Dumbledore's Request
Over the following week, Harry and Ginny spent every available moment together. Their affection was undisguised and unmistakable to everyone around them. They walked hand in hand and kissed each other's cheeks whenever they parted. When they sat down, Harry would wrap his arm around her back while Ginny would rest her head on his shoulder. Most of the staff and student body found them adorable, with some even whispering about how they were the perfect match. Unbiased observers declared them the most handsome couple in the entire school, and their growing bond was a topic of many conversations.
However, their unapologetic affection also drew the attention of another group. For the pureblood, crypto-Death Eater students at the school, this was valuable information that could be useful later. Pansy Parkinson, in particular, felt offended by the love and affection that Potter and his blood traitor girlfriend flaunted in front of the Slytherins. Her jealousy burned like fire within her, and she tried to provoke her unofficial boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, into doing something—anything at all—that would wipe the smile off Ginny Weasley's face. Despite her efforts, Draco seemed uninterested and withdrawn, which only added to the tension between them.
Lately, Pansy Parkinson had been seriously contemplating setting her sights on a different pureblood, Death Eater scion. Draco Malfoy, once a proud and confident figure, was now a shadow of his former self. Ever since his defeat in a duel by Potter, he appeared to have lost his nerve despite his boastful claims of being on a mission for the Dark Lord. The once handsome boy now looked pale and gaunt, with noticeably thinning hair. To make matters worse, he had been unable to get an erection the last couple of times she had tried to initiate intimacy. Pansy observed Potter and Weasley happily sharing food from each other's plates, and she swore she would make them both pay.
Another person who was watching the romance with keen interest that Sunday evening was Albus Dumbledore. Like everyone else, the headmaster knew that Harry Potter had a girlfriend. Even at the teachers' table, this news was a topic of interest and speculation. The headmaster had kept his ears open to the gossip, considering Harry's critical role in the future of the British wizarding world.
Initially, Dumbledore didn't begrudge Harry the thrills and joys of experiencing an adolescent fling. After all, it was a rite of passage for wizards and witches his age to experience their first love and embark on a journey of sexual discovery. His long experience as headmaster of Hogwarts had shown that these teenage "love affairs" were often shallow and self-serving, and they typically fizzled out after a few weeks.
The headmaster and his staff had witnessed hundreds of these relationships, and they were not ignorant of the sexual escapades occurring at the castle. In most cases, they chose to turn a blind eye because most of these relationships were harmless. There were exceptions, of course. For example, Romilda Vane's infamous promiscuity posed a problem that would require an intervention.
The case of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley represented another teenage romance that could not be left unchecked. Too much depended on Harry. The boy would soon be facing death, and ultimately, he would have to die willingly. Dumbledore hoped that Harry was merely a typical teenage boy sowing his wild oats and that his attachment was superficial. If he became too attached to the youngest Weasley, it could create numerous scenarios in which Harry would be unwilling to make the ultimate sacrifice. The headmaster feared that Ginny Weasley might exert too much influence and dissuade him from following his destiny. He needed to determine how deep their attachment really was.
Performing Legilimency on a minor without parental consent was highly illegal, but in this case, the greater good was at stake. Dumbledore looked directly at Ginny Weasley and skilfully invaded her mind without being detected.
The headmaster was shocked that one of the girl's most recent memories was that of a torrid and satisfying sexual encounter in a fully appointed room that could only be the Room of Requirement. He skipped forward as fast as possible, and what he found was worrying.
After intercourse, neither teen felt any rush to leave or seek out their friends. They lay naked in bed for a full hour, embracing, kissing, and tenderly expressing their love for one another. Even more alarming was their playful and witty post-coital banter, where they discussed a future in a large house and a trio of children with complete candour and joy.
Outside the girl's memories, the headmaster noticed Ginny wince and raise her hand to her temple. She complained to Harry about a sudden headache, and he immediately shifted his gaze towards Professor Snape, who was engaged in conversation with Professor Slughorn. This gave Dumbledore a moment to withdraw from the girl's mind and feign a conversation with Professor Sprout.
