Dear Reader: Chapter One's re-write is posted. It has the same information and tells the story similarly, I re-wrote it simply to make it energetic from the get go. If you haven't read the re-write, I implore you do so. It was updated early March 2017 so if you started this story after this, you started with the re-write.

Chapter Eighteen: Percy's Penance

For a moment there was silence as Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in Harry's case) blood. Then there was a scream.

"Ginny!" (1)

Professor McGonagall had been in the middle of consoling her mum and dad after giving them the news that she'd been taken by the Heir. They both scrambled from their seats and rushed to her side and wrapped her between themselves. They stayed smooshed together that way for only a few moments and then her mum broke away to drag Ron and Harry into the hug as well.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly. (2)

After her mother loosened her grip, Ginny saw Professor Dumbledore was also in the office. Ginny's dad walked her over to a chair and indicated for her to sit down while her mum let go of Harry and Ron. Harry walked over to Professor McGonagall's desk where he laid the Sorting Hat, the sword, and the diary.

Ginny's tears slowed to a silent trickle as she listened to Harry's version of what happened to Riddle. She listened as he told everyone in the room about hearing a voice nobody could see all year long. She was amazed when Harry had explained how Hermione had figured out that the Heir's monster was a giant snake which had been roaming the school through the plumbing. She listened to Harry's story of how he and Ron followed Hagrid's hint and went into the forest where the spiders were fleeing. How they had snuck down to Hagrid's hut in the first place.

Her tears had nearly subsided by the time Harry detailed his and Ron's account of learning that a girl had died from Aragog, how they'd figured out it was Moaning Myrtle, and that the entrance to the Chamber might be in her bathroom.

"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted him as he paused, "so you found out where the entrance was — breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add — but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?" (3)

Here it comes, thought Ginny, and she felt the silent tears start up again. He's got to tell them about the diary now. She drew her knees up to her chest and let her head sink down onto them to make herself as small as possible in her chair.

Harry explained all about Fawkes the Phoenix's arrival and how he dropped the Sorting Hat in his lap. Even with the flow of tears slowing down her face, her eyes widened when Harry explained how the sword had appeared inside the Sorting Hat and how he had used it to defeat Riddle's basilisk.

Ginny waited for the truth to drop. She waited for the incredulous stares. She waited for accusatory tones for bringing this danger to Hogwarts in the first place. She waited for Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore to share a look and for them to deliberate before deciding to expel her.

Harry had been brave, and told them all exactly what he did whether it was against the rules or not and he did so unflinchingly. Ginny leaned her head on her mum's shoulder, who had come to stand beside her, and took a deep breath. If Harry was willing to face his wrong doings, then Ginny would be as well. Harry paused in his story and glanced at her before looking in Professor Dumbledore's direction. This is it, she thought. It's happening now. She braced herself internally for the worst.

"What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently hiding in the forests of Albania." (4)

"W-what's that?" said Ginny's dad in a stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not . . . she hasn't been . . . has she?"

Ginny looked up at Dumbledore in disbelief. What on earth did Voldemort have to do with this?

"It was this diary," said Harry quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen. . . ."

Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.

"Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen. He turned around to Ginny's family, who were utterly bewildered.

"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving school . . . traveled far and wide . . . sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

"But Ginny," said her mum. "What's our Ginny got to do with — with — him?"

Everything fell into place. Why Tom had become so angry and obsessed with Harry when he found out about Harry's defeat of You-Know-Who. She even remembered hearing that Voldemort had been the one hunting the unicorns and the foal must have recognized him in the diary somehow.

"His d-diary!" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year —"

"Ginny!" said her dad, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain. Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic —"

"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it —"

"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than her have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her.

Ginny was speechless. She thought about all the victims lying Petrified in the hospital wing. No punishment?

As if he could read her mind, Professor Dumbledore mentioned them next. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice — I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.

"There's has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore.

Her mum led Ginny out, and her father followed, still looking deeply shaken. (5) They left Ron behind, who was no worse for the wear after going through the entrance to the Chamber in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

It was difficult to process. She'd been taking advice, getting help on her homework, and absorbing the negative emotions from Lord Voldemort. She was still reeling from the idea.

