Wand-Leader & The Spy

26- Cracks

London, Diagon Alley, September 19th, 1999, 17.30 hours

Ron Weasley had his wand out when he heard the vanishing cabinet creak. He didn't expect trouble to arrive from France, but after more than a month as a spy in Britain, some habits were ingrained. And when the doors opened, he knew trouble had arrived.

"Did you know?" Ginny asked, in place of a greeting.

"No," Ron answered reflexively.

She glared at him, as if trying to decide if he was lying, while he pointed his wand away.

"What are you doing here?" he finally asked. "This is…"

"Too dangerous for a witch? Like your lover or Tonks?" Ginny said, putting her hands on her hip. "Too dangerous for a Weasley, like you, Fred, George and Percy?"

"Percy and Tonks almost died!"

"And you're still here." She tossed her hair back. "And Percy and Tonks are not available. Which means you need more people."

"You know why you can't do this. You're too well-known."

She scoffed. "Hah! If Harry can disappear for an evening or two a week, so can I. Everyone will assume we're off in a love-nest." Before he could say anything, she sneered. "And don't give me that line about being the reason for Harry to come back, the reason he'll not do something reckless! He told me about the real prophecy! He told me he might have to die to kill Voldemort once and for all!"

His little sister was shaking, and he could see tears in her eyes. He knew this revelation had to have hurt her greatly. To find out that your love might have to die, and that he had kept this from her… It wouldn't have helped that she had resented Ron and his brothers slightly overprotective attitude towards her for years.

He saw that she had her wand drawn. "He told me today. I told him to tell you."

Ginny conjured a couch and slammed herself on it more than she sat down. She took a few deep breaths to calm down. "He told me. And I told him I won't let him go off to die by himself."

"You didn't hex him, did you?" They had a mission tonight.

She sniffed. "Of course I didn't. I'm not a silly little girl who thinks she can solve her troubles with a hex."

"Not anymore, you mean," he said.

She glared at him, but she couldn't exactly hex him now without proving her claim wrong.

"Where is Harry then?"

She shrugged. "He should be along in a while, with Dumbledore."

"And what did our parents say about this?"

She looked away. "They don't exactly know."

He closed his eyes. "So, you're doing the exact same thing you are mad at Harry for doing?"

"Yes."

Ron sighed. "Ma petite, that's not exactly mature."

Ginny shrugged. "I'll tell them after it's over."

He realised she'd not budge, and tried another argument. "You're not trained in combat, not to the level we are. You'd be a liability in battle."

"I'm not planning to fight side by side," she said. "I'm the best flyer of all of you, with the possible exception of Harry."

"Possible exception?" He raised his eyebrows.

She folded her arms. "I'm the better chaser."

"And that will matter in battle exactly how?"