Ginny Weasley and the Heir of Slytherin

Ginny, you're a complete idiot! she thought, her face in her hands. Ginny tried not to panic, but it wasn't easy; the way she saw it, she'd never been in a worse fix. Although she certainly didn't want to go a whole year without Tom, there was a more pressing issue at hand. She couldn't get the diary back without making her parents aware of it, but if she left it behind her parents would undoubtedly find it during her absence and most likely figure out how it worked. Then she would have to explain it to them.

There was nothing else for it.

"I'VE FORGOTTEN MY DIARY!" she shrieked, causing her father to bring the car to a jarring halt.

Ginny climbed out of the car and ran towards the Burrow before anyone could protest. She was already regretting yelling, but all her tension had just burst. She raced upstairs into her room and found Tom Riddle's diary where she kept it hidden in a drawer under some of her ugliest clothes. She squeezed the diary in her arms and cried a little. As she listened to her heart throb, she felt she was cradling more than just a diary in her arms -- it was now a part of her very soul. She wanted to tell Tom she was very sorry she'd forgotten him, but she didn't have the time. They were already late.

As she dashed back to the car, she kept thinking about how very close she had been to leaving the diary behind. She couldn't stop imaging what would've happened if she hadn't figured out what she had forgotten in time. But her worries were not over. Surely her parents would remember that they hadn't bought her a diary and her brothers would probably want to sneak a look at it now. She reminded herself that at Hogwarts the diary would be in the girls' dormitory where her brothers couldn't get at it. For once, she was glad she didn't have any sisters.

As she climbed into the car, Ginny kept the name and date on the diary hidden with her arm. She quickly stuffed the diary out of sight, hoping everyone would forget about it. Although her wish seemed to be fulfilled, she couldn't stop worrying that at any moment her mother or father was going to request a look at the diary. What would she do then?

And what about after she returned next summer? Then her brothers could sneak into her room to peek at the diary all they wished. Ginny amused herself for a moment by imagining their faces when they found the diary was blank. Of course, they might figure out how to work it and she wasn't going to take that chance. Maybe they would forget about the diary by then, but what if they didn't? That was almost a year away, Ginny reminded herself; she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

They arrived at King's Cross station fifteen minutes before the train was set to leave. Although she highly doubted it, Ginny couldn't help but worry that she wouldn't be allowed to go to Hogwarts at all if she didn't board the train on time. Percy went through the barrier first, followed by their father and the twins. Ginny was quite anxious as she waited for her turn, but it turned out they still weren't going to let her go through on her own.

"I'll take Ginny and you two come right after us," Ginny's mother said to Harry and Ron. Her mother practically pulled her through, but Ginny didn't see any point in protesting. After all, she would be gone in about a minute anyway. Then she wouldn't have to worry about her mother hovering over her for a whole year... but there would still be Percy.

Fred and George were climbing onto the train, but Percy was standing still, trying to look important. Somehow, he had made his prefect badge even more noticeable than normal. Ginny's mother gave her the biggest, longest hug she had ever given her and that was saying something. Her mother didn't seem to want to let go and she only did so with assistance from her husband.

When her mother did let go, Ginny saw her eyes were full of tears. Suddenly, her mother began to cry. Ginny had never seen her mother actually cry before and found the sight rather alarming. Her mother had gotten tears in her eyes and fretted all the time, but she had never really, really cried, at least not around Ginny. Seeing her mother cry made Ginny feel a little scared -- sort of like something in her stomach had been soaked up -- but she just gave her parents a quick smile before turning to run to the train. She could hear her mother apologizing for going to pieces, but chose not to listen. After blowing her nose with a handkerchief, her mother told Percy to look after Ginny. Ginny could tell Percy wasn't pleased with this duty, but he nodded like any obedient minion and ran to "help" Ginny get onto the train though she had been managing fine on her own. It was going to be a long year.

Ginny didn't have time to find an empty compartment, so she ran into the nearest one, which contained a skinny boy with light brown hair, and got up next to the window. The train was quickly pulling out of the station and her mother, still crying, was gazing at it like a bird watching the last of her young fly away from the nest. Ginny could hardly believe this was really happening. She was finally on the other side -- on the train rather than on the platform watching it leave. After so many years of waiting, it was finally happening -- she was finally going to Hogwarts.

"Uh, hi," a voice said rather shyly. Ginny turned and saw it was the boy, still sitting quietly.

"Hi," Ginny echoed. Without saying anything more, she rushed out of the compartment. She knew this was rather rude, but she was really excited and wanted to find an empty compartment where she could write to Tom about how she was feeling. She soon found one, but just as she sat down and was on the point of taking out his diary, the compartment door, barely shut, slid open again.

