PLEASE READ: Alright, well I know I said that I wouldn't update this during November, but I got a free moment and decided to write; that's why the chapter is soooo extremely short. I hope all of you read my author note at the beginning of the last chapter, because I explained why I wasn't going to update. Good news though: I have over 30,000 words written in my novel for NaNoWriMo. But anyway, about this story. I'm sorry if Ron is seeming way too mean, but think about it for a minute. He absolutely hates Draco. Back when they were in the hall and Ron jinxed him and left him, that seems like something Ron would do to me. He's all alone, he caught Draco in a perfect situation, and he took advantage of it. And he's being protective of his sister. I mean, Draco said something like "Watch your backs…you and your sister" so of course Ron is going to tell him to back off; it's his baby sister. Ron is very protective of Ginny, especially in the 5th book when Ginny almost goes out with Michael Corner. But I do agree with you guys, Ron is a bit "forward" and "evil", as you say. I'm trying hard to make him seem more like a goof and…you know…not the "brightest crayon in the box". I'm working on it.
Also, I don't really like this chapter but it was all spur-of-the-moment. I'm supposed to be doing other work right now. And I re-read all my other chapters and was appalled to see all of the typos in there. Sorry about that; I try to proofread these as good as I can before posting, but I miss some things. Please excuse all of those mistakes.
MadelineR- thanks for the review. Hope you like it.
QueenThayet129990- I'm glad you think they're good.
elfprincess90- Well I answered the Ron question. You're not the first person to address it. Anyway, I'm really glad that you like my writing style and I'm glad you like the story. Thanks for the review.
dragonlayer- Yep, the guilt has to come sometime. Enjoy the guilt in the chapter…
Disclaimer: What do you mean I don't own this? I must've been dreaming my whole life then because I could've sworn I owned Harry Potter. Yeah…
Chapter 12: Guilt
Ginny entered Divination class that afternoon with a heavy heart. Everything had been going so well but now they seemed to be falling apart. Though she was very happy that Harry wasn't dating Jenny anymore, she hated that some of her feelings had returned. Why can't I just make up my mind? she thought wearily as she sat down. She thought that she was forever over Harry, but when she had gotten the idea of proving Malfoy guilty of kidnapping the students and gaining Harry's attention, she just couldn't resist it. Now the guilt of what she was doing was weighing in on her. She knew Malfoy was guilty; there was no doubt about that in her mind. It was just…Malfoy actually seemed to trust her somewhat, and she hated that anybody, even a Malfoy, would trust her when she shouldn't be trusted.
Ginny sighed. Trelawney entered the classroom which was now full and smiled at the students.
"I have that test that I was telling all of you about," she said. "I trust you all remember those two questions I had you fill out a few weeks ago?"
A few people nodded their heads and Ginny perked up. She remembered and she was actually curious as to what was going to happen.
"Well, it's not quite a test, seeing as there will be no grade," Trelawney said, which brought many sighs of relief from the students. "It's more of a…a survey, if you will. I really don't know what it has to do with Divination," Trelawney sniffed, "but Professor Dumbledore wanted me to assign this to you. All of you answered two questions but nobody had the same two questions to answer. Therefore, each test will be slightly different. I have it here for you now, and you will have the entire class to complete it. I expect them back before you leave."
Trelawney passed out a sheet of parchment to each student. When she was done, she sat at her desk and rifled through a few papers. Ginny looked anxiously at her test and frowned when she saw the questions.
1. You are trapped in a house with one friend and one enemy. You friend is gravely injured and although you are not fighting with your enemy, you are not getting along with him. You enemy is the only one with the power to save your friend, who is slowly dying. The enemy says that in exchange for healing your friend, you must grant him one wish, though he does not tell you what it is. What do you do?
2. You alone have the power to change the world for the better. This chance to help others means that you will forever be separated from those you love, even though you will be helping them. Do you choose to leave them and save them, or stay for what time remains and see them destroyed?
3. The one person that is dearest to you is dying. The power to save them means that you must sacrifice yourself and die in their place. Do you do it?
4. You are fighting He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He is holding your best friend captive and demands that for their release, you must become a Death Eater and fight for him. Do you go to the dark side and hurt others you love to save one?
5. Everybody you love the most has either abandoned you or died. You see no point in living yet there is one person, a stranger, somebody you have never met, who relies on you. Do you stay to help that one person you have never met or give up entirely?
Upset, Ginny flipped the parchment over and looked around. What kind of test was this? She didn't want to answer these questions. Why would Professor Dumbledore give them a test like this? For once, she agreed with Trelawney. She didn't see what any of this had to do with Divination.
Ginny sighed and pulled out her quill and ink. Under the first question she scribbled her answer. I choose to grant him his request as long as my friend is saved.
She re-read question two again and thought hard. She knew what she should write down, but she didn't think she'd be strong enough to abandon her friends and family even if it meant saving them. She'd want to be right by their side even if it meant death. Then she wrote her answer. I'd stay and do the best I could to try to protect them.
Question three was easier for her to answer. I'd gladly die for them to save them.
