Ginny after the first attack.

GINNY IV

"Dear Tom," she started to write into her journal. It had been so long since she wrote in it. She didn't know where to begin. She hesitated, the point of her feather only an inch from the paper. Her words disappeared, and Tom's appeared.

Hi, dear Ginny. I was wondering when you would write again. It's been a few days since I've had some of your news. Are you alright?

Ginny hesitated again. She was breathing heavily. She may be alone in her dormitory, but she was afraid that someone might surprise her writing to Tom. She felt watched all the time lately. New words from Tom appeared in the diary.

You can tell me everything, Ginny. You can trust me.

She read the words as they disappeared. She couldn't tell anyone else. She sighed and began writing.

"A cat was attacked a few nights ago, at Halloween. I don't remember where I was that night. I don't remember being at the feast. I just recall being on my way to the Great Hall, and then I woke up next morning in my bed, and everyone was talking about the cat being attacked. I had red paint all over my front when I woke up."

Tom took some time to reply.

A cat was attacked? Is he dead?

"No. The others say he was Petrified. But I don't understand. Why don't I remember anything from that night?"

Again, Tom didn't reply right away.

Are you still feeling unwell?

"Yes. I feel tired all the time. Percy always tells me how blank I look. He forced me to take a Pepperup Potion for healing colds, but I don't think it worked. He keeps telling me how I don't seem to look fine."

It's probably his way to worry about you. I'm sure Percy is only trying to help you. He's one of your brothers, isn't he? The one you told me was Prefect?

"Yes, that's him."

It may be better to not tell him about your memory loss, then. He might worry too much. It must be arriving at that new school. The stress, the bad weather, all this must be affecting you.

"But I really don't feel well. And this is the first time I don't remember a part of my day."

You said it yourself, Ginny. You are tired. You were probably so much exhausted that you left the Halloween feast early and went back to your bed to rest. It can happen sometimes that we don't remember certain things when we are too tired.

Ginny wasn't totally convinced. Yes, she was tired, but to the point of not remembering how she got into her bed the night of Halloween?

"I'm afraid I'm the one who attacked the cat."

It was like writing a confession. For a long time, Tom didn't answer as the ink disappeared from the page. Then words slowly took shape.

Ginny, do you really think you could have attacked that cat? Are you capable of doing this?

"No, I would never do such a thing," she wrote back.

Then you got your answer. Whoever did this, it's not you. I'm telling you. You are not responsible for what happened that night. Someone else did this, and I am sure that the teachers will find him very soon. You shouldn't worry about that. You're a girl far too kind to do such a thing. Anyway, you don't know how to Petrify someone, am I wrong?

"No, I don't know how to do this."

Then whatever you did that night, you couldn't have Petrified the cat.

Ginny sighed again. Tom was right. She couldn't have done this.

"You're right. Thank you for reassuring me, Tom."

That's what friends are for.

Yes, friends. Tom was the only real friend she had in this school. Nobody wanted to be friends with the new girl wearing second-hand clothing and whose only new books were gifts from people who were richer than her family was.

Have you spoken with Harry since the last time we talked? Well, since the last we wrote, to be more accurate.

Ginny didn't reply immediately. Tom often asked her questions about Harry, questions she was usually more than happy to answer. But today, she wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about him. Harry wasn't at the Halloween feast. She knew because she heard him talk about it with Ron. He had gone to Godric's Hollow. It had been eleven years on that day since his father died and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was defeated. Ginny had wanted to tell him something on that day, but she couldn't muster the courage to speak to him. She found herself envying Hermione once again when she asked him if he was alright that morning. All Ginny had to do was to say a few words, but she remained there, looking at her porridge, mute like a statue.

"No." She didn't write anything else.

I think you should, Ginny. From what you're telling me, he is a very kind boy. You've got nothing to lose by talking to him.

"Nothing but further make a fool of myself."

Are you really afraid of what he might think of you? I think that if he saw you as a fool, he wouldn't have flown a hundred miles on a broomstick with you.

Ginny reddened. The truth was, she enjoyed this journey, despite the fact she dared not to say anything to Harry. She wished she could have.

"Excuse me, Tom. My lessons will begin soon. I got to get out of bed."

Enjoy your day, Ginny.