It was Hermione Granger, Harry and Ron's female friend. Did Hermione have to interrupt her at that moment? Couldn't she have waited just a few minutes at least?

"Are you all right?" she asked suddenly.

"Yeah, why?" Ginny asked. She didn't have the slightest idea what was going on.

"Well, you looked upset," Hermione explained. Ginny realized her disappointment must have shown in her face and quickly smiled, pushing Tom's diary back into her bag. It would most likely be a long time before she could use it.

"What d'you have there?" Hermione asked, sounding suddenly anxious. Maybe Hermione was excited by the mere sight of a book -- Ron had always said she was very bookish.

"Nothing," Ginny lied quickly.

"Nothing?" Hermione asked, sounding quite nervous. "C'mon, tell me -- what is it?" Ginny deiced to settle for a half-truth.

"It's just my diary," she explained.

"Oh," Hermione said, her agitation suddenly fading, "I see." She sat down and looked at Ginny without saying anything. Her eyes were brown, but a darker brown than Ginny's eyes.

"Well," Hermione said casually, "I didn't recognize that book you had, so I thought I must have forgotten to purchase it. I mean, if I forget to buy one of Gilderoy Lockhart's books --" Her face became tinted pink, but she smiled anyway.

"Isn't Professor Lockhart amazing?" she asked, sounding completely awed.

"Well..." Ginny said slowly, "considering how little I've seen of him..."

"But you've read his books, haven't you?" Hermione asked briskly. "I mean, uh, wait. What did you say your name was again?"

"I didn't," Ginny said shortly. "You didn't tell me yours either." Hermione blushed.

"I'm -- I'm so sorry -- I-I didn't mean to be so rude," she said, becoming very upset, "I'm --"

"Hermione Granger," Ginny finished. Hermione looked at her. "Ron's told me about you," Ginny explained.

"That's right," Hermione said, recovering herself and talking very fast, "you're Ron's little sister, so your last name must be Weasley -- what's your first name?"

"Ginny," she said tersely.

"Ginny," Hermione repeated. "Is that short for Virginia?"

"Ginevra," Ginny corrected. Hermione didn't say anything. "I assume Hermione isn't short for anything," Ginny said eventually, breaking the silence.

"No, it isn't," Hermione admitted. "Where's your brother and Harry."

"Which one?" Ginny asked darkly, though she knew Hermione must be referring to Ron.

"Oh, that's right," said Hermione, "Fred, George and Percy'll be your brothers too." Ginny nodded. However, an uneasy feeling was creeping into her. It suddenly occurred to her that she hadn't seen Harry and Ron pass through the barrier. What if they weren't on the train? She shook her head. Harry and Ron weren't stupid -- they had probably boarded the train while Ginny's mother had been hugging her.

Hermione stood up.

"So, have you seen them?" she asked, a troubled edge on her voice, which seemed to be getting more high-pitched.

"No," Ginny said shortly. Hermione sighed.

"I do hope they haven't done anything stupid," she said to herself. Just as Ginny was getting her hopes up that Hermione would leave to look for Harry and Ron, Fred and George passed by their compartment.

"Fred, George," Hermione said to them in a somewhat panicked voice, "have you seen Harry and Ron?"

"Why yes, I believe we have," George answered casually. "Several times, in fact." Ginny grinned in spite of herself, but Hermione was not amused.

"This is serious," she said, sounding deeply annoyed. "Aren't you afraid something might have happened to them."

"All right," Fred said, feigning exasperation, "we haven't seen them recently. Just be sure you don't fall for a particular one of them -- Gin'll be jealous; she's got a crush on ol' Harry."

Ginny, her face burning, felt anger devour her. Why didn't Fred and George have at least enough consideration to not ruin someone's first impression of her? Why?

"Well, by golly," Fred said, as though amazed, "Ron was right -- you are 'well red,' Hermione." Ginny suddenly noticed she wasn't the only one who had blushed. As Fred and George walked out of the compartment, Hermione remained both red and silent. She looked about as uncomfortable as Ginny felt.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked her.

"Yeah," Ginny said, without making proper eye contact.

"It must be horrible having brothers like that," Hermione mused.

"It is sometimes," Ginny admitted. She loved all her family and wouldn't trade them for the world, but sometimes she just needed to be alone -- which was something Hermione had also failed to grasp. Bitter thoughts started to flood Ginny's brain. Was there anyone who left her alone -- or rather, anyone except Harry?

"You look angry," Hermione said suddenly. "Is something wrong?"

