Ginny's Story

Chapter 16 The Sword of Gryffindor

Chapter 16 The Sword of Gryffindor

During a particularly torturous Muggle Studies lesson one day I slumped over on my table and shut my eyes. When I opened them again, my eyes sought out a window… the headmaster’s study [I know you probably can’t see the headmaster’s study window from other classrooms, but I just needed to change that for this little bit!]. A shimmer of light could be seen through the window as the sun reflected off a silver hilt on a goblin made sword. I gasped when I recognised the sword.

I tugged on Neville’s sleeve and his unfocussed eyes blinked several times to focus. I pointed out the window and his eyes widened when he recognised what it was I was looking at.

The Sword of Gryffindor; Godric Gryffindor’s Sword; Harry’s sword. I remember the exact night Harry pulled that sword out of the sorting hat. I was, of course, unconscious at the time, but I knew exactly what happened. I knew exactly how he felt in the Chamber of Secrets with the freezing cold stone floors and shadowy water.

I knew that that sword did not belong to Snape in any way. It was Harry’s and I had to get it back for him… at least for his sake.

As soon as the bell signalling the end of the lesson rang, I zoomed out of the classroom, my bags already stuffed full with my parchment, textbooks and quill I had packed away during the lesson while planning a way to get the sword.

“Ginny, what are we doing?” Luna asked, puffing slightly and clutching a stitch in her chest as she tried to keep up with my determined paces.

“We?” I repeated, perplexed. I hadn’t factored her and Neville into my badly planned thievery, but I realised I was foolish to count them out. “Oh, um…” I began, frowning. “Well I need to get the Sword of Gryffindor for… for Harry.” I looking at the stone floors as I realised how childish it sounded. I wanted to steal something for someone who had no use for it. It’s not like it would be any competition to You-Know-Who’s lethal wand.

To my surprise, Neville and Luna nodded in understanding. “Any ideas how to get it?” Neville asked.

“Don’t get caught,” I replied, smiling slightly at my weak attempt at a joke. “Just stay near something that you can hide behind if someone comes and… um… yeah,” I finished lamely.

Neville smiled mischievously and threw his books into an empty cupboard, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “Let’s do this!” Who knew Neville would be such a rebel.

The office was silent, almost eerily so. The only noises were the occasional soft snore coming from the portraits. I studied them carefully, recognising a few from the history books I had seen. But the one that was most prominent was an elderly wizard lightly dazing in his golden-framed portrait. Professor Dumbledore. I hadn’t realised I was staring at our old headmaster when Luna tugged on my arm.

Neville was staring at the sword in awe. “That’s really it,” he said, his voice breathless. His eyes shone with appreciation. “The sword that belonged to Godric Gryffindor himself! And to think, Harry pulled it out of the Sorting Hat… he actually pulled it out of a hat!” The corners of my mouth pulled up slightly and I looked at the sword in a different light. It truly was incredible with the ruby red hilt and the gleaming silver engravings.

“Let’s just get it out of here,” I said finally, breaking the eerie silence that had fallen over the room again like a blanket of castaway sorrows [hehe, quite poetic, right! LOL]. I lifted my wand and made a quick circle motion, cutting the thick glass just wide enough to slide the sword out. Just as my hand touched the ruby hilt, I felt my body stiffen, as did Neville and Luna’s beside me. My heart began to race as I realised we had been caught.

Snape paced in front of us, quickly repairing the glass and then facing us. I could see his usually sallow face was red with anger and his right hand slipped under the sleeve of his left arm. I knew he wasn’t actually touching his Dark Mark yet, but it was just a matter of time.

“What were you trying to do?” Snape asked in a low and deadly voice.

“I- I don’t know, sir,” I answered, deciding it would be best to play innocent. “I don’t know what we were thinking!”

Snape’s sharp eyes searched us all and I didn’t have to try very hard at all to look frightened to stay in character. His imposing figure and even just thoughts of what he could do with us made me cringe in horror.

“Detention, tonight!” Snape barked at the three of us. I sighed in relief but then remembered just how terrible detentions were nowadays.

Sooo what are you all thinking of this story? Please comment, I love them so much!!