---

It was an almost normal day, but the colors had faded. No one had noticed, not even him. Then they swirled together; lines wavered; the edges of vision were fuzzy. A Pepper-up would do him good, but then the world shrunk, crinkled into a paper ball, and he crumpled with it. No pain involved, just folding. Then it all fell away, shattering like glass at the edges and working in towards him, and there was a terrible pulling. Worse than Portkeys or Apparition, the pulling stretched him both ways; the edges were getting closer. Darkness was beyond the edges, and then it was next to him. He touched it and everything snapped, whipping wildly out of control; he was flying and falling and being crushed into a ball, but staying in the same place.

When the world unfolded, he was lost to it.

---

Ginny’s broom lurched dangerously when one of the Beaters scored a perfect shot on the shaft. “Watch where you hit that thing!� she shrieked, a second before Harry roared, “Peakes! Stop dinking your shots and put some power behind it!�

Almost at once, Harry realized what his command implied and he laughed uneasily before he tore higher up into the sky to look for the Snitch.

“Peakes, give me your bat!� Ginny called.

“Don’t pull a McLaggen!� Peakes answered cheekily, rearing back as another Bludger approached. This one he knocked aside with such force it was clear he had taken Harry’s advice to heart. “Watch out! Quaffle!�

Ginny caught the Quaffle just before it hit her head and immediately rolled into a dive to avoid the Ravenclaw player who had been hoping to intercept the pass. A satisfying crunch told Ginny either Coote or Peakes had scored a good hit, but she did not look back. The goal posts were looming and she shot; a roar of cheers erupted from the stands, but when they continued even after the Ravenclaw chaser caught the ball, Ginny realized it was not for her goal. Harry was streaking above the Pitch with the determined focus he only had when he was chasing the Snitch. And the Ravenclaw Seeker was in his wake.

Wheeling her broom around, Ginny raced after the Ravenclaw Chaser. Coote swept past her head, nailing a Bludger at the opposing Seeker. Just as Demelza intercepted the Quaffle, Harrry caught the Snitch and the game was over. The celebration that ensued kept the players from returning to the locker rooms for a good hour, but that was what happened when your house took the Quidditch Cup for the third year in a row.

“Brilliant catch, Harry!� Dean said, patting him on the back so hard his glasses rattled on his face. He was radiant with happiness, and with good reason; it was always a joy to win the last Quidditch game of your school career.

“Couldn’t have gotten it without Coote,� Harry answered, flashing an awkward sideways smile. Ginny snorted into her Quidditch robes as she tugged them over her head. Harry was so silly about compliments.

He was right in front of her when she finally got herself untangled from the robes and he was wearing an uncharacteristically grim face for just having won a match. “Alright, Harry?� she asked.

“You know I didn’t mean it that way, right?� he asked. “I mean, I would never want Peakes to hurt you.�

Ginny had to stifle a laugh. She had quite forgotten that incident in the heat of victory. Sniffing daintily, she answered, “I’m sure…�

“Ginny!�

“She’s only joking, mate,� said Coote as he passed Harry.

“Right, I know,� Harry answered, wheeling away quickly and tearing his own robes over his head. It did not stop Ginny from glimpsing his red ears.

There was an unspoken agreement that the entire team was forgoing showers. They were already missing the celebration in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny tied back her windblown hair and slipped her school robes over her head faster than any of her teammates, shouldering her broom by the locker room doors. Harry joined her a moment later, hair mussed from his struggle with the school robes, and took her by the hand.

“Hold up, you two!� Ron called after them, though his voice was muffled by his robes, which he seemed to be having trouble putting on. It may or may not have had something to do with the shrinking charm Ginny cast on his collar before the game. Whatever the case, it was nice to share the short walk up to the castle only with Harry before they joined the deluge of celebration upstairs.

The crowds swallowed them in applause when they entered the common room, but every time Harry caught her eye over the crowd, Ginny felt a smile rise unbidden on her face. It was an omen, she decided. They could be far apart after he graduated and still make this work. It was practically the same thing as making eye contact across the common room in the middle of a Quidditch Cup celebration.

Honestly, it was.

---

The next two weeks were as hectic as they were wonderful. Hermione had buckled down on Ron and Harry for their N.E.W.T.s, going as far as writing up color-coded studying guides that screamed at them if they did not complete the studying assignments Hermione indicated. It gave everyone quite a scare the first time Harry’s bag screamed like a banshee, but Hermione was Head Girl and could get away with it.

Fortunately, every spare moment Harry got between studying for N.E.W.T.s and meeting with Dumbledore, he spent with Ginny. They talked a lot more than they had the last year when they went off alone. This year they spoke in subdued tones about how they were going to deal with the troubles of the next year. Harry was planning to go after Voldemort fulltime with the Order, while Ginny was returning for her final year of school. Ginny had tried – she really had – to drop out of school to go with him. Fred and George had turned out just fine without their seventh year, after all, but Harry would not hear of it. He was already reluctant enough to continue their relationship with the looming threat of Voldemort (on that count, Ginny was the stubborn one), convinced that Voldemort would not shrink away from attacking those whom Harry loved most. No matter how much Harry’s convictions frustrated Ginny, it still raised butterflies in her stomach to think that Harry considered her to be the one he loved most.

It was just after Harry finished his last N.E.W.T. (a disastrous potions practical, or so he claimed) and Ginny had curled up against his side to contemplate their complicated relationship, when Luna Lovegood appeared in the Gryffindor common room. It was still a mystery how the Ravenclaw girl so often managed to guess the Gryffindor password. Ginny personally suspected it was because Sir Cadogan had taken an unhealthy liking to Luna ever since she sketched a lopsided castle in the background of his painting.