Ginny took a deep breath. She was about to politely ask Hermione to leave when their compartment door slid open again without so much as a knock. Ginny looked up, hoping to see Harry and Ron, but she instead saw a girl -- a very pretty one with rosy cheeks and a fresh complexion. Her bronze-colored locks were tied up in the back of her head with a bright blue hair bow which perfectly matched her frilly dress. Ginny thought she looked rather like one of those old-fashioned porcelain dolls too delicate to actually play with.

"Hello," Hermione said to this girl, "what d'you --"

Before Hermione could even finish her sentence, the girl swaggered importantly into their compartment and sat down, looking very pleased with herself.

"Uh, hi," Ginny said caustically. "Who d'you think you are?"

"Fleeta Fleece," the girl replied proudly. She blushed instantly, but she was so apple-cheeked it was barely visible -- perhaps that was why she smiled shamelessly.

"My name's Ginny Weasley," Ginny replied rather harshly. Fleeta Fleece's lips, which were far pinker than was natural, delicately formed a wide smile -- a smile of conceit. Clearly she felt far superior to the plain girl with red hair, freckles and secondhand clothes she saw before her.

At least she's polite enough to not say so, Ginny thought contemptuously. Fleeta, meanwhile, had turned to look at Hermione, clearly not thinking any higher of Hermione's looks than she did Ginny's.

"And who are you?" she asked Hermione in a rather insolent voice.

"Hermione Granger," Hermione replied stiffly.

Fleeta nodded, her face still rather red. Ginny noticed Fleeta's nails were the exact same pink as her lips -- obviously she had used the same kind of pink gloss on them. How come she was allowed to wear makeup while Ginny, who was the obviously about the same age, wasn't?

"I guess I'm the only girl around here who's at all attractive," Fleeta said suddenly without showing the slightest indication that this might be an insensitive thing to say.

"You know, that's very rude," Hermione told Fleeta matter-of-factly.

"So?" Fleeta asked in a very snooty voice. "It's true, isn't it?"

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Hermione said intelligently.

"You just wish you were beautiful -- I actually am beautiful," Fleeta responded, looking pleased with herself in a very self-satisfied way. She was blushing very hard now, but was not acting embarrassed at all.

"That doesn't mean you have the right to hurt other people's feelings!" Hermione said rather angrily. Fleeta's eyes widened suddenly, causing her to looked a bit contrite, but any hope Ginny had that she actually felt sorry quickly evaporated.

"Oh, no!" Fleeta said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I've hurt your poor, delicate feelings -- how will I sleep at night?"

Rolling her eyes, Fleeta turned to look out the window at the landscape rolling by. Hermione and Ginny turned to look at each other as if to say, "What should we do about her?" After they looked at each for what seemed like a long time, Hermione turned back to face Fleeta.

"Um, Fleeta," she said in a clear voice, "could you please leave this compartment? We were here first."

"You're not the boss of me, uh, whatever-your-name-was," Fleeta responded coolly without so much as looking at Hermione, "I can sit wherever I want."

"Fleeta," Ginny said quietly. Apparently annoyed, Fleeta turned away from the window and Ginny locked eyes with her. Despite her beauty, Fleeta's bluish-gray eyes looked as dull as two flat slabs of slate and seemed to lack any depth.

"C-could you please leave us alone?" Ginny asked her.

"I could," Fleeta said kindly. "However, I am choosing not to," she cheerfully added in her insolent voice. Ginny stood up, feeling a bit angry.

"Goodbye, Hermione," she said as calmly as she could. "Bye, Fleeta."

Ginny headed out of the compartment with her trunk. As soon as she found an empty compartment, she could write to her heart's content... or at least she could until they reached the place she had wanted to see for practically her entire life -- either way she would get what she wanted.

"Hey, Gin," a voice said suddenly, "d'you want help with that?" Fred and George had suddenly reappeared -- wasn't Percy the one who was supposed to be watching her? Where was he anyhow?

"Why, so you can sneak a look at my diary?" she asked suspiciously.

"Damn," George said aloud, "you're a tough cookie, Ginny."

"Thanks," she replied, moving away from them as quickly as possible lest they try to wrestle the diary from her. She didn't think it was likely that they'd go that far, but she wasn't taking any chances. Muttering "bye," she jogging away from them. After a few minutes of searching, Ginny failed to find an unoccupied compartment and was just about to consider who she wouldn't mind sharing one with for the rest of the train journey.

"I know you," a dreamy voice said suddenly. Ginny turned to see Luna Lovegood, the odd girl who lived near the Burrow. Although Ginny had only seen her a few times before, her straggly dirty blonde hair and most peculiar wardrobe were unmistakable.

