Ginny
April 7th 1997
"Are you ready for this?" Adam asked as they approached Professor McGonagall's office. When Ginny nodded, he continued. "You better head straight in, then."
Today was the day that Professor McGonagall had arranged to give careers advice to all fifth year Gryffindors. As Ginny and Adam were the last two alphabetically they had the last appointments of the day. The good thing about this was that they were both immediately after each other.
"Yeah," Ginny replied with a grin. "Wish me luck!"
Ginny knocked on the door, opened it and stepped inside.
"Good afternoon, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall said as she entered the room.
"Hi, Professor," Ginny replied and made her way over to the seat that was positioned in front of the professor's desk.
As she sat down, a slight cough from behind her attracted her attention and Ginny swivelled on her chair. Sitting behind her near the door was Umbridge. She had a clipboard on her knee and a smug smile on her face.
"Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall began. "Have you given any thought to what you might like to do when you leave Hogwarts?"
"Err.." Ginny began, hesitating. She wasn't sure if McGonagall would like what she was going to say.
"Pardon?"
"Quidditch," Ginny said, this time without hesitation.
"No one can doubt you are very talented at Quidditch," Professor McGonagall replied after a short pause. "But to make a career out of it requires a great deal of skill and no small amount of luck," she paused. "Have you thought about any other options to fall back on should you not make a team?"
Suddenly, the sound of Umbridge scribbling on her clipboard attracted her attention. Why was she writing this down!
"Err..." Ginny hesitated again. She had always dreamed of playing Quidditch. What would she do if that didn't happen?
"Miss Weasley, what are your strongest subjects?" Professor McGonagall prompted. "What do you enjoy?"
Ginny hesitated again. "Probably Defence and Transfiguration... oh, and Charms!"
"So you would see yourself taking those three subjects for NEWTs?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"Yes," Ginny said a little more confidently than she felt.
"Then I would also suggest you consider at least taking Potions and Herbology."
Ginny made a face at the mention of Potions, which Professor McGonagall obviously saw.
"Miss Weasley," she added. "Taking those subjects gives you a wide variety of options. Your strongest subject in last year's exams was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Specialising in this subject generally leads to a career in Magical Law Enforcement. If you do well in the subjects I have suggested, you are well placed to apply for a job in Magical Law Enforcement, if that is indeed what you wish to do, in a wide variety of positions."
"Magical Law Enforcement!" Umbridge spluttered laughing out loud.
"Professor Umbridge!" Professor McGonagall snapped waspishly, before continuing. "Now, Miss Weasley, Defence, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions and Herbology would also provide a solid core for you to make a later decision on a career. They leave options open to you in the Ministry, in Law Enforcement , as I said, or even in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."
Ginny nodded numbly in response.
"As for most sporting related fields such as player, journalist and trainer, candidates are all judged based on their natural abilities and the fact you have NEWTs not necessarily the NEWTs you have."
Ginny nodded again, feeling swamped by all the information she had just been given. She had never thought about half the careers Professor McGonagall had mentioned. All she had ever wanted to do was play Quidditch.
"Are you happy with what I have told you, Miss Weasley?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Yes," Ginny said faintly. "I think I'll take the NEWTs you suggested."
The only one of them she hadn't been planning to take was Potions, but maybe if it gave her more options for her career it would be worth suffering more Snape. Maybe she would wait and see what NEWTs Adam took.
"Do you have any questions?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Ginny shook her head.
"Very well, you may go. Please send Mr. Winters in."
Ginny stood and quickly left the room. Adam was waiting for her out in the corridor.
"She says to go in," Ginny said, then she lowered he voice. "Watch out, Umbridge is in there."
Adam made a face, nodded and disappeared into Professor McGonagall's office closing the door behind him.
Ginny waited patiently for what felt like hours until Adam emerged, looking slightly flustered and a little disappointed.
"You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah..." he said. "That was strange."
"What have you got in your hand?" Ginny asked curiously, seeing Adam was holding a large brown envelope.
