Order of the Phoenix

When they become friends

Chapter 4

The door opened and a long mane of red hair appeared. “Oh, hello, Harry!” said Ron’s younger sister, Ginny, brightly. “I thought I heard your voice.”

———-

“He went completely berserk. He said — well, he said loads of terrible stuff. He said he’s been having to struggle against Dad’s lousy reputation ever since he joined the Ministry and that Dad’s got no ambition and that’s why we’ve always been – you know -not had a lot of money, I mean -”
“What?” said Harry in disbelief, as Ginny made a noise like an angry cat.

———-

“I didn’t ask – I didn’t want – Voldemort killed my parents!” Harry spluttered. “I got famous because he murdered my family but couldn’t kill me! Who wants to be famous for that? Don’t they think I’d rather it’d never -”
“We know, Harry,” said Ginny earnestly.

Chapter 5

“Course I will,” Harry said. Ron and Hermione beamed.

“Fine!” shouted Mrs Weasley. “Fine! Ginny – BED!” Ginny did not go quietly. They could hear her raging and storming at her mother all the way up the stairs, and when she reached the hall Mrs Blacks ear-splitting shrieks were added to the din.

Chapter 6

“Yeah, size is no guarantee of power,” said George. “Look at Ginny.”

“What d’you mean?” said Harry.
“You’ve never been on the receiving end of one of her Bat-Bogey Hexes, have you?”

———-

There was a musical box that emitted a faintly sinister, tinkling tune when wound, and they all found themselves becoming curiously weak and sleepy, until Ginny had the sense to slam the lid shut.

———-

“I’ve ironed your best clothes for tomorrow morning, Harry, and I want you to wash your hair tonight, too. A good first impression can work wonders.” Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny all stopped talking and looked over at him. Harry nodded and tried to keep eating his chop, but his mouth had become so dry he could not chew.

Chapter 9

Mrs Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance to a chant that went: “He got off, he got off, he got off…”
“That’s enough! Settle down!” shouted Mr. Weasley, though he too was smiling. “Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry -”
“What?” said Sirius sharply.

“He got off, he got off, he got off…”
“Be quiet, you three! Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine, then they went up to Fudge’s office together. Dumbledore ought to know.”
“Absolutely,” said Sirius. “We’ll tell him, don’t worry.”

“Well, I’d better get going, there’s a vomiting toilet waiting for me in Bethnal Green. Molly, I’ll be late, I’m covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner -”
“He got off, he got off, he got off…”

“That’s enough – Fred – George – Ginny!” said Mrs Weasley, as Mr Weasley left the kitchen.
“Harry, dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast.”

———-

“I don’t think he’ll be able to, Ron,” said Mrs Weasley, setting a huge plate of roast chicken down in front of Harry. “He’s really very busy at the moment.”
“HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF”

“SHUT UP!” roared Mrs Weasley.

———-

“What about you, Sirius?” Ginny asked, thumping Hermione on the back. Sirius, who was right beside Harry, let out his usual bark-like laugh.

———-

“And what’s going to happen if Arthur and I get killed, who’s g – g – going to look after Ron and Ginny?”
“Molly that’s enough,” said Lupin firmly. “This isn’t like last time. The Order are better prepared, we’ve got a head start, we know what Voldemorts up to -” Mrs Weasley gave a little squeak of fright at the sound of the name. “Oh, Molly, come on, it’s about time you got used to hearing his name – look, I can’t promise no one’s going to get hurt, nobody can promise that, but we’re much better off than we were last time. You weren’t in the Order then, you don’t understand. Last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by the Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one…”

Harry thought of the photograph again, of his parents’ beaming faces. He knew Moody was still watching him.

Chapter 10

There was a lot of commotion in the house. From what he heard as he dressed at top speed, Harry gathered that Fred and George had bewitched their trunks to fly downstairs to save the bother of carrying them, with the result that they had hurtled straight into Ginny and knocked her down two flights of stairs into the hall; Mrs Black and Mrs Weasley were both screaming at the top of their voices.