In the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey already had hot chocolate sitting on a tea cart. Ginny was ushered by her parents to a bed near where Colin was still lying Petrified, her mum and dad sat down on either side of her. The ornate cauldron that had been bubbling away next to Professor Snape's desk the past few weeks was sitting on a rolling cart near the door.

Madam Pomfrey bustled in, "I was just alerted! Taken into the Chamber itself, Merlin's beard! Here, dear, have some hot chocolate. It'll make you feel better. I daresay, you've been missing for hours, we'll get you something to eat in a bit. Professor McGonagall is alerting the kitchens now to start a feast for dinner."

Ginny sipped on the hot chocolate and a feeling of calmness coursed through her, chasing away the last shadows of fear and doubt still lingering in her mind.

Just then both Professors Snape and Sprout came into the hospital wing. Professor Sprout handed Professor Snape a large vial full of a transparent green liquid. It looked like thick syrup and indeed when Professor Snape poured its contents into the sickly orange potion inside the cauldron it spilled out quite slowly.

"Don't waste that now," breathed Professor Sprout, "it took me the whole of today to procure that much from the Mandrakes."

Professor Snape only gave a look of contempt as he finished pouring the Mandrake juice. The froth from the within the cauldron turned from its sickly orange color to a vibrant green as Professor Snape carefully stirred it with the matching ornate ladle. When he finished, he turned to Madam Pomfrey and gave a curt nod, then he swept from the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey carefully ladled the finished potion into a goblet and as she did so, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick entered the hospital wing closely followed by the caretaker Argus Filch. They went to stand with Professor Sprout who was anxiously waiting for Justin Finch-Fletchy to wake up.

Madam Pomfrey went first to Mrs. Norris. She carefully tipped the goblet towards the cat's mouth and waited. It took only moments. Mrs. Norris woke with a start and immediately pulled away from Madam Pomfrey's arms. She leaped a few steps away and then shook herself from head to tail.

"My cat!" Filch picked up Mrs. Norris.

"Well, she seems to be in order," said Madam Pomfrey, carefully pouring another goblet full. "I'd have Professor Kettleburn do a thorough check on her to be sure," she said to Filch. Filch nodded and carried her out of the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey went to the bed of the nearest student, the Ravenclaw prefect. Professor Flitwick moved forward to retrieve her when she awakened. After Madam Pomfrey administered the potion, Penelope woke with a start. She looked around and seemed confused at first but Professor Flitwick calmly reassured her.

Madam Pomfrey moved to the next bed containing Justin Finch-Fletchy. Professor Sprout went and sat next to his bed while the potion was slowly trickled into his mouth. She had a fierce look in her eyes while she waited for him to respond and Ginny remembered her words, ". . . even if it takes the might of the entire House of Hufflepuff we will make sure Justin catches up. . ."

Justin woke just as suddenly as Mrs. Norris and Penelope had, he sat up with a frightened glance around and then calmed down when he realized he was in the hospital wing. Professor Sprout began explaining things to him in a quiet voice and he slowly leaned back into his pillows.

Hermione was in the next bed. She too woke with a start. She found Professor McGonagall and began trying to expound everything she knew to her at once, "It's a basilisk! The monster, Slytherin's monster, it's a basilisk. It all fits —"

"Miss Granger —" began Professor McGonagall.

"That's why only Harry's been hearing voices, it was a snake in the pipes —"

"Miss Granger —"

"Hagrid says roosters were —"

"It's all been dealt with Miss Granger."

"You can't look it directly in the eyes, and no one died because they didn't —"

"Miss Granger, the basilisk is dead."

Hermione stopped looking anxious and she looked like she was holding back hope. "Dead?"

"Dead," repeated Professor McGonagall.

"How?"

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley found your note clutched in your hand earlier today. Mr. Potter killed the basilisk himself."

"Harry killed —" Hermione cut herself off and leaned back into her own pillows. "They figured it out?"

