"Ginny," called Mrs. Weasley from downstairs. "Hurry up, lovely! Everyone is ready to go!"
Ginny stood in the door way, looking back on the freshly made beds that Hermione and Ginny had slet in, the sun setting lighting the room on fire. She wasn't looking forward to returning to Hogwarts, to throw herself back into the fray. She had enjoyed this week so much, Harry was finally able to be her normal boyfriend, and not the leader of the revolution. Hermione and Ron had stopped fighting all the time and even though Ron really hated Draco he had not hexed him since the duel.
"Ginny, come on already!" Ron shouted impatiently.
"Yeah, yeah yeah," she muttered as she turned and left the room. She slipped on her hogwarts cloack over her Gryffindor uniform.
Ginny ran down the stair case and hopped down onto the foyer. Moody glared at her for a moment before thudding towards the door. Ginny gave her mom a quick squeeze and walked off after the burly man, Rory and Jess infront of her, Ron and Hermione behind her and suddenly she felt Harry come up behind her and give her a tight squeeze.
"Hey Gin," he said as they walked out into the red sunset. "Beautiful night, eh?"
"Yeah, its wonderful," Ginny replied, looking up at Harry.
"If you'd hurry up we'll make it in time for dinner," Moody growled.
"Accio trunk," Rory called and with a flick of her wand her Hogwarts school trunk fell with a hard clonk onto the pavement. She smiled proudly over to Jess who gave her a quick one armed hug before Moody cleared his trhoat loudly, they sprang apart.
"Potter, you take Gilmore with you, she's not up to apparating." Moody said and Harry gave Ginny a quick peck on the cheek before walking to his sister's side. Then Moody took Jess' arm roughly. "You're coming with me, boy." and Ginny could swear Jess gulped.
"On the count of three," Moody barked. Ginny's Mom and Dad were standing in number 12's doorway, waving goodbye, Sirius and Lupin waved goodbye as well, standing a few steps down. "One. Two."
"Send letters," Sirius yelled happily.
"Three!" Moody yelled. Ginny lifted her wand in the air and she was no longer looking at her parents' loving smiles and she was truning around a million times a second, the air sucking out of her lungs. And before she knew it, Ginny had popped up into her old common room that was empty, but it was now five minutes after dinner had started so it was understandable.
"Wow," Rory muttered turning in circles to take in her surroundings, Draco doing the same.
"You have a much better common room, ours is all stone and underwater," Draco said.
"We know," Ron and Harry said at the same time.
Draco's face fell in suprise but before he could say anymore Moody interupted.
"Off you all go," he instructed loudly, hussling the six kids from the red room. "Dinner is already on. Except you Mariano, you're coming with me."
"I'll catch you later, Rory,' said Jess, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before Moody began to heard them out.
"But what about my trunk!" Rory called over her shoulder.
"I'll deal with it, Gilmore, now off you go! And never forget, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody barked. They were all crammed onto the steps leading down to the great hall, staring at the closed portrait of the fat lady.
"Harry," called an airy voice from the left. Ginny truned around and saw Luna Lovegood skipping down the steps to where they were all standing. "You're back!"
She wrapped her pale arms around Harry neck and smiled. She hugged Ron, Hermione and Ginny muttering "I missed you!" until she came to Draco Malfoy. She stared at him with her light blue eyes wide.
"What are you doing here?" asked Luna though there was no distain in her voice, Ginny wondered if Luna was able to have an unpleasant tone.
"Nothing that concerns you, Lovegood," he snapped, striding down the steps, his cloack flowling behind him.
"Somethings different about him," Luna muttered then she turned her siling face back towards Rory. "I'm Luna Lovegood, what's your name?"
"I'm Rory Gilmore," Rory answered, she held out her hand for Luna to shake but Luna just stared at it in fright.
"I can't shake your hand!" She whispered, leaning in to Rory. "It's full of Nargles!"
"Oh," Rory muttered uncertainly, lowering her hand.
"What are you doing at Hogwarts, I haven't seen you before!" Luna asked.
"I transfered here from Mercen, an American Magical School," Rory answered quickly, Ginny smiled approvingly, Rory was quick on her feet.
"Fascinating!" Luna exclaimed, her arm was locked around Rory. "Let's walk to dinner together!"
Rory glanced a frightful gaze back at everyone before she was dragged off by Luna. Then the remaining four of them walked slwoly towards dinner. Ron and Hermione walked a little ahead of Harry and Ginny, their arms wrapped around each others waist.
