Ginny watched Tom go with mixed feelings: relief that her plan had worked, and a sense of reassurance that she had for the first time seen what he looked like in person, that he wasn't just some figment of her imagination; there was also exasperation with herself for the stupid thing she had just done, hugging Dumbledore right in front of Tom. Tom hated Dumbledore. She knew that better than anyone.

Tom had long ago described how Dumbledore would follow him around like he was a criminal. She found out afterwards that he was a criminal, a horrible one at that, but her heart still ached for him.

Ginny didn't know how Dumbledore could have started treating Tom so horribly from day one. She thought that the story was rather one-sided. She had many times pondered that Dumbledore may have had a very good reason for treating Tom the way he did, but Ginny's dreams, which usually included Tom, reminded her of the horrible part of him, the part that had taken over her mind when she was only eleven years old. She also knew the part beneath that, the one she knew he was in his own nightmares, which she'd lived in his consciousness when he'd taken over her fully, nearly gaining corporeal form.

She knew when she had made this plan the both sides of him, but she loved the side she had met in the diary originally, or at least she had thought at eleven that it had been love, now it had turned into a sort of fascination and she knew that if she used all she knew about him to her advantage, she could make him stop doing what was about to ruin his life.

Ginny felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped, clutching the warm cloak closer to her, but a more serious face of Dumbledore met her. She reluctantly moved away from Hagrid, who was bravely telling the cameramen to leave her alone.

Dumbledore led her to the fireplace. "Transfiguration office, Hogwarts," he said seriously, and she knew it wasn't just a statement. It was a command. He put a bit of floo powder in her hand and nudged her towards the fire.

"Hagrid, would you like to join us for a cup of tea?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly.

"Sure I would, professor!" Hagrid said, brightly. "I'll go first, shall I?" he asked, brightly, accepting some floo powder from the transfiguration professor. Hagrid squeezed into the fireplace and said, "Transfiguration Office, Hogwarts!" in a gruff voice.

Ginny followed, repeating his words and found herself spinning. She was spat out of the fireplace roughly, and nearly fell but Hagrid caught her, steadying her.

"You have to be careful about Professor Dumbledore's fireplace. It's got a kick to it," Hagrid told her.

Ginny nodded and watched as the former-headmaster… no the future-headmaster walked calmly out of the fireplace, and walked to his desk, saying pleasantly, "Lemon drop?"

Ginny shook her head, unsteadily.

"So, Miss…"

"Wesley," Ginny said. She had already come up with an alias before leaving. They had been careful to cover all parts of this move. "My name is Ginette Wesley."

"A good name that is, strong, stable," the professor said, idly. This was also his way of saying that he was quite sure it was false. She wondered if she'd said it strangely. She'd been practicing for months. He then leaned forward over his desk from his seat to look at her. "Tell me, Miss Wesley what happened to you?"

Ginny took an envelope out of a fold just under the hem of her nightgown. It had been Hermione's trick. She'd sown it there herself and somehow it had held. At least, Tom hadn't found it. They had been afraid someone might be present when she needed to explain the situation to Dumbledore, who, they decided, would be the only person to know who Ginette Wesley truly was.

Hagrid watched the exchange frowning.

"Ah, yes, I was aware you were a witch, Miss Wesley," Dumbledore said, as the letter instructed. "Your certificate of birth to a wizarding hospital was not needed for that."

Hagrid curiosity faded as his question was answered. He sat on Dumbledore's large Gryffindor-red couch, taking up most of it himself, while Ginny had placed herself in front of the professor's desk.

"Your story, dear," Dumbledore continued as the letter also instructed.

"I am from a muggle orphanage. I sold everything I had left from my mother and father and got enough money to buy a wand, years ago. I sneaked away regularly to get books so that I could learn magic. I knew they threw away all my letters of acceptance from Hogwarts. I… they found me studying," Ginny cast her eyes down.

"Studying magic, you mean?" Albus said, eyes scanning the letter again as if he could not believe what it said there, explaining how Ginny was from a future where Tom Riddle had practically destroyed the wizarding world after once being defeated and had killed Dumbledore. It explained her plan and a bit of her background, but what was most important that he paid the most attention to was the part about a diary, a diary that had been able the ruin a girl's life. A diary created by Tom Riddle that had almost led to his first rebirth. How had that young man done such horrible things? Dumbledore didn't trust him, but to become worse than the Dark Lord Grindelwald?

