Ripped Away

Year Three: Crookshanks the Demon Cat, Wills and a Wild Father Figure Appears

Heracles strutted down Diagon Alley, gazing into shop windows briefly as she did so. It was early in the morning. After her conversation with Fudge, Heracles had went down to the pub and ordered some food, thankfully without being noticed. She then went and did her shopping in Knockturn Alley, also without being noticed. Now she was on the hunt for a cat that would help her sniff out Pettigrew, and what better place to find one than in the Magical Menagerie? Heracles gave one last look at the Firebolt in the display window of Quality Quidditch Supplies (it was a nice broom, even by Twisted Wonderland standards, but she already had her Nimbus and didn't see the point in wasting money on buying something she didn't need), before rounding the corner and walking into the menagerie, the ringing of a bell attached to the door announcing her arrival. It was there in the shop and near the counter where she saw a sight she wasn't expecting to see; Ginny and Ronald, pointedly ignoring one another and looking at merchandise.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?", Heracles called out, also pointedly ignoring Ronald. Ginny perked up at the sound of Heracles's familiar voice and looked over at her, grinning widely.

"Hera!", she called out, running towards her friend and practically tackling her in a hug. Heracles caught the younger girl with an 'oof' and laughed at her violent display of affection.

"Happy to see me, I see. When did you get back from Egypt?", Heracles asked. Ginny pulled away and smiled up at her, since she was now a few inches taller than the girl after her growth spurt.

"A few days ago, and I'm glad we left. It was hot, and my pasty-ass ginger complexion didn't mix well with the desert sun. I swear, Mum had to put so much sunscreen on me everyday that I looked more like a ghost than a person.", Ginny said with a shudder at the memory. Heracles laughed.

"Well then welcome back. You'll find England much more well-equipped to handle your skincare needs.", Heracles joked, and Ginny and her both snickered at her remark. Ronald didn't seem to find it as funny as they did, though. He glared at them both and sneered.

"What the bloody hell are you doing in here anyway, snake? Trying to find a pet you can hold a conversation with?", Ronald asked tauntingly. Heracles shot him a very fake smile and walked closer to him.

"Actually Ronald, why I'm here is none of your goddamn business, so do shut up. Also, what the hell are you wearing? An orange short-sleeve shirt over a brown long-sleeve? You look like more of a satsuma than usual. Might want to fix that before your girlfriend Granger sees you.", Heracles told him in the fakest voice possible. Ronald balked at her assumption and gave her the stink eye, but recognised the implicit threat in her words and returned to what he was doing with a quiet muttering of 'barmy snake'. With the walking annoyance taken care of, Heracles returned her attention to Ginny, who looked very satisfied with herself.

"Thanks for that. Ron's been insufferable all summer, especially since Mum grounded him for the rest of the trip when she caught him trying to buy a cursed amulet to use on you. You better believe he got the walloping of a lifetime for that.", Ginny revealed, and Heracles blinked at her.

"You never mentioned that in your letters.", the green eyed girl said, suddenly feeling a little bit uneasy. Ronald was a moron, but even a simpleton could kill a king if they went about it the right way. Ginny shrugged.

"Mum didn't want to worry you, so she said we shouldn't tell you. But there's really nothing for you to worry about. Ronald may hate you more than anyone, but he's not smart enough to actually do anything to you. Case and point, he got caught buying a cursed amulet and actually admitted what it was for. He didn't even try to lie about it. He's just that stupid.", Ginny said, and Heracles sighed.