Awakening the Power Within

***Chapter 5 ****
The Grinning Gargoyle

Ginny was sitting on a balcony looking out at the dark mountain side. A peacock was sitting on one side of her and a red suitcase was sitting on the other. She was feeding the peacock some wild berries; it was gently pecking them out of her hand. The peacock spoke to her with Harry's voice, "What's in the suitcase

She reached for the suitcase, and as she did, a bee landed on her thigh and stung her. She laid the suitcase in her lap and opened it up. Inside were two beans, one pink and one blue, a pair of orange rimmed eyeglasses, and a cup of tea. As Ginny looked these things over in her suitcase, the peacock said to her in Harry's voice again, "I am going to race up the side of the mountain. I will be back at dawn."

He jumped off the balcony and raced up the mountain. As Ginny waits for the peacock to return she picked up the pink and blue beans, she ate them and drank her tea. As the sun started to come over the top of the mountain, she picked up the eyeglasses and put them on to see the peacock racing back to the balcony with a snake ahead of him.

"Ginny...Ginny, wake up! We are going to be late," said Hermione, her head poking through the fireplace in Ginny's room.

"Late for what?" she asked yawning.

"We are supposed to be at Madame Veil's for our final fitting at ten o'clock this morning," she said hastily, "It's nine o'clock now. Oh, and wear something nice. I will meet you there," she finished, and was gone in a flare of the flames.

Ginny got out of bed and went to her closet. As she looked at all her clothes hanging there, a knock came on the door. "Come in," she continued looking at her clothes as Mrs. Weasley opened the door and walked in with Dobby.

"Good morning dear, sleep well?" Mrs. Weasley said.

"Yeah. Mum- we are going shopping for wedding stuff today then all of us are going out to dinner later. Hermione wants me to dress up a little, I have no idea what I want to wear," she exhaled loudly, plopping down on her bed.

"Well Dobby doesn't know much about clothing matters, but he would think Miss Ginny Weasley would be very pretty in anything," he said bowing his head to her.

"Why, thank you Dobby," she smiled at him.

"Dobby has something special for Miss."

"What is it Dobby?"

"It is a necklace. You wear it wherever you go and Dobby will know if you are in trouble or not and he will be able to find you Miss," he said, handing her the necklace.

"This is beautiful Dobby," Ginny said, looking at the necklace closely. It was diamond-encrusted in what looked like platinum flames. She knelt down for Dobby to put it around her neck, "Thank you Dobby."

He bowed to her as he left the room.

Mrs. Weasley was looking through Ginny's closet, "Why don't you wear what Hermione got you last year for your birthday?" she suggested, holding up a black 'A'-line mini-skirt with a little ruffle; at the bottom the fabric was chiffon, Hermione told her. The top was a very light pink that wrapped in the front and tied on the side with long see thru sleeves that flared at the end. She remembered Hermione being so excited about it- Ginny had never worn it.

"Well...it should make Hermione happy," she said to her mother, looking over the outfit carefully.

Mrs. Weasley laid it on the bed and told Ginny she was going out today- she should be back later. "Oh, and Ginny dear, if you decide to stay over at Hermione's, let us know please."

Ginny nodded her head to her mother as she left the room. She got dressed in the outfit lying on her bed. When she looked at her self in the mirror she thought out loud: "No wonder it's called a mini skirt! The top is a little lower cut than I would normally wear too..."

The skirt struck Ginny mid-thigh and the shirt showed the top of her chest. She felt like some of those women she saw in some of Hermione's "Fashion Magazines" as she called them. She definitely wasn't accustomed to wearing this kind of attire; usually she wore older clothes because she worked with at the Ministry with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She looked at herself again, and then she touched the wand to her face and her make-up appeared. Ginny did not wear that much make-up, but today she wore a little more than she normally would. Then, she tapped her wand to her hair; it did a little dance before it settled in a half up half down style. Then she thought "Well since I am going for a whole new Ginny today..." she tapped it again and her long red hair turned into shorter red hair with a messy look. It reminded her of Tonks or a fairy, only a normal color. She had never had hair shorter than her shoulders but she could change it when the day was over. She sat down on the bed and put her knee length boots on that Hermione convinced Ron to buy to go with the outfit. Standing to look at her self one last time in the mirror she said, "Ginny Weasley; today is the first day of the rest of your life, make it count!"