"Hi," Ginny answered. "It's Luna, isn't it?" Luna did not reply, preferring to stare at Ginny for a few moments with her protuberant eyes.

"You're Ginny Weasley," she observed vaguely as though she were thinking about something more interesting.

"Yes, I am," Ginny agreed. "We live near you, but I've never really properly met you. Is this your first year too?"

"It is," Luna said. "Have you ever considered wearing your wand like this?" She pointed to her wand, which was tucked behind her ear.

"Not really," Ginny admitted.

"It's very useful," Luna enthused. "That way, it's always in your reach and you won't accidentally lose it when you change clothes."

"You'll just lose it when it falls off your ear," said Ginny.

"And you'll be able to defend yourself if you get attacked in the shower," Luna continued as though Ginny had said nothing.

"Why would you be attacked in the shower?" asked Ginny.

"Water devils," Luna whispered mystically."It's their natural habitat. Would you like to join my compartment? Most people seem to be avoiding it."

"Okay," said Ginny, figuring that Luna's company could only be an improvement over Fleeta Fleece's. She followed Luna in to find a small, mousy-haired boy reading a copy of the wizarding magazine The Quibbler. Ginny knew The Quibbler was full of silly nonsense stories, but the boy seemed to be utterly absorbed in it.

"This is Colin Creevey," said Luna. "He's a first year, too. We were just talking about the school houses. He's Muggle-born, you see."

"Then why does he have a copy of The Quibbler?" asked Ginny.

"That's mine," Luna said brightly. "He wanted to find out more about the wizarding world, so I let him borrow it."

"What?!" Ginny asked in outrage.

"Your world's really incredible!" Colin said excitedly, looking up from the magazine. "I just never thought it would be this strange." Ginny snatched it from him.

"Don't show him this!" she said, brandishing The Quibbler at Luna. "You'll confuse him."

"Confuse him about what?" Luna asked innocently.

"You know, he'll think all this nonsense is real," Ginny explained.

"How do you know it's not real?"

"Because it's not," said Ginny, rolling her eyes. "Everyone knows The Quibbler is rubbish."

These words made Luna look shocked and hurt. She stared at Ginny for a long time and then took a seat, staring silently out the window. The expression on her face looked genuine to Ginny and she started to doubt this was an act. What if Luna hadn't been playing a practical joke on Colin when she gave him The Quibbler? What if she really did believe all that stuff in it and gave it to him thinking she was being helpful? Ginny hadn't thought there was anyone who actually believed the stories in The Quibbler, but Luna was pretty strange.

"What do you think of the editor of The Quibbler?" Luna asked suddenly.

"I -- I don't know," Ginny said uncertainly.

"You think he's a fraud, don't you?" said Luna, almost on the verge of tears. "Or an idiot. Or just crazy."

"Do you know him?" asked Ginny. Luna considered it.

"Why does that make a difference?" she said eventually. "If my father wasn't my father, would it be okay for us to sit here and laugh at how stupid is?"

"He's your father?" Ginny asked in surprise.

"Dad warned me not everyone believes in The Quibbler, but..." Luna's voice trailed off.

"Can we talk about something else?" suggested Ginny, thinking that at this point she might have preferred Fleeta's insults.

"How would you like it if everyone thought your father's work was worthless?" Luna asked rather hotly.

"Everyone does," Ginny answered. "My father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office." The two girls stared at each other for a rather long time.

"My dad's a milkman," Colin added cheerfully.

* * *

A long time later, Luna went off to search for someone else who believed in The Quibbler and Colin went with her. Figuring they were going to be gone for a long time, Ginny took the opportunity to change into her Hogwarts robes. She then took out Tom Riddle's diary and hugged it for awhile, feeling almost as though he were holding her, and then laid the book out on her lap. She was on the point of taking out her quill when --

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Why? Why did everything always have to go this way? She had wanted to share her feelings about being on the Hogwarts Express for the first time, but her chance had been completely ruined. Ginny didn't feel like writing anymore and angrily tossed Tom's diary aside. Feeling sulky, she looked out the window at the dark forest outside.

Suddenly, she started to cry.

Then she remembered this was the day she had been looking forward to since who-knows-when. She couldn't cry now -- she was supposed to be happy. In all her mental images of this fateful day she had never imagined herself crying, but she went on blubbering loudly.

Ginny sighed mentally.

Perhaps she deserved to cry now -- somehow it seemed fulfilling. She had been through so much and now was the time to let it all out -- so she would be ready for Hogwarts.