Ginny The Vampire Slayer

In each generation there is a chosen one.

It is she who must stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness.

She is the Slayer.

Except now there's two...

Ginny The Vampire Slayer

Season 1, Episode 3: The Curse Of Simon Branford

"That's the last patient of the day here, sir." said the manservant, poking his head round the door.

"Thank you Carruthers, show him up." Dr. Simon Branford sighed with relief. Just one more coughing hypochondriac to deal with and then he could relax. It had been a long, hard day - the winter weather was making his surgery much busier than usual. Glancing out of the window, he could see that it was already pitch dark, and snow was whirling down the street, visible in the little pools of light around the gas-lamps.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Simon called. A tall, very pale man with jet-black hair and bright red lips entered and sat down.

"Now, what seems to be the trouble?"

"Well, Doctor," said the man with a grin, "it's just a trifling matter. You see, I'm dead."

Oh no, he thought, not another raving lunatic. I don't need this. I do NOT need this!

"Dead?" he asked calmly, keeping his voice level and polite.

"Yes, dead as a doornail." the man replied cheerfully and matter-of-factly. "And if you think I'm mad or lying, feel my pulse - or rather lack thereof." He stretched out a long white hand. Branford took it and felt the correct spot on the wrist. His eyes widened and he dropped the hand as if burned, staring in amazement at the stranger.

"You - you -" he stammered.

"You are confused, Simon Branford." the man said, standing up again. "But soon you will understand everything." A dreadful change came over his face, which became angular, inhuman and sinister, fangs sprouted from his mouth and he lunged forward across the desk with such speed that Simon only had time for a brief scream.

"How can you eat so much and not get fat?" Lucy Hammond asked enviously, pointing at Ginny's heavily laden breakfast plate. Lucy was a Muggle-born Gryffindor seventh year girl who carried a calorie counter everywhere and spent approximately five percent of her life checking her waistline in mirrors.

"Umm...I don't know. Some kind of hormone thing?" Ginny suggested awkwardly. In actual fact, she knew perfectly well what the reason for her hearty appetite over the last few months was. James had explained that a new Slayer's body readjusted itself, making bones and muscles stronger and tougher and increasing organ efficiency (particularly the heart and lungs), and this required sustenance. Her food intake would probably return to normal by Christmas. "Great," Ginny had quipped when he told her, "first puberty and now this. I'll probably get pregnant next." James, as usual, had blushed and coughed.

"Well, whatever it is, I wish I had it." replied Lucy. She finished her own breakfast (half a bowl of muesli) and pushed back her seat. "You coming to the Quidditch match this afternoon?" Gryffindor were playing Ravenclaw, and everyone was eager to see how the new Seeker (a fourth year girl) fared. After seven years with Harry in the position, she had a lot to live up to.

"'Spect so, if I'm not too busy." Ginny said. "I need to go read up some stuff in the library."

"You spend far too much time in there!" Lucy laughed. "You'll turn into another Hermione Granger. Oh well, see you later."

Ginny returned to her bacon, feeling a little down. Lucy would never guess it, but Ginny envied her too. She didn't have to worry about being hunted down and unpleasantly killed by evil supernatural creatures - she just had normal problems like whether or not she looked 'fat', where her nail varnish remover had got to and whether David Jennings the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain and number one heart-throb had really smiled at her in the corridor yesterday. Ginny sighed at the total impossibility of her ever having an ordinary life. But then she smiled. Lucy also couldn't knock the stuffing out of the aforementioned evil supernatural creatures and didn't have Ginny's purpose in life. Being a Slayer was a double-edged sword - in a positive sense as well as a negative one. And besides, Ginny thought, what's so great about being ordinary?

Thinking about Harry reminded her of something else she had planned to do today. The first Hogsmeade visit of the term was next weekend (it had been planned for two weeks earlier, but had been put back due to the vampire attack), and she hoped to meet up with Harry, Ron and Hermione there if they could manage to get away from their respective studies (Ron was in Auror training with Harry, while Hermione was studying Advanced Magical Theory at the Metaphysics Department of Oxford University*). She desperately wanted to talk to someone about her new abilities and responsibilities. James was all very well, but he took everything about Slaying for granted, much as she did magic. Simply explaining the whole business to someone else would help her deal with it.

Finally feeling full, Ginny put down her knife and fork, stood up and headed for the Owlery. Her tawny owl, Athene (a present from Harry for her 17th birthday, now nearly six months ago) hooted and swooped down from the rafters to her shoulder as she arrived. She took out the letter she had written last night and read over it one last time.