"Do you think Malfoy will change?" Ginny asked Harry after a few moments of silence.
"Maybe, according to Luna he already has," Harry replied with a smile.
"According to Luna Rroy's hands are infested with nargles," Ginny replied.
"I think he will," said Harry. "Malfoy's got some good in him, he just needs someone to pull it out."
"Hmm, good luck to them," Ginny muttered, Harry tugged her closer towards her.
"You brought the good out of me," Harry whispered, Ginny just laughed as they walked up to the double doors that led to the great hall. Rory suddenly emerged from the shadows, Ron yelped in fear.
"Sorry, but since Luna is in Ravenclaw she couldn't sit with me," Rory began to explain, wringing her hands. "So I figured I'd just wait for you guys then i heard footsteps and painced and hid behind this statue. It was this really old lady in a green dress."
"Oh, Professor McGonagall," Hermione explained as she walked towards the great hall doors. "She teaches transfiguartion."
She pushed the dooor open and all five of them slipped through the door into the noisey hall. Ginny felt automatically at home as all the Gryffindors smiled, all looking extremely relieved. The slytherins all scowled at them, but that was normal. Only Draco didn't look up, busy shoving his face with food. Luna sat at the Ravenclaw table, easily explaining about Rory who walked timindly infront of Harry.
"Harry!" Neville Longbottom cheered, when they finally sat down. "See, I told you, Parvati! Soem people thought you all skipped out on the army!"
"We would never do that," Hermione said, she looked infuriated at the suggestion.
"That's what I said!" Neville cried back.
"Why did you go then?" Seamus from beside Neville.
"We'll explain it later, tonight at the DA meeting." Harry replied cooly
Every set of eyes in the hall were turned to Rory who gawked at the table of food, happily shoving turkey breast and piles of carrots onto her plate with a beaming smile, Ron doing the exact same thing.
"Oh, I can't wait to start lessons again!" Hermione trilled.
"I can, but having Moody back will be a blast," Ron said through mouth fulls of food. "Goodbye to Snape!"
"I'll drink to that,' Harry laughed as he picked up his goblet and began to chug pumpkin juice.
"Well, don't be suprised if you're potions mark begins to drop again," Ginny mumbled.
"Oh he can't do anything about it! Dumbledore will get me in, despite what ever Snivellus thinks," said Harry.
"Which one is Snape?" Rory asked, looking up at the staff table.
"The pale guy with a hooked nose and greasy balck hair," Rlaughed Ron. "In short the one who looks really pissed off!"
"You think Dumbledore's told him yet?" Hermione asked, a note of sympathy in her voice.
"Yeah," laughed Harry and Ron at the same time.
"What the hell is Luney Lovegood doing?" Dean Thomas asked.
"Don't call her that," Rory defended, it was the first time anyone else had heard her speak. They stared at her for a few short moments before looking back at Luna.
She wasn't at her usual place, sitting at Ravenclaw's table, but standing at the Slytherin's table talking to a bewildered Draco Malfoy. He stared up at her with a pale face and round eyes, nodding everyonce and a while.
"Luna talked a lot about Draco," Rory whispered from Harry's right. "I think she knows!"
"Trust Luna to figure it out," Hermione replied. Luna smiled brightly and skipped away, giving Draco a big wave as she did, he gave her a weak wave back, avoiding Pansy who glared at them both. Happily, as if she hadn't done anything wrong, Luna skipped back to where Ginny and the other's sat.
"Draco is coming tonight," she said breezily.
"To the meeting," Hermione asked, almost shrieking.
"Yeah, he's good, all his Dernules have left!" replied Luna easily. She then skipped back to her table.
"Oh great," muttered Ron.
"I think Luna was right in inviting him," Rory admitted. "Remeber how great he was in the forest!"
"Rory does have a point," Harry shrugged. "And Luna is sometimes dead on right."
"And others she's completely loopy!" debated Ron.
"We'll give him today to redeem himself, one false move, and he's out," said Hermione.
The food surrounding them faded away and Rory looked around with a frown. Dumbledore stood from his seat at the middle of the staff table and waited for the hall to die down, which didn't take long.
"Hello, I know you are all looking forward to going back to your common rooms to finish all that extra homeowrk but I do have some announcements to make!" He said loudly. "One, I'd like to welcome back Harry Potter and friends from an extended holiday!" everyone glanced at them before looking back at Dumbledore. "And amung the new arrivals is Professor Alastar Moody here to take Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. Everyone join me in a welcoming applause!"
