When The World Ends. D/G, K/M. 1/11. R.
Title: When The World Ends
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: R. OMG, I didn't actually write smut...
Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Ginny Weasley, Katie Bell/Marcus Flint.
Disclaimer: The characters here do not originally belong to me, but to JKR, Raincoast, Scholastic and their teams of lawyers. This version of the characters is all mine, though.
Spoilers/Warnings: This takes place during DH (minus the Epilogue of Doom). Also, this fits "undercover: having to participate in illegal / hurtful activity" prompt on my hc_bingo card.
Summary: Ginny is tired of being pushed into the background as if nothing she endured counted for anything. It turns out, Katie feels the same way. They plan on making a difference in the war, even if no one takes them seriously.
When The World Ends
We will rise as the buildings crumble
Float there and watch it all
Amidst the burning, we'll be churning
You know, love will be our wings
The passion rises up from the ashes
When the world ends.
Dave Matthews Band, "When The World Ends"
Ginny waited on the stairs of the Burrow, listening for when the yelling stopped. The upcoming wedding festivities were put on hold so that Order of the Phoenix members could talk to Katie Bell regarding an incident in Knockturn Alley the day before, though talking apparently also included yelling on both sides. Ginny didn't know all of the particulars, something about a possible Death Eater in the alley that somehow didn't have a tongue to speak with anymore, but the older members were furious with Katie. She had heard her parents talking about the girl the day before in hushed tones; they had always liked her when she visited the twins before, but now there was an air of trepidation about the way they talked about Katie. Ginny overheard the words not right and changed and cursed by the Dark Arts tossed about in between their whispers.
They had reacted the same way to Ginny after the Chamber of Secrets her first year.
There had been no time during the end of Ginny's fifth year to talk to Katie. Katie had to double up on her seventh year classes to finish all the work she missed while lying in St. Mungo's spell damage ward for nearly six months in order to graduate on time. She had still flown as a Chaser for the team, though there had been an air of determination about her that was different from before her time at Mungo's.
Not to mention the scars.
No one else seemed to see them, and Ginny sometimes didn't see them herself. But it was like a fine network of scars all across her face and hands, as if a gossamer spider's web of silver had been strung across her skin. Katie had covered up as much as she could, so Ginny guessed that more than just her face and hands were involved with the scarring. She was tight lipped about what it might have been like, and Ginny had wanted to smack Harry when she heard about him callously asking her if she remembered anything on her first day back at Hogwarts.
Ginny sighed at the thought of Harry. It was just as well that he broke things off with her, though how he did it was awful. Being his girlfriend had been nothing like what she thought it would be when she was eleven, and he was somehow still completely oblivious to the fact that she had her own mind and personality. He forgot things about her, as if she was unimportant, as if she was as easily forgotten as her history of possession.
But she remembered, and she guessed that Katie remembered all too well her time at Mungo's and simply didn't want to discuss it. People backed off fairly easily once you told them you couldn't remember something, especially if it was something they really didn't want to discuss anyway. People were squeamish about the Dark Arts, and didn't want to think that someone close to them could be contaminated by it. But the Dark Arts taught as much as it could corrupt, and there were some lessons not easily forgotten.
Katie banged out of the room the Order had been using without a backward glance. The scars on her face shone silver against her skin, a criss-crossing network of thin lines. She looked angry, her jaw clenched tight, and she thundered right past Ginny without even acknowledging her. They had been chasers together on the House team back at Hogwarts. Though they had never been close, they had at least been friendly.
"Oi, Katie," Ginny called out. Katie swung around, blue eyes flashing with leftover anger as her dark brown hair swished about in its ponytail. "Can we talk a minute?"
"What about?" The words carried an edge to them, a guardedness that hadn't been there a year ago. Ginny knew they weren't directed at her specifically. "I'm busy."
"The scars," Ginny said, voice quiet. "That meeting. And the probable nightmares that come with it all."
Katie's jaw tightened even further, but she had no other sign of being affected. "Now I know you're being mental. That meeting's not any of your business."
