Smells like Slytherin Spirit

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any lyrics used in this story. For those who had a fit when I deleted the other story called Smells like Slytherin Spirit, this is the new and improved story with a better plot. In case you haven't noticed, the Harry Potter characters are Muggles. I still haven't decided if I want this to be a Ginny/Blaise story or not.

Chapter 1: Goodbye Gryffindor

Friday, May 27, 2005

It was the last day of school in Gryffindor City and kids were running down the streets, glad that they had two months before they had to worry about sitting in a classroom for another year. Harry Potter, his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and Ron's little sister Ginny Weasley were walking along the sidewalk outside the high school.

Hermione stared up at the school and sighed, "I can't believe we won't be coming back for a new year."

Harry stood next to Hermione, "I know…it's sad isn't it?"

Ginny cocked her head, baffled, "What are you guys talking about?"

Ron groaned, "Ginny doesn't know about this yet, guys. Nice going."

"Once again I ask, what are you guys talking about?"

Hermione replied, "We won't be coming back here for school next year. They're shutting down the school because we don't have enough money. The students will either be sent to Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw Community School District or the Scorpion Valley Community School District. Their high school is located in Slytherin, the capital of Princeton County. I imagine that's where most of us will be going because it's only a half hour away, unlike Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw, and Scorpion Valley has the most money around. It's gonna suck."

Ginny stammered, "They can't do that can they? I mean, some people can't afford to send their kids to Scorpion!"

"Yeah, and plus, Scorpion has all those snobby rich kids whose mothers are celebrities and their fathers are drug dealers. There's that Parkinson girl, that Zabini kid, and the notorious Malfoys. I hated playing those guys in football."

Hermione spat, "Who cares? I don't want to drive to Slytherin every morning!"

Harry nudged Hermione, "C'mon guys, let's go to Ron's house and discuss this."

Tuesday, August 13, 2005-about two months later

Ginny couldn't find her mother anywhere. She wasn't in the kitchen or the laundry room. She wasn't in her bedroom. Instead she found her in the garage, piling cardboard boxes on top of each other.

Ginny asked, "Mom, what are you doing?"

Molly Weasley looked up and replied, "I, um, well, why don't you go round up your brothers and meet me in the kitchen. I'll be in in a minute."

Ginny shrugged and trudged back across the lawn and up to her brothers' room. She knocked once and opened the door, revealing a dark room with the shades drawn and the fan on in an attempt to cool the hot summer heat. Fred was sprawled on the bed looking at a car magazine, George was on the floor playing the Playstation 2, and Ron was lifting weights in the corner. It smelled horribly like cigarette smoke.

Fred looked up, and quite startled, flung his cigarette across the room. Then he looked at her demanding a reason for her intrusion. Ginny replied, "Mom wants to see us all downstairs in the kitchen."

Fred tossed his magazine on the floor, George pressed pause, and Ron sat up from the bench press and wiped his face on his shirt. The four teenagers made their way into the kitchen and took seats around the table.

Molly came in and spoke as she began the dishes, "Your father was the one who originally wanted to talk to you about this, but since he's so busy at work, here I am. Any who, you all know that Gryffindor is shut down and that we've got to find another school to go to. Your father and I have decided that Scorpion is the best place to send you this year, but we ran into a problem. Since money is so tight, we won't have enough to travel all the way there and all the way back every day. Now the Grangers, the Finnegans, the Patils, the Browns, and the Creeveys are all moving to Slytherin to save money, and since your father already works down there, we've decided that moving to Slytherin would also be the best choice for us."

Ginny's jaw dropped, Fred crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head in protest, George turned very red, and Ron nearly screamed, "No! God, what are you trying to do, ruin our lives?"

Molly put her hands on her hips, "Ronald, lower your voice. We're not trying to ruin your lives; we're trying to make them easier for you. You don't need to worry about where we're going to live because your grandparents have been generous enough to loan us some money. We bought a nice, five bedroom house down there. It even has a swimming pool, hot tub, and pool house!"

Ginny stood up, "That's not what we're concerned about, Mom! We can't just pack up and leave. We have friends here!"

The three boys chimed in, "Yeah, she's right Mom."

"But most of your friends are moving to Slytherin with us, Ginny." Molly stated.

Ron angrily shouted, "But what about Harry? You didn't mention his name in that long list of people that are moving with us."

Molly reassured her son, "I'm working on convincing the Dursleys to move, or at least let Harry move with us. Now before any of you get any angrier, I want you to go to your rooms and sort out things that you don't need to take with you."

Ginny and her brothers stormed up the stairs and gathered in the boys' room.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Ginny screamed, "Can you fucking believe her?"