Almost everyone sprang to their feet and applauded the fall of Snape, even a few Slytherins had joined in at the standing ovation. Moody sat at the end of the table, giving the cheer a short nod. Jess sat at his left, smiling as if the applause had been for him. His magical eye swirling around the room resting on the few students who had spent the last week in Grimmauld Place.
"Ok, goodnight, and sweet dreams," Dubledore said with a smile.
The crowded tables began to thin out as everyone stumbled off to their beds. Ginny yawned laoudly, looking around the room. Her blue eyes fell onto Draco as he rushed over and put a hand firmly onto Harry's shoulder.
"We need to talk, now!" he hissed. Harry looked around at the others and gave them a shrug.
"Uh, ok," Harry stumbled, he looked over to Ginny. "Can you show Rory around Gryffindor, this may take awile."
"Yeah, of course," Ginny nodded.
"Do you want one of us to come with you," Ron asked Harry, he glanced back at Draco who glared back impatiently.
"No, no," said Harry, satnding from his seat. "I'll see you at the meeting."
"Ok, bye Harry," Rory called after him as the two walked out of the hall.
"Come on, we should get to the common room to get ready for the meeting," Hermione said and the four of them stood up.
"This place is so vast, so beautiful," said Rory as they waited for one of the staircases to switch back to the right direction.
"Yeah, I love it here," replied Hermione.
"So the staircases change?" Rory asked as they continued to walk up. "Do they change for any particular reason or just a change of scenery?"
"I don't really know," Ginny admitted. "I never thought to ask."
Finally they reached the fat lady's portrait, she sat snoring lightly, her large chest moving up and down with her breaths.
"Hey Hermione," Ron said grabbing her hand. "I want to talk to you for a second." The two of them smiled and Hermione turned to Ginny pink cheeked and flustered.
"You guys go ahead, we'll catch up." she said.
Ginny and Rory just rolled their eyes and turned to the fat lady. "Ashwood." Ginny said loudly. The fat lady hiccupped awake and the portrait swung open to reveal the warm red Gryffindor common room.
"See you in Rory's dorm," Ginny called over her shoulder as both girls left Hermione and Ron alone.
Rory walked through the crowded common room much faster then Ginny did, avoiding everyone's eyes as they satred shamefully at her. She was waiting for Ginny at the base of the stairs as Ginny stopped to talk to Pavarti.
"Is it true that Luna invited Malfoy to the DA?" she asked, everyone in the common room had fallen silent to eaves drop. "And that he said yes?"
"Yes," she answered, gasps and whispers erupted trhough the room. Suddenly they all began talking to her, shouting their questions at her in high anxious tones, someone even tried to shake some sence into her! Ginny held up her hand and the room fell silent once more. "Harry is dealing with it, but I wouldn't be suprised if Draco becomes a perminant fixture in the DA." She began to walk to the stairs where Rory stood, looking over at the gobsmacked crowd. "Come on, Rory."
"And who are you?" Parvati called at Rory. She turned around, her long hair spinning out as she did. Her bright blue eyes surveyed the crowd that had fallen silent once more. Ginny wondered if they could see Harry in her facial features, in the cold stern impowering gaze she held them in... Ginny could see Harry there, but could others?
"I'm Rory Gilmore, and I'll see you all tonight at the DA meeting," she said and then glided up the stairs, not glancing back, like Ginny did, to look at the stunned crowd who had more questions then ever now.
They walked into her dorm room, Rory's bed had been wedged between Hermione's bed and Lavender's bed. Ginny expected that Hermione preferred Rory next to her then Lavender, she had despised Lavender since Ron had liked her.
"God, are all those people in the DA?" Rroy asked, falling down onto her bed, looking up at the ceiling anxiously.
"Most of them, yeah," Ginny replied.
"Will I have to explain I'm Harry's siter to them?" asked Rory, sitting up.
"I guess it's up to you and Harry," said Ginny. "I can't help you make that decision."
"I wish someone else could make all these hard decisions," Rory muttered, taking her wand out of her pocket. "So I can just concentrate hard on trying to help Harry bring down Voldemort."
Ginny sat in silence, staring at Rory with the same worried expression. Rory muttered some words and began to move her wand around, leaving a long line of purple light where it had been. Rory left hearts floating in mid air, then made swirls float around Ginny's head.
"That's so cool,' said Ginny, thankful for the less serious topic. "How'd you learn to do that?"
