“Harry?”
“Ginevra!” I jumped up as soon as I saw her and gave her big hug. “How was your day at school?”
“Umm… It was good, I guess. Why are you in the library?” Ginny asked as she backed away from me.
“I was finishing up my homework. I figured that I’d do it now instead of wait till after our date tonight,” I smiled and walked towards her. I reached for her hand but she moved it away. “What’s wrong Ginevra?” I asked.
“Why are you calling me Ginevra? My mom only calls me that when she’s mad,” Ginny said as she backed away even farther.
“Nothing is wrong with me. I just wanted to do my homework for a change,” I looked at her curiously. She looked frightened, like she had never seen me before. What’s wrong with her? I call he Ginevra all the time, it’s more proper than Ginny. Also Ginny sounds like a little girl’s name, and Ginevra is more mature sounding.
“About that date, I can’t make it,” Ginny said as she backed away even more. By this time she was almost to the door.
“Well that’s quite alright, how about tomorrow night?” I asked.
“Maybe. I’ll see you later. Bye,” she said quickly as she rushed out the door.
“That was strange…” I muttered as she closed the door behind her. What could she be doing, that she couldn’t come tonight? She was just fine this morning… I walked back over to the library table and finished my homework. I got up and left, but instead of going to the common room to meet Ron and Hermione, I just went to the Great Hall to eat. It was a waste of energy to walk back up to Gryffindor tower and walk all the way back down to the Great Hall. I sat down where I usually sit, all by myself.
“Potter has no friends!” I heard someone tease from behind me. I chose to ignore it since it was stupid to get mad over such immature comments like that. They repeated the phrase a lot but I remained silent and calm. Finally whomever it was hit me across the top of my head. I turned around, but I remained calm.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said ‘Potter has no friends!’” Draco shouted as he inched closer to my face. I remained calm and answered him.
“Yes, I heard you, Draco. It’s just silly to get upset over such things as a phrase someone chooses to yell. I’m waiting for Ronald and Hermione to come down from the common room. I thought it was a waste to walk up to the tower and back down when I was already at the library,” I responded, clearly thinking he would understand and go and sit down. Instead he just stared at me for a second and busted out laughing, along with the rest of the Great Hall.
“You were at the library?” laughed Malfoy as he walked over to the Slytherin table. Doesn’t he understand? I actually want to get as many O.W.L.S. as I can. How many you get affects the jobs you can get and everything. It’s very important. Maybe my aunt and uncle will proud of me if I get all I can…
“We were waiting for you in the common room so we decided to go and see if you were still in the library, but you weren’t. Why didn’t you come and get us or something before you came down here?” asked Hermione as she sat down across from me.
“I thought that it was a waste of energy to walk up to the Gryffindor tower and walk back down to the Great Hall if I was already in the library,” I said as I said earlier to Draco. She just raised an eyebrow and moved food onto her plate. I looked over to Ron and he was already stuffing his face. “Ronald, you have potatoes on your cheek. Do you mind wiping them off before you continue your meal?” I asked politely.
“What?” Ron asked as he looked up at me with a weird expression on his face. I repeated what I said and he still just stared at me. He is such an ignorant fool, I thought.
“You called him Ronald. What’s wrong with you today? First, you call me Ginevra and now your calling him Ronald,” Ginny asked as she walked over and sat down beside me.
“I always call you Ginevra, and him Ronald,” I stated as I looked at her questionably. She just glanced in my direction and rolled her eyes.
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry Harry!” gasped Hermione as she covered her mouth.
“It’s not your fault that I call these two Ginevra and Ronald, no need to be sorry,” I responded, but she still sat there with her hands over her mouth. What is bothering her?
“ ‘Mione, what’s up?” Ronald asked through a mouth full of steak.
“I have to go to the library. I’ll meet you in the common room when I get done with”my homework, yeah my homework,” Hermione said as she stood up and ran out the Great Hall. We just stared after her, wondering what she was up to. She had to of already finished her homework, I already have and she always finishes before I do. Well, I have been very intellectual today, just look at how much I’ve learned! I never knew a thing about Goblin wars, and look how interesting they are!
We ate the rest of our meal in silence. Or almost silence, since Ronald chews so loudly. Afterwards, we walked back up to Gryffindor tower. We sat in the common room in complete silence until eight, when Hermione came trudging in, carrying a corked bottle and an extremely large book. She walked over and set it down on the coffee table, by the fire. People were standing close, but they didn’t seem to take notice to Hermione’s quickness.
“What’s going on?” Ronald asked as he reached for the corked bottle, but Hermione slapped his hand away and said ‘don’t touch anything.’ We all sat back and didn’t dare say a word, not like there was anything to say in the first place. Hermione took a deep breath and launched into an explanation of her actions.
