Friends Close, Enemies Closer
.:Angelgrl185:.
((I do not own the Harry Potter Series or any of its components))
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Chapter Three: A New Beginning
Ginny Weasely sat nervously in a hard plastic chair, her fingers toying with her auburn hair, her feet gently swinging to and fro under her chair. She was sitting inside the Ministry of Magic in the office for the Protection of Wizards next to a window of a very large lab. She peered inside, looking to see what it held for that was where she was to go next when the doctor arrived. A soft glow of light illuminated the room from dim ceiling lights letting Ginny make out what was inside the laboratory. A large table sat in the middle of the room with a few trays next to it containing sharp knives and mirrors. Ginny could make out a cooler of potions against the wall and another cooler containing multi colored vials of liquid. A chair not unlike a dentist's chair was located near the table and she could see leather straps at the feet, hands and chest. A large device was located near the head and Ginny couldn't make out what it was. Saws and other sharp objects were handing around the room creating a sinister look and making Ginny even more nervous.
"Don't worry, we won't be using any of that on you." A deep voice spoke causing Ginny to jump in her seat. She placed a hand over her chest as if to calm her beating heart.
"None of it?" she asked still unsure as she eyed the equipment warily.
"None of it. You are going to be taking a new potion." He replied.
"Oh." She chirped.
"I'm Doctor Travis Philips and I will be handling your case." Dr. Philips said holding out his hand towards Ginny.
"I'm Ginny Weasely." She introduced herself as she shook the doctor's hand.
"Miss Weasely, it is a pleasure to meet you, now please follow me if you will." Dr. Philips said with a smile before unlocking the lab door and entering it. Ginny hesitantly followed, still unsure of the surroundings, but jumped on the table when Dr. Philips pointed to it.
"Let me just find the right one and then I'll explain every thing you need to know about it before you take it." Dr. Philips said as he moved towards the cooler holding the potions. He drew out a bright green one from one of the slots and carried it back towards Ginny.
"Alright, this is called the Transitory Potion. This will change your physical appearance to that of another person. I cannot tell you what you will look like; the potion works with a person's genes so the changes are different each time. I can only tell you that the changes are usually opposite of your original appearance." Dr. Philips explained.
"Now, you need to take this every two weeks, Dumbledore said he is willing to keep a supply for you so whenever you need to take it, he will provide the Transitory Potion for you. Do you understand that?" Dr. Philips asked her and Ginny nodded her head.
"Good, let's see, there shouldn't be any side effects of the potion besides slight headaches or dizziness since you will be experiencing a physical change, but after a while you should stop getting them. Are you fine will all this" Dr. Philips asked and Ginny nodded again.
"I'm going to need you to sign a few things for me." Dr. Philips said as he handed Ginny a clipboard with a couple papers on it. He pointed to all the places where she needed to sign as he explained which each one was.
"This one shows that you are in fact Ginny Weasely and are liable if anything goes wrong, not me or the Ministry of Magic. This one shows that you understand all the effects and procedures of the Transitory Potion. This one says that you will tell no one of your identity change until it is no longer necessary and finally, this one says that no matter what your new physical appearance is, you will not sue me or the Ministry of Magic." Dr. Philips explained as Ginny willingly signed each one.
"Excellent, are you ready to take the potion now?" Dr. Philips asked her.
"Where's Professor Dumbledore?" Ginny asked instead of answering.
"He said he would be here shortly." Dr. Philips responded then noticed the figure outside the lab. "Ah, there he is now."
"Hello Ginny, Good evening Dr. Philips." Dumbledore said as he entered the room.
"How are you feeling Ginny?" he asked looking at the nervous red head.
"I'm ok, just a little scared. She answered truthfully.
"That's to be expected." Dr. Philips remarked. "Do you want to take it now?"
"Yes please." Ginny replied as Dr. Philips handed her a glass goblet in which he had poured the Transitory Potion.
