Backfire

CHAPTER 11

Boys and Secrets

Ginny had stopped dead at the sight of the Ramsey twins. Seeing her grin disappear, Theo turned abruptly to find the cause of her sudden gravity. Gretchen was the first to notice them, looking more fragile than Ginny thought possible. Where had her fiery personality gone? The girl in front of them, arm looped delicately but not weakly through her brother's, did not look like the formidable young woman who could shut up Draco Malfoy and impress her progressive attitudes upon the whole of Slytherin House. This girl looked broken.

But upon noticing Ginny and Theo across the way, her countenance brightened slightly. After watching them for a moment, she tugged lightly on her brother's arm. Both Baron and Dumbledore turned to find Ginny and Theo standing self-consciously near the entrance to the Great Hall. The three of them walked over. As they did, something strange passed over Baron's face, piquing Ginny's curiosity since Baron rarely showed emotions or reactions outwardly.

Ginny turned slightly to glance down the corridor from which she and Theo had just come. Sure enough, most students were still in the middle of class. And Harry was in Charms. Harry. She had just begun to smile at the thought of him when Gretchen Ramsey's excellent laugh broke out in front of her. Ginny turned back quickly to see what the cause had been.

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling and Baron seemed on the verge of smiling, but Gretchen was the only one laughing. It took Ginny a moment to remember that she had a tail.

"Oh, yes, that," Ginny admitted, rolling her eyes. "Please, enjoy yourselves. Only, make sure you find Harry and have a good laugh at him, too."

"Harry?" Dumbledore inquired pleasantly.

"Yes," Ginny replied. She had to watch what she said to keep from incriminating herself. Using magic in the corridors was against the rules, after all, and she was standing in a conference with the Headmaster and the Head Boy. "He has one, too. Had his first, in fact." The others seemed to grasp her meaning.

"And you haven't gone to see Madam Pomfrey for a spell reversal?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not yet," she answered. "Harry had to get to Charms and I got distracted," she explained, glancing at Theo.

"Well, just a moment, then," Dumbledore replied. He reached around her and flicked his wand, mumbling something that Ginny couldn't hear. Slowly, she could feel her tail begin to retract and absorb back into her tailbone. She looked back up at the headmaster.

"Thank you!"

"It is quite all right," he replied kindly. He looked as if he was preparing to take his leave. "Mr. Ramsey, Miss Ramsey, if you do not require my assistance any more today, I shall return to my office." Both of the twins nodded and thanked him. "Have a good day, Miss Weasley. Mr. Nott." Ginny and Theo returned his wishes and Dumbledore strode away. The four teenagers watched him until he turned a corner and walked out of sight.

"I'm very glad to see you," Ginny offered, walking forward to give Gretchen a hug. She could hear Theo and Baron greeting each other and shaking hands next to them. "Are you back for good, then?" she asked, once she had pulled away, a hopeful look on her face. Gretchen smiled grimly.

"Yes, but only because it's our seventh year. As soon as school is out, I'll be assuming my mother's place on the Board of Governors for Hogwarts, and my father's place in the Ministry." Ginny's eyes widened. She was quite impressed. But also completely confident that Gretchen Ramsey would have no trouble taking over her parents' roles in elite society. She smiled proudly.

"You will do them credit, I'm sure," she replied. Theo nodded in agreement.

"You will make them very proud, Gretchen," he added, looking the girl straight in the eye. Ginny was rather shocked at his kind words. Then again, Ginny had never been with Theo in the presence of people he didn't dislike. Maybe he was a respectful enough bloke with people he admired.

"And Baron?" Ginny asked, turning to Gretchen's twin brother. "What new responsibilities will the Head Boy be taking on?"

"I will be entering Auror training when I have completed my seventh year," he replied, not taking his eyes from Ginny's. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. Not what she had been expecting.

"Wow!" she answered, and calmed her tone down. "Very impressive. Was that your intention all along, or is your career choice a . . . recent development?" Baron nodded in recognition of what she was aiming at. He instinctively wrapped an arm around his sister's waist. Ginny ground her teeth to keep from crying at the sight.

"I applied last fall," he began, with a glance at his sister. "But I will not pretend that recent events have not, shall we say, enhanced the appeal of becoming an Auror." Ginny nodded knowingly. She wondered if Dumbledore would invite them into the Order. Perhaps he already had.

"I'm sure you will be a brilliant Auror," she said, holding his gaze steady. He was as handsome as ever, and just as regal, but she could see the contained anguish that showed more openly on his sister's face. Theo moved to shake Baron's hand again.

"Undoubtedly," Theo added. "Congratulations on being accepted. They require the highest qualifications and you will only be an asset to their endeavor."

"Thank you both," Baron replied. If he and Theo weren't friends, it was at least clear to Ginny that they held each other in high regard.

"Oh, Theo," Gretchen inserted almost cheerfully, as if remembering something. "I saw your grandmother at the Ministry last week." Theo's uncharacteristically grave expression was replaced with an equally unusual look of soft affection. This was turning into one of the strangest conversations Ginny had ever had at Hogwarts.

"Oh, did you?" he asked with interest. "Was it a Monday? She always goes down there on Mondays for lunch with my grandfather." Gretchen nodded and smiled.

"She was lovely. I was feeling particularly horrible that day, and some of the Ministry administrators were incompetent and the details of the estate were frustrating, and I was nearly losing my grip. She was so nice, and intervened, and helped me with the arrangements for the rest of the afternoon. And she took me out to lunch with your grandfather. She was so wonderful, and it really helped me get through the rest of that mess without losing my mind."

"She is a rather nice lady," Theo admitted, with the same sweet smile he had worn at the first mention of his grandmother. Who knew the snarkiest, most sarcastic boy in the school had a soft spot for his elderly relative?

"Your grandparents are two of the finest witches and wizards in Britain," Baron added. "We cannot thank them enough for all the kindness they have shown us over the past few weeks," he finished sincerely. Theo nodded.

"I'm sure they would say there is no need to thank them. Your family has always shared their ideals and their notions of civility. I know they had a high respect for your parents, just as I have great respect for you. Never doubt that. My mother and father aside"--and at the mention of his parents Theo's face briefly grew uncharacteristically dark--"you will always be able to count on the Caldwells as your allies."

Theo had practically transformed before her very eyes. Gone was the cynic, the sarcasm, the mocking tone, the sly smile. It was almost as if he had flipped a switch shifting him into Proper-Slytherin-Mode. As he now stood, spoke, and carried himself, he would not be out of place with Gertrude Wrightman and the Head Boy in a grand sitting room of a great estate. Ginny had rarely felt more out of her element.

"And the Weasleys," she added, drawing odd looks from her companions. Ginny cringed. Why had she said that? They were all from rich and powerful families with the best blood pedigree. Well, at least there Ginny didn't have to feel self-conscious. She knew that her own bloodline was probably more formidable than any of theirs, heirs or not. But that didn't stop her from still being embarrassed at her family's poverty. "Well, I know my brother Ron generally doesn't like Slytherins, but he's a git, so it doesn't matter. I am your ally, at any rate. And I reckon Harry is, too. And my family would be if they knew you."

Her rambling was punctuated by an unbearable silence, where Ginny wondered if she'd ever embarrassed herself more. Then Baron let out a small smile.

"We appreciate that," he began, and Ginny was relieved to see his eyes conveying the earnestness of his expression. He wasn't patronizing her, and Ginny let out the breath she had been holding. "Your father's great value to the Ministry is sorely unappreciated." And at this, Ginny couldn't help but look gob-smacked. Her father? The nutty Muggle-lover?

"He sees progress and opportunity that has only been squandered and abused by the Ministry. If they had followed his recommendations over the years, it would have been much more difficult for the Death Eaters to regain such a confident place in Britain." Ginny couldn't speak, she was so taken aback.

"And your brothers are all highly respected," Baron continued. "Two Head Boys, a Quidditch Captain, and two of the most successful self-made businessmen in the country. And closest friend to the Boy-Who-Lived. We could not ask for more valuable allies. Thank you."

"Let's not forget that Ginny is the most valuable one of all," Gretchen inserted, smiling. "On one side, a Prewett, and on the other, the seventh child and only girl for seven generations." Ginny's eyes sprang open with shock that Gretchen had taken notice of this little-known detail.

Had Professor Wrightman told her? With as private a person as her teacher was, it was unlikely. Perhaps these were things that heirs of great families were required to know. Theo's eyes had taken a surprised look at first, followed by a nearly triumphant one. Baron smiled again. Ginny didn't know whether to feel uncomfortable or pleased with the attention.