———-

“Mum and Dad just sent Hedwig back.” The owl fluttered obligingly over and perched on top of her cage. “Are you ready yet?”
“Nearly. Is Ginny all right?” Harry asked, shoving on his glasses.

———-

“I know you’re not,” said Harry and he grinned. But as Hermione and Ron dragged their trunks, Crookshanks and a caged Pigwidgeon off towards the engine end of the train, Harry felt an odd sense of loss. He had never travelled on the Hogwarts Express without Ron.
“Come on,” Ginny told him, “if we get a move on we’ll be able to save them places.”
“Right,” said Harry, picking up Hedwig’s cage in one hand and the handle of his trunk in the other.

———-

In the very last carriage they met Neville Longbottom, Harry’s fellow fifth-year Gryffindor, his round face shining with the effort of pulling his trunk along and maintaining a one handed grip on his struggling toad, Trevor.
“Hi, Harry” he panted. “Hi, Ginny… everywhere’s full… I can’t find a seat…”
“What are you talking about?” said Ginny, who had squeezed past Neville to peer into the compartment behind him. “There’s room in this one, there’s only Loony Lovegood in here —” Neville mumbled something about not wanting to disturb anyone. “Don’t be silly,” said Ginny, laughing, “she’s all right.” She slid the door open and pulled her trunk inside. Harry and Neville followed.

———-

Rather pink in the face, she closed the door and departed. Harry slumped back in his seat and groaned. He would have liked Cho to discover him sitting with a group of very cool people laughing their heads off at a joke he had just told; he would not have chosen to be sitting with Neville and Loony Lovegood, clutching a toad and dripping in Stinksap.
“Never mind,” said Ginny bracingly. “Look, we can easily get rid of all this.” She pulled out her wand. “Scourgify!” The Stinksap vanished.

———-

Ron and Hermione did not turn up for nearly an hour, by which time the food trolley had already gone by. Harry, Ginny and Neville had finished their pumpkin pasties and were busy swapping Chocolate Frog Cards when the compartment door slid open and they walked in, accompanied by Crookshanks and a shrilly hooting Pigwidgeon in his cage.

———-

“Where’s Hagrid?” he said out loud.

“I don’t know,” said Ginny, “but we’d better get out of the way, we’re blocking the door.”

“Oh, yeah…” Harry and Ginny became separated as they moved off along the platform and out through the station.

———-

“Malfoy was being absolutely foul to a first-year back there. I swear I’m going to report he’s only had his badge three minutes and he’s using it to bully people worse than where’s Crookshanks?”
“Ginny’s got him,” said Harry. “There she is…” Ginny had just emerged from the crowd, clutching a squirming Crookshanks.

Chapter 11

“Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?” asked Ginny. “What’s she doing back here? Hagrid can’t have left, can he?”
“I’ll be quite glad if he has,” said Luna, “he isn’t a very good teacher, is he?”

“Yes, he is!” said Harry, Ron and Ginny angrily.

Chapter 16

“There are plenty of eye-witness accounts. Just because you’re so narrow-minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you -”

“Hem, hem,” said Ginny, in such a good imitation of Professor Umbridge that several people looked around in alarm and then laughed. “Weren’t we trying to decide how often we’re going to meet and have defence lessons?”
“Yes,” said Hermione at once, “yes, we were, you’re right, Ginny.”

———-

“But,” said Ron, following Hermione along a row of quills in copper pots, “I thought Ginny fancied Harry!”

Hermione looked at him rather pityingly and shook her head. “Ginny used to fancy Harry, but she gave up on him months ago. Not that she doesn’t like you, of course,” she added kindly to Harry while she examined a long black and gold quill.
Harry, whose head was still full of Cho’s parting wave, did not find this subject quite as interesting as Ron, who was positively quivering with indignation, but it did bring something home to him that until now he had not really registered. “So that’s why she talks now?” he asked Hermione. “She never used to talk in front of me.”
“Exactly,” said Hermione.

