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Author: Kathryn Story: Hogwarts Rebellion Rating: Teens Setting: DH-interview Status: Completed Reviews: 22 Words: 103,858
Disclaimer: 'Any people, objects, places and so on that you recognise belong to JK Rowling. I'm just having fun playing in her sandbox for a while. Things started to calm down throughout October and into the start of November, as Ginny kept to her word and made less of a public show of opposing the Carrows and it seemed to work. Although both of the Death Eaters used her as an example in the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies lessons respectively, she actually went through a detention free period. That was not to say that the backlash against the new regime's rule was not taking place. There was graffiti all over the castle and a portable swamp had been set off outside the Headmaster's office as an homage to the departed Weasley twins, and so far they had managed to vandalise the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies classrooms twice each without detection. However, things started to heat up as the first Quidditch match of the school year drew closer. Both the Carrows and Snape were turning a blind eye to any attempts to sabotage the Gryffindor Quidditch team and even added to the problems. As well as the jinxes that were being performed daily by Slytherin students, each member of Ginny's team had been placed in detention at least once in the past week while the Quidditch pitch had been booked so often for Draco Malfoy's team it was almost impossible for them to practice. So it was with more apprehension than normal that Ginny took her place at the back of the Dark Arts classroom next to Luna. As well as the fact that she was still the blood traitor that they hated and that they were trying to victimise, she was the Gryffindor Quidditch captain and would not be left in peace just a matter of days before the match. She had a feeling that anything she did this week was going to be singled out for some form of punishment and at the same time, it was vital that she was present at the match if all their plans were going to work. Ginny was more alert than normal as Amycus Carrow did the register and even paid attention to the lesson instead of pulling out one of her other essays that needed writing. "This lesson we will be practicing the basics of the Cruciatus Curse," Carrow's wheezy voice was almost jumping with glee as he spoke to the class, "It is important that we master the basics this lesson so that I am not faced with a situation where there is no one available in detentions." Carrow's grin turned into a leer as he stared straight at Ginny, she did not need to be a Legilimens to know what was coming next. The Death Eater had not proved himself to be very discreet in the past and since Snape had taken away his control of her punishments, the Dark Arts Professor was becoming more vindictive in lessons. "Now we need someone who is willing to have the curse practiced on her." He was practically dancing as his eyes bore into her. "Miss Weasley, please place your wand on your desk and come to the front of the class." She felt her eyes widen as she looked at Luna. She forced herself to push down her growing sense of fear to the pit of her stomach. While being a Pureblood may offer her certain levels of protection, she knew from past experience that that status did not prevent them from hurting her the best they could. She quickly ran through a series of ideas in her mind, none of which would work. Like every other time she'd been called out to the front of a Dark Arts lesson, she was struggling to think of a way out of this. Ginny got to her feet and slowly walked between the desks to the front of the room. She felt the familiar feeling of everyone looking at her as she walked. She did not need to look round to know what the thoughts of the other sixth years were. There would be the same looks of fear, concern, hunger, excitement and curiosity. Any thoughts that she had of being the new Hogwarts celebrity had long been confirmed. Amycus Carrow was almost bouncing with glee as she stood opposite him. His lopsided leer had grown, "So now I just need a volunteer to practice the curse." Luna's hand floated into the air. "Look how quickly friends can turn," Carrow wheezed as Luna skipped between the desks giving the impression that she was barely touching the floor. A dreamlike expression filled her face as she pulled her wand out from behind her ear. "Now, Miss Lovegood, point your wand directly at her and issue the curse." Luna let her wand dance between her fingers before she pointed it. "Crucio," she sang twirling her wand aimlessly in the air before dropping it to her side. "Try again," Carrow hissed as Luna ducked downwards to pick up her wand. The Death Eater leaned in close to Luna and spoke in a carrying whisper, "Keep your wand focused and feel the hate build up inside you, and then you pronounce the curse." This time Luna kept her wand fixed but her voice lost none of its sing-song quality as she spoke, "Crucio." It took all