"Dad taught me how," she said proudly. Now making stars and throwing them up to the ceiling where they glowed. "Harry can't do it!" Ginny let out a small laugh.
"Hey, its Hermione, I'm coming in," they heard Hermione call from the other side of the door.
"Here, watch this," Rory whsipered, waving her wand to make a small goatie, a mustache and large glasses. She tossed them towards teh door as it opened. Hermione walked in and closed the door. She turned around and the glasses went over her eyes and the mustache and goatie fell into the appropriate paces as well. Rory and Ginny cracked up as Hermione crossed her arms and glared at them.
"Oh yes, you two, very mature," she said, waving her hand infornt of her face and the glowing shapes floated away from her.
"What's Ron up to?" Ginny asked once she stopped laughing. Hermione sat down next to Ginny on her bed.
"He's talking to Seamus," Hermione replied. "They're all a mess down there! Harry showing up, Moddy coming back, Rory showing up, Draco in the DA!"
"So Draco's officially in?" Rory asked, looking up at Hermione from a few large hearts around her.
"I don't know exactly, but I saw them walking and they were both laughing," said Hermione with a shrug. "I guess that's a good thing. For once I wish everyone was acting like Luna," she added.
"Why?" Ginny and Rory asked.
"Excepting Draco so easily, forgetting all the horrid things he's done," replied Hermione with a shrug.
"Yeah, I agree," Ginny muttered as she watched Rory draw a smiley face.
"The DA is starting in 15 minutes," Hermione said, checking the grandfather clock in the corner. "Maybe we should get there before the rush starts, Harry and Draco were making their way there."
"Sounds like a plan," Rory said and she stood up.
Ginny took the lead as they walked out of the dorm and down the spiral staircase into the crowded common room. They snuck by suprisingly unnoticed, because Ron was busy wowing the crowd by beating someone at wizards chess.
They began to walk up form their floor to the seventh floor. Looking around to make sure Filch or any Slytherin were around to catch them slipping into the Room of Requirement. Suddenly hands slipped around Ginny's waist and she screamed out in fright, twisting around she saw Ron's childish grin spread across his face.
"Merlin Ron! What is your problem!" she yelled, trying to calm her heart from thumping hard against her ribs. Ron laughed hard as he fell into step with the three girl as they continued to wind up the stairs.
"You know how hard it was to get out of there?" asked Ron. "I had to use those bomb things to get out undetected."
"Harry does have a hard lesson ahead of him," Hermioen agreed. Ginny turned around and caught Rory looking pale and terrified as they continued to climb higher and higher up Hogwarts.
They finally ended up at the seventh floor and was staring at the empty wall.
"This may seem like a stupid question," Rory began looking around and seeing no door. "But where is the room?"
Ginny closed her eyes and thought. 'We need a room to practice defence agaisnt defence against the dark arts and defeat Vodlemort.' and she heard the creaking and clashing of stone as the door suddenly moved out from the grey wall.
"Oh, there it is," Rory muttered as Ginny pushed against the door and held it open for everyone else to go in.
"We thought you'd be here," she heard Hermione say as Ginny closed the door behind her. Ginny turned around and saw Harry satnding near the door and Draco walking up to the wooden replicas of deatheaters.
"Yeah," said Harry. Ginny walked up next to him and he looked over at her. "Hey," he greeted with a smile.
"Hi," replied Ginny. Harry threw his arm round her shoulder and pulled her in, giving her a quick kiss on the top of her head.
"So Draco," he said to Draco who was turning around taking in the room. Draco stopped and looked up at Harry. "You in?"
He looked over at Ginny and then up at Hermione, Ron and Rory who stood behind them. Ginny looked behind her and saw Hermione leaning against Ron who had his hands in his pockets and Rory who had her arms crossed over her chest, looking around the room with the same shocked expression. Ginny wondered what Draco was thinking, was he wishing he too had close friends and family like they did? Or was he planning a stunning spell so he could run off and tell Snape?
"I'm in," he said finally and Ginny smiled broadly.
"Good man," Harry said with a nod. He turned to Rory and smiled. "You both have to write your names on the list that's glued up on the mirror over there."
Ginny stepped away from Harry and showed them the list. She watched as Draco happily scripted his name onto the long list. He stepped away and smiled widely at Ginny who smiled back. Rory was next and she wrote her name in simple cursive, she looked up and Ginny gave her an encouraging nod.
