Before you guys send pitchforks and cyber anthrax at me-please read the note at the end of the chapter. Please and Thank you.

So maybe Jake and Maria were right. Maybe I wasn't "happy" but I was content. Raymond treated me really well and he actually met my dad and Ginny when they were shopping in Hogsmeade one weekend. Daddy loves him; Ginny favors him but won't show it. So if my father approved, my evil stepmother actually didn't try to destroy it, why couldn't I stop comparing him to Michaelson?

I had actually gotten him out of my mind, but the moment Raymond said the "b" word, Michaelson came back full blast. I'd see him in the Great Hall and I'd just itch to run my hands through his hair. I'd want him to look at me with the adoration that Raymond looked at me. I was going out of my mind!

But if at any point I had actually gotten the courage to dump Raymond and actually consider going out with Michaelson again, I'd see him with some blond Hufflepuff, or worse, a gorgeous Ravenclaw brunette, and I'd come crashing back to earth. He must have known because he'd always favor me with a smirk whenever he decided to tear his eyes away from the beauty he was with at the moment.

But I like Raymond, he was an awesome guy. But I was growing bored. Really bored…

Maleah had just walked into her house after a summer afternoon of shopping with Maria, Ananda and Jake. They were going to spend the night and hang out with her. Feeling on top of the world, Maleah strolled into the parlor and found Ginny with Hermione.

"Maleah," Hermione said pleasantly.

Maleah dutifully kissed Hermione's cheek while her friends said their greetings to Ginny and Hermione.

"Where's my dad?" Maleah asked Ginny.

"He's out. Good thing too if he knew you were spending his hard earned money on frivolous trash," Ginny sniffed. "Please do not tell me you bought more prostitute clothes. You always did favor the type of clothes your mother did."

That was low. Even for Ginny. When Ginny wanted to chew into Maleah she never allowed anyone but James to be there. However, not only was she being a royal bitch, she was doing it in front of Maleah's closest friends.

Jakes shared a shocked glance with Maria and Ananda glared coldly at Ginny. She was used to hearing Ginny shouting at Maleah during their many sleepovers as children.

Maleah was close to hyperventilating. Of course Ginny would be the one to bring the world crashing down on her. "Are you implying something stepmother?" Maleah asked coolly.

"You can take my comment any which way you choose," Ginny said taking a sip of tea. "Go away. I don't want to see you."

"As you wish," Maleah said with an exaggerated smile.

"That was cold," Jake commented.

"I don't want to talk about the Wicked Bitch of the West," Maleah said, silently begging them to keep quiet.

"My mum says that Ginny is gutter trash and trapped your father into marriage," Maria said.

"You shut up about my mother!"

They all looked up to the landing of the second floor and saw James glaring down at them.

"James-," Maleah started.

"The only gutter trash here is you," James told Maleah. "You're a whore's daughter. It was your mother who trapped Father into marriage."

Maleah didn't even realized what she'd done until she saw James sprawled on the ground with blood gushing out of his mouth. She looked at her clenched fist and burst into tears, running into her bedroom.

"You're a little smarmy bastard," Ananda growled at James and ran after Maleah with Jake and Maria on her heels.

What they found broke each of their hearts. Maleah sat in a crumpled heap on the ground, her hair out of the neat bun she had it in, and Ananda was sure that Maleah had been pulling at her hair. Tears ran down her cheeks but her eyes were sunken and dead.

"Leah," Maria whispered crossing the room to her friend.

It was as if Maleah couldn't hear or see anyone. "Mummy," Maleah kept repeating.

"Oh Merlin," Ananda cried gathering Maleah into a hug. "She's stuck in a memory," she explained to Maria and a very uncomfortable but angry Jake.

"She's a bitch," Jake grounded out.

Hours later Maleah was finally back to herself. She refused to acknowledge what happened that afternoon. She was just waiting for the revenge Ginny was sure to get on her for hurting her precious son. And right before dinner she got it.

Maleah was called into her father's office and saw a smirking Ginny, a smug James, and an uncomfortable Hermione and Ron. She took a deep breath and stood stiff in her father's presence.

"Did you hit your brother?" Harry asked her coldly.

"Yes," Maleah answered clearly.

Harry's eyes got dark with anger. "I do not tolerate violence in this house," he told her.

Maleah knew all about Harry's childhood but none of it came from him. She read it in books, and people telling her about her father because their parents saw him at some sort of function. It was sad how total strangers knew her father better than she.

"You might want to let your wife know that," Maleah said pointedly.