"Most powerful witch in the school, talented flier, remarkable bravery, and the undaunted devotion of numerous classmates," Gretchen began.

"Not too shabby, for a Gryffindor," Theo added. They laughed, and Ginny shot him a grateful look for interrupting. She wasn't at all comfortable with where the conversation had been going. It was like the boys' list all over again.

"Well, thank you for saying such kind things about my family," Ginny said earnestly, but then she turned quite serious. "But please,"--and here she took turns looking each of the Ramsey twins in the eye, dwelling on Baron's--"If you ever need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask." The expressions of the other three became more serious at her tone. She turned slightly toward the boy next to her. "And that goes for you, too, you snarky Slytherin git." Theo smiled.

"We will," Gretchen confirmed. "But for now, I'm starving." She stole a glance at her brother before turning her attention to Theo. "Would you be a gentleman and escort me to the Kitchens?" she asked him. Theo smiled and nodded.

"Of course, I will," he replied, extending his arm for her to take. Ginny thought it seemed like this was part of a game for them. Not unlike the little game she played with Baron with the bowing and the curtsey-ing and the proper names. "Until next time, Miss Weasley," Theo offered, smirking and playing up the proper demeanor that Ginny found so strange on him.

"See you, Theo. Later, Gretchen," she returned with a smile. The four finished exchanging salutations, and Ginny found herself alone in the front entrance of the school with the Head Boy. One look in his anguished eyes and she felt compelled to slowly wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry about your parents," she said, with tears in her eyes and her face in his chest. He squeezed her back much more forcefully than she had expected he would.

"Thank you," he returned, with a hint of emotion in his voice. Ginny shut her eyes tightly at the awareness that it took something soul-shaking to make such a reserved and private guy show even that much. Ginny tried not to dwell on the fact that he smelled really good. And he had said all those wonderful things about her family . . .

As they broke apart, Ginny wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and watched the boy--or was he a man, now?--in front of her and wondered. Wondered what would happen if she could forsake Harry completely; if she could just get over him.

"I mean it, anything that you and Gretchen need, I'm your girl," she offered. Baron smiled. Not the brilliant one she'd gotten after the first Quidditch match, but a soft, sweet one.

"We appreciate it, I promise you," Baron assured her. "Gretchen has always liked that you're your own person." Not first year, I wasn't. Where had that dark thought come from? Ginny banished it from her mind, but it left an unsettling mark in the back of her mind. "I think she feels safe leaving Hogwarts in your capable hands once she's gone." Ginny smiled. She liked Gretchen, and would be sorry to attend Hogwarts without her next year. Without either of them.

"Thanks," she replied. "I hope I live up to her expectations."

"I have no doubt that you will," he said. There was a pause, and then Baron went to speak again. Ginny was glad, because she didn't know how to continue the conversation. Of course, if she'd known the consequences of his next words, she might have been more motivated to blurt something out.

"Ginevra," he began, and she smirked at his use of her full name. It amused her, even though he'd done it a million times before. "You must know, from your brothers' experiences, that there is a ball held every year following matriculation from Hogwarts." Ginny set her mind on not displaying surprise or emotion; the most she allowed herself was a look of curiosity. "It is held every year as a celebration for the seventh years and their guests."

"Yes, I remember when Bill, Charlie, and Percy all went," she replied. Fred and George obviously hadn't attended, opting instead for a legendary departure out from under the reign of Umbridge.

"Would you accompany me to the Seventh Year Ball?" he asked, as grandly and graciously as she would have imagined it. She couldn't speak for a moment, trying to confirm in her mind that he had actually asked her. Then her mouth curved into a small smile.

"I would love to be your date to the Ball," she returned pleasantly. He smiled again, and this time it was that smile from the Quidditch match.

"Excellent. I will keep you abreast of how our plans are proceeding."

"Okay," she said, starting to feel excited about the prospect. "Sounds good."

"Well, my sister will be waiting to hear your answer, and I suppose Mr. Nott will eventually have to attend class sometime today, so I must take my leave."

"Of course. Tell Gretchen that I can't wait to see what she plans to wear."

"I am positive she will be just as excited to tell you," he said kindly. There was no doubt that this young man held his sister on a pedestal. It was comforting to Ginny to know that Gretchen deserved it. "We will speak again soon, I'm sure."

"See you later, Baron," Ginny returned. She started walking and then stopped and turned back.

"Baron!" she hollered across the hall, suddenly remembering their rapidly approaching Quidditch match. He turned to face her, looking expectant. "Good luck this weekend," she said sweetly; then she smirked. "You're gonna need it." And then he laughed. He actually laughed. It really was a beautiful sight.

"I would wish you luck in return," he began, "but I don't think you'll need it." Ginny tried very hard to keep herself from blushing. It was a futile effort. They each stood for a moment, enjoying the smiles on each other's faces, before setting off in opposite directions, toward their respective common rooms. Ginny supposed she ought to go to at least one class that day.

* * *

Gertrude Wrightman wasn't someone Ginny had ever expected to see at a Quidditch match, though now that she had seen her in the stands at one, it seemed rather natural. Not that the woman cheered. Oh, no. But she watched, intently interested, wearing a hint of green as she sat beside Professor Snape, who glared at everything and everyone on the field in his usual way. There was almost something comforting about the consistency of their demeanors.

The game itself had been surprisingly uneventful for a Gryffindor-Slytherin match. No one tried to kill Harry; Slytherin's team had been all male and, other than Baron Ramsey and the Skillman brothers, rather nasty. But Gryffindor had prevailed in the end, and Harry had once again sent Draco Malfoy plummeting into the ground without the Snitch.

In fact, the Snitch had been the only significant character in the entire outing. If Ginny thought it took forever in showing itself during the match against Ravenclaw, that was nothing compared to this time. The match had lasted for nearly six hours before the little gold ball had deigned to make an appearance. Harry made short work of it, once it did, but in the meantime Chasers and Beaters alike were thoroughly wearing themselves out. Ginny had never been more exhausted from playing Quidditch.

Baron had played a splendid game, and Slytherin had actually been ahead in goals due to Ron losing his head at Malfoy's taunting about two-thirds of the way through. Ginny had been impressed with her brother's growing skill until he had become unhinged at whatever Draco had said to him just past the four-hour mark. After that the Gryffindors had been hard-pressed to quash the scoring tear of the Slytherin Chasers.

Gryffindor actually would have been in the lead if Betsy Moran hadn't missed three penalty shots. The Slytherin Beaters had clearly made a point of shaking up the young third-year Chaser, and the poor girl had been too nervous to out-maneuver Baron's excellent Keeping skills.

Ginny had come out of the match with a broken wrist and a black eye, following a collision with Malfoy at one point during hour three. He had swerved in front of her as she raced to claim a loose Quaffle, forcing her to slam right into him. Being several inches shorter and much lighter than Malfoy, Ginny had come off much worse than the stupid git, but "accidentally" elbowing him in the face as she recovered made her feel somewhat better about things. Her legs were killing her as the broken wrist she sustained had forced her to hold onto her broom and steer with only her legs during the final three hours of the game. Her quadriceps were positively burning.

But they had won, and remained steadily in first place with only the third--and most difficult--match against Hufflepuff ahead of them.

At full strength, Hufflepuff was probably the only team that could challenge Gryffindor for the cup. Their Beaters were so good that they had thwarted the other two Houses' Chasers until it didn't matter who caught the Snitch in the end.

The interesting thing was, that their wins were by such a small margin (seeing as their Seeker was weakest of the four) that if they lost to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw would edge them out by point differential to play against Ginny and her teammates in the final. Gryffindor would have to lose to Hufflepuff by a wide margin and Ravenclaw would have to lose to Slytherin for the Lions to be left out.

Ginny was contemplating all of this as she undid her wrist guards, standing in the middle of the pitch, as students and fans exited after the game. The celebrations had died down and Ginny was examining her injured arm. Picking up her broom and the two wrist guards from the ground, she headed toward the school with thoughts of finding Madam Pomfrey.

She was testing the range of motion in her gimpy limb, when her broom was suddenly jerked out from under her arm. Ginny whirled around to face the culprit, but quickly stopped and rolled her eyes, commencing her stroll back toward the school. Theo fell into step with her.

"That's quite a shiner you've got there, Miss Ginny," he offered, slinging her broom up against his shoulder. She handed him her sweaty wrist guards to hold while she continued to test out her wrist.

"Yes, remind me to thank your terribly clever housemate for such a lovely decoration," she replied sarcastically. Theo smiled.

