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In Which Ginny Begins To Deal With The Consequences
Sacrifice - Chapter 14: In Which Ginny Begins To Deal With The Consequences by mmerriam
Sat, 06/27/2009 - 13:14Chapter number:
14The five residents and two guests currently residing at the house called the Den had just finished breakfast when Hedwig swooped into the kitchen and dropped a small packet of letters between Ginny and Harry. Harry passed around their Hogwarts letters, which were, Hermione pointed out, extremely early this year.
Everyone looked down the table at Ron, who had made a distressed gasping noise. He was holding in his hand a very shiny badge with the letter 'P' emblazoned on it. He looked at it as if it might explode at any time. "Bloody Hell! They've gone and made me a Prefect! What did I ever do?" Ron wailed.
Hermione, who had made Prefect the year before, regarded Ron with unconcealed glee. "Well, now at least you'll have your own room." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
Ron grinned from ear to ear. The concept of being made Prefect suddenly seemed much more palatable to him.
Ginny looked at her letter. She had read it twice. "Uh, I think there may be a mistake here."
Everyone looked at her quizzically.
"They've got me down as a sixth year," she said, passing the letter to Hermione.
"I think this might have the answer." Ginny looked over to see that Harry was holding a letter that had been addressed to both of them. It had the Hogwarts Seal and appeared to be from Dumbledore.
"Well, open it already!" Ron said impatiently.
Harry opened the letter, and Ginny leaned over to read it over his shoulder. After a few moments Ginny looked up to find Harry looking into her eyes. She swallowed hard.
"Well?" Sirius Black had just slightly more patience than Ron, but only just.
Ginny took the letter and read it aloud.
Dear Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley,
I hope this letter finds yourselves and your expected arrival in good health. After reviewing your missive concerning your desires to continue your education while planning for the impending birth of your first child, I have come to some conclusions which may alleviate some of the challenges facing you in the coming term. Please be aware that this will require serious effort on both your parts.
I have decided to accelerate Miss Weasley's education. Over the summer months Miss Weasley will engage in a series of correspondence courses which, if she applies herself, should allow her to begin next term in the same year group as Mr. Potter. I expect everyone who is available to assist her in this endeavor. I have ordered the staff to create a short, intense curriculum for Miss Weasley. The lessons will be delivered by owl post daily and will include enchanted parchment and quills for Miss Weasley to use for her course work. Upon returning to Hogwarts, Miss Weasley will be required to engage in a series of practical tests for those courses which require it (Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, and Transfiguration). If passed, these exams will allow Miss Weasley to join the year group above her.
I have arranged with the Ministry of Magic for Miss Weasley, as well as Mr. Harry Potter, Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Ronald Weasley, to be allowed to use magic for the sole purpose of aiding Miss Weasley in her summer courses. Mr. Remus Lupin, who is a former Professor at Hogwarts, will oversee this course work.
I am confident, Miss Weasley, that you can meet these challenges, and I look forward to monitoring your progress. Good luck,
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Tucked behind the official letter was a personal note from Dumbledore, which Ginny read aloud next.
Ginny and Harry,
I understand this will put a strain on you both over the summer, but it will be easier if you are in the same year group. I expect that Miss Granger has all of her notes from last term as well as all the textbooks used.
First, a word of advice. You have at your disposal several highly skilled practitioners of magic. Use them. I would be very surprised if Mr. Lupin or Mr. Black failed to assist. Also, Miss Weasley, your older brothers and parents all have experience and skills which will help you.
Now, a word of caution. In order to obtain permission for Miss Weasley to accelerate her education and use magic over the summer. I was forced to explain her situation to certain people at the Ministry of Magic. As they all assured me they would be discreet, you may be certain that this will be on the front page of the Daily Prophet any day.
To complicate matters further, Minister Fudge was extremely concerned about the affect Miss Weasley's presence would have on the other students. He seems to feel that her condition would entice other students to, and I quote, "Engage in activities unbecoming of a proper Hogwarts student." He insisted that I minimize her contact with the other students, as he fears her condition may somehow, again I quote, "contaminate the moral character of the student body." He also insisted I do the same to Mr. Potter, as he played a hand in Miss Weasley's condition.
So, the conditions for your return to Hogwarts are such: You are required to keep your contact with the general student body to a minimum. As such, you will both be placed in private quarters, outside of the dormitories. You are only allowed out of these quarters to attend class, take meals, use a study period in the library, or visit the hospital wing. You are required, when not in class, to limit your contact to school staff, the head boy and girl, and prefects. You will be restricted from all extra curricular activities, including Hogsmeade visits. Mr. Potter will be allowed to continue playing Quidditch but is required to step down as Captain.
I am terribly sorry, but I have no choice in this matter. I will of course continue to press your case with the Ministry in the future in the hopes of alleviating this onerous burden. We will discuss this in further detail upon your return this September.
Best Wishes
Dumbledore.
"Bloody hell. You might was well both be prisoners in a dungeon. Stupid Fudge!" Ron's voice was filled with indignation.
Ginny looked calmly and steadily at her brother. "Fudge could have forced Dumbledore to expel both me and Harry. I knew there would be consequences. This is one of them."
Before Ron could open his mouth to argue a large eagle owl swooped into the kitchen and dropped a large packet in Ginny's lap. It had the Hogwarts emblem emblazoned on the box. She sighed and looked at Remus. "Well, I suppose we should get started."
Ginny sent Ron and Harry to tell the rest of her family about what had been decided by Fudge and Dumbledore. She was sure Minister Fudge would be receiving one of the famous Molly Weasley Howlers. Professor Lupin, for she had begun to think of him as a Professor again now that he was in charge of overseeing her summer education, opened the packet and looked over the day's lesson plans. He sent Hermione to gather up her books and notes, and the three spread out on the kitchen table.
For the rest of the summer everyone rallied behind Ginny. She found herself exempt from cooking and housework during the week. Harry was skilled at preparing breakfast foods. Mrs. Weasley provided lunch. Jeren proved comfortable in the kitchen, producing dinner every night. Everyone took care of his or her own messes. Ginny insisted on doing her share on the weekends, though the men all tried to play the gallant and ease her way. They were driving her mad.
As expected, everyone pitched in and tutored her with whatever skills they could offer. Remus Lupin oversaw her studies and contributed to her Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons. Harry was Lupin's primary assistant in this, and he taught Ginny how to conjure a Patronus and to resist the Imperius curse.
Sirius Black assisted in her Transfiguration studies. Her father tutored her in History of Magic, Bill and Hermione both offered to help with her Charms work, though they soon found themselves - much to Bill's delight and Hermione's chagrin - being outstripped by their pupil. Her mother worked with her on her Herbology assignments, and Ron fed Ginny all kinds of horrible prophecies for Divination.
She had struggled with Potions, and after a particularly disastrous afternoon where she filled the kitchen with fumes that were purple and smelt of rotten fish, she received a curt note from Professor Snape suggesting she consult Fred and George. They had been all too happy to help their little sister.
In the evenings everyone tried to relax by engaging in such activities as wizard chess and exploding snap. Some nights Remus and Sirius would regale them with tales from their Hogwarts days. Other evenings Jeren would play guitar and sing.
The course work was condensed and very intense. By the time Harry's birthday arrived she felt like her brain was turning to mashed potatoes, and she wanted to crawl into a dark hole and sleep forever. She would have been in tears every night, and in truth was in tears some nights, except that everyone kept coaxing her on. Dumbledore had even sent her a letter expressing how proud he was of her accomplishments.
But what was truly driving Ginny to distraction was a little problem with Mr. Potter. A problem she intended to fix that night.
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