Professor McGonagall gave her a rare smile, "They read your note in the very least."

Ginny's parents went to console Hermione and Ginny heard her mum invite her to come stay at the Burrow for a few weeks over the summer.

The next bed belonged to Nearly-Headless Nick. Madam Pomfrey had measured out the next goblet and seemed unsure of herself as she approached him.

"Allow me, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall. With a flick of her wand she transfigured the potion inside the goblet into a cloud and let it slowly settle over the figure of Nearly-Headless Nick. Ginny wasn't quite sure what happened but somehow the ghost absorbed the cloud and woke as if from a nap. Unlike the others, he didn't wake with a start.

Nearly-Headless Nick blinked and slowly looked around at everyone. "A monstrous snake with yellow eyes . . . a basilisk then? Foul, evil creatures they are. Well, is there a plan to get rid of it?"

"The basilisk has been dealt with, Sir Nicholas," assured Professor McGonagall as Madam Pomfrey looked him over.

"Excellent, I'll be free to go then I expect?"

Madam Pomfrey usually didn't let her charges go until she was absolutely certain they were healthy again. In the case of Sir Nicholas however, there weren't any vitals to check. Madam Pomfrey waved him away and moved on to the last bed. Nearly-Headless Nick floated up from his berth and glided through the wall out of the hospital wing.

Colin was in the last bed, closest to Ginny. Madam Pomfrey ladled the emptying restorative potion into the last goblet. She carefully held the cup to Colin's lips and let the potion slide into his mouth. Colin jerked awake. He looked around and his eyes lit up at first when he spotted Ginny, but then his eyebrows drew together and he looked away again.

Ginny realized the last thing he remembered was their fight in the common room.

Colin turned to face the rest of the room and looked puzzled to see so many other faces. When he noticed Professor McGonagall he bowed his head.

"Something happened after I snuck out? Didn't it Professor?"

"Yes, Mr. Creevey. You've been Petrified."

Colin face was still pointed at his lap, but he glanced up with his eyes with a sheepish expression.

"Am I in trouble for being out after curfew?"

Professor McGonagall nodded, "The usual punishment is detention and points lost."

"He's been Petrified for months!" exclaimed Ginny.

"Ginny!" scolded her mum.

"Months?" said Colin. His eyes widened at the news but a determined look grew on his face nevertheless.

Professor McGonagall also gave Ginny a scolding glance, but let her mother's admonishment stand.

"I'll serve the detention. I was still caught sneaking out."

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Serving the detention was never an option, it had already been discussed at length," she clipped, "but welcome back all the same, Mr. Creevey. Details of your detention will be sent to you. I trust you are in good hands," she glanced in Ginny's direction who nodded in reply.

"Miss Granger, will you be needing me?" Hermione shook her head at Professor McGonagall. "You all may come down to the feast after Madam Pomfrey releases you."

No sooner did she leave the hospital wing than Ron came in with Lockhart in tow.

"Professor!" exclaimed Hermione and Colin perked up as well. Lockhart gave them a toothy grin, while Ginny's mum gave Ron another welcoming hug.

"Sure is a busy night," commented Madam Pomfrey. "Well, Professor," she addressed Lockhart, "what's wrong with the boy?" she asked while looking Ron over.

Hermione looked at Ron full of concern.

Lockhart looked perplexed at Madam Pomfrey. "I found him in a cave."

Ron rolled his eyes, "He's lost his memory ma'am. A Memory Charm he cast backfired."

Madam Pomfrey widened her eyes, "I'll see what I can do."

Hermione and Colin both looked askance that Lockhart had lost his memory and found Ron in a cave. "What cave? How did he lose his memory?" Hermione hissed to Ron after Madam Pomfrey led him away.

"He was supposed to be finding Ginny, but Harry and I caught him running away," Ginny noticed her mum glare daggers at Lockhart when Ron said that. "He tried to erase our memories but he used my wand and it backfired. We always knew he was a fraud!" Ron whispered so Madam Pomfrey and Lockhart wouldn't overhear.

"Why was he supposed to find Ginny?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.