Harry seemed to stop suspecting that a mental assault on his girlfriend was taking place. Dumbledore sighed with relief and steepled his fingers to consider his next move.
O-o-O-o-O
The following Wednesday evening, Harry and Ginny went for a walk and a snog after dinner to celebrate her successful completion of the Transfiguration OWL. Not only had she aced the practical portion of the exam, earning a rare smile from Professor McGonagall, but she also felt confident about the written portion. As they were returning to Gryffindor Tower, they passed a broom cupboard, and Ginny came to a stop.
"You know," she said with a devilish smile, "a broom cupboard quickie is a Hogwarts tradition."
Harry chuckled. "We wouldn't want to miss out on such a longstanding and honoured tradition, would we?"
Biting her lower lip and squinting her eyes, Ginny grabbed Harry's school tie and pulled him into the small, dark cupboard. Harry shut the door, plunging them into complete darkness, and immediately pressed her against the wall to kiss her fiercely. His hand reached to knead and squeeze her breasts while she cupped his crotch to massage his penis.
With his other hand, Harry lifted her skirt and cupped her pussy. His middle finger slid under the cotton fabric, and he let it glide along the length of her quickly moistening cunnie before he buried it inside her. Ginny moaned as she unfastened his trousers' zipper, and her hand reached inside his boxer shorts for his warm and growing cock. Harry slid a second finger inside her and began to finger-fuck her, kissing her neck and the back of her ear.
They were both panting and moaning heatedly as they moved. Ginny pulled Harry's cock through the zipper opening and began to stroke him with one hand while, with the other, she pulled Harry's fingers out of her pussy. She then dropped to her knees and wrapped both her dainty hands around the shaft to stroke him until he was fully erect. The redhead pushed his penis up against his abdomen to lick the underside before she stuffed his hot manhood into her mouth. She sucked him enthusiastically, slurping his sweet pre-cum and gagging a couple of times before standing up.
Harry pressed her body against the wall, placing his hands under each bum cheek to lift her off the floor. He supported her lithe body with just one hand while, with the other, he directed his cock toward her centre. Ginny used one hand to pull her knickers to one side while Harry slowly impaled her and then locked both her hands behind his neck.
Harry delivered two powerful upward thrusts, making the redhead bounce on top of his cock and eliciting two high-pitched cries.
"Stop, Harry," she said breathlessly. "We forgot the privacy charm, and you are going to make me scream."
"My wand is in my right pocket. Can you reach it?" he asked her.
Ginny reached down and took out the wand. "Oh, Harry," she said in a hot and sexy voice. "Your wand is so long and thick."
Harry chuckled and pressed his mouth against her ear. "Do you like my wand?" he whispered huskily.
"I love your wand, Harry," she said, biting his earlobe. "It's so hard."
Harry couldn't help it. He drove his hips up repeatedly, making Ginny's lithe body bound up and down on his cock. She held on for dear life, and her high-pitched cries grew alarmingly loud, prompting Harry to stop.
"Do the privacy charm, love," he urged her.
Just as Ginny was lifting the wand, there were three sharp knocks on the door.
"Prefect's Patrol," a female voice said firmly. "Come out as soon as you're decent!"
Harry and Ginny gasped, and even in the dark, Harry could see the whites of Ginny's eyes bulging. They both scrambled to adjust their clothing, but it was nearly impossible due to their nerves and the almost complete darkness.
"Was that Hermione?" Ginny asked with fear in her voice.
"I believe so," Harry replied with trepidation.
When the door opened, and Hermione saw who the two comically dishevelled occupants of the room were, she blushed to the roots of her hair. She couldn't help but notice the heady and alluring smell of sex wafting out of the cupboard. The bushy-haired brunette shook her head disapprovingly.
"Five points from Gryffindor each for the inappropriate use of a broom cupboard, and five more points each for disturbing the peace," she said with an angry edge. "You two woke up the bloody portraits."
