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01: Faith01: Faith02: Anticipation02: Anticipation03: Best Mates04: The Funeral05: The Light06: By The Sea07: Hidey Places07: Hidey Places08: A Summer of Peace09: The Heirloom10: The Inn11: Hearts And Lips12: Birthday Presents13: Rugs14: The Big Bash15: Melancholy Baby16: Owls17: Chocoballs Via Owl18: Veela Magic19: Opening Night At The Inn20: Repel And Warn21: A Chat With Bill22: The Empty Lane23: Inn And Out24: Descent25: The Pit26: Turntongue27: Repairs

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16: Owls

Keesha patted Ginny on the back, "Come on, we have a compartment just down the corridor. And cheer up, he'll be waiting on the platform when we get to Hogsmeade."

Ginny sighed. "We had such an incredible summer, Keesha. I wish it had never ended." She followed Keesha into a compartment. "I get these bluesy moments, but there's nothing really to be sad about. We'll be seeing each other all the time, and I'll be with him on the weekends. Hi, Luna," she said as she and Keesha levitated her trunk and Bailey's cage onto the overhead. "I mean, Harry's going to be only a half–mile away in Hogsmeade, and I can send him an owl every night. Still..." She sighed again. "We had such a good time."

"Maybe you're pregnant," Luna said as she sat down and opened the latest issue of The Quibbler.

Keesha's jaw dropped and Ginny stared at the magazine in front of Luna's face. "Merlin, Luna," she replied when she had recovered her composure, "if I am, my parents should get a tuition refund. I'm using the same charm that Pomfrey taught us." She looked at Keesha and giggled self–consciously.

"I was just asking," Luna said from behind her magazine. "If you are pregnant, I'd be interested in knowing what it's like."

Ginny shook her head and looked out the window; the outskirts of London were passing by. She heard a noise in the corridor, and turned and noticed two young girls pulling large trunks past their compartment. She jumped up, opened the door and called to them. "Are you looking for someplace to sit? We have empty seats."

It was the twins whose statues stood in the Fountain of Magical Brethren. They hesitated for a moment and looked uncertainly at each other. "Come on," Ginny smiled, "we won't hex you." They walked slowly back to the compartment, trailing their trunks, and Ginny stepped aside to let them in. Keesha smiled at them, and moved across to the other bench, leaving room for them to sit together. Luna gazed over the top of The Quibbler, and the girls stared back, not sure what to make of her lima bean earrings.

Ginny closed the door. "Here, let's get your trunks out of the way." She and Keesha levitated them up and into empty spaces on the overhead, and the two girls watched their rising luggage with their mouths hanging open. Ginny sat next to Keesha and pointed to the empty seats; the girls sat. "I'm Ginny, this is Keesha, and that's Luna. Don't mind her jewelry, it's harmless."

"Why would anyone wear harmful jewelry," Luna asked.

"You're first–years, aren't you?" Keesha said after a moment. The twins both nodded. "What are your names?"

"Wait!" Ginny grinned. "You're Emma and you're Claire, right?" She pointed to one, then the other.

They giggled. "No," said the one Ginny had pointed to second, "I'm Emma, she's Claire."

Ginny laughed. "I have — had twin brothers who looked exactly alike. They were always playing jokes on everyone, and we never knew which one had done it."

"How did you know our names?" asked Claire. "Did you do magic?"

Ginny laughed again. "No, I saw your statues in the Ministry of Magic. They were very nice. They look just like you."

"Well," said Emma, "we know who you are. You're Ginny Weasley. We saw you snogging Harry Potter on the platform."

Ginny and Keesha broke up in guffaws, and Luna lowered her magazine and looked at the twins.

"Touché!" said Ginny. "You two are pretty smart. I guess you'll be sorted into Ravenclaw. Luna here's a Ravenclaw. She can show you around."

The girls had identical expressions of horror on their faces, and Ginny and Keesha broke up laughing again, while Luna smiled briefly and raised the magazine in front of her face again.

"Not Ravenclaw?" Ginny was still chuckling. "Which House then. Certainly not Slytherin."

"Gryffindor!" they exclaimed in unison. "We want to be in the same House as Harry Potter," said Emma.