She closed the diary, got dressed and went to the Great Hall. Despite her conversation with Tom, she felt unsure about what she did the night of Halloween. She really wished she could remember what happened. And this poor cat... Ginny felt sorry for Mrs Norris.

"Hey, Ginny, you're late this morning," her brother Ron said the moment she sat at the table. Ginny swiftly took place, her eyes down when she realized that Harry was sitting next to her brother and was looking at her. She had forgotten to sit down far from them this time.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked her.

She avoided Harry's gaze the best she could. "It's... I'm always thinking about what happened to Mrs Norris."

Ron sighed. "Come on, Ginny. It's not a drama. She's not dead, only Petrified."

"Yes, but..." She didn't finish her sentence. Anyway, Ron didn't let her finish it.

"Look, it's very sad what happened to Filch's cat." She got the distinct impression that Ron didn't believe it from the tone of his voice. "But you hadn't really got to know Mrs Norris. Honestly, we're much better off without her."

Ginny felt her lips quivering. How could he say that? She was only a cat. It was true that she was afraid of Mr Filch. He was scary. But what did his cat do to deserve this? And why couldn't Ginny remember where she was when that happened?

"Stuff like that doesn't often happen at Hogwarts. They'll catch the nutter who did it and have him out of here in no time." Suddenly, Ginny was afraid. What if she was expelled from the school, after spending so many years dreaming of the day she would come here? "I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled." Ginny spilled her pumpkin juice when he said that. "I'm only joking," Ron said.

But Ginny had had enough. She didn't want to hear anything else from her brother. If she was to topple things, better be because Harry was talking to her. However, he didn't seem to have noticed his best friend's words for his snowy owl landed in front of him, carrying a book.

"Thank you, Hedwig," he said to the owl, letting her drink some of his own juice. He then turned to Hermione, who was reading something next to him. "Hermione, I think I've got what you need." He put the book right in front of her. She looked at it with big eyes, then at him. "How did you...?"

"It's my copy that I left home. I asked my mother to send it to me."

Ginny tried to read the cover, but the writing was reversed, so it was difficult, not to mention that Hermione seized it right away and opened it.

"Thank you, Harry. You're saving my life." If Hermione had not been absorbed in her reading, Ginny got the distinct impression that she would have kissed Harry on the spot, which did nothing to make her feel better. "All the copies of Hogwarts: A History have been taken out of the library. There is a two-week waiting list. And I couldn't bring my own copy from home. I don't have an owl," she said.

"Why do you want it?" Ron asked.

"For the same reason everyone wants it," Hermione replied, as if the answer was evident. "I want to read the legend of the Chambers of Secrets."

"You found something about it?" A boy from Hufflepuff had just stopped behind Harry and Hermione.

"Hi Justin," Harry said. "How are you?"

"Better than Mrs Norris," the boy said. He looked shaken up. "Everyone is talking about it in the Hufflepuff common room. Apparently, it has something to do with a monster chasing Muggle-born wizards. But no one wants to tell me much. Both my parents are Muggles. If you find something..."

"I got it!" Hermione said. Both Harry, Ron and the boy they named Justin looked over her shoulders. "Following the departure of Salazar Slytherin, rumors began to spread that the founder of House Slytherin had built a hidden chamber inside the castle, unknown to the other founders. This chamber was soon known under the name of Chamber of Secrets. Slytherin would have sealed the Chamber before his departure, so that only his own true heir could open it when he would arrive at the school. Only the heir of Slytherin would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, and to unleash its horror to purge the school of all those who were unworthy, according to Slytherin, to study magic."

"What does that mean, being unworthy to study magic?" Justin asked.

"That means only pure-blood wizards," Harry said. "Especially not Muggle-born people. Slytherin believed that only those of pure blood deserved to learn how to use magic. That's why he got into conflict with the other founders. If he had his way, neither Hermione, Justin or my mother could have studied at Hogwarts. Maybe even I wouldn't have been allowed to come."

"What is the horror to purge school that they are talking about?" Justin now sounded really afraid.

"They don't say," Hermione answered. "But the book states that over the centuries, many people tried to find the Chamber of Secrets, and no one ever succeeded. The author herself doesn't believe that the Chamber exists."

"Then why was it written that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened at Halloween?" Ron asked.

"Maybe someone finally found it," Harry suggested.

"You think?" Justin asked. He was obviously worried. "Does that mean that people like Hermione and I are in danger?"