Ron told her the short version of the story that Harry had told Professor Dumbledore. Colin, Justin, and the Penelope listened earnestly. Colin flicked his gaze towards Ginny when Ron got to the part of the diary but didn't interrupt.

Finally, Madam Pomfrey gave all the students, including Ginny one last check over and proclaimed them fit to leave for the feast. Ginny and Ron gave their mum and dad a farewell hug before they left for the Great Hall with Colin and Hermione where everyone was in their pajamas and they all found seats near Harry and the twins.

Hermione ran to Harry screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" (6) and Colin was bombarded with questions from the other first-years, except by Emerson Faulkner who was clearly distraught but still did his best to join in the celebration of the returned students. Justin Finch-Fletchy came over after the first few courses had been served and personally apologized to Harry for thinking he was the Heir and Ron got to repeat the story of how he and Harry figured out where Slytherin's monster had lived all this time.

Everyone seemed to be glossing over Ginny being taken over by the diary at first but eventually the connection between her being taken into the Chamber and her being the one setting the monster loose on the other students was made. At first, she assumed they would think the worst, but once Harry insisted that it was the diary of Lord Voldemort, Ginny received nothing but sympathy and some of the students were even in a sort of awe of her for having survived his plan.

The feast lasted all night. Hagrid burst through the entry door well after three in the morning and sometime near dawn Professor McGonagall announced that end of the year exams had been officially cancelled as a school treat. Professor Dumbledore joined the celebration intermittently and on one of those occasions announced that Professor Lockhart would not be returning the following year to which there was both much celebration and surprisingly just as much sorrow.

The younger students began falling asleep at the table and everyone started slowly trickling to their separate dormitories throughout the school to sleep during the warmth and security of the summer sunshine.

Ginny had eaten so much at the feast after being starved the entire day she slept the longest and it was only after she had woken up did she find out that all of her fellow Gryffindor girls and even Hermione had taken turns to check on her periodically after they themselves woke in the early afternoon.

Ginny felt stiff and groggy at first and wanted to stumble downstairs to see Colin right away but her mum's words drilled into her head had her sitting in front of her desk carefully brushing out her hair and making sure she looked presentable first. She found him sitting in a far corner, where the owlery box once stood, conversing quietly with Emerson.

The two of them looked at her with solemn expressions as she approached.

"What's wrong?"

"The Livestock Lodge burned down yesterday," replied Colin, looking empathetically at Emerson.

"What?" exclaimed Ginny.

"It happened around the time your brother and Harry disappeared and were rescuing you," said Emerson sullenly. "I was there. Professor Kettleburn had been fumbling a lot lately with the creatures and some of the fire-dwelling salamanders got away from him. I wasn't allowed to help him because they're for fourth years, and he chased one of them all the way up to the loft where the straw and hay are kept. It must have been carrying an ember or a smoldering stick or something because next thing we know the whole building is ablaze and Professor McGonagall was stuck in her office talking to your parents."

"Why didn't anybody say anything about this yesterday?" asked Ginny incredulously.

"I mean, it was happening around the same time all the students were told to go to their common rooms and the teachers told to go to the staff room. I had snuck down to the Livestock Lodge to spend more time with the foal before we let him go. You were missing and that was . . . just more important," Emerson trailed off. "Besides, once the animals were rescued the fire was put out pretty easily, just not in enough time to save the Lodge."

"What happened to the foal? What happened to the other animals?" asked Ginny urgently.

"Professor Kettleburn and I managed to rescue them all and we put them in Hagrid's hut. He wasn't home yet but Professor Kettleburn said he wouldn't mind." Emerson paused, "I think this was a last straw for Professor Kettleburn."

"Why?"

"He kept saying that this never would have happened if he had retired last year like he'd planned, that he wouldn't have lost his arm the year before if he'd retired the year before that. He'd been mumbling for a while now that he was officially going to do it this year."

Emerson looked crushed. Ginny knew that Professor Kettleburn was the teacher he had grown closest to and now he might be abandoned.