"Oh, my," Ginny looked at Keesha, "now that'll embarrass him." She turned back to the girls. "You can tell the Sorting Hat which House you want, but you don't always get it. There's nothing wrong with Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, either. Keesha's in Hufflepuff."

They shook their heads. "Gryffindor," they said together again.

"Okay, it's Gryffindor, then," Ginny conceded. "I'll tell you what. If the Hat puts you both in Gryffindor, you can sit next to me at the Feast tonight, and I'll help you get settled into your room."

The girls looked pleased, and a little relieved, and Claire nodded. "We'll be sitting with you," she said with certainty.

The train was passing through suburbs and towns, and the five girls settled in. The twins were full of questions, not only about Hogwarts, but also about the wizarding world. The afternoon passed into early evening, and when the tea trolley came along, the twins were delighted at the assortment of magical candies. They picked out two of everything and returned to their seats as Ginny and Keesha made their selections. Luna was still immersed in The Quibbler, but reached absentmindedly into her pocket and took out a cucumber and started eating it.

As Ginny was waiting for Keesha to pay for her Chocolate Frogs, four boys sauntered through the door from the next carriage and started down the corridor. Ginny glanced at them and recognized four particularly obnoxious Slytherin seventh–years. She knew that they had all been in the Great Hall last spring before the battle, and they had all walked out behind Pansy Parkinson when their entire House was dismissed by Professor McGonagall.

Ginny moved slightly to let them pass, but kept her eye on them. They stopped at the trolley and looked over the selection. "Same old garbage," said one as he picked up a Pumpkin Pastie and then tossed it back into the wrong bin. He looked at Keesha with a sneer. "But why would that surprise me. The same old garbage collectors are buying it."

"Excuse me, young man," said the tea trolley witch sharply. "If you're going to buy something, then do so and pay for it, otherwise move along and leave my customers alone."

The boy glanced disdainfully at her, then contemptuously at Keesha. He looked her up and down, and Ginny saw her jaw tighten and her eyes narrow; Ginny moved her hand to her wand. The Slytherin's voice dripped with loathing. "If it isn't Mudbloods, it's..."

"Do you have a problem with something?" Keesha said softly. "Like talking politely to someone who isn't a traitor?"

"Traitor!" he snarled. "You mean a blood traitor like Potter's little pet?" He turned and then froze; Ginny's wand was pointing at him.

"Move along like the lady said," Ginny spoke as quietly as Keesha had. "And if I see you along here again, I'll hex you into next week."

The boy's face had gone white, and he backed up, then jumped as he bumped into Keesha's wand. All four of the Slytherins moved quickly away; as they walked down the corridor the one who had spoken looked back, and Ginny raised her wand and glared at him. They went through the door at the end of the carriage and out of sight. Ginny and Keesha watched until they were gone, then put their wands away.

"Here," the witch handed each of them a cauldron cake. "That's for your trouble, and here's three more for your friends." She nodded at the twins and Luna. "Such rudeness. You'd think that people would learn something from all the killing and fighting, but there are some who never will." She sighed and pushed the trolley down the corridor to the next compartment.

Ginny and Keesha stepped inside, and as Ginny handed cakes to the twins, she had to stifle a laugh. They were huddled in the corner next to the window, looking both fearful and bewildered, and both had their wands out. "What were you planning to do with those?" she grinned as she sat. "Maybe you should put them away. You could hurt someone, you know."

"What did those boys want? What did they say to you?" Emma asked Keesha, lowering her wand. "Why were they so mean?"

Keesha didn't reply at once; she scowled out the window before turning to Ginny. "He's said things to me before, that one. I'll cut his damn tongue out one of these days."

Ginny grimaced, and the twins recoiled, looks of shock on their faces. "He called you a Mudblood, didn't he?" Claire said. "I know what that is. Are you parents Muggles? Ours are."

Keesha shook her head. "No, but it doesn't matter. He made a comment about my skin. I'll tell you, Ginny, I'm not going to take it again. Jace Kleinhead. With Crabbe and Goyle gone, he's probably the worst one they've got. I was hoping he wouldn't be back, but no such luck."