“Harry, this morning, you really got on my nerves with your carelessness about school,” she paused, took a breath, and continued, “I knew this potion, that made you concentrate and think more”smart. It’s kind of like medicine for Muggle kids who have ADD. Sort of. Anyways, I figured I’d give you a little bit to make you realize that you need to get ready for your OWLS.”
“So you give me a little, and that’s why everyone thinks I’m acting strange,” I finished for her.
“Yeah… Sort of… See, I accidentally poured a little too much. That’s why you’re calling everyone by their proper name. I was only going to pour enough to make you focus in class, but you were coming and I didn’t have much time so I just dumped it all in there…” She trailed off and avoided my eyes. I decided not to say anything since she probably feels bad already about so I just sat there, letting it all sink in.
“You gave him ALL of it?” Ginny squealed from beside me. Hermione just nodded and Ginny looked helpless and she just looked at me with her eyes filled with sorrow, as if I’d never be the same again.
“Don’t worry Ginevra, everything will be alright. There are antidotes to most potions and I don’t think this one is strong enough, to alter me forever,” I said as I patted her on the back. She had a trace of hope in her eyes, but Hermione started wailing as she melted to her knees beside the coffee table. Immediately Ronald put his arm around her, trying to comfort her as if he’d done that a million times.
“I’m”so”sorry”Harry!” Hermione wailed. She buried her head in her hands and just leaned against Ron.
“There is a way to fix him, right?” Ginny asked from beside me as she pulled her knees to her chest and started to rock back and forth.
“It takes a whole year since I gave him the whole thing…” Hermione mumbled through her hands. I looked over to Ginny and she was trembling now. I scooted over on the couch and put my arms around her and tried to get her to stop shaking, but she was shaking worse.
“He’ll never be the same!” cried Ginny as she buried her face into my chest.
“It’ll be ok Ginevra. Hermione said it would only take a year,” I said trying to comfort her. She needs to calm down; her life is unchanged by this. My life is completely altered but there is still nothing to worry about.
“That’s not it…” cried Hermione.
“What?” Ginny shrieked. She threw my arms away from her and stomped over in front of Hermione. “That’s not it? What were you thinking? You know the consequences of like all the potions in the world, and you didn’t think about what would happen if you ‘accidentally’ poured the whole potion in his drink?” Ginny took a deep breath and continued her screaming before Hermione could say a word, “You could have took the drink away since you poured all of it in there! Didn’t you know that just a drop is enough? I knew that and I’m not a brain like YOU!” Ginny finally stopped, but Ron stood up and yelled right back at her.
“GINNY! IT WAS A MISTAKE! EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES!” screamed Ron who was just inches away from Ginny. Ginny just stood there, shocked. Ron had gotten on to her before, but not like that. He was yelling in Hermione’s defense, instead of his own sister’s. It was my turn to end this.
“Ginevra,” I began.
“Don’t call me Ginevra!” screamed Ginny with the last bit of her energy.
“Ok, Giner”I mean Ginny. Let’s just sit down and hear what Hermione has to say, ok? If we let her finish completely, then everything should make more sense,” I paused to see how she reacted. She reluctantly nodded. “Also Ronald, it’s ok for Ginny to get mad. I am her boyfriend and all. If someone had done this to you, I believe Hermione would be mad too.”
Ron just nodded and sat down next to Hermione again. He wrapped his arm around her, and whispered in her ear. Hermione nodded and began to talk, more clearly this time. “The thing is, if someone suspects that Harry has been altered magically, he could be in deep trouble. It could cause him to not be able to take his OWLS. There is no magic involved during the tests and if my calculations are correct, he won’t be back to normal until 2 weeks after the OWLS,” Hermione paused and took a deep breath. “I’m afraid that if he stays that way for a year, then he might stay that way forever…”
From beside me, I heard a gasp and then crying. I scooted over next to her and wrapped my arms around her. She just leaned into me and cried more and more. It stayed like this for hours, finally the fire went out and it got chilly.
“I’m cold…” muttered Ginny. She had finally stopped crying, but she was shivering.
“Stay right here, I’ll be right back,” I whispered. She nodded and sat up so I could move. I went up to the dormitory and brought down a blanket that was Gryffindor colors and had little snitches all over it. I sat down beside her and we snuggled together and covered ourselves with the blanket.
“Thank you, Harry,” she whispered as she lay against my chest.
“Think nothing of it, Ginny,” I whispered back. I gently brushed my hands through her hair until she had fallen asleep, and I soon followed.