Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Harry Potter and co. All rights belong to J. and the publishers.

Cunning Like A Fox

By:Jodelle

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Goin' nowhere, goin' nowhere
Their tears are fillin' up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow

-Mad World By: Tears For Fears

Chapter 3: In Someonelses Shoes

Ginny Weasley awoke to a string of cursewords and grinned at how they got more colorful as the seconds passed. Stretehing she shoved the covers to the edge of her bed and made to open the bed curtains. She was rewarded with the sight of Pansy Parkinson sucking on a finger that had been burned by the protective spell Ginny had put up around her bed.

You might ask why Ginny was in the sixth year dorms rather than the fifth year one. She had tried to act dumb so as to be put in with her year mates but she had still gotten too high a score. Her eye had twitched for days on end due to the irritation of having someone fawn over her like the ministry test administrator had upon seeing her grades. She'd always been smart but now she seemed like a genius a couple years ahead of her peers.

She stared at Pansy looking a little appologetic. Snatching her wand from the shelf above her bed she muttered some words and a bowl appeared on the night-table beside her bed which quickly filled with some liquid substance. Catching Pansy's hand she guided it into the liquid and saw the girls facial expression go calm the pain disappearing.

Pansy pouted glaring slightly. "I only wanted to wake you up for breakfast! I wasn't sure what with the time difference that you'd wake up on time."

Ginny frowned but then revealed, "I'm sorry, I'm training to be an auror and... well I know this isn't nice but we're taught not to trust anyone."

She wasn't sure what she expected but it wasn't for Pansy to nod and appear understanding. Ginny sent her a questioning look.

Pansy smiled, "I don't trust people easily either. The only reason I sleep unprotected here is because I've know these girls since I was an infant. At home I sleep protected by charms with a whole slew of wards surrounding the room. I take it you also used the one that protects against house fires, gas leaks, and the like."

Ginny looked embarrassed but nodded. "I also wove in a rather nasty stinging charm. The more times you try to open the curtains the more angry the stinging gets. I suppose I should have warned everyone...I was just so tired that I forgot," Ginny admitted running her fingers through her hair nervously.

Pansy yawned finishing their conversation as she moved in the direction of the bathroom. Clapping her hands a pile of bath things fell from the ceiling into her outstretched hands and she caught them expertedly with the ease of practice.

She turned speaking over her shoulder, "The water stays hot no matter how many people use it so you can take your time getting ready...oh sorry I suppose you already know that being here first year. The other girls wake up much later so try to be quiet so as not to disturb them."

Twenty minutes later Ginny was ready for the day. Her hair was pulled back in a bun that was interwoved with braids and addition to the beauty of it was the wafting smell of her strawberry shampoo. Her uniform was immaculent without the slightest wrinkle in it or any stains.

You might think that this was because the uniform was new but rather it was because she'd learned that first impressions matter and the fact that aurors needed to look classy at times to blend in with the high society they might be guarding.

Pansy gave her the once over and looked impressed. "You clean up nicely Weasley. I was afraid you'd be a slob like your brother." She said with a sniff.

Ginny wasn't offended but more so amused. Poor Ron was a mess most of the time so the statement was true and she remembered she shouldn't react too much in defense of a brother that in this world she barely knew.

"Can't help himself sadly." Ginny admitted, "Mum gave up on manners after she had Percy...said it just took too much of an effort."

Pansy grinned and started pointing out landmarks that would help her find her way back to the common room for future reference. The had almost made it to the Great Hall when someone grabbed her from behind. She was spun around to face the Twins and Ron who looked quite angry.

Ron who had always been the most volatile spoke first. "Ginny! How could you go and become a snake! Mum's in tears and Dad's in shock. No Weasley's been in Slytherin...well ever! Did you hear-someone's put an article in the newspaper about you saying you've changed so much you want to take up Aunt's last name and abandon us!"

Ginny scowled, "Ronald Billius Weasley! Shut your gob! I'm doing no such thing. Honestly where is Hermione when I need her to smack you upside the head to knock some sense into you. And as for the Slytherin bit well tough luck...After first year it was either wise up or forever act stupidly brave and end up almost dead again!"

Ron opened his mouth silently several times while Ginny looked away from over his shoulder to see the twins whose lips were twitching with reluctant smiles. Ginny shouldered her way past Ron to give both Fred and George big huggs.

Fred grinned at Ron who was still speechless before bending down and kissing Ginny on the top of her head. Ginny surprised George by doing the special handshake the twins often did between the two of them. They'd taught it to Ginny when she was five.

