Chapter eight

Headmistress McGonagall stood up and announced, "As so of you may have noticed, Professor Potter is back. To his right, is his new assistant, Professor Weasley."

Instantly, all eyes rested their gaze from Harry to Ginny, and then whispers broke out among all of the students. "Weasley? No, it couldn't be. Not the famous Ginny Weasley."

"I must ask you all," Harry said over the noise, "To save all questions you may have for her, for in the classroom and in the classroom only."

The students nodded. He had asked the same thing the first day he was here as well. Questions could be asked in the classroom only.

The Great Hall door squeaked open. Jake looked, blinking, up at his Professor, then scurried to take his seat next to Amy at the Ravenclaw table.

Harry sat down, ignoring Jake, as all the students watched to see what the headmistress or Head of House would do to the late student. The headmistress followed Harry's lead, and said nothing about the late student. She simply stood up, and said, "That being said, let's eat."

Harry loaded up Ginny's plate for her. While she was almost fully recovered, he avoid some foods that could bring her cramps later on in the night. He remembered all her favorites, and gave her everything he thought she could eat. Ginny murmured a thank you, her eyes were still on Jake.

"What do you think he was up to?" She whispered to Harry.

"I don't know. But as his Head of House, I'm afraid he's just made it business to find out." Harry was already reaching in his cloack for a quill. He wrote quickly on a napkin.

My office, 8 P.M. sharp, Mr. Andrews.

Professor Potter

Harry levitated it up, and then blew softly on it. It landed right next to Jake. Already, Harry could see Ginny's eyes flicker. "He's he's at the Ravenclaw table He's a Gryffindor though." Harry watched as Jake opened the note, and frowned. Jake showed no reaction to the note, simply folded it back up, and put it in his pocket.

"He is a Gryffindor. He did a great thing, that day he undid the barrier of sitting at a different houses table."

Ginny fell silent after that, but Harry knew that she was proud, just as proud of Jake as Harry was himself. When had he become so attached to that boy?

After dinner, Harry showed Ginny where his tower was, then left to go organize his office, and wait for Jake's arrival. When Jake arrived, he knocked softly and then opened the door. "You wanted to see me, Professor?"

Harry looked up from the note his substitute had left him of the first year class. "Yes Jake, come in, and sit down."

When Jake was settled into the chair in front of his Head of House, Harry looked up again. He was now deeply troubled.

Harry waited a moment, when Jake made no attempt to speak, Harry said, "So, what were you doing this afternoon that you were late for your mother's arrival to Hogwarts?"

"Nothing much," Jake shrugged, "I fell asleep. Sorry Professor."

Harry frowned. What was going on with Jake? "That's quite alright Jake. Just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong."

"Nothing wrong Sir."

Harry glanced down at the note from the substitute. It was then he realized what was going on. "What did you think of Professor ---"

"Umbridge?" Jake shrugged again. "She was alright, I guess."

"Was she now? She didn't seem too fond of you. A fight in class? Doesn't seem like you."

"It was my fault Professor. I argued with her."

Jake looked down. A shadow had crossed his face, remembering what his detention had been like.

As if Harry could read his mind, he jumped up, almost rand around the desk, and grabbed Jake's wrist. It was all Jake could do not to scream. Harry grimaced at the sight of Jake's face, and let go. He knelt down next to the boy's chair. "Jake, he said softly, "I'm sorry that that"

Harry trailed off. "Did you show Amy the cut?"

Jake wondered how he knew. "Yes," he managed to squeak out, shamed face, still looking down.

"What did she put on it?"

"I don't know Sir."

"Was it a liquid, and you had to hold your wrist in it a while?"

"Yes Sir."

Harry grabbed a few potions off his shelf, and muttering to himself, he went to door. "Come on, let's go."

Jake jumped up, and followed Harry to the other end of the castle. Finally they stopped. "Ronald Weasley" Harry told the wall, and it sprang open.

They entered what seemed to be a common room. "Stay here." He told Jake. "Ginny!" Harry yelled, going up the stair two at a time.

Harry thrust the potions in her hands. "Listen to me," He told her, as she looked curiously at the bottles content. "Make that potion Hermione made fifth year, when Umbridge cut me. Please calm Jake down." Ginny's eyes widened. "Ginny, he's okay, just scared right now. I need him feel safe enough that he can tell me exactly what she did to him. I need to know. And if he's going to respond to anyone in the near future, it's going to be you. Damn it, that woman. She took away all of Jake's confidence!"