Ginny gingerly sniffed the potion and wrinkled her freckled nose in distaste. It smelled awful, like Ron's sweaty socks mixed with the smell of George and Fred's rotten food they have all over their room. She pinched her nose with her fingers trying not to gag from the smell and quickly guzzled the potion down trying to get it over with. First of all it tasted as wretched as it smelled, but Ginny's stomach couldn't really react because the potion made her entire body go numb, she could no longer move. Ginny immediately panicked at the lost of her motor functions instantly thinking that something had gone wrong, maybe Dr. Philips had given her the wrong potion of something. All of a sudden, she felt a warm sensation spread through her body melting away the numbness and she could move her body again.
"Uh, Dr. Philips, I don't think the potion worked." Ginny said dejectedly until she heard her own voice. She yelped in surprise and covered her mouth with her hands. Her voice was low and raspy, nothing like the sweet musical voice she was used to hearing come out of her mouth.
"Oh really? How about you take a look then." Dr. Philips said as he looked at her with a mixture of pride at his accomplishment and laughter at Ginny's reaction to her new voice.
Ginny walked over to the other side of the room where Dr. Philips had pointed out a bathroom. She walked in cautiously and stopped in the doorway, refusing to look in the mirror.
"I can't do it." She said fearfully.
"Yes you can, you already took the potion, what's done is done. Aren't you a little bit curious to see what you look like now?" Dr. Philips asked.
"Yes, but I'm also afraid of what I look like now, I was perfectly fine with how I looked before." Ginny replied still straddling the doorway.
"Go ahead Ginny, it's alright, just remember, this is only temporary." Professor Dumbledore encouraged her. Ginny took a deep breath, closed her eyes and walked into the bathroom, then turned to face the mirror. She peeked open her eyes, but couldn't really get a glimpse of her new appearance through her squinted eyes. Slowly Ginny opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror.
The sight of her new appearance wanted her to scream out in horror. Her once beautiful wavy auburn hair was now a lifeless, limp brown, cropped short just under her chin. Her bright green eyes had been transformed into a dull brown. The only thing that was the same was her pale white skin although it was no longer creamy and dotted with cute freckles; it was now dry and ashy. She couldn't help it, hot tears of frustration and horror pour out of her eyes, making the dullness of her color brighten just the tiniest bit with the moisture. Ginny left the bathroom sobbing hysterically, she was ugly, hideous, didn't even deserve to walk the earth as a human.
"Ginny, it's not all that bad." Dumbledore observed as he drew near to the hysterical girl.
"It's hideous professor, I'm hideous." Ginny sobbed.
"Ah, you make think you are hideous, but once you get used to how you look now, it will grow on you. Besides, no one knows that you are Ginny Weasely; you can make a new identity with your new look, a bold one or a meek one. Whichever you chose, it is up to you." Dumbledore said in a soft comforting voice. Ginny hiccupped and wiped away the stream of tears on her face.
"Do you think you are ready now?" Professor Dumbledore asked her gently.
"Yes, I'm a little more rational and calm now." Ginny replied with a weak smile.
"Come with me then Miss Weasely." Dumbledore said extending his arm to Ginny.
"Wait, wait." Dr. Philips protested when Ginny and Dumbledore were about to walk out.
"Yes Doctor?" Dumbledore asked with an eyebrow raised. The doctor didn't reply right away, but snapped a quick picture of Ginny's new appearance.
"She can't go around answering to Ginny Weasely anymore, she needs a new name to along with her new appearance." The doctor explained.
"That's right." Ginny replied.
"Alright then, Ginny, what would you like to be called now?" Dumbledore asked looking at her. Ginny answered with the first name that popped into her head.
"Angelina, Angelina Gracin." She replied satisfied with her new name, at least that part of her new self would be beautiful.
"Well then Miss Angelina Gracin, your new life awaits you." Dumbledore said dramatically, sweeping his hand before him with grand flourish. Ginny giggled at his antics and flounced out the door, butterflies filling her stomach as she was about to face the world as a new person.