Chapter 17

“I’ll tell Michael,” said Ginny impatiently, swinging herself off her bench. “The fool, honestly…” She hurried off toward the Ravenclaw table; Harry watched her go.

Chapter 18

Somewhat to Harry’s disappointment, it was Ginny who managed to find Cho Chang and her friend first; however, but the end of dinner he was confident that the news had been passed to every one of the twenty-five people who had turned up in the Hog’s Head.

———-

“The Defence Association?” said Cho. “The DA for short, so nobody knows what we’re talking about?”

“Yeah, the DA’s good,” said Ginny. “Only let’s make it stand for Dumbledores Army, because that’s the Ministry’s worst fear, isn’t it?” There was a good deal of appreciative murmuring and laughter at this.

———-

Ginny was teamed with Michael Corner; she was doing very well, whereas Michael was either very bad or unwilling to jinx her.

Chapter 19

Hermione and Ginny sat down opposite them wearing red and gold scarves, gloves and rosettes. “How’re you feeling?” Ginny asked Ron, who was now staring into the dregs of milk at the bottom of his empty cereal bowl as though seriously considering attempting to drown himself in them.

“He’s just nervous,” said Harry.

———-

“It’s just so unfair,” said Alicia numbly. “I mean, what about Crabbe and that Bludger he hit after the whistle had been blown? Has she banned htm?”

“No,” said Ginny miserably; she and Hermione were sitting on either side of Harry. “He just got lines, I heard Montague laughing about it at dinner.”

Chapter 21

“Well,” said Angelina dully, pulling off her cloak and throwing it into a corner, “we’ve finally replaced you.”

“Replaced me?” said Harry blankly. “You and Fred and George,” she said impatiently. “We’ve got another Seeker!”
“Who?” said Harry quickly.
“Ginny Weasley,” said Katie. Harry gaped at her.
“Yeah, I know,” said Angelina, pulling out her wand and flexing her arm, “but she’s pretty good, actually. Nothing on you, of course,” she said, throwing him a very dirty look, “but as we can’t have you…”

Chapter 22

Fred, George and Ginny were ushered inside by Professor McGonagall, all three of them looking dishevelled and shocked, still in their night things. “Harry – what’s going on?” asked Ginny, who looked frightened. “Professor McGonagall says you saw Dad get hurt -”

“Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order of the Phoenix,” said Dumbledore, before Harry could speak.

———-

“What’s going on?” he said, stretching out a hand to help Ginny up. “Phineas Nigellus said Arthur’s been badly injured —”

“Ask Harry,” said Fred. “Yeah, I want to hear this for myself,” said George. The twins and Ginny were staring at him. Kreacher’s footsteps had stopped on the stairs outside.

———-

Fred and George looked as though they could not care less what the Ministry made of anything. Ron was still ashen-faced and silent. Ginny said, “Somebody else could have told us… we could have heard it somewhere other than Harry.”

———-

Fred and George still looked mutinous. Ginny, however, took a few steps over to the nearest chair and sank into it. Harry looked at Ron, who made a funny movement somewhere between a nod and a shrug, and they sat down too. The twins glared at Sirius for another minute, then took seats either side of Ginny.

———-

Ginny was curled like a cat on her chair, but her eyes were open; Harry could see them reflecting the firelight.

Chapter 23

“Are you all right, Harry, dear?” whispered Mrs Weasley leaning across Ginny to speak to him as the train rattled along through its dark tunnel. “You don’t look very well. Are you feeling sick?”

———-

“How’re you feeling?” asked Hermione.

“Fine,” said Harry stiffly.

“Oh, don’t lie, Harry,” she said impatiently. “Ron and Ginny say you’ve been hiding from everyone since you got back from St Mungo’s.”

“They do, do they?” said Harry, glaring at Ron and Ginny. Ron looked down at his feet but Ginny seemed quite unabashed.

———-

“Yeah?” growled Harry, his hands deep in his pockets as he watched the snow now falling thickly outside. “All been talking about me, have you? Well, I’m getting used to it.”