Dear Harry,

Hope you and Ron are getting on okay and haven't accidentally vapourised any instructors yet. I'm still surviving since my last letter.

Anyway, our first Hogsmeade visit is next Saturday, and I was wondering if you, and Ron and Hermione if they can make it, could meet me there? I'd really love to see you again - you especially, but all three of you. Please let me know soon if you can manage to come.

All my love,

GINNY

Nodding to herself in satisfaction, Ginny attached the letter to Athene's obediently outstretched leg and sent the owl off. Then she left the Owlery and hurried to the library. It was empty except for James, who was sitting behind the front desk reading a copy of 101 Handy Tips For The New Watcher.

"'Morning!" she said cheerfully.

James lowered his book and smiled. "You're in early." he replied.

"Lots to do." Ginny headed into the stacks, talking over her shoulder. "Where did you put all the Transfiguration stuff when you rearranged the place?"

"Over there, on your left." James called, pointing. "What are you looking for?"

"I need some books on Animagus transformations." Ginny explained, poking her head out from behind some shelves. James stared at her in astonishment. "You want to become an Animagus?" he asked.

"Yes." Ginny scanned the titles in front of her. "I think it could be a big help to me as a Slayer - I spoke to Professor McGonagall about it the other day, and it doesn't sound as difficult as it's sometimes made out to be. And I'll have Hogwarts' two most famous recent students to help me, of course." she added, referring to Harry and Hermione.

"Yes, now you mention it, it could have its advantages, depending on what you turn into, of course." James mused. "All the books regarding the spells for the Animagus Transformation are in the Restricted Section, anyway - they were moved there a few years ago."

"Hmm, I think I know why." Ginny said half to herself, jumping the barrier to the Restricted Section (she had permanent permission to use it, since James's texts were all kept there).

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"Long story - not really mine to tell - let's just say they were put to too much use." Ginny didn't want to reveal the story of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs without asking permission from those concerned. She finally found what she was looking for after about fifteen minutes' searching, lurking on a bottom shelf in a dark corner.

Selecting So You Want To Be An Animagus? and 10 Easy Steps To The Animal Kingdom, Ginny left the Restricted Section and headed for the best reading desk, pausing on the way to pick up a copy of Teleporting For Dummies. She hoped to take her Apparition test soon, and needed to read up as much on it as she could.

She was already deeply immersed in So You Want To Be An Animagus?, making occasional notes as she leafed through the introductory chapters, when a loud hooting noise made her look up. A rather fed-up looking owl had swooped through the library door and landed on the desk in front of James. It deposited a letter in front of him, then gave one last indignant hoot and flew away again. Glancing at Ginny, James slit the letter open. His knuckles whitened as he read it, his hands gripping the paper ever more tightly. He swallowed, then beckoned her towards his office.

Wondering what on earth could be the matter, Ginny followed him. He shut and locked the door behind them, then sat on the edge of his desk, face ashen. "We have a problem." he said, after a tense silence.

"I'd guessed that," Ginny replied, his evident worry beginning to infect her. "What is the problem?"

"Some of the Council's operatives believe they have discovered who sent the vampire gang that you defeated in Hogsmeade a few weeks ago. It was...a very dangerous and powerful vampire, one of those who specialize in seeking out and killing Slayers."

Ginny's insides turned to stone. "Why?" she asked, trying to sound calm. "Why would they deliberately go after someone whose job is to kill them?"

"Who knows?" James asked rhetorically, spreading his hands. "Their minds are not human. Perhaps it is a deadly game of one-upmanship, perhaps some kind of twisted daredevil spirit - like a hunter seeking out the most dangerous prey."

"So who is this vampire who tried to flush me out?"

"He is a charismatic leader among his kind, unusually strong for his age - it is barely a century since he became a vampire. His transformation was carried out in response to a prophecy that as one of the undead, he would be extremely powerful. He has killed two Slayers since his rebirth, both of them under highly unpleasant circumstances. This monster is utterly ruthless and cruel, he delights in playing games with his victims. His name is -" James looked up from the floor, directly into Ginny's eyes - "Simon Branford."

Outside, the overcast weather chose this dramatically appropriate moment to break, and a bright flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed almost immediately by a loud crack of thunder.