Pushing any farther would likely get her a "fuck off" response, but Ginny's thoughts about Katie were all but confirmed at this point. "They don't see them, do they? Those people in there? They don't see the scars at all." Ginny's voice was quiet, as if there was no one else in the house but the two of them. "Most back at school couldn't. I couldn't ask then..."
"Don't see why you'd want to now," Katie interrupted brusquely. "Is this just curiosity? Because I'm busy enough as it is right now. I've training to get to."
It had come as a surprise to everyone but Ginny when Katie had applied for the Magical Law Enforcement training program. It was a basic program with basic combat, defense and offense skills that led to specialized training in various fields. Most applicants became Aurors, but some became Unspeakables, Rune Hunters, Artifact Investigators or Curse Breakers.
"It marks us," Ginny said quietly. "They forget that it does, that something like that doesn't go away just because you want it to. It's easy for them to forget when they can't see it, when they ignore what bothers them." Katie was staring at her, eyes wide, lips parted slightly. Ginny could hear the seconds tick by on the watch she wore. Tick. Tick. Tick. "They forget because they don't want to remember, and we can't help but remember." She stood up on the stairs. "We can talk in my room if you've got a minute. I'm thinking of maybe doing like you're doing now, the Law Enforcement program."
Katie seemed to weigh her words carefully, then came to a decision. "Yeah, I've a mo'. We can swap horror stories."
Prove what you're saying, Ginny heard behind the words. She accepted that. Once they were in her room, everything charmed to silence around them, Ginny began to tell Katie about the diary, and Tom Riddle, and the basilisk. She left out the frustration and rage at her family for not seeing her clearly enough to know she had been possessed, for shunting all of it aside as soon as she seemed "better." There was no need for Katie to know how much it hurt to know that Harry of all people had forgotten about her possession. And no one really needed to know that sometimes she still thought she heard Tom's voice in the back of her mind when she was alone. Her mind was playing tricks on her, that was all. He wasn't there, running commentary and telling her how much better she was than all the fools around her that could not and would not see the truth.
Katie still held herself stiffly even after Ginny's words. "So what do you want from me?"
Ginny's shoulders slumped slightly. "I'd've thought it was obvious."
"It isn't," Katie replied. "You were taken in by a Dark Object. What's that got to do with me?"
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I want to do what you're doing," she began after a moment. "They don't see me, they don't give a damn what I want, and I want to do something more than just sit here like a doll."
"The training program is for Hogwarts graduates," Katie pointed out, not unkindly. "And even then, there's an advanced program, then moving on to one of the divisions within the Law Enforcement program. It's not like you can become an auror overnight."
"It's not that I want to become an auror overnight. It's... They won't even discuss the options with me. I don't know what I should take as electives at Hogwarts. I don't know what I should be looking into. I want something more than just sitting around waiting for someone to notice me or waiting for someone to rescue me. That didn't work out so well the last time, and I'm done with being a damn damsel in distress."
Katie smiled at Ginny's words, her arms unfolding. It was almost like relief in her posture, that Ginny wasn't merely using her past as a sob story to go poking about at Katie's. "I heard there's a mentorship program. They'd asked me if I was in it when I enrolled in the basic law enforcement program. I can look into it, see if I could mentor you."
Ginny smiled at Katie in return. "Thanks, Katie. I appreciate it."
Katie nodded firmly. "Strong girls ought to stick together, yeah? No point in being put aside somewhere if we can save ourselves."
"That's it exactly," Ginny agreed.
"I don't know if it'll go anywhere, mind. The Order doesn't think very much of me right now."
Ginny snorted at Katie. "So? We're Gryffindor and we know the twins. As if that would stop us if we really wanted to do something."
Katie laughed, and it felt like she hadn't laughed that way in years. "Too right. Well, I've a class I shouldn't miss this afternoon. I'll ask the Program Director about that mentorship program. There's probably going to be hoops to jump through."
Ginny merely smiled. "Shouldn't be a problem for two good chasers."
"Definitely not," Katie agreed. "I'll owl you as soon as I know anything."
