Chapter 23: Getting Acquainted
Mr. Lee sighed as he was taken aboard the X-33 towards his summer escape in China. Meeting Harry after he got that table was key to the balance of powers. The wizened man opened his book of studies. Inside were notes, key notes that he took during his younger years.
The tablet was of dire importance to early Egyptian Kingdoms. Using ingeniously encrypted hieroglyphics, these tablets told stories, riddles, and sometimes held clues to some of the Old Kingdom's most ancient secrets. That tablet is rumored to be lost forever in the desert lands of the Sahara, never to be found again. Throughout my studies, I have come upon a hypothesis that this tablet contains clues upon unlocking a mystified creature. Luck has it, no such thing will happen unless fate changes its' mind. If only that tablet could be found…
Mr. Lee shut his notebook, sighing. He had been such a fool in his younger years. Now he wished that the tablet were never found. Mr. Lee opened his notebook again.
Once the tablet is found, the legend risks being exposed again. After decades of bloodshed and disputed powers over land, one person stood up against this death, this encirclement of Hell. He rose above everyone not from authority or riches, but from a deeper magic not explainable in any cause. Historians today argued that this was all a scam to entrust the Pharaoh with greater fame and riches. I, personally disagree. Throughout my travels in Africa, I have unconsciously caught wind of the last line of clues of some sort of document. It's unreadable, but locals here explained to me the apathetic history of this wonderful myth.
The last clue:
When all seems lost, a single ray of hope will shine down.
There you will find what you lack most of all, for your eternal guardians will show you the light.
Looks towards the heavens, listen to your will.
Soon, the world will know and understand.
-Someday, when I am older, I hope that the older me will thank himself one day. This riddle took endless nights of encrypting, hard work and never-ending talent.
Date of: May 8, 1986.
Mr. Lee shut the notebook, unearthing a sharp cracking sound throughout the hull.
"We'll be arriving at Shenzen very soon Sir." Mr. Lee snapped out of his trance.
"Thank you pilot, you have been a big help today.
Mr. Lee had to leave the compounds of Dr. William's lab to quickly get within closest reach of Harry. Something was stirring, he could feel it in his blood. Butler had finally arrived on cue. He would begin to question all the students. Butler's negotiation skills were unmatched. He will crack through their minds in no time and get to the bottom of this murder. Dr. Louis was currently sitting behind Mr. Lee, snoring loudly. Mr. Lee put on his earmuffs.
Mr. Lee was headed for one of the summer palaces that his closest friend had bought for relaxing purposes. The air and scenery in rural China was unmatched. Countless mountains rose above misted river plains, underneath grew thousands of bamboo shoots and trees.
The night living in countryside China was a definite choice. This was where great scholars like Confucius sat down on countless rainy nights and made one of the most powerful theories in the early ages. A theory that started one of the most sacred religions in the world. The religion for mind and soul, Buddhism.
Relaxing was not one of the reasons that Mr. Lee had abruptly traveled to Shenzen. He needed to talk to Harry once he obtained that tablet. Things were going to get tricky. Mr. Lee had noticed that once the muggle had advertised to sell that particular Egyptian tablet on the black market, thousands rose up to offer.
Mr. Lee himself had certain connections around the world. He was also sending his best agents to obtain the key item. Failure was not an option. If the tablet got in the wrong hands, there would be no end to this.
The thought that lit in Mr. Lee's mind worried the old man the most. Harry would have competition very soon. Many secret people wanted their bare hands on that tablet. It would be death to the world if someone claimed possession. The world would be on the brink of destruction. This creature, many hungry power lords underestimate its' power. If it is unleashed by the wrong hands, our globe known as Earth will be nothing but wastelands.
The plane began to descend from the air rapidly. Mr. Lee sighed. Tomorrow was going to be complicated.
Ginny sat down at the back seat in the spacious Rolls Royce Limousine with Harry right next to her. The limousine was the pentacle of luxury, with a flat-screened monitor at the very front of the limo seating area.
The soft leather seats soothed Ginny as she lay back, letting the calm atmosphere take control and settle down Ginny's beating heart. Today was not one of those Saturdays that she would relax at home with only her and mum. No, she had been called to her office at 6 in the morning to brief on her next latest mission.
This one would be her craziest yet. Ginny had never been anywhere out of England before. Sure she had traveled around Scotland and Ireland to report and investigate on multiple cases but this case made Ginny's blood boil excitedly.
Her last case was on some boring thematic case on the so-called Loch-Ness monster somewhere up north. Ginny would've almost died, sitting there perched upon the bank trying to find a snake-like monster swimming in the large lake. The giant monster was said to date back to prehistoric ages, before the dinosaurs.
Ginny inwardly snorted. No one in their right minds would want to learn much about History. Testing knowledge on their friends, she asked them certain historical questions like who was the first king of England. They would just stare at her blankly like she was on drugs. Test failure.
Professor Binns entered the History of Magic classroom, floating towards the front of the class. Fourth year Ginny was sitting near the back of class, preparing herself for another boring and useless history lesson.
