Ginny Weasley and the Dementors of Azkaban

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter at all. If I did I wouldn't have to work and life would be sweet.

October 31st

Two months had passed and Ginny could still feel Tom's cold breath on her neck. She had never felt so vulnerable than she did that day on the train. Finding out that she had been placed under an Anti-Owl barrier of sorts without her knowledge had been unsettling but it was nothing compared to the events that followed.

She had been searching for Luna on the train, after leaving her pack with the Twins and Lee Jordan. While she wouldn't recommend just anyone leaving their things with the Twins, they knew she wasn't just anyone. The twins had already tested Ginny growing up and she proved a worthy adversary. Dangerous not only for her natural talent at curses and hexes, but because she could get them in trouble for things she had done. The twins were so proud of her. Especially since Ron's lack of deviousness left them feeling like outcasts at times. Bill and Charlie weren't as uptight as Percy tended to be, but they were perfect sons. Headboy, Quidditch Captain, excellent grades and each following their respectable dreams. Well more respectable than a Joke Shop, at least in the eyes of their mother.

Of course, Ginny's dreams of professional Quidditch Chaser or Auror or Unspeakable are not as respectable in Molly's eyes as being a well married wife and mother of god knows how many children.

Ginny knew it wasn't as if her mother didn't want her daughter to achieve her dreams, she just thought there that no role was more rewarding than wife and mother.

Ginny couldn't disagree with her, her mum was the best, but well, she just wanted more in life than staying at home and now she had the means to do whatever she like.

She was now, technically speaking, a legal adult in the eyes of the Ministry. She could do whatever she like, apparate, leave school, marry, and run to some far off place, without anyone being able to do or say anything! It was quite an astounding power, tempting to use, even more tempting to abuse. She couldn't fathom why Harry didn't exercise his right as Lord of the House of Potter to escape the Dursley's, but she supposed Harry wasn't that sort of person. There must be an important reason for sacrificing his summers in that horrid place.

Unless he just didn't know he could just leave whenever he liked. But that would be absurd, surely someone would have told him by now…Ron at the very least….

It was the quandary that had Ginny's mind occupied during her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Lupin was going over what they needed to know for their first exam, but Ginny had found Tom was useful for something at least, because she knew everything he knew at the point he made the diary, she knew everything she was being taught in second year already. Even with her favorite professors like Lupin and Snape it was quite boring; except she was at least in class with Luna at times, who in fact had tried contacting her over the summer. Ginny had spent her first few weeks reading all the undeliverable letters Luna had written, and per the other girl's request, responded to them accordingly. It was amusing to say the least. Luna had quite the imagination and would speculate what sorts of creatures were stopping her owl. Ginny's favorite involved a perilous partnership between the prolocks and pixies.

"Chocolate" Ginny stated mindlessly with her class mates. Lupin had just asked them the bonus question on their exam "What sweet will help you overcome the feeling of hopelessness brought on by a Dementor?" Since that first day on the train, she had eaten enough chocolate that it wouldn't be hard for someone to mistake her for Ron. It was, unfortunately, starting to make her sick just thinking about it. For that alone she could hate the Dementors. She also hated that it seemed only Harry was affected worse than she was. Tom had that affect on you.

She suspected it was because he knew so much about them. He had been fascinated by them from the start, how they used fear to cripple and kill. By his third year he knew all of their strengths and weaknesses. He knew what could be done make the experience worse for you. He could control them.

And most importantly he could stop them.

The Patronus Charm.

She knew she could use it to. It wouldn't be easy, but she was already able to do it as if she were Tom. His happiest memory, the day he found out he was a wizard, was easy enough to use. It was also his most cherished memory, the proof that he was better than the other orphans.

Now it was just a matter of perfecting it for her.

Unlike most of the spells she knew from Tom, the Patronus Charm was personal. It required her own happiest memory to produce her own Patronus. She was determined; she didn't want to rely on Tom's Basilisk to protect her from the memory of Tom. She wanted to protect herself.

The hardest part about practicing the charm was finding a secluded area, and as the weather chilled, that was near impossible inside the castle. Especially with Percy watching over her like a hawk this year. Thankfully she had been able to find her own little niche.

"Miss Weasley. Miss Weasley. Ginny. Ginevra!"

"Oh!" Professor Lupin had startled her. He stood in front of her desk and the rest of the students had already left. "I'm sorry Professor, I must have got lost in my own thoughts."

"You have been doing that quite a lot. If your marks weren't the highest in your year, I would be worried." His worn face warmed with a wistful smile. "You remind me of my old schoolmates. James and Sir-eh They were often bored the first few years. Naturals that they were."

'James and Sir? Sir…Sirius? Did he mean Sirius? Sirius Black?' Ginny could hardly believe the man before her knew James Potter and Sirius Black. 'He looked so much older than what they would be. In fact, Professor Snape seems to know him quite well, perhaps…'

"How old are you?"

"Ah? How old am I? What a strange question for a student to ask. Are you taking a poll?"

She could feel the slight warmth of a blush forming on her cheeks. "No. You were about to say James and Sirius weren't you? You were friends with James Potter and Sirius Black?"

He paled had her statement and she knew it was the truth. This man knew Harry's father. She wondered if Harry knew that too.

"You went to school with them, that's why Professor Snape dislikes you so much, right? He hated Harry's father, and Sirius Black."

"How do you know that?" Lupin had sat down next to her.

"The first half of our first Potion's class was spent with him ranting about the dangers of Black and why we should come get him the moment we caught whiff of that mongrel."

"Well then. So much for protecting the younger students…Severus has his own issues from his own childhood. However, I can't say he's wrong. Should any of the students come across Black, they should run to the nearest adult. He's a dangerous man."