Ginny watched Katie leave, feeling the tight nervousness around her chest ease a little. The ticking of her watch seemed less ominous now. It was less that time was running out, and more that she was working for a larger goal.
Sod that protection crap her family and Harry kept spewing. She was a Weasley and she had a wicked set of hexing skills if only she could put them to use.
She was done waiting in the shadows. The world was getting dangerous, and she had no intention of letting everyone else rescue her.
***
The castle felt half empty when Ginny returned to Hogwarts. She was a sixth year, and half of her year hadn't returned. Half of the seventh year hadn't, either. Most of the younger students were still there; they weren't involved in most of the fighting of previous years and had no idea what would be in store for them. Molly Weasley had almost considered letting Ginny stay back at home, but she wouldn't have allowed Ginny to participate in Order raids, reconnaissance or meetings. Ginny figured she might as well pretend to get an education, and might as well try to capitalize on her friendship and possible mentorship from Katie Bell. She hadn't lied, after all. She wanted to do something and wanted it to be more than simply standing in the shadows waiting for something to happen.
Ginny pushed the door open to Myrtle's bathroom. Other girls still didn't want to use it, and now that Hermione had left Hogwarts no one else would. Myrtle hadn't wanted to see her after her first year, still brassed off about throwing the diary through her. But Ginny had apologized in her second year, and explained that it had been such an evil book that she had been thoughtless about what was going on around her. Myrtle hadn't originally accepted the apology, but Ginny visited her every so often during her second year. Gradually Myrtle forgave her simply by sheer persistence on Ginny's part. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they simply sat there side by side on the floor near the sinks.
Ginny still remembered a few words of parselmouth. She was still fluent in her dreams, still able to draw up a nonexistent basilisk from out of the sinks to wander through the pipes. I command you, she told the creature in parselmouth. It knew better than to look at its master, and it simply nodded at her. I will treat you properly, Ginny told it in her dreams, stroking its back tenderly. I know how to take care of you, my pet.
"You don't look happy to be back," Myrtle commented.
Ginny slumped down into her usual place on the floor. "I don't know if I am, exactly. Things are different. Darker, harder somehow."
"It's war," Myrtle replied, shrugging. "It's how it was back when I was at school. There was a war on in the Muggle world then. That sort of thing carries through even if you try to ignore it, you know." She smiled at Ginny. "But I'm glad you're here. Only you and that boy visit me, and everyone else just pretends I don't even exist."
"That boy? What boy?"
"He cried a lot," Myrtle said, coming to sit next to Ginny. "He had a lot of difficult choices to make, and I don't think he made good ones. But he didn't listen to me. He kept saying I couldn't understand because I'm dead."
Ginny patted Myrtle's hand at the sound of her affronted voice. Though her hand passed right through the ghost, her intention was clear and appreciated. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. He was crying and upset, after all. A lot of people say stupid shite they don't mean when they're upset about something."
Myrtle smiled. "True enough. I'll miss you when you graduate."
"I'll miss you, too, Myrtle." Ginny even meant it. "I suppose I should head off to the dorms and unpack. I wanted to say hello before that, though."
Myrtle preened a bit, then zoomed into the bathroom pipes. "Visit me anytime!"
"I will!" Ginny called out, getting back up to her feet. The way things were going, she would probably need to.
***
Katie met with Program Director Andrei Stepanov as soon as she found out that he was involved in the mentorship program. There was no particular requirement, though it was usually done for seventh year students. Program Director Stepanov was a forbidding-looking man, and he was known to make recruits cry on exit exams at the close of the six month program.
He had granted her request to meet readily enough. She had no sense of his political leanings; most of the other instructors were easy to identify. She just knew these things sometimes. She attributed it to her curse damage; she felt different from how she used to be, and could only imagine it was due to fusing the curse locket into her body.
"Cadet Bell," Stepanov said, Russian accent thick. It added to his imposing demeanor, as did the frown on his face. "You requested an audience well in advance of your exit exams. Don't tell me you presume to know everything to graduate early."
Katie didn't respond to the sneer in his tone. "No, sir. I understand you're in charge of the mentorship program. I've been asked by a current Hogwarts student to be a mentor. I'm hoping to get your advice on this."