Ginny's willpower not to smile back at her friend. Luna was deliberately messing up this curse so she wasn't hurt and she was doing it in such a Luna-like way that Carrow had not worked out what she was doing. The Death Eater had seen her slightly eccentric behaviour and was now underestimating her. Too many people underestimated Luna and they really shouldn't. She was a Ravenclaw for a reason as those who had gotten to know her knew only too well. "Again," the Death Eater spat, losing the little patience that he had. "Crucio," Luna sang again, to no affect. "No, no, no," Carrow said. He looked like a two year old having a tantrum as he turned his own wand on Ginny. "Let me show you." And before she had a chance to do anything the Death Eater's wand was pointed at her chest. "Crucio!" A pain beyond anything she had ever experienced before filled her body. Every one of her bones felt as if it were on fire. It was almost as if someone had sent jets of fire directly at her and her bones where actually burning. Her head felt like it was going to split in two, her eyes began to roll in their sockets as her pupils dilated and tears traced their salty way down her face. Her mouth opened involuntarily as her tongue swelled up and her body writhed and twitched as her arms and legs bent in unusual positions. As she heard the air around her being filled with her own screams, it was as if she was watching her body from above and the series of shrieks and yells she heard belonged to someone else. She just wanted it all to end so that she could black out and die. Then the pain seemed to halt as quickly as it had started when he lowered his wand. The pain was gone and her body hung limply. She struggled to find her knees as she sat up, doubting her ability to stand up, let alone move. "Not nice, is it?" asked the Death Eater. "Is being a blood traitor worth all this? She kept her mouth firmly closed. She was not going to give him any form of answer. That's what he wanted and she was not going to give him anything he wanted. She was not going to let him hear her beg. She was not going to waste her time and the small amount of strength she had left spitting out retorts; she refused to give him the satisfaction. Carrow turned to face the class, "Now that is how the Cruciatus curse is performed." He passed out spiders with a wave of his wand, "I would like each of you to practice on these." The rest of her Dark Arts and Muggle Studies lessons were a blur and at quarter to one she made her way, still walking uneasily to the Great Hall. As soon as she entered the large dining hall, Professor McGonagall stood up. Any thoughts and hopes that she might look better than she felt quickly disappeared with the looks of her Head of House; she clearly must look at least equally as bad. The stern expression of Professor McGonagall was gone as she quickly crossed the hall to the Gryffindor table. Professor McGonagall spent a couple of minutes questioning the other sixth years, her face growing from concerned to outraged as she heard the story of the morning's lessons. Without looking back at the staff table, the Head of Gryffindor quickly hissed instructions to Neville who had just arrived about taking Ginny up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey stared in shock as the pair of them arrived; it was clear from her expression she had not expected the Hogwarts students to look like this. After forcing Ginny into one of the beds, she turned her attention to her work, muttering under breath as she mixed up a potion for pain relief. Neville, who was soon joined by Luna, stayed at her side throughout the afternoon's lessons. "Do you still want to hit back at the Quidditch match?" Neville asked in a whisper, when Madam Pomfrey finally sat down. "More than ever," Ginny said equally quietly back, "I might as well deserve this." Finally just ten minutes before her Quidditch practice was due to start, she was allowed out of the hospital wing, under promises to rest. She ran down to the pitch and was engulfed in hugs by her teammates as she met them. She spent a short practice floating on her broom out of the way, issuing several instructions at a very subdued session before heading straight up to the Gryffindor common room and the girls' staircase. Ginny's battered, bruised and tired body fell into the four poster bed as soon as she reached the sixth year dormitory. There was only one place she wanted to be right now. She just wanted to close her eyes and forget what Hogwarts had become. She wanted to escape and think of nothing but those days back in the summer by the Hogwarts lake. But her mind was buzzing with everything else and not letting her have one moment to remember those days. Instead of seeing those places that she and Harry had found at the end of her last school year, all she could see was the Dark Mark, the Death Eaters' masks and the wave of destruction and pain they caused. It was hard to believe back then as they went back up she led Harry back up to the hospital wing after Dumbledore's death that things could get much worse. But looking at things