Some Days I Wish I Were in Slytherin

Chapter 3: Into the Fire

Ron was looking at Ginny as if she had grown a second head. He narrowed his eyes and started over. "Now look, Ginny, be reasonable. Why on Earth would you want to go away with Snape of all people? I can't believe you. I thought you had more sense."

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes. "Honestly Ron, it's not like I'm going to shag him or anything."

"GINNY!" said Mrs. Weasley, as Ron's tea cup crashed into its saucer.

"Sorry Mum," said Ginny, throwing her mom an apologetic grin and gesturing towards her brother, who had turned a shade between purple and green and was having great difficulty swallowing the biscuit he had just put in his mouth. "But Ron's being a complete prat. There's nothing wrong with me going on this trip. I'm going to learn loads, and it will be a wonderful experience. I can't believe I'm going to China."

Ginny smiled with enthusiasm at them both, but inside she was a little less certain. She wasn't sure exactly where she'd be going for her training, but she had a hard time believing that Snape would be taking her all the way to China. It was a good cover though, and clever of him to have thought of it. Wherever she was really going, she hoped there would be other people there, because no matter what she'd just told Ron, she certainly didn't want to be spending six whole weeks alone with Professor Snape.

"Hello Weasleys," Mr. Weasley said as he Apparated into the kitchen with a crack. "Hello Ginger," he said, kissing Ginny on the cheek and giving her a one armed squeeze. He ruffled Ron's hair, kissed his wife, and sat down to the cup of tea she had just poured for him.

"Hey Dad," said Ron, having finally managed to swallow his biscuit. "We were just talking about Ginny's ... rendezvous with Professor Snape."

"Ahh, yes. Are you all packed dear?" Mr. Weasley asked Ginny. "The train leaves early tomorrow morning."

"I'm all set Dad. I just have to pack a few more things."

"Well your mother and I have one more thing for you to pack," he said. He grinned and held out a long, thin package wrapped in silver paper. He and his wife looked at each other and then at Ginny fondly.

Ginny slowly opened the package. She hardly ever got new things. Money was still tight in the Burrow. Most of her clothes were old ones of her mother's that had been washed in a diminishing solution, and all of her school supplies were hand me downs from her brothers or second hand. She slowly unfurled the sparkling ribbon around her fingers and smoothed the paper neatly before taking the cover off the box. She looked down at the box's contents and then up at her parents, her mouth open in amazement. Inside was a brand new sleekly polished wand.

"Ash, with a unicorn hair, 8 inches long; Ollivander said it was just the right one for you. Good for Charm work." Her dad beamed at her, and she thought for sure her mother had tears in her eyes.

"We're so proud of you dear," said her mother.

"Thank you." Ginny got up and hugged them both. "This is ... Thank you. I promise I'll make you even more proud of me," she said, ignoring the small twinge inside that reminded her she was lying to them. She smiled and banished the thought from her mind.

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Ginny ran through the station, towing her trunk after her. She couldn't use Magic to float it; her special dispensation didn't start until tomorrow. Her parents were puffing along behind her. They ran through the barrier and then slowed down when they saw the clock still showed ten minutes to the hour. Ginny looked around inquisitively as they walked through the excited crowd heading towards the conference. Indian magi, African warlocks, wizards, and witches like her were all carrying baggage, hugging relatives, and trying to talk above the racket. She even thought she saw a few hags in the mix.

"There's Severus," said her father, pointing ahead and to the left of the placard which read Orient Express.

Ginny looked up and then around. "Where?"

"Here," said her father with an amused expression. He pulled her to a stop near a tall man standing by a large purple satchel and black trunk, and her eyes widened. She would hardly have recognized him, his clothes were actually well ... clean, and he looked as if he had gotten some sun.

The illusion was shattered however as soon as he opened his mouth. "Ah, Miss Weasley, such a pleasure you could accompany me. I see you're already dressed to get to work." His eyes looked down at her plain robes and then over at her parents. "As delightful as it is that your family came to see us off, we really must be getting on the train. Molly, Arthur." He gave a curt nod, levitated his bags, and followed them up the steps, leaving her standing with her parents on the platform.

"Well, good luck darling, be sure to owl us, but make sure you use the instantaneous owl service, regular post couldn't make the long journey," her mother said, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Her father hugged her tight and slipped a few galleons in her pocket. "Here's something extra from Fred and George," he whispered to her. "Love you honey. Take care and don't let Professor Snape give you any problems."