Stepanov raised an eyebrow at her bland yet self-assured tone. He had pulled her file ahead of time, of course. She was getting top marks in everything, even the hand to hand combat courses. She was quiet, hardworking and had few acquaintances in the program. She had one possible blemish on her record, a "disagreement" with an upperclassman in the Auror program, though there was no official sanction given to her actions and no official reprisal. It had occurred just after she had enrolled in the basic Law Enforcement course, just outside of Knockturn Alley, and the upperclassman was no longer able to speak.
"I see," Stepanov said after a long moment. "Do you feel equipped to be a mentor?"
"I would defer to your advice on that matter," Katie replied.
Stepanov frowned at her. "I asked you a question, Bell."
"Whether I feel comfortable or not is immaterial if you feel I'm unprepared for the task," Katie replied. Though her expression was bland, there was a slight edge to her voice that Stepanov could hear.
"I see." Katie had no outward response to that. Stepanov tried looking for any chink in her armor, any sign of nervousness. If she was, she hid it well. "Our mentors generally excel in their courses and have a clean record. Otherwise, they would make for poor examples of life within our ranks," Stepanov began, voice smooth. Katie didn't even flinch. "Yet you have a 'disagreement' with an upperclassman that made it onto your permanent record." Katie's jaw tightened, and she stared straight ahead. Ah, there it was. "So what was this disagreement about?"
"It's immaterial, sir," Katie replied tightly, still looking at a spot just past Stepanov's eyes.
"I'll decide if it's immaterial, Cadet Bell," Stepanov barked. "Tell me."
"Auror Cadet Grassley thought it would be a good idea to force himself on me. I disagreed with him," Katie said, every syllable clipped and suffused with anger.
Stepanov sat back in his chair. He hadn't heard of any such incident, and he sincerely doubted that Grassley would have wanted that public even if he could speak. "I see." He could tell that it was truth, though he didn't know this Cadet very well. "You didn't open a grievance."
"I'm a Cadet and new to the program. No one asked for details regarding the disagreement."
He heard the words behind the tone. I didn't matter, and no one would believe my word against his. That was certainly true. The Law Enforcement programs definitely had that air of being an old boys' club. That Katie took care of the incident herself and continued on spoke to her sheer force of will. That no one had investigated spoke to laziness on the part of his staff, and Stepanov didn't like that at all.
"Well, that remark will be removed from your record, and Auror Cadet Grassley will have that behavior to answer for." Stepanov didn't miss the flash of surprise in Katie's eyes, the loosening of her jaw in shock. She didn't quite gape at him, though he surmised that she would have if she was less controlled. "Who is the student in question?"
Katie rolled with the subject change easily enough. "Ginny Weasley. She's currently a sixth year at Hogwarts. She approached me recently regarding her request, and I told her I'd get back in touch with her once I knew more."
Stepanov didn't seem to be surprised. "You know the girl well? has she an interest in law enforcement? Or is it because of one of those Wireless serials?"
"We were both on the House quidditch team," Katie supplied with a negligent shrug. "She told me she has interest."
"Mentorship is a serious responsibility, one that can open you up to an excessive amount of scrutiny. Such things can be potentially dangerous right now."
Katie decided he wasn't a Death Eater. Or at least, not a rabid one.
Katie looked at Stepanov. "Sir? What do you mean?"
Stepanov looked at her grimly. She was cautious, not stupid. "These are dangerous times, Cadet Bell. Things will undoubtedly grow even more dangerous. Your intention seems pure, but you rely on this girl's word. You don't know her intentions for certain. To be a mentor is to be responsible for her education in all regards. You take on the responsibility that she learns about this program, she learns of her options and what it takes to become part of this program." He looked at Katie evenly. She didn't look scared, which was a credit to her. Then again, she had over five months' time on the curse damage ward at St. Mungo's recently. There was precious little in the file regarding that damage, and he felt it played a large role in her desire to do well. "No response to what I said?"
"This is all true," Katie replied evenly. "There isn't a lot of information available regarding duties, but I assumed that my role would be more than simply handing out a brochure and saying a few nice things."
