Chapter 6 – When boredom strikes

Hello my lovely readers, here goes another one! Writing Dumbledore was my biggest challenge so I do apologise in advance if I ruined him for anyone! Drop me a comment on what you think was good or not so good (its ok, im old enough to take a hit!) and I hope you enjoy!

A few days had passed since the incident with Ron and Ginny decided to lay low. That meant having to wait until she was sure he wouldn't be lounging about with the Trio in the Common room before sneaking in and up to her room, going to the kitchens either super early or her trip to bed, and avoiding him in the corridors between classes. Instead, Ginny had made a corner of the library her base. There she would meet Pansy, Blaise, Malfoy and the Crabbe twins (on rare occasions). They wouldn't talk much (that's if you counted Malfoy trying to make digs at Ginny. Ginny, with her infamous temper, would take the bait and go mad. This in turn would get a nasty look from Madam Pince). They would just take their respectable seats around the table and get on with their homework.

If Pansy had put out a death warrant for Ron, you couldn't tell. She behaved, around Ginny, as if she hadn't said it at all. In fact, on the 3rd day after, Ginny had been very confused. Just like the days before, after every class, Pansy would be waiting outside Ginny's classrooms with a smirk on her face. Dare Ginny ask her how she managed to get to her rooms fast?

What Ginny did want to know is why? Why the special treatment all of a sudden? To which Pansy just replied "because we're friends Ginny, that's what friends do right?" Ginny wasn't too sure what to say. The girl looked genuine enough. I mean it wasn't doing me any harm right? She thought as Pansy walked her to Herbology.

In fact she liked the company; since the incident with Ron, Harry and Hermione had been non-existent. She would see Hermione in the Library every evening swamped in books. She would look at Ginny, give her that pathetic 'I'm-sorry-but-I-can't-do-anything' look, nod her head and once again bury her bushy head in her books. And Harry, well whenever Ginny saw him, his face was attached to Cho's.

It was one of the avoiding-Ron moments as he made his way down to the dungeons and Ginny made her way up to Hagrid's for CoMC when a 2nd year with a bag bigger than himself came bounding down the corridor and stopped just in front of Ginny. He handed her a scroll and scampered off as he saw Pansy besides her.

"What's it say Gin?" Pansy asked as they came to the top of the stairs.

"Dumbledore wants to see me immediately in his office. Weird. See you in the library?" Pansy nodded.

Ginny remembered the first time she had stepped in to Dumbledore's office and remembered smelling lemons and the woody smell of a burning fire. This time was no different. In fact the only thing that had changed was that a sword that had hung over Dumbledore's desk was no longer there. Instead there was a photo of a woman that closely resembled Dumbledore, beard and all!

As Ginny entered the office, Dumbledore was seated behind his enormous desk looking like he had nodded off. Well he is about 700 years old Ginny. She told herself.

"Good afternoon Ginny." His eyes sprang open and looked at Ginny keenly over his half-moon spectacles. "Take a seat please. Lemon drop?" He pushed forward the crystal bowl looking embarrassingly empty with the Headmasters favourite sweets.

"You have to excuse me, I find that when I procrastinate, I tend to reach more for these beautiful treats." He looked down into the bowl lovingly. "That is not why I have called you here Miss Weasley. It has come to my attention that you acquired a new set of friends, am I wrong?" Ginny had always admired the Headmasters ability to look through people. Being on the receiving end, however, left Ginny feeling exposed.

"If you mean the Slytherins, then yes Professor." He nodded his head as if confirming something.

"Although I prefer not to get involved in people's choice of friends - too messy - forgive me for saying this Miss Weasley, but do you think that is wise considering the history your family has with the Malfoys?" Ginny was taken aback by this. She thought she had been called up for stuffing a couple of Fred and George's fire firecracker collection down the toilets on the 4th floor last week.

"I understand what you're saying Professor but I enjoy their company. Pansy and Malfoy help me with my homework and in turn, we're civil with one another." Why did she lie to Dumbledore? About Slytherins?

Dumbledore gave Ginny that look again. "If that is the only reason why than I must ask that you keep your wits about you Miss Weasley. It is not the Headmasters duty to make choices for you, you must do that by yourself and learn." He popped another lemon drop in to his mouth. "Was there anything else that was on your mind Miss Weasley?"

Ginny hesitated.

"Well, Professor. I do have a request I was hoping you would agree to." At a slight incline of his head, Ginny went on. "It's about my brother..."

"Mr Weasley?" Dumbledore sat up straighter. "What of him?"

"Well, we've had a bit of a disagreement on the topic of friendship groups and he's been acting really strange since we got back. Could be girl trouble, I mean that Julie girl is always stuck to his arm whenever I see him. And that drives Hermione crazy because I'm sure she secretly lov – and I think I need to stop talking because I'm rambling again." She paused and looked at Dumbledore pink faced. His eyes twinkled. "What I'm trying to say Professor, if there is any way I could have, I don't know, a secret passageway into my room or something?" Ginny knotted her hands together in her lap. A habit she had yet to shift from her childhood.

"I'm afraid, Miss Weasley, a secret passageway I cannot do. For security purposes, you must understand." Ginny's shoulders fell in disappointment.

Was worth a try right. She thought.

"However…" Ginny's head shot up. "…I can offer you a new room instead." At Ginny's excited face and vigorous nodding, he went on. "Miss Weasley, you must understand there are strange happenings happening in Hogwarts. I'm afraid that many forces are moving in the dark and we must keep all we can safe… That will be all for tonight Miss Weasley. I will get one of the house-elves to take you down to your new room after dinner." He cocked his ear to the right. "I believe they have finished taking your belongings for you. Is there anything else you would like to ask?"

Ginny stood up swiftly at the abrupt dismissal. One thing did play on her mind.

"Yes Professor - Who's that woman in the photo behind you? Just curious."

Lots more craziness to come guys! In the next chapter we get an awkward apology, an even more awkward confrontation and lets not begin to describe THAT awkward moment someone got caught out…

Until next time…