now, those days were so easy and she would do anything to get back to them. At least they had not been isolated fighting against Death Eaters and the wizarding order back then. Ginny opened her eyes in frustration. Her mind was refusing to let her escape into the world of sleep where her unconscious self would dream of seeing Harry face to face. She longed to see the messy black hair that her hands seemed to belong in, and those emerald green eyes that sparkled like the sea. To see the smile he so rarely used, the one that would light up his whole face when he did. She yearned for the chance to fall into his strong arms again, arms that were packed with muscles from fighting this war but also so tender and protective. She pulled out quill and parchment and started to write. Hey Harry, So I'm sending you another letter, not that I could ever send these without anyone working out what's going on or without giving too much away. I'm sure if anyone knew that I was writing these, they would take me to St Mungo's and get my head tested. No sane people should be writing letters like this but I'm not sure I'm that sane anymore. How are you? You still keeping yourself safe? You better be, 'cause I swear if you come back dead, I'll kill you. How's Ron? It feels strange to miss him, but it's just plain weird not to be fighting with him over something stupid. Remember how it bugged the hell out of me back in June, when he was sticking his nose in our business and it took a great deal of restraint not to hex him. Well, I'd give anything for that to be the case now. What about Hermione? Have you two driven her insane yet? I tried to explain to her what it would be like just living with boys before you left but you can't really understand that until you experience it. I know though, that she would skin me alive if she saw some of my current NEWT marks but she needn't worry too much, I think Mum will do that when I go home. School is the same as ever, but I've told you that before. It's not easy but we are fighting and we're not going to give up. We are Dumbledore's Army; we are your army and we are going to keep giving you that support, in lessons and out. Other than that, I've got my first and last Quidditch match of the year tomorrow. It feels strange to be giving it up and I really know that I should not care about Quidditch but it's the one thing, other than the thought of you, that can still make me smile. But I mustn't think about any of that. This is the best way to send a message and strike a blow. Besides, Quidditch will be there next year after you have won this war. And that's what you need to do, Harry, win, and get your arse back here; come and take your Quidditch team back as the team misses you. I miss you. And it's not only them. I daren't say this allow, although judging by the looks I get, I think everyone already knows this. I miss you. I miss you so much it hurts and I would do anything to guarantee that you come back. I would give anything to hear your voice, see your smile. I can't believe I wasted so much time not capturing your every movement. Don't do anything stupid and noble that gets you killed and I'll promise to behave myself too if that's what I have to do to get you back safely. Ginny She went back to lessons the next morning and tried to act as normally as possible. She even managed to ease some of her teachers concerns as she applied herself in her lessons and nothing of any more consequence than Ritchie getting hit by a Leg- Locker Curse and Kiera being hit by a hair thickening charm on her eyebrows--both cast by Slytherin students, occurred. With one further practice on the following Thursday night, Ginny was confident when she sat down for breakfast on Saturday morning. Without the normal nerves that she usually had while waiting for a Quidditch match she managed to have a reasonably large breakfast before leading her team down to the pitch to get changed. "And welcome to the first match of the Hogwarts Quidditch season. Today's two teams being led out by their captains, the Slytherins being led out by the noble Draco Malfoy who will be playing as Seeker for his team. The Gryffindors are led out by the fiery Ginny Weasley, who will be playing as Chaser, today. She obviously does not want to take on Malfoy directly, with the Slytherin being so much more superior to her. Nor does she want to draw attention to her poor Seeker abilities compared to the Gryffindor's former captain." Ginny heard the voice of Zacharias Smith as she led her team out onto the centre of the pitch, from the changing rooms below the stands. After his appalling performance last year she was amazed that he had been allowed to do the job of commentator again, but then she doubted that Professor McGonagall was allowed to pick the student for the job these days. Besides, slamming her every move in the last match was probably seen as a plus point by the Carrows. But that hardly mattered today as she had more important things on her mind than the choice of Quidditch commentator. She glanced up at the stands to see that they were packed and noisy. People