Whispers in the Dark

Untitled Part 6

Harry and I slip onto the train just as the whistle starts to sound, quickly hunting down the compartment near the back where Hermione and Ron had planted themselves.

Harry gets straight to the point. "Hermione, Ron, I need you talk to you alone."

"Okay," Ron quickly agrees. "Ginny, get out."

I can hear a scoff before a "Well that's nice," and then the youngest Weasley steps out into the corridor.

"Ginger!" I squeal happily, using my reserved nickname for her. (Ginny = Ginger. And she's a redhead. I'm so clever, aren't I?)

"Ally!" she beans at me. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Well it's not like we go to the same school or anything...ow!" I rub my shoulder mournfully where she's just whacked it. "Don't damage the merchandise!"

She rolls her eyes at me, giving the compartment door one last glance before we start moving away. "What do you think they're talking about in there?"

"You'll find out soon enough," I reply vaguely with a flap of a hand.

She glares at me. "You know something, don't you?"

"Can't tell you, sorry."

"Ally!" she whines indignantly.

"Ginny!" I match her tone.

She narrows her eyes, her voice dropping almost an octave in what might be an imitation of her father at his sternest. "Allison."

"Ginevra."

She gives up all seriousness to stick her tongue out at me, and I copy her as we arrive in front of a compartment door and she stops to knock. "There's someone I want you to meet."

A dreamy voice responds "Come in," and Ginny pushes the door open. "Luna!"

"Hello Ginny," a blonde girl with light blue eyes gives her a small grin over the top of the magazine she was hold upside down.

"Luna, this is Ally, a friend of mine," Ginny gives me a small shove forward. "Ally, this is Luna Lovegood. She's in my year, just Ravenclaw."

"Nice to meet you," Luna gives me a bright, albeit slightly dreamy, grin. "You wouldn't happen to be Allison Potter, would you? The Girl Who Fought?"

I lean back against the doorframe. "So that's what they're calling me now?" Ginny shrugs apologetically. "But yeah, that's me. Please tell me you don't care about that."

"Pleasure to meet you. And of course not. The Nargles like to judge based on character, not fame."

I shot Ginny a confused look. Nargles?

You'll get used to it eventually, she mouths back, and I grin as I decide to sit down across from Luna. "Well, I hope that's a good thing."

"Oh, it is," she assures me.

I glance at her magazine. "What're you reading?"

"It's a magazine called the Quibbler. Daddy's the editor." She grabs another one out of her bag. "Want one."

"Maybe later, thanks."

She nods and I settle back to stare out the window at the rain and gloomy grey skies and listen to the wind howl and rattle against the train. "Is the weather supposed to be this bad?"

Ginny shrugs from next to Luna. "It's still summer, maybe it's just a daily storm."

"Probably," I nod. "So, Ginny, what-"