It was mid spring and the weather was unbearable. The sun shone down upon the Hogwarts grounds like a toaster oven, frying anything within its' rays. Even in the shades of trees, people had the tendency to sweat.
Next to Ginny sat Maggie Welsh, a pretty brunette who Ginny was best friends with. The class was humid and damn, sunlight shining brightly through the classroom windows. Ginny squinted a bit and tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear.
"Class, take out your books and open to page 327." Professor Binn's nasal squeaky voice was heard from the front of the classroom. Ginny reached into her bag of supplies and pulled out 'History and Magic by Lara Plum.' She immediately opened the oversized textbook and marked her page, glancing around the room. Maggie was having trouble taking out her large book.
Ginny gave a hand to her brunette friend, helping her pick up the large book and place it onto their classroom table.
"Thanks Gin," Maggie said in appreciation. Ginny smiled softly at Maggie and laid her head upon the table. This class was thedefinition of boring. Professor Binns's nasal voice was heard again as he floated to the chalkboard.
"Can anyone read to me the title of the chapter?" Colin Creevey immediately raised his hand into the air. Ginny sighed; Colin was almost like Hermione, always needing to be best in class.
"Yes Mr. Creevey?" Colin cleared his voice and spoke in his high-toned voice.
"The equality of Witches throughout the ages." Ginny's head perked up. The equality of witches? This was a peculiar chapter. All of the others were about how trolls once rampaged East Europe and the people who kept troll killings towards a minimum. Big Deal, thought Ginny. Remembering Ron's stories of his first years, Ginny thought back to how enthusiastic Ron was about the troll at Halloween.
Hermione was caught between the wall and the only thing between her and the troll was a few toilet stalls. Harry had done the only thing that came to his mind, lost all sense of thinking and did the immediate thing. Distract the troll, and later jump on it, being shaken around. Ginny used to love Ron's stories, always eager for more. Little did Ron know, when Harry's name came up again, Ginny's little heart would do a flip.
"Just stick a wand up its' nose." Ginny whispered to Maggie. The brunette turned to Ginny and giggled. Ginny sighed again, blowing some of her hair that had fallen out of her face. Professor Binns picked up a piece of chalk. Oh no, thought Ginny.
The chalk screeched on the chalkboard causing the whole class to cover their ears. Sevenletters were written on the board. Seven very large letters. From those seven dreaded letters, twenty seconds of endless ear torture was paid. Ginny tentatively looked up at the chalkboard, her ears ringing.
"Witches?" Ginny shot a questioning look at Maggie. She shrugged. Ginny looked back towards the chalkboard, the room getting hotter by the second. Professor Binns cleared his throat.
"Witches, a clearly stated word for the female population of this class. To the male population, they are your opposite. To history, I'm afraid that the word mistreat and unequal fits well within these terms." Ginny and Maggie stared intently at the ghostly figure of Professor Binns.
"Throughout history, witches have been called upon as the 'lesser' of the sexes. They were carried on as a liability, human beings who were lower than men." Maggie shook her head, clearly disbelieving the lecture. Professor Binns continued.
"Witches were only able to do housework. They tended animals, cooked, and looked after the children. In some communities, witches weren't even allowed to leave their house." Ginny stood up, slightly enraged.
"Professor! That's unethical, how could we be treated like that?" A Slytherin boy smirked at Ginny from his seat at the side of class.
"How is it that shocking. I think that some of us only truly realize that wizards are more powerful than wizards." Ginny glared coldly at the Slytherin.
"You're wrong. We witches are should've had just the same amount of rights that wizards had." The Slytherin boy sneered.
"The truth is, they didn't. Pathetic really." The Slytherin read a passage from the chapter. "Witches have always been regarded as the lower domination of the wizarding community. Those who rebelled were burned at the stake." The Slytherin shut the textbook. "Hmmm, sounds familiar. Ever heard of the Salem witch burnings?" He made sure to emphasize the word 'witch.'
Ginny looked towards Professor Binns for help. She rolled her eyes, the ghost was fast asleep floating above the front desk. She glared back at the Slytherin, hand gripping wand.
The room was silent. No one dared to interfere with the two most controversial people in their years. The Slytherin was a new breed of Draco, his cunning ability to maneuver around obstacles and always manage to get his way. Spoiled or not, it didn't matter. No one wanted to mess with the Slytherin.
No one until now. Ginny was known to have an internal fiery attitude burning inside her. Her wit and smarts could intimidate the largest of males. Ginny slowly stood up and walked towards the aisle where the Slytherin was sitting. Maggie tried to stop the redhead but Ginny just shrugged her hands off.
The Slytherin boy also stood up. The two stood facing each other in the aisle of the classroom, every eye in the room focused on them.
"Admit it Weasel, wizards were better. They still are." Ginny stared blankly at the Slytherin. He continued. "The most powerful wizard in England is out. No one can stop him, no less a witch." Ginny stepped forward, staring directly into the Slytherin's cold eyes.
