Author's Note:

Saw this on my tumblr feed eons ago and have been determined to try to add it in here — believe it was from queermarauders so, props to them or whoever's idea it was, hope you don't mind me using it here.

As for Ginny and Harry, Ginny is adjusting slowly and she will go to Harry and they will rekindle their friendship, but Harry is being mature here and letting her make the first move, as he is also a bit nervous to keep approaching her. He doesn't want to push her until she's ready to talk to him. He understands what she is feeling as he went through something similar and he wanted to tell Sirius and Remus at his own pace and believes that Ginny should be given the same opportunity with him. They will be friends again as I love their friendship, but it is too soon for them to be romantically involved in my opinion. But we'll get there; eventually. Also, I know that Romilda Vane is supposed to be in first year at this moment, but I decided to bump her up to be in Ginny's year.

Reviews and Comments: To WarMunger98: Thanks. I also hate that Cho is Harry's first crush because I love to hate her. Don't worry, he'll end up with Ginny! To Guest: Yes, his first crush! Yes, I dislike Cho Chang as well and definitely there will no friends with benefits thing with her lol. I'm glad the Dean and Seamus bit shocked you and that their reasoning made you laugh. It doesn't matter, Harry was right, but the two of them aren't quite ready to admit that it was more than they think it was. To PolarWriter95: Thank you! Yes, just a tad bit of exploration for Seamus and Dean LOL. Yes, Cho makes me facepalm, too LOL. To alix33: Thank you! To Steelcode: Thank you. Yes, it will be interesting to see what Peter ultimately decides.

Thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you!

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN:

The One Where Colin Tells Ginny To Get Over It

Ginny was sitting in the library, her face resting on her hands as she read her Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook, making notes on the chapter. She had been trying to study in her dorm, but her roommates had made her feel unwanted so she had left. She knew that she was just as much to blame for it as last year hadn't exactly given her the opportunity to make friends with them.

Maisie Wendall, dark hair and green eyes, a pureblood who was extremely shy and stuttered a bit when she spoke. She had tried to befriend her, but the girl kept hiding behind her books.

Imogen Landers, a blonde and preppy Muggleborn, who had big blue eyes and covered her dormitory space in posters of David Bowie, Johnny Depp, John Stamos, and Patrick Swayze.

Katherine Joy Alcott better known as KJ, also a pureblood, was a bit of a tomboy and Ginny had immediately liked her at first. She loved Quidditch and duelling and wanted to be a famous duellist. However, her disdain for Ginny's hand-me-down-clothing had been clearly evident in the way that she looked and had spoken to her.

Romilda Vane, the dark-haired girl with bright blue eyes who was gorgeous enough to be a model. She was very interested in Potions and Charms and was a little Harry Potter obsessed. She tended to stick with the Ravenclaws most of the time, two girls specifically named Dinah Fox and Bettina Addersworth.

Then there was Freya Sloan, half-blood, brown hair, brown eyes, and obsessed with fashion. She had peppered her side of the dorm in magazine fashion articles and scraps of fabric. She wanted to be a fashion designer and made and designed all of her own clothes.

Imogen and KJ had bonded fairly quickly and now that second year had started, they were essentially attached at the hip. They were always gushing on about the latest gossip and which boys were the cutest this year. Freya occasionally tagged along with them, but usually hung out with two of the Hufflepuff second years: Edith Carlyle and Francesca Wood (cousin to Oliver Wood). Maisie was still really shy, but had taken a liking to a girl in Ravenclaw named Chloe Cunningham.

Ginny didn't really fit in with any of them.

She had Luna, of course, and she knew that her friend felt equally as isolated in her own Ravenclaw dorm, but it wasn't quite the same. Luna wasn't in the same room, in the same house, and she felt like she had drifted from her friend. After Pandora Lovegood had died, Luna had left for over a year and Ginny had only seen her a handful of times before they had gone off to Hogwarts and then… there was Tom and he had done the rest. She had barely spoken to her last year, outside of the solid few weeks when she had stopped using the diary, before Harry had found it and she had panicked and then she had found herself falling down the rabbit hole again. Now, after everything that had happened, Ginny wasn't sure how to approach her old friend.