"He grumbled about retiring over Christmas break too. Are they going to rebuild the Livestock Lodge?" asked Ginny.

"Professor Kettleburn says that'll be up to the next Professor. I think he really is going to retire."

"Emerson said Professor Kettleburn is going to make up his mind after he finishes treating the animals he's taking care of," said Colin.

Emerson stood up, deliberately avoiding eye contact with either of them. "We're releasing the foal in a little while. If you're coming, I'll see you there." He'd spoken in a constricted voice and had continued to avoid looking at them in a move Ginny had seen many times used by her brothers when they were on the verge of tears. He crossed the common room and headed out the portrait hole.

"I suppose we should try to find Ash," said Ginny. "I told Emerson I would tell her she was invited by Professor Kettleburn but I didn't exactly get the chance yesterday."

"She's going to be there," said Colin matter-of-factly.

Ginny gave him a puzzled look.

"Emerson mentioned the foal when I caught up with the guys in my dorm at the feast last night and said she was invited. When you went to bed with everyone else, I stayed behind and met up with Ash. We went to the library and caught up on everything I missed."

He looked at Ginny determinedly, "Ash never intended for anyone to ever see that poem. Gwendelyn found it days after she accidentally picked it up, and at first, she thought Ash admired Harry Potter, but Kindra figured it out. She realized Ash was protecting you and she made Gwendelyn send the valentine to Harry. It was either that or be outcast from her group for forever. Gwendelyn chose to stay in the group."

"Ash has been on your side during that whole mess," said Colin, "even while you've been pushing her away. I can tell she misses you, but you know she's not the sort to go chasing after a person who doesn't want anything to do with her."

Normally, this was where Ginny would find her anger flaring up and when every reason she should abandon her friendship with Ash would bubble to mind. However, she found that without the diary's subtle influence, there was very little anger left for her to give. Searching her feelings, she found only sadness, and regret.

"I should apologize to her."

"My dad would say that's a good start," said Colin.

Ginny smiled, thinking of little Dennis and Mr. Creevey. "I spent Christmas with your dad and your brother you know."

It was Colin's turn to give a puzzled expression.

"They came to Hogwarts to spend Christmas with you."

"I thought you were going to go to Egypt."

"Plans changed."

"Are we okay?" she asked. "I mean, before you were Petrified, we had a pretty big row."

"Ash told me that you visited me and what you told her when you did, but you were right, it wasn't safe for me to go out after curfew."

Ginny shook her head, "No, you were right. I was protecting Harry from you. I'm sorry. Besides," she grinned, "obviously, if I had gone with you then I wouldn't have been furiously writing to Tom, and I wouldn't have gotten possessed, and you wouldn't have been Petrified."

Colin grinned back, "I guess we're okay, since you admitted you should have just gone with me," he paused before looking up at Ginny directly. "I promise to be less embarrassing around Harry. That way you won't have to feel like you need to protect him from me."

They headed down to the grounds where many students were enjoying the last of the day's sunshine and made their way to Hagrid's hut. Ash was already down there, standing near Emerson, watching Professor Kettleburn leading the foal outside.

Ginny walked over to the foal and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you for warning me about Tom," she whispered before letting him go and stepping back.

Hagrid came out of the forest and behind him was a pure white adult mare unicorn. Ginny's eyes widened. She'd never seen anything so beautiful, it's innocence palpable even from a distance.

The adult pricked its ears at the sight of the foal and nickered softly. The foal perked up at the sound and let out a loud whinny in answer.

Professor Kettleburn called Emerson over, "Faulkner! Come get this harness off this guy."

Emerson walked over and gave the foal a scratch between the ears, but the foal didn't seem to notice; his attention all on the fully grown adult waiting at the edge of the forest. Em reached up and released the buckle under the foal's left ear.

The foal bowed his head and with a quick shake flicked it off, then he raced to the side of the female. He stopped short right in front of her and they lifted their heads together to blow in each other's noses.

Ginny waited with bated breath. She'd seen the horses in the neighbor's pasture interact this way with the old mare. If she bared her teeth the other horse would jerk away and quickly distance themselves. If the old mare pricked her ears forward and nodded her head up and down, they would race around the pasture together in play for a short time.

