Call to Destiny

Chapter 13

Return to Hogwarts

Ginny kissed her mother and father good-bye and clambered onto the Hogwarts Express. Thankfully, the first compartment that she came to was empty. With a sigh, she sat down. What a week, she thought, blowing a stray piece of hair out of her face. It was good to have a moment alone to herself.

When only her mother and father had greeted her at London Heathrow, she'd assumed that her week would be quiet and calm, that she'd have a chance to gather her thoughts, relax and so on. Her father would constantly be at work, her mum in the kitchen, occasionally swooping down on her. Ron, Harry and Hermione would be absorbed in something or other, only occasionally bothering to notice her.

Hogwarts, year six, lesson one- never assume.

When the mother, father and daughter had arrived at the Burrow, Ginny's assumptions had been shot multiple times, kicked around some and then stomped on by a herd of wild bulls. The herd of wild bulls known as her brothers.

All but one of them.

Not only were Harry, Hermione and Ron there, but so were Fred, George, Bill, Fleur and Charlie with his new (but apparently serious) girlfriend, Julia. Apparently, her return from the States was to be a celebrated occasion, including a "Welcome Home" bash and the whole lot of them staying at the Burrow for the week. While Molly Weasley had been thrilled about having a full-to-bursting house, her daughter wasn't.

Okay, so she'd been expecting questions about her trip, but figured that if she just gave out standard answers and acted as though the whole thing had been extremely boring, they'd just leave her alone.

Hogwarts, year six, lesson two- family is extremely persistent.

She was asked everything from 'how was the trip' to 'did any of the professors smell?' Each question was asked multiple times, and try as she did to give the most mundane of answers- they kept on! Not only that, but she'd nearly had a heart attack when her father had been levitating her trunk in. Bill had asked him a question, Arthur Weasley had turned around to answer, and Ginny's trunk had fallen, the contents of it going everywhere. Not only did that including her clothes and underthings, which was mortifying enough, but her newly acquired weaponry as well. Thankfully though only one of her knives had fallen out and she'd been able to snatch it up before anyone saw. She'd been sure her heart would never return to its normal rhythm.

All week she hadn't had a moment to herself. Not that she didn't appreciate what her family had done, she did, and she loved them all dearly- even annoying Fleur at times- but their timing was terrible. Then again, how were they supposed to know how draining the past weeks had been for her?

Ginny shook her head and sunk lower in her seat, staring at the rumbling floor of the compartment. It was a rich burgundy color with some sort of intertwining gold pattern. Interesting, she'd never really noticed the carpet of the Express before. She yawned widely.

For some completely unknown reason, the moment she'd gotten home she felt ridiculously drained. Weak, even. At first she'd attributed it to Mr. Jetlag deciding to become her best friend, but soon realized that time difference had nothing to do with it. She supposed it must be some odd sort of side effect of getting her full Warrior powers. Ah, the Warriors. How she missed them all already.

At that moment the compartment door slid open, interrupting her thoughts.

"Hey," Harry said, with a lopsided grin. "Mind if I join you?"

Yes, she did mind, but sadly he was too sweet to turn down.

She managed a smile. "No, not at all."

She looked him over, almost critically. Was this really the same boy that she'd had a slight crush on five years ago? Okay, so that was a lie- hopeless crush. No, that didn't quite fit either. Obsession! There we go, obsession. Was he really the same boy that she'd been obsessed with five years ago?

He was much taller now- her head only reaching his chin, but his hair was still just as unmanageable and wild as it always had been. And his eyes- although now they were often serious and always sparkled with a deep emerald determination, they currently danced with mischief. Ginny suddenly realized that she knew the Boy Who Lived much better than she'd thought. Well, alright, maybe that wasn't so surprising. They had dated for a bit the year before, but had mutually broken up a few weeks before term ended, much to her mother's dismay. Harry claimed that she was too much of a sister to him. Ginny felt much the same, but had still been a little disappointed. She'd imagined that dating Harry Potter, her obsession of many years, would be like a fairy tale come true. In reality though, it'd been awkward and strange. Rather anticlimactic, really.