“Hello, Ginny,� Luna said, ignorant of the eyebrows she was raising and the private moment she was interrupting. She held up a makeshift net made out of her wand and a sock, and grinned. “Are you ready to go hunting?�

It hardly seemed possible, but Luna looked more odd than usual. She was almost swimming in the baggy khaki outfit she was wearing, topped off with a safari hat that featured a radish dancing around its brim. A very long roll of parchment trailed from her back pocket, and upon seeing it, Ginny remembered her appointment with Luna.

“Oh, right!� she said, wriggling out of Harry’s embrace with an apologetic smile. “I’m helping Luna look for her missing things again this year.�

“And a few things that aren’t missing,� Luna added, to Harry’s amusement.

Ginny giggled as they left the common room together. Luna’s annual search for her hidden possessions had become much like a scavenger hunt, and Ginny had valiantly joined her friend since their fourth year. This was the first year Luna had dressed so extravagantly, however.

“What are you supposed to be?� she asked, just as they located a Uric the Oddball chocolate frog card in a crevice outside the Gryffindor common room.

“An explorer,� Luna answered as she slipped the card into one of her billowing pockets. “I think I may want to be a magical naturalist after I leave Hogwarts, and every good naturalist must have a good exploring outfit.�

“Naturally,� Ginny answered, levitating Luna’s butterbeer cork necklace down from where it had been hanging on a chandelier since the second week of school. Ginny paused for Luna to recover from laughing at the pun before continuing.

As the two girls worked their way down the list, it became increasingly difficult to find things. It did not help that Luna had lost her lucky paperclip and her complete collection of the works of Ragnok the Pigeon-toed. Even the usually level-headed Luna was becoming a bit frazzled over the idea of her copy of Little People, Big Plans mildewing in the dungeons over the summer holiday.

“It really is a pet peeve of mine, mildewing books,� Luna repeated, peering anxiously over Ginny’s shoulder and shirking her duty to keep the tapestry from falling on their heads.

Ginny mumbled some non-committal answer as she tapped along the wall with her wand. “Where is it—I swear Fred and George—Ah! Here it is.� The stones faded away before them and Ginny stepped victoriously inside the rarely used shortcut. “We’ll just check in here, and then we’ll go straight down to the dungeons,� she told Luna, who followed her in eagerly and let the tapestry fall over the entrance with a thud.

“Lumos.� Ginny held her wand in front of her just in time to avoid running into a crouching figure in the narrow space. Then his all-to-familiar face caught the light from her wand.

Ginny screamed and stumbled back into Luna. The Ravenclaw girl caught Ginny easily and gently shoved her back to her feet, and by that time Ginny had recovered from seeing Tom Riddle glaring up at her. “Honestly!� she huffed. “This castle is positively infested with boggarts. I swear, if I have to see Tom Riddle dance the can-can one more time, I think I might kill myself.� Leveling her wand at the boggart, almost lazily, Ginny recited, “Riddikulus.�

Nothing happened. The boggart looked a little drowsy, but it had looked drowsy before she cast the spell. Frowning, Ginny prodded her wand at the boggart with more force. “Riddikulus!� Again, nothing. Except now the boggart looked more awake and more irritable.

Faltering slightly, Ginny repeated, “Riddikulus! Riddikulus!� The young man got to his feet, rubbing his temples but still glaring at her.

“Luna, you do it!� Ginny said, pushing the other girl forward with a note of panic in her voice. But as Luna stood before the boggart, her wand tracing lazy circles in the air, the boggart did not crack and take the form of Luna – sans strange accessories and quirky personality – like it normally did.

“He doesn’t seem to be a boggart,� Luna said after a moment.

At the same moment the young man seemed to regain his speech capacity. “Whatever you did, you’re going to regret this,� he spat, moving towards her on weak legs.

Before the adrenaline kicked in, Ginny felt so lightheaded she almost fell over onto Luna. Then everything was crisp and clear, and she leveled her wand at Tom Riddle with her heart pounding in her ears. “Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus!�

When Riddle toppled to the floor like a board, Ginny’s knees gave way and she fell against the wall, her eyes never leaving him. “Get… Dumbledore…� she breathed, only vaguely aware that Luna followed her instructions. Ginny only had eyes for the nightmare lying across from her.

---

Ginny cast another anxious glance at the chair in the corner of the room. Riddle was propped haphazardly in a chair, and he looked so stiff that he was bound to slide out of the chair any second. Or wake up, which would be worse.

“I am sorry, Miss Weasley,� Dumbledore said, regaining her attention, “but you, of all people, understand why I must keep an eye on him until suitable security can be conjured up.�

“I understand perfectly, sir,� Ginny answered, tearing her gaze away from Riddle. “It’s just a little… disconcerting, is all.�

Dumbledore nodded and procured a tin of peppermints from his desk, offering one to Ginny. “And understandably so,� he answered. “It’s not every day that a ghost from one’s past rears its ugly head.�

“Except he’s not a ghost,� Ginny said, jerking her head toward Riddle as she popped the hard candy in her mouth.

“He does seem to be of a tangible nature, doesn’t he?� Dumbledore said, taking a peppermint for himself.