It only took a moment, the unicorn mare pricked her ears and both her and the foal tossed their heads up and down a few times before racing off into the Forbidden Forest and disappearing behind a thicket. Gone in an instant.

"I was un-realistically expecting him to turn back and give us one last farewell look," said Ash.

Ginny and Colin burst out laughing.

"Me too," said Ginny. She caught Ash's eye and saw they were glistening with unshed tears.

When she looked around at everyone else, Colin seemed more curious than sad, Emerson's face was slightly red but otherwise his face showed no expression. Professor Kettleburn had a faraway look in his eye almost as though he could still see the foal running off to be with the rest of the herd, and Hagrid had full on tears leaking down his face and disappearing into his beard.

Ash took a deep breath, blinked, and her eyes cleared. "I mean, is he going to be okay?"

"The mare took to him, she'll get him accepted with the rest of her herd," replied Professor Kettleburn.

Ash nodded reluctantly.

"Sometimes, you just have to believe," said Colin consolingly.

"Are you really leaving, sir?" Emerson asked Professor Kettleburn.

"Aye, I'll be talking to Professor Dumbledore later this evening."

"Yeh'll be missed," said Hagrid heavily. "An' we won' have time ter design or build a new lodge fer the animals while we wait fer a replacemen'."

"The Headmaster will have it all under control, I'm sure," said Professor Kettleburn.

Ginny thought about the way Professor Dumbledore had summed up how nothing she had done while under the influence of Tom in the diary had any lasting effects; she was sure he would have it under control too. Not that things weren't still a mess needing cleaned up. She glanced over at Colin, the person she'd Petrified for the longest, not including Filch's cat.

The three of them said their good-byes to Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn. Emerson chose to stay to help sort out the remaining hospitalized animals from the fire.

Ginny, Colin, and Ash walked towards the lake.

"Dennis invited me to visit you and your family this summer," she turned to Ash, "I'm sure you're welcome too. They were disappointed they couldn't meet you over Christmas."

"I'm sure my parents wouldn't allow it," said Ash listlessly.

"I won't be home at all this summer anyway," said Colin.

Both Ash and Ginny stopped short so Colin, who had been walking in the middle and slightly ahead of both of them, had to turn around to face them.

"What do you mean?" asked Ginny.

"I'm staying here. At Hogwarts. For the whole summer. To catch up." He spoke in short phrases to answer their blank looks. "A few days ago, I was just trying Wingardium Leviosa for the first time. I missed almost a whole year. Both Justin and I are staying. The professors are going to work around the clock to get us caught up before September first so we don't have to be held back a year."

"What about Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater?" asked Ash.

"They only missed a couple of weeks," said Colin. "Penelope is a Ravenclaw and Hermione is Hermione. They're already catching up and end of the year exams were cancelled so all they have to do is prove their knowledge on what they missed."

"I was looking forward to visiting," said Ginny.

"Would your parents have let you?" asked Ash timidly.

Ginny stopped and thought about how her parents might react to her asking to visit Colin and his dad and brother. She was their only girl, and only her mum had met them for a very short time.

"Maybe not."

"We'll write," said Ash turning back to Colin.

"Of course, we'll write," said Ginny.

Colin flicked his eyes back and forth between the two of them and smiled. "You'll write to each other too?"

Ginny nodded and Ash replied with a simple, "Yes." She caught Ginny's eye and Ginny knew her answer was honest.

The three of them spent their last few days together as much as possible. The tension in the relationship between Ash and Ginny slowly loosened and when it was just her and Colin in the Gryffindor common room Ginny found she was actually able to laugh again.

Gwendelyn approached the three of them in the library once and told Ginny the whole story of how she had found the poem and was going to give it back but had made Kindra angry and caved and gave it to her to get back into her good graces.

"Kindra tried to use the information to get close to Pansy Parkinson. It backfired though. Pansy told Draco who told her it was old news . . . in front of everyone. Pansy got really mad at Kindra and that's why Kindra pushed me away for a little while."