She stuck her collapsible wand in the top part of her boot (they were special made for collapsible wands with a snug pocket on the inside and) grabbed her small purse to "match the out fit" and disapperated off to Madame Veil's.

Hermione was standing on the pedestal in front of the mirror, looking at herself. She kept checking her Muggle watch for the time. The wedding bells chimed as someone opened the door to the shop. Hermione turned around to see who it was.

"Oh, Hermione you look so beautiful," Ginny said with tears in her eyes, "Ron will probably faint."

"Ginny?" she looked at her with her mouth gaping.

"Well you said to wear something nice. So...I wore what you got me for my last birthday, seeing as I have never had a reason to wear it," Ginny said jokingly.

"Wow. I would have never recognized you. You look so...so great!" her eyes were still wide, trying to get over the shock of Ginny's new look. "So...um...you need to try on your dress too."

"Okay," grabbing her dress Ginny walked into the dressing room and changed.

Madame Veil gave her wand one last flick, and said, "Okay dear, that will do it. You may come pick it up Friday."

They got dressed and walked out into Diagon Alley. They went to all sorts of shops that afternoon. They finished up at the Florina Floribunda's Flower Shop*, then went to Olwick's Owl Post* to mail off the invitations to the wedding a week before Christmas. Their day was filled with shopping for the wedding- Ginny was getting hungry.

When they finished they headed toward the Grinning Gargoyle; it was a new pub with a live band or singer and dancing on Saturday nights. They were silent for a bit when Ginny said, "Hermione...if you had something to tell Ron that would affect his whole future in a way he was not expecting, would you tell him?"

"Yes, I think honesty in a relationship of any kind is really the best policy," she said as they kept walking. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering," she said, looking away from Hermione. Ginny knew any further conversation would make her think something was up. But she felt she should talk to Harry first.

They were at the Grinning Gargoyle, they could hear the music from outside, although Ginny heard it two blocks before. It was really a pub for younger witches and wizards, but there were a few older people there who liked to keep up with what the youth were doing.

Ginny could hear the live band performing in the background (it was the famous witch singer Haron Senoj,) over the rumble of talking .The pub smelled of whiskey and smoke. Ginny could smell every type of tobacco being smoked. They could see everybody had arrived except them.

"I'll be there in a moment," Ginny said as she stepped in the direction of the restroom.

Hermione made her way through the crowd to the back. She could hear bellowing laughter from one of the twins. "Hello everybody it is so great to see all of you!" Hermione said setting her bags down beside her. "Luna I haven't seen you in ages, how are you?"

"Fine...still looking for strange and exotic creatures you know," she said with her dreamy voice.

"Well Hermione, how was shopping?" Ron asked her as he pulled her seat out for her.

"Oh utterly exhausting," Hermione said giving Ron a quick kiss. "Did you make it to Madame Malkin's?" she asked blinking her eyes at Ron.

"Oh, yeah; we did that hours ago. Been poking around the Quidditch shop most of the day," he answered with a huge smile on his face.

"Hermione; where's Ginny, I thought you said she was coming?" Fred said to her taking a drink of his beer and lighting up a smoke.

"Oh she's here, she went to the restroom," she answered Fred with a large smile on her face.

Turning to Ron, Hermione said in a low voice so only he could hear her, "She is wearing the outfit we bought for her birthday last year."

"Really? GOOD! I paid enough for those boots," Ron said as he took a drink.

"So Harry...how have you been I haven't seen you in a while either?" Hermione asked him.

"Well," he started to answer her but his attention was drawn to the woman walking up behind George.

"Hi guys! How is everybody? For heavens sake Fred put that thing out," Ginny said as she took the cigarette from Fred's mouth, squashing it in the ash tray.

They all looked to see who was speaking.

"You tell him Ginny!" said Julia, Fred's wife. She was a very pretty woman with very blonde hair and brown eyes that looked like chocolate drops. He met her in his joke shop in Hogsmeade; she was a year or two younger than Ginny. She had a wonderful sense of humor; of course she would have to- to put up with Fred.

"Bloody hell! Ginny?" Ron shrieked as he spewed his beer.

"Wow Ginny, you look great!" said Fred standing to give his younger sister a hug. "'Bout time you had a change. I think it suits you."