"Yes, they were so angry. I… they, they're muggles you see and they don't-"

"I understand dear," Dumbledore said, gently, putting the parchment aside. He patted a hand that she had rested on his desk.

"I'm alive, though," Ginny said, proudly. "Three miles to the Leaky Cauldron and I made it," Ginny easily feigned tears by letting her mind linger on what she had really survived.

"Who was that boy?" Ginny asked in a soft, questioning voice, timid and quiet, which had been her nature for over a year now, since the Weasley Massacre. It had taken nearly all the fire out of her, nearly but not quite all.

"That was Thomas Riddle that was. He's a great man, great man," Hagrid said, in a choked up voice. He was so obviously buying her story, Ginny was glad to note, knowing he'd run straight to Tom and tell him the story.

"Thank him for me will you? I owe him my life," Ginny asked in a soft voice. Dumbledore frowned, she had not mentioned the part of the plan of what she was going to change. It dawned on him… she was going to attempt to seduce the smartest, most evil young man to come through Hogwarts to the light side…

"Oh dear, I've forgotten the tea. It will make you feel much more comfortable dear, I assure you. "Binny," Dumbledore said in a louder tone. A house elf popped up and Dumbledore began to instruct it quietly.

Ginny suddenly burst into tears, sobs racking through her body, surprising both of the people in the room. Without meaning to, Dumbledore had reminded her of Hermione and SPEW. Hermione, who had been alive when Ginny had left, was still lost to her now. She felt herself in Hagrid's clumsy embrace and was glad for it. He was kneeling at her side, hugging her where she sat in her chair.

When Ginny had finally calmed down, the house elf had left and come back and disappeared again, leaving a tray of tea and biscuits.

"Sorry, just thinking of a friend," Ginny said with a little hiccup.

"Of course," Dumbledore gave her a gentle smile.

Ginny watched Hagrid make his way towards the couch and frowned. "Hagrid, there's a chair."

"I won't fi' in tha'," Hagrid said, bashfully.

"Nonsense, let me see your wand," Ginny said, holding out her hand. Hagrid stood and handed it to her. She cast a spell on the chair, which didn't look to have changed at all.

"Sit on it… trust me," Ginny said. He hesitantly sat on the chair. It creaked slightly, but magically it was able to fit his frame.

Ginny handed Hagrid his wand with a small, sad smile. Dumbledore, with a smile on his face, placed a cup of steaming tea in front of each of them.

"So, Miss Wesley, you're planning on taking up at Hogwarts then? It's obvious you have the magical ability, having received a letter already," Dumbledore said.

"If… you'll have me. I mean… I don't have money or…" Ginny trailed off, meekly.

"Oh that can easily be dealt with, dear. Hogwarts does have a scholarship program for students unable to come up with their own money," Dumbledore said. "Do you know anything of your family? If I had to guess, I'd think you were a distant relative of the Weasleys," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"I'm sure it's a possibility sir," Ginny said. "I don't even know if my real parents were muggles or wizards, or one of each," Ginny told him, softly.

"You know of the Dark Lord Grindelwald surely?" Dumbledore asked.

"I have heard of him in the magical library I sneak away to in diagon," Ginny murmured. "I have only heard his name though, not much else." This was true for the most part. She had only heard him mentioned. Her parents didn't even speak of him much. He was before their time.

"Miss Wesley, Grindelwald is the single greatest threat to the Ministry of Magic and the wizarding world as a whole. He wants to bring down the government and segregate the muggle-borns and half-bloods to schools separate of purebloods. He kills Ministry Officials and anyone who opposes his ideas. He had connections everywhere, even in Hogwarts, I'm afraid, contacts I can do nothing about," Dumbledore explained. Ginny looked down.

"So… I might have to go to a different place?" Ginny asked.

"Not you, ye're a full-blooded witch!" Hagrid informed her.

"How would you know that?" Ginny asked, surprised.

Hagrid smiled. "Tom made a spell and whenever 'e meets anyone 'e says it to be able to tell if they's a wizard or not. It also shows if they are muggle-born, half blood, or full-blooded wizard. When he said the spell, your wand hand glowed blue, the color for purebloods. It was the brightest blue I'd ever seen, probably means you're pureblood from way back," Hagrid said. "Tom says it's his spell to be on his guard around anyone who might be working for Grindelwald."

