many black and white photos on the walls, one was a picture of The Weird Sisters, some were of the Weasly's, one was an copy of a famous Wizarding artist's painting, and others were of random objects such as shoes lying on the ground or an empty cereal bowl with a spoon. Puzzled, Ginny walked over to it and bent her head as if trying to understand it.
"What's that supposed mean?" Ginny asked intrigued by the empty cereal bowl with the spoon.
"Oh, George took it. He calls it 'All Gone'" Fred said airily.
"'All Gone'?"
"'All Gone'" Fred reiterated.
"I took the shot a couple of weeks ago actually. It was so cool. I had finished my cereal and put down my spoon, and then I looked down and BOOM! It was sudden inspiration, bowl, spoon. Spoon, bowl. Kaboomy!"
"Kaboomy?"
"Work me with here.
"Alright then"
"And so I ran out of the kitchen, scooped up the camera, and click, flash and ta da! I think it speaks very eloquently of spur of the random" George finished pensively.
"spur of random?"
"The spur of random. Observing the interesting, the spontaneous, the creativity"
"Okay, now you're barking mad. Fred, where are you hiding George?" Ginny asked raising an eyebrow.
"That is George, hey they're great pictures and it helps in paying the rent."
"Paying the rent. I thought business was booming?"
"it is. But we use the money to fund the Order, use them to buy new material, clothes and to store in Gringotts. With the picture money, it eases us paying the rent, now we can breathe a little bit more easily"
"Huh." Was all that Ginny could say.
"Yeah. Well anyways!" George announced clapping his hands. "You will be bunking…here!" he said pointing to a random door.
Ginny craned her neck and raised her eyebrows. Taking a very Mission Impossible kind of stance, she twisted the doorknob and braced herself for something to fly out at her. A minute passed by before she opened her eyes. Nothing came out. Relaxing her shoulders, but not letting her guard down, she stepped into the room and peered around it. It was a fairly nice room, bed, wardrobe and a little closet. Perfect, better then camping out in the backyard.
"Aw, Ginny. Did you expect something to come out at you?" Fred teased her.
"Quite honestly…yes!"