A/N – Sorry this took so long to get out. I have a term paper due soon and I have been busting my ass to get that done as well as making my SENIOR SCHEDULE! OH YEA! 2006! Anyway, I love you guys! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it's going to slow down now that (most of) the basics are out of the way. Thank you to all my reviewers!

EclipseKlutz – Thank you!

Ruinsul - Here's your cookie-)

JoJo – Thank you! I always hated when fics just jumped right into the story, it's nice to have those few intro chapters to get everything laid out.

Ladyjynx – Thank you so much! I am really glad to hear that I am keeping the characters true to themselves. Sometimes while I am writing a character they will seem as they should be, but once I go back and do my revising I find that they might be so far off it is horrible! It's really reassuring to hear a reviewer say that the characters are staying true.

I was around when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate...

"No… it can't be…" She had a flashback of the diary as she had last seen it, bloody and with a huge gaping hole in the cover. Ginny looked around nervously. She put the journal back down quickly and almost ran from the store, but then a thought stopped her.

'What if someone else picks it up? What if it's some poor first year… just like me? What if he uses them… like he used me?'

Ginny still hesitated.

'What if… I could fix everything… Stop him before he ever got really strong…'

In that moment, Ginny changed her life forever.

Ginny looked longingly at the leather diary in her hands. She ran her small, nimble fingers over the cover and thought of all the ways she could save lives. She put the diary under her arm, marched up to the counter and pushed the book in between all of her school books.

"You have everything, Gin?" Ron asked.

Ginny hesitated before replying, "Yes."

The elder wizard at the register rang them up and they were off again to finish the rest of the school shopping. Ginny grabbed both bags of books before Ron even finished paying and hurried out the door. She quickly tucked the diary into the pocket on the inside of her robe and continued down the street. Ron came out of the shop right after her.

"Slow down, Gin!"

He caught up with her and they walked the rest of the way to a small ice cream shop near Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. Both took seats at a small table outside.

"What flavors would you like?" Ron asked.

"Hmm… cookie dough and caramel." Ginny grinned. She loved ice cream and those were her favourite flavors.

Ron went inside to buy the ice cream, leaving Ginny all by herself at the table. The last few minutes seemed like a strange dream to Ginny. It was still hazy in her mind and she reached for the diary in her robes to make sure it was real. Her hand brushed the soft leather. It was real. She sucked in a deep breath and supported her weight on the back two legs of her chair.

'What am I doing? I could be putting everyone I love in danger… I could really mess this up if I don't think it through…'

"Hey!"

"Ahhhhhh!" Ginny was startled out of her thoughts so quickly that she lost balance and toppled over backwards onto the cobblestone.

"Oh, God! Ginny! Are you okay! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

Harry had wrapped one strong arm around her waist and was pulling her, and her chair, back into an upright position. Ginny massaged the large bump forming on her forehead and glanced at Harry's apologetic face.

"It's okay! I'm alright, just a bit of a bump on my head." Ginny grinned.

Harry leaned in, "Let me see. I am so sorry, Gin!" His fingers probed the growing lump on her forehead gently. He was so close; Ginny could smell his aftershave, a mix of fresh air and ocean. It was intoxicating.

"Ahem."

Ron had returned with the ice creams. He shot Harry a warning glance while handing Ginny her waffle cone.

"Get all your shopping done?" Harry asked them.

"Mmmm hmmm." Ron managed to get out between bites of his triple chocolate ice cream.

Mrs. Weasley appeared with a small pop. She looked a bit frazzled and was holding two very large packages.

"Sorry I'm late dears; had something to pick up." She plopped down into the closest chair and sat the packages on the ground next to her.

"What is that, mum?" Ginny eyed the packages.

Mrs. Weasley beamed, "Well, since I only had to buy for you and Ron this year, I thought I would save up for something a little extra for each of you. I've been saving all summer, and, well… here! Just open them!"

She handed each of them one of the large packages and they both tore into them eagerly. Ginny was interrupted from opening hers by a loud shriek of excitement from Ron.

He jumped out of his seat clutching a broomstick in his hand. Not just any broomstick, a Nimbus 2000. Not the newest model on the market, but much better than his old Cleansweep.

Ginny was excited now; she had expected it to be something dull like a new cauldron, but at the sight of Ron's present her anticipation grew. Inside her package was lots of pastel colored tissue paper. She pushed the paper aside.

"Oh…" her breath caught in her throat.

Ginny pulled out a long emerald green gown. It had a strapless corset-like top that came down to a v point and an elegant full ball gown skirt with a three tiered bustle on the back that swept the floor in a small train. "Mom!" She placed it against her petite figure and smoothed the silk with her hand. A gleeful giggle escaped her lips and she twirled around.

Mrs. Weasley watched her only daughter with tears in her eyes, "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Ginny giggle again before gently folding it up and placing it back in the box.

Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together, "Fantastic! Well, it is getting late. Harry, dear, have you finished all of your shopping?" Harry nodded. "Brilliant, we'll be going now then."