Rory turned around and faced Harry who was giving Draco a firm hand shake. "Are we telling people we're twins?" she asked him. Harry stared at her fore a few moments, thinking hard, and Rory stared back, rooted to the spot, with the smae expression on her face.
"No, we don't,' Harry said finally. "We'll tell them when it's nessecary, but right now you're just the new girl from America."
"Ok," Rory said with a smile. As she drifted to one of the bookshelves and read the titles.
Ginny sat down on one of the cusions that were still spread across the floor. Ron and Hermione doing the same. Harry began to pace at the front of the room, beginning to talk to himself. Draco stood next to Rory, he cleared his throat.
"Can I help you with something, Draco," she asked polietly pulling down a copy of Advanced Defencive Spells and sitting down one row behind Ginny on her left.
"Yeah, so did Luna mention why she invited me?" Draco asked, trying his best to sound like he didn't care if she did or not.
"She said she could sence you were good now, apparently all your 'Dernules' have left," Rory explained with a shrug.
"Oh, so it's only because she knows I support the rebellion now," Draco said, sounding disappointed.
"I don't know, it could be another reason," Rory said coyly.
"Why what did she say?" Draco asked but Rory didn't reply. "Come on, Rory! Tell me, what else did she say?"
But whether Rory planned to tell him or not, she didn't have a chance becaause the door opened and the Hufflepuffs filed in and sat down on the cusions, when each one saw Draco they looked slightly pale as they sat as far away from him as possible. Followed by the Gryffidnor's who galared at him but sat down anyway, all giving him evil looks. A few slytherin's slithered into the room and spotted Draco, stopped dead and wondered if he was there to tell their parents if they had betrayed the dark lord. But Draco payed them no mind and the sat down uncertainly into their seats. Luna headed the group of Ravenclaws into the room, who gave Draco the same uncertain gaze and sat down, But Luna Confidently skipped over and plonked down inbetween a frightened looking Hufflepuff and Draco.
"Hello Draco," she cooed. "Glad you came!"
"Uh yeah," stuttered Draco, his eyes on her bright Yellow daisy earrings. "This is a great room!"
"Isn't it" she said dreamily, looking up at Harry. "Hello Harry!" she called out and waved at him.
"Hello Luna,' Harry replied sheepishly.
"Ok, hello everyone," Harry said quietly. "Let's start today by answering a few of your questions." Harry said and almost everyone's hand shot up. "Uh, yes Neville."
"Where'd you go?" Neville called out form some where in the crowd, a few hands left the air as a few people muttered.
"Um, ok everyone, be quiet." said Harry and they all obeyed. "I went to visit my father, he said that The Order had a lead on Snape being a deatheater, enough to get him out of the DADA teaching position."
"So, is that why Mad Eye is back?" called out Dean Thomas.
"Yes, he thought it was better he took the position." Harry replied. "And I've got to say I'm pleased, Professor Moody was one of the best teachers this school has seen."
"Why is Malfoy here?" Cho Chen called out. Everyone around Draco turned to look at him except for Luna.
"Because I invited him," Luna said.
"So, you've done stupid things before," shouted a Hufflepuff, but she just smiled.
"He's just going to tell Snape about us!" said a Ravenclaw.
"He won't! Draco's on our side now,' Hermione said.
"You can't ever trust a Slytherin, they lie!" Seamus spat.
"Hey, I resent that," said one of the Slytherins.
"Of course you do," Seamus yelled back.
"Hey," Draco shouted standing up. Everyone fell silent and looked up at his towering figure, his face staring at all of them. "I'm good now! I am swear, put any snitch curse you want on me because I, Draco Malfoy, am a good man!" Everyone looked around, Luna shot up in her seat and beamed at them all.
"I told you so!" she said. "Now let's all let Harry get on with the lesson."
Both Draco and Luna sat back down in their seats, Draco smiled over at Luna. "Thanks, Lovegood."
"No problem, but Draco," she said. "My name is Luna."
"Right,' he said and then with a smile he added. "Luna."
Ginny turned and saw Rory smiling secretly, she looked up and their eyes linked and Rory winked at Ginny. They both errupted into girlsih giggles as they looked back up at Harry who looked on at the crowd with a look of anguish across his face.
"Ok," he muttered uncertainly. "Glad we cleared all that up..."
That night Ginny went to sleep with dreams of Draco and Luna, of Rory screaming in delight at the fact she levitated Cho Chen in the air, accentdently dropping her shortly after and of Harry smiling proudly at the army he had formed.
(A/N) In the next chapter Voldemort strategies on how to lure the girl out...