Chapter Ten
Harry, Ron and Ginny were all trying to find a way to spy on the Order. The adults had, of course, put an Imperturbable Charm on all the doorways, because tonight was a major meeting. Both Dumbledore and Snape were present, as well as the new Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones. The task of breaking through the charm was proving to be troublesome.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door, and the portrait of Sirius’ mum began shouting once again. If it didn’t hurt their ears so much, they would have ignored it. “Filth! Mudblood lovers! The honor of the House of Black is fallen! Traitors!“
“Wonder who that is,” Ron wondered aloud. “I think everyone’s here already.” He had to scream to be heard over the noise.
Whoever it was, they must have heard the portrait through the wall, and decided no one heard the knock, because they opened the door without invitation.
“Hermione!” shouted all three. Then they fell silent.
“Hello!” she smiled.
It took a minute to take her in. Her trip to Greece seemed to have wrought a change in her appearance - a lovely change. She now had bronzed skin and her hair had natural highlights. Paired with her brown eyes, she looked like she had been doused in carrot oil, and left out in the sun; not that the boys were complaining. Harry even thought he could smell the Mediterranean in her wake, as she passed by to give Ron a hug and a peck on the lips. “Harry. Missed you!” she smiled, and gave him a hug. “Gin, I have so much to tell you!”
She allowed them to see the change in her, but now began to feel uncomfortable. “Well, just say something instead of staring.”
“You look beautiful, Hermione. But didn’t you use sun block?” asked Ginny.
“Well, yes, but when you’re out in the sun all the time, it only goes so far,” she laughed.
“Pretty,” was all Ron seemed to be able to muster, after he recovered slightly from shock.
“Why thank you, Ron,” she said, and kissed him on the cheek.
Both boys blushed hard. Harry, having seen the kissing for the first time, felt quite uncomfortable.
It was strange, seeing someone he’d known for years coming back looking distinctly the same, yet inexplicably different.
For now, however, she looked like some kind of sand goddess. Her recently shrunken teeth really became her, he realized. She had also blossomed in other ways, but Harry didn’t want to think about that. When we go back to Hogwarts, Ron may be up for a bit of competition.
“Er - I’ll take your trunk to Ginny’s room,” said Harry quickly.
“Great!” she said breathlessly. “I’ll go with you, we need to talk anyway,” she said as she looked significantly at Harry and Ron.
“I’m coming too,” said Ginny with her jaw set stubbornly. No doubt after the Department of Mysteries fiasco, she felt like she should be a permanent part of the group. For years, the trio would sneak off to different adventures, discover secrets, and always came back heroes.
“Ginny, I don’t - “ began Harry.
“No, you don’t. I’m as much a part of this as everyone else. You know I can hold my own. And it’s most of my family that’s in the Order. I’m going with you,” she paused, and continued, “from now on."
“It doesn’t have to involve you."
"Don’t you think they saw me in the Ministry of Magic, too? Besides, the more people to help, the less of a burden it is on you.”
“And the more people die because of me,” said Harry, trying to quell his rising anger.
“People are dying now!” she said.
Harry glanced at the others. Hermione looked as if she’d been expecting this for ages, which she probably had. Ron looked indecipherable for the first time Harry could remember.
Ginny took advantage of his pause to push a bit further. “If we’re not fighting back, then we’re just lying in wait and hoping for the best. People deserve better than that. Sirius deserved better than that.” She stepped closer to Harry, and looked up at him with sympathetic eyes. “I’m as much a part of this as Ron and Hermione, and I intend to stay that way,” she said gently.
Harry felt a little lightheaded. It was weird that he could see a walleyed version of himself in her pupils. “Um . . . ok. You’re in.”
Ginny smiled. “I knew you’d do the right thing, Harry,” she said, and grabbed Hermione’s hand and pulled her quickly upstairs, so Harry couldn’t change his mind.
Harry had a feeling that no one wanted Ginny more involved, especially in their dangerous expeditions; in their sneaking. She had a point, however. She had already proven herself up to the task. She was quite brave in the Department of Mysteries. She pushed herself on, even though she hurt her ankle. Perhaps they all had a bad habit of thinking of Ginny as she was the day Harry met her in his second year. Perhaps it was time to think of her as more grown-up.
The thoughts ran through his mind as he and Ron trudged up the stairs carrying the large, heavy trunk (“What does she keep in there?”). Well, it might be nice to have someone share the burden, he thought. Soon, they were all in Ginny’s room. Hermione shut the door and locked it, then launched herself onto the bed. “So?” she grinned. “How was everyone’s summer?”
“Dismal, as expected. Then I got here, had a fantastic birthday, got smashed, and grounded, and here you are,” said Harry in one breath.
Ron added, “I’ve been practicing Quidditch. Found an old stash of Sirius’ photographs, and same as Harry.”
“You two got drunk?” she frowned disapprovingly. “What was the point of all that?”
“We wanted to try firewhisky,” said Ron sheepishly. “Besides, it was a gift, and we can’t rebuff a gift.”
Hermione sighed. “Is there any news on Voldemort?”
“He and his Death Eaters have been killing up a storm. That’s about it. Not any we know first-hand, yet. But some relatives of Hogwarts students have been hit.”
“That’s sad,” said Hermione. “Perhaps S.P.E.W. can arrange a type of condolence event. I'll have to think on that. Is there . . . anything else?”
“No, but you have something to share with us, don’t you?” asked Ginny.
Harry and Ron looked at her. “What?” she smiled, “I can’t help it if you leave your notes lying around.”
Ron muttered something like “sneak” under his breath. “Well, yes, I do have news,” she said, and happily launched herself into her trunk.
She came out with a rather long piece of very old parchment. She handled it carefully.
“That’s lovely scrap parchment, Hermione,” laughed Ron.
“It’s ancient,” she said, annoyed. “It’s got an ancient language on it, but I'm not sure what it is. Last week, my cousin and I were going through the library- it was an old library, and it’s been in the family for many years- and we found this stack of parchment in an old trunk. We went through, and as I was scanning this one, I saw an interesting word, and decided to try to figure it out. I thought it would be fun."
Ron snorted. “Only you would think extra work is fun.”
“You deciphered the whole thing?” asked Ginny.
“Well, no,” she answered. “But I found out a couple of things so far. Number one,” she said, ticking each finger off in turn, “it’s at least a thousand years old, but likely older. Number two, it was written in Ireland by a very knowledgeable bard. Number three, there was once a great wizard- I haven’t figured out who- who fought Salazar Slytherin. And number four, and this is the most important one. Somehow, the name ‘Potter’ fits into the story."
“What was something from Ireland doing in Greece?” asked Harry.
“I don’t know. It could have been traded, or just a traveling person’s story, written down.”
“My guess is the second bit. Stories often traveled throughout the world by bardic song, and occasionally they were written down,” said Ginny.
“How do you know that?” asked Ron, astonished.
“Just because you’re an imbecile at History, doesn’t mean I am,” she replied proudly.
Ron looked politely embarrassed.
“I think you’re right, Ginny. That does make a lot of sense,” said Hermione, ignoring the insult to Ron.
“How did my name get tossed into it?” asked Harry.
Hermione leaned forward slightly, and looked at him thoughtfully. “Well, I don’t know, but I have a theory. We know your mum was Muggle-born, but we have no idea who - or where - your dad comes from."