"We don't know yet." Hermione closed the book. "I guess all we can do for now is to remain careful." Hermione looked very quiet for someone who just learned she might be the prime target of a monster who could Petrify people. "We should go. The Herbology classroom is beginning very soon. You're coming with us, Justin?"

"Yes."

The Hufflepuff sounded very eager to follow them.

Ginny hadn't eaten much for her breakfast, and it showed during her class of Potions. She made mistake after mistake, which caused Professor Snape to remove ten points from Gryffindor when her cauldron melted under her eyes, ruining one of her few precious robes. Things didn't get better during the Charms class in the afternoon, as she proved to be just unable to cast a levitation spell. Perhaps it had more to do with her thinking all the time about what Hermione read during breakfast. Was there really a monster attacking those deemed unworthy to study magic? But why attack a cat then?

Ginny wasn't helped by the other Gryffindor student she was paired with for this exercise.

"It will be the first Quidditch match next week-end," Colin Creevey said, not really caring about the spell they were supposed to practice. "Gryffindor against Slytherin. I'll bring my camera with me. Perhaps I'll get a picture of Harry when he catches the Snitch. I wish my parents could come, but they're not allowed. Only the players' parents can come. Anyway, I feel like they don't get what a Quidditch game is. They're Muggles, so..."

Having Colin talking all the time about Harry didn't make Ginny more comfortable, but he didn't seem to bother about the fact she was not saying a word. She didn't want to talk about Harry with him. She would just take the risk of looking ridicule once more, and anyway she wasn't in the mood for that.

The combining result of her empty stomach, what she learned about the Chamber of Secrets, Colin talking about Harry without stop, and the bad mood of her teachers made the day miserable for Ginny. She just wished it would end soon. Her levitation spells were so poorly executed that Professor Flitwick gave her additional exercises to do.

However, Ginny didn't have her mind on this. Instead, at the end of the Charms class, she went to the second floor. Finding the wall where Mrs Norris was hung up wasn't difficult, as the scarlet letters were visible from very far away. However, she could only see the red words well enough to read the message when she was only a few feet from it.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

She read the message a few times. All that really seemed to be about the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny looked around. She had no memory of this place. She never came here. On her left, she noticed a door that was barely open. She walked towards it, and saw a sink on the other side. There was a symbol indicating these were toilets for girls. Some water was coming out from under the door. Another sign indicated these toilets could not be used. No, she really never came here.

The door slammed open, making her jump as Argus Filch appeared in the doorframe. The moment he saw her, he started yelling at her.

"What are you doing here? You want to revel in my cat's tragedy. OUT! NOW!"

Ginny was already running away as quickly as she could. She only stopped when she was far away enough, then she headed towards the Gryffindor Tower. On her way, she came across Draco Malfoy with his friends.

"Hey, look! Potter's second girlfriend!"

Ginny accelerated her pace, doing everything to ignore the laughter behind her, looking at the floor, swearing they would not see her redden, ignoring everything that was going on around her, wanting only one thing...

BANG!

She bumped into someone else, her bag ending on the floor, and most of her books and other things it contained, including ink bottles, falling to the floor and breaking when they could.

"Hey! You could be more careful!" a girl shouted at her while Ginny was recovering quickly her books before they were sullied by the growing pond of black ink.

"Calm down, Marietta," another girl said. "I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose. Are you okay?"

When Ginny straightened, her bag back on her shoulder, she found herself face to face with a group of girls from Ravenclaw. All were older than she was, and all of them looked at her as if she was a gargoyle. The only one who seemed to look at her with some kindness was the girl at the head of the group. This one was barely taller than Ginny, had long black hair, and was clearly of Asian origins. Ginny thought she had seen her before. And then she remembered. She was the Seeker who defeated Gryffindor last year.

Ginny almost ran past her and her friends, not looking behind.

"What's the problem with her?" one of the girls said behind.

"She's the Weasley girl. Weirder than all her brothers," another one said. Ginny heard some laughing before she got far enough to no longer hear them.

By the time she reached the Gryffindor common room, she was in tears and shouted the password at the Fat Lady.

"No need to scream, you know, little girl."

Even portraits saw her as a little girl. She walked quickly through the common room and went to her dormitory, where she drew up the curtains and stayed in her bed, silently crying.

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Next chapter: Lily