"Shouldn't you be at the Prefects' meeting?" Harry asked, interrupting her thoughts once more. Why were people so damn adamant to talk to her lately? Then the question registered in her mind, and Ginny couldn't stop the smirk that crossed her features.

"Yes, I should." She'd been made a prefect last year.

"Now it really is everyone in the family!" Molly Weasley had crooned.

Harry chuckled. "And why aren't you?"

"Because I've heard our dearest Head Girl's speech a million and one times. If I hear it once more, I'm going to start reciting it in my sleep!" Hermione Granger had, of course, been given the title of Head Girl. Ginny continued. "If I hear one more thing about 'making her reign count' I am going to go mad."

Harry chuckled again. "Trust Hermione to take being Head Girl as seriously as though she'd just been crowned Queen."

Ginny laughed. "I wonder who the Head Boy is, though."

"I don't really care," the raven haired wizard shrugged. "Just as long as it's not Malfoy."

Ginny's heart skipped a beat. This was the first time anyone had brought up Draco and she had the sudden urge to defend him.

"I dunno," she said carefully. "Even if he were, I think Hermione could keep him in check."

"Keep who in check?" asked Neville Longbottom coming into the compartment.

The three greeted each other and Harry briefed Neville on what'd they'd been discussing. Neville, who was just as forgetful as always, and just as round faced, had gained some confidence over the past year. Around fellow Gryffindors, anyway.

Neville gave a shudder as he sat down beside Ginny. "I hope Malfoy's not Head Boy. He'll be a holy terror."

More like unholy terror, Ginny thought with some amusement.

"How was your trip?" Neville asked her.

"Huh?" she asked, confused. "Oh! The trip. Nothing special really. Dreadfully boring."

At that moment the compartment door crashed open and Ron stormed in, face as red as his hair. Ginny sighed heavily. So much for peace and quite.

"What's up?" Harry asked.

"Malfoy," Ron growled.

"What about him?" Ginny asked curiously. The meeting surely couldn't be over yet. They'd barely been on the train fifteen minutes.

"Malfoy," her brother ground out. "Is the fucking Head Boy."

Harry's jaw clenched. "Perfect. Last thing we need is a Death Eater as Head Boy."

Ginny really did bite her tongue to keep from blurting out. How dare they call Draco a Death Eater! They had no right!

"Malfoy is Head Boy in name alone," Hermione declared, coming in.

With a certain degree of annoyance, Ginny realized that her compartment had now become theirs. Wonderful. Abso-bloody-lutely wonderful. If she wanted peace and quite, she was going to have to leave sooner or later. Great.

"What do you mean?" Neville asked quietly.

"I mean," answered the brunette huffily. "That Malfoy is not going to be doing anything. It's a perfect plan. I want to accomplish a lot this year, and Malfoy won't want to do anything. I don't trust him with the Heads work, so I'm going to be doing it all anyway. It's all really just a big inconvenience to him, so he can just sit around as a figure, or whatnot. He won't be getting in my way, and he won't have to do anything. It's a win-win situation."

Ginny restrained a snort. How little she understood Draco. He'd catch on to what she was trying to do within a couple of days. He'd figure it out and then do everything in his power to make her plan go awry.

"Really! What was Dumbledore thinking?" Hermione huffed, sitting down beside Harry. "At least he's not making us share a common room."

The redhead's ears pricked up. "What do you mean?"

Hermione settled back and sighed. Ginny had recognized this to mean that she was about to launch into an explanation of something that she reckoned should be common knowledge, but apparently only she knew. "The Head Boy and Girl always have private rooms that adjoin to a common room that they share. It's been done that way for quite a while now. But this year, I get my own rooms on one side of the castle and Malfoy has his own on the other side of the castle."

Ginny saw Ron's eyebrows go up, a look of delight briefly lighting up his features, and repressed a snort.

"So," Ginny pressed on. "You each have your own private rooms?"

