This is it, fellas. The last chapter. Thanks for hanging in there, thanks for reviewing, and thanks for reading! If by some miraculous reason I've made it to your favorites, I'm honored.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
And before we begin, a quick shout out. A Letters To Sirius is coming out soon, so stay tuned! :D
Dear Journal,
This summer I had to make a very difficult decision. Whether I should go back to Hogwarts without Harry, or start my wizard career with him. This was especially hard for me because I was still unsure of how and where I stood with Harry. Does he still like me as more than a friend? Actually, that's something I'm still trying to piece together.
Hermione's convinced me that whatever will happen between us was meant to happen in the first place, and that one year of extra magical education will help me in the long run. Professor McGonagall has granted Hermione a two week vacation in addition to the summer for her to decide if she wants to repeat seventh year. If she doesn't take her own advice just so she can be with Ron, she's going to be a lousy hypocrite in my book for the rest of eternity.
Speaking of Hermione and Ron, they're so grabby! I didn't ever think that Ron would be so horny. It was a good thing he wasn't like this with Lavender; otherwise I think we would have all been in trouble. Hermione has quite a temper.
So after all I decided to take the train to Hogwarts. Among my friends are Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Luna Lovegood, Hannah Abbot and others. It's sort of bad because I was a bit preoccupied with fighting that I didn't ask who'd I be going to school this year with. And the summer has been so hectic that I hadn't bothered to ask. I suppose another part was I didn't want to make any parents sad if well, you know.
No one bothered to walk me to the train this year, since I'm the only Weasley to be going back. I'm sitting now at the platform, about a half an hour early. Harry, Hermione and Ron promised that they would drop by to see me off. Let's hope.
Ginny.
Dear Journal,
Hogwarts is so different. It was obvious from last year that it would need lots of work, one side of the castle looked like it was about to fall at any moment. New stones and statues are put in and it's just… different. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Sometimes I didn't like Hogwarts because it was so dirty and old but now that's so new and clean it doesn't seem like the place I grew to love. No wonder Harry didn't want to come back.
Harry. Speaking of which he promised to come and 'take me out' the next Hogsmeade trip. I'm not entirely sure what that means but an entire summer of silence has been killing me. We're going to need to talk this out, the aching pain inside of my chest is almost too much to bear. I didn't think I'd hurt this much back when I was young. I just thought Harry would somehow be easy, that once we were together we'd stay together. But Harry can just be so complicated sometimes, I don't know what he wants. He always used to tease me that I was the simplest girl he knew, I always showed what I wanted. I'm pretty sure he knows I want to get back together, but he's just too thick headed!
The first Hosmeade weekend is coming up soon, and I'm not sure if I'm excited or dreading it. It would be nice to go to Zongo's and such again. Students are so anxious for joke supplies but Ron and George haven't opened up the store in Diagon Alley yet. Dear Merlin, I hope Harry doesn't take me to that floofy tea shop. I would simply die from embarrassment.
I remember one time we went there just to laugh at all the couples and the begrudging boys wishing they were anywhere else.
I could have sworn he enjoyed me, now I can't understand if it was real or not.
Ginny.
Journal,
Before I get to the 'good' stuff, I think I'd better start with my teachers. It just occurred to me that in my previous entries I hadn't mentioned anything about Hogwarts now. My professors are acting really strange, it seems that without the presence of a hooked nosed professor, Hogwarts really isn't the same. Our new Defense teacher is a woman, and she's an old friend of McGonagall's. She's from India and many of the students can't understand a word she says. It's rather funny as they murmur amongst themselves.
Professor Sprout is retiring next year, and she's hinted more than a few times to Neville that she would be more than happy to submit an anonymous request to Headmaster McGonagall. It seems that Neville has his future all set after Hogwarts. As for me, I have no idea. I've been starting up Quidditch again and some talent scouts have been arriving more and more. I'm not sure if I want them to write my name down, if that's the path I want to go down. But every time I fly I never want to come down.
It's just about the same feeling I get whenever I'm with Harry. Thank Gryffindor that he didn't take me to that god- awful tea shop. He took me out on a picnic, actually. He'd set up the whole thing with the house elves days before, and a nice little blanket was spread out and waiting when I walked over to our meeting place. It was on the corner of Hogsmeade, where no one would find us, in a small park that tourists use to walk their animals.