The couple stood silently with their heads down, wringing their hands nervously in front of them.
"I'm sorry, Her…"
"You're sorry!" Hermione angrily snapped at Harry. "I now know what sex between my two best friends sounds and smells like," she scolded. "Believe me. I was fine not knowing!"
"Does it smell bad?" Ginny asked, suddenly more worried about their intimate scent than about being caught shagging in a broom cupboard.
Hermione struggled to maintain her serious demeanour but eventually chuckled. "No. Not at all," she answered honestly.
"Where's Ron?" Harry inquired, looking around nervously.
"Luckily for you two, he's taking one of his many snack breaks and is probably still in the kitchens," Hermione replied.
"Can we go now?" Harry asked sheepishly.
Hermione looked up and down at the couple. "You two look like you've just had a shag in a broom cupboard," she stated pointedly. "Put yourselves together, for Merlin's sake!"
Harry and Ginny exchanged glances and laughed. Their clothes were a complete mess, with part of Harry's white shirt sticking out from the unzipped trousers. They straightened their uniforms and looked back at Hermione for approval.
"Good enough. Now get out of my sight before Ron finds us," the bushy-haired witch ordered. "If I catch you shagging in a broom cupboard again, I'll have to report you to Professor McGonagall, and for god's sake, use a privacy charm next time."
The couple walked slowly and quietly for a reasonable distance. Once they believed they were out of earshot from Hermione, they turned to one another. The corners of their lips began to lift, and soon, they burst into laughter. They noisily ran the rest of the way to the common room.
O-o-O-o-O
Ginny and Luna had finished their last OWL exam, and both girls felt satisfied with their performance. On Saturday morning, Ginny accompanied Luna to the library to go over some of the Astronomy questions to ensure they had answered them correctly. She had nothing better to occupy her time. Harry was serving detention with Snape, while Hermione and Ron were attending a Prefect's meeting. The school year would end in two weeks, and she and Harry would be separated for at least a month. This prospect filled her with a profound sense of emptiness.
However, something else was troubling her: a lingering feeling of dread. As Ginny listlessly reviewed the questions, she recalled the previous night's events.
After dinner, she and Harry went to the Room of Requirement. Harry walked back and forth across the entrance three times to set up the room, creating a particularly romantic atmosphere. The lighting was softly diffused, and there were red roses all around the room and on the large, comfortable bed, filling the room with their delicate aroma. Soft, romantic music played throughout the room, the sound seeming to emanate from every corner.
They made love for what seemed like an eternity, slowly and gently, but full of need and ardour. Harry's hands and mouth explored every inch of her body as if he were trying to memorise it. He had plundered her pussy from every position and every direction. His green eyes, filled with longing and tenderness, were fixed on her face, capturing every smile, every laugh, every expression of love and joy.
She had also felt compelled to explore, caressing and kissing every lean muscle and ripple of his body, memorising every square inch of his beloved face. She kissed and sucked his cock before riding it, her pussy clinging tighter than ever to his manhood as if it didn't want to let go. Their taut bodies glistened with sweat as they moved in unison, responding to their lover's cues. Harry professed his love repeatedly as Ginny climaxed for the final time, and his virility was exhausted for the night.
It was then that the feeling of dread began. That night felt like a prolonged farewell, and sadness filled Harry's eyes. They lay naked in each other's arms, lost in their own thoughts, but Ginny was too afraid to ask him what he was thinking. She was too frightened of what his answer might be. He had secrets to keep and a job to do, and she didn't want to pry.
At that moment, her attention was captured by the sight of Neville Longbottom approaching them.
"Good morning, Neville," Luna said dreamily, without raising her head or even looking at the boy.
"Err… Good morning, Luna… Ginny," he replied awkwardly.
"Good morning, Neville," the redhead greeted him, wondering what had prompted his visit.
"Ginny, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office," he informed her nervously.
"Me?" Ginny asked incredulously, pointing a finger at her chest.
"Yes."