There was that edge to her tone again. He would have missed it if he hadn't looked for it. "You will need to have a supervisor of your own, of course, as well as clear a situation like this with the current Headmaster. She's a sixth year, and will not be taking NEWTS for some time. the Headmaster may not feel it's appropriate, especially given the political climate."
Katie nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, sir. I hadn't known about all of this. Assuming that I'm even considered a mentor candidate, who could I ask to be my supervisor?"
Stepanov smiled thinly. "Speak with the Headmaster. Then report back to me. We'll see what will become of this process depending on what the Headmaster believes."
Katie nodded. "Thank you, sir. I will take this into advisement," she murmured. "I will be a credit to the program."
"Oh, I'm sure you will," Stepanov replied, standing. He still had little sense of Katie as a Cadet, which was interesting. She wasn't trembling, wasn't rattled, and seemed thankful for his advice in a genuine manner. He wasn't used to quiet respect, especially in the current atmosphere of unease and disquiet. He was neutral in the upcoming conflict, hoping to keep the law as unsullied as possible. He would have to keep an eye on Katie to be sure she did the same. Regardless of political leaning, Cadets had to remain in good standing within the program.
***
***
On To Chapter 2...
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: R. OMG, I didn't actually write smut...
Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Ginny Weasley, Katie Bell/Marcus Flint.
Disclaimer: The characters here do not originally belong to me, but to JKR, Raincoast, Scholastic and their teams of lawyers. This version of the characters is all mine, though.
Spoilers/Warnings: This takes place during DH (minus the Epilogue of Doom). Also, this fits "undercover: having to participate in illegal / hurtful activity" prompt on my hc_bingo card.
Summary: Ginny is tired of being pushed into the background as if nothing she endured counted for anything. It turns out, Katie feels the same way. They plan on making a difference in the war, even if no one takes them seriously.
When The World Ends
We will rise as the buildings crumble
Float there and watch it all
Amidst the burning, we'll be churning
You know, love will be our wings
The passion rises up from the ashes
When the world ends.
Dave Matthews Band, "When The World Ends"
Ginny waited on the stairs of the Burrow, listening for when the yelling stopped. The upcoming wedding festivities were put on hold so that Order of the Phoenix members could talk to Katie Bell regarding an incident in Knockturn Alley the day before, though talking apparently also included yelling on both sides. Ginny didn't know all of the particulars, something about a possible Death Eater in the alley that somehow didn't have a tongue to speak with anymore, but the older members were furious with Katie. She had heard her parents talking about the girl the day before in hushed tones; they had always liked her when she visited the twins before, but now there was an air of trepidation about the way they talked about Katie. Ginny overheard the words not right and changed and cursed by the Dark Arts tossed about in between their whispers.
They had reacted the same way to Ginny after the Chamber of Secrets her first year.
There had been no time during the end of Ginny's fifth year to talk to Katie. Katie had to double up on her seventh year classes to finish all the work she missed while lying in St. Mungo's spell damage ward for nearly six months in order to graduate on time. She had still flown as a Chaser for the team, though there had been an air of determination about her that was different from before her time at Mungo's.
Not to mention the scars.
No one else seemed to see them, and Ginny sometimes didn't see them herself. But it was like a fine network of scars all across her face and hands, as if a gossamer spider's web of silver had been strung across her skin. Katie had covered up as much as she could, so Ginny guessed that more than just her face and hands were involved with the scarring. She was tight lipped about what it might have been like, and Ginny had wanted to smack Harry when she heard about him callously asking her if she remembered anything on her first day back at Hogwarts.
Ginny sighed at the thought of Harry. It was just as well that he broke things off with her, though how he did it was awful. Being his girlfriend had been nothing like what she thought it would be when she was eleven, and he was somehow still completely oblivious to the fact that she had her own mind and personality. He forgot things about her, as if she was unimportant, as if she was as easily forgotten as her history of possession.
