Chapter 4
"No Mr Bletchley. As I said it's more of a circular motion!"
The charms classroom was filled to the brim with both Ravenclaw and Slytherin sixth years waving their wands about, shooting out multiple colourful sparks. The charms professor was running madly from student to student, frantically repairing the damage caused by some of the students more powerful attempts at nonverbal spells.
Ginny turned to Evelyn amusedly arching one brow, wand in hand.
"Yes, it is always like this." She said in return, an impish grin on her face.
The redheaded witch laughed freely before attempting the charm herself.
It had been approximately three days since she had made her apparent journey back in time and Ginny had managed the best she could. Thankfully it had been quite a mad few days with all of the classes and workload required for her NEWT levels. It gave her less time to think of just exactly where she was, though she did have her moments.
Just on their way here to Charms she'd walked past the corridor where the twins had set off their portable swamp. She still wasn't sure Evelyn had believed her when she'd said there was something in her eye.
Evelyn had been a welcoming surprise for Ginny these past few days. You'd think it frustrating having someone telling you things you already knew about a castle you'd lived in for five years of your life, but if anything it made Ginny feel supported. Thinking back to her first years at Hogwarts she didn't have this kind of help, and strictly speaking if she had it would have been a very different first year.
The only issue was Evelyn's curiosity of Ginny's 'past'. "What textbooks did you use?" "Were the subjects taught differently?" "Do you think you got a balanced education?" "Would you say Hogwarts provides a good variety or is too biased on certain matters?" These questions had become a daily occurrence during meals in the Great Hall.
'Damn inquisitive Ravenclaws.' Ginny had thought that morning during the latest barrage of questions. Strangely enough most of the other students had kept their distance. She was definitely an oddity in the halls. She could always see people subtly watching her yet no one ever approached. She'd asked Evelyn in the common room her second night what it was all about and why only she was talking to her.
Evelyn had blushed before replying. "Well I think Ravenclaws keep to themselves more than most. People are curious but I suppose they are just trying to figure you out from a distance first." She gave Ginny a reassuring smile before continuing. "Don't take it personally. Everyone's quite cautious these days with Grindelwald out and about and what happened here a couple of years ago."
Ginny had attempted to push the subject, though not really knowing herself if she had wanted the information, but Evelyn had made a flimsy excuse that she was busy with an essay and would talk about it later. Obviously not a story she wanted to share. That night Ginny shook it off though. What could be worse than everything happening in her time?
With a flick of her wand Ginny had been able to produce some crimson sparks with no incantation. Grinning she looked over to Evelyn only to see her wand producing multiple coloured sparks. Just another thing Ginny was getting used to being in the house of blue and bronze.
It seemed that they would be left to their own devices for quite a while as their professor was currently scolding a stout-looking Slytherin boy for practicing a little too closely to a fellow student. Poor girl was now sporting a rather short hairstyle.
"So," Ginny muttered from the corner of her mouth. "Are you going to tell me what happened here to make everyone act like I'm some kind of pariah?" Ginny was never one to mince her words.
The prefect placed her wand down on the table. "Here I was thinking you'd forgotten about that." She whispered. "It's not important, really."
"Come on Evelyn, I want to know."
She let out a long sigh before lowering her head closer to Ginny, so as not to be overheard. "A student was killed here."
Ginny's eyes bugged out of their sockets. A death at Hogwarts? That was insane. She was about to question Evelyn further when it clicked and she felt incredibly stupid. The Chamber of Secrets had been opened.
Evelyn noticed Ginny's adverse reaction and was quick to reassure her that there was no longer a threat and it was silly of her to worry but Ginny found it hard to listen. It was still difficult for her to think about that time of her life and she'd done a good enough job keeping it behind her since it had happened. Here in the 1940s though it seemed she could not escape it.
Since that first night she arrived there had been no more surprise encounters with the soon-to-be Voldemort. Though she did not see him, it could not be said she did not think of him. His presence at the school could be felt and heard each day she walked through the castle. Each time there was even a mutter regarding the head boy Ginny tensed up, chalking it up to nerves when Evelyn noticed.
She'd apparently also made a habit of tuning out each time she thought about it. Giving a slight shake of her head she turned back to focus on Evelyn.
"It was one of the reasons he became Head boy too I think. Of course he would have gotten it anyway. He's incredibly clever and charming. Shame he wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw. You should have seen the magic he performed last year in the Great Hall Ginny-"
Ginny held back the groan. It was just impossible to escape him. From the few times Evelyn had spoken about him Ginny had gathered he was rather well regarded here at Hogwarts, something she was aware of but never knew it was to this extent. It drove her batty that even Evelyn had been hoodwinked by him.