"When?"
"Now. The password is Chocolate Frogs."
Ginny stood up hesitantly. "Do you have any idea what he wants with me?"
Luna looked up from her book. "It's about Harry, of course."
Neville nodded slowly, his expression serious.
Ginny's heart suddenly sank, flooded with terror. "Has something happened to Harry?" she asked desperately.
Neville's eyes widened as he raised both hands, palms facing her, shaking his head and hands negatively. "No. Nothing like that?"
Luna lifted her head once more. "He told you something, didn't he?" she said calmly.
Neville glanced between Luna and Ginny, swallowing before responding. "Yes, but I'm not supposed to say anything."
"Does he want to see me too?" Luna asked, her eyes again focused on her book.
"Yes. At noon."
"That's nice," Luna said dreamily.
Ginny stood frozen, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Neville shifted nervously and looked towards the library exit.
"You should go, Ginny," Luna observed to Neville's relief.
Ginny hurried as fast as her feet could carry her to the headmaster's office. She gave the gargoyle the password and rode the spiral staircase up to the corridor that led to the office. Taking a moment to compose herself, she got ready to knock.
"Come in," called Dumbledore's voice from the inside.
Ginny entered and surveyed her surroundings. All her memories of this office were bleak. Her previous two visits centred on Tom's diary and her father's assault at the Ministry. A wave of foreboding washed over her.
"Welcome, Ms Weasley," Dumbledore said cheerfully from behind his desk. "Lemon drop?" he asked, pushing a small bowl full of candy towards her.
Only then did Ginny notice the headmaster's appearance. He looked older and frailer than she remembered. A sickly odour emanated from his withered and blackened left hand, making her suppress a gag. She declined the candy.
"Please, have a seat," Dumbledore offered politely, gesturing towards the chair in front of her.
Ginny sat down and regarded the old wizard with suspicion. "You called for me, Professor?"
"Indeed, Ms Weasley. I've heard the happy news about your relationship with Harry," he announced with a smile. "Young love is truly a beautiful thing to behold."
"But… There's a but coming, isn't there?"
Dumbledore smiled sadly. "You are a very clever young woman, Ms Weasley. I daresay that if you were as academically inclined as Ms Granger, you would give her a run for her money."
"Please spare me the small talk, Professor. I beg you," an anxious Ginny pleaded. A premonition of something terrible to come grew within her.
The headmaster sighed. "Very well." He showed her his withered hand, slowly turning it. "Very soon, I shall be dead, and the only thing that will stand between Voldemort and absolute power will be Harry. I must ask you not to stand in his way…"
"I will not," Ginny interrupted, her jaw set with fierce determination. "I will stand and fight with him until he kills that bloody bastard!"
"I'm afraid that in the end, he will have to face his destiny alone," the headmaster said sadly. "Harry's life hangs by a thread, Ms Weasley. If he has any doubt about what he must do, he will die..."
"No, he won't," she interjected, her voice trembling as tears began to roll down her cheeks.
It was exactly as she had feared. The optimistic dreams of a happy life with Harry she had built began to collapse.
"He will have to leave you; if he doesn't, everyone you love will also die, Ms Weasley…"
"Shut it!" she yelled fiercely, growing increasingly agitated.
"Harry will have to make significant sacrifices to save the wizarding world." Dumbledore's eyes were filled with compassion. "I must ask you to do the same..."
"I'LL DIE FOR HIM. I'LL KILL A THOUSAND MEN FOR HIM!"
"All I ask of you is that when the time comes, you let him go," Dumbledore said with infuriating calmness. "Unfortunately, that time is fast approaching."
"YOU CAN'T ASK ME TO DO THAT!"
"It's the only way..."
"THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY!" Dumbledore remained silent, and Ginny sobbed inconsolably. "There has to."
"Harry will still need your help, Ms Weasley, but the best place for you to assist him will be from right here. From Hogwarts."