Harry stood. "All the things you bought today are to be returned. All your jewelry and luxuries will be put away. You will only have the necessities."

Maleah nodded then scoffed at Ginny. "You're a dirty whore," she said mildly. Then she turned to her father. "Do you want to know what your little brat told me? Too bad if you don't because he said, and I fucking quote "You're a whore's daughter. It was your mother who trapped Father into marriage." And if I remember correctly, which I'm pretty sure I do, if anyone trapped anyone into marriage, it was you who trapped my mother."

Harry did not show any emotion on his face and that only fueled Maleah's anger even more.

"I hate you," she told her father calmly. "I really hate you and your wife and your 'heir'. The only people in this house I can actually stomach are Sirius and Miss Tonya. I am just counting the days when I can finally escape. While you're on the subject of punishment, why don't you cut me off? Disown me; Lord knows that Ginny would be forever grateful."

"You're delirious," Harry said quietly. But Maleah could hear the underlining anger and warning in his words.

"Hardly so," Maleah said cheerfully. "I'm pissed off. I'm sick and tired of not being good enough for you. I'm sick and tired of having to walk on eggshells in my own house. A house, might I remind you Mrs. Potter, which belonged to my mother before it ever belonged to you. You may have stolen my father's bed but you haven't stolen anything else. James and Lily's portraits refuse for yours to be up there. Whose portrait is hanging in the gallery? My mother's. Get that through your head. You and your little brat can go to hell for all I care. And as for you Father, you can punish me all you want, but I'm pretty sure that my mother's voice will keep you up at night."

Satisfied that she had them all stunned, Maleah turned on her heel and walked back to her bedroom where her friends were waiting for her.

"Harry," Hermione said warningly.

"Do you see what I mean?" Ginny cut off Hermione. "She has no respect whatsoever."

"She's right," Ron said guiltily. Ginny glared at her brother and James looked away. Ron smiled humorlessly. "She's right. It is Katia's portrait in the gallery. And she's not coming down. And I'm pretty sure, without a doubt, that James said those things to Maleah.

"I love her," Ron told Ginny. "She was a beautiful baby and she never deserved your hatred and anger towards her. It is not her fault that Harry married Katia. It is not her fault that Katia and Harry remained on somewhat friendly terms after they divorced. It isn't her fault that Harry refuses for her to go to school further away. She's innocent in all this."

James looked down in guilt and Hermione smiled appraisingly at Ron. "Oh, Ronald, if you weren't married," she joked to lighten the mood.

Harry cracked a small grin. "You two would either be shagging or arguing."

"Too true," Ron agreed with a smug smile thrown at Hermione who rolled her eyes. "How are the little ones?"

Hermione smiled brightly. "They are wonderful. Speaking of, I should probably get home and let Miss Tonya come back here. Thanks again for letting her watch Joshua and Penelope."

Harry waved his hand. "No problem."

James made a quiet exit as well as Ron and Hermione who were arguing again. Then Ginny blew up.

"I cannot believe you let her stand there and speak to us like that!" Ginny cried.

"I cannot believe I looked the other way when you were treating her like the Dursley's treated me," Harry said dangerously.

"I was only giving her discipline, otherwise I never even talk to her," Ginny snapped. "Besides, good much it did seeing how rude she was, in front of Ron and Hermione as well!"

"You hit her once," Harry said. His eyes became unfocused as he remembered something. "On her ninth birthday she had a bruise on her face. It wasn't the door. It was you."

Ginny paled. "Harry-."

"Get out of my face Ginny," Harry growled. "I don't want to see you."

"You're going to see that I was right Harry," Ginny said as she left. "Mark my words, she's going to be just like her mother: a whore!"

Harry slammed his hand on the desk when the door slammed shut. He failed Katia. And now she was getting her revenge.

Okay, believe it or not this is the beginning of Ginny's redemption. I'm really sorry for those who love Ginny and hate that her character is as so, but I didn't want to have too many OC's, seeing how the protagonist was an OC already. It would seem too Mary-Sueish, and that's the LAST thing I want Maleah to be. Ananda is supposed to be the Mary-Sue of this story. Anyway, like I was saying, this is the beginning of Ginny's redemption and we're all going to finnny find out why she was so cruel to Maleah. Stick around! Thank you all for reviewing! Also, I'm working on the next chapter to Those Darn Potters, it's Harry/Parvati centered as many have asked me to do, and I also wanted to let you know that this story is going to be over by the time I go back to school in the fall. I refuse to leave my house on the first day of school if this story isn't completed so I thought I'd let you all know that!