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Memoirs of a Red Headed Witch | ||||||
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Category: Pre-OotP, Post-OotP, Post-HBP, Post-Hogwarts, Post-DH/AB Characters:All Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Humor, Romance, Songfic Warnings: Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Violence Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 136 Summary: Ginny Weasley was always overlooked. Always the youngest, always the smallest, and was never really given the chance to let her voice be heard. But sometimes the best insight comes from those who were always in the background. Her story of redemption, loyalty and love, proves that she was never just the Weasley brothers' little sister. Hitcount: Story Total: 178114; Chapter Total: 3380 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: It's been a joy in my heart to write this story, and to continue to revisit it in the past few year has been just as fun, if not more fun than it originally was. Adding details, making the story even more airtight and adding moments that truly define a character is what makes fiction writing so exhilarating. ALSO! there is a scene toward the end that is cannon to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Please rate and review! |
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Entry 6 A Riddle Revealed Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets “There's a place that I know it's not pretty there and few have ever gone if I show it to you now will it make you run away Or will you stay? Everybody's got a dark side Do you love me, can you love mine? Nobody's a picture perfect But we're worth it You know that we're worth it Will you love me? Even with my dark side?” -Dark Side, Kelly Clarkson “And then when we went to go visit Hermione in the hospital wing, we found a piece of paper squeezed in her hand. It was a bit of research about Basilisks how they kill people and at the bottom she had written, the word ‘pipes’. So Ron and I put together that the voice I had been hearing all year that no one else could was in fact a snake, because I can speak to snakes, and it was getting around by the school plumbing,” Harry took a deep breath and then continued, “Then we remembered the Moaning Myrtle had been killed 50 years ago inside a bathroom. We figured that we should ask her if she knew where the entrance to the chamber of secrets was and it turned out to be in the same bathroom where she was killed!” I was leaning on my mother’s shoulder remaining silent and listening to Harry’s adventurous tale. Professor McGonagall’s office was fully occupied when we’d walked in. My parents, Dumbledore and McGonagall were discussing our disappearance and questioning if we were going to make it back alive. My mother had grabbed me the moment she saw me and hadn’t let me go. I didn’t want her to. Harry had yet to say anything about the Diary or my involvement in everything. I was just waiting for it to come, and blow up my world. Harry Potter had a lot of power over my life at the moment. “Very well,” (COS page 328) Professor McGonagall said. “So you found out where the entrance was - breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add — but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?” (COS page 328) “Well, Fawkes came into the chamber and dropped the sorting hat into my lap, and I was able to pull this out of it,” Harry lifted the large sword he was holding. “I used it against the Basilisk, I managed to kill it. It’s fang got stuck in my arm- but Fawkes helped me with his healing tears — I used the fang to stab the…the…” Harry faltered and looked at me. I knew there was no way to explain the whole mess without talking about the diary. This was it. Harry looked as though he was trying to keep it a secret. I felt even more indebted to him. “What interests me most,” said Headmaster Dumbledore, “is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently hiding in the forests of Albania.” Every person in the room startled at attention. Lord Voldemort? He had nothing to do with this! Harry looked relieved at Dumbledore’s statement, I looked at him with questioning eyes. “W-what’s that?” (COS page 329) said my stunned father. “You —Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny’s not…Ginny hasn’t been…has she?” “It was this diary,” Harry quickly added, picking up the destroyed diary and showing it to Dumbledore. “Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen.” I was holding my breath, did that mean that, Tom Riddle- was he…? Dumbledore took the diary and shook his head slightly in wonder, “Brilliant, of course he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen.” He turned to my parents whose jaws were hanging open. “Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school . . . traveled far and wide . . . sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here.” I felt so utterly dirty I wanted to scratch my skin off. I started trembling. “But, Ginny,” said mum, “What’s our Ginny got to do with — with — him?” “His d-diary!” I cried, looking at my mother’s round face, “I’ve been writing in it, and he’s been w-writing back all year-” I’d never seen my father look so shocked. It was all out in the open, it was over. No matter what happened, at least it was all over. “Ginny!” he said, “Haven’t I taught you anything? What have it told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain. Why didn’t you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it is clearly full of Dark Magic-” “I d-didn’t know! I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and had forgotten about it-”(COS page 330) It was a nice note book; I’d never had anything that looked that nice before. I didn’t question it until I absolutely had to, because, because I wanted to keep it, I didn’t want to risk someone taking it from me. “Miss. Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away,” said Dumbledore, “This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment.” I stared at him- surprised. I had done terrible, terrible things. I deserved to be punished, I deserved to be- to be put in Azkaban. He noticed my expression, and his softened. He endearingly said, “Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort.” He walked to the door of the office and opened it. “Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up,” he added. “You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She’s just giving out Mandrake juice – I daresay the basilisk’s victims will be waking up any moment.” “So Hermione’s okay!” said Ron brightly. Tears welled in my eyes, the relief that washed over me was so overwhelming I thought I would burst into a puddle of pumpkin juice. “There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny,” said Dumbledore looking straight into my eyes. What I saw was understanding and acceptance. Just like that, I was forgiven. Just like that, I was the poor little girl who was tricked by Voldemort. Just like that a, bubble formed around me; a bubble everyone I knew would try to keep me in. But in that moment, I realized I wasn’t a murderer, I wasn’t insane. It was Voldemort. Tom Riddle was Voldemort. As my mum and dad whisked me out of the office toward the hospital wing, I thought about how stupid I’d been. How could I not have at least suspected the similarity Tom had to Voldemort. They were after the same thing! The purification of the wizarding world…and both had a twisted fascination with Harry Potter. He confessed to using Dark Magic and oh, it all made so much sense. “I don’t understand why you didn’t come to us about this, love,” whispered my mother after a few moments of silent walking. She was uncharacteristically somber; I had expected rage. I wiped the tears from my face, “I- I couldn’t well- Tom was sweet at first, he was normal I guess, and then when…he… he started to change and suddenly he physically wouldn’t let me speak to anyone.” My parents shared a worried but knowing glance. Dad looked back to me, “That’s the diary you wrote your mother about, isn’t it?” “Yes.” “And what did it…Dumbledore said it enchanted you, what exactly did it do to you, why, why were you in that chamber?” So I told them. My mum stared crying, “I should have known something was wrong when you hadn’t been sending me any letters… but a diary? How- Arthur- I would never in my wildest dreams suspect-” Dad put a hand on my mum’s shoulder, calming her instantly, “How are you feeling, sweetheart?” he asked me. It was the first time anyone had asked me that. It was the first time I had to actually think about it. “I’m tired. I’m just really, really tired,” the moment I realized, I was almost fainting with exhaustion. The weight of Hogwarts lifted off my shoulders and left me feeling about ready to sleep for a week straight. We reached the infirmary and Madam Pomfrey was making a fuss with her full hospital wing. She looked me over ran some tests and found that I was physically sound. “And- err- how is her- her…mind?” my father whispered the last part as though I weren’t two feet away from him. My mother was helping me into the hospital bed. “Professor Dumbledore sent a note say that he will be here soon to have a private conversation with you and Mrs. Weasley.” With that, she left us to work on the petrified students. I couldn’t see any of them, as each were hidden behind a private curtain, but I didn’t see any movement other that Pomfrey scurrying about. “You just sleep now, darling,” said mum with a kiss on my forehead. She and my dad didn’t leave my side until I fell asleep. I drifted off for a much needed nap, and woke up an hour later to some familiar voices. The mandrake potion had worked. And on my bedside table, in a cup that was charmed to stay warm, a cup of hot chocolate. Smiling slightly, I took the cup and sipped. All the unpetrified students ran out of the hospital wing to join the large school feast that was taking place downstairs. I stayed in my bed drinking the hot chocolate. I assumed my parents were with Dumbledore. “I thought it was only muggleborns that got petrified!” I looked up from my mug. Hermione was standing over my bed curiously. “Are you okay, Ginny?” I blushed, “Yes- I wasn’t…I wasn’t petrified.” “What happened?” “Erm-long story.” Hermione looked at me oddly then said, “Aren’t you coming? There’s a huge celebration feast apparently.” I shook my head, “No, I don’t think so.” I was happy to see her up and about, I was sure Harry and Ron were going to be beside themselves when they saw her. Hermione took a step closer tilting her head knowingly, “It was you who broke in to the boys’ dormitory, wasn’t it?” It wasn’t a question. I nodded. “You had the diary all along.” Again, I nodded. “The chamber being opened had something to do with that Tom Riddle. Not Hagrid, he was framed, wasn’t he?” I shifted in under the covers and stopped meeting her gaze, “You’re really smart.” “Thanks.” We sat in awkward silence for a moment. “I just, I don’t understand how a diary could have done this, and- what happened to you, did