"Indeed…" Albus said, darkly. He clearly didn't believe that.

"He sounds so smart," Ginny said, faintly.

"He is. Tom is a genius!" Hagrid said, beaming, proudly at having such a great young man as his friend. "He's so great he is," Hagrid beamed.

"Well, my dear, we'd best get you registered for the new year at Hogwarts. I'm not sure how far you've studied, but from the evidence of the spell you just performed, I'm supposing seventh year?" Albus asked, hinting. Ginny nodded her head to him.

"You're in Tom's year!" Hagrid said excitedly. "What are you studying to be?"

"I have always wanted to be a healer," Ginny said, shyly.

"Shall we have you sorted then?" Albus asked, standing and walking to the sorting hat.

Ginny looked at the hat, reproachfully, knowing where it would want to put her, but she couldn't have that. She knew Tom and he was all right with being friends with a Gryffindor, but… no, it just wouldn't do.

Ginny stiffened as the hat was placed on her head. "Hello, another Wea-oh sorry, Wesley," The hat spoke directly into her mind. "My, my you're quite bent on this aren't you? Who wouldn't be with such a bleak future ahead? Tom Riddle, eh? You should be careful with that one," the hat told her.

"Can you please just sort me?" Ginny asked, exhaustedly.

"Fine, fine, not that you haven't heard this before I see. Yes, I see. You asked to be a Gryffindor," the hat said. "Ah yes, decisions really do make the person. You have acquired a special gift since we last met, haven't you?" the hat asked, a smile in his voice.

"I didn't ask for it," Ginny thought, testily.

"No, no, but you deserved it. You would have been a Slytherin, you know? That's what I wanted to make you. I can see your mind. You want to step out from the shadow of those brothers of yours, do you? It's a good thing your parents aren't even born yet, isn't it?" the hat told her, mentally, letting out a loud bark of a laugh.

"Slytherin, then?" Ginny thought to him.

"Your mind is very strong, bent on succeeding… most Slytherins are very strong-minded when it comes to the tasks set before them and there's a rebellious streak in you, not to mention that you've grown much more wary since we last met, or since we will meet," the hat corrected. "But then I see your loyalty, your honesty, your purity…" the hat said, reluctantly.

"You do like words that end in T-Y don't you?" Ginny muttered.

"I haven't had had such a difficult decision to make in three decades. It's astounding. I've never had such a split," the hat pondered. "Professor, she is a split," the hat spoke aloud.

The transfigurations professor took the hat from Ginny's head placing it on its shelf. "Between what two houses?" the professor asked it.

"Hufflepuff and Slytherin, I can honestly say in all the millennia I have been in existence I haven't come across one who fit between those two, Hufflepuff generally took all types, but she did prize loyalty quite a bit and hard-workers and this girl does fit into that category… powerfully loyal," the hat stated. That bothered Ginny. She knew she was Gryffindor at heart. She didn't care what a stupid hat said, but she didn't think Gryffindor would help much here. She had to think strategically. Still, she'd never expected the hat to say 'Hufflepuff'.

"I think she should be placed in Slytherin however, for her own piece of mind."

"Thank you hat," Dumbledore said, pleasantly.

"Of course. Good luck with that one," the hat said, with a twisted smile on his grizzled seam.

"Sir, shouldn't the hat be in the Headmaster's office?" Ginny asked, as the professor seated himself.

"Why yes, actually, but the Headmaster allows me to keep it in my office. I have quite a few wonderful conversations with the Sorting hat," Professor Dumbledore said.

"I have to go, Professor Dumbledore. It was nice meeting you, Miss Ginette," Hagrid said, still seeming slightly in awe about the split and that she was sorted into Slytherin.

"Call me Ginny-Gin," Ginny corrected. Ginny didn't want to be called by the name all her fallen comrades had called her. She was starting a new life. Why not a new nickname to start that, even if it wasn't much of a change...

"All 'ight then. I'll see ya Gin!" Hagrid said, cheerily, walking to the fireplace. He nodded to the transfiguration professor, disappearing into the green flames.

"1999?" Dumbledore's questioning voice brought her eyes away from the fireplace and she nodded, resolving to explain her past one more time before it faded away, ceasing to exist forever if Ginny could help it.

Ginny explained the exhausting tale that had led her to be in the position she was in: the war, the prophesy, the loss, the idea, and finally the actual plan. He seemed impressed, but frowned. "Why not just bring back an assassin? Why keep him alive?"