But she remembered, and she guessed that Katie remembered all too well her time at Mungo's and simply didn't want to discuss it. People backed off fairly easily once you told them you couldn't remember something, especially if it was something they really didn't want to discuss anyway. People were squeamish about the Dark Arts, and didn't want to think that someone close to them could be contaminated by it. But the Dark Arts taught as much as it could corrupt, and there were some lessons not easily forgotten.
Katie banged out of the room the Order had been using without a backward glance. The scars on her face shone silver against her skin, a criss-crossing network of thin lines. She looked angry, her jaw clenched tight, and she thundered right past Ginny without even acknowledging her. They had been chasers together on the House team back at Hogwarts. Though they had never been close, they had at least been friendly.
"Oi, Katie," Ginny called out. Katie swung around, blue eyes flashing with leftover anger as her dark brown hair swished about in its ponytail. "Can we talk a minute?"
"What about?" The words carried an edge to them, a guardedness that hadn't been there a year ago. Ginny knew they weren't directed at her specifically. "I'm busy."
"The scars," Ginny said, voice quiet. "That meeting. And the probable nightmares that come with it all."
Katie's jaw tightened even further, but she had no other sign of being affected. "Now I know you're being mental. That meeting's not any of your business."
Pushing any farther would likely get her a "fuck off" response, but Ginny's thoughts about Katie were all but confirmed at this point. "They don't see them, do they? Those people in there? They don't see the scars at all." Ginny's voice was quiet, as if there was no one else in the house but the two of them. "Most back at school couldn't. I couldn't ask then..."
"Don't see why you'd want to now," Katie interrupted brusquely. "Is this just curiosity? Because I'm busy enough as it is right now. I've training to get to."
It had come as a surprise to everyone but Ginny when Katie had applied for the Magical Law Enforcement training program. It was a basic program with basic combat, defense and offense skills that led to specialized training in various fields. Most applicants became Aurors, but some became Unspeakables, Rune Hunters, Artifact Investigators or Curse Breakers.
"It marks us," Ginny said quietly. "They forget that it does, that something like that doesn't go away just because you want it to. It's easy for them to forget when they can't see it, when they ignore what bothers them." Katie was staring at her, eyes wide, lips parted slightly. Ginny could hear the seconds tick by on the watch she wore. Tick. Tick. Tick. "They forget because they don't want to remember, and we can't help but remember." She stood up on the stairs. "We can talk in my room if you've got a minute. I'm thinking of maybe doing like you're doing now, the Law Enforcement program."
Katie seemed to weigh her words carefully, then came to a decision. "Yeah, I've a mo'. We can swap horror stories."
Prove what you're saying, Ginny heard behind the words. She accepted that. Once they were in her room, everything charmed to silence around them, Ginny began to tell Katie about the diary, and Tom Riddle, and the basilisk. She left out the frustration and rage at her family for not seeing her clearly enough to know she had been possessed, for shunting all of it aside as soon as she seemed "better." There was no need for Katie to know how much it hurt to know that Harry of all people had forgotten about her possession. And no one really needed to know that sometimes she still thought she heard Tom's voice in the back of her mind when she was alone. Her mind was playing tricks on her, that was all. He wasn't there, running commentary and telling her how much better she was than all the fools around her that could not and would not see the truth.
Katie still held herself stiffly even after Ginny's words. "So what do you want from me?"
Ginny's shoulders slumped slightly. "I'd've thought it was obvious."
"It isn't," Katie replied. "You were taken in by a Dark Object. What's that got to do with me?"
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I want to do what you're doing," she began after a moment. "They don't see me, they don't give a damn what I want, and I want to do something more than just sit here like a doll."
"The training program is for Hogwarts graduates," Katie pointed out, not unkindly. "And even then, there's an advanced program, then moving on to one of the divisions within the Law Enforcement program. It's not like you can become an auror overnight."
"It's not that I want to become an auror overnight. It's... They won't even discuss the options with me. I don't know what I should take as electives at Hogwarts. I don't know what I should be looking into. I want something more than just sitting around waiting for someone to notice me or waiting for someone to rescue me. That didn't work out so well the last time, and I'm done with being a damn damsel in distress."