"Oh, Professor McGonagall said she had some stuff for me to read through. She said you could read through it too."
"All right," Ginny said. "What did you tell her when she asked what you wanted to do?" Ginny questioned as they began walking back towards Gryffindor Tower hand in hand.
"Erm, well," said Adam blushing a little. "Apart from Quidditch the thing I've enjoyed the most is well, teaching the DA..."
"Oh!" Ginny exclaimed happily. "You asked about becoming a teacher!"
"Yep," Adam said.
"So what did she say to you? What NEWTs did she suggest your take?"
"She said there's not much chance in becoming a teacher straight out of school," his face fell. "Apparently, I need to get some experience in the subject before I can teach it."
"What?" Ginny exclaimed. "You're a better teacher than most of our Defence teachers!"
Adam sighed. "I'm not that good... anyway Professor McGonagall says you need experience. She's asked me to take Defence, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms and," Adam pulled a face. "Potions for NEWTs."
"Me, too!" Ginny said excitedly. "She said it would leave a lot of options open for a career. She didn't seem too impressed when I told her I wanted to play Quidditch."
"Well, that's Professor McGonagall for you," Adam said with a laugh. "She suggested that being good at Defence I might want to look at Magical Law Enforcement."
"Really?" Ginny asked feeling amazed. "She said the same for me."
"Wow," Adam said pausing and turning to face her. Ginny thought he was about to say something, but then he turned around and started walking again. "Let's get back to the common room and we can look through the envelope!" he continued brightly after a short pause.
They made their way back to the common room, sat down on a sofa and opened the envelope.
"What?" Adam exclaimed as he opened it. "This isn't a leaflet."
"What is it?" Ginny asked.
Adam didn't answer because he was staring at the piece of parchment in front of him.
"What's that?" Ginny asked again, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Look," Adam said in a faint voice, passing her the letter.
Ginny, taking the letter from Adam, immediately began to read it.
Adam,
Despite current circumstances, it is imperative that we continue our lessons. You will find enclosed a silver coin, this is a Portkey. On Saturday at 10 AM it will activate and bring you to my location.
Regards,
Albus Dumbledore
"Wow," Ginny whispered. "He's still going to teach you."
"Yeah..." Adam said, he looked shocked, but Ginny couldn't help but notice a smile forming on his face. "I knew he'd find a way."
Ginny hadn't expected Dumbledore to continue to teach Adam now that he'd been forced out of the school. With Umbridge in charge and the Ministry now watching the school closely it just seemed like it simply would not be possible, but, apparently, Dumbledore had found a way and, judging from Adam's expression, he was incredibly pleased that his lessons would be continuing.
Even though there had been no repercussions for either herself or Hermione after the night Umbridge had caught them, the DA hadn't dared hold any more meetings. She and Adam hadn't even dared to sneak back to the Room of Requirement for their own practices, just in case it was being watched.
"I wonder what he's doing?" Ginny mused. "Now that he's been kicked out of school. I wonder where he's living?"
"I don't know," Adam replied, in a whisper. "But I bet you he's looking for the Horcruxes."
Adam
April 12th 1997
The Portkey activated exactly as Professor Dumbledore's letter said it would and carried Adam back to the field where he'd had his previous Apparition lessons.
"Professor!" Adam exclaimed when he saw Dumbledore standing in front of him.
"Adam!" Professor Dumbledore replied, smiling widely. "It is good to see you again!"
"Sir, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you kicked out of school, but I couldn't let Ginny and Hermione get expelled!" Adam blurted.
"My boy," Professor Dumbledore replied, "I will admit that I did have a plan, but yours seemed to work nearly as well and my absence has proved fruitful. I have some, shall we say, interesting leads."
"Brilliant," Adam replied. "What are they?"
"I would not like to say right now, Adam," Professor Dumbledore replied. "When I have some more concrete information, I will tell you. Do not fret because I have not forgotten my promise to take you with me when I find the location of a Horcrux."
"Thanks," Adam replied, thankful that Professor Dumbledore wasn't going to use his removal from the school as an excuse not to take him along.