"I will." She hit him with her good arm.

"So you're going to the Seventh Year Ball with Baron Ramsey," he began without further preface. If Ginny had been drinking something, she would have spit it out. Instead she turned and looked at her friend with surprise and not a little skepticism.

"Yeah, so what if I am?" she asked.

"I'm just saying that's nice." Liar.

"Are you," she deadpanned.

"Sure I am," he continued nonchalantly. If anyone had ever mastered the proud, Slytherin nonchalance, it was Theo Nott. Actually, the almost haughty casualness kind of reminded her of Sirius. Maybe he really had been a Black, despite himself.

"Well, then we've established that I'm going to the ball with the Head Boy, and that it's nice. Wow, Theo, this is the best conversation we've ever had, including that one in class when we had to brew the anti-acne serum and it was so complicated that we only had time to shout ingredients and times at each other for the entire length of double Potions." He chuckled.

"That was a special one, I'll grant you." She glared and hit him again. He smiled.

"Seriously, what's with the awkward mention of my date that's nearly four months away? You want to help me pick out new dress robes? Sorry, pal. I'm using the ones I got for my birthday." Instead of answering her, Theo moved her good hand out of the way, and pointed his wand at the injured one. It startled her because it caused them to stop walking, but even more so because it was the first time he had ever touched her skin.

"This is going to hurt for a second when the bone resets," he warned. She nodded, not even stopping to consider that perhaps she shouldn't be allowing him to try this. He swirled his wand and said the incantation.

"Fuck!" she yelled, cringing as the bone instantly reset itself. Another murmur and flick of his wand washed the pain away. Task accomplished, he began walking again. It took Ginny a moment to realize that she was standing by herself. She jogged to catch up with him.

"Where the hell did you learn how to do that?" she asked, strangely exasperated and not knowing why. She resumed her examination of her wrist, only this time it was in amazement rather than consternation.

"Transfiguration, where do you think?" he replied. Ginny narrowed her eyes.

"Liar. I've caught up to you lot in that class, and I know you haven't learned advanced healing spells yet." Theo shook his head slightly and smiled to himself, as if he was confirming something in his own mind. This made Ginny grumpy, and she stopped walking, barely stifling the urge to stomp her foot. "What?!" Her insistent tone caused him to turn and stop as well. He looked her in the eye and smirked.

"Go to Hogsmeade with me," he said, not taking his eyes from hers, her broom still chucked on his shoulder. Ginny's jaw dropped slightly as she processed the question.

"Like, in a week? On Saturday?" she said, for lack of anything else to say that was at all intelligible. To her credit, however, she wasn't nearly as thrown here as she had been in the corridor when Duncan had asked her.

"In a week, on Saturday," he confirmed calmly, nodding once, and watching her closely. Ginny cocked her head to the side a little as her mind cleared, and she examined his face. Then a small smile crept onto hers.

"All right then," she replied coolly, but the smile grew a little. Satisfaction burned in his eyes. "Show me how Slytherins do Hogsmeade."

"I can't say it's all that different from how Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, or Hufflepuffs do Hogsmeade."

"What, no secret dark magic clubs and ritual sacrifice?" she asked with mock surprise. He smirked. "You mean, you don't sit around a fire and draw the Dark Mark on each other's arms with black markers?" Here his face darkened quite unexpectedly, and it startled her. "Theo," she said apologetically, pulling his arm so he wouldn't walk away from her. "Hey, I'm sorry. You know I don't think your House is like that." Theo stared out at the nearly empty Quidditch pitch for a moment and then looked at her.

"It's not you. I apologize. Don't feel bad," he assured her. At least his face had softened a little. But she knew she had hit a nerve with her joking comments. She recalled the day the Ramseys had returned and she had stood and talked with the three Slytherins in the front hall. Theo had said quite a lot about his family.

"Theo, I know you're not like your father," she tried to reassure him. His jaw hardened at the mention of a parent he obviously had no love for. He let out a hollow laugh.

"But what about my mother? Am I like her?" he asked, sarcastically. Ginny wasn't at all sure whether the questions were rhetorical or if he expected an answer from her.

"I don't know anything about your mother," Ginny admitted. She was again reminded of Sirius. "I do know that a person's parents don't define who they are. A friend of mine that I loved very much taught me that no matter how great or rich or old or pure a person's family is, it doesn't dictate their life unless they want it to." He frowned for a moment and then looked at her thoughtfully.

"Who was this friend?"

"Sirius Black," she replied unblinkingly. His eyebrows raised in surprise. Ginny felt a rush of triumph wash through her. She liked surprising these Slytherins. She didn't want them to think they could ever pin her down in a box with the "typical Gryffindor."

"He made some very difficult choices in his life," Theo said gravely, but with a trace of proud reverence in his voice, as he started up the steps to the huge doors of the school. Ginny followed. "He's probably the only person who hated his parents more than I hate mine."

"Why do you hate your parents?" she asked quietly, unable to imagine hating her own, even with Sirius as a frame of reference.

"My father is a Death Eater, which makes him a coward on top of being a dark wizard, a murderer, a bigot, and very likely a rapist and a thief. My mother married him, knowing full well the acts he was suspected of committing. Not because she loved him, but because she, too, is coward." He turned to her with a strange expression. "Ironically enough, she was a Gryffindor."

To this, Ginny's eyebrows raised. She had never heard of a Gryffindor siding with Voldemort or the Death Eaters. Sirius had been associated with them, of course, but he had been innocent in the end. Then again, she had heard of one: Peter Pettigrew. Her brow furrowed as she thought of who Theo's mother could be.

"My mother's name was Samantha Caldwell before she was married," he said, apprehending the question in her mind. She nodded, noting that the name sounded familiar. "We thank Merlin everyday she gave up the name Caldwell, because it means she can't destroy any more of the family. My uncle became the head of the family when she took the name Nott, and I'm the head of my family now that my father is in prison." They began walking again, toward the Great Hall.

"You seem very close with your grandparents," Ginny observed, trying to move the conversation into a more pleasant topic. She obviously chose the right one--his face relaxed immediately.

"Yes. I am much closer with my grandparents than I have ever been with my parents. My Uncle Chad, as well. He's been like an older brother to me."

"What are their names?" she asked, as they strolled past the Great Hall. Their common rooms were in opposite ends of the school, and not wanting to end the conversation just yet, Ginny subtly steered them toward the kitchens. It would be a good excuse--she was starving and thirsty after six hours of Quidditch.

"My uncle is Charles Caldwell. He was in Ravenclaw, five years younger than my mother. My grandparents are Alistair Caldwell and Laura Creggie Caldwell. He was in Slytherin, and she was in Gryffindor, of all places." He smirked at the last part.

"She sounds like quite a lady," Ginny replied, smiling at the knowledge that his grandmother was a product of her own House. Mrs. Samantha Caldwell Nott must have been a bad seed, indeed.

"She really is," Theo confirmed. "I think the two of you would hit it off remarkably well."

"I think I'd like to meet her. I'm curious to see this Gryffindor who married a Slytherin, vocally opposes the Death Eaters, and so obviously has your respect. You better be careful, Theo, people might think you're a bit soft." She smiled as she said it, and he chuckled.

"Yes, I suppose this is point where I command you to keep my respect for my grandmother a secret or face terrible consequences." Ginny smiled. "Except that I know you wouldn't let me exact those consequences without a rather furious fight, and I'm in no mood to test my dueling skills against the a first daughter of seven generations." Ginny rolled her eyes and shoved him again. He laughed openly at her exasperation.

"What is the big deal with you people?" she asked out loud, but not angrily. "Why do you heirs know so much about me?!" That question was much more earnest. She really was a bit curious about how they all knew the special situation of her birth.

"My dear Ginny, it is my job to know." She glared at him. "Just as it is Baron and Gretchen's responsibility to know, as the head of the Nott family and a prominent member of the Caldwell family, it is my duty to know the identities of other prominent witches and wizards in my generation." This made Ginny wonder why Professor Wrightman had seemed surprised to find out that Ginny was the first daughter in seven generations. Isn't this something that she would have known?

"Then why didn't Professor Wrightman know about me?" Ginny asked. Theo looked at her thoughtfully for a few moments before answering.

"As to that, I can only guess," he replied.

"Yeah, so guess already," Ginny prodded. A smile briefly graced his face at her blunt response. Then his demeanor took on a more serious cast.

