Short Change Hero

Chapter 14: Spark

Chapter Fourteen

Russian Roulette

"Take a breath,
Take it deep,
Calm yourself,
He says to me,
If you play,
You play for keeps,
Take the gun,
And count to three,
I'm sweating now,
Moving slow,
No time to think,
My turn to go,

And you can see my heart beating,
Oh, you can see it through my chest,
Said I'm terrified,
But I'm not leaving,
I know that I must pass this test,
So just pull the trigger..."

Russian Roulette by Rihanna

Friday October 11th, 1996

Hogsmeade Outside of a small Pub- Just after noon

A thick blanket of dark clouds covered the sky above as if it was about to start raining, while Ginny ambled slowly towards the back entrance of a rather manky looking pub which sat hidden in the far back of Hogsmeade. Glancing over her shoulder once more to make sure no one saw her, she grabbed the freezing brass door handle, and made her way inside.

Other than the grubby looking middle-aged woman who stood behind the bar tending to an older man whom held a glass of what looked like Firewhisky, it was quite vacant inside. The room smelled of alcohol mixed with sweat and a distinctive scent she could not quite place. Turing to her right, in the far left corner she saw the boy currently looking at her with rather annoyed expression and a Butterbeer in front of him that was halfway empty.

Walking leisurely towards him, she thought about how she would rather be in the Three Broomsticks with Dean, or even dealing with Ron and his obnoxious behaviors. Honestly, there were so many people she would rather be with right now but instead she had to meet up with him and still didn't even know his name. Pulling out the chair that was right in front of him with a huff, she then sat down and scooted the chair in as she looked out the window beside her.

"Now let me guess, you don't have the Liquid Luck, yet again, for our third meeting because it's difficult to get without drawing attention." He drawled casually with a scoff just before reaching for his Butterbeer and taking a rather generous swig. Tearing her eyes away from the murky unwashed glass window, Ginny looked towards him with a nervous gulp, and a deep inhale of the stench that filled the room.

"You know how Hermione is, she isn't known as one of the brightest witches in Hogwarts for nothing. Getting past the protective charms I'll admit was quite tricky, but doable nonetheless. What I'm having trouble with now is, well she used a spell that has made all of her potions look identical, which I haven't been able to get past. I'm trying; honestly, I just need a bit more time." Ginny explained with a shaky sigh, as she then looked back towards the dirty windowpanes wanting nothing more than the all to be over and done with. Tugging at her long sleeved jacket with her fingers in a nervous fit, she then looked back towards him who was now shaking his head.

"See, I think that you are just trying to delay my plans as long as you can, testing how much I'll let you get away with before I get upset. So allow me to properly motivate you to work, a little faster and harder." He whispered quietly to her with a callous smile and a shrug followed by him reaching for what she assumed was his wand inside his jacket pocket. Looking in one hand, she saw his wand, but then looking into his other, she saw a small coin the he flipped between fingers before standing up to his feet.

"N-no, that's not what I'm...Where are you- What are you doing?" she asked softly through her teeth, but all he gave her was a right grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows, which made her stomach lurch forward, nervous just thinking about that look. Watching him stride with a sickening confidence, over towards the bar where the woman stood, while Ginny couldn't shake the feeling something awful was about to happen.