Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 15: Ginny's Day (Pt 2)

2 September 1:10 p.m.

(The First Afternoon)

By the end of lunch, Ginny was feeling better, though what happened at breakfast still left her feeling somewhat upset. On the bright side, her first class – Transfiguration – went relatively well, though she didn't earn any points for Slytherin and McGonagall kept giving her odd looks. Harry had recommended that she put together a study group and that she not limit herself to Slytherins, so she and Luna had made plans to meet up on Friday after lunch, along with Astoria (who insisted on being called Tori whenever her sister wasn't around) and Colin. Harry had also told her that it was okay to be on a first name basis with members of other Houses and especially Gryffindors who usually avoided traditional Pureblood social conventions anyway. As she and Astoria were leaving the Great Hall, Ginny was surprised when they were intercepted by none other than Percy Weasley, who stepped in front of them both and bowed respectfully.

"Good afternoon, Miss Greengrass. I am Percival Weasley, scion of the House of Weasley. I wonder if I might borrow my sister Ginevra for a moment to discuss some family matters."

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise at Percy's unusually formal speech. She was certain he'd never called her Ginevra in her entire life. For her part, Tori just seemed amused.

"Sure thing. Ginny, I'll see you later." Then, she walked away humming a Weird Sisters tune. Ginny folded her arms and looked at her brother doubtfully.

"Ginevra?" she asked in amusement. "Are we going to be all formal now, Percival?"

The older boy blushed. "Sorry. My understanding was that Slytherins frowned on nicknames. I didn't want to embarrass you in front of one of your peers. And yet somehow, I seem to have done so anyway."

"It's alright, Percy. Astoria isn't your typical Slytherin. Although increasingly, I'm not sure what the 'typical Slytherin' actually is. So, what's up?"

He looked around. "Let's take this somewhere more private." With that, he led her to a nearby empty classroom, ironically the same one George had taken her into that morning. Once inside, he put up a privacy spell. "So, how has your first day been going? I know it must have been traumatic for you. First the Sorting last night and then the Howler this morning."

"The Howler didn't bother me, Percy," she interrupted.

He sighed. "I could see your face, Ginny. I think that Howler bothered you a lot more than you let on."

She shrugged. "What happened, happened. There's no sense brooding over it. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a brooder." She hesitated. "So, how do you feel about me being a Slytherin?"

"I won't deny that I worry about you. You're sharing a dorm with a whole lot of people who think you're a blood traitor, and as I understand it, you're sharing a room with at least one person who may hold a deep personal grudge against our family. That said, I trust the Sorting Hat. If it wanted you in Slytherin and you were brave enough to follow its advice, then I truly believe it will all turn out for the best, no matter what anyone else thinks."

She studied her brother for a long moment. "The Hat offered you Slytherin too, didn't it?"

He chuckled. "Actually, the Hat offered me my choice of Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor in that order." Then, his expression changed to one of wistful sadness. "It also said I wasn't Hufflepuff material. At the time, I was so ignorant and arrogant that I considered that to be a compliment. Anyway, it told me that I would be happiest in Ravenclaw or most successful in Slytherin, but despite all that, I would probably insist on Gryffindor. It actually sounded annoyed with me even as it told me that. But even though it felt wrong, I couldn't bear the thought of being the first non-Gryffindor Weasley in living memory. Even at eleven, I already felt too much ..."