Thank you for the favourites, follows and reviews! Sorry if I'm skimping on details a bit, it can be hard to remember what you've established when it seems obvious but I'll try and keep a better handle on it.

CHAPTER TWENTY

When Ginny pushed open the door to the office, the first thing she saw was Remus packing. The second thing she saw was that Sirius was with him. That was going to make her job even harder. Quickly, she pushed that thought away. She wasn't here for it to be easy.

"I'm sorry,"she said. That seemed like a good place to start. They both turned to her. At least she had their attention. "I'm sorry that you have to leave and I'm sorry that it's my fault."

Remus looked at her carefully. To her surprise, she thought she saw understanding in his look. "You were frightened when you saw me change, weren't you?" Ginny nodded. "For nearly as long as I can remember, when people have found out what I am, they've been afraid of me. Not many of them have apologised for it afterwards. So thank you for that."

"He wouldn't have hurt you,"Sirius said acidly.

Remus nodded. "Sirius here had been providing me with wolfsbane potion. Have you heard of that?"

"No,"Ginny admitted.

Sirius grimaced. "I suppose the anti-werewolf brigade never mention that bit."

"It allows me to keep my own mind during the transformation,"Remus explained. "My body changes but I remain a man in the body of a wolf. It stops me from harming people."

"I don't really know much about werewolves,"Ginny confessed. "I didn't know if you were going to hurt me or not."

"Sometimes it's what we don't know about that scares us most,"Remus agreed.

"After what happened with Professor Pettigrew last year, I was looking for another enemy in disguise. I thought I'd found it with you two. I guess I've got a lot to learn still about the magical world."

"A willingness to learn is what separates you from the Pansy Parkinsons of this world."

Ginny turned to Sirius. "Harry told me that you've known about Professor Lupin since you were in school. That's why you call him Moony, right?"

"You noticed that?" Sirius gave a smile. "Well, you're smart enough to learn anyway."

"You'll have to teach me about wolfsbane next year, Professor Black."

"Maybe,"Sirius replied. "Or maybe I'll teach you about werewolves instead. You see, I'll be taking over as Defence Against Dark Arts teacher. See if I can have a go at beating the curse Voldemort placed on the position."

"Not many people are brave enough to use that name. Voldemort."

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Certainly, no-one that follows him is."

"I'm looking forward to seeing my father again,"Luna mused as she and Ginny walked down the hill towards the sidings where the Hogwarts Express was waiting for them. "But I'll miss having friends during the holidays."

"Well, maybe we don't have to lose touch,"Ginny suggested. "We've got owls if nothing else."

"Oh yes, that's a good idea,"Luna agreed. "How clever of you to think of it."

Ginny saw Harry, Hermione and Neville further down the path. She had been avoiding the older Gryffindors ever since Harry's outburst at her and she was planning to do it again. But Harry saw her and motioned for the other two to stop. Ginny carried on with some trepidation but when she got close, she saw that Harry wasn't scowling. In fact, he looked rather contrite.

"I'm sorry,"he told her.

Ginny was surprised and wasn't sure she deserved the apology. "Professor Lupin's practically your uncle. I get why you were angry that I hurt him."

"Yes, but I should have known that you wouldn't do it on purpose. You're probably the bravest and kindest person I know." Harry's words pleased Ginny more than she expected. As did the way he hugged her afterwards.

"We were talking about meeting up during the holidays,"Neville put in.

"So were we,"Luna told him. "Or possibly just sending messages. I'm not sure."

"My parents have said I can have some friends round,"Harry explained. "Neville and Hermione have already said they'd come. Why don't you come too, Ginny?" He seemed about to leave it at that, but a warning look from Hermione caused him to quickly add "And you too, Luna."

"That sounds as though it would be very nice,"Luna agreed.

"Yes, it does,"Ginny echoed.

"And Harry's promised his dad won't interrogate you too much,"Hermione assured her.

"We've got even more to talk about now,"Ginny replied. "But I'll tell you about that later." She found herself smiling. Spending some of the holidays at Harry's with her friends. Suddenly the future didn't seem too bad after all.