It was a crisp clear night when Ginny arrived back at Hogwarts. A multitude of stars streamed in the sky like a river of glittering light, illuminating the castle with a soft glow. Ginny was ushered through the halls of Hogwarts until she arrived at the great hall which was already brimming with excited students and nervous first years, the sorting of them had already started. Ginny stood to the side of the great hall as she watched first year after first year walk slowly to the front of the hall and place the tattered black hat on their head before a booming voice declared which house they would be joining. Naturally, all the houses broke into undaunted applause when a new underling was added to their crew.
'Will they do that for me?' Ginny asked herself as she turned her gaze to the Slytherin table where Draco Malfoy was leading the rampage of whistles and hoots for the new girl who had just been added to their numbers.
'Will the Slytherins welcome me with open arms?' she wondered as they clapped the new girl on the back with broad grins and jokes.
'Why wouldn't they? As far as they know, you are a dirty evil wizard just like them.' Her mind reminded her.
'True, but what if they see through me?' she asked worriedly.
'They won't, you'll be fine, just be natural.' Her mind suggested.
'Natural? Natural would have Malfoy teasing me to no end. I think I'll pass on natural. I need to be confident, a new me.' Ginny decided. Her thoughts were interrupted as the sorting ended and Professor Dumbledore stood up at the head table.
"Good evening young wizards, welcome back to Hogwarts! To all the new students we have this year, welcome to our humble abode and I hope you find your time here a jubilating experience." Dumbledore said with a dramatic sweep of his hands as he lifted them in the air.
"I have a few announcements before we start off the New Year. Mr. Filch has extended the list of things not allowed at Hogwarts; I trust you will look at the new list at his office if you are interested. Also, I'd like to welcome the new defense against the dark arts teacher Travis Philips." Dumbledore added swinging his hands toward the tall, dark curly haired man sitting next to him. Ginny's eyes widened when she saw the doctor and wondered why they didn't tell her that he was going to be the new DADA teacher.
"Finally, I would like you all to welcome our new student Angelina Gracin. Angelina would you please come here." Dumbledore said motioning for Ginny to join him. Ginny walked hesitantly to the front and joined Dumbledore.
"Angelina has transferred to Hogwarts and has already been sorted into the Slytherin house. Please give a warm welcome to Angelina and make sure that she feels at home here." Dumbledore announced to Slytherins' joy.
The entire table erupted into cheers and shouts that "Angelina" had joined their side. Malfoy stood up and whistled loudly obviously smug that the first transferred student had been placed in the Slytherin table, not the god forsaken Gryffandor table. The rest of the hall clapped politely at Angelina's arrival, but did not seem too interested in her except only to wonder where exactly she had transferred from.
At the grand reception Ginny had received from the Slytherin table, she no longer felt unsure of herself, but walked confidently over to the Slytherin table, even swaying her hips with a little attitude as she sauntered by the Gryffandor table. She looked briefly at Harry, Ron and Hermoine, but they didn't recognize her, of course. Ginny walked right up to the Slytherin table and was immediately greeted by Draco Malfoy himself.
"Welcome to Slytherin Angelina." Malfoy said with a smug expression on his face. Ginny had to fight to keep a disgusted look from appearing on her face. He held out his hand, expecting Ginny to shake it. Ginny gingerly reached out her hand and clasped it with Malfoy's trying to ignore the fact that Malfoy was coming in contact with her skin. She only let her hand linger in his long enough to shake then quickly withdrew them as if she was being burned. If Malfoy noticed her weird behavior, he paid no mind.
"My name is Draco Malfoy, you can just call me Draco." He said casually.
"I'm Angelina Gracin as you all well know, you can call me Angelina." Ginny replied politely as she secretly wiped her hand on her robes, trying to get of anything his nasty self might have passed on to her when they touched.
"Well Angelina, have a seat and eat something." Malfoy said pointing to an empty chair a few seats down. Ginny forced a smile and walked over to the available chair, sitting next to an exotic looking girl.
