~Pottertalia~ (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 2

--Present Time---

Alfred and Arthur came back when the lunch cart was being pushed around. There seemed to be something wrong. After all, Alfred was scowling. Alfred Jones rarely scowls, or frowns, for that matter.

"Did you hear? Snape's the headmaster!" Alfred shouted, slamming the compartment door shut.

"I cannot believe that he would be Headmaster!" Arthur hissed. Ginny felt a bubbling anger inside her; he was working for the Dark Lord! How could he be chosen as Headmaster with Dumbledore dead? She bit the inside of her cheek, deep in thought.

There was a horrible sinking feeling in her stomach she just couldn't get rid of.

---5 years ago---

"Lost, are we?" She looked up at the smiling Slytherin.

"Who are you?" She asked him.

"I'm Francis Bonnefoy; pleasure to make your acquaintance," he replied, blonde hair cascading over his face easily. He seemed kind, but he made her unsettled at the same time. Perhaps she still has something against Slytherins after all.

"Now, now, frog, leave her alone." A voice said behind him.

"Kirkland. You wound me; I wouldn't do anything other than help her."

Another blonde stepped out from behind Francis, and Ginny recognized him to be the one who called out to Alfred.

"I'm Arthur Kirkland," he said, turning to face her.

"So Alfred's told me," Ginny replied.

She discretely stepping backwards as Francis asked, "Did Jones say anything about me?"

"Ah? Alfred does have a tendency to talk far more than he should, really." He smiled a bit though, and a look of-fondness?-crossed his face.

He turned back to Francis. "I'll lead her to wherever she needs to go; you go tell Professor that I'll be late." Francis sighed, and waved easily to Ginny before heading off in the opposite direction.

"Where are you heading off to?" He asked. He looked down at her, as if he was her superior. Prefect material, she thought.

Ginny looked at her schedule. "Um, Transfiguration." Arthur nodded, and begin to speed up his pace as he made a turn round a corner. They walked a bit until they arrived at an unassuming door, and he pointed at it.

"This is the room."

Ginny thanked him gratefully. "You know, you really are as kind as Alfred says you are."

Arthur shook his head humbly, a bit flustered. "I'm not that kind, it's only common courtesy..."

She laughed a little, thanking him. He began walking off, and she saw him disappear from her sight before she ducked into the doorway.

---

Ginny sat by the fireplace as she finished up the last bits of homework. Really, getting so much work on the first day was a bit of unfair for first years, wasn't it? She sighed.

"Jones, getting cocky, are you?" She pricked her ears and looked up. Alfred and Seamus Finnigan were coming in through the portrait hole.

"I've played Quodpot with my dad when I was younger; I doubt Quidditch is any different!" Alfred replied confidently. Ginny bit her lip from laughing at how Quodpot and Quidditch were similar, not the same. She wouldn't pay any attention to the ridiculous conversation.

She sifted through her bookbag, and saw the leather book that was given to her by mistake. Ginny smiled a little at the book. It was like having a pen pal. She's been writing her secrets and worries in it, and someone named "Tom" would reply back.

The bickering had ceased once Seamus made his way upstairs, and she found the presence of Alfred behind her. "Hey, what're you reading?"

She slammed the book shut. "Um, it's not something for the public to see. A diary, you know?"

He wrinkled his brow. "Sure..? Right! I heard you've met Francis and Arthur today; what'd you think?"

"They're okay; by Slytherin standards, anyhow."

Alfred rolled his eyes. "Man, Slytherins got it hard. Anyways, how was your first day? Awesome?"

"It was pretty good." She admitted, shutting the rest her books and placing them into her bag. Alfred smiled his sincere and lopsided grin.

"I'm glad, then."

---

Ginny sat on her bed and pulled out her quill.

Hullo, Tom.
Hullo to you, too. Are you doing well?
Yes.
Well, that is pleasant to know. Do you know anything about Harry Potter, by any chance?

Ginny felt a little suspicious. Why bring up Harry all of a sudden?

I've actually haven't had a decent conversation with him...why?
Oh, just wondering.

The writing ceased, and did not continue for the rest of that night. She rolled onto her back, staring at the canopy above her bed. She wondered who Tom was.