Finally feeling full, Ginny put down her knife and fork, stood up and headed for the Owlery. Her tawny owl, Athene (a present from Harry for her 17th birthday, now nearly six months ago) hooted and swooped down from the rafters to her shoulder as she arrived. She took out the letter she had written last night and read over it one last time.

Dear Harry,

Hope you and Ron are getting on okay and haven't accidentally vapourised any instructors yet. I'm still surviving since my last letter.

Anyway, our first Hogsmeade visit is next Saturday, and I was wondering if you, and Ron and Hermione if they can make it, could meet me there? I'd really love to see you again - you especially, but all three of you. Please let me know soon if you can manage to come.

All my love,

GINNY

Nodding to herself in satisfaction, Ginny attached the letter to Athene's obediently outstretched leg and sent the owl off. Then she left the Owlery and hurried to the library. It was empty except for James, who was sitting behind the front desk reading a copy of 101 Handy Tips For The New Watcher.

"'Morning!" she said cheerfully.

James lowered his book and smiled. "You're in early." he replied.

"Lots to do." Ginny headed into the stacks, talking over her shoulder. "Where did you put all the Transfiguration stuff when you rearranged the place?"

"Over there, on your left." James called, pointing. "What are you looking for?"

"He wants to add me to his collection, then?" Ginny's throat tightened at the thought of having to deal with a truly powerful vampire - the ones she had fought in Hogsmeade had been bad enough.

"It looks that way, yes."

"But surely I'm safe in Hogwarts - he can't get in unless he's invited?"

"For the moment." James didn't look very confident. "He will find a way to get to you, however - get a non-vampire agent to infiltrate the school, or trick someone into inviting him in. He won't rest until you are dead - or he is destroyed."

Ginny buried her head in her hands, fear churning in her stomach. She thought of Harry, hounded by Voldemort and his agents almost his entire life. "What should I do?" she asked James softly.

He thought for a moment. "Be prepared." he said at last. "Train all you can - Simon will be a fearsome test of your powers at such an early stage. And place all the protective spells you can think of around your room. I'll inform Dumbledore of the danger, and ask him to increase the protection around the school as a whole."

"Right. I guess I'll just have to wait for him to come." Ginny's eyes narrowed as barely-remembered memories of dreams of Slayers' deaths flashed through her mind. "When he does, I'll be ready."

**********Hogwarts; October 20th, 1998**********

The very next morning, a letter was dropped in front of Ginny as she sat eating breakfast. Hoping it might be a reply from Harry, she opened it eagerly. However, when she unfolded it, her heart stopped beating for several seconds. The letter was written in what looked very much like human blood. Its message was stark, unmistakable and terrifying.

My dear Slayer, [it read]

Permit me to convey my congratulations on your skillful handling of my hapless associates earlier this month. I can assure you that a much greater challenge than they awaits you shortly.

Please do not try to hide from me. I so dislike wearying chasing and searching, especially as the result is always the same as without it.

You will receive another message from me very soon. I look forward to our meeting very much.

Simon Branford

Ginny ripped the paper in half and fled the Great Hall, earning herself a few bemused looks. Reaching her room, she sank down on the bed, breathing hard. Branford knew exactly who she was, and he was brazen enough to tell her he was coming. That suggested that he either knew he could defeat her whether she was forewarned or not, or that he was incredibly stupid. From James's account, she suspected the former. Panic and anger warred inside her. I don't want to die! she thought pitifully. I never asked for these wretched powers - it's not fair!

Regaining a little control, she remembered her thoughts when she had first found out what she was. True, it wasn't her fault she was a Slayer, but she had to put up with it nonetheless. Life couldn't always be fair. Iron-hard resolve replaced her anger. She would not let Branford intimidate her - she would prepare herself to face him as best she could, and try to avenge the Slayers he had murdered.

Taking a deep breath, she got up and walked back down to class, praying she could act normally.

Two days passed. Ginny practiced combat moves fanatically, training late into the night under James's worried eye. She also read up everything she could find on Simon. Unfortunately, that wasn't much. There was little information on his preferred methods of fighting, probably because no-one had fought him and lived to tell the tale. All she could discover was that he usually had a large following of lesser vampires, was renowned for playing with his prey like a cat, and a little useless information on the prophecy that had led to his being recruited. The only heartening thing she read was that he was recklessly self-confident and liked to make a pretense of keeping things 'fair', usually fighting single combat rather than letting his minions overwhelm opponents. This at least might give her a chance - if she only had him to deal with and not a whole accompanying horde of vampires, she could concentrate on him alone.