"We can't, sir, kill an innocent again, for he's done nothing wrong. There's been too much death. The only one who could do it… he is a broken man and this war has torn his soul apart," Ginny explained.

"But isn't it the logical end to such a trying story?" Dumbledore asked. "He had taken over the world, a feat only really thought of in stories.

"Logical, yes, but we couldn't do it," Ginny shook her head.

"This is a very hard thing to achieve. This young man took advantage of you… he killed your friends," Dumbledore said.

"No, his horcrux killed my friends. That was not a good part of his soul. Tom Riddle tore his soul into seven parts. There was little semblance of humanity or any honor left in him after that. He was alive in my time with one horcrux and as I'm sure you can understand that isn't living. We couldn't have gotten to it or him through the death eaters he'd acquired.

"We couldn't do anything. I came up with this idea and found the ancient spell of balance. You would be able to see it, but we made all that we used susceptible to the "evanesce" spell knowing that was the one Tom would use and they were washed away after they were covered in blood. The bandana and candle disappeared, I removed the yellow robes myself, and you can see my clothes: white, which symbolizes innocence and purity.

"So how much do you know of this time?" Dumbledore asked.

"Everything that Hagrid has told me. I know essentially everything that will happen between now and 1999. I've studied up to sixth year, but I'll probably have to take the exams of this time, because you know how education progresses," Ginny explained. "Is there really such thing as a Hogwarts Scholarship program?" she asked.

"Actually, there is. Tom comes to Hogwarts on this scholarship, as will you," Dumbledore explained.

"That is really wonderful of you, Headmaster. I don't know how I can repay you," Ginny said, biting her lip as she realized that she had called him Headmaster by accident, but his eyes just twinkled and he said nothing.

"Well, I am extremely fond of wool socks, but I believe I can appreciate where you're coming from if not completely understand it. So, from now on, you are Ginette Wesley and neither of us can ever speak about this ever again. You might as well put the past away. Remember, young lady. You may be here because of bad tidings, but that doesn't mean that you have to have a bad time here at school."

"Thank you for your insight, sir," Ginny said, smiling slightly.

"So those injuries were staged then?" Dumbledore asked.

"They were real, but many of them were self-inflicted. I was helped with the bruising," Ginny mumbled, thinking about Snape. He had gone through a lot and everyone distrusted him. It had a lot to do with the staged murder of Dumbledore and the actual murder of Dumbledore that he was present for. He had come back to their side, but only for Hermione. It was some sort of weird, student-professor thing. He saved her from being killed by Lucius Malfoy."

"You are very creative. I presume there will be no more self-destructive behavior then?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, one dose of mind-numbing pain is enough for me. Don't even worry about that," Ginny replied.

"Very well. Now, let me see," he mumbled shuffling through his drawers.

"Aha," he exclaimed, pulling out a small oval-shaped piece of steel, third dimensional with writing all around it in a latin, but she understood brief phrases as she read them when he handed it to her. "Here we are."

"This will get you everything you need. Don't worry about the costs. The Hogwarts account is so full that it has been magically expanded 247 times since it was first established by Rowena Ravenclaw. Each teacher is allowed to sponsor one student and I am choosing you, hoping you shall boost my own popularity with the staff," he said with only a hint of jesting, which earned him a small grin.

"I can't tell you, professor, how much this means to me. Hagrid has said that you were as kind now as you ever were, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. You truly are wonderful," Ginny said.

"I thank you my dear, but know that you must be careful. Only professors of the main subjects are allowed to sponsor a student and we only get to choose one. You are my protégé and any news of your quest shall be of course reported directly to me. I'm sure the innkeeper at the Leaky Cauldron has an empty room and Hogwarts has always had a large discount there. Use that stone and you'll be saving everyone money in the end."

Ginny nodded at the professor's backwards logic as it would be less money to not go there altogether. "I do thank you professor," Ginny said softly, before turning to leave. She stopped and turned back.

"You will always be the greatest, inside and out of the hearts of all pure-hearted people of the Wizarding World. You are a symbol of hope to all those who need it most you will always remain the greatest wizard who ever lived; I just wanted to tell you that," Ginny said.

"I wasn't aware that I was ever the greatest, but I thank you for the magnificent compliment. I'm sure that you'll be quite a witch yourself my dear," Dumbledore said, sincerely.