“But how?� Ginny asked, finally voicing the concern that had been fluttering incessantly in her head. “The diary was destroyed, wasn’t it?�

“Completely,� Dumbledore assured her. “I examined it myself.� Ginny thought he looked conflicted when his eyes flicked toward the ceiling, but then he regained his composure and continued. “I suspect the appearance of this Tom Riddle has nothing to do with the diary, because I am quite certain this Tom is none other than his real seventeen year old self.�

He paused to let Ginny digest this information, a pause Ginny desperately needed. She twisted full around in her seat and stared unabashedly at Riddle. It was half a minute before she could speak. “It’s really him?� And before Dumbledore could answer, she added, “How?�

“I believe he is, Miss Weasley,� Dumbledore answered sadly. “I can’t be sure until he is awake and I can properly question him, but I have a few theories, all based on the presupposition that it was not Tom who transported himself into the future.� Ginny opened her mouth, but Dumbledore cut off her question with an answer. “Correct me if I am wrong, but you stated that Tom looked out of sorts when he first woke up. In addition, you said he approached you with a threat concerning his current situation, which leads one to believe that he was not plucked out of time of his free will.�

Ginny wrapped her mind around this, and then nodded. “But that doesn’t explain how he got here.�

Dumbledore sighed – a sound Ginny found horrifying when it escaped the lips of the greatest wizard of their age – and his eyes searched the ceiling again. “It is my intuition – and my intuition is usually right – that it was the Voldemort of this time that transported his younger self forward. For what reason, and which spell he employed, I cannot yet say. It is sufficient to say that we must keep Tom from falling into Voldemort’s hands at all costs.� His eyes returned to Ginny, and she saw that he was now resolute.

There was a low groan from behind Ginny and she almost fell out of her chair in fright. Gripping the armrests in white knuckles, she glanced over her shoulder at Riddle, who was finally stirring.

“I’m afraid this will not be pleasant,� said the headmaster, already drawing his wand. “Would you kindly escort yourself out, Miss Weasley?�

Ginny did not have to be asked twice, and as she scrambled down the spiral staircase she faintly heard Dumbledore say, “Hello, Tom. I suppose I’ve gotten grayer since you last saw me…� Bursting from behind the stone gargoyles, Ginny stumbled into the waiting arms of Harry Potter.

“Ginny! Are you alright?� he asked, hugging her close. “We heard what happened from Luna.�

“Yeah, I’m fine,� Ginny answered, her voice wavering only slightly when she looked around at the concerned faces of Ron, Hermione, and Luna. “Dumbledore’s questioning him now. He thinks Voldemort – the one in this time, I mean – brought him here.�

A grim look passed between Harry, Hermione, and Ron. If Voldemort was planning something, it would affect all three of them when they began their fulltime assault after they graduated. “They’re probably going to be awhile,� Hermione said gently, breaking the silence. “It’s almost midnight and we need to start packing in the morning. I’m sure Dumbledore knows what he’s doing,� she added, almost as an afterthought. They all allowed themselves to be herded back to the Gryffindor common room, realizing too late that Luna had tagged along. Hermione was beside herself. “Oh, Luna, why did you—Never mind. Here, take this hall pass, just get to bed…�

Usually Ginny would have been swallowing her giggles on the way up to her dormitory, but tonight she did not feel like laughing. It took hours of tossing and turning for her to get to sleep. When she woke up she was cold with sweat and had vague memories of nightmares about rooster feathers and ink. Harry rubbed her back when she came down to breakfast bleary eyed and still breathing hard.

The swirl of packing blurred in Ginny’s memory as her mind remained focused on Tom Riddle. At any moment, she expected Dumbledore to tap her on the shoulder and explain what had happened, but that did not occur. The day passed and Dumbledore was absent. She finally saw him at the Leaving Feast, but he made no formal announcement about Tom, nor did he talk to her. Ginny half-expected it, and when she boarded the train to go home she tried not to think about the boy she encountered in the dark, cramped passageway. Dumbledore would sort it out and she would never have to see Riddle again.

---

The heat was sweltering. Ginny had charmed a paper fan to cool her down, but it had waved progressively lazier as the afternoon wore on. Luna was baking beside her on the front lawn, her usually pale skin a fluorescent red color. Ginny sighed again.

It had been more than a week since she had last seen Harry, when he had stopped in long enough to celebrate her birthday. He had been in and out of the Burrow with Ron and Hermione, always sweet and considerate when he spent time with her, but very vague about what they were doing. She could venture a guess as to where he was now (Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Order Headquarters, currently off limits to herself compliments of Molly Weasley), but beyond that was a mystery. That was how it had been all summer. Ginny tried to remind herself that this was what she had signed herself up for, but that did not quell her frustration.

“We have school in two weeks, don’t we?� Luna said drowsily.

The idea struck Ginny over the head like a two-by-four. It was amazing how she lost track of time during the holidays. “School…� she mumbled back, saying the word with distaste.

“I feel the same,� Luna answered, rolling onto her back without flinching. Ginny winced for her; it was a terrible sunburn. Staring up at the cloudless sky, Ginny considered school. Her last year. N.E.W.T.s. A year without Harry. A year of worrying while he was off fighting Voldemort.

Riddle.

Trying to sound conversational, she propped herself up and peered over at Luna. “Luna, you remember our scavenger hunt last year, right?� she asked.

“Oh, yes. We never did find my paperclip.�

“Well… No, we didn’t. But do you remember that boy we found? Do you suppose Dumbledore’s gotten rid of him?�

Luna stretched her hands toward the sky. “I don’t know. Shall we send him an owl and ask?�

“No, it’s not that important,� Ginny answered, waving her hand dismissively. She lay down and stared into the sky without really seeing it. Dumbledore was involved, so there was probably nothing to worry about. And while Ginny told herself this, the rest of her family observed that their youngest became rather jumpy and out of sorts the last few weeks of summer – she hardly even reacted to being made Quidditch captain.

---

Ginny heaved a long sigh as she tried for the third time to shove her trunk into the un-magical taxi cab they were taking to King’s Cross. The driver looked vexed enough as things were, but Ginny just could not get her trunk to fit. She doubted it would be a comfortable ride sitting with the trunk on her lap, though, so she put her shoulder into it.

“Here, let me get that.� Ginny nearly fell into the trunk of the car as her luggage shrunk. A strong hand caught her mid-fall, and Ginny almost cried with happiness.