"He will be beaten." Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously. "He will be beaten by Harry. Voldomort will die." The whole class gasped at the name. Even the Slytherin seemed to act a bit tense. Ginny rolled her eyes. As Hermione's words came by, fear of a word only increases fear of the thingitself.
The Slytherin seemed to suppress a smirk. "Harry, as in Harry Potter? The same Harry that the daily prophet called a raging lunatic along with our dear old headmaster! He will defeat He-Whose-Name-Must-Not-Be-Said!" The Slytherin side of the room cracked up.
Ginny quirked an eyebrow. "Harry has more power in himself than any of you combined in this room. I myself can only hold a candle to his courage and bravery. He holds true honor." The Slytherin folded his arms.
"Michael will not be happy. And to think, his girlfriend has an infatuation with Potty." Ginny felt her cheeks redden. She had to act fast. Michael can not know about this.
A quick thought processed in her mind. She smirked. The Slytherin noticed this. A quick realization told him that Ginny understood. Ginny sighed, trying to make it appear as dramatic as possible. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she gave the Slytherin boy a soft, almost evil look. He gulped.
"I understand Brian. There's no need to explain your situation." The Slytherin, Brian stepped forward, puffing out his chest. Ginny didn't budge.
"Wh…What are you talking about?" Ginny seemed surprised.
"Oh you don't know? Maybe I should enlighten the class with your secret." Brian's clenched his fists.
"You wouldn't." Ginny smiled sweetly to Brian before turning to the class and sighing dramatically.
"It seems as if I should inform you of Brian's little problem." Ginny whirled to Brian, he was frozen, speechless.
Maggie seemed to understand as well. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, urging Ginny to continue. Ginny looked at each one of her classmates' eyes, making sure to connect personally with everyone.
"It seems that Brian has had bad luck throughout his life trying to get a date. As we are talking right now, he still has no girlfriend. Now, would any of the girls in this room be willing to go out with him, once?" Ginny scanned the room. None of the females raised their hands. Ginny continued, gaining more momentum.
"There's a perfectly good reason too. It's not that you're hideous, well, not that hideous at least. It's just that you need to act accordingly. We want respect Brian, we don't want to be treated like dogs." Ginny had personal experience with this. Just last month, Brian cornered her in the hallways, forcing her to go out to Hogsmeade. If not for Hermione, she wouldn't be here. Brian's loathsome ways were unacceptable.
"I have found Brian's inner motive. There's a perfectly good reason he's acting like this." The class looked clueless. Ginny was more than happy to add up the clues.
"Well let's see. He despises females." Ginny held up one finger. "He can't get a date." A second finger went up. "That only leaves one more plausible conclusion." She looked at the class. Can it get any easier than this?"
"What is it?" Brian's barely heard voice croaked. His face seemed white. Ginny showed no mercy. She had female pride.
"You're gay." The words echoed throughout the chamber over and over again. Those clear words, now echoing in everyone's ears. The class was silent.
A loud snort was heard pretty soon. Pretty soon, small sniggers. Sniggers morphed into laughter, later morphing into hysterics. Ginny turned towards one of the most humorous boys in her year. The fourth years called him 'Tubby'. He was chubby, but in a teddy bear kind of way. He had fallen off his chair and was now rolling on the floor roaring with laughter, tears coming out of his eyes.
Ginny smiled triumphantly, looking at Brian. To say the least, she knew that her hunch was true. He had a few friends that hung on him like monkeys. Other descriptions were rather disturbing. Brian's face was red as a tomato.
Ginny smiled sweetly at Brian, flicking her long hair off of her shoulders. As her Brother would've loved to say, checkmate…
Brian's contorted face steeled. He pulled out his wand, aiming it at Ginny.
"Mr. Wheeler, put the wand down immediately!" Ginny looked towards the front of the room. It seemed as if Professor Binns had finally woken up. Brian angrily huffed and went to sit back down in his seat. All of his neighbors scooted their chairs a few meters away from him.
Ginny sat down next to a giggling Maggie. She beamed.
Professor Binns grunted loudly. Slowly, the laughter subsided.
"Whatever just went on in this room should stop immediately. Back to the unfair treatment of witches throughout history." Everybody returned to their oversized texbooks.
"Small groups were formed, creating petitions and arguments against the treatment. Only until the last millennium did the treatment change. All of you should be thankful for this change." The class just stared at Binns.
Ginny raised her hand. "Yes Miss Weasley?"
"Professor, did any female organizations succeed?" Professor Binns thought for a while.
"Only the most ancient. They wielded majestic powers. I can name a few. One of those organizations were a clan of forest elves. They possessed a special clan bloodline allowing them to communicate with nature. They were mostly elementals, causing controversy around the world. No one dared to mess with them. Together, the organizations thrived through secrecy." Ginny frowned. This was not her wanted answer.
"Professor, did any of these female clans have their own rights?"
"Yes Miss Weasley. But only a few. There powers were respected throughout the world. They were mostly queens or princesses, acting with their power, trying to create a sense of equality. Angry wizards rose up, eventually stopping any of these activities. Their legacy faded through time. None are proven to exist to this day. Maybe some of you will eventually meet one of these women of secrecy. That would be true honor."