The only person that she had really grown close to the year before was Colin Creevey. He was a Muggleborn and he had been in complete awe of everything around him. Ginny had been fascinated by his reactions to things. He was so funny and so happy and she had genuinely really liked him. She had thought that they were becoming friends before everything had gone to shit. She closed her eyes as she thought back to how she had first met Colin.

She was standing in the middle of the Gryffindor common room, smiling as Fred, George, and Percy each hugged her goodnight. She hadn't been able to sleep, too excited to start school the next day so she had snuck back down into the common room to explore and to write to Tom, but she had found the small blond boy curled up in the chair by the fire crying.

Ginny had immediately hurried over to him and sat in the large chair next to him. "Hey, it's okay," she said quietly, putting her arm around him to hug him. "It's okay."

The boy had stared at her in surprise, but he hugged her back before he used the back of his hand to wipe his tears. "I'm sorry… I… I've never been away from home before."

Ginny smiled sympathetically at him. "I get it. I'm a bit homesick, too. I miss my room and my bed and my mum and my dad. It was kind of strange not to have them tuck me in."

He smiled at her. "I saw that you have big brothers. That has to make it feel like home."

"It does," she told him. "Do you have a big brother?"

He shook his head. "No. I have a little brother though. He's eight and… I think he might have magic, like me. My parents were so surprised when I got the letter. My dad's a postman."

Ginny grinned. "My dad would be fascinated. He loves Muggles. How does your dad deliver the post without owls?"

The boy grinned. "He drives the mail truck and walks."

"Weird," she said making him laugh. "I'm Ginny."

"Colin," he said smiling widely.

"Well, Colin, I think that we should eat breakfast together in the morning."

Colin grinned at her. "I'd like that. And, Ginny?" When her eyes met him, he smiled kindly. "Thanks."

They had eaten breakfast together and studied together and spent time getting to know each other. Colin had been completely fascinated by Harry Potter and had told her as much after learning that they would be going to school with a celebrity. Ginny had tried to explain how Harry was a celebrity by default; how he didn't even really understand his fame and how his parents had died. But Colin was still morbidly fascinated.

He listened to her talk about her big brothers and her friend Harry and he told her all about his life in the Muggle World and about his little brother named Dennis. They did homework together and they soon became friends. But then Colin had gotten a bit of a cold. He had missed two days of classes as Madam Pomfrey had given him Pepper-Up Potions and tried to get his fever down and Ginny had fallen to using the diary even more with her only new friend not being around.

It had been the beginning of the end.

She had written to Colin to apologize and he had sent a letter back claiming that he had forgiven her, but she had still been keeping her distance. Hermione had been so nice to her as well, but Ginny still was cautiously hanging back, afraid to get too close to anyone. She didn't know what to do. How was anyone supposed to react around her? What was she supposed to say: 'Hey, remember me, I'm that crazy girl that tried to kill off Muggleborns last year, but it wasn't really me, and I'm not possessed anymore, so… hi.'

She jumped when books slammed down on the table in front of her and a skinny blond boy with a curly afro slid across from her into the chair.

"You've been avoiding me," he accused, crossing his arms across his chest. "I won't allow it a second longer."

She gave him a small smile. "I haven't been avoiding you, Colin."

Colin Creevey merely raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? Then how come you've barely said three words to me since we spoke on the train? I told you, Ginny, I don't hold any of it against you."

Ginny smiled at him. "I just… its weird being back here, Colin. I feel like last year was some horrible dream and I never actually had my first year. And what do I say to people? 'Hi, sorry I was possessed last year and didn't make an effort?' I can't do that."

"At least you're working to try to remember everything, I spent most of my first year in the hospital wing as basically a human icicle." When she blanched, he reached for her hand. "It's not like I remember anything, and I wasn't really frozen, it's just the best way that I can think to describe it."

"Colin, I'm so sorry! I —"

"— You can make it up to me by being my study partner," he said as he smiled at her and opened his Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook. He moved his chair closer to her and grinned. "I am an excellent study partner to have, you'll see!"

Ginny smiled at him. He was so friendly and so happy. It was one of the first things that had endeared her to him last year before she had… she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Na'eemah had warned her that it was going to be hard and she just had to take everything one step at a time. The first step was making amends and the fact that everyone had been fairly nice and had forgiven her, did make it easier.

