An Acceptable Risk

Chapter Five - Ginny´s Detention

Ginny rushed into the dungeon where Potions class was held. She passed through the door with seconds to spare, and stood before Professor Snape, breathless.

"Miss Weasley, tonight, you will be clean these frog livers and," began Professor Snape.

"No, I don´t think so," Ginny interrupted in a matter of fact voice.

"Pardon me?" Snape said in an incredulous voice. He was unaccustomed to having a student speak to him in such a manner. "Perhaps you are forgetting how things work, Miss Weasley. I am the instructor, I tell you what to do. You, as the student, DO IT!" he roared.

"No, Professor Snape, I´m going to explain something to you," said Ginny, her voice trembling a bit. "We live in a very dark time, and I want to do something about it. I am going to do something about it, and you, are going to help me." Ginny drew a deep breath to try and calm her shaking voice. While she was always willing to stand up to her brothers, being in direct defiance to a Professor was something she had never thought she would do.

"Ah yes, your little plan," Snape drawled sarcastically. "Dumbledore did mention something to me about your grand scheme. He would not, however, give me any of the details. I presume that is why you provoked me into giving you a detention last night?"

"Well, actually, yes," Ginny admitted. "You are rather predictable in your actions, especially to us Gryffindors."

Snape raised one eyebrow and scowled slightly at Ginny, but waited silently for her to continue.

"I want you to teach me to be a Slytherin," said Ginny in a firm voice. "I want to know how Slytherins think, what they feel, and why they act the way they do."

"And your reason for wanting to know this is?"

"I - I really don´t wish to discuss this with you right now. I just need to know how to act like a Slytherin."

"I find that answer to be unacceptable. If you cannot give me a reasonable answer, I am unable to help you Miss Weasley." He stared down at Ginny, as if the weight of his stare alone would coerce her into giving him the answers that he wants. Ginny stared back at him, defiantly, unwilling to be cowed by his black stare. After several minutes of silence, Snape shook his head and walked to the back of the room. Seconds later, there was a resounding bang as he slammed the door of the ancient dungeon shut.

"Follow me Miss Weasley, we cannot speak freely here." He led her through a small door recessed into the wall behind his desk. After Ginny passed through the door, he shut it quickly, ensuring that nobody, invisible or not, had followed them into the room.

"There is no chance that I can dissuade you from this foolish undertaking?" he asked.

"No sir, and honestly, I mean no disrespect, when I say I can´t tell you my plan. The fewer people that know, the better."

"You are a true Gryffindor Miss Weasley." Snape said with a shake of his head. "Convincing everyone in this school that you have turned into a Slytherin will take a great deal of acting. Though I must say, your performances in the Great Hall have been superb. You have made a very good start indeed."

"Thank you," said Ginny softly, as she thought about how much she had already hurt her friends with her strange behavior.

"Stop it right now!" demanded Snape. "No Slytherin would ever waste time being concerned over the feelings of his or her supposed friends, that´s if he or she even had any friends. Slytherins don´t have friends, they have acquaintances if you will, or allies, but never friends."

"Well, what about Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle? They are always together, they look like friends to me," said Ginny.

"Crabbe and Goyle are nothing but mindless puppets who follow Malfoy´s every command. He is their leader, and they are his muscle. No more, no less. You will also need to disassociate yourself from your Gryffindor cronies as soon as possible, and begin to cultivate contacts in Slytherin. Notice I do not say friends. You will have no friends if your plan, whatever it may be, succeeds."

Ginny swallowed the lump in her throat. The thought of being friendless was hard to accept but to save Harry she would do whatever it took.

"You will need to continue to degrade Miss Granger, and others who of not of pure wizarding blood, constantly. I am sure you have seen Mr. Malfoy in action. He seems to have an intense hatred of Miss Granger in particular. He would be an ideal Slytherin for you to emulate."

Ginny nodded, while she tried to repress a shudder. Draco Malfoy was the most hateful, hurtful person she had ever had the displeasure of knowing at Hogwarts, and she was going to have to work to be like him.

"I told you, Miss Weasley, your task would not be an easy one," Snape said, accurately judging the expression on her face. "It isn´t too late to end this foolish plan of yours."

"No," Ginny said resolutely. "I´m going to do whatever it takes to save Harry, and to destroy Voldemort."