Ron was still admiring his new broom.

"Come along, Ron!"

"YOU ARE GOING TO MISS THE TRAIN!"

Ginny was seated at the table downstairs eating toast. She winced as Mrs. Weasley screeched up the stairs to Harry and Ron who would not get up.

"Stayed up all night riding that damn broom… should've waited to give it to him until this morning… talked about it all night… too excited to sleep…" Mrs. Weasley muttered to herself as she stomped around the kitchen doing various tasks.

Ginny exited quickly when she saw the boys were coming down; she didn't want to get caught in the middle of her mother's wrath. Upstairs in her room Ginny was packing quickly, shoving her robes and books into her trunk, but carefully laying her dress in there. She grabbed her cloak she had worn the previous day and was about to throw it in there when she remembered the diary. She had forgotten about it. Maybe it had been a dream? She searched the inside pocket of her cloak and found it. Exactly where she had left it. The leather seemed to burn in her hands with welcome as she picked it up. She opened it and found that the pages were blank, just as she had remembered them to be.

"Ginny?" Harry called from behind her closed door.

"Just a second!" Ginny stashed the diary in between her robes in her truck and slammed it shut. "Come in!"

Harry entered her room. He was looking quite disheveled and Ginny could hear Ron being yelled at by Mrs. Weasley all the way in the kitchen. His hair was messier than usual and only half of his shirt was tucked into his pants. His socks didn't match and his glasses were hanging a little crooked on his handsome nose.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked.

"Yea… we're getting ready to leave. Your mom told me to come up here and make sure you're ready… so we're not late…"

Ginny was still staring at his disheveled appearance.

"Right… well… I'll just be going…" Harry blushed and left.

Twenty minutes later two Weasley children and Harry Potter were racing through the crowd at King's Cross to make their train. Ron was pushing the trolley with his and Ginny's trunks on it while Ginny carried the cage with Pig in it.

"Ron! Slow down!" Harry called out.

"Can't! We'll miss the train!" Ron charged straight for the barrier to Platform 9 ¾ and came out on the other side. The Hogwarts Express was already steaming.

"WAIT!" Ron cried out to the conductor.

"Hurry up there, kids. You're lucky, one minute later and you would have been left here on your own!"

The trio clambered onto the train and were instantly greeted by an impatient Hermione.

"Hermione!" Ginny shrieked and embraced her best friend in a tight hug.

"It's about time you all got here! I managed to save us a compartment, come on now, we're already moving, and someone might have taken our spot." Hermione said with a particular glare at the boys.

"How was your summer, Mione?" Ginny asked.

"Oh! Ginny! It was wonderful! My parents and I went to America! It was so neat, and so different. Los Angeles is just fantastic! I loved it… I think I might want to move there after this year, but I'm not sure, the wizarding world over there is so bizarre. Not at all like here. I might not fit in. Well, it's a while away still, I'll think more about it later I suppose."

They reached their cabin and were relieved to find that it remained unoccupied. Ginny sunk into the cushion of the bench seat opposite Hermione and Ron. Harry sat down next to her.

"So… how was everyone's summ-" Before Hermione could even finish asking her question Ron had jumped up and grabbed his trunk. He quickly pulled out his Nimbus 2000.

"LOOK!" He held it out to show Hermione.

"Ron! Where on earth did you get that!"

"Mum got it for me! A last year in school kind of present!" He beamed.

"I got something too!" Ginny piped up.

Just then the door to their compartment slid open. Draco Malfoy's large frame loomed in the doorway. Over the years he had grown quite handsome. He was tall and well built from his years of quidditch. He had his trademark white-blonde hair, and cold blue eyes that could almost cast a layer of frost upon any who saw them.

"Well… well… what do we have here?" Draco sneered; he eyed Ginny with an almost hungry look.

Ginny squirmed in her seat uncomfortably. Draco's eyes seemed to undress her. Harry noticed her discomfort.

"Enjoying the view?" He growled.

Draco smirked, "Why, yes, actually I am."

He moved closer to Ginny, his expression unchanging.

"Seems as though the youngest weasel has matured quite a bit over the holiday."

He reached out and tipped Ginny's chin upwards until their eyes met. Fire burned in Ginny's eyes.

"What do you say, Weasley, care to join me in my compartment for a good time?"

Ginny's eyes widened and her face flushed in anger. In one swift movement Ginny's fist connected with Draco's jaw and her knee landed hard in his groin. Draco fell over and wailed in agony. Harry and Ron hadn't even had time to react.

"Don't you ever insinuate, ever again Draco Malfoy, that I would ever want any part of your body touching any part of mine." Ginny stated icily.

Draco stood silently and limped out of the compartment, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh! Gin! That was brilliant!"

Ginny smiled and sat down; a few of her knuckles were bleeding. Harry and Ron still stared at her in shock. She turned to Ron.

"Thanks a lot for just standing there while that asshole propositioned me. Nice job, big brother." Ginny glared.