"Draco called me Harry's girlfriend last summer," said Ginny. "I was telling Malfoy off but since he said it so long ago, to him it's old news. It's stupid that someone can use untrue information as a weapon to put someone else down, just because they were aware of it first."

"Said the Weasley girl," replied Gwendelyn who seemed offended at Ginny's flippant comment.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Ginny heatedly.

"Weasley may be at the bottom of the old family names, but it's still above mine. You have the power to say anything you want is stupid."

Ash stepped forward, "That has nothing to do with —"

Ginny put up a hand to stop her. She had felt her anger flare up, but once again it was noticeably diminished compared to when she had written to Tom in the diary.

"I think that's the first real thing you've ever said to me and haven't just repeated from someone else."

Gwendelyn held her ground for the first time all year. She didn't stand up to her fullest height, but she didn't wilt in front of the combined stances of Ginny and Ash together either. She was backing up her own words, for the first time.

"Regardless," continued Ginny calmly, "Kindra is a bully. Nobody needs that, including you."

"I get what you're saying," Gwendelyn grimaced.

"Then why do you put up with her? Ash is a Burke, why do you need Kindra?"

"Life is easier when you're on Kindra's side," said Gwen simply.

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I gotta go before she finds me." Gwendelyn turned around and quickly walked away before Ginny could think of a reply to change her mind.

: : : : :

The last day of term, students were milling around the Hogsmeade station and Ginny and Colin were waiting for first-years to be allowed to board. Ginny was watching Ash who was some distance away, trapped with her brother's arm around her not unlike Harry had been last summer with Lockhart in Flourish and Blotts.

Ash was putting on a much better front than Harry had however. She kept a fake smile plastered on her face, her eyes bright, and she laughed at her brother's jokes when it was appropriate. Draco Malfoy and two of his fellow second-years, Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson, approached the group Ash was being kept in with her brother and Draco held his own with the older students and their banter.

Kindra tried to push her way close to Pansy and Ginny had the satisfaction of watching Pansy slightly turn sideways and keep her butted out of the core group. Kindra looked put out but she didn't give up. Next, she tried to wend her way close to Pansy's friend, Daphne Greengrass.

So the cycle continues, thought Ginny. Next year there will be a new crop of first-years and Kindra will no longer have to scramble like she is now. With no older siblings, like Ash to bring her into the center of the fold, and no prestige like the Malfoys, she had to work extra hard for a spot to be included, but next year there would be some other first-year in her position and Kindra would be the experienced older student.

Ginny knew Kindra was too wrapped up in what she was doing to realize Ginny was watching her struggle, and Ginny chose to look away before Kindra caught on. For a split-second she had nearly felt sorry for her, but then glanced in Colin's direction, who'd been taking pictures of the students and the Hogwarts Express, and she remembered how Kindra had spilled doxy eggs just to pick on him.

Colin spotted Ron, Harry, and Hermione making their way onto the train, surrounded by other second-years. Ginny waited for Colin to get excited and to drag her over to them, but he held true to his word. He didn't do anything to gain Harry's attention, neither on purpose nor on accident.

Ginny felt like so much had changed, she couldn't even recognize the memory of herself from the previous summer, let alone her naïve views of the world she had once held.

Last year her worries were whether or not she would get her letter, if her mum and dad could afford to buy her a pet, how Ron's life was affected by being Harry Potter's friend. None of that mattered now.

Harry Potter had saved her life. She was invested in his well-being, now and forever, just as much as Ron, no matter how it affected her own life. Ron's friendship with him affecting her brother's way of life was a simple given.

Late at night after the other girls in her dorm had fallen asleep and Ginny was finally alone with her thoughts, she'd often pondered these last few days of term on how engrossed a mere memory version of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had become at getting to Harry, and at some point came to the definitive conclusion that the real Voldemort — she'd faced him she thought to herself, she should be able to think his name — the real Voldemort would be back and he would be far more tenacious at getting rid of Harry.