“Harry!� she shrieked, throwing herself into his arms. “We were afraid you wouldn’t be able to make it!�

Harry laughed and kissed the top of her head gently. “I wouldn’t miss seeing you off to school, what with it being an opportune time to laugh at you.�

Ginny pulled back and punched him playfully. “You watch it, young man,� she said sternly as Hermione and Ron approached.

“Just imagine,� Ron said with a grin, “getting up at 7:30 in the morning every day and going to classes. I can’t wrap my mind around it; can you, mate?� He nudged Harry in the ribs.

“Yes, this ‘school’ concept is strange to me,� Harry said, edging away from Ginny’s strong right arm. Behind the boys, Hermione rolled her eyes. The blaring of the taxi horn startled them out of their reunion and the quartet scrambled to get into the cab.

Mrs. Weasley had not planned on three extra people, so the space in the car was tight. Ginny sat on Harry’s lap – to Mrs. Weasley and Ron’s disapproval – but even so, they were so sandwiched that if Ron so much as scratched his head, he elbowed Ginny in the face. Needless to say, the ride to the train station was not pleasant. Ginny, however, was simply ecstatic that Harry was there.

She had not seen Harry for weeks, if you did not count the time he Apparated into the shed outside the Burrow to get an extra broom. He had only stopped for a brief hello then, and Ginny knew better than to question him about what they were up to. Harry would probably tell her when the time was right, like he always did.

Usually Ginny got on the Hogwarts Express as quickly as possible to ensure a good compartment, but this year she stayed on the platform with Harry until the engine was pulling away. After standing in the doorway and waving until Harry was no more than a speck, Ginny finally dragged her trunk through the corridors to find Luna.

Ginny found her in a nearly empty compartment, staring dreamily at the floor from her upside-down position on the seat. Across from Luna, three first year girls looked halfway between amused and horrified. They had somehow managed to squeeze themselves in the corner of the compartment in an attempt to get as far away from Luna as possible.

“Oh, hello, Ginny,� Luna said. She waved at Ginny, lost her balance, and landed on her head.

“Good morning, Luna.� Ginny levitated her trunk onto the rack and offered Luna a hand. Once they were both seated – upright – Ginny motioned to the three first years. “Who’re they?� she asked.

“I don’t know,� Luna answered. “They couldn’t find a compartment and I figured the compartment would seem rather lonely without the upperclassmen. There was a fourth one, but she ran away.�

“Ah…well, hello girls,� she said, waving to the first years. One squeaked. “I’m Ginny. This is Luna. What are your names?�

“HestiaLockeNataliePryneLauraBrooks,� they all answered without breathing. Ginny snorted and looked over at Luna in amusement. Except Luna was not amused; she just nodded and smiled. With a sharp pang, Ginny realized how much she was going to miss Harry, Ron, and Hermione this year.

The train ride seemed longer than usual. The carriage rides seemed less magical than usual. The Sorting was bland, even when Hestia and Natalie got Sorted into Gryffidor. She picked at her food. When Dumbledore stood up to talk, she hardly reacted to his introduction of their new teacher, a Professor Slughorn, and Snape’s reassignment to the Defense post. Even his annual speech about Filch’s bans and the Forbidden Forest seemed drab. Then his eyebrows beetled, he drew himself fully erect, and he looked over the students with grave eyes.

“Now students, I say this with all the severity I can muster. Do not go into the seventh floor corridor, or we may very well have death on our hands.�

The room snapped back to vivid clarity. Ginny’s skin tingled and she knew. Her mind tore through Hogwarts up to the seventh floor corridor, where she knew the Room of Requirements was located. She knew. She could see him sitting there. She knew that her face looked white and her freckles stood out violently. She knew she had not eaten anything all day and her head was swimming. Then she was falling backwards.

---

Every instinct told Ginny to keep her eyes shut. But she opened them.

“I really must apologize, Miss Weasley,� said a soft voice from her left and she squinted against the bright white Hospital Wing. “I had planned to meet with you after the Feast was over. I admit, I did not realize you would react in such a fashion.�

Ginny’s cheeks flared up – that blotchy red color that made her look like a tomato, she knew – and as she looked at Dumbledore she simultaneously felt like screaming at him and pulling the sheets over her head in embarrassment. Instead, she made herself sit up, bite her lip, and wait for him to continue.

“As you have probably guessed, Mr. Riddle has recently taken up residence in the Room of Requirement. He is under the highest security Hogwarts can—�

Ginny’s short temper quickly won out over her embarrassment. “So, he’s ‘Mr. Riddle’ now, is he?� she snapped. “Why didn’t you turn him over to the Ministry? Instead of Azkaban, you’re keeping him at Hogwarts, during the school year, with hundreds of students – at least half of them Muggle-borns – who he can kill if he gets out?�

“I did not believe the Ministry would be sufficient for his protection,� Dumbledore answered simply.

“Protection?!� Ginny hissed.

“I’m sorry; ‘Our protection’ may be the more adequate term. Society’s protection, that is. If you’ll recall, I theorized that Tom – I’m sorry, the present Tom – brought this Tom Riddle into the present. I was correct.� Dumbledore folded his hands in his lap and stared pointedly over his glasses. “Miss Weasley, forgive me for saying this, but I would not leave him in the hands of the Ministry to be snatched away by the Dark Lord anymore than I would hand over Harry Potter.�

A chill went up Ginny’s spine at the conviction simmering in the headmaster’s eyes. She drew back. “What does Voldemort want with him?� she breathed.

The Headmaster began twiddling his thumbs ever so discreetly. “I am not entirely sure,� he answered, “although I am fairly certain I have discovered how he brought Tom here.�

While Ginny leaned toward him in curiosity, Dumbledore stopped abruptly and looked speculative. “Miss Weasley, in all future conversation, perhaps it would be easiest to refer to the present Tom Riddle as Lord Voldemort and the young Tom Riddle by his given name. I dislike the stigma created by his pseudonym, but for the sake of clarity…�

Ginny nodded, wishing only for him to continue.