It was on Wednesday morning that Simon's second message arrived. A shout of horror brought most of the school running into the grounds, where they found Hagrid standing in shock over an unconscious sixth-year boy. His face was deathly pale, and Ginny drew in a breath when she saw the telltale incisions on his neck. Beside his prone form was another note, probably written in his own blood. It read: Greetings, Slayer. It was most helpful of this boy and his girlfriend to take a moonlight stroll and provide me with such easy prey. My friends and I have the girl. If you want her to live, you will have to come and get her at the werewolf's refuge. S.B.

"Seems ter be a lot of vampires 'round here these days," Hagrid commented as he lifted the unfortunate victim. "Two attacks in less'n a month...that's real odd."

Ginny hastily stuffed the note in her pocket before anyone else saw it. She was overcome with guilt. Thanks to her presence here, two innocent people had been harmed by Branford just to get at her. She clenched her fists, furious hatred of the vampire boiling through her, and saw what she had to do.

As soon as darkness fell, she marched down to the training room to collect all the weapons she could carry. James appeared at the door as she selected a crossbow. "What are you doing?" he asked. "You can't be thinking of going after that girl alone!"

"Yes I can." replied Ginny determinedly. "It's my fault she's in danger. Besides, I won't let Branford play with me any longer. If he wants a fight, then he can have one."

"But this is what he'll expect you to do! You'll just walk into his trap!"

"Maybe, but I have one or two advantages he may not have planned for." Ginny showed him the Marauders' Map. "They're at the Shrieking Shack. I can get in through the secret passage under the Whomping Willow. And -" she lifted her wand - "he might not know how to deal with magic."

"You don't have to throw your life away, Ginny." James said quietly, gingerly putting a hand on her arm. "Please don't do what Simon wants."

"I'm not throwing my life away. I don't plan on dying." she said fiercely. "Don't try to stop me."

"All right. But can't you at least get help?"

"Yes, I need you to tell Dumbledore where I've gone. He probably knows where the girl is anyway. Ask him and the other teachers to follow as quickly as they can to deal with whatever's left." Ginny selected half a dozen stakes, threw a bundle of crossbow bolts into her rucksack and stood up to leave.

"You're sure about this?" James asked, unhappy concern on his face.

"Absolutely. This is my job - what kind of Slayer would hide in safety when someone's life is at stake?"

"Fine, I'll inform Dumbledore like you said. And Ginny - good luck with Branford. I have faith in you - you'll do your best, even though that may not be enough."

"Thanks, James." Ginny ran off as fast as she could. Climbing out through a ground-floor window, she headed stealthily towards the Whomping Willow. Reaching the aggressive tree, she dived under its wildly lashing branches with her supernatural speed and pressed the knot to stop it attacking. Then she scrambled through the gap in its roots and into the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack. Pulling off her robes, whose colour had helped hide her as she crossed the grounds but which would just be an encumbrance now compared to the Muggle clothes she wore underneath, she jogged along the low passageway, praying that she would be in time to save the unfortunate hostage.

Finally reaching the entrance to the Shack, Ginny poked her head through the hole to see if anyone was in the room. There was one sloppily dressed vampire, who was standing peering out of the window. Raising her wand, she cast a silencing spell on the room to stop Branford and the rest of his minions from hearing anything. The vampire at the window heard her and spun round, but she leapt nimbly out of the hole, knocked him across the room before he could do anything to stop her and staked him as he lay dazed.

Shoving her wand back in her pocket and brushing vampire-dust of her hands, she slowly opened the door of the room and tiptoed into the corridor. Hearing voices from an upstairs room, she headed for the stairs. Unfortunately, as she was climbing them, a rotten board gave way and she fell back to the bottom of the stairs, landing in an untidy heap. There were shouts from upstairs, and three vampires ran from nearby rooms and attacked.

Ginny tried to scramble to her feet, but the largest of her assailants kicked her brutally in the stomach and she collapsed again, gasping in pain. She struggled as the other two grabbed her arms in vice-like grips, earning a punch in the windpipe that almost made her black out. Her vision swam and she sagged forward as she was dragged upstairs.

"Ah, is that our other guest arrived?" called a lazy, drawling voice as the vampire who had stunned Ginny opened a door.

"Yup, boss. She came in a secret door - killed Vince and needed a bit of quieting down - didn't take too much effort after she fell down the stairs." he replied.