The bell rang, signaling Binns to end class.
"Good day class. For homework, six inches on the treatment of witches throughout history.
The class groaned.
To all of those males that believed that they were the better sex, they were badly mistaken. Women didn't need men, they were created to work in harmony as the creator intended to. Everything created had a direct opposite keeping the balance of equality.
The law of the universe. The first scientists thought that this was true. The sky had the ground. Night and day, water and land, male and female. More things were discovered as the ages progressed making the law more complex.
Ginny thought back to the female treatment. Over the past few millenniums, things had gotten better for women. They were slowly gaining their position in societies. Women were appointed into the government, they were given more equality. Things were quite peculiar though.
If Ginny had been alive just a few hundred years earlier, in the generation of maybe her great grandmother, things may not be the same. Not that she didn't want to live without men, Ginny gave Harry a quick glance, she just wanted to feel respected. Disgustingly, there were still people on this Earth who felt that they were better than the rest. Women were mostly acted as the damsel in distress. This did not make girls like Hermione or Ginny happy.
Ginny was starting to daze off. She had a tired day. Barely getting any sleep, Ginny had to gather all of her clothes to wear and board a plane leaving from a muggle airport to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong districts had no long-distance apparating points, which made traveling long and grueling.
The security at a muggle airport was heavy. Guards were patrolling around every terminal, a specially trained hound on a leash sniffing certain passenger baggage. Luckily, their nose didn't pick up on Ginny. She boarded her select plane after having a quick coffee in a nearby diner.
Her seat was a bit cramped, as she needed room to lay down. This was not her first time on an airplane. That was a good thing. After lifting her luggage onto the overhead cabinet, she sat down in her window seat and looked out. Men dressed in blue uniforms were running around waving orange sticks. Looking down, Ginny saw her luggage had been packed onto the plane hull, directly beneath her.
Then, to her dismay, a large whale of a man walked next to her wearing an oversized Hawaiian shirt. While he was lifting his luggage up, his shirt rose up. Definitely not a pretty site for Ginny. She cleared her throat and looked out the window again, watching in awe as other planes lifted from the ground on a dreary London morning. The runway lights flickered in the morning sunlight as the mist was just beginning to lift.
Ginny was too excited to sleep on the plane. Last night had been a dream to her. That pure heart-on-heart conversation with Harry had lifted her spirits up considerably. He had forgiven her, after Ginny thought that she had blew everything that mattered to her two years ago. Forgiveness, one of mankind's most loved traits.
That was the day she would never forget. What a nightmare. Harry had confessed his love to her, coming home a hero and wanting nothing more than the love of her. Her answer to him: a painful slap, and a piece of her angered mind. Her thoughts reeled back hundreds of times, remembering that night. Ginny had regretted ever since. Once Harry left, her days turned from light and slow paced, to Hell.
There were a few things that Ginny told no one, locked away in the deepest parts of her heart. She would dream of a happy and enjoyable marriage. She would plan to marry a certain green-eyed man that she was particularly fond of. Together, they would have a few giggling and happy kids. Then, every night that she dreamed, her heaven would turn into a nightmare. Slowly, Ginny's dream kids would disappear, one by one, fading away into the darkness. Next, Harry would also fade away, his body slowly turning to mist. Ginny would always try to hold onto her Harry, even if she knew that it was impossible. Sooner or later, the redhead would wake up, sweating and gasping for breath.
This was one of the things that Mrs. Weasley didn't know about. Even if the nightmares have been happening for two years. The darkness that Ginny cannot escape.
Harry looked from across the seat at Ginny. She looked to be deep in thought. "Ginny, you look exhausted."
Ginny stirred from her inner thoughts, blowing some of the loose hair that had fallen onto her face. She shook her head, smiling weakly. "A bit, quite a day I might say." Traveling on an airplane was more work than she had expected.
Harry made his way across the limo and set next to Ginny, placing a hand gently onher tendershoulder. Ginny immediately felt warmth and comfort with the simple gesture.
"Don't worry, I bet you'll like the hotel room." Ginny looked at Harry, he had a boyish smile on his face. The room, Ginny had never thought upon the thought of actually living with Harry. She was too caught up in her own thoughts. Her heart raced. Ginny quickly composed herself, breathing deeply for a few moments, calming down.
Harry watched as Ginny sat there, her small chest rising and falling. He was a bit surprised at her actions. "Ginny, are you alright?"
Ginny smiled weakly again. Harry let go of Ginny's shoulder and placed both of his hands in his lap. Ginny immediately missed the warmth. The raven-haired man sighed, looking out the window.
"Breathtaking scene isn't it?" Ginny focused her attention on the Harbor. Across the large body of water, Hong Kong Island sat glimmering in its' splendid array of skyscraper neon lights. The festival of the lights. Select Skyscrapers located near the Harbor would fire an array of beautiful neon colored lights towards the sky, illuminating it beautifully for the city to see. People would sit by the harbors, cuddling and enjoying the cool night air of China.