"She was supposed to marry Sirius Black, you know," he began. Ginny's expression reflected the gravity of recalling the circumstances. She nodded. "So you also know that when he renounced the beliefs and political causes of his family, the Wrightmans revoked the arrangement. Even if Sirius Black had a younger brother to step into the heir's role, it wouldn't have been the same. Sirius Black was one of the most powerful and influential wizards of his generation, even before he left Hogwarts. Even those who sided with the Dark Lord couldn't help but respect him. Regulus Black was insufficient to step into his elder brother's shoes. Gertrude Wrightman was as much a heavyweight as her former betrothed. It would have been an insult for her to marry Sirius' less worthy brother."

Ginny made to ask the question that had been driving her to distraction ever since she'd first found out about the connection between her old friend and her Defense teacher, but Theo must have anticipated her because he pressed on with his answer.

"I can't say that I don't understand why she submitted to the wishes of her parents." He raised his hand in a calming motion when Ginny's face darkened. "I'm not saying that I would have done the same thing, or that what she did was right. I'm simply conceding that I understand the position she was in, and that I can comprehend the reasons behind her decision." Ginny nodded grumpily.

"I can guarantee you, however, that what she gained in preserved stature for her family, she sacrificed ten times over in personal happiness." Ginny watched Theo as he said this, wondering what he truly thought of their professor and her decisions regarding marriage, Sirius, and her family. "That's why she lives in France, you know," he added. This was news to Ginny.

"France?"

"Yes. Shortly before the end of the first war, she moved her family to France, the home country of the man she married. She's lived there ever since. It is rather strange, though, because she has worked for the Ministry ever since she left Hogwarts." This was turning out to be quite the information session.

"She works for the ministry, but she lives in France?"

"Yes, but few people know either of those things to be true."

"Why?"

"Because the character of her position with the Ministry is such that she is not visible to the public, and living across the Channel only helps her to maintain a discreet and, I would guess, a relatively quiet life. Her husband is much more active in French magical affairs."

"What does she do for the Ministry?" Ginny asked, but the answer came to her even as Theo said it.

"She's an Unspeakable." Ginny had heard of them, of course, but she had never come close to knowing one. This added a whole new aspect to her ever more intriguing professor.

"How do you know all this?" she asked him. "And don't give me some dodgy answer that it's your job to know. I mean it, how did you come across information like this?"

"My grandparents told me," he replied simply. At Ginny's expectant look he elaborated. "They couldn't be sure that my parents would ever tell me the correct history of that particular time period, so they made sure I found out last summer. Once my father had gone to prison, and Sirius Black was killed fighting his Death Eater cousin in an attempt to protect Harry Potter, they knew that he had never become a Death Eater. They visited my father in prison and he confirmed it." The main part of Ginny's brain was trying to process all this, while the part of her that was constantly resenting her mother kept wondering why it was so much easier for Theo to get information than it was for her.

"We all knew that his brother Regulus had been a Death Eater, but many of the old families who resisted the Dark Lord always doubted the official position of the Ministry. I only knew what I'd heard from my mother until Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. I was old enough to tell that my father and his colleagues grew nervous, and I began to suspect that my mother had lied to me. At that point I was already spending most of my holidays with my Uncle's family or with my grandparents. The next opportunity I had, I asked them to tell me the truth, and they told me of their suspicions, which were compelling. After all, Sirius Black was never given a trial."

"No, he wasn't," Ginny agreed. She was torn between grateful feelings toward Theo for thoroughly believing in Sirius' innocence and angry ones toward her parents and others for keeping her in the dark for so long. She wondered if anyone in the Order besides Dumbledore knew Gertrude Wrightman's true profession. Remus, perhaps. Probably Professor Snape as well.

They had come upon the entrance to the kitchens, and Ginny had stopped walking on instinct. Theo looked at her quizzically--or as near to quizzically as was proper for a Slytherin.

"What?" she asked as she tickled the pear in the painting. It giggled and the frame swung open. Theo's eyebrows raised in realization.

"I did not know there was a second entrance to the Kitchens," he admitted.

"There are three, actually," Ginny replied. He didn't need to know that she only found out about the third one recently. "That I know of, anyhow. Knowing this place I wouldn't be surprised to find out there are more." Dobby and several of his friends met them as they climbed through the portrait hole.

"Would Miss Wheezy be wanting some snacks?" he asked, turning to bow at Theo. The other house elves bowed several times. "And her friend? Would he be liking something, too?" Ginny smiled. Theo seemed somewhat amused.

"Yes, please. Dobby, this is Theodore Nott, but he likes to be called Theo." Dobby's face scrunched in thought and he suddenly began backing away from them. The other elves looked at him and seemed torn between serving their "masters" and following Dobby's example.

"Is Miss being sure that Master Theo be a friend?" Dobby asked warily, taking care not to look at Theo. Ginny wondered what on Earth was bothering him, when it hit her: Dobby had worked for the Malfoys. He probably recognized the name Nott from Lucius Malfoy's Death Eater business. Sparing an apologetic glance at Theo, she crouched down to Dobby's eye level, motioning for her companion to stand next to her. When Theo was level, she pulled out his arm, forcing him to crouch down as well.

"Dobby, I promise you, this Nott is a friend," she said, looking Dobby straight in the eye as she did. Then she tugged Theo's arms out in turn, pulling up the sleeves to reassure the faithful elf that there was no Dark Mark to be found. Theo quickly caught on to what was happening and sighed in resignation.

"Theo's father is a Death Eater," she admitted, "but Theo hates his father. Theo is my friend, and he doesn't like the Malfoys. Okay?" Dobby nodded in evident relief. Ginny and Theo stood up, giving Dobby orders for pumpkin juice and various foods. When the elves had dispersed to prepare the meal, Ginny went and sat down at a small table in the corner.

"Sorry about that," she offered as Theo joined her. He shrugged.

"It's not like I haven't had something like that happen before," he admitted.

"That doesn't mean it's right," she returned.

"You're absolutely correct, only that doesn't mean it's not going to keep happening. I doubt I'll ever lose the tag that my father's loyalties have attached to my name. The name Nott is soiled for the foreseeable future, and I can't very well take the name Caldwell."

"The people that matter won't care, and the people that care probably aren't important," Ginny decided. Theo nodded thoughtfully, and their food arrived. They ate somewhat quietly, periodically making jokes or discussing the Quidditch match. When Ginny decided that she really had to take a bath, they parted pleasantly.

* * *

Having taken showers and accepted numerous congratulations, Harry and Ginny managed to slip out of the Gryffindor common room after only an hour of the festivities. Ensconced in the Invisibility cloak, they stopped at the kitchens on their way to Professor Wrightman's office. The visit served two purposes: to have Dobby tell their professor that they were coming and to have something to eat and drink that didn't contain either sugar or alcohol.

As they made their way to the Defense classroom, Ginny felt a draft and shivered. Her hair was still wet and it had begun to soak through the neck of her jumper. Harry must have noticed, because he turned his head to look at her while they walked.

"Are you cold?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

"No," she replied.

"You shivered," he countered, with a bit of a smirk.

"Yes. My hair is wet."

"Why didn't you dry it?" he asked, honestly perplexed.

"It feels clean," she answered simply. He considered her for a second, but seemed to forget that they were still walking and promptly caught his foot on the bottom of the cloak, tumbling to the ground. Ginny only barely kept her balance.

"Are you alright?" she asked, with concern but also a slight chuckle.

"Yes," he replied shortly. By the way he was avoiding her eyes, Ginny guessed he was blushing. She smiled, endeared by his embarrassment. Though why he would ever be embarrassed in front of her, of all people, was beyond her understanding. If anyone had been humiliated more times in their life, it was Ginny.

"So, tell me again, what this is all about?" he asked, finally, after they started walking again. Ginny bit her lip, very glad for the short amount of daylight in the winter and the increasing darkness of the corridors.

"There are things that you need to know," she replied, not sure what Professor Wrightman wanted to remain hidden. It was frustrating. She desperately wanted to tell Harry everything that she had seen, but she had given Gertrude Wrightman her word. Her teacher was trusting her, and only because Ginny had brashly and inappropriately invaded her privacy in the first place. She had made her bed, and now she had to lie in it. She could hear the clichés echoing in her brain. With great knowledge comes great responsibility.

"You're probably going to be angry," she added frankly. Harry turned to look at her quickly.

"Why am I going to be angry," he said, not exactly asking so much as not contesting her conclusion.

"Because I know you hate having things withheld from you even more than I do. And you're going to be pretty pissed that no one told you any of this already." She hoped being honest now would score her some points when he freaked out later, but she doubted it would.

"You've been keeping things from me?" he asked, sounding not a little disappointed. There was also a trace of resignation in his voice.