"It is no problem, Adam. Now, we must turn to the lesson for today, Apparition once again."
Once more Professor Dumbledore summoned the white square for Adam to Apparate to and once again Adam thought of his destination, he filled his mind with his desire to be there, exactly in the same way he did with the memory for his Patronus and turned on the spot.
Once again Adam didn't move.
"Well done!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed.
"What?" Adam responded. "I didn't do anything."
"Yes, you did, Adam," Professor Dumbledore replied. "You bounced."
"I did?" Adam asked incredulously.
"You Apparated, only your position did not change. You are nearly there!"
Adam felt like jumping up and down. He'd done it! Well, nearly anyway.
"Try again!" Professor Dumbledore added enthusiastically.
Adam focused his mind once again on his destination, still feeling buoyant from his previous time, and turned on the spot. Instantly he felt the pulling, squeezing sensation he associated with Side-Along-Apparition. When he opened his eyes, he was standing on the white square.
Adam gazed around, flabbergasted that he had finally done it! He gave a whoop of joy.
"I did it!" he shouted excitedly "I did it!"
"I knew you could do it, Harry!" Professor Dumbledore said.
"Thanks!" he replied, beaming. "I even beat Hermione. Her test isn't until next week."
"Well, I don't know that you are quite up to test standard yet, but you have had the advantage of one on one instruction. Now, just because you have been able to Apparate once, does not mean you have mastered the skill. We will need to practice it over longer distances. Now follow me."
Suddenly Professor Dumbledore vanished with a crack. Adam span around on the spot looking for him and quickly spotted him standing near a gate at the far end of the field.
Adam spun on the spot.
Nothing happened.
Come on concentrate, Adam! He focused his mind, making sure everything was the same as last time, he visualised the gate, focused on his desire to be there and turned on the spot.
He appeared with a pop next to Professor Dumbledore a few seconds later.
"Now, take my arm," Professor Dumbledore instructed.
Adam obeyed, and before he'd had chance to consider what Professor Dumbledore was going to do, he was pulled to the top of a hill, overlooking a patchwork of multicoloured fields below them.
"We are a little under a mile from the gate. I will see you back there," Professor Dumbledore announced, and then he vanished with a quiet pop.
Adam stared blankly at the countryside around him. He felt a small spike of worry flare inside him. What if he couldn't get back? He shook his head, and began to focus his mind.
The gate, I will travel to the gate. Adam turned on the spot.
He landed slightly awkwardly, and nearly fell to the floor, about ten feet from the gate.
"Bravo!" Professor Dumbledore exclaimed. "Bravo!"
"Thanks, sir!" Adam said, feeling completely exhilarated. He felt like bouncing up and down with joy, but he wasn't quite sure if he should do that in front of the Headmaster.
They continued practicing for some time and each time Adam apparated, he felt more and more confident in his ability. He could do it! He could Apparate!
"Now, I'm going to give you a return Portkey to the school," Professor Dumbledore informed him, once nearly an hour had passed. "I will contact you again, in the same manner, when I have more information about Horcruxes to relay to you."
"Thanks, sir," Adam replied.
"Oh and, Harry," Professor Dumbledore added. "Good look with your OWLs."
Ginny
May 24th 1997
Ginny didn't know why they bothered to have changing rooms down at the Quidditch pitch, she hardy ever got to use them. Today, she along with the rest of the team, had been hustled at head of a sea of celebrating Gryffindors straight back to the common room. She hadn't even had chance to shower!
For the third year in a row, well, as long as you ignored the year when there was no Quidditch, Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup!
The game had lasted a little over a four hours. The battle between the two opposing sets of Chasers had been exhaustingly fierce and when Adam had finally caught the Snitch, Ravenclaw were sixty points ahead. The game had finished 290 to 200, meaning that Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup by only fifty points and making it one of the closest run competitions for many years.
Once they arrived back in the common room, the party got into full swing, promising to last for several hours.
"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed brightly as Adam plopped down next to her. He was slightly flushed, and looked, well, exhilarated.