This sweet moment was ruined of course by Malfoy. She felt his stare while she deliberately looked elsewhere. When she finally acknowledged him with a cold expression he started clapping slowly.

"Well-Well-Well Ginevra Weasley or is it Ginevra Black? No I suppose you wouldn't take the easy way of bettering you're reputation. Tisk Tisk money won't save you...respect is earned by blood and your's is tainted."

Ginny rolled her eyes before replying, "you would think that wouldn't you. If I was really after that Malfoy I would have stayed in France and taken my place as my Great Aunts heir. As it is she left everything to me so I'm just as monetary affluent as you are but you forget I was raised with manners pounded into my head so I might just be able to mirror you more than you think."

Malfoy's smirk deepened. "Hmmm...Brains Beauty and Brawn you say? I highly doubt that Weasley but I'll let you prove yourself to me." His voice sounded so smug Ginny's eye twitched and she reached for her wand a movement that went unnoticed by everyone it seems but Pansy.

Pansy walked up behind Malfoy and declared, "Now that's enough! Draco she's training to be an auror and quite frankly she's scary. She just might be able to take you." This was done with an amused overtone.

Ginny looked at Pansy with gratitude walking quickly taking advantage of the interuption to head toward the Slytherin table. The food was delicious and though she felt some cold stares she ate her food slowly and with deliberate care. But before she took a bite she took what appeared to be a salt shaker out of her pocket and poured what some would assume was salt over her food.

She thought this had gone unnoticed when she was startled out of her reverie by Milicent Bulstorde grabbing her wrist before she could put the shaker back in her pocket. The masculine girl glared at her with accusing eyes before saying in a demanding voice, "you trying to poison us Weasley!?!"

Ginny looked irritated while glancing down at the hand that held like it was something highly offensive. "Let go." She said coldly.

There was a hush at their table. Milicent's face darkened contorting to look quite ugly. "You little-" but was stopped by another of their roomates which could only be Arete Moon.

Quietly Arete came to Ginny's defense. "Milicent that's that expensive powder purebloods used to use to check for poisons in their foods. Now it's mostly used by Aurors and people high up in the ministry."

Milicent's face flamed as she released Ginny's wrist. She looked like she wanted to say something but rather than admit she was wrong she quickly turned away to save face.

"Merlin, Weasley! Being in Slythein's dangerous if you don't explain all of your actions quickly if asked. We're a distrustful people by habit." Pansy hissed in her ear.

Ginny sighed but nodded. She noticed out of the corner of her eye how the Slytherins were looking at her. It was a calculating look they bore. She shook her head slouching slightly as she discretely streched out stiff muscles gently rubbing her wrist a gesture she hid under the table.

Professor Snape made his presence know right about then. "Miss Weasley, you're schedule." Ginny took it with a nod. The same as always just a different order. Potions with the Gryffindor's first thing followed by Chrams with the Ravenclaws followed then by Transfiguration.

"Merlin! Potions again. There's just something to be said about being stuck in a stuffy room that alternates between burning up and freezing. Oh well at least their's favoritism...oh I did not just say that ! Favoritism is something to be frowned upon...unless I suppose it's in your favor. Thank Merlin for Favoritism seeing as I haven't read the new textbooks yet - although I suppose I'm smart enough to get by."

She heard the people who'd overheard her snickering. Ginny didn't blush but rather gave a laugh that sounded like the clinging of tiny bells. "That's what I get for not meditating this morning I'm so out of it I'm talking to myself."

Ginny licked her lips as she returned to eating. Although you weren't really supposed to have sweets at breakfast she took her wand out to conjure a glass of choclate milk. She grinned before drinking it down in one go.

Then it happened as it always did for her the nightmares came to her during the day. It was like a daydream she thought as she saw the Great Hall filled to full compacity and realized this wasn't Voldemorts' fall they were celebrating but rather Grindelwald's. There were people hugging and all the while crying. They had wine glasses filled to the brim with some clear liquid to toast with. She amused herself by thinking it was a glass full of tears. Like all of her daydream visions she was seening this through someone elses eyes as she'd never been there before. When she came back around she saw several people staring at her worriedly.

This time she did blush. "Weasley what was that?" Malfoy demanded having moved to sit close to her during her vision.

Ginny cleared her throat before saying, "It's nothing really I just-well I see things sometimes. I'm sort of a backwards seer...I see but I see the past."

Milicent peered at her through narrowed eyes. "I've never heard of that happening before. Maybe you're remembering past lives. There's a diviniation class for that although most people don't know that as they drop out of it as soon as they can."