Ron kept spouting on and on about his broom to Hermione who looked as though she would have enjoyed double potions with Snape more than Ron's rambling.

Harry noticed the small trickle of blood coming from Ginny's knuckles.

"You're bleeding."

Ginny glanced at her hand, "I'm fine."

"Not really." Harry reached into his trunk and pulled out a handkerchief. "Let me see."

He grasped Ginny's tiny hand in his own large one and gently wrapped the handkerchief around her knuckles to stop the bleeding. His hand lingered on hers for a moment too long.

Ginny blushed, "You do know that it would have been much easier to use a spell…?"

Harry turned a deep shade of crimson. "Oh… I didn't think about that. I guess I was going for the chivalric action there."

Ginny smiled, "Chivalry is good."

The train was beginning to slow.

"Looks like we're here!" Hermione practically jumped at the chance to get away from Ron's incessant talk of his Nimbus. "Come on, Gin, let's catch up!" Hermione grabbed Ginny's hand and dragged her out of the compartment and off the train.

"I had to get away! How could you stand that all summer!"

"I lucked out; mum gave the broom to him yesterday so I've only had to listen to it for a day. He kept Harry up all night just talking about their brooms. It makes me really glad I have a bedroom on the highest floor!" Ginny laughed. It felt good to be back.

"Welcome!" Dumbledore's voice boomed above the students in the Great Hall silencing them at once.

"Welcome back to all of the returning students, and to the first years, I hope you will enjoy your first year here. Well, I do believe I have taken up enough of your time. Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore clapped his hands together in delight and mountains of food appeared on the four house tables.

"Harry?" Ron grabbed Harry's attention.

"Yea?"

"Do you have a thing for my sister?"

Harry looked stunned, "Do I have a thing for Ginny! Why on earth would you ask me something like that!"

"Every time I see you guys you are always making eyes are her! You fancy Ginny!" Ron exclaimed.

"I most certainly do not!" Harry shot back.

"Hmm… whatever you say Harry, whether you do or don't just remember one thing, you are my best friend, and she is my little sister." Ron warned.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Ron, trust me on that one."

"Well? Has it been located yet?" Voldemort asked impatiently.

Wormtail cowered in the shadows, "No… my Lord… we cannot find it. We don't know where it might be – or who it might be with." He stuttered.

Voldemort tapped his fingers on the leather armrest impatiently. He was beginning to lose his cool. He stood very quickly, knocking over the high back leather chair in which he had been seated. He rounded on Wormtail, his eyes blazing with fury.

He spoke very softly. "You mean to tell me that I command a group of highly organized, murdering, magically gifted Death Eaters… and not a single one can locate a simple book?"

Wormtail cringed, "Ye-yes… my Lo-Lord."

"Wormtail?" Voldemort asked softly.

"Ye-yes?"

"If I were you, I would run." Wormtail leapt from his spot in the shadows and took off down the hallway. "Although… I doubt it will do much good. Crucio." A sinister smirk crossed Voldemort's snake like face as he heard Wormtail land with a thud on the cold stone floor and begin screaming in agony.

Ginny sat in the 6th year girls' dormitory on her large four poster bed. She had drawn the curtains and laid there on her stomach staring at the leather diary before her. It was the book she had seen so many times in her dreams and nightmares. So many times since her first year she had wished she could go back in time; just change how she handled things. She told herself she would have never written in that diary. She wouldn't ever have trusted it. For years Ginny beat herself up over it, the "what ifs" constantly haunted her. What if she hadn't encountered Mr. Malfoy in Flourish and Blotts? What if she had never written in that diary? What if she hadn't trusted Tom so much? What if she had disposed of the diary properly? All of these questions would never get an answer, because time travel was a dangerous thing and could severely impact the future.

Now things were different. The diary was repaired. This meant that Ginny could try to stop things from ever getting so bad. She had an idea. A crazy, out of this world, almost impossible idea. It might work, but that all depended on the memory preserved in the diary, and how much, if anything, it remembered of their last encounter. Ginny reached into her bag and pulled out a small ink bottle and a quill. She chewed on the end of her quill thoughtfully.

'If Tom never changed into Voldemort… then all of the people who have been killed or demented as a result of his change would still be alive.'

Images of Voldemort's victims raced through her mind. Harry's parents, the Longbottoms, Cedric Diggory, and, most of all, Sirius. Ginny's quill hovered over the page, she couldn't possibly think of how what she was about to do could be a bad thing, but she still had her doubts.

'I'll have to do some more research on the consequences of interfering with the past.'

Ginny moved her hovering quill, and one solitary drop of ink slipped off the tip of her quill and landed in the center of a smooth,ivory page.

Ginny's eyes widened and she dropped her quill. "Oh God… what have I done?" She whispered.

She waited and still nothing came, 'Maybe it doesn't work anymore…'

Then she saw it, sprawling ink oozing from the paper and taking readable shape.

Hello. Is anyone there? I do hope so, for I am so lonely…

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