it- did it hurt you?” “It…it took control of me, it made me do things- I-I’m the reason this all happened. I’m so sorry, Hermione.” I put my entire heart into my apology. I couldn’t be sorrier that she’d suffered. Hermione’s eyes widened in recognition. “Tom Riddle, he possessed you.” My jaw dropped open and I spilled my drink all over the blankets. Hermione grabbed her wand immediately, “Scourgify.” The mess was cleaned instantly. Possession. she was absolutely right. I had been possessed. “There’s no need to apologize. You didn’t have control over what you were doing.” Hermione stood, I was surprised to how well she was taking everything. “Well I’ll be off to the feast then, if you’re sure you’re going to stay here.” I nodded. I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate, and especially didn’t want to face certain people. Hermione headed out but turned toward me again when she reached the door, “You know, I wonder when I started taking everything in stride. I mean, I’m happier about the fact the Ron and Harry solved the mystery than I am mad about the fact that I lost weeks of my education. Funny, isn’t it? I guess this means I’m getting used to the wizarding world. What an induction.” With a last smile, she left. I couldn’t understand just how anyone would believe she didn’t have the right to be what she was. Hermione’s parents may not have been magical, but she was one heck of a witch. **** My mum and dad were reluctant to leave me at Hogwarts for the remainder of the year. Final Exams had been canceled as a treat to the students and there were only a few days left, so they figured I might as well return home with them the morning after the Chamber. “I want to stay,” I had told them, “If I leave now, I might be too scared to come back. I need to face things.” “You’re being very brave, love, are you sure?” mum asked. I nodded. My father sighed, “Well, I suppose it is only a few days. We’ve had a talk with your brothers, we are extremely disappointed that they hadn’t noticed something was wrong, they were supposed to be looking after you. They know what happened, but aside from than them, Harry, Hermione, Dumbledore and McGonagall, no one knows about the diary.” Now my brothers were in trouble for something I did. Fabulous. Mum was about to burst into tears again, “We love you, darling. More than anything. If anything starts troubling you, you come right home!” “I love you too, mum.” They left, and I was feeling more and more like a baby. Hagrid was released from Azkaban after it was revealed to the Ministry of Magic that he hadn’t nor had ever opened the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore was reinstated and things were, for the most part, getting back to normal. The school was buzzing about the Chamber of Secrets rumors but I tried to block it all out. “I heard Harry Potter fed Professor Lockhart to the monster in return for the girl. That’s why he’s not coming back next year, he was snake food!” “I heard that the girl who was taken down into the chamber was actually a house elf from the kitchens-not a student.” “You’ve got it all wrong, Draco Malfoy opened the Chamber of Secrets, and used it to feed Susan Bones to the monster, Potter killed the beast by stabbing it with a knife over and over.” “Why would he have a knife?” The only explanation given to the students was that Ron and Harry had gone into the chamber and defeated the monster. And truly that’s all they needed to know. They didn’t need to know what girl or who opened the chamber, just that it was closed and there was no monster any longer. The staff left the messages on the wall up to interpretation, and for that I was eternally thankful. However, that didn’t mean my brothers could enjoy being just as clueless. I could feel their eyes on me at all times, but they didn’t speak to me at all. None of them approached me, not once. Perhaps, they just didn’t know what to say. Perhaps, they felt too guilty to face me…Perhaps they were scarred of me. Either which way, I was shut out completely. Which wasn’t far off from how the rest of the year had gone. “I heard Fred got a boogie flavored one once.” I looked up startled at the voice and found Harry Potter standing in front of me. It was the night before we were leaving for home and I was sitting in the common room by myself eating Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans from yet another care package my mum had sent. There had been many in the span of a few days. I blushed. OF COURSE I BLUSHED. “Yeah, he did.” “Mind if I sit?” I nodded. He took a seat on the bench in front of me, looking rather uncomfortable. I was probably that last person on the planet he wanted to speak to, so I didn’t understand why he was trying to. I offered him the box of beans and he took some, picking out the ones of…questionable color. “Lockhart was a fraud by the way,” said Harry conversationally, “He confessed it to Ron and I before trying to erase our memories, he didn’t write any of his books, he never did any of those things.” “Really?” “Yeah, Ron and I thought he could help us down in the chamber, but turned out he was just a big coward.” We fell into an awkward silence for a moment, I had no idea what I was supposed to say. “Fancy a game of exploding snap?” asked Harry. It then hit me. Harry was trying very hard to include me, to not ignore me, to acknowledge me. It was so utterly sweet my heart swelled. “Yes, I-I’d love to.” As we played Harry continued talking. “Did err- did Dumbledore tell you how you got your hands on the diary?” I