Ron sat down and began rubbing his forehead, "I know. I really hate our parents."

George sat down and began playing his Playstation 2 again and Fred opened his magazine.

Ginny nearly ripped her hair out, "What the hell is wrong with you? We have to move away and you just go on like nothing's wrong!"

Fred replied lazily, "The only friends we've got are each other. We really don't care if we move."

Ginny shook her head and walked across the hall into her room. She took one look around the extremely tidy room and was filled with a nauseating feeling. She picked up the first thing she saw, her snow globe, and hurled it across the room. It smashed against the purple wall and leaked all over the shiny wood floor. Ginny tore the blankets off her bed and threw her pillow across the room. Books, clothes, stuffed teddy bears, and her chair flew everywhere. She sank onto the floor at the foot of her bed and stared at the mess. This would take a while to pack up.

Monday, August 19, 2005-six days later

Molly had not convinced the Dursleys to move to Slytherin, but did, surprisingly, convince them to allow Harry to live with the Weasleys during the school year and come back home for summer vacation. At the moment it was raining and Molly was driving the mini van down the highway behind the two moving trucks. Fred sat in the front seat reading, George sat directly behind him playing games on his cell phone, Ron and Harry were napping in the far back, and Ginny sat behind her mother, staring out over the ledge of the highway, which must have dropped down at least five hundred feet. The sharp cliffs rolled up and down as far as Ginny could see, and she knew that if she had wings, she could fly far enough west and she would run right into the deepest part of the Rocky Mountains. Denver, her favorite place in the world, was somewhere over in that region. She sighed and watched the water droplets slide down the window.

The rain let up just as they drove into Slytherin.

Fred read a sign he saw out loud, "Slytherin, population: 63,761."

Ginny watched the tall office buildings, hospitals, shops, and restaurants go by her window. She yawned as they passed the slummy, one story houses, but sat up when they began passing large, newly built houses lining the steep-hilled streets. They passed houses after houses after houses for ten to fifteen minutes until they came to Sumner Street. The moving trucks had pulled into the driveway and Molly parked the van along the side of the street. They all got out of the van and ambled up the walk. The house was big with tan siding and white trim. The roof was a steep, black mass that blocked out the now shining sun. The garage was a three-door garage that connected to the house.

Molly announced, "Here we are! Isn't it lovely? It's newly built so we've got to try to make it feel like home. C'mon, kids, I'll give you the tour."

They entered the house and got a strong waft of fresh paint and newly laid carpet and tile. To their right was a large, open space with white carpet. It was completely empty and the windows had no curtains.

Molly stated, "The living room. Over here is the dining room."

The room to the left had French glass doors as an entry, but it was about three times as small as the living room. Molly led them through the dining room and through another set of French doors to the kitchen, which looked like it was off some episode of MTV Cribs. The tile was white with black and grey speckles and the countertops were marble. It was equipped with the appliances: a large, silvery refrigerator, a dishwasher, an oven, and sink. On the left side of the kitchen were patio doors that let in tons of light. In the back of the kitchen was a door that led down a short flight of stairs to the laundry room and a small bathroom. This area also connected to the garage. The area between the dining room and the living room was where the marble staircase was located, and a chandelier hung over the hall.

Ginny's room was the first door on the right. It was merely a space of eight feet wide and ten feet long. She had a small closet and one window. The walls were white like the all the rest in the house, and the carpet was a sickening white.

After Ginny unpacked she took a new look at her room. The closet was filled with her clothes. Her bed was squeezed into the smallest place possible, but looked good with her white comforter, purple quilt, another multi-colored quilt, and many pillows. She set up her nightstand and a bookshelf. On her desk sat her white Apple computer and a lava lamp. She put pictures from magazines, pictures of her friends, and pictures she had sketched and painted on the walls and hung many Japanese lantern lights from the ceiling.

Ginny spent the whole night staring up at the glowing Japanese lanterns, wondering if she'd meet someone new tomorrow or when she started school. She finally got tired of looking at the lanterns and rolled over and began staring out the shade less window. She could see into the bedroom that was nearest to hers. The light was still on, as was a computer. Suddenly a door opened and a boy her age walked in, slamming the door behind him. He was tall and had dark, shaggy hair that covered his eyes. Ginny's heart lurched up into her throat. Abruptly there was a woman screaming. The boy backed away from the door just as it flew open, and the woman, who had messy blonde hair and was obviously drunk, stepped in and slammed the door just as the boy had done. Now Ginny could make out the words she was screaming.

"You fucking little bastard, I told you to be home by ten o' clock!"