"The way you're carrying on you'd think he's the next Merlin or something." She muttered darkly.
Evelyn snapped her mouth closed and looked down embarrassingly. "I-I just can appreciate his talent is all."
"Sorry, didn't mean anything by it." Ginny felt fidgety after apologising. Knowing something and desperately wanting to tell someone but not was not something she was well accustomed to. It didn't help that she genuinely liked the girl sitting beside her. She couldn't fight down that compelling need to warn her.
A loud bang from the front of the class caught the attention of both witches. The same wizard who had singed off half of the poor girl's hair had now somehow managed to fire sparks right into the chalk board creating a rather large hole. The poor professor was beside herself while the boy guffawed with his fellow Slytherins.
Ginny was scowling but had successfully found another angle. "Riddle is a Slytherin isn't he?"
"Believe me, he's nothing like that lot."
"But still. A Slytherin is a Slytherin and I've heard plenty about them."
"Don't be so tunnel visioned Ginny." Evelyn scoffed before picking up her wand and continuing to practice.
She could tell that the prefect was not enjoying this subject but Ginny couldn't let it go. How could they all like him so much?
"He just seems a bit odd to me."
Evelyn laughed. "And you got that out of meeting him once?"
Ginny flushed before continuing. "Just got a feeling I suppose."
"Well you shouldn't base your opinion on something like that." She said matter-of-factly. "Merlin, he already deals with enough from his own house!"
"What do you mean by that?"
Evelyn hesitantly glanced to the left where a pair of Slytherin students were sitting, but they looked too enraptured in their own conversation to bother listening in.
"I don't know much about it at all to be honest. It's just quite obvious he doesn't hang around with them a lot. Once I saw…" She trailed off. "He's just different from them and a few idiots like pointing it out."
"What did you-"
"Eyes forward everyone, maybe we should read up on the theory a bit more as some of you aren't grasping it." The professor had now repaired her splintered chalk board and was tapping the board with her wand. To her credit she only looked slightly frazzled now.
Evelyn looked pleased to be out of the situation as she sat up slightly straighter in her chair and whipped out a few quills for note taking.
Throughout class Ginny attempted to take notes but had trouble concentrating. She still had not spoken to Dumbledore since that first night and desperately wanted to.
Speaking to Evelyn had reminded her of all the things that were about to come for the wizarding world and here she was, right at the beginning. If this had ever happened to someone before, how could they bear it? Knowing everything and doing nothing to better it.
Ginny spent the rest of the class pondering the limitations of time travel.
-V-
After class the two girls found themselves at the library sitting in a small alcove near a window, books spread out over the table they were sharing. Ginny wasn't particularly inclined to be there but Evelyn had proven herself to be quite the attentive student and it wasn't like Ginny had any other place to be.
"You're not taking Divination are you?"
"Merlin no. What a load of hogwash!"
Evelyn groaned, "I know, my parents are making me take it. Have a read of this" She passed the book she had been reading to Ginny shaking her head.
Ginny skimmed the first line, chuckling aloud. "Learn to open your mind by clearing it first! What does that even mean?"
"Don't think the author even knows to be quite honest." Evelyn took the book back and scoffed.
"I'll try and drop it next year."
Smirking Ginny took out a fresh sheet of parchment to begin writing down the dangers of running into inferi.
Their quiet however was interrupted when a few older students entered the library and began walking up the aisles. Obviously not understanding that the library was a place of peace and quiet, or simply not caring, they began regaling each other with stories of what they got up to during the holidays.
"-and then she was asked to leave! The nerve of that sorry excuse for a witch. I tell you my mother always said she was a quack of an author."
Evelyn and Ginny shared a look of annoyance, both hoping the group would not decide to enter their small alcove. Luckily they seemed to enter the next row.
"Oh look who it is Black!" The same obnoxious voice from before crowed. "Why it's our Head Boy Riddle!"
Evelyn glanced up at Ginny, her eyes slightly clouded with pity. 'This is what I was telling you about,' she mouthed, jerking her thumb behind them.
Ginny's brows knitted together in confusion as she strained to hear what was taking place in the other aisle.
"Now Riddle, that's such a common name isn't it?" The boy said this comment with mockery lacing every word. "You know, I don't think there's one Slytherin in this whole castle who isn't embarrassed by the disgrace you've brought upon our house."
Ginny looked towards Evelyn in complete shock. Did this idiot know who he was taunting? The other Ravenclaw just nodded sadly and turned back to her book, attempting to tune out the other conversation.
Ginny could hear slight shuffles and barely overheard another student mutter. "Come on Wes. Let's just go."