As it turns out, over the course of September he decided to take the Ministry of Magic up on their offer for him to be an Auror. Now he's working in the office and earning five hundred thousand galleons a year. He'll be moving from my parent's home to a new place in London soon, much to his chagrin. He wants to live in a quiet place, and I can't say I don't blame him. If I were him I'd want to be as far away from people as I can.
He also gave me this ring that he got from a raid in Poland. It's supposed to be a model of Gryffindor's real ring. No one ever found it, but some lunatic similar to Mr. Lovegood makes copies. It's real gold and ruby, and very rare, so Harry got me one. He asked me if I'd take him back.
I'm ashamed to say that I didn't immediately answer him. I wanted to know if he'd dump me again at the slightest notice. He had the grace to look bashful and answered the best he could.
"If no other dark wizards come back from the dead to haunt me for the rest of my unnatural life, I promise that I'll try my best to make you happy for the rest of your unnatural life."
That's all I was looking for, to be honest.
So now Harry and I are back together, and he's trying to take days off when I have Hogsmeade trips. We're going to try the best we can, but we both agree with Hermione that school is more important.
Speaking of Hermione, she came back to school in early October. She needed that break, and now that Ron has the shop all set up, he's got no free time and to prevent herself from eternal boredom, she's decided to return. I'm happy she's back, one can talk to Luna so much before some internal organs begin to hurt.
For the future,
Ginny.
Journal,
One of the Chasers from the all girls Quidditch team, the Holyhead Harpies approached me after we won a match against Ravenclaw. She says I have a very unique talent and that one of the chasers on their team is injured and unlikely to come back the next season. If I want to try out I should seek an audition this summer. I think I will take her up on it, since nothing else has really jumped out at me.
Harry, via letter, has been trying to convince me to go for it if it's really what I want to do. We've been getting into some pretty serious topics lately, and Harry told me that he knows I would never be the type to look after the kids while he's at work.
This made me think. Do I want children with Harry? Do I want a life with Harry? It's what I've wanted since even before first year, and all I could think of was yes. It was a clear yes that resonated from the deep recesses of my brain and worked its way out wards. Right when I get out of Hogwarts, Harry and I are going to be serious about this. I've let him know time after time that if he isn't in this for the real thing, he can just pack up and leave. Hurt as it may, I don't want to be the fool again.
I refuse to be the fool again.
Speaking of fools, since there is no more Voldemort the DA is officially over. It's really quite sad, but we still use the coins for study meetings, social meetings or just a chance to break rules for old times' sake.
Long life freedom,
Ginny.
Journal,
What a long a strange year it's been. Now that we've all finished our primary education, where will we go from here? Will we meet old friends on the streets of London and stop for a chat? What is to become of us all? Most of my classmates have jobs refurbishing the Ministry already locked into place, but I don't feel like behind a desk is where I belong. Even going out into the world destroying dark wizards has lost its appetite. Like it had one in the first place. But I am going to take the Holyhead Harpies chaser up on her offer, I will audition.
And Harry will be right there, cheering on in the stands with the rest of my family.
I'm just so excited to get home, to see my mum, dad and brothers. However, I'm most excited to see Harry and to tell him the one thing I've never told any boy before.
When I get off this train for the last time, I'm going to tell Harry I love him for the first time.
He's going to take me out for lunch at Diagon Alley, Ice cream and just walking. Then I'm going to sit him down in a little alcove and tell him. I think our year apart was good for us, and will continue to make our relationship grow. I am ever so glad I went back to Hogwarts.
Much love,
Ginny.
The scream of Tom Riddle was one of a hollow anguish that did nothing to hide the depths of his sorrow. He had already expressed his regret, but his soul now seared with what might have been. If he had not chosen the path that he had, he might have had someone. Someone to look forward to, to want to see him off the train and into their arms.
Someone to eat ice cream with.
A dark shadow appeared on the gray side of his prison. Tom Riddle's eyes were forever to be red, a searing, blinding red. Those red eyes looked up at his visitor, and with astonishment he was surprised to see Albus Dumbledore.
"You were right," he choked.
This Albus could not speak to him, for it was law. They were on two different sides of the paranormal kingdom, and Riddle was forever to be on the dark side. Instead, the old professor solemnly nodded and pointed a wizened hand to the iron door that just appeared in the corner of his solitude.
"It's time for me, isn't it?" He felt like the young Tom, pressured and alone. Even though his worst enemy was here with him, he felt no anger, just embarrassment. And gratitude.
And through it all, he was happy that Albus Dumbledore showed him the love he needed before entering through the door and into his chosen destiny.