"Yeah me too," said Seamus; his girlfriend poked him hard in the sides.

"Thanks guys. Ron close your mouth you are going to catch a fly," she smiled at Ron whose mouth had not shut since he spoke.

She walked to the only empty seat at the table which was between Harry and Neville.

Harry got up and pulled Ginny's chair out. As she sat down, he gave her a kiss on the cheek whispering in her ear, "I like it too."

Harry looked at her as she smiled at him. Something was different about her, other than the obvious. He had never seen her so vibrant.

"Dean what have you been up too?" Ginny asked.

"Well I've been in Spain doing this and that for the Department of Magical Games and Sports. That's where I met Rozalyn," he said gesturing to the lady next to him. She had very dark hair and eyes; she was very quiet when compared to Dean.

The conversations between the friends went on while they ate. They all laughed and talked about what they had been doing. Seamus had been in New Zealand where he met his girlfriend Naomi; she was an Aborigine- they were a group of people who also had there own magic. Neville was teaching at Hogwarts; he had taken Professor Sprout's job in Herbology when she retired. George was married to Claire, Julia's twin sister; they were expecting their first baby in the spring. Harry had just finished with Auror training- he was now a certified Auror. Hermione and Ron were about to get married. Ron was working in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes and Hermione was at St. Mungo's working in every Department they had, because she was so smart.

"Isn't that Malfoy?" Ron said in a low voice as the others continued to talk.

Ginny, Harry and Hermione turned to see a young, long blonde-haired man walking across the room. He seemed to sense them staring at them as he turned slightly to look at them over his shoulder. Making quick eye contact with them, he said nothing and continued on about his business.

"Haven't seen him in a long time," Ginny said as she continued to watch him walk in the opposite direction.

"No one sees him much," said Ron, furrowing his brow shaking his head, "Keeps to himself for the most part,"

Fred stood up and said to his wife, "Would you like to dance my dear?" They walked out to the dance floor.

Harry followed suit, "Ginny, may I have the honor?"

Ginny took his hand and walked to the floor. She could smell sage and pine on him, but she kept getting faint whiffs of sandalwood and cedar. Ginny thought "Wow I wish my sense of smell would calm down a bit." They began to dance to the song the band was playing "What am I to you?"

(Back at the table)

"Hermione, did you do that to Ginny?" Ron asked, looking at her very intently.

"I most certainly did not. She arrived at Madam Veil's like that. I think she looks good," she frowned at him.

"Yeah and so does every other guy in here," he said with a slight pitch to his voice as he stared in Malfoy's direction.

"If you are referring to Malfoy, I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Not that it would be any of your business," she said raising her eyebrows. "I think he is trying to figure out who she is anyway."

He looked at Hermione with a definite sulk on his face.

"Oh give it up Ron. Ginny doesn't have to ask her brothers for permission to look good," Claire chimed in. "It certainly looked like Harry noticed too!" she said teasing Ron.

Ron took in a deep breath, as if to say "I am not going to win this one."

"Hermione, would you care to dance?" Ron stood and bowed to her.

They joined the others on the dance floor. By that time, the band was playing another song ("What Did you Say?").

Harry and Ginny did not even notice that they had danced through several songs before the band changed. She inadvertently watched Malfoy while she and Harry danced and talked.

"I guess we should join the others," Ginny said as she watched Draco leave the bar.

"If we must," Harry said, looking Ginny in the eyes.

She lowered her head and smiled. She really did not want Harry to look in her thoughts right now. He was very skilled in Legilimency; she really did not think he would without her permission, but just in case. They walked back over to the table and sat down. Ginny could tell that the evening was winding down for everyone. They all started to leave at intervals until it was just Harry, Ron, Hermione and herself left.

"What time is it?" Ron asked Hermione

"I think it's about eleven thirty."

"Do you guys want to come to my place for a while?" asked Harry.

"Yeah, we haven't done that in a while," Ron said, looking at Hermione as if to say "Do you want to go?"

"Sure, it will be fun," Hermione said looking at Ginny. Ginny had a far away look on her face.

"Oh, okay. I will need to borrow Hedwig to send Mum and Dob...Dad a note," Ginny answered as she shook her head slightly, bringing herself back to their conversation.

With that, the four paid their tab and left the pub; heading for Grimmauld Place.