Wings of Time

Chapter 3

The Infamous Mirrors

The school year progressed at a horribly fast pace. October was already roaring in at full speed. The air grew bitter and the leaves started to become sparse. The classes at Hogwarts were getting increasingly more difficult. Professors became odder and more edgy. Transfiguration was one of the most hated classes among the whole student body. Professor Dumbledore never explained anything. He expected his students to know exactly what they were doing. Potions was becoming an eccentric affair with Slughorn. He favored only those who were in what he dubbed 'The Slug Club'. Slughorn seemed anxious and flustered all the time, and he often jumped at the smallest things. Defense Against the Dark Arts became a favorite class among the students - even though more than half of the students were still petrified of Lupin. Trelawney muttered in the hallways about the Tarot cards making strange combinations. Binns was his usual self and rambled on about Goblin Rebellions. It was as if the ghost didn't know anything of what was going on. Flitwick seemed very intent on teaching Charms that could be used in battles.

"Ginevra?"

Ginny didn't hear nor notice anyone else in the library. She had been pouring over folders of Hogwarts alumni. Her head pounded due to lack of sleep and all of the reading she had done over the past month. Every single week, the redhead found herself rereading Regulus Black's dossier. Ginny was convinced that R.A.B. was Black. His middle name was Alphard, so it all seemed to fit. The only other person who really fit the initial criteria and wasn't dead was Rudolf Alexander Brande - the captain of the Holyhead Harpies.

"Ginevra Weasley?"

The sixteen-year-old turned around to see a girl in Slytherin robes standing behind her. Ginny straightened up and quickly tried to cover up the records of past students. Ginny didn't know the Slytherin's name, but the redhead had seen her walking the hallways several times. Her pale skin was illuminated in the pastel library lighting. Her sleek, long black hair flowed down to the small of her back. Her gray eyes shone oddly at the Gryffindor.

"Yes," Ginny confirmed.

"Do you know who I am?" the Slytherin asked.

Ginny thought feverishly for several seconds before she told the girl she didn't. The Slytherin's lips curved up in a sardonic sort of smile. The redhead gave an apologetic look, but the other girl seemed as though she didn't take any notice. The Slytherin strolled forward and sat down next to the Gryffindor. Ginny quickly tried to hide the dossiers before the other girl could see them.

"I am Adrasteia Pomeroy," the girl spoke calmly. "I am in your year - sixth."

"Nice to meet you."

Ginny was horribly uncomfortable around the girl, but tried her hardest to sound polite. There was a tone of suspicion that she couldn't keep out of her voice. The Slytherin didn't seem to notice, however. Ice gray eyes wandered over the dossiers on the library table. Ginny leaned her body over the table in an awkward position to cover up the files.

"I know what you are doing," Adrasteia spoke silkily. "He knows too, Ginevra. I have heard my father talking of you and of Harry Potter - my father works with the Dark Lord."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ginny replied with her eyes narrowed, "and I don't care, because I don't trust those from Death Eater families."

"The Dark Lord will come after you to get to Potter, Ginevra," the Slytherin uttered coolly.

"Let's seem him try."

"A noteworthy exclamation of bravery."

Adrasteia had a grin that played on her face and her eyes sparkled with pride. Ginny squirmed under the gaze. The redhead stood up and gathered the folders together to put back. At that moment, Ginny didn't want to hear about bravery, deaths, or what Voldemort was planning. Adrasteia Pomeroy came from a Death Eater family, which meant that she couldn't be trusted until she proved she was trustworthy. However, building trust is the hardest task imaginable.

"You are the only one who can help Potter bring down the Dark Lord," Adrasteia said as she stood up to follow Ginny towards the student archive filing cabinets.

"Oh, yes, because there is so much I can do to from Hogwarts to help Harry," Ginny declared condescendingly.

"You will lead the stronghold at Hogwarts, Ginevra, while Potter leads those he trusts most to the Dark Lord's lair."

"You know, it's really bugging me that you're calling me Ginevra," Ginny spoke icily. "Another thing, you should really stay out of my life seeing as we just met a minute ago."

"You cannot expect to protect Hogwarts without help."

"I don't expect to protect Hogwarts at all," the redhead replied as she briskly walked out of the library with the Slytherin at her heels.

"Yes, you do, Ginevra," Adrasteia declared. "You are prepared to fight for love."

"Oh, yes, because you see me fighting off five Death Eaters as we speak," Ginny said sarcastically.

"You would follow Harry Potter blindly into a fight he deems his own, but you would not follow anyone else. Your foolish loyalty to Potter will get you killed."

Ginny faltered in her strides to whip around and face the Slytherin. Brown eyes narrowed at the girl with extreme distaste. Ginny wanted to hex Adrasteia to no end at that moment, but held herself back. The redhead didn't even notice she had her wand clenched tightly in hr right hand.