The twins were listening avidly, while Luna, who had been watching everything with what was for her a great deal of interest, went back to her magazine. Ginny looked around at everyone. She didn't want to say anything to the girls that she would regret later — they might, after all, be Sorted into Slytherin, unlikely though that seemed. But she saw no reason not to tell them what reality was. Both she and Harry had almost died fighting people like those boys, and she was damned if she wouldn't fight them now.

"They're bullies from Slytherin," she said to Emma and Claire. "Last spring they walked out of the castle right over to the Death Eaters while the rest of us stayed and fought. And some of us died. Remember I told you about my twin brothers? Well, one of them was killed, and now he's buried in our back yard. If those two had their way, we would all be dead, and you two wouldn't be on this train."

"Because we're Mudbloods," Emma declared.

"Don't use that word!" Keesha snapped. "It's ugly, and ugly people use it." Emma cringed back in her seat, and Keesha's face softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. But don't put yourself down because of who your parents are. That's what those pigs are trying to do, so don't do it for them."

Emma and Claire sat in their seats, looking subdued. Suddenly, Luna spoke from behind The Quibbler. "We did win the war, you know. They lost the war."

Ginny laughed. "Correct as usual, Miss Lovegood. That's why you're a Ravenclaw and we're not. We need you to point out things like that." The twins laughed, albeit a little uncertainly, and everyone relaxed. "Tell me," Ginny asked them, "how did you know who I am, and where did you learn that word — you know, Mudblood?"

"From Aunt Hermione," Claire said. "She talks to us a lot."

"Aunt Hermione?" Ginny's eyebrows raised. "Hermione Granger is your aunt?"

"Not our real aunt," Emma said. "We call her Aunt because she talks like a grownup."

"And she talks a lot," came from behind The Quibbler, "just like you said."

"I guess she does," Ginny grinned. "And she told me about you when I was at the Ministry and saw your statues. How did you get to pose for them?"

"We were in Diagon Alley buying our school things, and Mr. Shacklebolt saw us," explained Claire. "So he took us to the Ministry of Magic and they made the statues there. It was fun, they gave us lots of candy, too." She and Emma giggled.

"He's my uncle, you know," Keesha said.

Ginny looked at her in surprise. "No, I didn't know that. Wow, things must have been hot for you last year. Did the Death Eaters go after your family?"

Keesha shrugged. "Not really. They probably would have eventually, but I think they were too busy trying to find Harry."

Ginny nodded, and looked out the window. They were speeding past open fields in the deepening dusk; she could just make out orchards and tall stands of wheat. A village with its lights glowing appeared and then fell behind out of sight. Ginny thought about Hogsmeade, and wondered how Harry was doing, and whether he would be able to greet the arriving train with treats and drinks. She suddenly missed him, and regretted not staying and helping him get the inn ready; he was doing it for her, after all. She leaned her head back against the cushion and stared up at the overhead. If she sent him a note, would Bailey get to Hogsmeade before the train? She wasn't sure, so she looked out the window again, and waited for the time to pass.

The others in the compartment also fell silent, perhaps as a delayed reaction to the altercation with the Slytherins. Luna finally finished The Quibbler and just sat and looked across at the twins with her serene gaze. But her bulging, unblinking eyes seemed to disconcert them, and they looked away after a few moments. They became lost in their own thoughts, and kept glancing at each other. Ginny had often seen Fred and George like that, and knew that there was some kind of communication there that only twins like them could understand. Her moodiness deepened, and she sighed and sank down, slouching more than sitting.

"Are you okay?" Keesha asked quietly. "We'll be there soon. Do you know what Harry's going to be giving out?"

Ginny shook her head, and straightened up. "I should have stayed with him. He wanted me to, but this is my last time going to school on the Hogwarts Express, and I didn't want to miss it. Now I miss him."

"I know what you mean. I miss Neville. I saw him this morning, but he couldn't come to see me off. He said he had something to do. I was a little angry, actually, especially after I saw how Harry said goodbye to you."

Ginny returned her wide smile. "Yeah, that was pretty nice." She looked at Luna and the twins; they all seemed to be lost in their own worlds. "He told me he loved me," she said in a low voice, and giggled. "I already knew it, but he never actually said the words before."

