Chapter Twenty-One
Here comes the sun
And I say it's alright
Ginny continued to sing the song as she hauled her trunk down the steps.
She really couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts.
Well, that wasn't true.
She could wait for her classes.
She couldn't wait to get out of this gloom place.
Still, Ginny knew that she would miss Sirius.
Fortunately, Sirius had allowed her to keep the mirror. She would be able to talk to him whenever she pleased, so long as she didn't endanger the both of them by doing so.
Ginny had assured him that it would be no problem.
She was great at detecting danger.
Ginny now screamed as something heavy hit her in her back.
She tumbled forward, head over heels, wildly screaming. She slid down the rest of the stairs and didn't stop until she reached the corridor. She landed on the floor with a sickening thud and for a split second, the world was a nauseating blur.
"Ginny—"
"We're sorry—"
"—you alright?"
"—we didn't mean—"
Her brother's frantic apologies were drowned out by Walburga's screams.
And then, someone else was screaming:
"WHAT HAPPENED!?"
She could hear the sound of running footsteps. Her vision cleared just in time to see her mother race into the room with her father and Sirius in tow.
"Alright, Juniper?" Sirius asked.
He gave her a hand up and she grunted, "Fine…fine…"
Mr. Weasley frantically struggled to pull the curtains over the portrait.
"Did that third step get you?" Sirius asked, "I've tripped over it a few times."
"No," Ginny replied, rubbing a bump on her head, "I got hit with something…"
She glanced around before spotting two trunks on the floor. Fred and George were standing next to them, looking petrified. They meekly hid their wands.
Ginny snickered and shook her head.
Sirius also grinned as he realized what had happened.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Weasley wasn't as cheerful about it.
Within seconds, her screams matched the volume of Walburga's.
"— COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOU IDIOTS —"
"— FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS —"
"OH, BE QUIET!"
Sirius and Ginny both gave a start and glanced at each other.
They had both simultaneously spoken to their mothers.
"Ginny, what's wrong!?" Mrs. Weasley cried, clearly taken aback.
Ginny merely groaned and buried her face in her hands.
"Sirius!" Mr. Weasley cried, "A little help?"
"Err…"
Sirius glanced back and forth between Ginny and her mother before reluctantly dashing over and giving Arthur a hand.
"Come along, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley huffed, "Let's get you bandaged up!"
"Mum, I'm fine!" Ginny protested.
Mrs. Weasley grabbed her arm all the same and pulled her downstairs.
She muttered the whole way, "…don't know what they were thinking…could have killed you…I mean honestly…completely irresponsible…"
"I'm fine, Mum!" Ginny repeated.
"No, you're not," Mrs. Weasley absentmindedly said, "Now, hush!"
"NO!"
Ginny wrenched away from her and cried, "I won't!"
Mrs. Weasley gave a start and perplexedly hushed, "You won't what?"
"I won't hush," Ginny feverishly said, "Even if you refuse to listen."
Mrs. Weasley looked shocked.
Ginny whirled around and stomped back upstairs.
"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley cried, "Get back here!"
Ginny ignored her and entered the corridor, slamming the door behind her.
Sirius threw her an exasperated glance as the curtains fell open once more.
Mr. Weasley sighed and began to wrestle with them once more.
This time, Sirius left him to it and began to follow Ginny upstairs.
"Sirius Black!"
He turned as Molly heatedly caught up with him.
She jabbed a finger at his chest and hissed, "This is all your fault! You're the reason that she's acting like this!"
"Really?" Sirius shot back, "My fault, eh? Because it seems that you're always the one upsetting her and I'm always the one comforting her? Would you like to switch the roles?"
Mrs. Weasley gaped at him.
"Nah, you're right," Sirius coolly said, "You've already done your part; I might as well do mine."
Fortunately, Ginny wasn't upset.
If anything, she felt liberated.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Weasley remained in a bad mood all morning.
Ginny chose to ignore her. Instead, she amused herself by watching as Padfoot trotted next to Harry on the way to King's Cross. She knew that it was just making her mother angrier.
When they finally boarded the train, Ginny smiled as Padfoot put his paws on Harry's shoulders. Unfortunately, her mother knocked him down.
"For heavens' sake," Mrs. Weasley hissed, "Behave more like a dog, Sirius!"
Ginny stifled a gasp.
Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy were standing nearby.
The black dog quickly glanced at her.
Before Ginny could say anything, she was shoved into the train.
She glanced out the window. The dog's eyes connected with hers. Ginny swallowed and began to wave to the group. She knew that she had to maintain a calm and cheerful demeanor.
That way, nobody would know that she was internally crumbling.
oOo
Ginny was trying to keep herself together. She had put on a good show for the remainder of the day. She, Harry, Neville, and Luna Lovegood had enjoyed an interesting ride on the Hogwarts Express. She had then whispered with the others over dinner. She had been just as shocked to see that a woman from the Ministry was now the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Yet, right now, she had bigger problems.
Thus, after dinner, she snuck into an empty classroom.
She pulled the mirror from her purse.
"Padfoot," Ginny gasped, "Padfoot!"
There was no answer.
Ginny groaned and whispered, "Padfoot, please! Please, please, answer! Padfoot!"
His face appeared and he quickly said, "I'm here, I'm here! Are you okay?"
"Forget about me," Ginny immediately whispered, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Sirius assuredly said, "Don't worry."
"Easier said than done," Ginny remarked, "After Mum said your name…"
"I know," Sirius muttered, "Mad-Eye was nearly ready to evict her from the Order. She maintained that if my cover had been blown, it would have been my own fault."
"She did it on purpose," Ginny hissed, "I know that she did! She wanted to get back at you for everything that you did to defy her this summer."
"You will never be able to prove it," Sirius pointed out, "And you'll be going into a war if you try to do so."
"I want to talk to her," Ginny declared, "Can you hand the mirror to her?"
Sirius looked hesitant.
He then leapt up. Ginny got a quick glimpse of the chambre de l'esprit before Sirius ducked into the corridor. He found Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasley took the mirror and cried, "Ginny, what's wrong!?"
"Nothing, Mum," Ginny dangerously said, "I just wanted to let you know that if you ever jeopardize Padfoot's freedom again, I will follow in Percy's footsteps."
She wasn't able to see her mother's expression, for Sirius quickly grabbed the mirror and raced away before any damage could be done.
He burst back into the chambre l'esprit and shouted, "JESUS, JUNIPER!"
"I'm not apologizing," Ginny announced.
"Why would you apologize?" Sirius exclaimed, "That was amazing!"
Ginny smiled.
"Although," Sirius continued, "You do know that you may have started a battle."
"I'm prepared for a war," Ginny quietly said.
Sirius grinned and said, "Spoken like a true Honorary Marauder."
Ginny dropped the mirror.
She managed to catch it and stammer, "Wh…what?"
"You heard me," Sirius chuckled.
Ginny composed herself and said, "So…do I get a t-shirt for being an Honorary Marauder?"
"Sure," Sirius snorted.
"What are the benefits?"
"Getting detention thrice as usual," Sirius amusedly replied, "And a cool nickname."
Ginny laughed and said, "Who else is an Honorary Marauder?"
"There's you," Sirius replied, "And Harry. Lily was one. Frank and Alice Longbottom were ones. Marlene McKinnon was one. Reg was one for a while. I once asked Professor McGonagall if she wanted to join. She declined."
Ginny cracked up at the thought of her Head of House being an Honorary Marauder.
She jumped as she heard several students in the corridor.
"I have to go," Ginny whispered, "Goodnight, Sirius."
"Take care, Juniper."