"I wanted to tell you," she replied, and at least that was the truth.

"So why didn't you?" he asked, a little snarky. Oh, bloody hell. He was getting pissed before they even got to the Defense room. This was going to be even worse than she expected.

"Look," she said, stopping suddenly and turning to him. He stopped short as well, though Ginny wasn't sure if he would have were it not for the cloak covering them. "I saw something I wasn't supposed to, and I was asked to keep someone's confidence. I begged her to let me tell you, and now we're here. Please understand that I wouldn't have kept it to myself if it wasn't important," Ginny pleaded. She was looking at him earnestly, desperate for him to understand that she was between a rock and a hard place. Harry sighed.

"It's about my mum, isn't it?" he asked, sounding still more resigned and not a little tired.

"Partly," she replied. Harry nodded, paused in thought, and began walking again. Ginny followed, both of them still under the cloak.

"I never thought I would have to worry about you keeping things from me," he said. Ginny couldn't help but feel the burn of his words, but it didn't stop her from wondering how he could be so presumptuous after thoroughly ignoring her for the first four years that he'd known her.

"You seem awfully invested for someone who's only been talking to me outside the D.A. since the summer," she snapped back before she could catch herself. Harry was clearly startled by her response and she felt terrible as soon as it was out.

"Ugh!" she groaned in frustration, covering her face with her hands. "What is wrong with me! Why do I say things like that?!" Harry seemed even more startled at her self-recrimination. She didn't notice.

"I thought I already apologized for that," he ventured tentatively. Ginny shot him a glare and he shut his mouth.

"I know you did. But things aren't that simple. It takes time to get it out of my system. Can you honestly say that if Professor Snape said he was sorry for being such a git all these years that you'd forgive him and forget about it?" Harry sighed in recognition and shook his head.

"No, of course you wouldn't. You've taken years of abuse from him, and it's left a dent in you. It wouldn't be an easy thing to get past."

"No," Harry said, "but I certainly wouldn't compare the fact that we weren't friends for five years to the way Snape has treated me."

"Well, of course you weren't ever mean to me or anything. But indifference can be just as hurtful in its own special way, so I'm afraid you're going to have to just face the fact that I had this ridiculous crush on you, and I know it wasn't your fault, but it left a dent in me, okay?"

Ginny was grumpy. But she liked the fact that she could say these things without quite as much fear of losing his company. "Sorry," she added as he studied her thoughtfully. He was doing that a lot lately.

"I can see that," he answered at last. "Just try to take it easy on me," he asked earnestly. "If you're allowed spiteful comments, I'm allowed to slip up sometimes, too."

"I guess I can try that," she conceded. They rounded a corner and saw light emanating out of the room at the end of the corridor. Ginny stole a glance with Harry, and then started toward it. She could feel his eyes on her again.

As they entered the classroom, Harry immediately tensed. It took a moment for Ginny to understand his reaction, but when she thought of all the professors who had occupied this space and the way they had affected Harry, she took his left hand in her right without thinking.

He squeezed it a little in recognition and they walked toward the professor's office in the back.

* * *

"Has Miss Weasley told you why you're here?" Professor Wrightman asked Harry. He shook his head and their professor's pale blue eyes turned to Ginny. For her part, Ginny was proud to say she resisted the temptation to stick her tongue out at the woman. She hadn't told Harry, no matter how hard it was to keep that information to herself.

"I know you were in a picture with my mum at school," Harry said, shocking both women. Ginny, because she didn't imagine Harry could speak so casually about his parents, though now that she thought about it, of course he could.

"What picture was that?"

"The--" Harry was obviously trying to remember the exact wording "--Friendship Appreciation Day picture."

Professor Wrightman took two deep breaths and nodded. "Yes, of course. In the yearbook."

"You all looked very happy," Ginny said, remembering the way Lily Evans had laughed occasionally in the photo.

Gertrude Wrightman looked at them both. "It was a good day."

And then there was silence. Ginny had to practically bite her lip to keep herself from talking just to fill that silence. Harry and Professor Wrightman did not seem to have the same aversion to quiet that she did.

"Why am I here?" Harry finally asked.

"You're here," their teacher said, inclining her head a bit, "because Miss Weasley stumbled into my Pensieve and decided that there were certain things you ought to know about my past."

Harry shot Ginny a quick, disbelieving look.

"Like what?" Harry asked Ginny and then turned to their professor.

"Like the fact that I knew your mother, knew Bellatrix Lestrange, and the fact that my parents had agreed to a marriage between myself and Sirius Black," Wrightman said. Harry looked upset and confused. He shot Ginny a look as she shrugged and felt guilty. He was going to be so angry.

"You were engaged to Sirius?" Nope, he didn't sound pleased at all.

"Promised to him," their Defense professor corrected. Ginny rolled her eyes at that shoddy explanation. As if Harry would accept the distinction of old Wizarding customs.

"Their families probably set it up when they were born," Ginny explained to him. "It's an arranged marriage." Harry looked shocked. "It was actually really common not too long ago. I think some families still practice it." Ginny would have brought up Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson and her suspicions about them if Harry hadn't looked so shocked and not a little bit angry.

"Why didn't you marry him, then?" Harry asked their teacher, not even acknowledging Ginny's explanation. Uh, oh. That couldn't be a good sign.

Professor Wrightman began to say, "He broke away from his family when he was--"

"Sixteen, I know," Harry finished for her. "But why didn't you marry him?" Their professor looked briefly unsettled.

"Because when he left his family it was no longer the arrangement my parents contracted."

"Contracted?!" Harry repeated, somewhat incredulously, an edge in his voice that sent warning bells off in Ginny's head. She didn't dare touch him right then. Ginny did spare a glance at Professor Wrightman, though, who was looking at Harry as intently as he seemed to be looking at her.

"It's the way things worked then," the older woman said. "Heirs of great families married those whom their families chose."

"And Sirius wasn't good enough because he left his dark, evil, bigoted family?" Harry asked, accusingly. Yes, the edge was definitely still there. This wasn't going well at all. Ginny briefly considered summoning the Pensieve and shoving Harry into it so that he could find out that way. But that still didn't fix the problem that Harry simply hadn't grown up in a magical family. Ginny had no idea how they did things like marriage in the Muggle world, but she knew it probably wasn't like the Old Families in the Wizarding one.

"Sirius wasn't what my parents expected anymore."

"Well what about you? What did you think of all this? It was your life, wasn't it?" Harry snapped, sounding oddly like Sirius in the memories Ginny had seen. And seeing Professor Wrightman flinch--showing what might have been the most vulnerability Ginny had ever seen in her--Ginny knew she saw the parallel too.

"I did what my family asked," Professor Wrightman replied, but it was like watching water begin trickling through the cracks of a dam that was about to burst. For so many years this petite but formidable blonde woman had said those same words. She'd said them to Sirius almost twenty years before. And she'd said them to Ginny. But somehow saying them to Harry seemed to break her seamless confidence in that conviction.

"What does your family have to do with anything?" Harry asked. "Families don't determine everything about a person, and certainly not the people they marry," he added fervently.

Gertrude Wrightman opened her mouth and shut it, but it was the pain in her eyes that caught Ginny's attention. Why was this woman fighting back tears at the words that Ginny had as much as yelled at her before Christmas? Was it because she knew Harry would never understand? Why would that matter?

"Sometimes a person has to do things they would rather not in order to--"

"You don't think I know that?" Harry asked, obviously livid. "You don't think I know about being bound to something difficult?" His voice was rising and Ginny was resigning herself to an inevitable breakdown of anger and resentment.

"This is different," Professor Wrightman insisted, tight lipped and obviously upset. But where was her usual confidence? Where was the unshakeable veneer made out of her moral code? Why did staring into Harry's burning green eyes hurt this beautiful, refined woman so much?

"How? Why? Because you had a choice and I don't? Because Sirius made the right, the good, the difficult decision and you decided that wasn't the way you wanted your husband to act?" Harry asked, not bothering to check his patronizing tone. Ginny stared at him, shocked by his words and his passion, unwilling to speak in defense of Professor Wrightman and yet still finding his anger overwhelming.

"I had an obligation to my family." It was her standard line, but Ginny heard, beneath the steel in her voice, an undercurrent of regret.

"Sirius was my family," Harry hissed at her, standing up. Ginny stood too, becoming more worried by the minute. "And if he was willing to have you, you made the biggest mistake of your life in turning him down. I can't believe you would do that, that you would abandon him just like his stupid family did."

Gertrude's entire face closed off and she said not a thing.

"Harry," Ginny asked quietly, shocked to hear her own voice.