“We wanted to talk to you, Harry,” said Ginny, “but as you’ve been hiding ever since we got back -”
“I didn’t want anyone to talk to me,” said Harry, who was feeling more and more nettled.

“Well, that was a bit stupid of you,” said Ginny angrily, “seeing as you don’t know anyone but me who’s been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels.”
Harry remained quite still as the impact of these words hit him. Then he wheeled round. “I forgot,” he said.

“Lucky you,” said Ginny coolly.

“I’m sorry” Harry said, and he meant it. “So… so, do you think I’m being possessed, then?”
“Well, can you remember everything you’ve been doing?” Ginny asked. “Are there big blank periods where you don’t know what you’ve been up to?”

Harry racked his brains. “No,” he said.
“Then You-Know-Who hasn’t ever possessed you,” said Ginny simply. “When he did it to me, I couldn’t remember what I’d been doing for hours at a time. I’d find myself somewhere and not know how I got there.” Harry hardly dared believe her, yet his heart was lightening almost in spite of himself.

———-

“It sounds as though you’ve been trying to sew your skin back together,” said Mrs Weasley with a snort of mirthless laughter, “but even you, Arthur, wouldn’t be that stupid —”
“I fancy a cup of tea, too,” said Harry, jumping to his feet. Hermione, Ron and Ginny almost sprinted to the door with him.

———-

“Well, hello there!” he said. “I expect you’d like my autograph, would you?”
“Hasn’t changed much, has he?” Harry muttered to Ginny, who grinned.

———-

“I never knew,” said Hermione, who looked tearful.

“Nor did I,” said Ron rather hoarsely.

“Nor me,” whispered Ginny.

They all looked at Harry. “I did,” he said glumly.

Chapter 24

“Harry, dear,” said Mrs Weasley, poking her head into his and Ron’s bedroom, where the pair of them were playing wizard chess watched by Hermione, Ginny and Crookshanks, “could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you.”

———-

Harry’s mouth fell open in horror. He looked around at Ron, Hermione and Ginny, all of whom were gaping back at him.

Chapter 25

It was a fresh, breezy sort of a day and as they passed the Quidditch stadium Harry glimpsed Ron and Ginny skimming along over the stands and felt a horrible pang that he was not up there with them.

Chapter 26

“Yeah,” said Harry fervently, looking over at the Ravenclaw table. Cho had just got up, and, still not looking at him, she left the Great Hall. Feeling rather depressed, he looked back at Ron and Ginny. “So, how was Quidditch practice?”
“It was a nightmare,” said Ron in a surly voice.

“Oh come on,” said Hermione, looking at Ginny, “I’m sure it wasn’t that -”

“Yes, it was,” said Ginny. “It was appalling. Angelina was nearly in tears by the end of it.”

———-

“Ron and Ginny not here?” asked Fred, looking around as he pulled up a chair, and when Harry shook his head, he said, “Good. We were watching their practice. They’re going to be slaughtered. They’re complete rubbish without us.”
“Come on, Ginny’s not bad” said George fairly, sitting down next to Fred. “Actually, I dunno how she got so good, seeing how we never let her play with us.”
“She’s been breaking into your broom shed in the garden since the age of six and taking each of your brooms out in turn when you weren’t looking,” said Hermione from behind her tottering pile of Ancient Rune books.
“Oh,” said George, looking mildly impressed. “Well – that’d explain it.”

———-

The miracle was that Gryffindor only lost by ten points: Ginny managed to snatch the Snitch from right under Hufflepuff Seeker Summerby’s nose, so that the final score was two hundred and forty versus two hundred and thirty.
“Good catch,” Harry told Ginny back in the common room, where the atmosphere resembled that of a particularly dismal funeral.

“I was lucky,” she shrugged. “It wasn’t a very fast Snitch and Summerby’s got a cold, he sneezed and closed his eyes at exactly the wrong moment. Anyway, once you’re back on the team -”
“Ginny, I’ve got a lifelong ban.”