"Now, now, Al, don't you know how to greet a guest?" the drawling voice said with a laugh. Ginny raised her head as the vampires hauled her through the door, and saw a grinning, gloating pale face framed by long, immaculately combed black hair above an old-fashioned suit and waistcoat, and a billowing black cloak. That face was somehow familiar.....

"What a pretty thing you are," said the leader as he leaned over her. She could do nothing to stop him as he caressed her hair and face, was unable to even move as the rack stretched her tortured limbs ever further. "It's too bad you have to die." he said with a grin, and moved his hands to her neck, twisting, strangling-

With a sobbing gasp Ginny snapped back to the present. The tall vampire leader, who had at least ten companions standing behind him in the large room they were in, laughed again. In a corner, Ginny saw a girl in Hogwarts robes tied to a chair and gagged, her eyes wide with fear.

"Welcome to my temporary abode, Slayer." the leader said with a sweeping bow. "Allow me to introduce myself - I am Simon Branford."

"Let her go." Ginny ordered as bravely as she could, nodding to the terrified girl. "This has nothing to do with her - it's me you want."

"Oh, I might consider releasing her..." Branford said slowly. "But my followers are peckish..." The vampires around him nodded and snarled. "You can fight me for her." he said with a sneering grin. "No weapons - just the two of us. Al, take her weapons away. You two - let her go."

Al grabbed Ginny's rucksack, and gingerly took the stakes in her belt. But her heart leapt as he stepped back - she still had her wand. The two vampires holding her arms released her, and she stepped forward into the centre of the room to face Simon, as all the vampires drew back to the walls. The girl in the corner gave Ginny a desperate, pleading glance, and she tried to look reassuringly confident.

"Ready to die, Slayer?" Branford asked, crouching ready to attack.

"I'm ready, but not to die." Ginny replied. She slowly moved her hand down towards her pocket.

With a roar that was echoed by his followers, Simon leapt at her. However, Ginny snatched out her wand with lightning speed, pointed it at him, and shouted "Impedimenta!" He crashed to the floor, and Ginny wasted no time. Shifting her aim downwards, she yelled "Reducto!" Branford was able to roll sideways before the spell could hit him, but it blasted out a large section of the rickety wooden floor. More collapsed around the hole, sending Simon plummeting into the room below. Before the astonished vampires still in the room could react, Ginny ran to the edge of the hole and leapt downwards, landing perfectly with both feet on his chest. He struggled to get up, grabbing her feet and knocking her over, and she rolled clear, jumping up several metres away. He dived at her again, but she spun and kicked him in the leg as he did so, sending him sprawling again, smashing through a broken table. Leaping up again faster than she could have believed possible, he growled menacingly and swung both fists at her. She caught one punch on her wand arm, sending a jarring shockwave up to her shoulder, but the other struck her a glancing blow on the face. Grabbing the wrist of the hand that had hit her, she wrestled desperately against his raw strength, which astonished Ginny - none of the vampires she had faced so far had been anything like as powerful. She was on the point of giving way before she remembered that her wand was still in her hand. Gasping out a Banishing Charm, she managed to push Simon away. She looked around frantically for something resembling a sharpened stake as he leaned against the now badly cracked wall in surprise, and snatched up a broken bit of wood. Even as she did so, he recovered and charged, roaring across the room, bent low. He caught her around the waist and drove her to the ground, raising a fist to hit her with all his strength. She grabbed his wrist again, dropping her wand and the makeshift stake, and frantically and repeatedly sliced the side of her hand into the back of his neck as hard as she could manage. This distracted him momentarily and she was able to move her legs, kicking out and knocking them apart. As he struggled upright yet again, she grabbed the piece of wood, rolled aside from his kick, jumped to her feet and stood to face him.

"You used magic," he said, sounding hurt. "That's not fair."

"Life's not fair." Ginny retorted. "And neither, in your case, is death." She flipped over the furious vampire's head as he tried to think of a reply and, before he even had a chance to turn, staked him in the back. Simon Branford crumbled to dust in an instant.

There was an angry shout from above. Simon's minions, who had evidently been under orders not to interfere in the fight, began jumping down through the hole in the ceiling, hungry for revenge.