"Whatever," he cut in, shaking her off. "If you weren't strong enough to stay by his side when he needed you the most, when he might have loved you, you didn't deserve him," Harry said, still staring at Professor Wrightman, whose pale face went paler.

"But--" Ginny began, quickly cutting herself off as she stared at their teacher, who met her gaze without flinching. And Ginny remembered that kiss--their first and, presumably, their last--that she had seen Sirius give the seventeen-year old Gertrude Wrightman. It broke Ginny's heart to think that he might have loved her. It certainly had appeared that he might in the Pensieve.

"I had an obligation," Wrightman said again, standing then, too, "and I did what I could for my family and we survived."

"I can't believe my mother was ever your friend," Harry said with the tone of someone who was disgusted with the sight in front of him. That was when Ginny saw something break in Gertrude Wrightman's eyes. "Not because you're a Slytherin, not because you're a snob, but because you obviously never cared for anyone but yourself."

"I cared for an entire family. It was my job." Harry laughed grimly.

"Do you really expect me to accept that? To say that you turning from Sirius and staying out of the war is okay because you had an obligation to your family? Do you see Mrs. Weasley hiding? Protecting her own first?" Harry asked. "No. Her greatest fear is losing one of her children, and still she fights, and still she loves Mr. Weasley."

"It isn't the same situation. You don't understand." Ginny cringed at her teacher's response, knowing that it would not do anything to endear her to Harry, who shook his head angrily.

"Did my mum understand? Did she know you chose to break it off with Sirius? Did she approve?"

Professor Wrightman flinched then, staring into Harry's green eyes, and Ginny watched with a somewhat nervous awe. How horrible it must be to have your best friend's disapproval thrown in your face by her son twenty years after the fact. But another part of Ginny was glad to see Gertrude Wrightman feel the regret that Ginny thought she deserved to feel.

"I fought," their teacher tried. "I fought more than you could possibly know--"

"Where were you when Sirius went to jail?" Harry accused, cutting her off again. "When my mother was murdered?"

To that, their professor seemed to have no response.

Harry walked closer to her and said viciously, "But I'm glad."

"Glad?" Gertrude Wrightman asked, perplexed but wary. Two states of mind that Ginny never thought she'd see in a million years.

"I'm glad Sirius didn't marry you," Harry said hotly. "If the Blacks approved of you, you were obviously never good enough for him."

"Harry!" Ginny admonished, shocked again at his brashness. But their teacher said nothing.

"Shut up, Ginny," he snapped at her. His face was dark and angry, and she wondered if this was what he'd been like when he trashed Dumbledore's office the year before.

"Don't speak to her that way," their teacher said, quietly but sternly, surprising both teenagers. "She's not the one who deserves your anger."

"I don't care!" Harry shouted back. "I have more than enough anger to go around. Why not her? I thought she might be the one person other than Sirius who wouldn't keep things from me, but I was wrong. She'll keep secrets when it suits her, apparently." Harry was furious and it was clear that he wouldn't be calming down anytime soon.

"Believe that if you wish, but it will only hurt you in the long run, Mr. Potter." Ginny was impressed that their Defense teacher was audacious enough to be blunt with Harry when he was so emotionally volatile.

"You know that she would never knowingly hurt you, and yet you storm at her like she meant for you to suffer. You aren't ready to hear the rest of what I have to say right now, or you would also know that I would never allow harm to come to you if I could help it. I loved your mother. She was my best friend. Sirius Black was the only man I ever trusted. You won't let yourself believe me, you won't even let yourself believe your friend. Come back when you are ready to hear what I have to say."

When Professor Wrightman finished Harry just stared, alternately at their teacher and at Ginny. He seemed to be practically blind with anguish and resentment, and Ginny doubted he would be able to sort out what he'd been told before the next morning.

"You're lying to me, and I don't care what else you want to tell me. The only people who seemed to think I'm not a complete imbecile were Sirius and Remus. And Sirius is dead." He glanced bitterly at Ginny who restrained the impulse to shove him up against the wall and yell. "And I thought that at least my friends could be relied on to be straight with me, but I guess I was wrong there, too."

"Harry!" Ginny shouted to get his attention, thinking that she could at least try to defend herself, but he cut her off.

"Don't speak to me," he ordered sternly. He shot the two ladies each a disgusted look and stormed out of the room, leaving a bewildered Ginny and visibly distraught professor.

* * *

Ginny hadn't seen or heard from Harry since he had stormed out of Professor Wrightman's office the night before. She had remained behind for a few moments following his dramatic exit, watching her very distressed teacher try to pull herself together. Apart from the sympathy Ginny felt for her, it was very disturbing to see the usually stoic woman struggle to regain her composure. For a minute or so it seemed as if the older woman didn't even know she was still in the room. She had appeared to be honestly startled to find Ginny still standing there.

"He needed to know," Ginny had said quietly in response to the silent question the professor sent her way. "He'll come around and he'll respect you for the strength you gave his mum, but he isn't ready to hear the rest yet. He will, though. I promise." And here Ginny's voice broke. "It was the same way with Sirius. But once he accepted Sirius," Ginny recalled, running through memories in her mind, "only death could keep them from each other. Once he knows how much you loved Lily, his loyalty will be fierce." And then she had left the professor's office.

As she went to bed that night, Ginny began to think that Gertrude had misjudged something just as much as Sirius had when they'd split up and argued that time she saw in the Pensieve. Sirius hadn't been able to see the influence and opportunity for good that they could achieve by completing the union between two of the most powerful families in Britain. But Gertrude had missed something as well, and Ginny wondered if maybe it had finally become clear as Harry had ranted and shouted angrily at her with the pained green eyes of her dead friend.

Ginny wondered if Gertrude finally realized that, no matter how strong your sense of honor, no matter how deeply ingrained your priorities and sense of duty, the loyalty born of love would always outlast and outshine the brand of loyalty extended only because custom required it.

Her own loyalty to Harry would always be stronger and more fierce than any loyalty she might feel toward her brother Percy, just as Sirius' loyalty to James and Lily Potter, and to their son, overwhelmed any trace of loyalty he might have felt toward his blood relations.

Ginny had fallen asleep shortly after that series of thoughts had run through her mind, finally giving her Quidditch-exhausted body and her emotionally exhausted mind a few hours of peace.

Now she sat in the common room after breakfast, chatting in a secluded corner with Kerney, Andy, and Nadine. Each of them had sworn they wouldn't tell a soul what she was about to say, and understood why once Ginny revealed her two upcoming dates with significant members of their "enemy" House. Much to her surprise, Andy was the first to speak up.

"Well, you could do a whole lot worse than Theo Nott," he commented. The Kernel joined Ginny in giving Andy a surprised and skeptical look. What may have surprised Ginny even more than Andy's comment was the fact that Nadine didn't seem to think his sentiment was at all strange.

"I'll say this for you, Gin," Kerney added, "you don't aim small, do you? First you go on a date with Duncan Moran, only the most sought-after boy in all of Gryffindor, if not the entire school. Now you score a date to Hogsmeade with Theo Nott, who might be the brightest bloke in the school, not to mention one of the most highly respected Slytherins." Ginny glared at her friend good-naturedly as the Kernel continued.

"But, on the off-chance that Theo Nott isn't the marquee attachment you were hoping for, you're going to the Seventh Year Ball with Baron Ramsey, who, besides being Quidditch Captain and the first Slytherin Head Boy in like twenty years, really is the most highly respected Slytherin in Britain." After Professor Wrightman, Ginny thought to herself. But, being a Muggle-born witch, Kerney might not know what a society heavyweight their Defense teacher really was.

Ginny's thoughts were interrupted by two very familiar male voices shouting "WHAT??!!" at the same time. Turning slightly to see around the back of Andy's cushy, high-backed chair, Ginny could see Harry and her brother Ron struggling to lunge into the fifth-years' private conversation from behind Hermione's attempts to restrain them. In the end, it seemed that Hermione thought it best to try her luck with just keeping Ron away from the conversation, allowing Harry to practically leap over the arm of Andy's chair. His face was livid and his green eyes flashed.

"So is that it, then?" Harry asked accusingly, as if there was no one else in the vicinity. Ginny was not at all used to having his attention so directly and exclusively (and passionately) trained on her. The room felt warmer.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ginny returned defiantly. "And you're really starting irritate me with your condescending tone."

"Why wouldn't you have told me?!" At his insistence, and deciding that he wasn't going to lower his voice any time soon, Ginny stood and grabbed his arm--which wasn't nearly as easy a thing to do as it had been over the summer--and dragged him out of the portrait hole and around the corner to an empty corridor.