"He was right to say it," Luna suddenly came out of what had looked like a trance and smiled at Ginny. "It's so obvious. That's why I wondered if you were pregnant."

"Luna! I'm not pregnant! Will you please stop it?" Ginny glanced at the twins, who were looking from her to Luna, clearly hoping for more.

"Sorry," Luna said, but kept smiling. "I won't talk about it any more."

Ginny shook her head, and saw Keesha grinning. Ginny finally smiled back; it was pure Luna, and it was impossible to stay angry or even annoyed at her.

The train had climbed into the Highlands, and dark woods slipped by; trees stood tall near the tracks, and then the whistle blew and they started to slow. "We should put our robes on," said Keesha, and they spent the next few minutes maneuvering between the seats and jockeying their trunks from the overhead. The whistle blew again and they could see the lights of Hogsmeade above the tracks. Ginny thought she recognized the Hog's Head, set slightly off to one side, with its chandeliers blazing through the open shutters. She suddenly wanted to hold Harry.

The train was moving slowly, and the platform came alongside. It was crowded with the usual wizarding porters, and Ginny also saw Hagrid standing near the tracks, waiting to lead the first–years to the boats on the lake. She was glad to see that Grawp was not with him; she couldn't imagine what effect that would have on everyone, let alone the first–years.

The train halted, and doors slammed open and students piled into the corridors, jostling and shoving. The twins suddenly looked apprehensive, and Ginny smiled at them. "You have to go out now. Do you see that large man there?" She pointed out the window to Hagrid, and then stopped. At the back of the platform were about a dozen people, but they were in the shadows and she couldn't see their faces. They were all wearing identical tee shirts with writing on them that she couldn't make out, and they were standing behind a row of tables that had been set up in front of the station house. She could see that the tables were piled high with the treats and drinks that Harry had promised to give out. A banner was stretched across the wall of the station behind the table. It said, "Dumbledore's Army, Still Serving."

"Come on, let's see what it is!" Ginny cried and pushed through the others, who had crowded to the window behind her. They all joined the throngs in the corridor, and when Ginny stepped down onto the platform, a hand fell on her shoulder; she was spun around and found herself in Harry's arms. As they kissed, they were buffeted by the crowd exiting the train, then pushed aside as everyone surged toward the tables; they staggered and almost fell. Harry held her up, and Ginny grinned in delight.

"I missed you," they said together, and laughed. But something was bothering Harry, and Ginny looked at him closely. "What is it?" she asked.

He shook his head. "They did it again. Another Dark Mark."

Ginny sucked in her breath. "No! When?"

"While I was in London. No one was at the inn except Winky. She was in the kitchen and heard something and ran out back. There were two of them, and she says one was a witch, but she didn't see their faces. They Disapparated."

"Turquoise Southeby!" Ginny scowled. "It has to be her."

Harry shook his head again. "She was at the Three Broomsticks when it happened, and the witch was shorter than her. We'll need a new ladle, too. Winky threw it at them and hit the elm tree. She was so angry, she did some kind of magic to it and Reparo doesn't work on it now."

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry. If I had stayed with you, this wouldn't have happened."

"I'm sorry you weren't here, too, but I'm not sure it would have stopped them."

"But you would have been here, not in London."

He blinked and caressed her face. "But then I wouldn't have gotten to snog you in front of all those people."

Ginny took his hand and kissed it, and smiled at him again. "That's silly, but I guess I'm not sorry for that. Was the Dark Mark in the same place?"

"On the back wall again, but higher up. That's a puzzle, too. They didn't use a ladder, and this time it wouldn't go away with a scrubbing charm. I had to get, uh, well," he grinned. "Come on, I'll show you."

He led a slightly confused Ginny to the row of tables. Students were crowded about them, taking pastries and candies, as well as small bottles of butterbeer and Potio Vitae. Harry led her around the crowd where she could look down the tables, and when she saw who was there she gave a shriek and began laughing. Behind the tables, serving the free treats, were a half–dozen or so members of Dumbledore's Army: at the far end of the table were Ron and Hermione; she also saw George, Dean, Parvati and Padma, Neville, and Ernie. The tee shirts that Ginny had noticed had the same slogan as the large banner — "Dumbledore's Army, Still Serving" — and on the back of each shirt was a picture of a grinning boar, and above it, "The Hog's Head Inn."