“Where was I? Oh yes—the spell I suspect Voldemort used is not only complex, but highly illegal. I suppose Harry has told you of the Horcruxes?� His eyes twinkled for a moment, and, confused, Ginny nodded. “Yes, well, secrecy generally means very little in our school.�

Ginny blushed again. “Only tidbits, sir,� she murmured.

“Do not worry,� Dumbledore answered, chuckling. “It only makes the explanation that much easier. The spell is similar to the one that creates Horcruxes in that it splits the soul in two. Can you see why?�

“I don’t know.� Ginny searched the ceiling for the answer. “I suppose he could be in two places at once?�

“You’re on the right track, Miss Weasley,� Dumbledore nodded. “You see, if Voldemort had truly snatched himself out of time, he would not have been there to grow up, become the Dark Lord that he is, and plan to snatch himself out of time. It would create such a paradox that the universe might very well collapse on itself, which is why such a spell does not exist. Even if such a spell does exist, the fact that we can remember the name Voldemort and his deeds he has done is proof enough that it was not employed.�

“So… He would be able to live in the past while existing in the future?� Ginny ventured.

“Correct, Miss Weasley. It is slightly more complicated, but that is the general gist of things.�

“Complicated?�

“Yes. You see, you can never truly be half a soul. In the case of Horcruxes, you still possess a whole soul; it is only divided into different containers. However, a soul separated by time cannot exist. The split souls instead fill themselves back in, and as a result we have a whole and complete Tom Riddle on our hands. You can see the danger of letting him fall into Voldemort’s hands, I assume.�

After studying her bed sheets for a moment, she sighed. “I understand, sir.�

The Headmaster’s eyes softened as he reached out and patted Ginny’s shoulder. “You needn’t fear for your fellow students. We did have the foresight to remove his wand from his person. He’s harmless without it, at least in the physical sense. Ever since he realized that I am assured of his guilt, he has developed a very sharp tongue. Luckily, I am the only one who must be subject to that.� There was a pregnant pause before he added, “Unless you wanted to see the security for your own peace of mind?�

Even Ginny could tell that the suggestion was not actually a suggestion. She nodded slowly. “I think I’d like to,� she said. “It would probably be for the best.�

“Excellent,� Dumbledore said, standing up. “It may be best to do it before classes begin. Is tomorrow too early?�

“That would be fine, sir,� Ginny answered. She hid her shaking hands in the sheets.

“Madame Pomfrey will want you to stay in the Hospital Wing overnight, but I suspect that I can convince her to release you to your dormitory. I believe that they are infinitely more comfortable.�

“Thank you, Headmaster,� Ginny grinned. Dumbledore smiled back and moved towards Madame Pomfrey’s office. That night, Ginny stared up at the canopy of her own bed until dawn.

---

“Are you going to eat that?� Luna asked, leaning over Ginny’s shoulder. Ginny stirred around her potatoes a moment longer and then handed her roll to Luna. “Thank you!� Luna chirped, squeezing in next to Ginny. Demelza shot her an odd look from down the table.

“Lovegood, go sit with your own house!�

“Are you feeling alright?� Luna asked Ginny, reaching across the table for the gravy.

Ginny sighed and glanced over at Luna. “Yes, I—� She stopped short and did a double-take. A shiny Head Girl badge was pinned upside-down on Luna’s chest. It was a few seconds before Ginny could speak.

“You got Head Girl?� she gasped.

“Yes.� Luna dipped her roll in the gravy and popped the whole thing in her mouth.

“But you were in our compartment the entire time on the train!�

“No, you just didn’t notice I left,� Luna answered around a mouthful of food. At Ginny’s incredulous look, she added, “It’s true. I told you I was going but you only made a funny noise and kept looking out the window. It was quite bizarre.�

Frowning, Ginny waved her hand dismissively towards the Ravenclaw table. “Maybe you should…�

Luna stopped mid-chew and looked over. “Oh, of course.� She gathered up what food she had collected at the Gryffindor table, only to be accosted by a pale Slytherin boy who looked strangely ill.

“Lovegood, we have a meeting,� he said stiffly, looking pained just for saying it. Ginny noticed the Head Boy badge on his chest, and the way he wrinkled his nose hinted that he noticed the eccentric position of Luna’s badge.

Beaming, Luna jumped to her feet and picked up the gravy. “Oh, Harper, I almost forgot. Lead the way.�

Harper did not respond, but one Gryffindor did raise an outcry over the stolen gravy. “You don’t mind if I take this, do you?� Luna asked, drifting away before anyone could respond.

“Head Girl…� Ginny muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. “She’s going to drive him crazy.�

“Dumbledore is going mad putting her in charge,� said another seventh-year, Gregory Jones, as he moved over to fill in the gap Luna had left.

“She was in the D.A.,� Colin Creevey said around a mouthful of food. “I say he’s more crazy putting a Slytherin in charge.�

“And she may be eccentric, but she’s one of the brightest girls in our year,� Ginny added.

Gregory snorted out a laugh. “Don’t let her hear you say that, or she’ll figure out some way to make her head glow.�

Ginny leveled a scowl at Gregory and was about to snap back when a wiry hand closed around her shoulder. “Miss Weasley,� Professor McGonagall said, “the Headmaster wishes to speak with you.�

All the blood drained from Ginny’s face. It must have been a drastic change, because immediately all the students sitting around her looked concerned.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,� she responded to their well-meaning inquiries, and got up to follow McGonagall. They had barely gotten out of the Great Hall when Dumbledore intercepted them. “I’ll take Miss Weasley from here,� he told McGonagall. “No need to walk more than necessary.�

They walked briskly to the seventh floor corridor, and the entire way, all Ginny could think about was Tom Riddle’s dark eyes boring into hers the second the door to the Room of Requirement opened. She could picture him there, seated on the floor, glaring, smirking, his head tilted slightly to the left in that perfectly arrogant way.