A war was coming, she realized. She didn't know when, but she knew it was inevitable. She also knew how Voldemort thought, she knew his ruthlessness, and she knew the strength it would take to beat him. It terrified her to think that her family was at risk but knowing they would do anything to help protect not just Harry but wizards everywhere, gave her the resolve to face her fear of him.

The real Voldemort would never know how she had once beat his sixteen-year-old self and got rid of the box he'd slammed around her psyche. He would never know how well she knew him and his way of using words to manipulate others. He would never know that she would personally never underestimate his callousness.

Waiting in line, Ginny realized that her knowledge of Voldemort's mind was a major advantage.

She prepared to board the Hogwarts express with the largest smile she'd worn since classes first began. It was bigger than when she'd been sorted into Gryffindor, bigger even than when she'd scored her first goal in Quidditch Scrimmage.

It didn't go unnoticed by Colin.

"Happy to see your mum and dad later?"

She didn't know how to explain her newfound realization and settled with a simple, "Yes." She then wondered how long it would take for her improved skill of evading, curtesy of Tom in the diary, would take to stop feeling natural.

"There's Ash," said Colin, standing on tip-toe to try to see above the crowd. Ash had finally broken out of her brother's grip. "I'll help you guys find a carriage before I head back to the castle," he said after Ash walked up.

"That's okay," Ash said. "I'm going to ride back with my brother."

Ginny looked taken aback. "Why?"

"I'm still angry," said Ash truthfully. "I'm wasn't going to chase after someone who didn't want to talk to me, but . . . I didn't deserve to be shut out for that long either."

Ginny looked down at her shoes, "I'm sorry. I was focused on getting the diary back so it couldn't hurt anyone else. I swear that's the only reason I didn't try to make things right."

Ash rolled her eyes, "I can't believe you ever thought you might not be a Gryffindor when here is a prime example of you trying to save everyone in the whole school." She picked up the handle of her trunk, "Look, I promised to write and I will. But I'm riding the train home with my brother. Have a good summer," she said as she glanced between the two of them.

Ginny couldn't help herself after the Gryffindor remark, "So you wouldn't have tried to get it back at all?"

Ash stopped and marched back.

"I would have done the sensible thing and told a teacher. Which is exactly what I would've told you to do, if you had ever bothered to mention it to me in the first place."

Ginny was speechless.

Ash took the opportunity to march away again.

"Come on," said Colin quietly. "Let's find you a place on the train."

The twins were coming out of one of the train's doors. "This way little sister," said Fred as George scooped her trunk handle out of her hand. They both gave Colin a slight nod before disappearing to their claimed compartment.

"Guess I'm riding back with my brothers too," said Ginny.

"Have a good summer," said Colin.

"Try to find some time to practice flying in between all the homework."

Colin grinned.

Ginny had just as great of a train ride home as she'd had on the way to Hogwarts. It was nice to be around just family. Including not only Harry, but Hermione as well she thought. Those three really were inseparable.

They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced Disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny — what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well — Percy's got a girlfriend."

Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

"What?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was — you know — attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she hoped she'd managed to make that last bit sound anxious. She really wanted to drive in the idea of torturing Percy after he'd broken their deal.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.

"Definitely not," said George, sniggering. (7)

Quotes:

(1) CoS Page 327
(2) CoS Page 327
(3) CoS Page 328
(4) CoS Page 328
(5) CoS Pages 329-330 *Changes made include referring to Ginny and her family from her point of view rather than Harry's.
(6) CoS Page 339
(7) CoS Page 340-341 *Changed the quote from Harry's perspective to Ginny's which allowed room for an inner thought process.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has stayed with me for the entire duration this past year and a half, who waded through the rough waters of those initial chapters during this first foray into writing for me and well into these much more polished chapters I am quite proud of today. I've immensely enjoyed learning the writing and story crafting processes with this exercise of writing from another character's perspective, and in doing a few more of these sorts of stories I feel like I will finally be able to properly give voice to an original story of my own. I appreciate each and every reader who's given Ginny's story a shot and I adore every one of you who've made it this far. Much love and remember! Always choose love. -Rissa.