“You’re banned as long as Umbridge is in the school,” Ginny corrected him. “There’s a difference. Anyway, once you’re back, I think I’ll try out for Chaser. Angelina and Alicia are both leaving next year and I prefer goal-scoring to Seeking anyway.”
Harry looked over at Ron, who was hunched in a corner, staring at his knees, a bottle of Butterbeer clutched in his hand.
“Angelina still won’t let him resign,” Ginny said, as though reading Harry’s mind. “She says she knows he’s got it in him.”

Chapter 29

“Harry, I’m talking to you, can you hear me?”

“Huh?”

He looked round. Ginny Weasley, looking very windswept, had joined him at the library table where he had been sitting alone. It was late on Sunday evening: Hermione had gone back to Gryffindor Tower to revise Ancient Runes, and Ron had Quidditch practice.
“Oh, hi,” said Harry, pulling his books towards him. “How come you’re not at practice?”

“It’s over,” said Ginny. “Ron had to take Jack Sloper up to the hospital wing.”

“Why?”
“Well, we’re not sure, but we think he knocked himself out with his own bat.” She sighed heavily. “Anyway… a package just arrived, it’s only just got through Umbridge’s new screening process.” She hoisted a box wrapped in brown paper on to the table; it had clearly been unwrapped and carelessly re-wrapped. There was a scribbled note across it in red ink, reading: Inspected and Passed by the Hogwarts High Inquisitor.
“It’s Easter eggs from Mum,” said Ginny. “There’s one for you… there you go.” She handed him a handsome chocolate egg decorated with small, iced Snitches and, according to the packaging, containing a bag of Fizzing Whizzbees. Harry looked at it for a moment, then, to his horror, felt a lump rise in his throat.
“Are you OK, Harry?” Ginny asked quietly. “Yeah, I’m fine,” said Harry gruffly. The lump in his throat was painful. He did not understand why an Easter egg should have made him feel like this.
“You seem really down lately,” Ginny persisted. “You know, I’m sure if you just talked to Cho…”

“It’s not Cho I want to talk to,” said Harry brusquely.

“Who is it, then?” asked Ginny, watching him closely.
“I…” He glanced around to make quite sure nobody was listening. Madam Pince was several shelves away, stamping out a pile of books for a frantic-looking Hannah Abbott. “I wish I could talk to Sirius,” he muttered. “But I know I can’t.”

Ginny continued to watch him thoughtfully. More to give himself something to do than because he really wanted any, Harry unwrapped his Easter egg, broke off a large bit and put it into his mouth.
“Well,” said Ginny slowly, helping herself to a bit of egg, too, “if you really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it.”

“Come on,” said Harry dully. “With Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?”
“The thing about growing up with Fred and George,” said Ginny thoughtfully, “is that you sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”

Harry looked at her. Perhaps it was the effect of the chocolate – Lupin had always advised eating some after encounters with Dementors – or simply because he had finally spoken aloud the wish that had been burning inside him for a week, but he felt a bit more hopeful.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?”

“Oh damn,” whispered Ginny, jumping to her feet. “I forgot -” Madam Pince was swooping down on them, her shrivelled face contorted with rage.
“Chocolate in the library!” she screamed. “Out – out – OUT!” And whipping out her wand, she caused Harry’s books, bag and ink bottle to chase him and Ginny from the library, whacking them repeatedly over the head as they ran.

Chapter 31

“I’m just glad we won, that’s all.”

“Yeah,” said Ron slowly, savoring the words, “we won. Did you see the look on Chang’s face when Ginny got the Snitch right out from under her nose?”

“I suppose she cried, did she?” said Harry bitterly.

Chapter 32

The classroom door opened. Harry, Ron and Hermione whipped around. Ginny walked in, looking curious, closely followed by Luna, who as usual looked as though she had drifted in accidentally.
“Hi,” said Ginny uncertainly. “We recognised Harry’s voice. What are you yelling about?”

“Never you mind,” said Harry roughly.
Ginny raised her eyebrows. “There’s no need to take that tone with me,” she said coolly, “I was only wondering whether I could help.”

