From Wiltshire, With Love

Chapter 48

"Ginny, do you want to break into the Ministry with me?"

Ginny's eyes widened and then her face broke into a conspiratorial smile.

Ginny knew the trio kept things from her. She accepted it, but it annoyed her to no end. She already had enough baggage with being the youngest Weasley and the only female sibling. Ginny was a powerful and talented witch who always pushed herself to the limit, adamant to prove herself as competent as her brothers. She was still resentful for not being inducted into the Order as soon as the rest of her family and didn't like being left out of the trio's adventures. Not only was she shunted aside, but she had to watch her boyfriend dive headfirst into unknown dangers that Harry couldn't explain.

"What for?" She turned her body to face Hermione, sitting up on her bed cross-legged, brown eyes flashing with excitement.

"I need to access legal records in the Ministry archives. We probably won't be able to get what I need on this break in. This time will likely be more exploratory to see what charms and protections are used, what files are needed. The second visit we'll get what I need."

Ginny pulled her ginger hair forward, braiding it while she considered the information. "Why aren't you taking Harry and Ron?"

Harry and Ron already hated that she kept Order leadership information from them and had been furious about the diadem. She couldn't explain why she needed to get into the archives and what she was using the information for, and didn't want the hassle of fighting with them throughout a mission they didn't understand the purpose of.

"I need someone I can count on who won't ask questions." Harry sometimes talked with Kingsley, and she didn't want this getting back to him either. Ginny didn't even know Kingsley was involved with the Order anymore so there was no danger there.

Ginny's face fell in disappointment. "So you won't tell me what the purpose of these records is?"

"No." Ginny pouted, and Hermione tried to assuage her. "I promise I'll tell you when the war is over."

Ginny wasn't mollified at all, but she asked, "And I'm assuming I can't tell Harry or Ron that we're breaking in? Or anyone else?"

"No."

Ginny's lips quirked upwards. "So it's just us?"

Hermione gave her a small smile, hoping she'd find appeal in the two of them sneaking out together. "Yep."

Ginny stared at her in thought, fingering her long braid. Hermione wondered if being involved in something her older brothers weren't and having her own secret mission would be enough of an incentive to overcome the fact that she couldn't know the mission's purpose.

"Why does no one else know?"

Hermione inhaled and studied Ginny.

"I don't think I'm being told the entire truth." Ginny would appreciate that reasoning, even if it wasn't specific. "I want to get answers."

Ginny's eyebrows rose, and then her jaw set. Hermione smiled, knowing she would agree.

"Alright, when do we go?"

Hermione pulled Harry's invisibility cloak out of her beaded bag. When Ginny's gaze landed on it her lips lifted in a devious grin. She'd never used it before, only heard the stories.

"We could go tonight," Hermione's voice lifted enticingly.

Nearly hypnotized, Ginny walked over, reached out towards the cloak and pulled the fabric up over her hand. She watched as her limb disappeared and reappeared with each slip of the fabric up and down her arm.