"I would love to have you as my study partner, Colin."

He beamed at her. "I might even be able to help you, since Professor McGonagall helped me with all of my schoolwork last year. I am ready to learn!"

She chuckled. "It's just… are you sure that you want to be seen with me? I mean, I'm not exactly very popular and everyone knows that I'm responsible for the attacks last year and —"

" — Do I want to be friends with the redhead who was rescued by Harry Potter? Um, yes!" he said, grinning at her. "You were so nice to me last year, Ginny. You told me that I was too Harry Potter mad and that he was so much more than the infamous Boy Who Lived. You made me laugh and you told me about your crazy brothers and… I had it easy last year. Yes, I was scared stiff by a giant snake, but that was it. I was frozen in my body, in my mind for six months. I wasn't aware of my surroundings — it was like it was only a moment, but I woke up six months later. I lost all of that time without being aware of it. You were aware of it, and you went through an emotional rollercoaster and I wasn't there to help you through it. Let me help you now. Let's help each other start all over again."

She smiled at him. "You are much too nice."

He grinned at her, cocking his head to the left. "Nah, I just know a good friend when I find one." He blew his curly hair out of his eyes. "I didn't see anyone else coming to comfort a crying boy that they didn't know in the middle of the night," he said sweetly as she smiled at him. "First things first, I have to know, is it really true that Harry Potter killed a giant snake for you?"

Ginny blushed. "It wasn't for me."

Colin grinned. "But he did kill a giant snake to rescue you, did he not?"

"He did, but as I said in my letter, it was all my fault."

He shrugged. "Doesn't mean that you can't appreciate being rescued by Harry Potter, Ginny."

She laughed. "You're ridiculous."

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Have to make fun where you can. Now, tell me every single detail about your summer!"

Ginny smiled at him and then she hugged him close. "Thanks, Colin!"

"For what?"

She only shook her head, smiling when he hugged her back, her heart feeling lighter. "Just… thanks."

Colin only smiled. "Anytime."

~ ASC ~

By the end of the third week of September, Harry was well into the swing of third year. Professor Birmingham was making the Muggle Studies class throughly interesting and as Harry had grown up with Sirius, who had a strong love of Muggle music and Muggle mechanics, especially in terms of the motorbike, he knew quite a lot already. Not to mention the history that Remus had taught him over the years. But he still found the class to be very interesting, especially when some of the students were so flummoxed over simple things like the idea of a movie.

Hermione was also thoroughly enjoying her Life in the Magical World course. She was always going on about something that Professor Carthaginian had said and how great it was to learn about things that Harry, Ron, and Neville often took for granted. Harry told Sirius as much in the letters he wrote home and Sirius was thrilled with the news that his classes were having such a good start.

Hermione was acting strangely though.

Her timetable had gotten messed up and it had claimed that she was taking way too many classes, but she had insisted to Harry and Ron that it was just a mix-up as she had asked if it was possible to take everything initially. But Harry wasn't so sure as she was in Care of Magical Creatures with them, but she was also in Ancient Runes with Harry, and apparently in Arithmency with Malfoy, Zabini, and Nott, and in Divination with Ron and Neville — and some of them were all at the same time. It didn't make any sense, but Hermione wouldn't speak about it.

They had also been given quite the surprise when they found out that Professor Kettleburn's retirement resulted in Hagrid getting promoted to be the new professor of Care of Magical Creatures. His name had formally been cleared with the help of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and Dumbledore last year and he was so proud to be offered to teach his favourite class. Though the textbook he had chosen left a lot to be desired since no one could figure out how to open it safely.

Leave it to Hagrid to find a book that's spine needed to be stroked into complacency before they could read it.

Ever since Harry had filled his friends in on what had happened with Draco Malfoy and his mother at the end of the summer, Hermione had taken to watching Draco when she could. He had continued to act like a bit of a pompous git, though he had stopped using the word Mudblood. But Harry could see that he did look a bit worried about whatever it was his parents were keeping a secret from him, as was Harry.

He didn't understand why Sirius wouldn't tell him what was going on. He and Draco already suspected that Draco's grandfather had been behind the breakout and therefore probably knew exactly where Pettigrew and Lestrange were hiding so why couldn't they know the other stuff? He had questioned Remus about it discreetly during the first week of school, but his father had promptly shut him down.

