Chapter Two: Part II: Of the Present, Chapter 1

Part II, Chapter One: The Engraved Snake

Present Day

"Alright, good job, guys. That's all for today -- hit the showers."

A very tired (and sweaty) Ginny Weasley grunted in appreciation and began trudging to the girl's Quidditch showers with her teammates Flor and Emma.

"Is it just me," Flor was asking, "Or has Potter gotten more like Oliver every day?"

Emma nodded and moaned. "Ohhh, my baccck! Stupid Potter and his stupid drills with his stupid --"

"Relax," Ginny laughed.

"I agree. We should all just relax in a nice hot shower and calm down."

Ginny groaned as they began to take their heavy uniforms off in the locker room. When Ginny was down to her red shorts, however, Emma gasped loudly.

"Ginny! Since when did you of all people get a tattoo?"

Ginny looked up. "What?"

Flor stood and took a glance at Ginny as well. "Ooh, Ginny Weasley the rebel!"

"What are you talking about? What 'tattoo'?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Right there!" She pointed to the area of skin just a bit below Ginny's knee. Ginny sat down, bent her knee, and looked at where Emma's finger was pointing. Beneath her manicured nail laid a small, green imprint of a snake.

Ginny's mind began reeling. Was there any way it could just be a scar? Ridiculous, Ginny reasoned, it's quite difficult to have a distinct snake-shaped scar. A lightening bolt, maybe, but a snake? Was there any way she could have gotten drunk in the last 24 hours and could have possibly found some man to tattoo a snake on her knee? If she wanted anything, wouldn't it be something like a flower, or a heart, or 'HJP'?

"A snake... that's rather Slytherin of you, don't you think?" said Flor with a laugh. "You're on the enemy's side!"

Ginny stood up and looked in the full-length mirror on the other side of the room, hoping that the change of light would cause her 'scar' to disappear. If anything, it became darker, eerier. Without saying anything, she ran out of the changing room in nothing but her short-shorts and red cami, immediately feeling the piercing breeze as she ran towards the boy's changing rooms. She knew she had to tell Ron or Harry about this.

She felt something rough bump into her shoulder, but didn't take the time to see who or what it was. She did, however, hear a "Put some clothes on, Weasel!" from the bump-ee: Draco Malfoy. Instantly, the snake scar on her knee set out a searing burn throughout her whole body. She yelled out in pain as she fell to the ground, clutching her knee.

What the hell is wrong with me? she asked herself as she tried to get up. She looked to the right and saw Draco standing there, looking a bit off -- and not worried in the least.

"Go to hell, Malfoy, and get out of the way!" Ginny growled as she hobbled on her feet and began walking to the changing rooms.

"You go to hell first, Weasel!"

The pain rushed through her knee again and she fell back down, closing her eyes automatically. She felt herself fading out before she heard the voices of Emma and Flor calling Ron and Harry outside to see what was going on.

-----------------

Ginny woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, blinking away the sleep from her eyes. Her team, plus Neville and Hermione, were seated around her, eyeing her anxiously.

"She's up!" Hermione whispered, tapping the sleepers on the shoulders. "How are you doing, Ginny?"

"Fine, I guess..." Ginny replied slowly, looking around. Maybe her surroundings were unfamiliar after all: she realized she was in the infirmary. "What am I doing here? What happened?"

"You collapsed," Harry explained, sitting on the edge of Ginny's bed. "What were you doing out there, anyway?"

Ginny groaned as she finally began remembering what happened. "I was running to you guys, because..." She trailed off, noticing the group of unwanted guests in her room.

"Right," Ron said. "Get out, you lot! Out, out, Ginny says thanks for coming, now out!"

Once it was only Ron, Harry, and Hermione, Ginny began explaining about the snake on her knee and how it began burning when she ran to show Harry and Ron. She lifted the sheet up to her knee and showed them the scar and was shocked to find it was now twice as big.

"It's growing!" She shrieked. "I don't understand it!"

Hermione bit her lower lip and began to analyze the situation as Harry gripped Ginny's hand. Ginny felt her heart flutter as she blushed and looked up at Harry. Although the two had broken up last year, it was obvious that they still had feelings for one another. Ron swore to Ginny that he would make them get back together if it was the last thing he did.

"Ahh!" Ginny whimpered, writhing in her sheets. The pain was starting again, and now that the scar was bigger, the pain was more extreme. Harry grabbed a cool, wet napkin and lightly pressed it to Ginny's forehead. Slowly, the pain ceased, and Ginny stopped her screaming.

"Are you okay?" Madam Pomfrey asked, running into the room. "I heard you shouting."

Ginny nodded and brought the blanket back up to her chin. Quietly, Hermione tsk-ed the behavior. Once the nurse was out of the room, Hermione turned to Ginny.

