When Everything Goes Wrong

Chapter 3 - Fighting Back

Ginny turned her head to look at who had entered their compartment now. Draco Malfoy was leaning against the doorway, looking as smug and handsome as ever. Ginny hated herself for thinking that about him, but it was true. The light blonde hair and the slim body were a perfect pair. Shut up! she commanded her mind.

"Only that you're a filthy loser Malfoy," Ron spat out. Kerry looked almost shocked.

"I would say that about your entire family Weasley," Malfoy retorted. "But your little sister here is hardly filthy." He gave Ginny a look that made her shudder.

"You...stupid weasel!" Ron yelled, his face going red. Draco strode over and seized Ron by his robe collar, their faces inches apart. Ron looked nervous through the redness.

"Don't you ever call me that-" A foot connecting with his side cut him off. Malfoy rolled over on the floor and gripped the spot that Kerry had kicked him. "What in the world?" he groaned, seeing the girl in a karate stance, fists raised and eyes flashing.

"Scram bud," Kerry snapped at him, never letting down her guard. Draco got to his feet, avoiding her as he left the compartment. Finally she relaxed and let her hands hang by her sides.

Ginny gaped at her openly. Who was this girl? Harry and Ron were mimicking her expression exactly. "Wow," Harry finally said.

"She could fight off You-Know-Who with her hands," Ron said breathlessly. Kerry looked confused.

"You-Know-Who?" she asked.

"You mean..." Ginny gasped, and covered her mouth. "You don't know? You don't know who he is?"

"Should I?" Kerry wanted to know, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry. We don't really hear a lot of England's news."

"You don't know who Voldemort is?" Harry finally burst out. Ginny cringed, and Ron closed his eyes. "He was only the strongest wizard in England, in Great Britain, in Europe!" Kerry shrugged, and Harry looked stunned.

"I can't believe you didn't know," Ginny said softly. It was all too much for her to take it. It was like seeing Harry all over again, knowing nothing about anything that mattered. Magic, You-Know-Who, Quidditch... "Quidditch!" she exclaimed. Kerry grinned.

"That I know about," she told them. "Can any of you play?"

Of course, they told her about Harry being the Gryffindor Seeker, and Ron being the Keeper, and Ginny being an amazing flier who had taken over as Seeker for a year when Harry had been banned from playing. Kerry took this all in with a look of great fascination. It wasn't long after when they rumbled to a stop.

They gathered up their things and made their way off the train. Kerry looked around her in complete awe.

"That's Hogwarts?" she asked, nodding at the castle before them.

"Home sweet home," Harry said. "Let's grab a carriage. Come on!" The four ran to an empty one near the front of the line. Soon after, Ginny found herself stepping out of it and heading towards the castle.

Kerry, she also noticed, was staying close to Harry. Then a thought dawned on her. If Kerry didn't know who You-Know-Who was...then she probably didn't know about Harry and his fame either! And if she didn't find out for a while and proved that she was a true friend anyways...Ginny beamed. Harry didn't get too many real friends anymore.

Chapter 4 - The Sorting Hat

Kerry had been whisked away by Professor Flitwick the moment they'd set foot in the door. So Ginny found herself seated at the Gryffindor table surrounded by boys-not that she minded or anything-who were talking non-stop about their summers.

"My Uncle Vernon practically took off my head with a bat," Harry was saying. "And Dudley...let's not go there." The boys moaned sympathetically.

"Me mum made me clean my room once a week," Seamus Finnegan added. Ginny giggled behind her hand. He was so cute. "I only clean my room here once a month!"

"If we're lucky," Dean Thomas stated. "We usually have to clean it for you."

A hush fell across the Great Hall as Dumbledore stepped to the front and raised his hand. "I welcome you back to another year at Hogwarts. To first years, I hope this is the start of something wonderful for you. So let's get to it! Bell, Cameron!"

The first boy walked up to the front, shuddering, and placed the hat on his head. "Hufflepuff!" the hat shouted out. And it went from there. Gryffindor gained seven new students, and Ginny was about to scream from starvation when the food finally appeared on their plates. The Sorting Hat was whisked away, and within ten minutes, Kerry had come down to the Great Hall.

She stood out from everyone else, wearing bright Muggle clothing where everyone else wore black. Ginny waved her over, and Kerry rushed over and sat down next to her.

"You said you were in Gryffindor, right?" Kerry asked breathlessly.

"Yes...are you?"

"Yup!" Kerry said proudly. "See?" She held out a slip of paper that had the house name written on it. "So I wouldn't forget." Ginny smiled.

"As long as you don't write down the passwords," she said. "Last time someone did that, a so-called murderer broke in." Kerry's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, don't worry. He wasn't really a killer. He was innocent the entire time." This didn't seem to calm the older girl down at all.

"Ginny!" a voice called. Ginny turned and looked for the source. Hermione waved at her from down the table, and then quickly motioned for her to come down there. Ginny faced Kerry, who was loading her plate and quietly listening in on the boys' conversation.

"I'll be right back," Ginny told her. Kerry barely nodded in response. She took off for Hermione, who was still motioning her with big hand signals. "What?"

"Tell Harry and Ron to check out the teachers' table," Hermione hissed. "Go!" Ginny frowned before doing as she was told. What was that girl's problem? she wondered as her green eyes scanned the head table. What was it this time?

And then her eyes froze.

"Harry!" Ginny screeched, sprinting back to the table and practically falling into Ron's lap. "Look who's here!" She pointed in the general direction of the teachers, and the boys all looked there.

"Lupin!" Ron crowed happily. "DADA I bet. I can't believe he's back!" The Gryffindor table instantly was full of happy chatters.

"Hi Professor Lupin!" Hermione called from where she sat with the Gryffindor prefects. Remus Lupin waved at her. Ginny removed herself from Ron, who was scowling at her past his joy of seeing Lupin.

The feast was quickly devoured and finished, and the prefects led their houses back to the common rooms. Ginny climbed through the portrait hole after Hermione said 'Chocolate Frogs' as the new password. Without a second thought, she made her way up to the sixth year girls' room. Her trunk lay at the foot of a four-poster bed.

"Ginny?" There was a quiet knock on the door, and the redhead looked up to see Kerry peeking in. "Hi. Sorry, um...can I talk to you?" She looked troubled.

"Sure. Come on in."