"That you once called friend. I know what that's like. To call a dangerous man friend."

His blue eyes regarded her thoughtfully. "That is an unfortunate truth. I know some students are still having issues with the Dementors so close, how have you been faring?"

"I wish they never existed. The Dementors. They seem to follow me, like they know…like they know what happened. It's not like with the other students. I've seen them get closer to the more sensitive ones, but they follow me. I can feel them, just far enough way to not do any damage, but still close enough that I can feel Tom's presence in my mind. It's not real, I know that. But it's still unnerving."

"Hmmm" He absent mindedly reached for a piece of chocolate, breaking it in two pieces he handed her one. "I quite agree." They sat in silence, each eating a piece of chocolate.

"Does Harry know?"

"Pardon?"

"Have you told Harry that you knew his father? Very few people have told him much of anything. I don't know if he even knows he's Lord of the House of Potter." His reaction was not what she expected.

He was silent for a few minutes. She felt as if she had worn out her welcome to stay in the classroom and chat, and gathered her things before he finally answered softly.

"I'm probably that last person he would want to talk to…I trusted Black just as much as James did."

She stopped at the door and responded in kind.

"Then you would be the best person for him to talk to."

It was hours after her heart to heart with Lupin and Ginny found herself happily skipping, dressed in a green tweed pea coat, a white knitted jumper and jeans; her hair bouncing in pigtails as she made her way around the castle. There must have been something extra in Lupin's chocolate because she hadn't felt this good since Egypt. The sun was starting to set over the lake when she first felt like someone else was there. Stopping, she look around her, and found a large black lump hesitatingly move by the forest.

Wand ready, she stood her ground. Her heart hoping it was not a Dementor or worse, keeping her eyes on it, she willed the creature to look at her.

She was pleasantly surprised to find it was a great big black Newfoundland dog. Friendly looking if not worse for wear.

"Hello" Gingerly she approached "My name is Ginny, are you lost?"

After sniffing her hand the dog licked it and lowered its head for her to pet. Ginny searched his mangy fur and found no collar to speak of. "Do you belong with someone here at Hogwarts?" Ginny didn't expect for the animal to shake his head no. "Aren't you a smart dog" As she let the dog lick her face "A smart dog who needs a bath and a good meal. If you come with me I'll take you to Hagrid-"

The big dog immediately barked at the suggestion, but not in a way as to show he was excited by it. Clearly it scared him, which was quite odd to her.

"Alright then, well perhaps after dinner I can bring you some food? And til then I think I knew the perfect spot for you stay, it's my own secret spot, and no other students go there and it's nice and warm." As Ginny pet the pup to reassure him, he started to lick her face, tickling her skin and causing her to laugh. "You know this is a much better Halloween for me than last year…"

The large dog and small girl would have been seen trekking around the Ravenclaw tower beyond overgrown thrush to a hidden iron gated door, had anyone been paying attention to what was going on outside their windows instead of in their rooms, but luck would have it that this afternoon was the morning of a certain pretty Ravenclaws celebration of making seeker for her team.

Having discovered the hidden alcove that was neither inside nor outside the castle a week ago, Ginny had already added her own decorations. The aged stone covered in ivy were draped with cream golden curtains she had transfigured from parchment and feathers, scattered about the cold floor of moss were pillows and blankets whose rich colors reminded her of Egypt and were large enough for her to sleep on if she stayed too late. There was an old candelabras hanging from the ceiling when she found her hiding place, the candles well used and disfigured from melting, but the wicks seemed to be endless and they cast a warm and comforting glow in the dark space.

It wasn't much, but to Ginny it was second only to home.

"Here boy, this place should keep you warm. After dinner I'll bring you some scrapes that is if this will do for you?" She had sat down on her favorite pillow of emerald green velvet and was eye level with her newest friend. A short bark and he was licking her face happily, nearly toppling her. "Alright Alright, ha-ha, I get it you like it…you're such a friendly dog, I wonder what your name is…hmm…s'not like you can just tell me is it…You're name's not Fluffy is it?" As if insulted the dog immediately lifted its paw to her face. "Oh do you want to shake? No…hmm…then why do show me your paw is it hurt?" She looked at it, inspecting it for thorns or cuts but found nothing; it didn't stop it from padding her down some more. Hopelessly confused by his actions Ginny just let him paw at her, and but couldn't help but notice his runny, snuffly nose. "I know what I'll call you!"

Excited the dog barked.

"SNUFFLES!"

Ginny knew right away that wasn't the right name for him. He had deflated instantly, his large black head settled in her lap. He seemed so depressed at such a name she couldn't help but giggle at his antics.

"You don't like Snuffles?" He blew out hot air against her leg and put her paw in one of his hands. "Are you trying to shake? Hmm? Or does your name start with your Paw? Paw…Paul? No…hmm…Maybe its Foot? Football? That's a game muggles play..Paw…Foot…" He whined as if she was getting closer. "I wonder...two of my older brothers, Fred and George, their twins, they once told me a story about their heroes. They said their names were Messrs. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. You wouldn't happen to be called Mister Padfoot would you?"

She was answered with a sloppy wet kiss.

"Padfoot it is then. Now I need you to get off so I can practice my charms. Oi stop – please – your breath stinks! Padfoot! Get off!" She was half serious at this point, enjoying the playfulness of the dog's demeanor. She hadn't realized how much she missed this, just playing. She hadn't played like this since before first year. She managed to transfigure a blanket into a hard rope and a small rock into a ball, deciding that perhaps today, the only defense she needed.

AN: For those of you who read the first chapter two, you should notices I made a few changes. Thank you for rereading it.

Review Response:

Taylor: Thank you. I'm glad you're reading it now ^_^