Neville was the nearest server, and he waved at her; Keesha was standing next to him sporting a large grin. Ginny walked down behind the tables until she came to George, and poked him in the back. He turned and hugged her. "We fight on," he said, "the endless war." He laughed and handed her a bottle of Potio Vitae.

"No thanks," she handed it back. "I tried it, but I don't like it." George gave it to a fourth–year Slytherin boy who was stuffing his pockets with brightly wrapped chunks of chocolate. "That's not something from your shop, is it?" Ginny asked.

"Ah, sister, how could you say something like that?" George looked indignant. "These poor, innocent children. I would never slip them a Nosebleed Nougat. It would reflect poorly on Harry."

"Right," Ginny shook her head, then saw Hermione waving to her from the end of the table; Ginny walked down to her.

"Isn't this brilliant?" Hermione gushed. "Harry asked me to send the message out, and all these people responded. Did he tell you about the Dark Mark?" When Ginny nodded, she went on. "It was a real professional job this time. Whoever did it was very skilled, and I'll bet it was the same person who Imperiused those two we caught. I had to use a pretty advanced variation of Evanesco to get rid of it, and it was tricky, because it could have taken the whole wall with it."

Harry had come up behind Ginny, and put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Stan and Tony are standing guard, and I sent an owl to Pester, but he hasn't answered yet. I'm wondering if he thinks it's beneath his dignity to answer."

"He's a busy man, I expect," Ginny shook her head.

The crowd was starting to thin as students made their way to the row of horseless carriages. "So how was the train ride?" Harry asked. But as Ginny was about to answer, she heard Hagrid's booming voice.

"'A righ', everyone a' you, it's time to get to the castle! 'Arry, shut it down, we'll be late an' they'll be blamin' me." He began herding students away from the tables. "'Urry up, Ginny," he called to her, "them carriages won't be waitin' fer long."

Ginny threw herself at Harry. "I wish I had stayed with you. I'm sorry," she whispered into his ear. "Can you come to the castle tomorrow? At least we can see each other." She put her arms around his neck and held herself tightly against him. "I'll send Bailey with a letter tonight. I wish I was staying. I can't stand not being with you, especially when things happen."

He kissed her and put his hands into her hair; he pulled her head back to see her eyes, and smiled. "I'll be fine, George is staying tonight. He says he can sleep on the rug. And I will be at the castle tomorrow. Professor Flitwick came by the inn after we found the Dark Mark, and he wants to show me some spells that he says may help."

"Good!" They embraced again, and Ginny turned away. She stopped when she had gone a few steps, and turned. "Harry," she called; he was walking toward Ron, who was throwing handfuls of candy at the backs of the departing students. "Your map! Don't forget it!" He grinned and waved.

Ginny hurried to the row of horseless carriages and climbed into the last one. There were three seventh–year Ravenclaw boys and two girls in it. "Hey, Ginny," Hector Freeman said; he was tall with black hair, and Ginny knew that he had fancied Elizabeth Derby. "That was brilliant. Is Harry running the Hog's Head? From the train it looked a lot different."

Ginny nodded, and as the carriage began to move they all looked at the thestrals silently pulling them along. She suddenly realized that they all could see them, and she knew why: everyone who had fought in the castle last spring had seen someone die. She sat back in her seat, shaken by the thought, and felt a wave of grief wash over her.

"Are you okay?" Hector asked.

"I — I just was realizing that we can all see thestrals now."

Hector nodded and looked away, and Ginny knew that he was thinking of Elizabeth. They rode the rest of the way in silence.

The castle was brilliantly lit, and Ginny walked into the entrance and then the Great Hall feeling very strange. Thinking about all the deaths had also brought to her mind the things that were now different for herself here at school. She was the only — and the last — Weasley child at Hogwarts; most of her best friends were gone, although she still had two very good ones with her, and Harry was close by; she had responsibilities beyond her schoolwork because she was a Quidditch captain; and it was her last year. And all the memories of the battle and its aftermath would be floating in the air like new ghosts, springing at you unexpectedly and evoking unexpected feelings.

