Chapter 16

I ran as fast as I could towards the Great Hall. Since Malfoy and I had not agreed on where to meet, I figured that there I would look for him first. As predicted, there he was. When I reached him, I put my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath.

"You're late" Draco commented.

"how observant... of you" I said, still trying to catch my breath.

"Come on" He said as he began walking.

"Wait!" I followed him. "Where are we going to 'try' to make this lesson schedule?"

As he continued walking so fast that I could hardly keep up, he answered. "Library...in the back...so no one will see me with you"

I felt my temper rise, but tried to keep it cool. "I don't know what you're worried about...it's not like the students don't know that you have to come within a ten mile radius, because we are both apprentices of Snape"

"That's Professor Snape, Weasley" he said with carelessness.

I rolled my eyes.

"That's Miss Weasley, Malfoy" I said in a mocking voice. He didn't reply. As we both sat down in the back of the library, I grabbed some parchment and a quill. I waited patiently for Malfoy to say something intelligent. (Whoops...my mistake...if I had to wait for that...could be weeks!)

"I don't like you and you don't like me" that was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

"E...excuse me?" I was so thrown off by that comment...I had lost intelligence for a good comeback.

He continued. "It's true and you know it, but...I want to be a good apprentice and therefore...I have to work with you...so because of that, I would like to call a truce, but only for potion business...agreed?"

Hmm...something intelligent...didn't expect that when I got up this morning!

Nevertheless...I agreed. Malfoy and I worked on the lesson schedule and surprisingly...he was quite smart. (Just don't ever ask if I think he's smart, because I'll never admit it!)

We worked on it until dinner. Neither of us made any insults and we only talked if we had to. We decided to work through dinner so we finished it as dinner was over. We walked to Professor Snape.

"You're here? I was about to send out a search for you two" Snape commented. "I hope that this time everything went...as good as can be expected"

I handed him our schedule as Malfoy replied.

"Yes sir"

Snape looked our plan over.

"Friday you will teach the class with the help of your lesson schedule"

I was pleased. Of course not about the fact that I had to teach a class with Malfoy...but about the fact that it would mean I had the day off tomorrow!

We all parted and I walked back to my room. As I entered I noticed that Lizz and Grace were already there.

"Hey!" I said, pleasantly surprised. "How did you two get in?"

Grace put her hand on her hip. "Gin-gin...you gave me your password this afternoon and I let Lizz in"

"ow...yeah...I forgot..."

"It's the age, mum" Lizz said.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that, young lady!" I said, wagging my finger in her face. We tried to keep our faces serious, but failed as we both started laughing. Grace joined us. After a while she spoke up.

"Well...I have to go...there's a whole lot of paperwork waiting and it has my name on it" we both hugged each other and Grace left. I turned to Lizz and sat down.

"So how's school going?"

"Okay, Snape's mean, McGonnagall's strict, Flitwick's too cheery and the rest is okay"

"Good to know that some things don't change"

At that moment we both heard ticking on the window. I saw that it was an owl. I walked to the window and opened it. The owl flew in and perched on the armchair that Lizz was in.

Lizz looked at the letter and frowned.

"It's assigned to me, mum"

I was immediately alarmed. "STOP!" I screamed as Lizz went to reached for it. Lizz pulled her hand back quickly. A scared look on her face as I had frightened her.

"What?" she said with a small voice. I walked over to the owl. I stupefied it and took the letter of it's leg. I looked at it.

Elizabeth Weasley it read. I began tearing the letter open. Lizz jumped up. "Hey! I thought that was addressed to me!"

I didn't reply as I continued opening the letter. Once it was open, I took a little card out.

A sample of what is to come

That was what it said. I had barely the time to register it when I felt something weird. A rock...more like a red jewel flew out of the envelope and right onto my right arm. A burning white-hot pain shot through my arm as I dropped the letter.

I cried out in pain.

"Mum! MUM! What is it? What's wrong!" Lizz screamed. I fell down to my knees from the pain as I cradled my arm. As Lizz continued screaming, I gathered all my strength and stood up.

"Lizz! Whatever happens...stay here" And with that, I ran to get help. Dumbledore! I ran to his office. The jewel was still attached to my arm. While I ran, I tried to get it off, but that only made the pain increase. When I reached his office, my heart sank as I saw his chair empty.

Maybe he's in Grimmauld place! I opened the bookcase and ran through the corridors. I tried to hold on, but I could almost think about nothing then the pain. Just before I reached the door, I couldn't hold out any longer. I fell down to the cold ground. I refused to cry out even more, but the pain kept coming. Eventually...I screamed. The pain as going through my wrist to my whole arm to my whole body.

The door flew open and I saw Dumbledore, Harry, Hermione, Dad, Remus and Ron with all their wands drawn.

"GET IT OFF ME" I screamed as I held out my wrist.

Harry ran to my side and picked me up in his hands as I tried to keep my cries off pain down.

"Take her to the living room and put her down on a couch" Dumbledore ordered. Harry obeyed. As Harry stepped back to make room for Dumbledore, everyone was standing a few feet away.

Dumbledore approached me, blocking the view of everyone else. He pointed his wand at me and started muttering.

"Ti quero se pelose cancan frego!" He said. A blinding light shot out of his wand to the jewel.

It hurt. That was all I could think about. The pain was so unbearable that I could feel myself losing consciousness. Suddenly...it stopped. The pain dulled, but did not went away. As I looked to my hand in my dazed state, I could still see that the place where the jewel had been, was now a big burn. It still hurt very much and I knew that I would pass out soon.

As I had trouble keeping my eyes open, I could see Harry grabbing my left hand...

"You're going to be okay, Ginny" He whispered. "I don't want to lose you"

It was then...that I lost consciousness.

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