"Hi!" Adam said back. "I can't believe we won!"
"We won the last two years!" Ginny exclaimed. "Gryffindor are champions!"
"Yeah, but I wasn't on the team those years and I missed one Snitch, this year," Adam said faintly, his grin fading.
"Oh, Adam!" Ginny exclaimed. "You're an amazing Seeker. You're better than me!"
Adam's grin returned to his face, and suddenly he slid across the sofa and kissed her.
"No! Adam!" Ginny exclaimed laughing. "I haven't showered! I'm smelly and—"
Adam only laughed in response and, putting his arms on her shoulders, he nudged her so she was lying back into the sofa and moved in to kiss her again. "Don't care! You're–" he began with a grin.
"Oi!" A voice exclaimed.
Ginny groaned.
"Winters," Ron grumbled from across the common room. "Not with my sister in public. Please!"
"Let's sneak off," Adam said, looking down on her with an impish grin.
"What's gotten into you today?" Ginny exclaimed with a giggle.
Adam leapt to his feet, grabbed Ginny's hand and, pulling her to her feet, he dragged her out of the common room.
"Adam! No!" Ginny cried. "Umbridge!"
"I've got the cloak," Adam replied with a wink and he threw it over the two of them.
They half ran, half walked together under the cloak through the school.
"What's the matter with you today?" Ginny asked lightly as they climbed a staircase.
"I don't know!" Adam confessed. "I just feel so energetic! Hell, we won the Cup!"
They continued excitedly through the school, managing, by pure luck, to avoid any patrols by Umbridge or members of her Inquisitorial Squad.
Eventually, Adam pulled her through one final door, and suddenly Ginny could feel a cool wind on her skin.
"Where are we?" she asked excitedly, as Adam whipped off the cloak.
"Astronomy tower," Adam answered with a wink.
"Oh," Ginny said raising an eyebrow. "How original."
"Yeah..." Adam smirked, hesitating slightly.
Ginny, deciding to take the initiative, stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
She giggled. "You didn't bring me all this way up here for nothing did you?"
Adam laughed in response, and, drawing her closer, kissed her back.
Several rather enjoyable minutes later, Ginny was sitting on Adam's lap, leaning against him, as they sat up against one of the parapets of the tower looking out over the grounds.
"It's a nice night," Adam mumbled quietly.
"It is," Ginny said softly, cuddling up against Adam. She was silent for several minutes before continuing. "What do you think will happen, you know, next year without Dumbledore?"
"I don't know," Adam replied, with a sigh. "I think to be honest it's a good thing that he's not here."
"What!" Ginny exclaimed, her eyes fixed on a light that shone for second out in the school grounds.
"Well, I mean it's obviously bad for the school, but if he's out there," Adam took his arm from around her waist and waved at the sky, "then he's got more time to look for the Horcruxes, and that can only be a good thing."
Ginny murmured in agreement. "The sooner he finds them all, the sooner this is all over and we can... you can..."
"Just get on with life?" Adam asked with a small laugh.
Ginny hesitated. "Yeah, it's just that so much has happened in the last year, you being kidnapped, Sirius," she felt herself choking a little. "Remus..."
"I know," Adam said softly, holding her tighter. "But we'll get through it. Dumbledore will find the Horcruxes, and then..." Ginny felt him shudder slightly. "I'll do what I have to do then we—"
A loud BANG from the grounds interrupted him and Ginny jumped in surprise. She quickly hopped off the parapet and stood with Adam looking out onto the grounds.
The door to Hagrid's cabin had burst open and light flooded out. Ginny saw Hagrid quite clearly, a massive figure roaring and brandishing his fists, surrounded by six other people.
Suddenly, the people surrounding him started flinging tiny threads of red light at him. They were trying to Stun Hagrid! Ginny realised with horror, gasping as she watched what unfolded below.
Jets of red light continued to fly besides Hagrid's cabin, but somehow they seemed to be bouncing off him. He was still upright and, as far as Ginny could see, still fighting.
