Despite the fact that Sirius dismissed the events of the day before, Ginny still felt uneasy. She didn't know if it was because of the fast approaching Easter holiday, the looming Malfoy ball, her new and unusual friendship with Narcissa Black, her secret plans to destroy Tom Riddle or her conversation with Lily last night.
One thing was clear to her though, she needed to make up her absence to Sirius, and try and put pause on everything else she was trying to juggle.
That however was easier said than done.
After classes were out, Remus, Lily, Alice and Ginny headed to the library, eager to get ahead on all of their schoolwork before the Easter break. The four friends sat at a table in the center of the room doing more talking than they were schoolwork.
"Just one more week and we can spend an entire weekend Hogwarts and homework free," Alice sighed.
"I don't think I'm going home," Lily responded.
"Me neither, I'm going home with Frank to meet his mother," Alice grinned excitedly.
"Oh, I wouldn't be too excited, she can be quite rude," Ginny responded remembering the handful of times Neville had introduced them.
"You've met her?" Remus and Alice both asked in unison.
"Oh no, obviously not. I meant I heard she's rude," Ginny covered up quickly.
"Oh, I don't listen to gossip, Frank only has nice things to say about her, I'm just nervous she won't approve of me," Alice smiled.
Odd, Neville rarely had nice things to say about his grandmother, but Frank only had nice things to say about her. Maybe it was the loss of her only son and daughter in law that made her into the bitter woman she was in the future.
"What about you Ginevra, are you spending the holiday with the twins?" Lily asked, turning the attention to Ginny.
"No, I wish I could spend more time with the Prewetts," Ginny answered.
"Are you coming to the Potters then? It would be nice to have some help controlling James and Sirius," Remus grinned.
"I'm not sure, I have a meeting with the headmaster tonight, and we're going to discuss my Easter plans," Ginny answered honestly.
"You could always stay here with me," Lily beamed.
"Are you not going to the Potters?" Alice asked, turning to Lily.
"James asked me, but I haven't decided," Lily responded.
"So you're just going to stay at Hogwarts?" Alice asked shocked.
"Lots of people stay here," Lily defended.
"If James finds out you're staying here, then he'll stay here, which will mean Sirius will stay here, and then I will have to stay here," Remus sighed. "And Mrs. Potter said she'd make pot roast," Remus added defeated.
"I'll be right back," Ginny spoke rising from her chair and heading across the library following the head of blonde hair who disappeared between the stacks.
"Narcissa," Ginny greeted as she turned the corner and nearly walked into Narcissa.
"Oh Hello Ginevra, I was going to say hello when I spotted you coming in, but I heard our friendship gave you a bit of a hard time," Narcissa responded, with a sad smile.
"Oh no-it's just-"
"It's perfectly fine," Narcissa smiled waving away Ginny's excuses.
Ginny couldn't help but imagine Ron's reaction with her being friends with Draco Malfoy's mother.
"Actually that's why I was here, everyone is making plans for the Easter holiday, and I was wondering if I could take you up on your offer."
"Of course!" Narcissa beamed smiling widely, showing off her perfect white teeth.
"We'll be apparating, so you'll have to talk to the headmaster, I'll owl my mother tonight and get her to write to the Professor Dumbledore," she beamed.
Ginny couldn't help but smile, she felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulder. Spending the weekend with Narcissa not only provided her with an outfit for the ball, but also a girls perceptive on how to behave. It also provided her with the opportunity to find out just where Tom was with recruiting death eaters, by forming friendships with the family's he had eating out of the palm of his hand.
"I have a meeting with him tonight, so I'll see if he'll approve it," Ginny grinned.
"Oh I'm sure he would, he let you spend Christmas with the Prewetts, and my father is on the council," Narcissa waved away Ginny's comment.
"I'll let you know in class tomorrow either way," Ginny grinned, as Narcissa headed back to her table and Ginny headed towards her friends who were already packing up.
"Emma said that we were having lamb tonight," Alice groaned when Ginny was in earshot.
"How is it that the Hufflepuff's always seem to know what the elves have planned for dinner when no one else does," Remus responded.
"I like lamb," Ginny joined in.
"You won't like it the way they make it, always overcooked and to much seasoning," Alice sighed.
"I rather liked it last time," Lily added.
"No you didn't, you complained all night that you were sick," Alice responded.
"Oh yea I forgot," Lily replied glumly.
The four friends reached the great hall and headed towards the Gryffindor table where James, Sirius and Peter already sat.
"Just like I said, lamb," Alice groaned, sitting in the empty space beside Peter.
"It's delicious," Peter grinned, who had his plate piled high.
"It's no pot roast," James shrugged taking a bite.
'Pot roast," Remus sighed, making eye contact with Lily.
'Oh alright," She responded sticking out her tongue. "James are you still planning on going home for Easter?" Lily asked casually.
"Yup," James managed to spit out between mouthfuls of lamb. "Obviously 'er invited Ginev-a," he added looking over at Ginny.
"Yea, Mr. and Mrs. Potter keep pestering me every time they write to ask you," Sirius added, to Ginny, blocking out the rest of Lily and James's conversation. "They can aparate you to the ball too if you wanted," Sirius added.
"Actually, I was going to ask you, Narcissa invited me to spend the weekend with her, that way I will have something to wear to the ball," Ginny asked holding her breath for a reaction like last time.
"Alright, well you're still welcome after if you get bored of the stuffy purebloods," Sirius shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.
A fellow fifth year squeezed his way in beside James and soon the boys were in a heated discussion over someone who exploded some gargoyles on a group of unsuspected first years, and all discussions of Easter were forgotten.