"I would follow my family to protect them," snapped Ginny.

"To protect them, Ginevra, not to fight along side them. There is a colossal difference."

"What do you want from me?" the redhead sighed.

"To prove that not all Slytherins impulsively pledge allegiance to the Dark Lord. I am prepared to abandon my family for the cause that Albus Dumbledore died for."

With that, the Slytherin spun around with her black hair whipping behind her. She walked briskly in the opposite way she had been walking. Ginny stood there in the middle of the hallway dumbfounded. The youngest Weasley turned and slowly walked back to Gryffindor Tower with a thousand thoughts filling her head.

"Weasel, Weasel is very sad! Weasel, Weasel wants her Pottyhead! But Pottyhead doesn't love her, no he'd rather leave to get himself dead!" Peeves crackled as he fled around Ginny as she walked.

"You know my brothers are Fred and George," Ginny spoke aloofly. "I thought you respected them."

"Peevesie knows better than to think all Weasels are the same."

"Maybe I should call the Bloody Baron then," Ginny shot back.

Peeves gave out an annoying cry of 'nooooo' before he flung his body into the nearest wall. Ginny smiled to herself as she walked in peace to her dormitory. She snuck inside her dorm room and quietly made her way to her four-poster bed. She closed the curtains around her and immediately closed her eyes and welcomed sleep.

The next morning, Ginny was woken by a tapping noise. She groaned as she stuck her head out from behind her drapery. There was a tawny owl pecking at the glass of the window to be let inside. Apparently, the other girls in her dorm didn't hear the tapping or they were already out of the dorm. Ginny hauled her small body out from her bed and strolled over towards the window. She threw the latch back and the owl soared in. A letter was dropped, which Ginny immediately picked up to see very familiar handwriting. The letter read:

My Dearest Ginny,

It had been awhile since I've touched you. I have seen you wandering all over the castle. I'm always watching over you to ensure your safety. I constantly have the Marauder's Map out to make sure that you are unharmed. I watch as you spend an awfully lot of time in the library, and I thank you for helping me.

We are one step closer to living a world without Voldemort. We have destroyed one of the Horcruxes. That's three down now and four to go - unless the necklace is already destroyed. We're staying in a run down motel at the moment, attempting to get some rest. Ron and Hermione are in the room adjacent to me - they are now officially dating. I half wonder if they chose to have their own room to get down to business if you know what I mean. I want to gouge my eyes out at the very thought of that. Now I have spread the disturbing image to you.

Don't worry about these letters being intercepted and being read. Hermione placed a charm on them so that only those with Weasley blood in them can read it. It was the only thing Hermione could think of, and it works perfectly since we have Ron here to poke with needles to get his blood.

I count down the days until I will see you again. It seems as though each day I don't see your face and beautiful red hair, I go mad a little. I can't help but think about you and how you are doing. I need to see you, so I have come up with a plan of how to do this. You know about the Shrieking Shack, don't you? Well, of course you do, you're not dim. Anyways, it's really not haunted or anything like that. Lupin used the house when he was a student at Hogwarts when he had to deal with his fury little problem. There's a way to get in there through the Whomping Willow, there's a secret passage way. You need to prod a switch at the base of the tree to make the branches stop thrashing about. That's when you can slip down a hole and into a passageway. It only goes one place; so don't worry about getting lost. Once you reach the house, go up the stairs. There's a room off to the right, it looks sort of like a bedroom. Under the bed, there will be a mirror. I have a mirror identical to it. All you have to do is say my name, and we'll be able to talk to each other. Ron and I tested them out before I planted that one in the house. If I want to contact you, you will hear your name being called from the mirror. The mirrors belonged to my father and Sirius - Sirius gave me my dad's before he passed. I never did use it to contact him though - maybe if I would have remembered the mirror then we wouldn't have dashed off to the Department of Mysteries.

Ron and Hermione send their love. Ron wants me to tell you to watch out for those boys and hex them if they try anything. I utterly agree with him. Hermione says to study and work hard. Stay safe and be on a look out for spies within Hogwarts. I see that Lupin has returned to Hogwarts. He really needs a friend. I'm afraid Sirius's death really took a toll on him. I also saw that Dumbledore's brother was residing at Hogwarts as well. Weird, isn't it? I bet he's teaching Transfiguration, since Dumbledore taught Transfiguration before he became headmaster. I heard he was uh - an odd block to say the least. Mad-Eye Moody told me that.

Much Love,

Harry

Ginny didn't even notice that tears were pouring down her face. The letter was clenched tightly in her hands. She reread the words at least three more times before she folded it neatly and slipped it into her trunk with the other letter. The redhead sat next to her trunk and thought of how she would get into the Shrieking Shack without being noticed. Deciding to do it during class, since the castle was bolted up securely at night, Ginny changed into her school uniform. She raced towards the Herbology classroom outside; she seemed destined to go that day to get the mirror.