The brunette nodded. "Yes, exactly."

Ginny nodded. This was good. She and Draco would have to practice hand-to-hand combat occasionally and she really hadn't fancied using the Room of Requirement. Now though, they could practice in his rooms. Hopefully. She'd thought about practicing in her rooms, but they were much too small. Ginny smiled faintly as she pictured her rooms. She was thankful that she didn't share a dormitory with the other girls in her year. Since her second year she had had her own rooms just down the hall from Gryffindor tower. The only good thing that had come from that damn diary.

She'd been fine that summer, but when she returned to Hogwarts she had started having horrible nightmares. At least twice a week she would wake up screaming. Madame Pomfrey had tried giving her a Dreamless Sleep potion, but it had only worked for a week. The nightmares returned with renewed force. The other girls started to complain, and Professor McGonagall had given the red head her own rooms. Now, four years later and nightmare free, she still had the rooms. She hadn't requested to go back to the dorm simply because she couldn't stand the other Gryffindor girls in her year. And anyway, who would give up their own private rooms?

Ginny frowned. Sweet Circe, why was everyone interesting at least a year older than her? Besides Sage, of course. Suddenly there was a hand waving in front of her face. The red head swiped at it annoyed.

"What?" she snapped.

"For the millionth time," Ron grumbled, looking annoyed. "Do you have a quill?"

Ginny restrained a growl. They had come into her compartment acting as if it was their own, ignored her, and then had the gall to be annoyed with her?

She stood up quickly. "No, as a matter of fact, I don't."

"Where are you going?" Harry asked her, looking bemused.

"For a walk," she said, before slamming the compartment door behind her.

"Wonder what's got her knickers in a twist," she distinctly heard Ron say.

With a last growl, she began to stalk down the corridor. To her great displeasure, the corridor was quite crowded with people- some of which stopped to chat with her. Ginny tried to smile and be pleasant. After all, they hadn't done anything to her. It was the Golden Trio plus Neville on her nerves. Okay, so Neville really hadn't done anything, he was just there. But sweet Merlin! She hated being the bloody tag-along!

She was nearly at the end of the train when she saw a couple (two fifth year Ravenclaws) snogging unabashedly. Ginny made a face as they broke apart, a string of spit connecting their mouths.

"Ginny!"

The Phoenix looked between the two Ravenclaws (and over the spit string) and saw Colin Creevey jogging towards her. Ginny opened her mouth to warn him of the spit string, but before she'd had the chance to make a sound, Colin ran right through it.

Hogwarts, year six, lesson three- beware of spit strings.

She cringed and saw Colin's expression change from one of delight to surprise to disgust all in about a second. The two Ravenclaws started laughing, and fell into the open compartment behind them.

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked, cautious not to get too close.

Looking thoroughly disgusted, Colin wiped off the saliva running down his face.

"It's in my eye," he muttered, trying not to move his lips too much, a drop of spit dangerously near his mouth.

Trying hard not to laugh, Ginny pulled out her wand. "Scourgify."

"Thanks," Colin muttered, grimacing.

The red head couldn't restrain the snort of laughter that escaped her.

"Sorry," she choked out.

Colin gave her a wry smile. "I guess that's kind of funny."

That only set Ginny off into a bout of giggles. So maybe she'd been wrong about everyone interesting being older than her.

Colin suddenly glanced at his watch. "Listen, Ginny, I've got to go."

She nodded, still giggling. "Sure."

"We'll talk later?"

"Of course."

"And uh- don't mention this to anyone, okay?" Colin asked, hopefully.

Ginny laughed. "No problem."

She watched Colin continue on his way, and nearly jumped when she heard a voice from behind.

"Did I really just see Creevey run into a string of saliva?"

Ginny spun around and found herself face to face with the new Head Boy. He smirked at her and pulled her into the compartment he was leaning out of.

"Yes, you did," she answered.

"Pity nobody had a camera," Draco drawled.