———-

“We’ll draw Umbridge away again, but we’ll need lookouts, and that’s where we can use Ginny and Luna.”

Though clearly struggling to understand what was going on, Ginny said immediately, “Yeah, we’ll do it,”

———-

“Luna and I can stand at either end of the corridor,” said Ginny promptly, “and warn people not to go down there because someone’s let off a load of Garrotting Gas.”

Hermione looked surprised at the readiness with which Ginny had come up with this lie; Ginny shrugged and said, “Fred and George were planning to do it before they left.”

———-

“You can’t come down here!” Ginny was calling to the crowd. “No, sorry, you’re going to have to go round by the swivelling staircase, someone’s let off Garrotting Gas just along here -”

They could hear people complaining; one surly voice said, “I can’t see no gas.”

“That’s because it’s colourless,” said Ginny in a convincingly exasperated voice, “but if you want to walk through it, carry on, then we’ll have your body as proof for the next idiot who doesn’t believe us.”

———-

“Got ‘em all,” said Warrington, shoving Ron roughly forwards into the room. “That one,” he poked a thick finger at Neville, “tried to stop me taking her,” he pointed at Ginny, who was trying to kick the shins of the large Slytherin girl holding her, “so I brought him along too.”

“Good, good,” said Umbridge, watching Ginny’s struggles. “Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn’t it?”

———-

Harry and Hermione moved together instinctively and peered through the trees. Ron came into sight, closely followed by Ginny, Neville and Luna. All of them looked a little the worse for wear – there were several long scratches running the length of Ginny’s cheek; a large purple lump was swelling above Neville’s right eye; Ron’s lip was bleeding worse than ever – but all were looking rather pleased with themselves.

Chapter 33

“Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx,” said Ron airily, now handing back Hermione’s wand, too. “But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy – Bat Bogey Hex – it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things.Anyway, we saw you out of the window heading into the Forest and followed. What’ve you done with Umbridge?”
“She got carried away,” said Harry. “By a herd of centaurs.”

“And they left you behind?” asked Ginny, looking astonished.

“No, they got chased off by Grawp,” said Harry.

———-

“OK,” said Harry irritably, rounding on her. “First of all, ‘we’ aren’t doing anything if you’re including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron’s the only one with a broomstick that isn’t being guarded by a security troll, so -”
“I’ve got a broom!” said Ginny.

“Yeah, but you’re not coming,” said Ron angrily.
“Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!” said Ginny, her jaw set so that her resemblance to Fred and George was suddenly striking.
“You’re too -” Harry began, but Ginny said fiercely, “I’m three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosopher’s Stone, and it’s because of me that Malfoy’s stuck back in Umbridge’s office with giant flying bogies attacking him -”
“Yeah, but -”

“We were all in the DA together,” said Neville quietly.

———-

“OK, fine, it’s your choice,” he said curtly, “but unless we can find more Thestrals you’re not going to be able -”

“Oh, more of them will come,” said Ginny confidently, who like Ron was squinting in quite the wrong direction, apparently under the impression that she was looking at the horses.
“What makes you think that?”

“Because, in case you hadn’t noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood,” she said coolly, “and we know Hagrid lures Thestrals with raw meat. That’s probably why these two turned up in the first place.”

Chapter 34

“Thank you,” said the cool female voice. “Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes.” Half a dozen badges slid out of the metal chute where returned coins normally appeared. Hermione scooped them up and handed them mutely to Harry over Ginny’s head; he glanced at the topmost one, Harry Potter, Rescue Mission.

———-

“OK, listen,” said Harry stopping again within six feet of the door. “Maybe… maybe a couple of people should stay here as a — as a lookout, and -”

“And how’re we going to let you know something’s coming?” asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. “You could be miles away.”

———-

“What was that about?” whispered Ron fearfully.

“I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through,” said Ginny in a hushed voice.
Harry realised at once she was right: he could no sooner identify the exit door than locate an ant on the jet-black floor; and the door through which they needed to proceed could be any one of the dozen surrounding them.