Bone-weary from the fight with Branford, Ginny made for the open door of the wreckage-strewn room and escape. Al dropped in front of her as she ran, and she danced to one side to avoid him. As she did so, a crossbow bolt flew through the door and hit Al in the back, destroying him. James stood framed in the doorway, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall beside him. These two raised their wands threateningly at the vampires, who stopped in mid-charge. Two burst into flames, collapsed and crumbled to ash as the two teachers shouted incantations - the rest scrambled for the windows and tried to get away.

"They won't get far," James said, hurrying forward to support the exhausted Ginny. "The other teachers should be stationed round the house - they flew in." Screams and whoomph sounds from outside confirmed this.

"We'd better get you to Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore said firmly. "Minerva, you had better collect the unfortunate Miss Lattimer - I think you'll find her upstairs." Professor McGonagall nodded and hurried towards the stairs.

"I take it you defeated Branford?" James asked, draping his jacket round Ginny's shoulders.

"Yes. I'll tell you the whole story once I've had a rest." Ginny answered.

"Well done." James said, smiling broadly. "You've dealt with your first true challenge as a Slayer - and very skillfully."

They had moved slowly into the corridor, where Professor McGonagall was helping the physically unharmed sixth-year girl down the stairs. Her eyes lit up when she saw Ginny. "Thank you!" she cried. "I don't know how to thank you for coming out here to save me - how did you move so fast and manage to fight that big one? Is Steven all right?" she suddenly asked anxiously, presumably referring to her boyfriend.

"He lost some blood, but he should be fine." Professor McGonagall assured her.

James and the two teachers helped the two girls back through the tunnel, up to the school and into the hospital wing. "She'll need to be given a Memory Charm, won't she?" Ginny whispered to James as Madam Pomfrey drew the curtains around the sixth year's bed.

"Yes." he nodded. "Professor Dumbledore will administer it once she's asleep." They quickly stopped talking as Madam Pomfrey came over to see to Ginny's cuts and bruises.

Finally feeling full, Ginny put down her knife and fork, stood up and headed for the Owlery. Her tawny owl, Athene (a present from Harry for her 17th birthday, now nearly six months ago) hooted and swooped down from the rafters to her shoulder as she arrived. She took out the letter she had written last night and read over it one last time.

Dear Harry,

Hope you and Ron are getting on okay and haven't accidentally vapourised any instructors yet. I'm still surviving since my last letter.

Anyway, our first Hogsmeade visit is next Saturday, and I was wondering if you, and Ron and Hermione if they can make it, could meet me there? I'd really love to see you again - you especially, but all three of you. Please let me know soon if you can manage to come.

All my love,

GINNY

Nodding to herself in satisfaction, Ginny attached the letter to Athene's obediently outstretched leg and sent the owl off. Then she left the Owlery and hurried to the library. It was empty except for James, who was sitting behind the front desk reading a copy of 101 Handy Tips For The New Watcher.

"'Morning!" she said cheerfully.

James lowered his book and smiled. "You're in early." he replied.

"Lots to do." Ginny headed into the stacks, talking over her shoulder. "Where did you put all the Transfiguration stuff when you rearranged the place?"

"Over there, on your left." James called, pointing. "What are you looking for?"

"He wants to add me to his collection, then?" Ginny's throat tightened at the thought of having to deal with a truly powerful vampire - the ones she had fought in Hogsmeade had been bad enough.

"It looks that way, yes."

"But surely I'm safe in Hogwarts - he can't get in unless he's invited?"

"For the moment." James didn't look very confident. "He will find a way to get to you, however - get a non-vampire agent to infiltrate the school, or trick someone into inviting him in. He won't rest until you are dead - or he is destroyed."

Ginny buried her head in her hands, fear churning in her stomach. She thought of Harry, hounded by Voldemort and his agents almost his entire life. "What should I do?" she asked James softly.

He thought for a moment. "Be prepared." he said at last. "Train all you can - Simon will be a fearsome test of your powers at such an early stage. And place all the protective spells you can think of around your room. I'll inform Dumbledore of the danger, and ask him to increase the protection around the school as a whole."

"Right. I guess I'll just have to wait for him to come." Ginny's eyes narrowed as barely-remembered memories of dreams of Slayers' deaths flashed through her mind. "When he does, I'll be ready."

**********Hogwarts; October 20th, 1998**********

The very next morning, a letter was dropped in front of Ginny as she sat eating breakfast. Hoping it might be a reply from Harry, she opened it eagerly. However, when she unfolded it, her heart stopped beating for several seconds. The letter was written in what looked very much like human blood. Its message was stark, unmistakable and terrifying.