Abruptly, Ginny was in front of the door to the Room of Requirement, and Dumbledore was opening it. The room before her was hazy, like a cloud had engulfed the room. She could not see Riddle. They stepped through and Ginny felt as if an egg had been cracked over her head and was oozing down her spine. Shivering, she took another step and felt like her skin was on fire. Beside her, Dumbledore looked casual.

“Nothing to worry about, Miss Weasley. Simple defense mechanisms; one removes all charms and curses, the other all transfigurations. If you wouldn’t mind one last step, it should remove all traces of potions from your body.� Ginny nodded, and as she took the last step, a shiver ran up her legs and exploded in her head. Suddenly the room was crystal clear. Ginny staggered for a moment, and then her head cleared.

The room was dark, but her eyes did not need to adjust. From the floor to the furnishings, everything was plain; nothing was tattered, but neither was anything extravagant. Nothing furnished the room but the bare necessities: a bed, a chair, a toilet. An empty bookshelf stood against the far wall, but Ginny could see no trace of the books that should have been stored in it.

All this paled in comparison to the figure in the middle of the room. He was not facing Ginny; he was lying on the floor, his knees clutched to his chest and his back to the doorway. From what she could make out, his clothes were fraying at the hems and his hair was far more disheveled than how she remembered it to be.

Ginny started when the curled figure suddenly moved. Riddle scrambled across the floor with such agility, she did not have time to jump away before he was at her feet, staring up at her with dark, wild eyes. “Please, you’ve got to help me!� he rasped. “That crazy old man is keeping me prisoner!�

When he reached for her feet, hands shaking, Ginny jerked away like he was the plague. “Get away from me!� she spat, aiming a kick for his face. He ducked his head in time to receive only a glancing blow to his shoulder.

The transformation was swift. Sitting up, Riddle fixed Ginny in a deep glare and wiped the dirt off his face. “So, you’re convinced of my guilt also?� he asked, his voice now strong and sneering.

It took every bit of self-restraint Ginny possessed not to hurl every sort of jinx and curse she had ever learned at Tom Riddle. Shaking so violently she could barely speak, she pointedly ignored the question and turned to Dumbledore – though still careful not to expose her back to Riddle. “So far, I’m satisfied. What is keeping him in here?�

“A weave of barrier spells, not unlike those surrounding Hogwarts itself,� the Headmaster answered. “And you may have noticed that the door disappeared behind us? It has been specially configured to reveal itself only to specific wand signatures. At the moment, mine is the only one it will recognize.�

Ginny glanced at Tom, who was gazing hungrily at Dumbledore’s wand. “Thank you, sir,� she said quickly. “That’s really all I wanted to see.� The hair on her arms was starting to stand on end. She backed toward the door, and Tom turned his curious gaze on her. Ginny groped at the wall where the door was supposed to be.

“Who are you?� he asked.

“If you don’t mind, Sir, I’ve seen enough,� Ginny said, her voice wavering at a feverish pitch.

“Of course, I’ll just be a moment.� The door handle appeared under Ginny’s hand, and she stumbled out into the corridor. Closing her eyes, Ginny sagged against the wall. She was still breathing fast and the remnant of adrenaline kept her heart thundering in her chest.

“Well, what do we have here? Five points from Gryffindor, I think.�

Ginny opened her eyes and glared half-heartedly at Harper, who was approaching with a satisfied grin. “What?� she breathed.

“This seventh floor corridor is off-limits.� Then, glancing over her disheveled appearance, the Head Boy sneered. “Potter not good enough for you? Has your current boyfriend run off already or is he still in the closet?�

For a moment, Ginny still had no idea what he was talking about. Then she realized that Dumbledore’s defense charms must have negated her hair-smoothing charms and her short tussle with Riddle had left her robes uneven. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Harper—DON’T GO IN THERE!�

Harper had just started reaching for the “closet� door and Ginny lunged for him. Just as she managed to rip his hand away from the handle (“Trying real hard to hide someone, aren’t you?�), the door opened.

“Is there a problem here?� Dumbledore appeared from within the Room of Requirement and waved his wand over the door to make it vanish. Ginny and Harper jumped apart and Harper looked a delightful shade of red.

“N-No, nothing, Sir. Just doing my rounds.�

“Delightful! I won’t hold you up, then. Miss Weasley, thank for accompanying me. I hope you’re satisfied with our… guest’s arrangements.�

“As much as I’ll ever be, Sir,� she answered. Harper looked on with rabid curiosity, and Ginny smirked at him. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do that I put off over the holidays.�

Dumbledore smiled and waved her away. “I wouldn’t want to get in the way of your academic endeavors. Be on your way.� Ginny could feel Harper’s eyes on her back until she reached the end of the corridor.

---

Tom’s glare was haunting her. Ginny had written Harry at least five letters in the last three days, all of them reiterating the same basic idea. She had paced the length of the common room for about an hour before she had sat down to write this one. At the moment, Dear Harry was all that this parchment said. She tickled her nose with the quill, trying to think of the best way to begin, and then finally touched nub to paper and let her fears and frustration flow.

Harry, I’m going out of my mind. Half the time I want to march up to the seventh floor and hex him out of his mind. The other half, I’m so terrified I want to hide under my bed like a first year all over again. And I haven’t even talked to him properly!