Ginny gave him a look and walked around him to sit down. Draco sat down across from her. They just stared at each other for a few odd moments. Ginny noted that he was already in his school uniform, the Head Boy badge gleaming on his chest. Suddenly, the silence seemed awkward.

"How were the rest of your hols?"

"Why weren't you at the meeting?"

The two questions were asked at exactly the same time. Ginny looked at Draco sheepishly. Taking her silence as a signal, he repeated his question.

"Why weren't you at the meeting?"

The red head rolled her eyes. "Because I've heard Hermione's speech a million and one times."

Draco raised an eyebrow, the mood lightening in the small compartment. "And what if I had had a speech?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow in answer. "Did you have a speech?"

The Dragon shook his head, a wicked grin on his lips. "I'm afraid you'll never know. Now, if you had been at the meeting in the first place, you would have known."

"I could just ask Hermione," the red haired witch scoffed. "Or any other Prefect. Ha, Malfoy! Your plan has a hole in it!"

"Fine, you win this one," Draco chuckled. "You will be at the next meeting though?"

"What? Missed me?" she teased.

"Never," he shot back. "Just wondering how many Weasleys I'm going to get to order around."

Ginny grinned at him. "You missed me. And none, Hermione won't let you."

Draco scoffed at this. "Let her try."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Ginny asked him, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees.

"Avoiding Pansy," Draco said with a shudder.

Ginny couldn't help the grin that crossed her face. "And I'm better company?"

"Simply because you're easier to get a rise out of," the blond wizard said with an obnoxious smirk.

Ginny gasped. "I resent that comment!"

Draco leaned back, linking his hands behind his head. "Currently you resemble that comment."

Ginny gaped at him wordlessly trying, and failing, to come up with a cutting comeback.

"Miss me, Red?"

Closing her mouth with a snap, Ginny realized she had.

~

Ginny jumped off the train happily following the Trio, Neville and Colin. The reason for her improved mood was that she'd spent the better part of the train ride talking (and trading insults) with Draco. They'd put a Silencing Charm on the door and locked it, as an extra safety measure. Not that anyone was looking for them.

Draco had told her he often split off from the group of Slytherins to be alone, and Ginny's company had assumed that she was with Luna. Truth was, she had no idea where Luna was. She was actually starting to get a bit worried. Luna was almost her only girl friend at Hogwarts. Sure there was Hermione, but still. Hermione had Harry and Ron.

As the Gryffindors neared the carriages, Ginny wasn't all too surprised to find that she could see the thestrals. After all, she'd seen death that summer. Maybe not human death, but death nonetheless.

"Those things are disturbing," Harry muttered in front of her.

"The thestrals?" she asked.

Harry turned around. "Yeah. Be glad you can't see them."

Ginny looked over at the thestrals pulling the carriage the Gryffindors were getting into. Their skeletal bodies, white eyes and leathery wings struck her the most. They weren't disturbing. So they weren't the most beautiful things she'd every seen, but still. They almost had a sort of demonic beauty about them. She had the sudden urge to go over and pet one of them. She shook herself. Where did that come from? Shaking her head, she climbed into the carriage.

A few minutes later the carriage came to an abrupt halt, prompting the Gryffindors to climb out. Standing just outside the castle, Ginny looked up and marveled at its size. It was so big! Even after coming here for five years, she still felt like a first year every September first. With a small smile, she followed Colin inside.

Almost immediately she heard Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Miss Weasley!"

Ginny spun around so fast that she nearly fell over. The Deputy Headmistress was striding towards her, best robes billowing around her. Instantly, the red head backtracked the day, trying to think of what she'd done wrong. Had someone found out that she'd been with Draco? No, that was ridiculous. Nobody had seen them.

"Don't look so frightened, Miss Weasley," McGonagall said. "You're not in trouble."

Somehow, this didn't make Ginny feel any better.

"Follow me."

With a shrug at the confused Trio, she followed McGonagall. After a couple minutes of silent but fast-paced walking, they arrived at the Transfiguration professor's office.