———-

“What’re those things?” whispered Ron.

“Dunno,” said Harry.

“Are they fish?” breathed Ginny.

———-

“Let’s go,” he said.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to – well, come on, then!” said Hermione, and she led the way back around the dais.

On the other side, Ginny and Neville were staring, apparently entranced, at the veil too.

———-

“Keep going!” said Harry sharply, because Ginny showed signs of wanting to stop and watch the egg’s progress back into a bird.

“You dawdled enough by that old arch!” she said crossly, but followed him past the bell jar to the only door behind it.

Chapter 35

“You need more persuasion?” she said, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “Very well – take the smallest one,” she ordered the Death Eaters beside her. “Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I’ll do it.”
Harry felt the others close in around Ginny; he stepped sideways so that he was right in front of her, the prophecy held up to his chest.

“You’ll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us,” he told Bellatrix. “I don’t think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?”

———-

There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream. “RON?” Harry yelled, turning quickly from the monstrous transformation taking place before them. “GINNY? LUNA?”

———-

“Ginny?” Harry said fearfully. “What happened?”

But Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle.

“I think her ankle’s broken, I heard something crack,” whispered Luna, who was bending over her and who alone seemed to be unhurt.

———-

“We’ve got to get out of here,” said Harry firmly. “Luna, can you help Ginny?”

“Yes,” said Luna, sticking her wand behind her ear for safekeeping, then putting an arm around Ginnys waist and pulling her up.

“It’s only my ankle, I can do it myself!” said Ginny impatiently, but next moment she had collapsed sideways and grabbed Luna for support.

———-

“Diffindo!” yelled Harry, trying to sever the feelers wrapping themselves tightly around Ron before his eyes, but they would not break. Ron fell over, still thrashing against his bonds.

“Harry, it’ll suffocate him!” screamed Ginny, immobilised by her broken ankle on the floor – then a jet of red light flew from one of the Death Eater’s wands and hit her squarely in the face.

Chapter 36

Slipping and sliding, he ran on towards the door; he leapt over Luna, who was groaning on the floor, past Ginny, who said, “Harry – what -?”, past Ron, who giggled feebly, and Hermione, who was still unconscious

Chapter 38

He helped himself to a handful of Chocolate Frogs from the immense pile on his bedside cabinet, threw a few to Harry, Ginny and Neville and ripped off the wrapper of his own with his teeth.

———-

“Daddy sold it to them,” said Luna vaguely, turning a page of The Quibbler. “He got a very good price for it, too, so we’re going to go on an expedition to Sweden this summer to see if we can catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.”

Hermione seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, then said, “That sounds lovely.”

Ginny caught Harry’s eye and looked away quickly, grinning.

———-

Hermione and Ginny muffled their laughter in the bedcloths. “Speaking of centaurs,” said Hermione, when she had recoverd a little, “who’s Divination teacher now? Is Firenze staying?”

“He’s got to,” said Harry, “the other centaurs won’t take him back, will they?”

“It looks like he and Trelawney are both going to teach,” said Ginny.

———-

“Who’s she with now, anyway?” Ron asked Hermione, but it was Ginny who answered.

“Michael Corner,” she said.

“Michael – but -” said Ron, craning around in his seat to stare at her. “But you were going out with him!”

“Not any more,” said Ginny resolutely. “He didn’t like Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw at Quidditch, and got really sulky, so I ditched him and he ran off to comfort Cho instead.”
She scratched her nose absently with the end of her quill, turned The Quibbler upsidedown and began marking her answers. Ron looked highly delighted.

“Well, I always thought he was a bit of an idiot,” he said, prodding his queen forwards towards Harry’s quivering castle. “Good for you. Just choose someone – better – next time.” He cast Harry an oddly furtive look as he said it.
“Well, I’ve chosen Dean Thomas, would you say he’s better?” asked Ginny vaguely.
“WHAT?” shouted Ron, upending the chessboard: Crookshanks went plunging after the pieces and Hedwig and Pigwidgeon twittered and hooted angrily from overhead.