When my vision cleared, I was still in the Headmaster's office. Sighing, I realized that the time-turner hadn't worked. Oh, well. I figured I couldn't avoid Harry forever. I didn't have an answer for him, but maybe he would understand that I couldn't marry him. At least not yet, I needed to get my memory back first.
I wandered the hallways not taking in my surroundings. "What are you doing out of bed?" Surprised, I turned to face the person talking to me. The girl wasn't familiar, but for the last couple of days, no one had been familiar. She was about 5'7'' with black hair. I couldn't remember seen her at the memorial service.
"I was trying to get back to the memorial." I said tiredly.
"Memorial?" She said confused, "Whatever, I don't want to know what you've been doing." The girl looked examined my outfit, "what's your house?"
"Um, Gryffindor," I told her, remembering what I information I knew about myself.
"Well, get to the tower, now. It's after curfew."
"Uh, okay." I said confused. Tower? Curfew?
"Don't tell me you don't remember where the tower is," she said disbelievingly. I just stared at her. "Wow, you Gryffindors just keep getting stupider and stupider."
I felt insulted by her comment, and unintentionally, sent a jinx her way. I was startled when I saw bat shaped things fly out of her nose and start attacking her.
"Nice spell," another girl appeared out of nowhere, "Come on we better get out of here." The new girl had fair brown hair and light green eyes. She was taller than me by a couple of inches, about 5'4''. The girl motioned for me to follow her away from the scene I had just caused. We walked for about ten minutes and then she stopped in front of a portrait of an overweight lady in a pink dress.
"Password?" I jumped when the woman in the portrait spoke.
"Puffskein," the girl said politely.
"Correct," the portrait's frame swung open revealing a warm red room.
The girl jumped on the couch in front of the fire place, and I sat down slowly in a red leather armchair. "I overheard you telling Richardson that you were in Gryffindor." I nodded, "Hmm, you must be younger than me because I don't recognize you. Either way, that was some impressive magic back there."
"Thanks," I said blushing.
"No problem," She got up again and walked towards a staircase. "Well, I'm going to bed. G'night…um…what's your name?"
"Ginny."
"'Kay, night Ginny, by the way my name is Sam." She hopped up the stairs before I could respond.
I stared at the fire wondering how I missed the end of the memorial. Vague thoughts about St. Mungo's searching for me filled my brain, but I pushed that aside. I'd find someone tomorrow who could help. For now, I just want to sleep. I curled up in the arm chair and within seconds I was out like a light.
Early the next morning, Sam woke me up. "You slept here last night? Why didn't you go up to your dorm room?" I stood up and stretched. "Come on let's go get breakfast." My stomach grumbled in response. She laughed pulled me out the entrance to the Gryffindor tower.
"Sam, have you seen Harry?" I asked suddenly. I had to talk to him at some point.
"Harry?"
"Harry Potter," I elaborated.
"Oh, him," She all but swooned at his name. "Yeah, he left for breakfast earlier."
"Okay, I need to talk to him." Sam didn't seem to here me as she walked dreamily down the stairs.
I didn't pay attention as I was walking down one of the staircases and I tripped over a trick step. My only thought was: oh joy.
Blackness tried to override my consciousness, and I was tempted to let it. Closing my eyes, I waited for my body to stop falling and collide with the hard floor, but it didn't happen. I peeled my eyes open and stared directly into dark coal black eyes. "Uh," I shifted my eyes away from the person in front of me, "sorry, I tripped." I jumped out of the person's arms, blushing. "Thanks for catching me." I took this moment to look back up at my accidental pillow. The boy's features registered his shock at being knocked into. His face was familiar, and in astonishment, I remembered him. "Tom?"
Within seconds, his face gained composure and was a blank mask. "Would you be so kind as to not fall on top of me again?" His voice was cold.
"Sorry, it was an accident. I didn't mean to. It was a trick step and I hadn't been paying attention. I'm glad you caught me though. I could have been seriously hurt or even died. So, in a way, I owe you my life." I realized I was rambling, and I clamped my hand over my mouth.
He gave me a depreciating look and walked away. I called after him, "You are Tom, aren't you?" His walk didn't waver at my question and he didn't look back.
"Ginny? Oh my god, are you okay?" Sam asked concerned. "You didn't get a concussion, did you?
"I'm fine, and no, I didn't." I answered vaguely while I stared after the boy who haunted my mind. "His name is Tom?" I asked gesturing towards the boys retreating figure, but it came out as more of a statement.
"Him?" She asked confused. "Yeah, his name is Tom Riddle. He's a seventh year and Head Boy. Why did you ask?"
"He caught me." I told her.