With a jerk, Ginny realized she had written a near replica of her last letter. Scowling, she Scourgified the paper, crumpled it up, and threw it across the room. Then she bit her lip, retrieved the paper, fixed it, and then re-wrote the letter with an obligatory apology for being so annoying. She gave the letter to Pig, who Ron had sent her during the second week of school.

In the far recesses of her mind - the one section not preoccupied with Tom Riddle - she wondered if Ron had sent the little owl to her because it made too much racket for them to care for in a dangerous area. That small section of Ginny’s mind was constantly berating her for being so inconsiderate; Harry was off facing a full-grown Tom Riddle who was intent on killing him, and here she was complaining about a prisoner who had done nothing to her since her first year. She almost took the letter away from Pig, but he darted eagerly out the window before she had a chance.

The Quidditch tryouts had been a welcome distraction, although she had quickly wished to be back in her room biting her nails over Tom Riddle. She had to replace a Keeper, a Chaser, and a Seeker (or two Chasers, if she decided to play Seeker), but her organization skills left something to be desired and the pitch erupted into chaos. Her original plan had been to test herself against both the potential Chasers and Seekers to see where her skills would be put to the most use. She loved the thrill and competition of being a Chaser, but she had confidence in her ability as a Seeker and was not about to give up one of the most important positions to a halfway decent flier. Ginny was lucky enough to find a third year girl who shot around on her broom like a rocket and had a sharp eye, and - delighted - Ginny gave young Arabella Jones the position. Ginny felt her Keeper and Chaser selections had been less than satisfactory. By the time practices began, she found Quidditch to be less of a distraction and more of a reminder of how much she missed Harry and how jittery she became on a broom when she was consistently nervous.

Luna was little help in the whole situation. She had taken to eating meals with Ginny in the corridors because Ginny was having trouble handling the constant noise in the Great Hall. “It must be rather distressing,� Luna mused, “being seventeen and suddenly being pulled out of time to a place where you’re suddenly in trouble for everything you’ve never done.�

“Yeah, about as distressing as being possessed by a diary during your first year,� Ginny grumbled.

Luna looked hurt. “I was only trying to look at it from his perspective. It would be a very terrifying situation for any normal person.�

Ginny speared a strip of bacon, clearly closing the matter. “Tom Riddle is not normal.�

As usual, Luna was not perceptive of the finality in Ginny’s voice, or else she ignored it. “Of course he is,� she persisted. “He’s not anything different than a normal human boy.�

“No,� Ginny replied, just as forcefully, “by this point of his life he would have already killed several people. And the part of him that he put in the diary did not show a shred of guilt about it. That is not normal.�

Luna said nothing more, although it was clear she had a lot that she wanted to say. Frankly, Ginny did not want to hear a word of it. They finished breakfast in silence, and she had just begun relaxing when her friend spoke up again.

“Maybe you should go talk to him.�

“No!� Ginny cried, slamming down her fork on the stone floor so hard that the other girl jumped.

“But if you talked with him, maybe it would help--�

“No, it would not,� Ginny ground out.

“It could help,� Luna said. “What you’re doing right now, it’s not healthy.� The Ravenclaw girl caught Ginny’s gaze with wide eyes and Ginny shrunk back. One of the occupational hazards of being friends with Luna was her unabashed honesty. “You’re hardly eating, you just stare off into space, you barely talk… If I didn’t know any better, I’d say a Knarkle had stolen part of your brain.�

“It’s a good thing you know better,� Ginny said sullenly.

“I just want you to be okay,� Luna said slowly, “because I don’t think he will be going away for a long time.�

Because Luna was her friend - and only because Luna was her friend - Ginny took a moment to turn Luna’s suggestion over in her head. It was true that she had never truly received closure over the whole first-year incident. It had faded into the background, but the current situation had made it clearer than ever that she had not fully recovered. She could boldly face a Tom-boggart, but when the real deal showed his face, she was a weak-kneed, trembling eleven year old all over again.

Ginny opened her mouth to relate these thoughts to Luna, but her friend’s attention had abruptly shifted away from Ginny. “Hello, Harper!� Luna chirped. There was a sharp intake of breath from somewhere on their left, and Ginny followed Luna’s line of sight to a suit of armor standing in a nearby alcove. She was confused until she spotted a pant leg hanging back in the shadows.

“Hello! Harper? Hello?� Luna called, starting to get to her feet. Ginny didn’t bother; she reached for her wand and one well-aimed spell spilled Harper out of his hiding spot.

“Oh, I knew I recognized your shoelaces,� Luna exclaimed. “Do you eat in the hallway also?�

Harper shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny of both girls, trying to look authoritative when he was obviously embarrassed. “I--�

“Obviously, he was eavesdropping,� Ginny snapped, crawling to her feet. Depending on how long Harper had been listening, they might have a problem on their hands.

“That’s ridiculous,� Luna said. Turning to Harper, she planted her fists on her hips. “Harper is very responsible. He’s Head Boy.�

“How long were you listening?� Ginny said, stepping between the pair and leveling her wand at the Head Boy. Luna answered before Harper got a chance to draw a breath.

“He came up while we weren’t talking, so he’s probably very confused,� she said. “Do you think we should explain?� Luna shouldered past Ginny eagerly, ready to explain the full complexities of Ginny’s situation before Ginny pulled her back.

“Luna, don’t,� she hissed.

“Why not? He’s Slytherin, so he might have some valuable insight into this.� Once again, she turned toward Harper. “Have you ever killed someone before?�

Even Ginny was taken aback. Harper actually sputtered and backed away from the two girls. “You’re plotting to kill Potter?� he asked incredulously.