had to let out their tension some way and Quidditch was still seen as a reasonably safe way to express emotion. She struggled to find Neville and Luna through the masses of red and gold, and green and sliver, finally making them out as they stood in the masses behind the Slytherin goalposts and as far away from the teachers as possible. "Captains, please," Madam Hooch called. Ginny crossed to the centre of the pitch, keeping her eyes fixed on Malfoy. She had barely had any contact with the Death Eater since his role in Dumbledore's murder. While she may have been targeted by the Carrows, Draco had not seen the need to come into direct contact with her. She kept her eyes fixed on Malfoy as she walked closer, she was positive the reason that Malfoy had not been trying to get at her was the fact that he already knew that the Carrows were doing the job and not that he'd had had a change of heart. After all, Neville had said that Malfoy, along with his two cronies, was trying to rub salt into the wounds of the other seventh years. Malfoy grinned at her, Madam Hooch was still out of earshot. Here was his chance to aggravate her and possibly put her off her game. "So the Weaslette has got the position finally, by default." Draco sniped. "Must be the highlight of your miserable year, what with one brother turned into a stain of society with those scars, your other brother set to be dead before the year's out and the boyfriend soon to join him." Ginny ignored him, taking several deep breaths as she strapped her gloves on so tightly she almost cut off her circulation which forced her to pull them off and strap them on again. She could feel her temper rising inside her, it was almost as if any slight dig on Harry would do that now, but doubled with the insults to her family it was hard to keep her breath controlled and she could not afford to lose her rag now as much as Malfoy deserved it. She had more important things to do than to hex Malfoy. "Will you cry, Weaslette," Malfoy pressed on, "when his dead body is paraded for all to see in the Prophet?" She took another deep breath before she glared back at him, "The only one who'll be crying today is you, Malfoy." "Shake hands please," Madam Hooch instructed as she made her way over. As Ginny extended her hand, Malfoy took it and made a good attempt to crush it. "Let's have a nice fair match." "Can we trust you to play fair?" Malfoy sneered. "I'm on the right side here, the good guys so to speak," Ginny spat back, "if you can't trust us to play fair, then I think the concept of that type of game is pretty much screwed." With her parting remark Ginny spun round so quickly that her plait flicked against Malfoy's face. She strode back to her team and forced the smile that she offered them. She was going to make sure that they won this, if only as another slam against the Slytherins. Just because they were all Death Eaters' children didn't mean that they would win at everything. Ginny returned to her teammates. This was it, her last act as captain and they were all looking at her so expectantly. This was where she had to give them those words to inspire them. She had always underestimated this part of the position, barely listening to some of Angelina's long winded team talks, and finding other things than Harry's words to be occupied with when Harry gave the talks, but now, standing here, she realised obviously how important it was. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say here; guess I'm not going to make the world's best captain and should stick to scoring goals." She smiled. "But I do know the reason I'm standing here making a mess of this speech. I'm here because other people would not let others come back. I'm here because of the lies that have been spread and the rules that have been passed but that doesn't stop us playing, not until it's taken away from us like it has been from them." She drew breath, amazed that they were still listening to her. "So, let's do this for Ron, Harry, Dean and everyone else who was prevented from coming back." Her confidence was growing, "Let's show these Slytherin scum that it doesn't matter who your parents are or what connections you have. If we can do that with Quidditch, let's hit them there. We are the more skilful, the better and the more just team here. Let's win this!" Demelza grinned as she placed her hand in the centre of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and others piled their hands on top of it. "On the count of three, Potter!" Ginny smiled at her friend as she led the count, "One, Two, Three." "POTTER!" The cry echoed up and into the stands where the noise grew. It had to be more than just the Gryffindors crying out Harry's name. Ginny smiled, the support was there. She just wished that she could let Harry know that it was there because if it gave her a warm feeling then it would do wonders for him. It just helped to show that they were not fighting this alone and she guessed it was just safer to show that support in numbers. The Carrows could not target this many people if they acted as a big group. Maybe that would be the key to their success this year. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Ginny along with the thirteen other players kicked off from the ground. She felt the familiar buzz and adrenaline rush as the wind hit her face and her robes billowed in the air. Before sinking to her broom to chase the Quaffle at speed, she allowed herself a couple of seconds to savour the noise. "OLÉ, OLÉ, OLÉ, OLÉ, WEASLEY, WEASLEY!" "And the Quaffle is up in the air, and that's Weasley who is first to it. Weasley, riding on a broom that dates back to the time of Slytherin, is now taking on their Chasers and she's closing in on the goals." Ducking and weaving away from two Slytherin Chasers, she made a quick one-two pass with Demelza. Feinting a shot to the right hand hoop, she coolly sent the Quaffle through the left hand one. Her fist punched the air in celebration as she barked out a set of instructions to her team and the noise in the crowd grew. The Slytherin Keeper, Kevin Wilson threw out the Quaffle to one of the Chasers, diving straight in for the tackle Ginny won the ball. Avoiding a well aimed Bludger by just inches, she looked up and assessed the current formations. Carefully she selected a pass to Kiera who sped directly into the Slytherin Chasers before playing a careful back pass to Demelza. Ginny directly flew underneath Demelza, as the Quaffle dropped straight into her hands, this time aiming for the middle hoop. The Gryffindor crowd went wild and left Smith with little to criticise from the commentator's box. The score was 90 – 20 to Gryffindor, before he started his next attack. "While Weasley, who is on the Quaffle now, may have some limited Quidditch talent, there are other things that she is lacking. And do not be mistaken by that calm exterior as she scores again--she has quite a temper. In fact, considering the number of violent outbursts she's been involved in the past, I'm amazed that she's still allowed to play, let alone captain the Gryffindor team. I guess it's just a sympathy vote, considering her brother is dying, not that anyone would mourn the death of a Weasley." Ginny paused midair to stare at the seventh year Hufflepuff and former D.A. member, taking her full attention off the game. She could not believe that he had been allowed to say that, let alone had the nerve to. If Smith wanted to see her temper rise, he was pulling the right strings to earn him another spark of it following a Gryffindor Slytherin match. She was half tempted to crash into him right now, and claim that it was another accident as she forgot to break but he could wait, she wasn't going to waste her energy on it right now. She was jolted back into action as she was hit squarely in the stomach by a Bludger hit by Vincent Crabbe. Wincing and clutching her stomach, both hands off her broom briefly, she started to plummet. There were only her legs keeping her on her broom as she fell over twenty feet at an ever increasing speed. Heading in a nosedive to the ground, she managed to regain the handle of her broom mere meters from the ground. Pulling herself up, she soared straight upwards as if she had completed the perfect Wronski Feint to a mass of cheers and boos from the crowd. "Let's finish this!" Ginny called at the top of her voice as she rejoined her teammates. With the score of 160 versus 40 to the Gryffindors, three things happened in very quick succession. Natalie darted towards the base of the Gryffindor goals beating Malfoy to the Snitch, the whole stadium plunged into darkness and Ginny dropped the Quaffle throwing the first of the fireworks that Fred and George had given her into the air. The dark sky was lit up with a variety of colours that formed the words – 'Support Harry Potter' 'Dumbledore's Army Reformed' 'Voldemort has taken over the Ministry' 'Hogwarts is in the hands of Death Eaters' and even some old 'The Ministry are Morons' slogans. Amidst all the bangs, shrieks, pops, and whees, Ginny let off some self-spelling sparklers that wrote in red and gold flashing writing: 'Snape murdered Dumbledore' in red and then changing into gold to say 'Coward'. Ginny sat back on her broom midair and watched. She tried to take in all the colours, noise and flashes of the fireworks. The sky looked amazing, Fred and George had outdone themselves on this set of fireworks but more important than that, the public message had worked. Everyone at school could see what they thought of Harry, Snape and the current regime at Hogwarts. Just as quickly as the sky had darkened the light returned and the fireworks had gone. Ginny glanced over to the stands and it was easy to see Snape amongst the teachers, his fury burnt through the stadium. Ginny felt his gaze on her as she dived to the ground. She had to get out of there quickly before that fury exploded on her. She quickly pulled her broom into her hands and got ready to dart to the changing room before she froze instantly at the anger that was rising from the Hogwarts Headmaster. Snape's voice echoed around the stadium, "WEASLEY, my office, NOW!"
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