"No no! I think Riddle here needs to be reminded from time to time that he's not one of us." He replied in a booming voice. If everyone else in the library was not aware of this little confrontation they definitely did now. This idiot was just begging to be hexed, and by Tom Riddle no less!
"Dirty blood tainting our noble-"
"That'll be 10 points from Slytherin and a detention next weekend Mr Rosier." His fluid voice was not laced with anger Ginny noticed, yet it was incredibly commanding. Looking down she noticed goose bumps forming on the flesh of her arm.
"Oooh you got me now Riddle," He taunted, not knowing when to quit. Ginny realised none of the other members of the group had said a word.
The screeching of a chair being pushed against the floor startled both Evelyn and Ginny as the former promptly dropped her book in shock.
"15 points then and you would do well to remember just who it is you're speaking to." He did not raise his voice and yet the mere power behind his words could have made anyone speechless.
Evelyn forwent any act of reading and instead leaned closer to the book shelf separating them from the others. There was only silence at the other end and for a good minute too.
Footsteps began to shuffle away from the aisle and both girls scrambled to grab books and mask their eavesdropping. From the corner of her eye Ginny spied the group exiting the library in a slight rush.
Ginny wasn't sure what to make of what had happened. She once more tried to start her assignment but could not forget the fact that a mere few metres away a certain dark wizard was sat and her concentration was shot.
Thankfully it only took a few moments before the sound of someone packing up their supplies could be heard.
Glancing out from between the bookshelves Ginny watched as Riddle slung his bag over his shoulder as he left the library. It was only a flash but she had seen how his sharp jaw had been clenched in consternation, wand still in hand.
"I told you." Was all Evelyn said, her eyes not leaving the book in front of her.
It seemed that finishing her Defence against the Dark Arts homework was going to take longer than Ginny had originally thought.
-V-
"Oh shoot, I have to give my prefect reports to Jo!" Evelyn slapped her hand to her head after leaving their last class of the day. "I was supposed to give it to her an hour ago!"
She'd already began jogging ahead of Ginny. "I'll meet you in the common room!" She called over her shoulder.
Shrugging her shoulders Ginny continued walking towards the common room when suddenly she could hear the echoes of students further down the corridor. It didn't sound good.
Hurrying her step Ginny approached the noises as quietly as she could. Once closer to a passageway on the left the voices became clearer.
"I think we'll teach you a lesson on how to respect your superiors." A male voice sneered before a loud cry was heard.
Approaching Ginny could see a group of three tall Slytherins boxing in a little kid, one with a wand raised. Peering closer she could see the smaller student was a Gryffindor with tears in her eyes and small hands covering her now swelling face. It looked to be the work of a mild stinging jinx.
"You going to apologise for that one?"
The boy turned to face her revealing the squashed up features of a Slytherin who looked no younger than herself. It made her blood boil.
"Who do you think you are?" He smirked looking her up and down. "Do you even know what spell that was? I heard you were taught nothing before you got here."
"I was taught enough." She said darkly, glaring at him as he sauntered closer. "Picking on the younger students? Bit pathetic don't you think."
He visibly bristled, fingering his wand. "She needed to know her place and now she does. Maybe it's your turn to learn your place."
Before he could even raise his wand Ginny had hers whipped out and aimed straight at his nose. Reciting the incantation perfectly the boy was taken by complete surprise by her signature bat-bogey hex.
Ginny felt only a moment of satisfaction watching the green bats claw their way from his nostrils while he could only watch in horror before both Slughorn and Professor Trimble, the herbology teacher strode around the corner.
"Miss Fawcett, we never perform hexes on our fellow students. There are rules here that must be followed." Professor Trimble crossly said. "10 points from Ravenclaw house and I'll see you at 7:00pm tomorrow night for your detention. Greenhouse 3."
Fuming she looked over to the Slytherin who looked to be gloating to his group of friends already, bogey's flown away. The younger Gryffindor student must have already scuttled away as there was no sight of her.
Muttering to herself about the unfairness of it all, Ginny stomped her way to the dormitories, hoping Evelyn was there already as she had some complaining to do, but not before noticing Slughorn smiling her way.
Bloody Brilliant.
-V-
A/N: Hello my readers! Thanks for showing an interest in my little fic. It's my first foray into the Harry Potter fanfiction world so please show it some love.
I just can't believe how little an amount of Ginny/Tom fics there are out there! I mean there's such interesting history from Ginny's back story that can be played with there. That's what I'm hoping to achieve with this one.
Please leave a review with your thoughts on this chapter, I'd appreciate it. THANK YOU!