Both girls blinked and exchanged a confused glance. That had certainly been out of the blue. “We weren’t talking about Harry,� Luna said slowly. “We were talking about--�

Ginny clapped a hand over Luna’s mouth. “Someone else, though we aren’t planning to kill him either.� In a hushed tone, she hissed at Luna, “What are you thinking?�

“I thought he might know what Tom had been thinking, being a Slytherin and all,� she answered.

“They don’t all go around killing people!�

“That’s why I asked first.�

Harper was shamelessly trying to follow their whispered conversation, leaning so far toward them that it was a wonder he had not fallen over. Ginny shot him a glare, and he snapped back to attention.

“Nevermind, Harper,� Ginny said. “Just don’t eavesdrop on us again, or you’ll pay for it.�

Harper managed to get back a little of his authoritative footing. “Threatening the Head B--�

“Ten points from Slytherin for suspicious behavior, by the way,� Luna said abruptly, and Harper sputtered to a stop mid-sentence.

“But--�

“We can’t have people lurking behind suits of armor at Hogwarts,� Luna explained. “That’s how the armor-spirits incited the student revolt in 1652.�

Harper looked strangely at Luna and Ginny struggled not to join him. Hogwarts had never experienced a revolt, especially not one led by the castle’s suits of armor. Still, Ginny was not one to argue when Slytherin was losing points, so she made an affirmative sort of sound and nodded her head in Luna’s support.

“If you’re going to be Head Boy, you had better start setting a better example for the students,� Luna finished, and Harper desperately looked like he wanted to hex her. Luna looked unaware, because she sat down once again and patted the ground next to her as if to invite Harper to sit with them. He sneered and swept away.

“Nice boy,� Luna said as she resumed sipping her morning coffee. “He’s a very good organizer, you know. He keeps everything in color-coded folders. I think he quite dislikes me.�

Ginny hoped Luna would forget their conversation, but the Ravenclaw had a keen memory when she wanted. She breached the subject no less than thirty times by the end of the day, until, finally, Ginny snapped.

“If you want to talk to him so badly, go ask Dumbledore yourself!�

It was the worst advice she had ever given. After pestering Dumbledore for a few weeks, Luna went to speak with Riddle. She spent the afternoon with him while Ginny paced the common room in anxiety. When Luna turned up outside Gryffindor tower (they had just changed the passwords and she was not privy yet), Ginny was both relieved and annoyed - Luna was fine, but she would not stop talking about the young Dark Lord.

“He was quite pleasant to talk to… Didn’t respond much, but he seemed very interested in the many conspiracies taking place in the Ministry. Did you know his favorite vegetable is a carrot? He didn’t say, of course, but I could tell.�

“Luna, please stop.�

“He was particularly interested in you,� Luna continued, and immediately she had Ginny’s attention.

“Why? What did you tell him?�

“I was telling him about my friends and he was just interested in you. I think it’s because your hair is red. Anyways, I told him all about you - how you’re a good hand at Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, but not feeling very well lately.�

“Luna…� Ginny groaned. “You didn’t tell him about our first year, did you?�

Luna cocked her eyebrow in confusion. “Why would I tell him something like that? It’s hardly a matter for idle chit-chat.� Ginny heaved a deep sigh of relief until Luna added, “He asked if he could meet you, though. You could tell him yourself if you’d like.�

“Of course he’d like to meet me…� Ginny mumbled.

“Pardon me?�

Ginny turned and faced Luna head on, staring straight into her friend’s eyes. “Luna. Please. Promise me you won’t see him again. You met him; isn’t that enough?�

Luna did not speak, but Ginny could see in her eyes that the answer was no. Over the next month, Luna visited Tom every three days. Out of respect for Ginny’s wishes (it had only taken her a week to realize that Ginny truly felt uncomfortable talking about Tom Riddle), Luna never mentioned what went on between her and Riddle. It was common knowledge to both girls that they disagreed about him, and although they never talked about it, it became a point of contention between them. Every so often, when she thought Ginny’s convictions might have changed, Luna suggested Ginny accompany her on one of her visits. Every time, Luna would insist on Riddle’s humanity. Her crazy ideas got wilder with each rendition, until finally the Ravenclaw was convinced that they should smuggle Tom out to go with them to the Halloween feast.

“But he’s so lonely all cooped up in that room all by himself. He’s a seventeen year old boy who hasn’t had any fun in two months.� She glanced both ways down the aisle and pushed her escape plans at Ginny one more time. Ginny felt like something of a conspirator, surrounded by musty books in a darkened corner of the library.

“Luna, his idea of fun is different than ours,� she whispered. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but he is evil. Now, forget about those…� She reached for Luna’s plans with the intent of shredding them.

Luna saw straight through her intention. “You don’t even know him!� she said sadly, pulling the papers away. “You refuse to go see him.�

“I know him better than anyone! I spent an entire year with him in my head!� Ginny ripped the drafts from Luna’s grip and whispered, “Incendio.� She dropped them to the ground, smirking in satisfaction as they smoldered, and then stomped out the ashes. When she looked up at Luna, she was shocked to see that her best friend was smoldering with anger.

“Luna…� Ginny had never seen her friend so enraged. Luna’s usually porcelain skin was a blotchy red color and her already thin mouth was pressed in a nearly non-existent line. Then, abruptly, Luna spun on her heel and walked quietly away.

“He’s doing this on purpose!� Ginny screamed after her. “He’s manipulating you!�

Madam Pince was behind Ginny in an instant, her nostrils flaring. “Fire in my library! Why I never--A detention! Fifty points from Gryffindor! Out of my library. Out!�

After that, Ginny had no choice but to tell Dumbledore what Luna was planning, and he quickly discouraged Luna from those endeavors. To Ginny’s dismay, he did nothing to disallow Luna from visiting Riddle, and so Luna left the feast early with an armful of sweets to share with him. She refused to speak to Ginny, and for the first time since her first year, Ginny felt lonely at Hogwarts.