She had to think for a moment on number four. She knew that if her parents were the ones being held captive, they wouldn't want her to succumb to Voldemort. They would rather die than see her a Death Eater. So would Ron and Harry and all her other friends. But would she be able to die knowing she could save them? Ginny growled in frustration. She didn't like being forced to think these thoughts, but she wrote her answer. No.
Question five completely confused Ginny. She had no idea how to answer it. What would she do if she were in that situation? She would never give up; she knew that. If somebody needs my help, then I must help them.
Ginny lowered her quill and stared at the questions and her answers. She tried to figure out if she disliked any of the answers or wanted to change them but decided against it. She looked up and saw that a few students had already left. She walked to the front of the class and handed Professor Trelawney her test. Then she left the room.
None of the rest of Ginny's day went any better. As she would walk through the halls she'd see other students glowering and calling insults to Malfoy, but she kept her head down and walked by. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the face, so she did the only thing she could. She ignored him.
Also, the test Trelawney had given them disturbed her. She kept going back through the questions in her mind and trying to answer them again. She couldn't find any different answers, but she wished that she had never had to answer them in the first place.
As she started writing a paper for Transfiguration in the Gryffindor common room, she tried to put the questions out of her mind. Harry and Ron were sitting near the fire playing chess and Ginny glanced at them periodically. Hermione was studying in the library.
When she walked down to the Great Hall for supper, she kept quiet and to herself. Harry and Ron had already been eating for a while but Hermione has skipped dinner, insisting that she had too much homework to do. There were many students loitering about in the halls and as she walked, someone only feet from her called out.
"Watcha doing, Weasley," Draco Malfoy's voice drawled at her. "Going to get some food? You better fill up now because when you go home for the holidays your parents won't have enough money to pay for food for your whole family." Crabbe and Goyle guffawed next to him and he smirked.
Ginny looked briefly at him and hardly even contemplated a retort. She wasn't in an argumentative mood at the moment. She just shook her head sadly at Draco's behavior and kept walking.
"That's right, Weasley," Malfoy called after her. "You know not to mess with a Malfoy, don't you?"
Ginny just ignored him…again. Though she knew exactly why Malfoy would normally say things like that to her, she thought it a bit odd that he would when she was helping him. I suppose I deserve it, she thought. And besides, he's just in a bad mood because everybody knows he's guilty.
"Miss Weasley, will you please come to my office?" Professor McGonagall asked her the next day after class.
Ginny nodded anxiously, wondering what she had done. Her mood was still slightly depressed, but she had done well in Transfiguration that day. After all the other students had filed out of the class, Ginny followed the professor into her office.
"Have a seat, please," McGonagall motioned to a chair across from her desk, and both student and teacher took a seat.
"Mr. Filch tells me that you were out late a few nights ago," McGonagall said smoothly, eyeing Ginny carefully. Ginny gulped. "He says your excuse was that your brother asked you to take his patrol that night."
Ginny stared nervously back at the teacher. She knew she was caught now, but what was she going to say? Certainly not the truth.
"Ginny," the professor said, leaning forward, "I know for a fact that your brother completed his rounds of the hallways himself that night. Also, nobody has patrol duties in the tunnels under the castle. Just exactly what were you doing down there after midnight?"
"Um – err…Well, you see Professor, I was just…" Ginny trailed off at the speculating stare of her teacher. "I was just going for a walk," Ginny said with a shrug of her shoulders. Then she mentally slapped herself for such a lame excuse, but it was all she could think of.
"A walk?" McGonagall asked her suspiciously. "And why would you be taking a walk there, of all places? You know you're not supposed to be out of your dormitory after curfew, Miss Weasley."
"I'm sorry Professor, but I couldn't sleep and walking always seems to help me relax," Ginny said. "I guess I just had too much on my mind. I'm really sorry that I broke the rules, but I just couldn't stay cooped up in the Gryffindor common room anymore."
"I see," McGonagall said, leaning back in her seat. "Well, that does not excuse your lack of following the rules."
"Are you going to give me a detention?" Ginny asked desperately. That was the last thing she needed right now. Pile a detention on top of all her other stresses and homework and her emotional stability would collapse. Something in McGonagall must have seen her apprehension and softened, because she gave a rare smile.
"No, Miss Weasley, I will not. I will only take away house points, but please make sure this never happens again."
"Thank you, Professor," Ginny said, relief obvious in her voice. McGonagall stood and Ginny followed suit. The professor opened the door for Ginny to leave. As she was walking through the door, she stopped and turned.
"Um, Professor, did you ask Ron if he had given his rounds to me?" Ginny tried to ask casually.
"No I did not, Ginny," replied McGonagall. "If I have a problem with one of my students, I come to them, not their sibling."
Ginny smiled at her teacher. "Have a good afternoon," she said and then walked out of the Transfiguration classroom and into the halls of Hogwarts. She didn't see the frown or look or look of worry on Minerva McGonagall's face.
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A/N: Well there you go. Sorry for the short chapter, but I really don't have time to write more at the moment. This is more of a filler chapter but I decided to give you guys something. Also, don't expect another chapter until well after November. Probably a week after November, maybe, idk. Please review. Please.
Lauren