She looked at me like I was crazy. "He caught you?" I nodded. "Never thought I'd see the day he actually touched someone." She seemed aware of my questioning look. "He's like a cold statue. He doesn't talk to many people, and never touches anyone. He's cold-blooded." Sam shivered subconsciously.
"You!" A new voice entered our conversation.
"Oh, no, it's Richardson." Sam said momentarily forgetting Tom. "She looks angry."
"You, there," Richardson said again as she pulled out her wand, "Headmaster Dippet wants to see you in his office. Now!"
I stared at her blankly, "Dippet?" I missed her response, but I felt Richardson shove me down a hallway. I knew where the headmaster's office was, so my feet took me there. My mind was miles away thinking about the dark haired and dark eyed boy who haunted my only memories.
"Can I help you?" I snapped out of my musings and saw a balding man.
"I was supposed to find Professor Dippet, sir." I heard my voice, but it sounded detached.
"You found me." He replied.
"Oh, Richardson sent me."
"Curious, come into my office. Four Founders," he told the gargoyle, and it moved out of the way. When we came into his office, he sat behind the large desk in the middle of the room. "Now, why were you sent to me instead of a teacher?" His tone suggested that he thought I was bothering him and not worth his time.
"I can answer that, Armando," in the doorway stood an auburn haired man with twinkling blue eyes.
"Oh, then, I will let you handle this situation Albus." He said dismissing both of us.
"Follow me, please." The auburn haired man said. When we left the office, he introduced himself, "I'm Professor Dumbledore."
"I'm Ginerva," it took me a couple of seconds to realize I didn't know my last name. Nobody had ever told me. "Some people call me Ginny."
Dumbledore eyes twinkled brightly, "I want your entire story, but wait until we get somewhere we won't be disturbed." We went into a classroom. "Please take a seat." He motioned towards the empty chair in front of his desk.
"Sir, I'm sorry I hit Richardson with a spell. I didn't mean to, and I don't even know what it was."
"That's perfectly all right," I gave him a weird look; "I wasn't referring to you attacking a student. While horrible, you could not help it."
"I couldn't?" I was lost.
"How about we start at the beginning, Ginerva, start with how you came to my time."
"Your time?"
"Yes, its 1945. I know you are not from this time because I felt a rip in the timeline. Then, you showed up. I apologize for not talking to you yesterday, but I was in an important meeting. Now, please, tell me why you are here instead of where you are supposed to be." The twinkle was still evident in his blue eyes.
"I lost my memory," my entire recollection of the events that lead me to where I was now spilled out of me. While I felt I talked for hours, I discovered my life story only took seven minutes to explain. The only thing I didn't tell Dumbledore about was my memory of Tom.
"What a tragic story and I wish I could be help, but your presence in this time has created an unbalance in my world. If you stay here much longer, my time will rip itself apart completely in order to solve the problem. Do you still have the time-turner?"
I reached for the chain that I hadn't taken off from around my neck. It held the time traveling device, but it wasn't there. "I must have lost it when I fell down the stairs this morning."
"That is not good," Dumbledore's voice was grave. After a short silence, he blinked and his cheery demeanor returned, "Well, it seems as though there is no way to return you to your own time at this current moment. Since you were a seventh year Gryffindor when you left, I believe reinstating you in classes this year would be a good idea. Were you going to take N.E.W.T.s Defense Against the Dark Arts as a seventh year?" I nodded not entirely understanding my current situation. Being told you were going to cause a world to split itself in half and not having any memories did that to me. "Gryffindors have a double block of Defense at this current time. The class is on the first floor. After Defense you will come to Transfiguration with me, and then have a break. I will talk to Headmaster Dippet about getting you situated." I wanted to ask about what I was going to do about hygiene, books, and money. Dumbledore seemed to understand, "we have an assistance fund that helps students pay for their school things. The Hogwarts house elves have found some clothing for you to wear since you are slightly conspicuous in your current attire." I glanced at my black skirt and shirt that I wore for the memorial. "Hogwarts also helps students get summer jobs, but hopefully, you won't be here for much longer. If you have any other questions or need to speak to someone, come find me. I would be glad to help. Now, you should get to class. Tell Professor Merrythought that you are transferring into her class."
I had another problem, "Professor?" He looked at me expectantly, "What about a last name? I don't remember mine."
"Hmm…Prince," he suggested. "I'm aware that you are Pureblood. A spell in Dippet has set up in his office informed me," Dumbledore explained. "The Prince family is pureblood, but its youngest family member graduated three years ago."
"What if someone knows the family?"
"Like most pureblood families, the Princes' shelter their children until they are old enough to attend school. No one will question your background." He gave me an encouraging smile. "Now off to class, Miss Prince." Dumbledore winked at me jokingly.