"I promised Professor Wrightman I wouldn't," Ginny said sternly, turning to face him, and feeling her temper starting to simmer. "You ought to be able to understand why I couldn't break a promise like that."

"Not that! Everything else! That business with Devon! It wasn't just a joke, was it. It's a fucking possibility, isn't it. Why wouldn't you have told me that?" Harry asked angrily. "Why wouldn't you have said anything about the fact that you want to marry a Pureblood?"

"Are you mad?!" Ginny yelled back, not believing what she was hearing. Her disbelief was so powerful that she didn't even stop to wonder why Harry gave a damn who she was going to marry.

"It isn't mad!" Harry insisted. "Professor Wrightman just said it wasn't crazy, and you agreed with her! It's normal, apparently, to contract out a marriage for a baby. So your obsession with the Slytherins--"

"Obsession?!" Ginny repeated, incredulous, not even really processing the rest of his statement. "You've got to be kidding me with this."

"If you're going to marry one of them, why even be in Gryffindor? Why even--"

"Oh, shut it, you stupid prat," Ginny snapped. "Do you really think my parents would ever make me marry someone? Ever?"

"Are you telling me your parents didn't notice that they were from two old families? That you don't still have the purest blood of practically anyone in the school?" Harry asked. Ginny couldn't say anything to that. Her parents had known and she did have exceptionally good blood pedigree.

"Of course they noticed. But do you honestly think that my mother's family would have chosen my blood-rich, cash-poor father to continue the sodding line? Do you really think Arthur Weasley the Muggle-lover would have been their choice?" Ginny let out a strangled noise of frustration.

"Sounds to me like that would be a pretty good reason to marry off their only daughter into one of the richest pureblood families in Britain," he shot back.

"I can't believe you!" Ginny practically shrieked. Harry's eyes were blazing, but so were hers. She could feel her magic starting to churn violently. Well, if the git was going to attack her like this, he could damn well deal with the consequences. If something in the corridor exploded, it was no skin off her back. Stupid prat.

"What, you can't believe that I'd be upset to find out you're going to be auctioned off to the highest Slytherin bidder?"

She didn't even realize she had slapped him until after the loud *CRACK* had resonated in the air for a moment. The physical outlet of her anger was probably the only thing that kept her accidental magic from exploding the statue of Merlin in the corner. As it was, the marble figure wobbled precariously on its pedestal. Harry looked completely shocked, his cheek still glowing red from the impact. Ginny's hand stung.

"I'm going to write off that last comment as temporary insanity on your part, since I can't believe that you would ever disrespect my parents and your best friend like that," Ginny said with a steely voice that was nearly begging him to say otherwise. He wisely stayed silent, only nodding slightly in recognition. "Or that you'd ever think so little of me that I would allow someone to choose my husband for me," she added. Harry cringed, and Ginny was relieved. She had never seen him erupt like he just had, and it was more than a little comforting to see a familiar reaction from him.

"Now you listen, and you listen well," she demanded, stepping up very close to him. "I am going to Hogsmeade next week with Theo Nott. He's a good guy, he's smart, he's handsome, and he makes me laugh until my stomach hurts. But most importantly, he asked. He's the same bloke you defended to Hermione last week, and the fact that he's in Slytherin shouldn't matter anymore now than it did then."

"So you'll just go out with any bloke that asks you, as long as he's first in line?" Harry asked sharply. It wasn't as aggressive as his previous questions, but there was still a hint of nastiness in this tone. There was much more nastiness in his demeanor.

"Stop being stupid," Ginny demanded. "I only went with Duncan because he caught me by surprise. You saw how that turned out. Excuse me if I was bloody surprised that anyone would ask me on a date. It's not like it had ever happened before," she reminded him angrily. She wasn't sure if the anger was at him or at herself for having to choke back tears as she admitted it.

"Neville asked you to the Yule Ball!" Harry insisted. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Yes, after he had already been turned down by Hermione. Really made me feel like I was the belle of the fucking Ball, Harry. Stop being such a prat." She paused and took a few deep breaths. It was obvious that Harry had some kind of a mental block about this, and she had no idea what it could be. He was acting like Ron, and there was no Earthly reason why he should. Bloody hell, hadn't they just resolved the fact that he wasn't her brother?! He'd never had a problem with Theo and Baron before.

"And as for Baron, give me one good reason why I shouldn't agree to be the Head Boy's date to the Seventh Year Ball! He's my friend, and I respect him--as did you, up until this ridiculous display, may I remind you. His parents were just murdered, and even if I didn't already want to go with him, I wasn't about to turn him down on the day he returned to school!"

"Oh, so that's it. A bloke just has to get his parents offed and you'll go out with him? No wonder you had a crush on me when you were little."

Little? Little?! On top of all the horrible implications of his statement, it was the last straw, and Ginny's temper exploded--as did her magic. Her first thought--a fervent Shut UP!--was immediately manifested as a hex, which threw him back against the wall. Not terribly hard, as it had only been a silencing curse, but certainly more forcefully than it should have been, as it knocked the wind out of him. Harry caught his breath and gaped at her. She saw him reach for his own wand, but she was too quick for him.

Her loud Expelliarmus! and wrench of her hand to the side tore his wand out from his pocket and sent it flying behind her. He looked at her with a strange mix of anger, awe, and surprise. Then he seemed to catch himself and looked to where his wand lay on the ground. In an instant it was back in his hand. So he had wandless powers, too. Fancy that.

"What are you going to do, Harry, hex me?" Ginny taunted, her anger making her more bold. "You going to show me who's boss?" The thought passed through her mind that he was probably a far superior dueler, but if he wanted to have a go, she was more than willing to take out some of her frustration on him. But then something changed, and a wave of sadness washed over her as his comments finally sunk in.

She threw her wand on the floor. She was suddenly very tired, and she could feel tears rushing up to her eyes. All she wanted at that moment was to barricade herself inside her four-poster and cry. What he'd said had really hurt. She ran a hand over her face.

"I don't know what to say, Harry. I'm fifteen years old, and I haven't the slightest idea who I'm going to marry. I thought Devon's comments were just as much of a joke as you did. As it turns out, I'm friends with Baron Ramsey and Theo Nott makes me laugh. Baron looks at me like an equal and Theo looks at me like I'm worth something to him. I'd be crazy to turn them down." Harry said nothing, his features for once not betraying how he was really feeling.

Ginny shook her head and sighed. He didn't follow her back into the common room.

* * *

Monday found Ginny and Luna walking back to the school from Hagrid's after lunch. They had nicked food from the kitchens--though perhaps saying they had "nicked" it was a bit of a stretch; Dobby had been more than obliging. The two girls had a custom of visiting their half-giant friend once every two weeks or so, and the simple fact that Hagrid had been so happy to see them served to lift Ginny's spirits a bit. Luna had acted as spaced out and odd as usual until they started the walk back to the castle.

"What's bothering you," she said, not really asking as much as stating the fact that something was obviously wrong. Ginny almost cracked a smile. Luna would always be perceptive.

"Boys are thick and they're more trouble than they're worth," Ginny decided out loud. Luna smirked.

"Which ones," she prompted. "Or should I say, what's he done this time?" she corrected.

"I should preface this by letting you know that I've recently accepted dates with two different boys," Ginny began.

"Oh?" Luna asked. Ginny had a feeling that Luna already knew about at least one of them.

"Baron Ramsey asked me to be his date to the Seventh Year Ball," Ginny replied. Luna's eyebrows raised briefly in surprise. Ah, so she must have known about Theo. "Yes, and I'm going to Hogsmeade with Theo Nott on Saturday." Luna's satisfied almost-smile confirmed her suspicions.

"Well, how about that," she answered.

"Oh, shut it," Ginny returned, with little hope of it actually occurring. Luna smiled.

"I think it's good for you. Both of them are good for you."

"You say that, and yet, the fact that I'm going on a date with each of them is completely alienating the one boy I really want, which is in turn making me completely miserable."

"Have you thought about why that might be?" Luna asked. Ginny thought that Luna could stand to be a tad less patronizing.

"Don't even suggest that he's jealous. That's ridiculous. Get it out of your head right now. There is no possible way he's acting like a complete git because two Slytherin boys beat him to the punch. He's just channeling Ron and bitter about Slytherins and resenting the hell out of everyone. Not that I don't think he deserves to vent every now and then, I just wish he didn't feel compelled to vent it on me. He can be very nasty when he wants to be." Ginny's brow furrowed as she remembered the things he had said. She hadn't seen him or spoken to him since.

