Linny - Ginny and Luna's Secret

Chapter 8 - The secret passage

The weeks went on, slow drags of classes full of copying down boring notes as all practical work was banned. Ginny couldn't think of anyone who evened listened in classes anymore, except for Hermione of course. Umbridge and Filtch ran the school nowadays, like 'partners in crime' as Fred and George had called them, they roamed the grounds banning everything and anything that made life at Hogwarts enjoyable.

Umbridge fired Dumbledore's teachers left and right and in fact Ginny didn't know what had happened to Dumbledore. He never exactly roamed the grounds but he was never seen anymore and he was with either hiding up in his study or leaving the school as Ginny hadn't seen him at school since the Grand feast and the sorting now 4 months ago.

Ginny hadn't had a real conversation with Luna in weeks. They'd said hello in the corridors occasionally but nothing much else. In the first few weeks after Ginny's detention they had met in the room of requirement but The Inquisitorial squad prowled those corridors now and there was no chance of meeting up without being seen. Ginny really wanted to meet up with her again but she wasn't sure when it would happen.

One afternoon when Ginny had a free period she was wandering around the school, safe from Umbridge who was teaching and filtch who was in the hospital wing with an odd cough, probably her twin brothers work. In fact the only person Ginny had to worry about was Peeves and she kept an eye out for him and she walked up the hallways humming to herself.

She was admiring some of the paintings on the walls when a voice came from behind her. She spun around a mix of fright and shock to find out the voice was coming from one of the paintings. In a large painting with a particularly detailed silver frame sat an old man in a armchair who seemed to be writing something, his twisted Grey beard almost touching the parchment.

"We'll come on then, what are you doing just standing there?"

"Excuse me? where am I going?"

The painting eyed her suspiciously "Weasley isn't it?"

"Yes" replied ginny with equal suspicion "Who are you?"

"Oh don't mind me" He said with a holy chuckle that made Ginny trust him sintantly "I'm just old Charles Diggleworth, great uncle of Bathilda Bagshot did you know? I've heard all about you of course from Fred and George.
They've been suing my passageway  for years, although the visits are more regular these days.

"What pass..." Ginny started to ask but she was cut off by a jolly voice behind her

"I see you've found good old Charlie" Ginny turned around to see Fred and George standing right behind her

"He's helped us quite a lot" said Fred

"Well come on then, we don't want Umbridge to find us" Said George who pulled the surprised Ginny through the middle of the portrait as if it wasn't there. Ginny turned around but a cobblestone wall had sealed where they had come through.

Ginny looked around, The were in a long narrow passageway lit with small flickering torches.

She looked at her brothers "Where does this go? I was just taking a walk when I came across the portrait"

"To our cottage of course" They said in unison

"Where do you think we plan all our candies and tricks?" asked one of the twins, Ginny couldn't tell which one  in the dim lighting.

"We discovered this in our third year, quite lucky actually we've been coming back since"

"Well get a move on Ginny"

Ginny followed her brothers up the corridor for about 3 or 4 minutes until they reached a large wooden door which Fred pushed open."

"Welcome to The Wizard Wheezes Workshop" he said spreading his arms out wide.