"Hmm...I'm not sure that you're right about that but I suppose it's worth looking into." Ginny frowned thinking aloud, "I wonder if there isn't an after life if peoples souls just keep getting recycled."

Milicent smirked, "It makes the world feel vast and mysterious doesn't it. We have magic at our disposal and we still don't have all the answeres."

Ginny nodded and upon noticing the time ate a little more quickly. It was time for class.

I went to school and I was very nervous

no one knew me, no one knew me

Ask the teacher tell me what's my lesson

Look right through me, Look right through me

-Mad World By: Tears for Fears

Ginny was humming a muggle song quietly that was stuck in her head. Damn muggles and their wickedly annoying musical prowess. She longed for an ipod like the one she'd been given as a gift in her old life. Ah...Alanis Morisette, The Black Crowes, Nickel Creek, Coldplay, and so much more all crammed into such a tiny player. Muggles and their music she thought with a grin.

She shivered and she realized she'd neared the Potions classroom. Then she had an epipany remembering there was a spell for this. There was a charm you could place on your clothes to help regulate body heat. She cheerfullly cast the spell and walked into the class only to be stopped by Ron.

She sighed, "Ronald is this more of the same of what you were bellowing about this morning?"

Ron opened his mouth and was interupted by Seamus Finnegan. "You've clearly changed. How can we be sure that you weren't doing those terrible things your first year of your own free will and just covering your tracks?"

Ginny gave a harsh laugh, "You'd do well to remember you don't always have all the right answers. You thought Harry was Slytherin's heir and you know how wrong you were about that. And I wasn't running so I wouldn't get caught...I ran because my family was so afraid they'd lose me that they wanted me to go somewhere even safer than Hogwarts. And if you weren't aware of this I'm studying to be an auror which stands to mean I have no intention of going dark."

Ginny started to turn around to walk away but beforedoing so said over her shoulder, "And if you keep bothering me you'll get a bat bogey hex in addition to a good tongue lashing."

Malfoy appeared out of nowhere his noteworthy smirk plastered on his face. "Ah, the Weasley temper. Weasle King you might want to be careful or you'll get back what you dish out."

Ron looked furious but before he could say anything Snape stepped in. "Take you're seats everyone."

Ginny picked a seat in the middle of the class a Slytherin on one side of her a Gryffindor on the other side. She went through the motions of making today's potion the Wolfsbane potion with flawless percision. But that was because she'd taken her potions Newts.

She gave a tired but triumphant smile as she poured some in a vial and corked it. She took out her potions book to check to see if the color was slightly off or if she'd nailed it. She frowned as she noticed it was half a shade too light.

"Almost perfect," she muttered looking disappointed. "I added an ounce too much of the crushed scarab beetles." Taking a quill she scrawled in her book to the side of the potions instructions be careful when measuring out the powdered scarab beetles.

Theodore Nott nodded to her as she collected the Slytherin half of the rooms vials and whispered to her, "What a shame, almost perfect," as though gloating as she noticed his was picture perfect. She rolled her eyes pretending to almost drop his. His eyes widened and she smiled a sarcasitic smile.

Blaise Zabini grinned at her saying, "Ignore him that's just the way he is if you know what I mean. He's always looking for praise but more often annoys those around him by making them think they're inferior." Hurriedly he bottled his potion and gave it to her. She put it in the tray she was carrying with much greater care than she had with Notts. Some potions were ruined if you shook them up too much and she wasn't sure what this potion was like.

As she passed down the row that split the room in two halves she finally passed her brothers table. She noticed Harry kick Ron in the back of the ankle. Ron gasped glaring at Harry who started whispering to him. Ron then turned to her and said, "Ginny, I'm sorry...(Stage Whisper: What I said I was sorry Harry!) That I didn't stick up for you...even if you are a Slytherin you're my baby sister and---you deserve my trust and loyalty."

Ginny gave a derisive snort. "Thanks for trying Harry but I can't accept his appology if he's not sincere." Ginny then turned on her heel and walked to the front of the class with the collected vials. Snape didn't acknowledge her but he didn't sneer at her. He looked surprised at the quality of her work but as her back was turned she didn't notice.

Class was over and she was the first one out the door. It was tiring being around all these people who acted so immature compared to the aurors she was used to keeping company with. That being said she headed to the Slytherin dorms for a much needed nap.

A/N: Wow. That's almost three thousand words. I hope you liked it.

-Jodelle