She sat at the Gryffindor table and waved at Dennis Creevey who was sitting a short distance away. Jimmy Peakes and Demelza Robins came over and congratulated her on becoming Quidditch captain. She greeted her roommates, Sarah Brushmore and Christina Shepherd; she had nothing in common with them, but maybe because of that she didn't mind living with them since they left her alone and pursued their own interests, which revolved around gossip and hairdos. Romilda Vane did not look at her, and Ginny hoped that they could somehow avoid each other all year, because she was certain that if she cast a Bat-Bogey hex at the girl she would lose her Quidditch captaincy.

She spotted Luna and Keesha at their House tables, and noticed that the Slytherin table was not full. Jace Kleinhead was there, and he seemed to have taken the place of Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle at the center of a group of thuggish boys and their female hangers–on. But a few Slytherins, sitting at one end of the table, looked like they were trying to set themselves apart from Kleinhead and his gang, and Ginny wondered if it augured some kind of change in that House.

The staff table was full, except for Professor Flitwick's seat; he would be escorting the first–years in at any moment. Hagrid waved to her, and she smiled back. Looking down the row of teachers, she received a shock when she saw, sitting at the end of the table in the position usually taken by the teacher with the least seniority, Auror Morequest Pester. She quickly looked up and down the staff table, and was able to account for every teaching position except Defense Against the Dark Arts. She realized, with not a little distaste, that Pester must be the new holder of that post. She sighed to herself and thought that at least he seemed to be knowledgeable, and maybe it was a good thing for Ron; Pester couldn't possibly hold two full–time jobs at the same time  — Professor at Hogwarts and head of the Auror training program. And now she knew why he had not answered Harry's owl.

The doors were flung open, and Professor Flitwick led the first–years down the center aisle. Ginny saw the twins, Emma and Claire, right behind the Professor, looking as awe–struck and nervous as the others, holding hands as they tried not to tread on Flitwick's heels; he was a good deal shorter than they were, and their longer strides made it difficult for them to keep behind him. The first–years reached the front of the Hall, and stood in a tight bunch in front of the stool on which the Sorting Hat was perched. Ginny had not seen it since Riddle had set it on Neville's head and ignited it, but it seemed no worse for that experience, meaning that it was still battered and barely able to keep its shape.

Professor Flitwick began to read the names of the new students. "Abigail Abernethy!" he squeaked, and a blond girl stepped forward. It took the Hat only seconds to put her into Slytherin, and she scowled fiercely as she walked to that table. Ginny watched her sit near the group around Jace Kleinhead, but she ignored their greetings and sat with her arms folded and her scowl intact.

The next one was a very tough–looking black boy named Sean Allen. He was also Sorted into Slytherin, but as he approached their table, the only ones applauding were the group sitting apart at the end; the others, except for the new girl, seemed almost shocked. Ginny sought Keesha, and when their eyes met, the Hufflepuff girl grinned and lifted her thumb.

"Claire Athair!" said Flitwick. Clair looked anxiously at her sister, climbed onto the stool and sat with the Sorting Hat completely covering her face.

"Gryffindor!" it shouted, and Ginny clapped and welcomed her to the cheering table with a smile and a hug. She moved aside and Claire sat, then she held Ginny's hand and her breath until the Hat once again called out, "Gryffindor!" and Emma came running to join them.

The ceremony continued, and finally James Yancey was Sorted into Ravenclaw, and the feast began. Ginny chatted with the twins, but found herself looking around every few minutes for the old seventh–years from last year; she had been more friendly with them than her classmates, and it indeed felt strange not to see any of them. She began to think of Harry again, and her mind wandered back to the inn and the rug and the four–poster...