Ginny felt the urge to scoot over and cuddle into Harry's warm and comforting side, enjoying the light show with him. She quickly composed herself as she felt herself scoot closer to Harry. A sense of loss loomed around her. She had decided to take things slow. Ginny knew that she wouldn't be able to bear Harry walking away from her life again.
Harry looked back towards Ginny, his emerald eyes twinkling boyishly like a small child witnessing the true wonder of Christmas for the first time. Suddenly, his expression turned serious, shovinga hand into his tuxedo. He broughtout a large brown envelope. Ginny immediately knew what the envelope was. The mission briefing.
Harry carefully opened the envelope and scooped up the documents inside. His face turned grave. "It seems as if Mr. Chang has quite a background." He took out a few pictures and passed them to Ginny.
Ginny took the pictures, observing the black and white photograph secretly taken. Whoever this Mr. Chang was, looked intimidating. His face was sharp and clean cut, showing no sign of humor. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of circular small glasses tinted to protect his pupils from the sun's damaging rays. He had a clean mustache and a small beard. His eyebrows were bushy and scowling. This man meant business. Dealing with criminal gangs was one of Ginny's strong spots. Through two years of experience and the fight against Voldomort, Ginny's arsenal of ideas was endless. She could outwit unsuspecting mafia leaders, using her slender figure to her advantage. Many thought of her as just some damsel who didn't know her way around the streets. They would pay for their indecision painfully.
Harry had a much different perspective of Mr. Chang. Overlooking his clean-cut suit, Harry saw the bodyguards. They were lean and slim, expressing extreme agility and quickness. The Chinese were know for a number of ingenious ruthless way of fighting. Their Triads organizations could match up with the most perceptible Italian Mafia members fairly.
The Triadss were ruthless, quick, and smart. They finished business quick and clean, leaving no mark of their presence. They had specific measures of gaining information. Tortures were brutal and effective, often lasting for days on end. The cursed Chinese water torture. By dropping a small droplet of water onto the convict's head right onto the spot between his eyes, the torture was annoying and extremely effective. The endless drops would splash onto the victim's upper nose until he cracked. This task was extremely effective while not having to force any bloodshed. If the victim didn't talk, he would have unstopped Water Torture. No one could keep their mind defenses intact during this annoying experience. They would crack, quic and easy.
Harry studied their fighting styles during his training at Harrison Manor, overlooking their most deadly attack. Harry had mastered jujitsu for the most part. Butler had taught him all he knew on the sacred arts. Endless nights of hand-to-hand combat under the moon. The Triadss had another advantage. They worked effectively with long-range pistols and small guns. These guys could shoot a rat 60 yards off on a sinking boat.
What made them even more deadly was their strong knowledge of the martial arts. The ancient way of the military using spirit and mind combined with the body. Their deadly moves were fast, circling their prey like vultures. They didn't need to punch or kick. One jab in a vital spot could paralyze you neck down for life. Harry's body tensed, Butler had almost paralyzed him for life. One careless move of twisting his body, trying to avoid a punch in the gut. He paid ideally when Butler's other long arm crushed into Harry's ribcage like a huge cannonball, crushing into the bone.
Through his last few missions into China, Harry had gained a powerful alliance with the Tsai's. They were Harry's eyes and ears of the underground, warning the man if anything was going to happen. This gang would prove invaluable to Harry.
Hong Kong was the haven for strong ruthless Triads leaders. Harry sensed that he was treading in dangerous waters. If anything leaked, the Triadss were like awaiting sharks. One sniff of blood and they would surround in seconds, leaving nothing behind. Harry would be destroyed.
Harry looked at Ginny. She was here. A strong, protective aura surrounded Harry. He felt a need to protect her. He needed to get out of Hong Kong alive, with Ginny safe. That was his new number one priority.
"Ginny, Mr. Chang is known for his tactics. Trust no one in this town. They will break you off piece by piece until you're a pile of dung at the bottom of the sewer. Keep your eyes sharp. Tomorrow, I'm almost positive that Mr. Chang will send two scouts to spy on his next customers." Ginny nodded, a strong look of determination and understanding evident in her eyes. Harry beamed at Ginny. He trusted her. Ginny might've seemed to be girly but from personal experiences, Ginny could fend off for herself as well as Harry himself. The girl was just full of surprises.
Ginny looked back down at the pictures. She yawned. Harry noticed her gesture and immediately put down the documents. He scooted over to Ginny and the redhead immediately laid her head on his shoulder. Harry smiled softly.
"Maybe we can talk about this in the morning, when you are on full attention." Ginny nodded, thankful for Harry's thoughtfulness.
"Harry?" Ginny's soft voice rang in Harry's ears.
"Hmm?"
"When are we negotiating with Mr. Chang?" There was a long silence. Harry turned his full attention on the pretty redhead currently resting her head on his shoulder. This was a comfortable position. Harry could be like this all day if he had to.
"Tomorrow evening. Probably really late into the night." Ginny smiled softly, sleep overcoming her. Her eyelids felt heavy.
"Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"When are we going to have dinner?" Harry chuckled. His emerald eyes twinkling again. Picked up a nearby pillow and let Ginny lie flat on the limo seat. Harry moved himself towards another leather seat, wanting to give Ginny room and comfort.
Ginny's insides moaned with protest. Now she was laying fully down on the cold leather seat, her head resting on a pillow. Harry opened a sealed cup. Steam could be seen from the top rising out.
"Cappuccino?" Ginny took the steaming cup and drank slowly, feeling the warmth spread throughout her body. Her weariness dissipated slightly, having gained back some energy.
Harry chuckled again. "I can see your relation to Ron." Ginny scowled before a playful smile appeared on her face.
"Trust me, Ron would be out of the limo right now following his nose trying to find food. It's just that I haven't had anything decent to eat all day. Airplane food isn't exactly edible these days." A look of worry was etched on Harry's face.
"Merlin you must be starving! Hold on." Harry pulled out a cell phone from his pockets. He dialed a number and waited for the receiver to pick up. He gave Ginny a reassuring smile. She sat up, giving Harry an amused look.
"Hello, is this the Hotel Peninsula? Yes, this is Henry Palmer, mmhmm. I would like to reserve a table for two at Gaddi's. Yes, private table please. My room?" Harry looked puzzled. "Its' the Peninsula Suite." The operator sounded much more friendly and helpful. "Mmhmm, excellent. Tell the chefs to prepare the best on the menu, my wife is currently in need of a good meal." Harry winked at Ginny from across the limo. Ginny felt her cheeks redden slightly.
"Excellent, we'll be there in around ten minutes." Harry snapped his cell phone shut and returned it back into his pockets. "Now," Harry rubbed his hands together, "down to the dirty business.?" Harry was grinning playfully again.
Ginny smirked. "Dirty business. Surely Harry, this soon and you already want to…" The redhead didn't need to finish the sentence for Harry understood quickly.
"Oh no, no. Not that." Harry's face was a bit red from the thoughts. Oddly, Ginny felt a surge of disappointment flow through her.
Harry cleared his throat before taking Ginny's hand in his. "Henry Palmer has a wife. Her name is Rachel. At least, that's what the documents tell me." Ginny playfully pouted.
"I have to be called Rachel?" Harry scratched his head. He had no answer prepared for that.
Ginny grinned. "Well you better have a bloody great ring for compensation." Ginny really didn't mean it.
Harry grinned. He reached into his pockets and pulled out a finely decorated small box. Ginny didn't need to look twice to understand the situation. She gasped.
Harry went over to Ginny and kneeled on one knee. "Would you make me the happiest man in the world by being my wife Rachel?" Ginny sat up. Her emotions were in a cyclone, she felt tears welling up. Harry's look was genuine, almost if he had wanted to ask her.
Harry opened the small box revealing a magnificent engagement ring. It fit delicately upon her third finger, a large emerald apparent with glimmering diamonds circling it. Ginny held back a sob. The ring fit perfectly to her ring finger. Harry smiled, kissing the engagement ring before reaching into his pockets again.
"Our wedding rings." He placed the smaller golden ring onto Ginny's left hand and smiled widely. Ginny's eyes were welling up with unstrung tears.
Ginny still had her part. Harry stretched out his left hand, awaiting Ginny to place his wedding ring on. Ginny gently placed the larger ring onto Harry's ring finger. Her insides were churning with unstrung happiness.
Harry took his spot next to Ginny. He and Ginny both admired the engagement ring, twinkling in the neon lights of the night. The limo made a turn onto the front pavement of the Peninsula Hotel.
"Wow Harry, it's beautiful." Harry beamed. The limo stopped completely in front of the Peninsula.
"Took me forever to find a charming ring. I was walking by Florence when I came upon this gorgeous ring. Couldn't keep my eyes off of it."
Ginny smiled thoughtfully. "Really Harry? Couldn't keep your eye off of it? Sounds like you were drooling at a new broomstick. Harry smiled cheekily.
Ginny lifted her hand and admired the ring again. Gods, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Since she was a little girl, Ginny would always dream of being given a ring. She didn't expect much, considering her family's financial situation. She could've lived with a simple ring.
Harry just keeps jumping into her life, making it better and better by the day. A real engagement ring that looked like it cost a fortune. Ginny was utterly speechless as she stared in awe admiring the craftsmanship of the diamonds.
The limo door opened.
"Mr. And Mrs. Palmer, welcome to the Hotel Peninsula." The Asian driver bowed before Harry stepped out of the limousine. He took a deep breath and held a hand out for Ginny. Ginny graciously took the hand, stepping out of the limousine before gasping with delight.
"Wow Harry! It's magnificent!" Harry nodded, clearly agreeing. Lucifer and his convoy pulled up beside Harry near the hotel entrance.
"Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Palmer, if any of you need my presence, call me." Lucifer held out his cell phone from the SUV's front seat. "Dial 2." Harry and Ginny nodded before Lucifer and his men drove off towards the Hong Kong night.