Katie smiled at Ginny's words, her arms unfolding. It was almost like relief in her posture, that Ginny wasn't merely using her past as a sob story to go poking about at Katie's. "I heard there's a mentorship program. They'd asked me if I was in it when I enrolled in the basic law enforcement program. I can look into it, see if I could mentor you."
Ginny smiled at Katie in return. "Thanks, Katie. I appreciate it."
Katie nodded firmly. "Strong girls ought to stick together, yeah? No point in being put aside somewhere if we can save ourselves."
"That's it exactly," Ginny agreed.
"I don't know if it'll go anywhere, mind. The Order doesn't think very much of me right now."
Ginny snorted at Katie. "So? We're Gryffindor and we know the twins. As if that would stop us if we really wanted to do something."
Katie laughed, and it felt like she hadn't laughed that way in years. "Too right. Well, I've a class I shouldn't miss this afternoon. I'll ask the Program Director about that mentorship program. There's probably going to be hoops to jump through."
Ginny merely smiled. "Shouldn't be a problem for two good chasers."
"Definitely not," Katie agreed. "I'll owl you as soon as I know anything."
Ginny watched Katie leave, feeling the tight nervousness around her chest ease a little. The ticking of her watch seemed less ominous now. It was less that time was running out, and more that she was working for a larger goal.
Sod that protection crap her family and Harry kept spewing. She was a Weasley and she had a wicked set of hexing skills if only she could put them to use.
She was done waiting in the shadows. The world was getting dangerous, and she had no intention of letting everyone else rescue her.
***
The castle felt half empty when Ginny returned to Hogwarts. She was a sixth year, and half of her year hadn't returned. Half of the seventh year hadn't, either. Most of the younger students were still there; they weren't involved in most of the fighting of previous years and had no idea what would be in store for them. Molly Weasley had almost considered letting Ginny stay back at home, but she wouldn't have allowed Ginny to participate in Order raids, reconnaissance or meetings. Ginny figured she might as well pretend to get an education, and might as well try to capitalize on her friendship and possible mentorship from Katie Bell. She hadn't lied, after all. She wanted to do something and wanted it to be more than simply standing in the shadows waiting for something to happen.
Ginny pushed the door open to Myrtle's bathroom. Other girls still didn't want to use it, and now that Hermione had left Hogwarts no one else would. Myrtle hadn't wanted to see her after her first year, still brassed off about throwing the diary through her. But Ginny had apologized in her second year, and explained that it had been such an evil book that she had been thoughtless about what was going on around her. Myrtle hadn't originally accepted the apology, but Ginny visited her every so often during her second year. Gradually Myrtle forgave her simply by sheer persistence on Ginny's part. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they simply sat there side by side on the floor near the sinks.
Ginny still remembered a few words of parselmouth. She was still fluent in her dreams, still able to draw up a nonexistent basilisk from out of the sinks to wander through the pipes. I command you, she told the creature in parselmouth. It knew better than to look at its master, and it simply nodded at her. I will treat you properly, Ginny told it in her dreams, stroking its back tenderly. I know how to take care of you, my pet.
"You don't look happy to be back," Myrtle commented.
Ginny slumped down into her usual place on the floor. "I don't know if I am, exactly. Things are different. Darker, harder somehow."
"It's war," Myrtle replied, shrugging. "It's how it was back when I was at school. There was a war on in the Muggle world then. That sort of thing carries through even if you try to ignore it, you know." She smiled at Ginny. "But I'm glad you're here. Only you and that boy visit me, and everyone else just pretends I don't even exist."
"That boy? What boy?"
"He cried a lot," Myrtle said, coming to sit next to Ginny. "He had a lot of difficult choices to make, and I don't think he made good ones. But he didn't listen to me. He kept saying I couldn't understand because I'm dead."
Ginny patted Myrtle's hand at the sound of her affronted voice. Though her hand passed right through the ghost, her intention was clear and appreciated. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. He was crying and upset, after all. A lot of people say stupid shite they don't mean when they're upset about something."
Myrtle smiled. "True enough. I'll miss you when you graduate."