"You keep thinking that if it gives you piece of mind," Luna said, smirking.

"Oh, why don't you go snog Sheldon," Ginny retorted. Luna smiled as she kept right on talking.

"I think he's discovering that he's not the only boy who's noticed you, and he's angry at himself for blowing his chances, especially since you've been right there in front of him all this time. And I think he's so sick of being brave when people are trying to kill him that he doesn't want to feel guilty about being absolutely terrified when he thinks about asking you out. But he is, and he does, and it makes him angry."

"No more talking," Ginny replied grumpily.

"But that's just me," Luna finished, as if Ginny hadn't said anything. "And I'm not very smart or the least bit perceptive." Only Luna could have managed to say such a ridiculously false statement without her mouth quirking into a smile.

Ginny groaned at her friend's obnoxious but credible inferences. She shoved her out of frustration, which sent Luna into fits of laughter. As they continued toward the school they became absorbed in a shoving match, alternately laughing and trying to knock each other over.

Luna enjoyed it because it was further proof that she had a true friend; Ginny was just glad to get Harry off her mind for a little while.

* * *

Given the roller coaster of events that transpired over the weekend, Ginny was more than a little surprised to see Harry walk through the door of the Room of Requirement Tuesday night for their usual Potions session. Devon seemed nonplussed, despite the fact that she had been informed of the events of the weekend. Ginny had not been surprised to find that Devon knew about both of her dates, but was able to elaborate on the scuffles with Harry that had occurred in the meantime.

While Ginny gave him credit for showing up at all--and secretly gave thanks that he wasn't going to completely abandon the friendship they had finally built--it was evident that he was not at all comfortable with being there.

Luckily Devon was a pro at cutting through bullshit, and following some unbearably awkward hello's they were soon plunged into the depths of how to properly constitute an anti-swelling draught and why the characteristics of murtlap changed in a certain way when combined with something as innocuous as mint leaves. The détente was threatened, however, when they took a break for snacks and pumpkin juice.

"Hey, I need to tell you guys something," Harry spoke up tentatively.

"Ladies, Harry," Devon interrupted casually, like a mother correcting a small child's English. "Not 'guys.' We're ladies." Harry stopped in his train of thought and looked momentarily confused. Devon had interrupted his process of working up the nerve to say what he wanted to say, and it clearly discombobulated him. Ginny tried very hard not to giggle at his confusion; she didn't know how long (or how very, very short) his fuse was at the moment.

"Er, right. Ladies. Um, I can only do Potions once a week from now on. After this week, I mean. I have to do extra stuff with Dumbledore."

Ginny was skeptical. He was obviously still having issues with being around her, and she wouldn't put it past him to tough out this first meeting in order to make his life easier later on.

The thing about Harry was, he was so unsure of himself around people in general that it was hard to tell whether he was really trying to avoid her or if he was just being his usual tentative self. However, recent developments in his personality--the slightly more audacious Harry that had called out Andy after the List and had asked her who she'd chosen in the question game--pointed toward the former. Much to Ginny's chagrin.

"Okay," Devon replied as if Harry was acting completely normal. "Which day do you want to cancel?" Devon's attitude pretending that there wasn't the slightest bit of tension in the room would have been completely believable to any outside observer, but it was driving Ginny crazy. She sensed that Devon was maneuvering to force one or both of them to get their issues out on the table, and Ginny had to admit it was starting to work.

"Er, Thursdays, I guess."

"So, beginning with next week, we only meet on Tuesdays," Devon clarified, still all business. Ginny wanted to push her down the stairs. "Is that right?" Ginny froze as she saw a set of stairs suddenly appear in the corner of the room. Crap. It seemed the Room was particularly sensitive to her inclinations today.

"Er, yeah, that's right." Ginny let out a breath in relief when the stairs disappeared. Merlin, I was being sarcastic! At any rate, she had to get a better grip on herself. She had a feeling they would be hashing things out before they left for the evening. If Devon had anything to say about it, and at the moment it seemed that she did. Harry was looking nervously back and forth between the pseudo-oblivious Devon and a grumpy Ginny. He must have sensed something was afoot. Well, good. Ginny didn't want him to be any more comfortable than she was.

"Perhaps we should meet for an hour longer on Tuesdays to make up for the lost time a bit," Devon suggested. If Ginny wasn't so annoyed, it would have been almost comical to watch as Devon kept forcing Harry to speak.

"Uh, okay," he agreed reluctantly.

"I propose that we meet thirty minutes earlier and end thirty minutes later," Devon continued, almost as if Harry hadn't spoken. "That way we don't cut into other activities very much." Ginny wondered if Devon really cared about saving Potions time at all or if she was merely doing this to artificially amp up the tension in the room. Somehow she doubted it was the former.

"That sounds fine, I guess," Harry agreed. By the look on his face he was definitely confused and wondering what was going on.

"I just don't want to cut into my beauty regimen any more than is necessary," Devon added, and that was where Ginny drew the line. Beauty regimen.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin!" Ginny shouted, bringing a satisfied smirk to Devon's face. Ginny turned to Harry. "Harry, are you sure you're not just doing this because you're still mad at me?"

"No!" he insisted (a little too quickly, Ginny thought). "I mean, yes, I'm sure that's not the reason. Dumbledore told me I have to meet with him more often, and I won't give up Quidditch for Potions."

Ginny quirked an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I swear!" Harry said indignantly. "You can ask Ron! He was there when McGonagall came to get me."

"Well, good," Ginny replied. "I don't know what you're so worked up about anyway!" Harry's face darkened as she raised her voice.

"Well, what am I supposed to think when you're out cavorting with Slytherins!" he replied hotly. He turned to Devon. "Sorry." Devon shrugged. She was too busy watching the show to care for a swipe at her House that Harry probably didn't mean anyway.

"Cavorting?! What is the matter with you? Why can't I go on a bloody date without you and Ron starting a world war over it?" Ginny wanted very much to know. "You stood in this room just a few weeks ago, defending my friendships with Theo and Baron and Devon to Ron and Hermione. What's so wrong with them now? What's different now from a week ago?"

"You weren't going to marry one of them a week ago!" he shouted. "You weren't living by some stupid list of Slytherins who she says you're allowed to love!" Harry pointed accusingly at Devon on the word she. Devon cut in finally, her calm but authoritative voice silencing Ginny and Harry immediately.

"Harry, you're not an artless jerk, so don't act like it. And while you're at it, you might recall that you were included on the list and you're not a Pureblood. You were one of the top two I proposed, in fact. Don't put words in Ginny's mouth. It doesn't do anyone any good, and does you the least good of all." Devon seemed to grow a bit impatient as she continued setting him straight.

"Besides, you know very well that the day might come when you will be thankful to have true allies in Slytherin, and Ginny's relationships with Baron and Theo are your best prospects other than me. The Ramseys and the Caldwells are both extremely powerful families, and neither Baron and Gretchen, nor Theo have any affection for the Dark Lord."

Harry looked back and forth between Devon and Ginny suspiciously, as if they had ganged up on him, which Ginny supposed they kind of did. Only, it wasn't like Ginny had up and asked Devon to intervene; their sly friend had simply called it like she saw it, as she tended to do.

As Harry entertained female conspiracy theories, Devon watched with a condescending expression on her face that plainly demonstrated how thick she thought he was being. Ginny was trying to look surprised that Devon had spoken. When it became clear that Harry wasn't in any hurry to speak, Devon picked up the slack again.

"The last thing I'll say on the subject is this: Ginny will never marry Baron or Theo unless her first choice dies before he realizes what's important."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he snapped. Ginny's face was in her hands. For once she was glad he was thick. Devon had just given her away. Oh the humanity. There was a small part of her that just wanted to end the suffering on her end and slap him upside the head while yelling that she was in love with him. Idiot.

"Use your somewhat undersized Gryffindor brain and figure it out," Devon scolded.

"The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, you know!" Harry insisted defensively.

"But you used your undersized Gryffindor brain to argue against that didn't you?" Harry didn't say anything, which was enough of an answer for Devon, who smirked. "Thank you for proving my point for me."

Harry was thoroughly put out, but it was more because he had no retort for Devon's last statement than because he harbored any lingering anger at Ginny. At least he seemed to have comprehended the fact that Ginny wasn't all but running down the aisle with various Slytherins.

"Now, shall we get back to work?" Devon proposed. "We should really finish intermediate medical potions this week if our meeting time is going to be cut down." And back to work they went, Harry periodically glancing at Ginny, and Ginny trying not to notice when he did.

* * *