The redhead's keening wails and violent sobs nearly broke Dumbledore's heart. She spoke in a whisper, almost inaudibly. "If you promise me he will live. I'll break up with him."
Despair was etched in the old wizard's face. "I cannot promise you that, but his best chance… perhaps his only chance of survival… is if he can leave you behind and does what he has to do. Don't make it harder for him than it has to be."
Ginny's shoulders slumped. "We had dreams. We had such beautiful daydreams," she sobbed as her face contorted with pain.
Dumbledore let out a sigh of relief at her tacit but unspoken acceptance. "Those dreams may still come true, and I genuinely hope they will," the headmaster said thoughtfully. "You're a strong young woman, Ms Weasley. I know you will do the right thing. I ask that you keep what you know to yourself and not discuss it with anyone else."
Ginny did not wait to be dismissed; she wanted to leave that cursed office. She stood up, exited the room, and descended the spiral stairs while crying inconsolably, only to run into Hermione. The brunette appeared shocked by her condition and embraced her tightly.
"What happened? Are you all right?" Hermione asked, alarmed after stepping back.
"No, I'm not all right!" Ginny replied harshly, but immediately, her face contorted with pain and regret, and she hugged her friend fiercely. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, Hermione. He's waiting for you," she said before running down the hallway.
At the next turn, she ran into Luna, who appeared to have been waiting for her. The blonde girl embraced her. "I bet you don't want to be seen now," she stated.
"No," Ginny replied, shaking her head.
"I know of a private room. Come with me, Ginny," Luna suggested in her sing-song voice, taking her by the hand.
They walked down to the basement of Ravenclaw Tower, and Luna stood in front of a rectangular recess on a wall that housed a portrait of Helena Ravenclaw. Luna placed her hand on a specific knot in the wooden frame and it shimmered before the portrait came to life.
"Hello, Grey Lady. My friend needs a room to have a cry. Would you let us into your room?" Luna asked.
The portrait looked compassionately at the disconsolate redhead. "Riddle me this, young Luna: The more you take, the more you leave behind."
"Footsteps," replied Luna with a smile.
"You and your friend may come in," the portrait said before opening to reveal the entrance to a room.
Despite her pain, Ginny gasped as she entered the room. It was a large studio with an entrance to a private quarter to the side. It was richly decorated with tapestries, and the vaulted ceilings were painted blue and bronze. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled an entire wall.
"What's this room?" Ginny asked.
"It was Helenas Ravenclaw's private quarters. I'm a friend of her ghost, the Grey Lady, and she lets me use it whenever I want," Luna replied.
"That's impressive."
"You can lie on the sofa," Luna suggested, gesturing toward it. "I need to return to the headmaster's office for my meeting with Professor Dumbledore."
Just hearing that name made bitter tears fall from Ginny's eyes. She did as Luna suggested, watching her leave. She cried and sobbed until she eventually fell asleep.
O-o-O-o-O
When Ginny woke up, she was momentarily confused by her surroundings. Then, she saw Luna sitting behind the large, ornately carved wooden desk at the centre of the studio, reading a book. The wooden chair Luna occupied was equally elaborately carved, featuring an eagle at the top that flapped its wings at regular intervals. It was upholstered in blue and bronze silk, embellished with the Ravenclaw crest. She also noticed two trays with food and drink were on the table.
"How long was I asleep?" Ginny asked.
"A couple of hours," Luna replied without looking at her.
"What did Dumbledore tell you?"
Luna peered from behind the book. "He said we would know what to do when we return for next term and that we should protect you."
"Who's we?" Ginny inquired.
"Neville and I."
"Did he mention Harry, Ron, or Hermione?"
"No."
"I knew it," Ginny exclaimed, furrowing her brow.
"They aren't coming back, are they?" Luna asked.
Ginny shook her head negatively. "Why do I need protection?"
"You know why," Luna answered reproachfully. "You're important to Harry because he loves you. If something were to happen to you, he would lose all motivation, and the war would be lost."
Ginny let out a frustrated huff. "I feel like a bloody pawn in Dumbledore's chess game."