She was glad when the dessert dishes disappeared and Professor McGonagall rose to give her opening speech; she had been composing a letter to Harry in her mind, and now wanted only to get up to her room and send Bailey off with it. She turned toward the front of the Hall as the room became quiet.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," the Headmistress began, "and a year which I fervently hope will not be as memorable as the last one. But we are in a new era now, and the great fear that hung over the entire wizarding world is gone, thanks in part to many of you. In some respects last year was a lost year, academically, but it was a year that those of you who were here may look back on as the most significant of your lives. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, the true function of Hogwarts resumes, and I expect everyone to buckle down and live up to the school's reputation that was so bravely added to last year."

She looked at the Slytherin table, and her face became even more serious and stern. "I will not sweep under the rug the circumstance that not every student did his duty last year. That is a fact. But, as the Head of this school I offer my hand to everyone in this Hall, and I expect my offer of reconciliation to be accepted with the same good grace in which I make it. I will not mention this again, nor do I wish to hear that anyone at Hogwarts, student or staff, has mentioned it. I urge everyone to find it in your heart to forgive, and to accept forgiveness."

She looked around the room and smiled. "Enough. I welcome everyone back to school. I welcome all the new first–year students to the beginning of a great seven–year adventure. I have only three announcements to make. First, I wish to welcome Professor Morequest Pester to the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." She turned and gestured to him, and he stood and off–handedly waved to the students. "Second," McGonagall continued, "Quidditch sign–up sheets will be posted in each common room tomorrow. And third, Professor Hagrid wishes to inform everyone that his half–brother Grawp likes to sleep in on the weekends, and requests that no one enter the woods behind his cabin before ten o'clock on Saturdays, Sundays, and official holidays." A murmur of both disbelief and amusement went through the Great Hall, but Hagrid beamed at McGonagall and nodded.

The Feast ended, and Ginny helped herd the first–year Gryffindors — there were eight of them, four boys and four girls — up to the common room. The password was still "Everything's fine," and when the Fat Lady swung aside and Ginny entered with the rest, she felt another wave of melancholy strike her. Now she knew why she had not wanted to stay here when she and Harry had visited the castle on the day after her birthday. Nothing seemed right, and she had somehow anticipated back then that she would feel this way. The common room was to be her home for ten months, but for the past two she had shared her home with Harry, and it had come to feel that it was not home if he was not there with her. She had become accustomed to having Harry next to her, joking with her, taking meals with her, talking to her; accustomed to reaching out and caressing him and have his hands and his lips respond...

She tried to put those thoughts out of her head, they would only make her crazy. It was only three days until Friday, she would see him tomorrow, and meanwhile she could send owls. And she also had the locket with Harry's eyes that, under the covers, were always the last thing she looked at before she slept, or at least when she slept alone.

Her spirits lifted somewhat, and she looked for Emma and Claire and saw them sitting at a table in a corner, talking to the two other new girls. She went over to them. "Come on!" she smiled, "don't you want to see your room?" They all jumped up.

"Is your room near ours?" Emma asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Well, mine's at the top, and yours is right here," Ginny opened the door on the second landing. "This will be your room for seven years." The four girls walked in, excited smiles on their faces as they saw the grand four–posters; their trunks were lying next to them. On one trunk was a cage with a large, gray owl. " Mercury!" exclaimed one of the girls, and ran to it. The others found their beds, and Ginny left them happily exploring their new home.

She hurried upstairs; seeing the owl had only increased the urgency she felt to send a note to Harry. She entered her room and saw Christina lying in bed, reading a magazine. She looked up. "Ginny, there's an owl outside that keeps scratching on the window. I think it's for you, 'cause it won't come in when I open it." She pointed to the window next to Ginny's bed. Ginny saw a barn owl sitting on a gargoyle just outside, and when it saw her it hopped down on the sill and tapped the glass with its beak.

For a moment Ginny was confused. "Bailey? What are you doing out there? Why aren't you..." She looked around, and then saw Bailey in her cage next to her bed; she was jumping around, trying to get a better look at the owl outside.

Ginny opened the window and the owl flapped in and landed on her dresser. It was only a few feet from Bailey's cage, and it looked at her with a great deal of interest, it puffed out its chest and hooted several times. Bailey slowly and deliberately turned her head completely around so that she was facing away from it.

Ginny turned to Christina. "When did it get here?"

