Ginny's Story

Chapter 10 Malfoy and the Carrows

10 chapters already! Wow, how time flies when you're having fun, eh! Anyway, I shall let you read now :)

Chapter 10 Malfoy and the Carrows

The Great Hall the next morning was still encompassed in a stony silence, but as soon as the mail arrived, all that changed.

The first owl’s cry echoed through the hall and swooped down to drop a packaged into the lap of a Ravenclaw student, seeming to break the ice. Chatter broke out and Snape’s expression of power faded slightly. He really didn’t control what any of us talked about no matter how much he wanted to.

An owl swooped down and dropped a Daily Prophet onto the table in front of me. I ripped off the covering and stared at the first page in horror.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were running from curses, stumbling on overlarge clothes. I recognised the fountain in the background as the one from the ministry of magic. What in the world were they doing there? I caught a glimpse of Umbridge standing in the corner of the picture, waving her wand arm around furiously and her face just as pink as the cardigan she wore.

“Yes!” Neville rejoiced, watching the owls overheard as they disappeared. “I didn’t leave anything at home this time.”

But just as the last of the owls left, another arrived, staggering midair because of the large package it was carrying. Despite my fear for Harry, I laughed slightly as Neville’s face dropped.

“Talked too soon,” he mumbled, his cheeks reddening. He stuffed the package into his bag and peered over my shoulder, gasping when he saw the front cover of the Daily Prophet. “What were they thinking?” Neville moaned.

I scanned the article, my whole body relaxing when I heard they escaped.

“Why would they go to the ministry of all places?” Neville wondered aloud.

“It would be because of something important,” I replied confidently. “Harry isn’t stupid. He wouldn’t lead his friends into danger if there wasn’t an important reason.”

“Wish we could have gone with them,” Neville stated dreamily. “Better than being at Hogwarts these days!”

I nodded. Oh Neville, you have no idea how much I wanted to be with them.

McGonagall tapped me on the shoulder and handed over my timetable.

“Keep strong, Weasley,” she said with meaning. She gave me a rare smile and turned to Neville. At least she was on our side.

I read my timetable and groaned.

“Muggle Studies,” Neville read. “Why on earth is that on my timetable? I never put that down as an elective!” I looked back down at mine and saw I too had Muggle Studies.

Luna wandered over to our table, as always looking as she had just stumbled upon it instead of deciding to come visit us.

“Hello you two,” she smiled, sitting between us. Neville immediately thrust his timetable in front of her.

“Muggle Studies!” he exclaimed. Luna nodded, seeming to understand Neville’s anger.

“I have it too,” she said. “Apparently Alecto Carrows is taking it.” Luna pointed at the head table to where a woman and man sat, talking to each other with frowns on their faces. The girl was short and had a sort of squished face while the man looked tall and skinny but with the same squished features. It was obvious they were siblings.

“They’re Death Eaters,” Neville whispered. “My gran told me about them.”

“They were on the tower when Dumbledore died, too,” I said, remembering what I had overheard Harry say to Ron and Hermione over the summer.

Neville Luna and I finished our breakfast and headed towards our respective common rooms but as soon as we left the Great Hall, I was knocked over by Draco Malfoy. The boy who hated Harry and Harry hated just as much. The boy I knew was a Death Eater.

Neville didn’t realise that I wasn’t still with them as he continued walking for a bit with Luna.

“Weasley,” Malfoy said flatly with less than half the arrogance I was used to. He said it so quietly I didn’t think Neville heard.

Malfoy’s skin looked nearly grey and the dark marks under his eyes indicated that he, like me, had suffered from many sleepless nights.

Neville bumped Malfoy to side, taking my hand and pulling me back up. He pushed my back slightly, making me walk.

“Typical Malfoy,” Neville muttered angrily. “He’s never going to stop being a pain! Especially now You Know Who has taken over.”

“Neville, I don’t think he’s as… bad as we’ve thought for all these years,” I said, only daring to say it quietly.

Neville froze. “What do you mean?”

I started walking again, taking big strides. “He didn’t knock me over on purpose, I walked into him. His arrogance was nearly completely gone. He didn’t make any snide comments and he looked just about as stressed as anyone else here.” I marked each thing off on my fingers.

“Ginny,” Neville started slowly like he was talking to a young child. “This is Malfoy we’re talking about. Maybe he’s not as bad as we all thought, I don’t know. But I’m not going to start trusting him especially with his parents being Death Eaters.”

“I know, I know,” I said quickly before he could get another word in. I was a bit embarrassed that Neville thought I would go off befriending Malfoy, particularly because he was Harry’s enemy. But, I had to remind myself; nobody actually knew I still loved Harry. Everyone thought it had just been a fling but that was far from the truth –for me at least. “I would never trust him. I’m just saying I don’t think we should take all our pain out on him.”

Neville nodded and sped ahead while I lagged behind, watching all the portraits. Most had abandoned their canvasses, probably gone somewhere more cheery than Hogwarts. I wouldn’t blame them.

So I'm just wondering if you like Author's Notes or not. Just so I know if I should do them!

Comment and vote pretty please!

Em <3