Chapter 16: Ginny understands
Jacob POV
After our DA meeting, I was practically starving. We all enjoyed a big feast in the Great Hall. Even the vampires enjoyed the food, as Edward had come across a spell that made the food taste like blood. It was generally a spell used as a prank, to make someone's juice taste like blood. But where vampires were concerned, it was very useful.
I had to leave early to work on the Quirtinkle potion with Ginny. We were quite a bit behind our classmates because of the hospitalisation thing.
We went down to the lake and restarted the potion. We decided it would be best protected if we hid it in the bushes. After that, we played some cards and chatted.
"Jacob," she said. Her face looked sad. "What is the real reason you and your family came to Hogwarts? Don't take me wrong, it's been fantastic and I don't ever want you to leave. It's just...well...I'm sure you didn't come here just to help us with our war. What's in it for you? Harry told me that there were two men who attacked us that night by the lake. Karkoroff was one of them. What about the other? Harry wouldn't tell me what's going on. He hardly tells me anything anymore." She sighed.
"Ginny, I don't know if I should," I said.
"Please, Jacob! Don't keep secrets from me. You're basically my best friend now," she said. "Besides, I should know what I'm being trained for, right?"
"Fine, I'll tell you," I finally said.
"We are indeed here for the war, but we intend to be helping defeat our own enemies. I fear that your enemy - Voldemort or whoever - has teamed up with our enemy, the Volturi. The war will be much bigger than you expect. Two other wizarding schools have joined their side, under the influence of mind-control. We have come to stop the same from happening to you."
"But..." Ginny stammered. "But there is no way that they could have cast enough Imperius curses to control two schools!"
"No, there weren't any curses involved," I answered. "You know by now that my family are vampires. Well, some vampires have special abilities. The Volturi have a vampire on their side that can control the minds of anyone. That is how they took over Durmstrang and...ummm. Boxbottoms."
"Bauxbatons," Ginny corrected.
"Oh, well anyway," I said. "Bella has the ability to block out any vampiric power. She is like a shield. The Volturi have already tried to infiltrate Hogwarts, but she has been shielding them out."
"Wow, that's noble," Ginny said.
I chuckled. "What's your power?" she asked.
"Me?" I said. "I'm not a vampire! Isn't it obvious I'm different?"
She looked embarrassed. "Well, they say vampires are fast, strong, and beautiful. The only difference is that you are much more tanned than the rest. I just guessed, because I mean you are all together, and you swim so well..."
I chuckled. "No, no. I'm the only non-vampire. Well, Nessie is half-vampire, but still. I am what some people call a werewolf," I said.
"No, you can't be," Ginny said. "Professor Lupin is a werewolf, and it's different. Besides, it's a full moon tonight and you are still perfectly human."
"Oh, well, I'm not that kind of werewolf. I'm more like a shapeshifter," I said.
"Oh, I see," Ginny said. "Like Transfiguration?"
"Yeah," I replied. "Only better."