Cries and yells were now echoing across the grounds and Ginny heard a man yell, "Be reasonable, Hagrid!"
"Reasonable be damned! You wont take me like this, Dawlish!" Hagrid roared in response.
Suddenly, Hagrid gave a howl of fury as Fang was Stunned. He surged towards the dog's attacker, lifted him from the ground, and threw him. The man landed about ten feet away and did not move.
Ginny gasped, she had never seen Hagrid in a real temper before.
"Look!" shouted Adam. He was leaning over the parapet and pointing to the foot of the castle. The main door had just opened and a single figure was now sprinting down towards Hagrid's hut.
"How dare you!" the figure shouted as she ran. "How dare you!"
"It's Professor McGonagall!" said Adam.
"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" came Professor McGonagall's voice through the darkness. "On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such—"
Ginny screamed. No fewer than four Stunners had shot from the figures around the cabin toward Professor McGonagall. Halfway between cabin and castle the red beams collided with her. For a moment she looked luminous, illuminated by an eerie red glow, then was lifted right off her feet, landed hard on her back, and was still.
Ginny heard Adam emit a roar of fury, and then before she knew what had happened, he had dashed down the stairs of the Astronomy tower.
"Adam!" Ginny called after him. "Wait!"
Determined to chase after him, Ginny pounded down the steps back into the school. She dashed through the deserted corridors, her hair and Quidditch robes billowing behind her.
She got as far as Entrance Hall before she saw anyone else. She was halfway down the marble staircase when she heard the main doors creak open. Ginny froze, hesitating for a second in plain sight, before she dashed back to the top of the stairs and hid out of sight.
Ginny watched as two cloaked figures entered the Entrance Hall levitating Professor McGonagall's unconscious body in front of them.
Unconscious body. That means they're probably heading to the hospital wing. That means they have to pass me!
Ginny sank down onto her haunches to attempt to stay out of sight. She then crept along the first floor landing, and snuck into the first floor corridor. Once out of sight, Ginny began running down the first floor corridor until she came to another staircase, which she knew would take her up to third floor.
She pelted up the stairs onto the third floor and dashed down the corridor. If Adam was following Professor McGonagall then he would eventually end up at the hospital wing too. She needed to try to intercept him before he did something stupid. Unfortunately, he would be near impossible to find underneath the cloak.
Ginny rounded the final corner and reached the double doors leading into the hospital wing. Everything was eerily quiet. Ginny froze, the route she had taken was far longer than the route along the main staircase. They should already be here!
As Ginny approached the double doors, a hand suddenly came over her face. Ginny screamed and struggled for a second but the hand muffled all sound she made as a piece of cloth came down over her head.
"Ginny!" Adam's voice whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry for grabbing you, but they're right inside!"
Ginny instantly relaxed and allowed Adam to guide her backwards until they stood pressed up against each other next to the doors to the hospital wing.
"They took her right inside," Adam whispered into Ginny's ear. "Umbridge, and a man named Dawlish."
"Well at least they brought her here," Ginny whispered back, turning her face so it was close to his.
"We'll wait for them to come out, then sneak in. I want to make sure she's alright."
They stood there in silence. Ginny could feel Adam's slightly heavy breathing across the side of her face and his chest moving against her back. He'd obviously been running.
Soon the doors opened and Umbridge and Dawlish walked back out. Ginny and Adam waited until the two adults had turned a corner and were out of earshot before they snuck to the hospital doors and moved quickly inside the hospital wing. Cautiously, so as to not allow their footsteps to be heard, Adam and Ginny crept down the length of the wing until they reached the bed where Professor McGonagall was laying.
"Lie still, Minerva," Madam Pomfrey was saying. "I'll make the Floo call now. It won't be long."
"Stay hidden," Adam whispered to Ginny, once Madam Pomfrey had left the bedside.
Adam immediately shrugged out of the cloak, leaving it still covering her and stepped forward, with Ginny following.
"Professor McGonagall," Adam said in a whisper. "Are you alright?"