Upon entering the office, Ginny saw that someone else was already there.

It was a girl who looked to about Ginny's own age. She'd never seen her before, yet she was wearing a Gryffindor uniform. She was quite slender and had pin-straight black hair that hung down to the small of her back. She had sharp, delicate features and pale blue eyes which seemed to be taking in Ginny just as she was taking in the new girl.

Professor McGonagall closed the door behind them and swept over to her desk. "Miss Weasley, this is Cassie Jones. Miss Jones is a transfer student from Salem Academy of Magic. She is a sixth year and has been pre-sorted into Gryffindor. The two of you will be sharing a dormitory. We have expanded your current rooms Miss Weasley, and they will act as your dormitory."

Ginny's eyebrows lifted in surprise. McGonagall was not one to beat around the bush. Or maybe she just wants to get to the feast, the red head thought with some humor.

The professor in question tapped her foot. "Well?"

Ginny realized she was expecting an answer. "Um. Okay..."

She nodded curtly. "I trust you will show Miss Jones around the school. You may both go."

Ginny caught the other girl's eye and they both scurried out of the office. Once out in the hall, Cassie let out a breath.

"Sweet Jesus! Is she always that scary?" the new girl spoke with an American accent.

Ginny couldn't help but grin. "Usually."

Cassie's eyes widened. "You're joking."

"No, I'm not."

A slightly distraught expression settled onto Cassie's features. "If you tell me she's the nice teacher I'm going to run for the exit like, now."

The red head laughed. "Do you even know where the exit is?"

The new girl's eyes darted around their surroundings.

"Crap."

Ginny grinned and motioned for Cassie to follow her. She was a very pretty girl, and judging by first glance Ginny'd assumed she was an airhead. So far though, Cassie was proving to be interesting.

She suddenly stuck out her hand. "I'm Cassie."

Ginny shook her hand. "Ginny Weasley."

"Weasley?" she asked surprised.

Ginny nodded, suddenly suspicious.

"Your family wouldn't happen to own Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, would it?" the raven haired girl asked hopefully.

Ginny laughed out loud. "My brothers, Fred and George, do."

Cassie grinned wickedly. "Sweet."

"And to answer your earlier question, no. McGonagall is possibly the scariest professor here. Besides Snape, but he's just nasty."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Wonderful."

The two girls had walked into the Entrance Hall, and Ginny was surprised to see that students were still pouring in.

"So, uh," the new girl began. "What exactly do those two scary doors lead to?"

Ginny saw her pointing to the doors of the Great Hall, which were actually thrown open. "The start of year feast."

Cassie's eyebrows shot up.

"Feast?" she asked eagerly. Ginny couldn't help but laugh at the delighted expression on the girl's face.

"Yes, feast. And the food is amazing."

"Oh thank God! I'm starving!"

The two walked into the Great Hall, navigating towards the Gryffindor table. Ginny pointed out to Cassie the different tables and told her a little about each house. If they were going to be living together, she could at least be friendly. And who said they couldn't grow to be friends?

"Ooh," Cassie suddenly cooed. "Who's the hot blond dude at the Slytherin table?"

Ginny knew who the new girl was referring to before she even followed Cassie's gaze. Draco Malfoy was sitting at the Slytherin table, chatting animatedly with Blaise Zabini.

"That's Draco Malfoy," she explained, trying to keep her voice devoid of any emotion. "But I wouldn't set my sights on him."

Cassie looked over at her as they continued their progress. "Why? Girlfriend?"

Ginny had the horrible feeling of having her insides drenched in ice water at the thought of Draco with a girlfriend. She shook off the feeling. "No. There's just a lot of... animosity between the Gryffindors and Slytherins."

The new girl looked a little put out. "So all Slytherin guys are off-limits?"

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at her facial expression. "Pretty much."

"Well that's stupid," Cassie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, looking for all the world like a five year old.