My dear Slayer, [it read]

Permit me to convey my congratulations on your skillful handling of my hapless associates earlier this month. I can assure you that a much greater challenge than they awaits you shortly.

**********Hogsmeade; October 26th 1998**********

Ginny walked into Hogsmeade's main street, eyes scanning the crowds hopefully for Harry, Ron and Hermione, all of whom had owled saying they could come and meet her. Spotting the three outside the Three Broomsticks, she waved frantically to catch their attention. Harry saw her and rushed towards her, and she ran to meet him. They embraced happily in the centre of the street, holding each other tightly. "I missed you," they both said at once, then burst out laughing. Ginny kissed Harry on the lips, glad beyond words to see him again.

Vomiting noises from behind them made them look round. Ron was pretending to be sick, and Hermione was scolding him, but they were both grinning. "Please, not in public!" Ron said in mock disgust.

"Ha! This from one-half of the couple who famously got given detention by Snape four weeks in a row for snogging in class!" retorted Ginny. "Good to see you too, by the way." She hugged her brother and her best friend.

Some time later, they all sat at a small table in the corner of the Three Broomsticks drinking butterbeer. Ginny had purposely steered the conversation away from her, allowing the others to talk about what they had been doing before springing her big surprise.

"So Ginny, did you ever find out what was causing those dreams you were having over the summer?" Harry asked at last.

Ginny looked around them. The room was crowded and noisy....no-one looked as though they could overhear them. "I did." she said in a low voice. "I was right, they were important."

"So what did they mean?" asked Hermione curiously.

Ginny couldn't think where to begin. She had looked forward to telling these three her story, but now that it came to the crunch she felt incredibly nervous. "Um..well, did you hear about the vampire attack here a few weeks ago?" she queried in a low voice.

"Yes, and very odd that was too." Ron said.

"And the students who were attacked on the grounds the other night?"

"Yeah, we heard some people talking about it today." said Harry.

"Well, you know how some mysterious super-strong, super-fast girl saved people and killed the vampires the night of the attack here? And a similar mysterious girl came to rescue the girl who was taken this week?" They all nodded tensely, and Ginny screwed up her courage. "Well, that mysterious girl...was me."

All three looked amazed, not to mention rather confused. "You mean you've been using the abilities you used on Malfoy at King's Cross?" Harry asked after a pause. "So where do they come from?"

Oh boy, she thought, this could take a while. "I'm a Slayer." she said.

"A what?" asked Ron, looking even more confused. He glanced at Hermione, who for once looked completely clueless.

"That was the short explanation. You want to hear the long one?"

"Yes!" they all chorused, rather loudly. Ginny motioned to them to keep their voices down, then launched into a repetition of everything James had told her so far about what she was, along with the full story of what had happened on the nights of the Hogsmeade attack and the abduction that week. She was hesitant at first, but soon she was pouring the story out, glad to finally talk about it all.

Finally feeling full, Ginny put down her knife and fork, stood up and headed for the Owlery. Her tawny owl, Athene (a present from Harry for her 17th birthday, now nearly six months ago) hooted and swooped down from the rafters to her shoulder as she arrived. She took out the letter she had written last night and read over it one last time.

Dear Harry,

Hope you and Ron are getting on okay and haven't accidentally vapourised any instructors yet. I'm still surviving since my last letter.

Anyway, our first Hogsmeade visit is next Saturday, and I was wondering if you, and Ron and Hermione if they can make it, could meet me there? I'd really love to see you again - you especially, but all three of you. Please let me know soon if you can manage to come.

All my love,

GINNY

Nodding to herself in satisfaction, Ginny attached the letter to Athene's obediently outstretched leg and sent the owl off. Then she left the Owlery and hurried to the library. It was empty except for James, who was sitting behind the front desk reading a copy of 101 Handy Tips For The New Watcher.

"'Morning!" she said cheerfully.

James lowered his book and smiled. "You're in early." he replied.

"Lots to do." Ginny headed into the stacks, talking over her shoulder. "Where did you put all the Transfiguration stuff when you rearranged the place?"

"Over there, on your left." James called, pointing. "What are you looking for?"

"He wants to add me to his collection, then?" Ginny's throat tightened at the thought of having to deal with a truly powerful vampire - the ones she had fought in Hogsmeade had been bad enough.

"It looks that way, yes."

"But surely I'm safe in Hogwarts - he can't get in unless he's invited?"