She waved until her parents had disappeared from sight through the barrier and then picked up her trunk to haul it up the steps. Don't worry, she thought, I won't.

Professor Snape was waiting in a private car, his bags already stowed overhead. He looked up from his book as she entered and smiled a condescending smile. "Miss Weasley, so pleased you could tear yourself away from your parents to join me. You have a private sleeping compartment there," he said, gesturing towards the adjacent door, "and I will sleep in here."

"Sleep?" Ginny asked.

"While you are most welcome to stay awake all the way to Beijing," he said, "I am certainly not going to spend three sleepless nights, despite the unquestionable charms your company may offer." He sneered a little and headed for the door of the compartment. "I'm going for tea in the dining car. I have some books here for you to study, and here is your schedule for the conference." He handed her a huge pile of books and an envelope then swept out, closing the door behind him.

Ginny stared after him, speechless, and then opened the door to her compartment. It contained a small bed, toilet, sink, and closet, and was barely big enough to turn around in. She shoved her trunk under the bed and sank down onto the thin mattress as the train whistle blew and the engine began to pull out of the station. She was barely aware of London receding quickly from view through the small window as she opened the envelope. The top page was a welcome letter to the conference, and the next few pages were detailed schedules of courses, lectures, and laboratories she would be attending. Topics ranged from New Developments in Memory Charms and Heal Your Own Injuries to Facing the Dark Arts and Transfiguring Yourself: How you can change yourself to reveal a new you. The final page was a letter written in Professor Snape's own hand.

Miss Weasley,

Enclosed please find the schedule of lectures and events I have registered you for during the conference. Attendance in these will be mandatory, and I have selected the seminars I think will best add to your education. In addition I will be providing you with evening tutorials in the subjects we previously discussed. Make no mention of this to anyone at the conference and, most importantly, do not discuss this on the train, even with me. We are not safe here. I will tell you more when we arrive in Beijing and can be sure of a secure location. Keep your conversations with me strictly to potions or other non sensitive subjects. Until then, please study these books, I have bewitched them to look like Advanced Placement Potions and Charms texts to anyone but the two of us. I expect you to have finished them by the time we reach the conference so we can begin your lessons. Lesson Number 1: Always keep your lies as close to the truth as possible.

S. S.

Ginny looked up from the letter, and it immediately turned to ashes in her hands. They were going to Beijing after all; she'd expected them to get off the train at the next stop. The schedule looked daunting, eight hours of classes a day, plus extra lessons with Snape. It would be a lot of work, but it would be worth it. She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes, somehow she knew she was doing the right thing, somehow she would make a difference. A small smile crossed her lips. From the Burrow to Beijing eh? Well they both started with B; at least they had that in common.

The sharp corner of one of the books was poking her in the side. Palming it, she held it up in front of her face, and the words changed from Advanced Level Antidotes to Basics of Occulumency and Thought: Understanding the Inner Mind. Ginny smiled and started to read.

A few hours later she set down the book; the words were starting to blur in front of her. She had heard Snape come back into the main compartment and then leave again several times, but he hadn't bothered her. She looked out the window and was surprised to see that dusk was starting to fall in whatever part of the world they were in, along with vast sheets of rain. She was aware that the Orient Express hopped and skipped over large parts of the world on its way from London to Beijing, rather like the Knight bus. She assumed it would continue to fill up as they approached their destination. Her grumbling stomach reminded her that whatever time it was locally, it was her lunchtime, and she hadn't eaten anything since hurried toast back in the kitchen at home; this might be a good time to explore the train and find something to eat.

After brushing her hair and changing into a heavier robe, she made her way out into the swinging hallway of the train. She made her way up several cars and finally found one that was furnished with comfortable armchairs and tables. She curled up in an armchair with a view of the rushing scenery, and a manically cheerful house elf poured her some tea and brought her a plate of sandwiches. She was dreamily munching on a cream cheese and marmalade sandwich with her feet tucked under her, enjoying the shifting scenes outside (quaint villages, old churches, wooded glens and vast meadows) when a familiar unpleasant voice interrupted her.

"I didn't think I'd find you here. Your parents finally sell you to a passing tinker for grocery money, Weasley?"

Ginny turned and met his stare with one of her own. "No Malfoy," she said, arching an eyebrow as she gave him a cool smile. "Snape just didn't want an empty bed. Care for a sandwich?" She gestured to the chair across from her, laughing inside as he sank into the cushions, an appalled expression on his face.