Ginny glanced at her clock. It was now 10:17. She turned back to the window. The woman took a step towards the boy. Ginny slipped out of bed and stood at the window to get a better look.

"You're always disobeying me, you good for nothing, little fuck head! I oughta get rid of you. You're just like your son of a bitch father. Always sleeping around!"

Ginny flinched. The boy yelled back at her, "You're nothing but a fucking drunk! Get the hell out of my room!"

The woman screeched, "How dare you talk to me like that! I'm your mother!"

She grabbed him by the hair and banged his head against the wall repeatedly. Ginny covered her mouth in horror. The boy's mother then began hitting him with closed fists. Ginny had been slapped by her mother, but never punched. The beating went on for a few more minutes and then the mother left. The boy hunched over in a ball. Ginny opened her window, not knowing if she should call out to him. Then he stood up and walked over to his window and opened it. He climbed out onto a miniature patio made for putting out plants. Ginny looked down at her window and realized that she too had a little plant patio. She looked back up and saw that the boy was sitting on his roof smoking a cigarette. Then she realized that he was watching her. Startled, she backed back into the room, hitting her head on the window pane.

Then she heard him say, "That was graceful."

She stuck her head back out and stepped down onto the plant patio and looked up at him. Should she ask about the beating? Instead he talked some more.

"You know, there are so many houses like ours on this block I figured that I'd never have a neighbor."

Ginny nodded and said the first thing that came to her mind, "Cool."

"My name's Blaise Zabini."

Ginny remembered Ron talking about this kid. He was really good at basketball.

"I'm Ginny Weasley. I moved here from Gryffindor City."

He answered, "Oh yeah, I heard about that. You guys had to shut down your school, so now you're coming here. Well, welcome to the Scorpion Valley Community School District."

Ginny smiled, "Thanks. Do you know my brother Ron?"

Blaise replied, "Girly, it would help if I could see you, but I can't so I can't say I do."

Ginny shrugged, "He said he played you in basketball. Ron's the one with the really red hair."

"The one who shoots like a baboon? Yeah I remember him. So you're his sister?"

"Yep."

There was a long silence and then, "I know you saw what happened in there. Can you just not tell anyone about it? I don't want people to know that my mom's an abusive alcoholic."

Ginny nodded, "Sure."

"I'm gonna go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow or something."

"Yeah. Goodnight," she replied.

Tuesday, 10:43, August 20, 2005

Harry shook the sleep from his head and stumbled out of his room and into the hallway. He made his way down the marble stairs, which felt weird under his bare feet, and into the kitchen, where he found Mrs. Weasley hunched over the oven, Fred and George at the bar eating eggs and watching TV, and Ron and Ginny at the table waiting for their food.

Harry sat down next to Ron and ruffled his messy hair. Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "Oh! Well good morning Harry! I'll just make you up some eggs dear. I was just telling the kids after breakfast I want you all to get dressed and go out and meet the neighbors."

Ginny mumbled, "I already met one of our neighbors."

Molly raised an eyebrow, "When?"

"Last night when I was supposed to be sleeping." Ginny replied.

"Genevieve Regina Weasley! You went out into the night without my consent?"

"No, we talked through the window. God, Mom, chill out," Ginny sneered.

Molly relaxed and asked, "And who is this neighbor?"

"Blaise Zabini. He's really good looking," Ginny informed her mother.

Molly turned red and nodded, "Well, that's nice, but I still want you to go take these fruit baskets to all our neighbors."

Ron and Ginny groaned. The last time their mother had handed out a fruit basket was when a new family moved to Gryffindor City and she had insisted on being the nice, friendly neighbor. It turned out that the family had two very immature teenage boys who took the fruit from the basket and splattered it all over the Weasley house.

Harry sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, looking smugly at Ron and Ginny when Mrs. Weasley said, "Oh, Harry, you can go along too. I'll just try and find out where the Grangers' house is located while you're gone."

Harry frowned and followed Ron and Ginny up the stairs to change into his clothes.

11:13-thirteen minutes behind schedule

Ginny yanked her brother and Harry up the long walk to a house that looked exactly like hers. She handed the fruit basket to Ron and knocked on the door, putting a big smile on her face just as the door opened.

Blaise's mother opened the door. Her blonde hair was now neatly groomed, her hands had a fresh manicure, and she was wearing what appeared to be expensive designer clothes.

"Can I help you?"

Ginny cleared her throat, "Hello, my name is Ginny Weasley. This is my brother Ron and um," Ginny glanced nervously at Harry, "and my adopted brother Harry. We just moved in next door. My mother sent you a fruit basket." She pointed to Ron, who was holding the fruit basket, over her shoulder.