"For the moment." James didn't look very confident. "He will find a way to get to you, however - get a non-vampire agent to infiltrate the school, or trick someone into inviting him in. He won't rest until you are dead - or he is destroyed."

Ginny buried her head in her hands, fear churning in her stomach. She thought of Harry, hounded by Voldemort and his agents almost his entire life. "What should I do?" she asked James softly.

He thought for a moment. "Be prepared." he said at last. "Train all you can - Simon will be a fearsome test of your powers at such an early stage. And place all the protective spells you can think of around your room. I'll inform Dumbledore of the danger, and ask him to increase the protection around the school as a whole."

"Right. I guess I'll just have to wait for him to come." Ginny's eyes narrowed as barely-remembered memories of dreams of Slayers' deaths flashed through her mind. "When he does, I'll be ready."

**********Hogwarts; October 20th, 1998**********

The very next morning, a letter was dropped in front of Ginny as she sat eating breakfast. Hoping it might be a reply from Harry, she opened it eagerly. However, when she unfolded it, her heart stopped beating for several seconds. The letter was written in what looked very much like human blood. Its message was stark, unmistakable and terrifying.

My dear Slayer, [it read]

Permit me to convey my congratulations on your skillful handling of my hapless associates earlier this month. I can assure you that a much greater challenge than they awaits you shortly.

**********Hogsmeade; October 26th 1998**********

Ginny walked into Hogsmeade's main street, eyes scanning the crowds hopefully for Harry, Ron and Hermione, all of whom had owled saying they could come and meet her. Spotting the three outside the Three Broomsticks, she waved frantically to catch their attention. Harry saw her and rushed towards her, and she ran to meet him. They embraced happily in the centre of the street, holding each other tightly. "I missed you," they both said at once, then burst out laughing. Ginny kissed Harry on the lips, glad beyond words to see him again.

Vomiting noises from behind them made them look round. Ron was pretending to be sick, and Hermione was scolding him, but they were both grinning. "Please, not in public!" Ron said in mock disgust.

"Ha! This from one-half of the couple who famously got given detention by Snape four weeks in a row for snogging in class!" retorted Ginny. "Good to see you too, by the way." She hugged her brother and her best friend.

Some time later, they all sat at a small table in the corner of the Three Broomsticks drinking butterbeer. Ginny had purposely steered the conversation away from her, allowing the others to talk about what they had been doing before springing her big surprise.

"So Ginny, did you ever find out what was causing those dreams you were having over the summer?" Harry asked at last.

Ginny looked around them. The room was crowded and noisy....no-one looked as though they could overhear them. "I did." she said in a low voice. "I was right, they were important."

"So what did they mean?" asked Hermione curiously.

Ginny couldn't think where to begin. She had looked forward to telling these three her story, but now that it came to the crunch she felt incredibly nervous. "Um..well, did you hear about the vampire attack here a few weeks ago?" she queried in a low voice.

"Yes, and very odd that was too." Ron said.

"And the students who were attacked on the grounds the other night?"

When she had finished, the others sat open-mouthed for quite some time. Finally Harry broke the silence. "Well, evidently I was right last summer." he said. "Welcome to the Unwilling Heroes Club."

"Cool! Now I can go around saying 'Don't mess with me or my little sister will break your arm!'" said Ron with a grin.

"You're not all going to explode and tell me I don't know what I'm getting myself into?" Ginny asked, surprised at how calm they all seemed. She realized she sounded a little like James, amazed at how calmly she had taken the same revelations.

"Ginny, we trust you to know what you get yourself into." said Hermione kindly.

"And it's like you said, your situation's the same as mine." Harry added. "You couldn't have acted any other way with a clear conscience. I'll worry about you fighting all these things, anybody would, but I'd worry more if you'd taken the easy option."

"Mum and Dad will go spare, though." Ron put in.

Ginny groaned and tried not to think about that. "You really are all right about this?" she said. "You're not just being nice?"

"Well, I don't know about all right," replied Harry. "But screaming about it won't do any good. Do take care, though." He squeezed her hand.

"So this Watchers' Council, what else do they do besides bossing you and this other girl around?" asked Hermione curiously.

"Never mind that, I want to see some of this cool fighting stuff you can do now!" Ron said eagerly.

Ginny laughed, as did Hermione and Harry. "Well, if we find somewhere secluded...." she suggested.

As they got up to leave, Ginny thought how lucky she was. A Slayer couldn't ask for better friends than these three.