Ginny did a full 360, taking in the hotel's grandeur structure. A large fountain blasted a large stream of water towards the sky, illuminated in the moon's silver rays.
"Come on, let's get inside. I bet you're starving." Ginny smiled graciously at Harry before taking Harry's arm and following him inside. The officer at the front door opened the door and smiled at the couple, bowing. Harry quickly led Ginny into the Peninsula's grand main entrance.
Ginny immediately felt the difference in atmospheres from the outside compared to the inside of the Peninsula. Stepping onto the rich royal blue carpet, an immediate breath of fresh air blew softly around Ginny. Soft piano music played in the background as the calm melody echoed off of the high entrance walls.
Ginny was led further into the main entrance. Harry let go of Ginny's hand and gestured for Ginny to step towards a nearby restaurant. Ginny smiled at Harry before both Harry and Ginny walked towards the main entrance of Gaddi's. Harry went and talked to the host of the restaurant. With a quick nod, the host beckoned Ginny over.
Confused, Ginny slowly walked, being willed in by Harry's mesmerizing gaze. Harry smiled widely.
"The chef has prepared us a full meal. I hope you enjoy French cuisine."
"Merlin Harry, that was the best meal I've had in a long time!" Ginny smiled with happiness. With her stomach now full, Ginny began to feel drowsy. Harry stood up and stretched out his hand to pull Ginny gracefully from her chair.
Harry then grabbed the robe off of Ginny's chair and led the now sleepy girl to their room. Harry placed an arm around Ginny's slender waist to keep her steady while pressing 26 on the elevator.
After a quick ride, the elevator doors opened, revealing a luxurious penthouse hallway clad in chandeliers and numerous portraits of recent owners. Harry led Ginny towards their room at the far side of the hallway, the chandelier light soft and comforting. This was their room, the Peninsula Suite. The best room in the whole hotel.
Harry slid his card through the slit located on the door, revealing a small green light blinking before he hid a click. The Peninsula Suite lay open in front of Ginny's eyes. Instantly, the redhead was alive again, shaking herself out of her drowsy state.
"Harry, this room is beautiful!" Ginny's eyes sparkled with renewed vigor as she moved herself towards the balcony, where a full view of Victoria Harbor could be seen. The majestic lights of Hong Kong Island seen wavering upon the dark, shimmering waters.
The Peninsula Suite was definitely one worth paying for. Harry chuckled at Ginny's new excitement as the redhead girl was currently standing upon the balcony, enjoying the crisp night air blow through her lustrous hair. He placed a warm hand upon her shoulder. Ginny wheeled back, her hair blowing majestically.
"I thought you were tired." Ginny pouted at Harry's playful smile. She walked back into the room and sat down on one of the couches, throwing a pillow onto her lap. Harry walked back in after viewing the skyline and plopped onto the couch rightacross from Ginny, picking up a visitor's manual.
"Harry?" Harry looked up from his manual and locked eyes with Ginny. "Are there any people of our kind in Hong Kong?"
Harry smiled, knowing that Ginny's curiosity would eventually lead her to asking questions.
"Not a lot, Ginny. The only magical people who come here usually come for visiting family. Who knows, maybe Cho might be here." Harry looked thoughtful. Cho was Asian.
Ginny felt herself feeling jealous. During her fifth year when Cho and Harry were supposedly 'together', Ginny, out of her jealousy, went to date Michael Corner, a savvy Ravenclaw. To much of her dismay, Harry had still only acted platonic towards Ginny. Ginny was forced to call out her extremes. She needed someone that Harry knew personally for a while. Someone that will definitely make Harry jealous.
Her answer came right to her, again and again. Dean. Three years later, Ginny's same jealousy rose in her. This time, Ginny had self-control. She would make sure that nothing would go 'out of hand.'
Harry sighed. "There's a reason why you couldn't apparate or portkey here." Ginny shook out of her inner monologue, curious. Harry continued. "Usually areas where a large wizarding population lives, we make a porthole. From that special connection, we are linked worldwide to the rest of the portholes in the world. It's like a series of connecting areas. These portholes allow you to apparate anywhere in its' perimeter, even portkey anywhere." Harry stopped. "Well, anywhere without wards installed. Then, you have to apparate outside of the ward perimeter."
"You see England is full of wizards. You go anywhere in London. Chances are, you've seen a couple of wizards or witches without even noticing. We tend to blend in." Ginny giggled at Harry's attempt to blend with the couch. He had stuffed a couple of pillows in front of him, hiding all of himself with the exception of his face.
"That's the same everywhere. Wizards blend in. Muggles have no idea we exist, with the exception of a select few. High officials and Prime Ministers. Other than that, we don't exist in the muggle world. Magic is a fantasy."
Ginny nodded. She smiled and stood up, heading for the bedroom. Harry followed, feeling a bit tense. Harry heard a gasp from ahead of him. Uh oh… he thought, now running towards the bedroom. What he saw was not what Harry expected. He expected Ginny to be outraged with the one bed, standing there in the middle of the room with a scowl on her face.
He was mistaken.
