Ginny's 6th Year

First Week

The next few days were a blur of timetables and classes and getting back into the routine. On the outside, barely anything seemed different.

Ginny was the first out of her friends to take the compulsory Muggle Studdies class, luckily for her, Luna had also been placed into that class so on a Wednesday afternoon they made their way to the third floor allocated classrom. 

The room was deathly silent as they walked inside, Professor Carrow was sitting at her desk staring out at the students, tapping her dirty, long nails on the hard wood. Ginny and Luna chose two seats towards the very back of the class. It wasn't long before the last few students trickled in and the class begun. 

"Welcome, as you know I am Professor Carrow and this is OWL Compulsery Muggle Studies, I notice some of you have the textbook that was requested on the booklist, but due to the changes in the curriculum we won't be needing these anymore. If you would bring these to the front of the class, then we can begin". 

Four students hesistantly placed their textbooks on her desk and sat back done. With a sudden flick of Professor Carrow's wand, they went up in flames, causing students in the front row to leap back. 

"That cost me 10 Galleons!" a Hufflepuff Ginny couldn't remember the name of called from behind her. 

The calm, posed demour Professor Carrow had previously held suddenly snapped, the simple comment seemed to have broken something insider of her, her eyes narrowed, searching wildley across the room from the culprit of the outburst. 

"10 Galleons you wasted on FILFTH" she cried, bending down to pick up a half burnt page. She began to read. 

"Muggles are extremely alike to the Wizarding Race... blah blah blah, RUBBISH ALL OF IT, we are NOTHING alike" she stormed to the back of the classroom. The poor Hufflepuff had slouched down in his chair. Most likely regretting the decision to ever open his mouth, Ginny felt for him.

"Leave him alone!" she called as Professor Carrow stalked towards his desk, upon hearing Ginny she stopped and for a moment stood as still as a statue before turning sharply and locking eyes with Ginny. 

Professor Carrow bent down over her desk and pointed her wand directly between her eyes. "Dare open your mouth without my permission again and you'll wish you'd never made it past the age of thirteen, and maybe I'll make it sure that you don't make it any further" she hissed. She withdrew her wand and stalked back to the front of the class, all eyes following her.

Ginny took a deep, shuddering breath to calm herself.  The class sat in hushed silence, no other student daring to speak for the rest of the lesson.

                                                                                  * * * *

"SHE'S MENTAL" 

Neville laughed. 

"Like you didn't know that already"

"I'm fairly certain she threatened to kill me, I'm probably going to have to hire 24/7 protection, maybe sleep with one eye open" Ginny joked

They made their way into the Gryffindor Common Room, which was noticebally more crowded than usual. 

"What's going on?" Ginny asked a second year standing by the fireplace looking positively terrified. 

"Professor Carrow, he used... he used an unforgiveable curse on Luke Portsmith.... the cruciatus curse" 

"WHAT" Neville yelled, he pushed through to the center of the cirlce where a blonde haired boy was whimpering in a chair holding a mug of butter beer, several students comforting him. 

"We need to get him to the Hospital Wing" Nevilled ordered, "someone help him up". 

But as soon as they pulled Luke out of the chair his legs gave way and he collapsed in a heap. Ginny paled, moving forward to help Seamus lift him up. 

"We'll carry him, come on" she grunted, taking on the weight of the surprisingly heavy second year. 

Just as they reached the first floor they ran into Professor McGonagall. 

"What on earth is going on?" she asked? 

"It's Luke mam, Professor Carrow cursed him" Seamus explained. 

McGonagall stepped forward to take a look, her lips pursed. 

"Madame Pomfrey will have something for him, let's go" and  in her usual no-nonsense manner and she proceeded to lead them the rest of the way. 

                                                                         *     *     *

Ginny sat crosslegged on the windowsill by her bed patting Arnold the Pygmy Puff, the cold autumn air felt nice against her face and the grounds looked so peaceful underneath the night sky. 

Illuminated by the moonlight, an owl flew towards her from the east, it ducked and dipped, it's wings flapping fiercly to keep it afloat. 

"Pig?" Ginny whispered, 

sure enough, Pigewidgeon landed by her, a letter tied to his leg. Excited, Ginny rushed to untie it, freeing Pig who proceeded to hop over to eat out of Arnolds food bowl. She ripped the parchment open. 

Dear Ginny

Hope your first week back at Hogwarts is going well, 

All is well here, except poor Ron is still sick. 

Love 

Mum and Dad

Frustrated Ginny hurled the parchment into the fireplace, the letter gave her barely anything, did the fact that they included Ron was still sick mean that he was still with Harry? That they were alive? 

They had to be alive, Voldermort would have made it known if he'd killed Harry. 

Ginny hoped.