Ginny hurried down the stairs, and ran to hug Jake. He had silent tears going down his cheeks, hearing Harry voice yelling, but he couldn't make out the words to what Harry was yelling.. "I'm sorry mum. I – I didn't mean to make that woman mad."

Ginny led her son to the couch, murmuring comforting words to Jake all the way. She grabbed a bowl from the table, and holding Jake to her side in a one armed hug,, poured potions in, one by one.

"Jake, roll up your sleeve."

Jake shook his head "I'm okay mum,"

"Jake," Ginny was not using her scolding tone, as Jake had thought she would. Rather, she was using a gentle tone, while reaching towards his right arm. She rolled up his sleeve, and Jake grimaced with pain, as he watched her face. Here it came. He was sure that she was going to be angry now.

Instead, Ginny blinked. And then she blinked again. "Why did you write Jake Weasley?"

Instead of using whatever she had made in the bowl, Jake watched as she took out a different bottle from in her cloak, and gently applied the substance to his wrist. "I – that's my name, isn't it? You're going by Weasley. Can't I?"

He sounded fearful again. "Of course," Ginny reassured him. "I just didn't expect it, is all."

Jake nodded, and sighed in relief. "Amy did a nice job on the clean up," Ginny smiled, looking up to his face again. "By the looks of it though, she couldn't manage it the pain free way, which is a third year potion, though. That's why it still hurts so bad."

"Not anymore," Jake whispered.

Ginny smiled, and ruffled his hair. "That's right," she said, putting the bottle back in her pocket, and pulled him into a hug. "Not anymore."

Later that night, Harry woke Jake from his mother's arms, and escorted him back to Gryffindor tower. When he got back, Ginny was already in the one bed in the tower.

When he went in the room, he got in on his side of the bed, and smiled at the stiffly set back of Ginny Weasley. "Are you going to stay so stiff all night?" Ginny refused to respond. Her heart was beating faster then she knew it could go without him hearing it.

Of its own accord, Harry's hand sneaked it way to pull the stand over hair that he knew was covering his face. Just before he touched it, he stopped himself, and rolled over, ignoring her the way she was ignoring him

Sometime during the night, Ginny awoke. She became aware that she was facing towards Harry now, and he her. She also became aware that his arms were closed tightly around her, pulling her towards him. When she moved a little to get out of his grasp, he just held on all the tighter, while unconsciously whispering, "Ginny," That was all he needed to say. Ginny settled back down, and soon was asleep again.

When she got up the next morning, Harry had gone. She sat up and stretched. Classes must have started already even, she thought to herself.

Ginny noticed a note stuck to her side when she got up. Sticky parchment. She got it off of her, and then read what it said,

Gin, I know you'll probably sleep late, so I let Dobby know to keep some breakfast warm. It should be on the table in the common room. If you feel up to it, you're welcome to come down for class if you want. Otherwise, I'll be back for the lunch hour.

Harry

Ginny smiled. She would like to go down and see Harry teach class. She quickly changed, and then ate. Soon, she was on her way down the halls to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Perfect, she thought, slipping in the classroom with the students. Maybe its not as late as I thought it was.

Harry immediately saw the red haired girl in the crowd of his students. "Ms. Weasley" he called. The crowd looked amongst itself to find her. When spotted, she smiled.

"Hello Professor."

Students were extremely curious now. Were they joking around, or was Ginny Weasley going to be in their class?

"I must say, you'd fit into this class quite well, as II remember, you did skip sixth year to follow me around, didn't you?"

"I don't follow people around, Professor, I just lead em."

The students laughed, and Ginny walked to stand next to Harry. "Take your seats, please," Harry said, smiling. Ginny noticed a sparkle in his eyes that she hadn't seen there in a long, long time.

As Harry had expected, hands flew up to ask questions about Ginny. "Well, Professor, since all these people want you to entertain them, go ahead. I'll be reading. Feel free to pass any question."

A few students groaned, "Not fair! You had to answer one question from each of us! One student yelled from the back. "She could pass any of them." Before Harry could retort, Ginny turned to the student.

"Did he now? One question per student? No passing? Fair enough, I'll do the same. "Mr. Potter, take your seat please." She pointed to a front row seat that was vacant.