"Adam..." she said in an extremely weak voice. "I'm...alright...need to go to St Mungo's. I'm having trouble... breathing."
"Professor," Adam began to respond.
"Concern for me..." she wheezed. "Does not... excuse you being out after curfew."
"Professor," Adam began weakly. "I just wanted to make sure you'll be alright."
"I," she replied, still gasping slightly, "will be fine, but I'm afraid I might miss the your OWLs. This old body—"
"It's okay," Adam responded.
"Thanks, Adam," she responded, after several seconds of catching her breath. "But go, please, before you're caught and end up in detention with that woman."
The noise of Madam Pomfrey's office door opening disturbed them.
"Go!" Professor McGonagall ordered.
Adam turned to leave.
"Adam!" she added, her whispered voice sounding incredibly raspy. "In my cloak, a letter... for you."
Ginny watched as Adam darted over to her cloak, grabbed an envelope and mere seconds before Madam Pomfrey entered the cubicle, ducked back under the Invisibility Cloak with her.
"Minerva," Madam Pomfrey asked as she approached. "Did I hear someone?"
"No," Professor McGonagall replied. "Talking to myself."
Ginny, now deciding to take the lead, guided Adam backwards out of the cubicle and away from Professor McGonagall.
Once they were far enough away that they were confident they wouldn't be heard, they moved quickly towards the double doors. They pulled one open, and ran, pelting down the corridor until they were out of sight of the doors, just in case anyone came to investigate the noise of the door opening.
They stayed close to each other in the dark of the third floor corridor until they got their breath back.
"Is that for another lesson?" Ginny whispered to Adam.
"I think so," Adam replied. "Let's get back to the common room, and open it there."
They made their way slowly and carefully back up to the common room. They had been through too much tonight to get caught when they were nearly back.
Ginny and Adam reached the common room without incident and much to their relief it was deserted.
"It's nearly midnight!" Ginny exclaimed. "We've been out ages!"
They sat down next to each other on the sofa and Ginny waited patiently as Adam read the letter in the envelope. After a few seconds, Adam laid the letter down in his lap and turned to her.
"He's found a Horcrux," he said in quiet voice. "He wants me to go with him, to help destroy it."
June 2nd 1997
In the week since Professor McGonagall had left the school Ginny had begun to find that Hogwarts was feeling decidedly more oppressive. She knew that with Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall now gone, the number of teachers that would actually stick up for Adam, or herself, if something happened was now zero.
The rapidly approaching onset of the OWL exams had not made things any better, but at least it had given her something to take her mind off things. In the days after Hagrid's sacking and Professor McGonagall's injury, Ginny and Adam had both decided to keep their heads down and throw themselves into revision for their exams. This wasn't helped by the fact that Umbridge was now covering McGonagall's revision lessons with them, in exactly the same manner which she conducted their Defence classes, which is to say, they learnt nothing.
Today was the day of the first OWL exams, Charms. Ginny wasn't too worried about this exam, at least not compared to Potions which was coming up next week, because she and Adam had revised heavily. Even so, both she and Adam were waiting anxiously outside the Great Hall for the exam to start.
"Ginny," Adam said faintly, "I was just thinking."
"What?" Ginny replied, half distractedly as she frantically attempted to recap from the scribbled sheet of notes she had in her hands.
"I haven't seen Dobby for a while, not since Christmas. I hope he's okay."
"Oh," Ginny said dumbfounded. "I don't know, I guess he's probably okay. But why?" She shook her head and laughed. "We're standing outside waiting for one of the most important exams of our lives and you talking about a house-elf, who even though he did save our lives, is probably slightly crazy and in all likeliness perfectly alright!"
Adam stared at her for a second, before he snorted and then doubled over in laughter.
"Oh, Ginny," Adam gasped between laughs. "You're right!"
Ginny wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.
"Students!" Umbridge's voice echoed over the Entrance Hall. "You will now proceed into the Great Hall in absolute silence."
Ginny turned to Adam and whispered. "Good luck!"
"You, too," Adam replied with a smile as he turned to walk into the Great Hall.