Ginny ran towards the large bed and jumped onto the soft mattress, letting herself lie down and fully release herself from any stress. She had a comforting smile lit upon her face. After several seconds, Ginny sat up and noticed Harry, leaning on the doorway, a lopsided grin plastered on his face.
"What Harry?" Harry shrugged, running a hand through his messy hair.
"I don't think you're tired at all." Harry's playful smiled made Ginny feel slightly wobbly a butterflies flew in her stomach. She held her face, trying not to giggle. Without saying anything, Ginny flopped back down onto the soft bed, laying her head upon the soft, fluffy pillow. She yawned.
"Goodnight Harry." Harry's eyebrows rose. Ginny was sleeping in her clothes?
"You're sleeping in your clothes?" Ginny's eyes opened slowly. She groaned, before a cheeky smile grew on her face.
"Fine Harry, wait while I change." She stood up slowly and walked to the closet, opening it. "Seems like the bell-hoppers carried my suitcase here while we were eating." Ginny unzipped her suitcase and took out her clothing needed for the night. She walked past Harry, giving him a wink before disappearing behind the bathroom doors.
Harry stood there, motionless. What did hell did she just do? Wink at me? Harry's insides churned, a silly smile plastered on his face. He quickly changed out of his suit andswitched into his pajamas. He was much quicker than Ginny, being he only needed to put on a nightshirt and his favorite blue pajama pants. He walked towards the guest sink, preparing to shave and wash his teeth.
Ginny admired herself in the mirror as she brushed her long, beautiful red hair. She picked up the folded nightgown from the counter and felt the smooth, silky texture of the white gown.Ginny felt comfortable in this gown, as if she was wearing almost nothing. After finishing dressing, Ginny brushed her teeth and smoothed down her nightgown, making sure her delicate curves were apparent.
She had the strong urge to look good for Harry. Making sure that she looked her best, Ginny checked herself in the large mirror. Perfect.
Walking out of the master bathroom, Ginny was surprised to see that the bed was empty. Glancing around, the master bedroom was also empty. Ginny smiled, this gave her more time to complete her daily bedtime ritual. She went back to the closet and unzipped her suitcase. Inside was one of her favorite possessions.
She had picked up this possession two years ago. Ever since, Ginny slept with this like a little girl and her teddy bear. It made her feel safe and protected.
Walking slowly over to the grand bed, Ginny climbed into the cool covers. The silky sheets along with her soft nightgown made Ginny relax and fall into pure bliss. She laid down, letting her tired body relax.
"Comfortable?" Ginny's eyes shot open. She sat up and glanced towards the area where the voice came. Ginny smiled. It was Harry. He was leaning against the doorframe leading to the room again, his arms folded across his chest. Ginny tried to stop staring at those toned and strong arms. Harry's eyebrows rose as he slowly walked over to the bed.
He made eye contact with Ginny, his emerald eyes twinkling. He touched Ginny's shoulder. "I can sleep on the couch if you like. I understand if this makes you uncomfortable…" Ginny's heart thumped in her chest. Harry was always considerate considering how he grew up. He was truly an amazing young man, considering how heunderstood Ginny's conditions. This large city was unfamiliar to her, and Harry suspected that Ginny might be a little scared her first time in Hong Kong, sleeping alone in such a large room. On the other condition, Harry knew that this was the first time that Ginny and Harry had ever shared a bed, therefore causing awkward situations. Ginny smiled. Harry's next move would depend on her, no questions asked. As a woman, she enjoyed how Harry would sometimes let her be the boss, for moral reasons and also, being a gentleman.
"I don't mind Harry. Besides, I would hate to sleep in this large, dark room at an unfamiliar city." Harry smiled and ran hand through his hair. After Ginny's eyes warmly invited him, her arms out as if asking for a hug, Harry climbed into heavenly bed and kissed Ginny on the cheek before laying down and closing the room lights with a clap of his hands.
Ginny felt herself slowly sliding from her side of the bed towards Harry. Slowly and hesitantly, Ginny snuggled up to Harry. His eyes flew open, revealing two sparkling emerald eyes. Ginny flushed. She was caught, barehanded. She sighed in relief when Harry didn't bring up the subject. Instead, his eyes were focused on Ginny's bedtime possession.
He recognized it somehow. Then it clicked.
"Ginny."
"Yes Harry?"
There was a long silence as Harry's sharp emerald eyes studied the cloth that Ginny was holding.
"Was that my Ministry Ball Robe?"
Ginny flushed, she was caught again.
Author's Note: This chapter is my longest yet. But hey, just wait until the next one. I plan to finally add some more action to the story. But first, tell me how you think about this chapter. Your reviews are greatly appreciated. One more thing, if any of you would like to see the Peninsula Suite,I will try to have the site link made out. Look carefully. dot .
hongkong dot peninsula dot com/phk/accommodation13.html
No spaces in between.
No www in front.
If all else fails, I will paste the link in my profile.
Next chapter, you get an insight on the different Triads gangs of Hong Kong. Mr. Lee discovers something that will shock you to your bones. Prepare yourselves, Hong Kong is only the beginning.