Ginny laughed again, but couldn't help privately agreeing. They'd reached the Gryffindor table and she motioned for Cassie to sit beside her. Ginny had sat down beside Hermione who was sitting beside Ron and across from Harry. Further down the table were the sixth and seventh year Gryffindors. Colin, Lavender, Parvati, Seamus, Dean, Neville and a few others. Ginny cast a glance at Cassie who nodded at her, seeming to be a bit nervous. Ginny cleared her throat, and everyone turned to look at first her, then at the new girl sitting beside her. Cassie seemed to shrink from the stares directed at her.

"This is Cassie Jones," Ginny announced. "She's transferred from Salem Academy."

That seemed to trigger a round of introductions and questions. Cassie smiled and talked animatedly with everyone. Some even moved down the table to sit closer to her. Ginny was, once again, ignored. Wonderful, she thought. For a tiny, and admittedly stupid, moment she'd thought maybe she'd have a new friend. Cassie was just like the other airheads in her year. In the back of her mind she knew she was being extremely unfair and that Cassie had been nothing but nice to her, but she wasn't feeling very charitable at the moment. Today was just not her day.

Suddenly the new girl elbowed Ginny in the ribs. She suppressed a yelp and looked at Cassie furiously. The raven haired girl looked frazzled.

"Help me!" she mouthed and Ginny nearly laughed. Perhaps Cassie was alright. The new girl's saving actually came in the form of the sorting. After the sorting hat had sang its song (once again of warning) and the first years had taken their seats, Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome all," the Headmaster began. "I would like to welcome back our returning students, welcome in our first years and a new sixth year."

A murmur went through the students who had not yet met Cassie, and the Gryffindors beamed with pride at having the transfer in their house. Casting a glance the object of everyone's attention, Ginny had to repress a laugh. Cassie looked like she wanted to evaporate on the spot.

"This year we welcome a transfer student from Salem Academy of Magic," Dumbledore continued, smiling. "Would Miss Jones please stand?"

Hesitantly, Cassie stood up at her seat. The Gryffindors burst into roaring applause, making her stare in incredulity at them. Ginny distinctly heard someone mutter "Gryffindor's got all the good people."

Apparently she wasn't the only one, because the Great Hall broke into laughter. Dumbledore chuckled along with the other professors. Only the Slytherins looked unimpressed. Ginny did, however, see a look of mild amusement cross Draco's face before turning cold again. Dumbledore nodded at Cassie to sit down and the blue eyed girl all but fell down into her seat.

"How long is this going to go on for?" she whispered to Ginny as Dumbledore continued his speech.

"What is?" Ginny asked.

"This whole me thing."

The red head gave a small snort of laughter. "A couple of weeks."

Cassie stared at her in disbelief. "Does nothing else interesting every happen around here?"

Ginny flashed her friend a bright smile. Funny, a moment ago she'd been the new girl, and now she was her friend. "Plenty. You're just the current news."

Cassie grumbled at that. Further conversation was halted by Professor Dumbledore sitting down and the food appearing. Casting a glance at the head table, Ginny supposed that the speech was shorter this year because there were no new professors to announce. Last year, Professor Snape had been appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor (much to most everyone's horror) and Professor Slughorn had taken over as Potions professor. The only plus of Snape being the Defense professor was that everyone assumed he'd be gone by the start of the next year.

However, Professor Snape remained alive and well all throughout last school year. By the end of term, the student body had become divided. Half said Snape would be back next year while the other half said he'd die over the summer. Bets had even taken place over whether or not Snape would return. Sadly, he did.

Shaking her head, Ginny filled up her plate. To her astonishment, she saw Cassie had already piled up a plate full of food and was nearly half done. Casting a glance at her brother she saw that not even he had attacked his food with such ferociousness, and that was saying something.

Cassie caught her staring. "What? I'm hungry!"

Ginny laughed a little as she poured herself a goblet of pumpkin juice. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, she looked up. Draco was looking straight at her, a goblet in his own hand. With an almost imperceptible nod, he raised his goblet to her in a silent toast.

She did the same, watching him watching her over the rim of her goblet.

Something told her this was going to be an interesting year.