Christina shrugged. "It was here when I came up, about fifteen minutes ago. It's been scratching at the window ever since I got here. Is that your owl?" she nodded toward Bailey. "She's a nice one."

"She was a birthday present from my brother. Her name's Bailey. But who sent this owl?" She looked at it, and noticed for the first time a parchment tied around its leg. The owl didn't seem interested in handing it over, though; it was still engrossed with Bailey, who continued to give it the cold shoulder.

Ginny watched the flirtation, and suddenly she understood and grinned. She put her hand out and the owl pecked at it once, then lifted its leg. She took the parchment, and the owl went back to preening for the unmindful Bailey. She sat on the bed and, with her heart beating faster, opened the letter. She lay back on the pillow while a very warm feeling washed over her.

Meet McPherson. He is my new (barn) owl. You wanted me to get one, and so I did. 
I bought him in Diagon Alley after I saw you off at King's Cross, and I wanted to surprise
you and Bailey when you got to Hogwarts.

Ginny took a breath and looked over at Christina; she was immersed in her magazine — it was some kind of fashion publication — and was no longer paying any attention to either Ginny or the courting owls. Ginny pulled her hangings closed and continued reading.

Everything is fine at the inn, except that you are not here to share it with me. The place
seems empty and useless without you, even though George is out in the parlor snoring
on the rug. This is truly your place, and I am so happy that I was able to buy it so that
you could come to it and make it a home for us.

I am lying in our bed having daydreams about you, and I know that I will dream about
you tonight. I love you so much.

Harry

Ginny pushed back part of the hanging and peeked out at the clock on Christina's dresser; It was fifteen minutes until midnight. She quickly got out of bed, opened her trunk, and took out her writing kit. She sat on the edge of the bed and used the trunk to write on.

Harry my love,

At midnight my toes will be yours, and on Friday the rest of me will be yours, for as long as
you want, just as long as I can have your toes too, and the rest of you as well. McPherson
is a beautiful owl, and he is trying mightily to impress Bailey, but I think she will take her time
and make him prove himself. But I have confidence in him, and I'm sure in the end he will get
his girl. Thank you for buying him, it makes me know even more how chivalrous and thoughtful
you are. When I start to feel that way it becomes very difficult to stay here and not fly over
to Hogsmeade where I can be with you and let you sweep me off my feet.  Where did you say
that secret passageway was under the Whomping Willow?

The Feast was very interesting, and I will tell you all about it when I see you, unless there
are other things you would rather do than talk, that is. Those two girls whose statues we saw
at the Ministry were Sorted into Gryffindor, and Morequest Pester is teaching Defense
Against the Dark Arts (can you believe it!!??).

It's getting close to midnight, so I'll give this letter to McPherson, and I will tell him to speed
it to my heart's love as fast as he can. I will fall asleep tonight looking at your picture in the
locket under my covers, so that I can see the lights of your eyes, the lights that are more precious
to me than life.

I love you.

Ginny

She quickly tied it onto McPherson's leg, and then had to pick him up while he squawked in protest, and carry him to the window and toss him into the air. He gave a wistful look back at Bailey, then sped off into the night.

Ginny changed into her nightgown and dove into bed, pulling the hangings closed after her. As she heard the castle clock strike midnight, she pulled the covers over her head and opened the locket. The green points of light sparkled, and she was sure that she could sense a magical presence as she moved her feet up and down, giggling as she did. When she stopped, she looked at the locket one more time before closing it and tucking it inside her nightgown. She drifted off to sleep with a tingling in her breasts, and knew that a half–mile away Harry was dreaming of her.

Chapter Navigation:

Previous

01: Faith01: Faith02: Anticipation02: Anticipation03: Best Mates04: The Funeral05: The Light06: By The Sea07: Hidey Places07: Hidey Places08: A Summer of Peace09: The Heirloom10: The Inn11: Hearts And Lips12: Birthday Presents13: Rugs14: The Big Bash15: Melancholy Baby16: Owls17: Chocoballs Via Owl18: Veela Magic19: Opening Night At The Inn20: Repel And Warn21: A Chat With Bill22: The Empty Lane23: Inn And Out24: Descent25: The Pit26: Turntongue27: Repairs

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