Chapter 4: Repent, Ginny!

Ginny did not sleep well. Saturday morning at breakfast, she was so pale and listless that Professor McGonagall insisted that she make another trip to the Hospital Wing.

Ron escorted her. At first, Ginny was bewildered by this unexpected display of fraternal tenderness.

Then Ron began to cross-examine her over the Snail Snot prank.

"It was ugly, Ginny," Ron said, after she had confessed. "The Snail Snot combined with the Reanimation Potion that we were concocting and the stuff was literally crawling around the room.

He gave a bark of laughter. "It was almost funny, especially the part where Malfoy screamed like a girl and climbed onto Crabbe's shoulders."

Ginny sighed. "Poor Harry, I feel just awful!"

"You should."

"Thank you," she said sarcastically.

"You started it," Ron said. "Merlin knows why, I thought you two were getting along after that detention."

"We were," Ginny sighed. "But, damn it, he was treating me like a sister."

"Tsk, so now he'll treat you like a Slytherin."

Ginny was ready to cry. Ron must have realized that, because he added hastily: "You need to make it up to him. Prank somebody he doesn't like. Maybe that will amuse him."

"I could prank myself," Ginny suggested.

Ron shook his head. "That won't work. He doesn't like to see you get hurt or humiliated."

Ginny swiveled her head around to look in the eye. (Not so easy, now that Ron had topped six feet.)

"What makes you say that?" she demanded.

"He said so."

"When?"

"This morning, when I asked him if he wanted me to do something nasty to you."

"Oh."

Now Ginny really felt like a heel.

"Then, who?" she wondered. "Malfoy?"

Ron nodded. "Malfoy's always a good target," he sighed and a dreamy look came into his eyes.

Ginny could tell that he was thinking about the Incredible Bouncing Ferret.

"Snape would be better, though," Ron added. "Harry's never seen Snape get pranked, unless you count the business with Neville's Boggart being Snape dressed as an old lady."

"No, we can't count that as a prank," Ginny sighed.

Ron left her in the care of Madam Pomfrey, who "tsked" at her.

"I told you to rest, young lady!" Madam Pomfrey fussed. "I suppose you spent the entire time catching up on your homework?"

"Actually, I spent most of the time running… to the loo," Ginny said.

"Oh." Madam Pomfrey looked thoughtful. "I should have realized your monthly would be exceptionally heavy. That would explain you fainting all over the place." She left the cubicle and returned several long moments later with a bright pink flask labeled with the sign of Venus.

"Here, this is the extra strength version," she said. "Do read the label before taking it."

Ginny took the Pink Flask and read carefully. She dutifully noticed the frequency and dosage. It was the warning label that grabbed her attention. "For females only?" she asked. "Why is that?" she looked at Madam Pomfrey wide-eyed. "Will it turn…?"

"No, Miss Weasley, the potion will not turn a boy into a girl," Madam Pomfrey huffed. "Honestly, the things you students think of! I would never give a full-fledged Potion d'Venus to a student!" She eyed Ginny narrowly. "Especially not the sister of Fred and George Weasley!"

"Oh," Ginny took the flask.

"Now, get plenty of rest, have some beef tea, and eat a substantial lunch, tea and dinner!"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Ginny said. As she reached the door, she looked over her shoulder. "I'll tell the twins you remember them, shall I?"

"Out!" Madam Pomfrey shouted.

But Ginny was sure that she'd heard a note of affection and amusement in the nurse's voice.

Then she looked at the potion in her hand. If Madam Pomfrey wouldn't give a student a "full-fledged" Potion d'Venus to a student, did that mean this was a partial Potion d'Venus?