Harry hated being kept in the dark.

Not to mention that Malfoy, who also claimed to know nothing else on the events, had looked appalled that Harry had even attempted to speak with him, before he had then caused trouble in Hagrid's first class.

Hagrid had decided to start with Hippogriffs and the class had actually been quite enjoyable despite Draco mocking Hagrid in the background, as Blaise and Theo laughed at his impressions, and essentially not listening to anything that he had told them. This resulted in Draco indirectly insulting the Hippogriff he was petting, which Hagrid had told them never to do. The Hippogriff attacked, slashing Draco in the arm, and he threw himself on the ground moaning in pain. It was hardly anything, but the way Draco was going on about it, you'd think that he had severed his arm.

Hagrid was horrified and had ended class early, but Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville worked to reassure him that it was going to be fine and that Madam Pomfrey would fix Malfoy up right away. Hagrid was still worried.

Hermione's new cat seemed to have taken a liking to him and to Ron as well. He found the cat in their dormitory on a regular basis, but Crookshanks simply made himself comfortable wherever he wanted and purred in contentment. Harry and Ron both agreed that he was the ugliest cat that they had ever seen, but they kept their mouths shut around Hermione to avoid an argument as she seemed to rather adore him. Crookshanks had also taken to sitting with Ginny in the common room and it made Harry smile. Hermione had mentioned that the two of them were becoming friends and he was glad.

Ginny had spoken to him in passing, but he could see that she was still struggling with whatever it was that she needed to work through. But he missed her and he said as much to Ron who only smiled at him and told him not to worry and that she would come around.

Remus started his third year class off with a bang, deciding to start with Boggarts. Harry had been intrigued by the idea, but angry when Remus had stopped him from getting to deal with the Boggart. Remus pulled him aside after class and told him that his fear was of it turning into Lord Voldemort and causing a panic among the class and Harry admitted that he was more afraid of the Dementors.

Remus had pulled him close and said that Sirius was wiser than he gave him credit for. When Harry had asked what his father meant, Remus just shook his head and told him to get to his next class.

The real talk of the school year was that Neville's Boggart had been Professor Snape and that in his attempt to conquer his fear, Snape had come out of the wardrobe attired in a green dress, fancy feathered Vulture hat, and carrying a red handbag. Snape was less than pleased with this and took to bullying Neville worse than ever. He would stand over Neville, while his fingers trembled as he attempted to cut ingredients, and hiss out how everything that Neville was doing was wrong. Harry kept whispering to his friend to calm down, that they were going to do fine, but Neville just kept shaking his head, his eyes full of fear.

Harry had never hated Snape so much.

Wood started Quidditch practices up again, four nights a week plus Saturday during the day. He was determined to win the Cup this year, giving a long winded speech about how it was his last year and how he had to win it this year as they had an amazing team. Fred and George cheered and they all promised that this year would be the year they won. It also reminded Harry of the Ravenclaw Seeker Cho, and it made him smile. He wanted to find out her last name and maybe a little bit more about her.

Harry soon found himself spending a great deal of his time looking for Cho in the halls, at meal times, on the school grounds, and had learned that she was a fourth year. Whenever he saw her, his stomach would quiver like butterflies were moving around in there and he couldn't help but smile. But he didn't know how to talk to her and didn't think that he was quite ready for that himself yet. She had a nice smile was the only thing he really knew about her. But he found himself spending an extraordinary amount of his time in the shower as of late and he was extra grateful for his robes, which hid the fact that he was sporting an erection most of his days.

Harry had also written to Sirius about walking in on Seamus and Dean in the bathroom. He explained how they had said they were just helping each other out and how it didn't mean that they were together. He wanted to know what Sirius thought of that and if it was indeed normal for friends to do that sort of stuff together without being together, especially when one of them had a girlfriend?

Sirius had responded that it seemed like they a trusting and loyal friendship, but that it wasn't something that most friends did. He was most intrigued to learn that the two of them had so vehemently denied being interested sexually in each other, and he agreed with Harry that it was unusual. All love was beautiful, Sirius insisted, in every form, but they were probably just experimenting and that was all right too.