Luna chuckled. "You are, but that's not a bad thing. Every pawn can potentially be turned into a queen, and you are the real queen in this game."
Ginny stared at Luna with her mouth slightly agape. After a few seconds, she shook her head. "Is that food for us?" she asked, gesturing to the food trays.
Luna laughed. "Yes. Grab a chair, and let's eat."
Ginny ate slowly, picking through her food, lost in thought. "Luna, you're the best Potions student in our year…"
The blonde Ravenclaw stopped eating and looked at her friend. "You're not bad at Potions yourself," she noted.
"Do you know if it's possible to reverse the effects of a contraceptive potion once you've taken it?"
Luna seemed unfazed by her question, but her eyes appeared to wander into the distance. After a long pause, she replied, "Not that I know of. Why?"
Ginny swallowed hard, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. "If something were to happen to Harry, I want to carry his baby," the first salty drops began to roll down her cheeks. "If I didn't and he was to die, nothing would stop me from seeking death."
"There are several Potions books in this library. We could look through them," Luna offered.
The two witches spent several hours poring over the potion books, completely losing track of time. Ginny realised it was nearing curfew when suddenly Luna's eyes widened and bulged. The blonde girl stood up and reached into her trouser pocket, pulling out what Ginny immediately recognised as an enchanted DA Galleon. Luna examined the edge of the coin.
"Hermione is calling us," Luna said calmly. "The coin is really hot," she observed.
The two young witches exchanged a brief glance before racing headlong for the exit. A few minutes later, they entered the Gryffindor common room, breathless. Hermione, Ron and Neville were engaged in an animated conversation.
"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked without preamble.
"He's out of the castle with Dumbledore," Hermione replied. She reached into her shirt pocket and produced a phial of Felix Felicis.
"This is the plan…"
O-o-O-o-O
Ginny sat in a state of shock, her eyes fixed on a point a hundred miles away, barely registering anything happening around her. The many dignitaries who attended Dumbledore's funeral stood in small groups, conversing with grave expressions on their faces. The future seemed bleak and uncertain. Out of nowhere, Neville and Luna appeared by her side, each grabbing an arm to help her stand. As they guided her towards the castle, she noticed Harry engaged in conversation with the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, while Ron and Hermione observed from a short distance away. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and pain, her heart heavy with loss.
"Come on," Luna said, sounding unusually calm. "Let's fetch your things. The train will depart in a couple of hours."
Even before her meeting with Dumbledore, Ginny began to suspect that Harry would break up with her. The previous week, an ominous feeling hung in the air whenever they were together. Their moments of intimacy were clouded by a tinge of sadness, as if they were desperately clinging to each other in the face of their inevitable separation. Still, when Harry finally uttered those dreadful words, her heart was broken.
She had done what Dumbledore wished. She not only let him go but also made it easy for him. Despite her heart shattering into a thousand pieces, she made no drama and accepted the inevitable with dignity and resignation. However, now, as she was being led like a zombie through the corridors of Hogwarts, the fight to maintain her composure was being lost.
Harry would soon be gone, and she wouldn't know where he was or whether he was safe. The fear for his safety, the constant anxiety and torture of not knowing where her beloved was, would place a heavy burden on her heart. A low, keening wail escaped her, and a few tears began to fall. Neville officiously informed anyone within hearing distance that Harry had broken up with her, no doubt following Dumbledore's instructions.
They arrived in the Gryffindor common room, and she was passed to her roommates, who hugged her before leading her like an automaton to the dormitory. Many students approached to express their concern and support, but they were just like blurry shadows. Her tear-filled eyes didn't allow her to recognise their faces. She heard a loud argument between Neville and Dean Thomas as she was led up the stairs, with punches being thrown. Her roommates did the final packing of her school trunk while she sat in a catatonic state on the bed.