Ian was already standing next to the greenhouse waiting for Ginny to come. He took one look at Ginny's red face and instantly asked what was wrong. She brushed him off before stepping into the greenhouse. Ginny only stayed in Herbology for ten minutes before stating to Professor Sprout that she felt nauseous. The professor waved her off to see Madam Pomfrey, giving the redhead ample time sneak into the Shrieking Shack. As she left, Ian gave her a curious look.

Finding the switch on the Whomping Willow was harder than she expected. After five minutes of looking for one out of the branches wrath, she spotted it. Ginny crouched down on the ground and shot a spark out of her wand to hit the switch. She missed the first time, but quickly got it the second. The branches froze. The Gryffindor dashed forward and slipped through the small opening easily.

The passageway was dark and dreary, and the only light was coming from the hole in the tree. She drew her wand up high above her head and whispered, "Lumos". The passage was narrow and seemed as though it was going to last forever. Finally, she reached the first floor of the Shrieking Shack. Everything was scratched and bitten. Ginny felt slightly sick to know that Lupin caused the damage because of something he couldn't control. She walked up the stairs, which gave ominous creaks.

The bedroom was exactly where Harry had stated it to be. There was a rickety bed position against a wall in the middle of the room. Ginny walked forward and looked under the bed to see a small handheld mirror resting peacefully on the wood floors. She reached out a hand and grasped the handle. She hauled it out from underneath the bed and stared at it.

"Harry," she whispered with the mirror shaking slightly in her hands.

Nothing happened, however, and Ginny suddenly got worried. What if they were attacked at the motel? What if they were all dead? Ginny shook the thoughts from her head and said Harry's name again, but only louder and clearer. The redhead's reflection started to ripple and slowly disappeared. It was about ten seconds later that Ginny was staring into the face of the boy she loved. His green eyes sparkled oddly in the mirror.

"I see you got my letter," he spoke with a smile.

"Harry!" was all that managed to escape from Ginny's lips.

"How are you?"

"What a silly question to ask! Out of all the things you could ask me, you ask me that?" Ginny retorted.

"I didn't know that was such a ridiculous question. I think it was quite a good one in all honesty."

"You know I'm safe at Hogwarts, Harry! It's me who should be worried about you."

"I'm fine, I said so in the letter," Harry replied with a goofy smile etched upon his face. "We're off to Wales tomorrow."

"Wales? There's a Horcrux in Wales?"

"I believe so," Harry sighed and his face suddenly looked very drawn. "There was a woman who lived in Wales that Voldemort killed."

The boy in the mirror had pushed his glasses up with his hand to rub his tired eyes. The hand then proceeded to run through his messy hair. He looked juvenile doing such an action.

"You look tired," Ginny said before she could stop herself.

"Yes, well, trying to remember the details of memories from my lessons with Dumbledore is quite hard."

"Anything I can do?"

"Remember for me?" Harry joked.

The two went on to talk about Hogwarts and the new professors. She talked about how everyone hated Lupin and Dumbledore. She went on about her classes and her thoughts about R.A.B. A half hour later, the two said their goodbyes. Ginny felt slightly disappointed on not talking to Harry longer, but there were things that needed to be done. When those things were done, Harry and Ginny would have their whole lives to be together.

The Gryffindor treaded back down the tunnel to the grounds of Hogwarts. She attended her afternoon classes with Ian asking her where she went during Herbology. It wasn't that she didn't trust her friend, but he wouldn't understand. He didn't understand how she felt and what she was going through. It was better not to worry him.

After dinner had ended, Ginny thought it would be nice if she made a visit to Lupin to keep him company. Harry did say he took Sirius's death really hard in his last letter. Ginny walked towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts room and knocked on the door. Lupin's soft voice called her in.

Lupin sat at his desk looking extremely beaten. Huge bags resided under his amber eyes. His face and body seemed thinner than usual. The man seemed weak as the quill in his hand shook involuntarily. His sandy hair was littered in more gray than it had before. Ginny hadn't seen him in a week, but didn't think he would look this horrible.

"Hey, Professor Lupin," Ginny greeted cheerfully as she strolled up to sit across from him.

"Hello, Ginny," Lupin welcomed weakly, "I never did get to thank you for all you have done for me so far this year."

"I haven't done anything."

"Yes, yes, you have," Lupin declared as he gave Ginny his full attention. "Everyone was petrified of me when I came, and now slowly the students are starting to warm up to me because of your - let us call it - threats to hex them with a very powerful Bat-Bogey hex."

"Hey, it worked!" Ginny laughed.

"I thank you for that."

"You're just sick, Professor. It's just a disease that you acquired."