Blaise's mother eyed them over suspiciously and then smiled rather falsely, "My name is Felicia Zabini. It's nice to meet you. Why don't you come on in for some lemonade?"

She took the basket from Ron, who slouched in relief. Ginny nudged him and they followed Felicia into the house. It looked exactly like hers, only with more expensive furniture and much classy décor choices. Off to the right, in the living room, sat a giant 66 inch plasma screen television that sat in mute mode because in the corner sat a large CD player that played loud rock music.

Felicia shouted over the music, "Blaise, turn that goddamned music down!"

Blaise's shaggy, brown head appeared over the back of the black leather couch, "Fuck off!"

Felicia stomped over to the CD player and yanked the volume knob down, "We have company, dammit, now act normal!"

She turned to Ginny, Ron, and Harry, "I'll be out with the lemonade in a minute. Just make yourselves at home."

Blaise stood up and stalked over to Ginny and shook her hand, "Nice to see you again Genevieve." Then he turned to Ron and Harry, "This must be Ronald and the famous point guard, Harry Potter."

Ron nodded towards Blaise and threw himself down on the leather couch. Harry threw a quick smile at him and joined his so called 'brother' on the couch. Ginny cleared some laundry and magazines off the couch and onto the coffee table, which was filled with more magazines and two ash trays, and sat down with her brother.

Suddenly Blaise jerked and jumped over to the CD player, twisting the knob back to his loud volume, "This song is the fucking bomb. I'm sure you've heard it. Besides, rock is like the only thing my dad owns."

In fact, Ginny had heard the song. Slytherin only played it every time Gryffindor had played them for football. The song was The Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness".

Blaise began conversation with Ron and Harry, "So boys, excited about playing with the best team around instead of playing against them?"

He smirked. Ron shrugged and Harry answered, "Actually I am. You guys are awesome at football and track. Tell me; is that Malfoy kid still an asshole?"

Blaise chuckled, "Draco's still an asshole; he always will be."

Suddenly the CD switched to Destiny's Child's "Lose My Breath".

Blaise cocked an eyebrow, "I didn't know my dad liked Destiny's Child."

The four sat in silence for a while and then Ron gasped, "Holy fuck! Where'd you get that black eye?"

Ginny's stomach lurched. Blaise, however, acted quite quickly, "Like I said, Malfoy's an asshole."

Harry laughed and Blaise shrugged, glancing at Ginny darkly. Felicia came into the room with a tray full of fancy glasses, which contained pink lemonade.

The kids graciously took the glasses. Ginny took a sip of the sour liquid.

Felicia said, "I had to make a quick batch 'cause I forgot that Blaise drank the rest of the other one. He drinks the whole pitcher. I say, what do I have to do to get him tothink of other people? Beat it into him?"

Ginny choked on her lemonade. She set the glass down, sputtering and gulping for breath, "Excuse me…must have swallowed too much."

Harry put his glass down, "Well we ought to get going. We've gotta go find out where our friend Hermione's moved to."

Ginny shook Felicia's hand and said, "It was nice to meet you."

She heard Felicia call as they left, "Be sure to come back again!"

Ginny, Harry, and Ron made their way back home, asked Mrs. Weasley what house the Grangers had moved into, went to Hermione's (which was only a few blocks away), discovered that they weren't done unpacking, went back home, and played X-Box with Fred and George the rest of the day while Mrs. Weasley filled out registration forms for school in the kitchen.

Ginny sauntered into the kitchen and opened the cold refrigerator. She pulled out a fresh bottle of blue Gatorade and twisted open the cap. She took a swig of the sour, yet sweet, blue liquid and looked over her mother's shoulder, "What's that?"

Mrs. Weasley answered, "You and your brothers' and Harry's registration forms. Ginny, it says here to circle sports you would be interested in…why don't you circle yours? I've already got the boys' forms done."

Ginny sat down and took the pen and looked at her choices. It read:

Circle the athletic activities your child may be interested in participating:

Swimming- Soccer- Cross Country- Tennis (only offered to sophomores and up)

Volleyball- Football- Basketball- Wrestling- Hockey- Track- Golf- Softball-

Baseball

Ginny thought a bit and then circled swimming, soccer, cross country, basketball, track, and softball.

She handed the form back to her mother who asked, "So, are you excited about your first day?"

Ginny shrugged, "It's Scorpion Valley High School, Mom. The one place I never thought in my life I would attend." She paused, "Like their name suggests, we're entering the scorpions' realm."

Ginny shuddered as she exited the kitchen.

A/N: So, what'd you think? I'm already working on chapter two. I really like this story, unlike my other ones. I have writer's block on my other three stories, unfortunately. But anyhow, R&R please!