While Harry was struggling with understanding what his friends were doing, having continuous nightmares about Dementors and a screaming woman, while also thinking about his first crush — Remus was finding Hogwarts a difficult place to be.

Having the Dementors nearby was very detrimental to his health. He found any time he stepped outside for some fresh air he was assaulted with memories of being attacked by Greyback as a child, of hearing the news that his best friends were killed, of the pain of transforming — and it was hard for him to fight it back, and to feel happy again. He was having nightmares more frequently and he'd wake up, his face pressed against Tonks' breasts, her hands in his hair as she soothed him and urged him to talk to her.

One of the ways that he decided to try to keep himself happy and upbeat was to play little pranks on McGonagall.

At first he had done it as a joke at the end of the last school year, he had subtly switched her ginger biscuits with chocolate ones, swapped her Earl Grey with English Breakfast, shuffled some papers around her desk. This year, he upped the ante by moving her entire office around so that her back was to the door. She kept smiling at him as the first month of school ended and October breezed in, but when Remus had filled her top desk drawer (which she normally kept full with an assortment of candied nuts) with catnip, she finally snapped and claimed that he was being childish.

"Honestly, Remus, I'd expect these kinds of shenanigans from Sirius, but not from you! You're a grown man and a professor at that!"

He had only laughed and told her that he had no idea what she was talking about, but of course he wasn't the one playing these little pranks on her; that it must be one of her students, and that he would investigate it further on her behalf.

McGonagall had only smirked in response.

Remus thought that she was over it so the next day he casually asked her if she could pass the milk. McGonagall, distracted talking to Dumbledore only nodded at him politely and went to pick up the milk pitcher which Remus had discreetly transfigured into a saucer. Dumbledore laughed when he saw the little saucer full of milk and McGonagall turned to glare at Remus.

"These childish pranks, Remus, are completely beneath you! You are a professor," she hissed angrily, transfiguring her saucer back into a milk pitcher.

Remus only chuckled to himself and told her that it wasn't him, but that he promised to be on the look out for the prankster and headed off to his first class. But when he returned to his office after dinner that night there was a note on his office door that simply said — Stop These Pranks! — all in capital letters and he sighed.

Maybe it was time to stop picking on McGonagall. She was too experienced from their Marauder days, and while she had no direct proof that it was him, she obviously suspected him of them.

But then he pushed open his office door and his mouth dropped open.

Every single piece of his office was now hanging upside down from the ceiling.

He had to give her credit, McGonagall really wasn't one to be trifled with.

Checkmate Minerva, he thought with a grin.

End Author's Notes:

Here is my class roster of Hogwarts.

Hogwarts Class — 1991-1998:

Gryffindor:

Hermione Granger

Lavender Brown

Parvati Patil

Sophie Roper

Natalie Monroe (OC)

Harry Potter

Ron Weasley

Dean Thomas

Seamus Finnigan

Neville Longbottom

Hufflepuff:

Hannah Abbott

Susan Bones

Megan Jones

Sally-Anne Perks

Ernie Macmillan

Kevin Entwhistle

Justin Finch-Fletchley

Wayne Hopkins

Roger Malone

David Runcorne (first name by me)

Ravenclaw:

Mandy Brocklehurst

Su Li

Morag MacDougal

Lily Moon

Lisa Turpin

Padma Patil

Stephen Cornfoot

Michael Corner

Anthony Goldstein

Gary Rivers

Terry Boot

Slytherin:

Millicent Bulstrode

Tracey Davis

Daphne Greengrass

Pansy Parkinson

Ophelia Rowle (OC)

Vincent Crabbe

Gregory Goyle

Draco Malfoy

Blaise Zabini

Theodore Nott

Hogwarts Class — 1992-1999:

Gryffindor:

Ginny Weasley

Maisie Wendall (OC)

Imogen Landers (OC)

KJ Alcott (OC)

Romilda Vane (moved her up one year)

Freya Sloan (OC)

Colin Creevey

David Gunderson (OC)

Hufflepuff:

Edith Carlyle (OC)

Francesca Wood (OC)

Zacarias Smith

Ravenclaw:

Chloe Cunningham (OC)

Luna Lovegood

Morag Campbell (OC)

Dinah Fox (OC)

Bettina Addersworth (OC)

Channing White (OC)

Thanks for reading and please review!