Then Ginny remembered that she wouldn't even have the consolation of carrying Harry's baby, and that led to the final collapse of her emotions. The dam holding back her tears broke, and they poured from her eyes. She was guided back to the common room. At the bottom of the stairs, she recognised Neville's blurry figure standing guard. She took his arm and clung to him. Her body felt numb and heavy.
"Harry cannot see me like this, Neville; it would hurt him. Take me away right now, please," she begged. "I know a secret passage."
Outside the portrait hole, Luna was waiting. They entered the secret passage just as Harry, Ron and Hermione turned the corner.
O-o-O-o-O
The ride back to London on the train after Dumbledore's funeral was quiet. Many students had departed Hogwarts before the funeral service, leaving numerous empty compartments. The atmosphere was sombre throughout, except for the section occupied by the Slytherin students. In that area, lively conversation and even laughter could be heard, with some expressing their pride that their Head of House had outmatched Dumbledore. There was also rampant speculation regarding Draco Malfoy's role in the "Battle of the Astronomy Tower", as the press was already calling it. The Daily Prophet also hinted that the so-called "Ministry Six" had been involved once again in a running fight with Death Eaters.
Pansy Parkinson sat with Millicent Bulstrode, feeling gratified by the attention she was receiving. A constant flow of Slytherins stopped by her compartment to ask what she knew about Draco's role and his whereabouts. She answered their questions haughtily.
"I'm not at liberty to discuss Draco's plans or whereabouts. He is on a mission from the Dark Lord himself," she would say with an air of self-importance.
Another hot topic of conversation among the student body was the rumour that Harry Potter had broken up with Ginny Weasley. Many boys and girls saw the news as an opportunity since Harry and Ginny had numerous admirers. Daphne Greengrass entered Pansy's compartment, her eyes and face glowing with excitement.
"Have you heard?" Daphne asked the two occupants.
"Heard what?" Pansy replied, rolling her eyes.
"Harry Potter broke up with Ginny Weasley!"
Pansy's interest was piqued, and she narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure?"
Daphne nodded excitedly. "I walked past her compartment. She's devastated."
"Where are they sitting?" Pansy inquired.
"She is two cars down, and Potter is in the last one," Daphne answered.
Pansy stood up. "Come with me, you two," Pansy ordered.
Millicent Bulstrode emitted a grunt to signal her acquiescence while Daphne nodded warily. Ginny Weasley was dangerous on a good day, and she wasn't looking forward to finding out what she was like on a bad day.
The Slytherin trio strolled down the aisle and paused briefly to look inside the compartment where Ginny Weasley sat. She was surrounded by her sombre-looking roommates, who were trying to console her. Neville Longbottom and Looney Lovegood occupied the opposite bench. Luna was reading the latest edition of the Quibbler with a blank expression.
Pansy Parkinson was shocked by how terrible Ginny looked. Her face was blotchy, and snot streamed down her bright red nose. Her eyes were swollen from so much crying, and her shoulders shook with every sob.
The Slytherin trio continued their stroll, looking casual, until they reached the last car. Pansy peered into the compartment where Potter sat with the Mudblood Granger and that oaf, Ron Weasley. The Gryffindor trio was huddled together, speaking in whispers, conspiring as they always did.
Pansy leaned closer to the crystal to see if she could hear anything, but only a buzzing sound emanated from the room. Suddenly, Potter rose abruptly, pointing his wand and looking murderous. Daphne squealed, while Millicent let out a fearful grunt. Despite her fright, Daphne managed to maintain her composure and changed direction to head back to her compartment. As they passed Ginny Weasley's compartment, the Slytherins slowed down to take another look. The blood traitor had her face buried against the shoulder of Giselle Fortescue, who was embracing her and trying to soothe her as her shoulders shook.
Back in her compartment, Pansy Parkinson reflected on what she had just witnessed. Although the breakup between Potter and Weasley appeared genuine, she remained suspicious.
O-o-O-o-O
A/N: This chapter dovetails with my story "Hermione's Secret". That story is set five years into the future but references the events in this chapter. It includes Hermione's conversation with Dumbledore and what it led to.