looked up at him, “You mean…it wasn’t an accident?” Harry didn’t meet my eyes, “It was- it was Lucius Malfoy. That day at Flourish and Blotts. He slipped the diary into your books. He denies it, though, and since Tom is gone we can’t prove it. But I think we was a Voldemort supporter.” I flinched at the name. But thought back to the day in Diagon Alley, it made perfect sense. “That bastard!” Harry’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Sorry,” I said…. with a bush. “No you’re right, he is a bastard,” Harry laughed. I smiled. “Thank you,” I said bashfully. I was thanking hi for everything, for the Chamber for talking to me, for telling me the truth, for being so…wonderful. “No need. Honestly.” Hermione and Ron had just walked into the common room. Seeing us, Hermione smiled and pulled Ron along. They sat with us and joined in the game, soon Fred, George and Lee Jordan joined as well. Even Colin came and sat with us for a while. But mostly to get a picture of Harry and Ron, the Hogwarts Saviors. It was the first time I truly smiled in a long time. The next day, I shared a compartment on the train with my brothers and Hermione and Harry. I was feeling better, I was…almost completely happy, I was trying to move on trying to ignore the gross dark ugly side of my nightmares and day dreams since the diary was destroyed. I knew that if I tried to be happy, then soon I wouldn’t have to try anymore. And I was… happy- happy to be rid of Tom Riddle at least. “I’m sorry, Ginny.” I looked at Fred, he was watching me cautiously, as though I were about to break. George was setting off the remainder of the twins’ Filibuster fireworks with Harry and Ron, and Hermione was reading a book. “It wasn’t your fault, I’m the one who wrote in the damn thing.” “But I- I should have noticed you’d been really quiet all year. George and I- we had no idea. Dad set us straight, he did, but I still need to say I’m sorry.” I shrugged, “I’m the one who should be sorry.” Fred shook his head, “Yeah, well I’m always getting into all sorts of trouble can’t really judge you for making some of your own.” “I have a feeling not everyone will feel the same.” Fred sighed, “You’re a lot tougher than you look, Ginny. Don’t worry about what people will say.” Fred returned to the fireworks and I thought about Tom Riddle. I thought about how Dumbledore seemed to know exactly that Harry was thinking about Voldemort without Harry even mentioning the diary. I thought about how Dumbledore mentioned Voldemort was hiding out in Albania. If Voldemort was out there waiting, obviously hell bent on getting to Harry, trying to figure out a way to get back to full power, would that mean… I hadn’t heard the last of Tom Riddle? Was it truly over? Did that mean that You-Know-Who…knew who I was? “Ginny-” (COS page 340) at the mention of my name I jumped, “What did you see Percy doing, that he didn’t want you to tell anyone?” Harry asked, eyes beaming with happiness and laughter. Those eyes were too hypnotizing for their own good- I giggled. GIGGLED. “Oh that,” (COD page 341) I said. “Well- Percy’s got a girlfriend.” “What?” Fred exclaimed. “It’s that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater. That’s who he was writing to all last summer. He’s been meeting her all over the school in secret,” and the rambling just kept coming. THOSE EYES WERE DANGEROUS. I had promised Percy I wouldn’t say anything, and here I was. Then again- it was Percy, and it was rather funny. “I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was- you know- attacked,” I stopped. I wish I would have stopped sooner. But then I saw the gleam in the twin’s eyes and had to add, “You won’t tease him, will you?” “Wouldn’t dream of it,” said Fred. “Definitely not,” said George. Moments later we had pulled up to King’s Cross station and my first year was officially over. The twins excited the compartment together snickering, Hermione walked out with Ron was explaining to him what a tellyphin was because Harry had given them a tellyphin number, or whatever it was. Harry, noticing my trouble had reached up and helped me with my trunk. I blushed in gratitude. “Have a nice summer Ginny!” he said before catching up with Ron and Hermione to exit the train. I watched him go wondering how on earth I was ever supposed to not be head over arse infatuated with Harry Potter. “Ginny?” Luna’s face popped into the compartment, her hair a halo around her head. “Where have you been the past few days?! I thought you may have come down with wispfly fever, you know it’s the leading cause of disappearance in merfolk and in some cases witches and wizards as well, but it’s very rare for our kind to-” “I’m okay Luna, honestly. But I do have a crazy story to tell you, and I hope you’ll still want to be my friend after you hear it.” She furrowed her brows and tilted her head, “A crazy story could only make you more interesting, Ginny. And I do enjoy interesting.” A/N: For all of you that read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, you might remember a scene between parents, Harry and Ginny, discussing their son Albus. Ginny reminds Harry of what a great person he is to people in need, she reminds him of the time that he found her alone in the common room after the Chamber of Secrets and asked to her to play a game when everyone else had shut her out. I had always imagined something like that happened, and was so glad when Rowling added it in the play. Since Cursed Child is cannon i knew I had to add it. |
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