"You should tell her, Ginny," Hermione scolded. "She's a nurse, she'll know what to -"

"No, Hermione," cut off Ginny. "I don't want to hear it. I'm not telling anyone."

Harry shook his head. "You're telling Dumbledore, Ginny. If anyone, have it be Dumbledore."

Ginny looked up at Harry, their eyes having their own, quiet battle.

I'm not telling.

Yes you are.

I don't think so!

I think so.

What if I don't want to?
What if I don't care?

What if I refuse?

What if I make you?
You can't make me do anything!
Ginny.

Ginny sighed. "Fine... but in the morning. It's nearly midnight, you guys should get back to the dorms."

The trio nodded and each said their goodbyes. After Ron and Hermione had left the room, Harry smiled and kissed Ginny on the forehead. She smiled back at him and, once Harry was a bit down the hall, she let out a loud gasp. The light, sweet gesture of a kiss on the head gave Ginny unbearable pain. And this time, it was more than just a heartbreak because she knew Harry was out of her reach.

This time, the pain was real.

-----------------

Professor Mcgonnagal walked into Dumbledore's office and lightly tapped on the door. "Albus? Ginevra Weasley is here to see you, and she says it's urgent."

Dumbledore nodded and Mcgonnagal disappeared to get the girl. Within seconds, she returned.

"Hello, Miss Weasley," he greeted. "Treacle tart?" He held up the bowl of candies in front of her face.

The redhead shook her head, not feeling much of an appetite.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "I have a painful scar on my knee in the shape of a snake, and I don't think it's normal."

Dumbledore moved his hands, urging her to continue.

"Well, it was after a Quidditch practice. I went into the changing rooms and the girl's noticed it before I did. That was the first I heard about it. It was... yesterday afternoon. I ran outside to tell Harry and Ron, but bumped into Draco. I tried to keep walking but the pain was so horrible in my knee, I had to stop. I dropped to the ground. I tried running again... but the pain came again, and I passed out. When I woke up, I was in the infirmary with everyone around me."

Dumbledore was silent and stared at the girl. Ginny tried to decipher his face, but for once, could not find an ounce of laughter in his smile or a gleam in his eye: the telltale signs that he knew what was going on, and that it would all be okay. This time, Ginny knew it was serious.

"Well," Dumbledore began, and then stopped. "Well," he tried again. "It seems as though..."

Ginny sighed. "Do you know what's wrong with me, Professor?"

Dumbledore looked at her in the eye. "Yes, I do."

"Then what --"

"Minerva?"

Within minutes, Professor Mcgonnagal was back in the room.

"Please send an owl to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley at the Burrow and tell them to come immediately, would you? And make it urgent?"

The old woman nodded and quickly sped to get parchment and quill, writing in her fancy scrawl the letter to Ginny's parents.

"Professor, what's going --"

"Please, Ginevra," Dumbledore sighed, bringing his hands to his head and pressing. "Wait until your parents arrive."

-----------------

"Well, what happened?" Hermione asked, seated in the scarlet couch by the fire in the Gryffindor commonroom, doing her weekend homework. Ron and Harry looked up at Ginny.

Ginny shook her head. "I don't know... Dumbledore wouldn't tell me."

"Wouldn't tell you?" Hermione gasped. "The nerve!"

"Not till mum and dad get here, at least."

Ron nearly choked on his water. "Mum and dad are coming?"

"How serious is it, Gin?" asked Harry, gripping his quill extremely tight.

"I'm... not sure," she said truthfully.

Ron scratched his head, ignoring Hermione. "I wonder what's going on... let us have a look at the scar again, Ginny?"

Hermione saw what was going on and opened her mouth. "Harry, your..."

Ginny nodded and lifted up her pant leg, making sure no one was around. Ron and Harry gasped at its size and Harry's fist tightened.

"Harry, your quill's about to --"

"This is insane, why won't Dumbledore help you?" With that last bit of anger, Harry's quill finally burst, sending ink all over his homework.

"-- explode," Hermione continued, shaking her head.

"Bloody hell!"

Ginny sighed, resisting the urge to laugh. "I should go upstairs, I'm a bit tired. If anyone comes asking for me, tell me, yeah?"

The trio nodded and began helping Harry clean up his mess-of-a-potion's essay.

-----------------

"Ginny? ... Ginny?"

Ginny opened her eyes and looked around; Hermione was leaning over her bed, shaking her shoulders.

"What?"

Hermione looked at her ink-stained hands. "Mcgonnagal says you're wanted in Dumbledore's office."

Author's note: BWAHAHAHA! See, I'd call that a cliffhanger, but you all know what's going to happen, don't you? ...Well... maybe a select few with good reading comprehension do. Hehe. Thank you to the people who reviewed -- I'm not sure how to comment back or whatever, so don't think I'm just ignoring you!

PS: To the person who asked/commented about why Godric would set a curse... you'll find out in upcoming chapters.