Ginny was very happy she was able to meet up with Harry at Diagon Alley. She and the others all chided Harry on the ominousity of his last letter, but when they eventually ran into him at the Leakey Cauldron, he explained that simply Hedwig wouldn't be allowed back at his house, for Aunt Marge, and forgot to write in the letter sent to Ron and Ginny that Hedwig would be staying with Hermione.
That boy was an idiot -- Ginny thought it was in an endearing sort of way -- but he was also really powerful as he was able to accidentally blow up his not-Aunt (in the sense of blowing up a balloon, don't worry.)
But that was last week, at the moment she was sitting next to Hermione and across from Ron, who was squished between a sleeping Professor and Harry.
"I don't see why they're so worried about you going looking for a mad man," Ginny said very matter-of-factly. "You killed a Basalisk, I think you can handle a Dementor-weakened, 30 something year old man."
"But he killed 13 people with a single curse!" Ron said for the third time.
"Hermione, what was that you were saying about bigger on the inside bags and black holes?" Ginny asked smugly.
"Er, it could create a black whole big enough to take out half of London if done wrong?" Hermione said sheepishly.
"Blimey," Ron muttered.
"Seems like we could kill at least 60 people with a few enchantments. Should Harry fear us, Ronald?"
"Probably," Ron said.
"I already do," Harry said. "But either way, I'm still wondering why everyone thinks I would go looking for black." The compartment faded into an awkward silence for a long time. Or maybe it was just Ginny. It certainly felt awkward to Ginny.
Lucky for Ginny, conversation was started on a much lighter topic when the Trolly Lady came. Who wouldn't enjoy talking about the differences between muggle and wizard sweets? They were just surprised they didn't wake up Professor Lupin with their noise, Hermione could get loud when defending recies pieces.
All conversation stopped however, soon after the train did. It had been petering out as the train slowed down.
Ginny watched as the window frosted over, and the lights flickered out. Was it always this cold and the train just had warming charms all over it, or was this something else?
Ginny suddenly thought back to the cold stone floor of the Chamber of Secrets and shuddered.
"I think I see something moving out there," Ron said, trying to see out the dark and cloudy window.
Harry silently got up and checked the corridor. He came back and simply shook his head, not that it was easy to see, the only light was the little moonlight that shone through the glass and frost.
"I think they're boarding the train," said Ron, still peering through the frost.
"But who's 'they'?" Ginny said, irritably.
Every second, it felt like the temperature dropped a degree. Quickly everyone was regretting putting their winter cloaks so deep into their trunks.
Hermione switched seats with Harry because Ron had the most warmth and Hermione was the worst with cold, but Ginny quickly wished she hadn't as a black shadowy figure came up to the compartment, what they looked like obscured by the frost covering even the inside glass. Immediately all the warmth left in the room vanished, and as their gray almost skeletal hand opened the door, joy went with it.
Ginny recognized it as a dementor from the stories she read when she was younger. But wasn't expecting the horror as it raised its hood, it's skinless mouth hanging open and a horrible, rattling, sucking sound filled her mind and a sucking sensation took up the rest, before it all turned into the feeling of being trapped, unable to move in her own body, and the sound of Tom's cruel laughter.
Ha ha ha ha... oh, poor Ginny... you'll never be good enough...