"Hey Angelina, my name is Blaise Zambini." The girl said flipping back her thick raven hair over her shoulders as she reached out a hand towards Ginny.
"Nice to meet you." Ginny said as she shook Blaise's hand.
"So where did you transfer from?" Blaise asked, her bright blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Ugh, I ah." Ginny panicked as she tried to think of an answer, Dumbledore had never really given her an alibi!
"Zambini, leave Angelina alone and let her eat something before you bombard her with your ridiculous questions." Malfoy ordered from a few seats over. Blaise threw Malfoy an annoyed look, but let Ginny eat. Ginny flashed a grateful look at Malfoy before she realized what she had done and turned stonily away. Malfoy looked at Ginny, confused by her weird behavior, but shrugged it off as nerves; he was dashingly good looking after all.
Ginny dug into the feast before her happy to see that each table go the same things to eat and that the Slytherins didn't eat eyeballs or newt tongues or something weird like that. As she was beginning to dig into her chicken pie, Dumbledore once again rose to his feet and commanded the attention of all the students.
"I have one more announcement to make, I was hesitant to say this before, but I feel that you all deserve to hear it. Some of you may have been wondering where Miss Ginny Weasely is." Dumbledore started looking at all the students who began to mutter to each other. Ginny immediately froze, fork halfway to her mouth when she heard her name.
"Unfortunately, last week while at a back to school picnic she had helped organize, Ginny Weasely was attacked by three death eaters along with everyone else at the picnic. Ginny could not escape and was thrown off a cliff by the death eaters and killed." Dumbledore said to the gasps and shock of the students. Boys and girls alike stared with their eyes wide, hands covering their mouths as Dumbledore broke the news. Ron, Harry and Hermoine sat silently at the table, trying to fake sadness over Ginny's apparent death, but they knew what really had happened and that she was in a protection ward somewhere.
"Tomorrow we will be having a ceremony outside for Ginny Weasely, I suggest you all try to be there and remember what a delight she was to have in the school." Dumbledore finished as he looked around the room, his eyes settling on Ginny just for a moment before continuing their sweep of the room.
"One of the Weasels died eh? That's just too bad." Malfoy snickered in mock sadness.
"Get off it Draco, grow up. We all know you don't like the family, but one of them died. That's not something to laugh about." Blaise snapped irritably.
"Geeze Blaise, if I didn't know better, I would say that you went soft over the summer. Staying with your batty aunt change your perspective on life?" Draco sneered.
"Shut up Draco, I'm just saying that laughing over a death is different then laughing over a prank." Blaise said.
"Well thank you for that lovely piece of mind you just gave us Blaise, next time, keep it to yourself." Malfoy laughed. Blaise rolled her eyes and went back to her food.
"That was nice the way you stuck up for that family." Ginny said sincerely to Blaise.
"Yeah, well, I just feel bad that's all. I know what its like to lose a family member. My favorite cousin was killed by death eaters a couple years ago." Blaise explained.
"Wow, I didn't know." Ginny said.
"How could you? You just transferred here." Blaise said with a short laugh.
"Yeah, that's true." Ginny said with a nervous laugh. This was going to be a little bit harder than she thought.
"Well I don't care what Malfoy thinks, I'm going to go to the service tomorrow, pay my respects." Blaise decided, "Do you want to go?"
"Yeah, I'll go with you." Ginny answered.
"Cool." Blaise said before she went back to eating. Ginny pushed back her plate and sat back in her chair. It was going to be so weird, going to her own memorial service tomorrow. What will people say about her? Everything was so different and confusing, her world was just tumbling around and around and there was nothing Ginny could do to stabilize it. She just hoped that everything would turn out ok.
That's the end of chapter Three, sorry for the long wait, I had just finished my other story and I was excited. I know this chapter isn't all that entertaining, but next chapter will be more action packed and interesting. I just need a transitional chapter for Ginny's new appearance and entrance into Hogwarts. Please Review!!
.:Angelgrl185:.