Lupin let out a laugh as a smile appeared on his face. His eyes sparkled as though he remembered something enchanting. He didn't look old and drawn at that moment; he looked young and filled with life. His eyes shined fondly at Ginny

"Lily - Harry's mother - called it an illness much like you just did," Lupin explained. "Last Christmas, Harry called it my problem - which was what James Potter used to call it. You two remind me so much of them."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes, it's a very good thing," Lupin replied. "I have watched you. You have the same sarcastic mouth Lily had as a teenager."

"Professor Slughorn said that she was very cheeky."

"Oh, yes, that she was," Lupin smiled warmly. "She was especially cheeky whenever she talked to Sirius or James. She used to hate James with a fiery passion. She once told him she wished that his toenails would grow inward and rip his feet apart."

"Ouch," Ginny announced as she scrunched up her face, "that would be painful!"

"She often wished pain and suffering onto James."

"Why in all that is holy would they get married if they hated each other?"

"Oh, James never hated Lily," Lupin replied gravely. "His infatuation with her is what made Lily hate him so much. She thought he was arrogant and a show off - but Lily never realized she was like that as well. She was a hypocrite in a sense. She loved attention, craved it actually. I think that is why Lily and Sirius got along so well. Sirius liked to be the center of attention at school because he lacked it at home. Lily loved to be the center of attention all the time - both at home and at school, and so the two often competed for it. They got a lot of it too."

"Is that why Lily's sister hated her? Because she got all the attention?"

"Most likely. Lily always said Petunia was jealous of her."

"They sound like really fun people," Ginny commented, "at least Lily does."

"She was," Lupin frowned. "I miss her a lot."

The room grew silent. Lupin got that look on his face as he reminisced. Ginny let him do so. He had been through so much in his life. Ginny wondered what it would be like if the Potters had never died. Maybe Sirius would still be alive, and Lupin wouldn't be so depressed. Harry would be overjoyed and probably utterly sarcastic.

"You're not alone," Ginny voiced.

"What?" Lupin asked as he looked up at the redhead.

"You're not alone," she repeated, "Tonks loves you. Hermione thinks you're brilliant. Ron was in love with your class. Harry likes you. I like you. Just because Sirius, James, and Lily are dead doesn't mean that you have no one."

"Sometimes people forgot those whom they have because of those they lost."

"No offense, but that's stupid," Ginny exclaimed. "I mean, if you live in the past you're not going to get anywhere in life. You need to realize what you have and live with it, because those who have died wouldn't want you wallowing in self-pity."

"You are right, but people forget that. I forget it... especially when people just keep dying."

"Did someone die?" Ginny asked softly.

"Yes," Lupin whispered throatily as though he were trying to stop himself from crying.

"Who?"

"Tonks -"

Ginny closed her eyes as tears stung her eyes. No, please, not Tonks, Ginny thought furiously. It couldn't be. She couldn't be dead. No, she had just gotten together with Lupin. They loved each other. She needed to be all right for him. Just like Harry needed to be all right for her.

"Tonks was pregnant with our child," Lupin continued with his head bowed.

Ginny's mind went numb. With her brown eyes shimmering with tears, she watched Lupin. His frail shoulders were shaking. The Gryffindor knew her professor was crying, but she didn't know how to comfort him.

"Tonks lost the child because of me," Lupin choked on the words, "because of what I am."

"Is Tonks okay?" questioned Ginny.

"She - she's devastated."

Ginny reached out and grasped Lupin's hand in hers. The werewolf looked up at the teenage with tears cascading down his face. Neither knew how long they stayed like that. Ginny's small gesture had helped the professor immensely - even though she didn't know it. Before long, they had both calmed down and fell asleep across from each other in uncomfortable chairs - their hands still intertwined for reassurance that everything would turn out to be okay one day.

The morning's first rays crept into the Defense office and hit Ginny square in the face. Her head lifted and sharp pains radiated through her neck and upper back. She blinked several times and saw Professor Lupin sleeping across from her. Ginny withdrew her hand from her professor's. She stood up and attempted to crack her back to release some of the pain she felt. Lupin stirred with a groan. His head lifted and his eyes caught sight of Ginny. He shot her an apologetic smile.

"I should go get ready for class," Ginny announced. "I have you today, so I except you to get your things ready and be in class."

"Okay."

"I'll see you then, Professor."

"Ginny?" Lupin called out for her when Ginny turned to walk out the door.

"Yes?"

"Thank-you for uh... making me feel better."

"Anytime, Professor Lupin," Ginny replied automatically.

"You know, when we are not in class, feel free to call me Remus."

Ginny looked at him oddly for a few seconds before she smiled widely and told him she would. She walked out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and made her way to Gryffindor Tower to get ready for her classes. Little did she know, she left Remus Lupin feeling happier than he had been since Sirius's death. Both of them knew that they would become great friends, for they both knew the pains of war and losing loved ones.