"Have an enjoyable day, sir," Ginny said as she stood, making her way to the fireplace. She took some floo powder and threw it to the graceful flames that rose in a dramatic crescendo.

"You don't know how grateful I am," she said again, seriously.

"You're welcome, my dear," he said.

Without another word, she disappeared into the flames, saying clearly, "The Leaky Cauldron." She looked around the cauldron discreetly, clutching her oval "credit card" of sorts. She walked directly to Tom, keeping her head down.

"Hello there. Oh, you're the… I'm pleased to see that you've been healed," he said, smiling widely at her. She nodded her head. "I was given this by Professor Dumbledore. He said I could pay for a room with it," she said.

"Well, I don't think I've seen one of these in ten years," said a man behind the young innkeeper, Tom. She assumed it was his father as he was much older. She was amazed that Tom was even born yet, actually. She had thought he was much younger, but this made him near his seventies in her old time. "May I?" he asked, holding out a hand for it. She handed it to him. He looked closely at it, awed by it.

"Did you know... these were created in 1685. There are only four left. You've very lucky to be entrusted with one young lady. Who did you say gave it to you?" he questioned.

"Professor Dumbledore," she replied.

"Well, I'll be damned. I didn't even know he had one of them. He is very old, I'll grant you… in his late nineties, I believe, but this is very trusting of Professor Dumbledore. I suppose we'll be expecting great things from that old lion, won't we?" he said.

"Yes, sir," she nodded.

"Well go right on up to room twenty five," he offered, handing her a key along with the silver oval.

She thanked them both, walking quickly up the stairs, staring at the oval as she went. It was shocking to think just how rare these were. She hadn't heard of them, but her family had paid her way through school, no matter how stretched they became. She shook her head, trying to push those thoughts from her mind, as she walked, she didn't look ahead and ran straight into someone, barely managing to catch a hand onto the railing before she fell over. He unfortunately fell back onto the steps.

"Er, hello," she said, blushing bright red in her face and her ears. It was Tom of all people who she had to nearly mow over.

"Can't see you without someone getting hurt can I?" was Tom's reply.

"I think this is yours then?" he asked, picking the silver oval up off of the stair next to him as he himself rose to his feet.

"Thank you and I apologize. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"It's fine, but you really shouldn't let people see that. It's worth millions upon millions of galleons. It's best to get money at Gringotts with it and then use that money at the shops," Tom said. "Do you know the Wizarding money system?" he asked, lifting her hand and placing the Hogwarts oval into it.

"Well, yes, Galleons, sickles, then nuts, but about how much does it cost per year?" she asked.

"Well, if you need a new wand as well as books and robes, you may have to take out near 300 galleons, but in a normal year, 200 galleons is more than enough," Tom told her.

"Three-hundred? That is a lot, isn't it?"

"Yes… the first year is the killer," he said. "Once you see the vault, however, you don't feel quite as embarrassed, I assure you. Would you like an escort to Gringotts?" he asked.

"No, I'll be fine, thank you. It's the large white building is it not?" she asked. He nodded.

"Thank you though," she replied.

"What was your name?" she asked.

"My name is Ginette Wesley. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I can't tell you how grateful I am for what you did for me," she said.

"Don't mention it," he said. "My name is Tom," he introduced, deciding that he wouldn't address the fact that she already knew that… or did she? It didn't matter. He would find out at some point.

"Thank you, Tom," she said, again, stepping around him and hurrying up the stairs, the oval clutched in her hand. Ginny might not have been quite as apologetic if she'd realized that Tom had been waiting there for her, perhaps not to run straight into her, but at least to meet her in a coherent state.

She saw a young woman walk past her and stopped in her tracks, turning to stare after her. 'Professor McGonagall?' she thought. It was impossible. She looked only a few years older than Ginny. Ginny stared until she could no longer see her, and a bit after, shocked by the discovery that Professor McGonagall had been rather pretty. She shook her head, thinking back. She realized that McGonagall had to have just graduated. She sighed. It would have been nice to have her old professor around, even if she was very little involved in what was happening, but it mattered little. She was tired and just wanted to get to her room to take a long nap.

Ginny got to her door, unlocking it with her key. She saw the bed and walked to it quickly, shoving the oval into her pocket. She dropped onto the pillows and immediately fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up she would have to face her first full day as Ginnette Weasley, charge of Albus Dumbledore, born in 1927, Hogwart's class of 1945.