There were a few chuckles, as Harry glanced at her, to see if she was serious. Ginny was trying to hold a straight face, but a smile was twitching at her lips. Harry did as he was told, nevertheless.

All day, Ginny answered questions about if she had magic, and why she had left the Wizarding World. Where had she gone? One asked if Jake Andrews really was her son.

By the end of the first year class, Jake was overwhelmed with new facts about his mom. She had been saved by Harry in the Chamber of Secrets in her first year, she had had a crush on him for years, until they went out in her fifth year, and she helped defeat Voldermort. The list just seemed to go on and on.

He was still curious as to why she had gone to the muggle world, but that was one that he knew was not public. Everyone else seemed to know it was personal too.

After everyone had gone through the class once, Harry began teaching more practical spells. They had a lot more time to practice, because Ginny would also go around and tell them what they were doing wrong. It didn't matter to many students that she couldn't do the spells herself. Too many, it was a privilege to be able to be taught by two of the famous four who had defeated Voldermort.

Before, Harry would have had to stop the entire class if he noticed the same thing more then once being wrong. Now, the teachers taught individuals at a time, making the class go much faster.

Days turned into weeks, and no student was brave enough to ask about the one thing they were all curious about. Were Harry and Ginny dating again?

They teased each other like friends, but there was no one had seen anything like a kiss on the cheek or anything of that sort. And only Jake and Amy knew of them living together, besides the teachers.

March came. It was one night in late March that Harry had the dream.

It started out to be a pleasant one, one that he had never had before. It was an interesting one to be sure.

Harry watched as his mum opened the door. "All set?" She asked the young boy, and the woman.

The boy nodded sadly, "May I go say good bye to Harry again?"

"Of course, Jake"

Lily Potter moved to let the two of them in the door. "I'm sorry Ginny. I truly am."

Harry was picked up by the boy, and hugged. "Good bye – Harry. I love you." He finished.

Spirit Harry turned to his mum and the woman. His mum had just called her Ginny. He was positive the boy was Jake; he looked just like him, if anything, maybe a little older.

Ginny had tears running down her cheeks, as she hugged Lily again. "I am too. Watching your son die wasn't exactly what you wanted to do."

Lily sighed. "No, it wasn't." They hugged again. "James! Jake and Ginny are going back"

Harry turned around, to see his father appear by Jake's side. He knelt down, and careful of his one year old son, hugged Jake. "I love you Jake. Don't worry, I'm not mad. You belong in the future now."

Everyone crying, Jake and Ginny took hold of each others hands, after Lily took baby Harry from Jake's arms. With one last look, the two vanished.

Harry woke, gasping for breath, cold sweat trickling down his brow. Ginny sat up too. "Harry, what is it?"

Harry got up, not speaking. As he slipped into a cloak, he said, "Nothing, just a dream. I'm going for a walk. Go back to sleep."

Ginny got out of bed too. "No, what was it?" She too pulled on a cloak, but when she turned back around, Harry had already gone.

She exited their tower, and headed up to the North tower. She knew that whatever it was, he would be here, were he loved to go, because he was able to see the stars. He liked the night, and the stars helped him think of his parents, and more often then not, help cool down his anger, or clear his mind.

She found him there, his head in his hands. Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder, sitting down next to him. "Harry, don't shut me out. Tell me."

He sighed. "It started out awesome. Just me and my mom. But then two people came to the door. A boy and a woman."

He stopped, thinking. How could it be possible? How, when had they gone to the past? Why had they? And how in Merlin's name had h --- died? That's what they were crying about. Jake was said he'd never see little Harry, or big Harry again? Ginny just lost him forever, when the only thing he feared was losing her? His parents saw their aged son die? Could that have been it?

Ginny nodded slowly, and then probed him. "Who were they?"

Harry took a deep breath. "This is going to seem crazy. But it was you, and Jake. I think Jake was a little older, maybe third year? But it was you two just the same."

Ginny didn't want to hurt his feelings more, or upset him, at the same time, she was very curious. "Harry?" she asked after a moment, "Is that possible? Could Jake and I have gone to the past, and you were remembering something?"

"I don't know how Gin, but it seems I went to. I also – died while we were there. I don't know. I've never heard of it, but with Wizards, anything seems possible."

Ginny gasped. "You, dead? But, how?"

"I don't know."