"I'll miss you, too, Myrtle." Ginny even meant it. "I suppose I should head off to the dorms and unpack. I wanted to say hello before that, though."
Myrtle preened a bit, then zoomed into the bathroom pipes. "Visit me anytime!"
"I will!" Ginny called out, getting back up to her feet. The way things were going, she would probably need to.
***
Katie met with Program Director Andrei Stepanov as soon as she found out that he was involved in the mentorship program. There was no particular requirement, though it was usually done for seventh year students. Program Director Stepanov was a forbidding-looking man, and he was known to make recruits cry on exit exams at the close of the six month program.
He had granted her request to meet readily enough. She had no sense of his political leanings; most of the other instructors were easy to identify. She just knew these things sometimes. She attributed it to her curse damage; she felt different from how she used to be, and could only imagine it was due to fusing the curse locket into her body.
"Cadet Bell," Stepanov said, Russian accent thick. It added to his imposing demeanor, as did the frown on his face. "You requested an audience well in advance of your exit exams. Don't tell me you presume to know everything to graduate early."
Katie didn't respond to the sneer in his tone. "No, sir. I understand you're in charge of the mentorship program. I've been asked by a current Hogwarts student to be a mentor. I'm hoping to get your advice on this."
Stepanov raised an eyebrow at her bland yet self-assured tone. He had pulled her file ahead of time, of course. She was getting top marks in everything, even the hand to hand combat courses. She was quiet, hardworking and had few acquaintances in the program. She had one possible blemish on her record, a "disagreement" with an upperclassman in the Auror program, though there was no official sanction given to her actions and no official reprisal. It had occurred just after she had enrolled in the basic Law Enforcement course, just outside of Knockturn Alley, and the upperclassman was no longer able to speak.
"I see," Stepanov said after a long moment. "Do you feel equipped to be a mentor?"
"I would defer to your advice on that matter," Katie replied.
Stepanov frowned at her. "I asked you a question, Bell."
"Whether I feel comfortable or not is immaterial if you feel I'm unprepared for the task," Katie replied. Though her expression was bland, there was a slight edge to her voice that Stepanov could hear.
"I see." Katie had no outward response to that. Stepanov tried looking for any chink in her armor, any sign of nervousness. If she was, she hid it well. "Our mentors generally excel in their courses and have a clean record. Otherwise, they would make for poor examples of life within our ranks," Stepanov began, voice smooth. Katie didn't even flinch. "Yet you have a 'disagreement' with an upperclassman that made it onto your permanent record." Katie's jaw tightened, and she stared straight ahead. Ah, there it was. "So what was this disagreement about?"
"It's immaterial, sir," Katie replied tightly, still looking at a spot just past Stepanov's eyes.
"I'll decide if it's immaterial, Cadet Bell," Stepanov barked. "Tell me."
"Auror Cadet Grassley thought it would be a good idea to force himself on me. I disagreed with him," Katie said, every syllable clipped and suffused with anger.
Stepanov sat back in his chair. He hadn't heard of any such incident, and he sincerely doubted that Grassley would have wanted that public even if he could speak. "I see." He could tell that it was truth, though he didn't know this Cadet very well. "You didn't open a grievance."
"I'm a Cadet and new to the program. No one asked for details regarding the disagreement."
He heard the words behind the tone. I didn't matter, and no one would believe my word against his. That was certainly true. The Law Enforcement programs definitely had that air of being an old boys' club. That Katie took care of the incident herself and continued on spoke to her sheer force of will. That no one had investigated spoke to laziness on the part of his staff, and Stepanov didn't like that at all.
"Well, that remark will be removed from your record, and Auror Cadet Grassley will have that behavior to answer for." Stepanov didn't miss the flash of surprise in Katie's eyes, the loosening of her jaw in shock. She didn't quite gape at him, though he surmised that she would have if she was less controlled. "Who is the student in question?"
Katie rolled with the subject change easily enough. "Ginny Weasley. She's currently a sixth year at Hogwarts. She approached me recently regarding her request, and I told her I'd get back in touch with her once I knew more."
Stepanov didn't seem to be surprised. "You know the girl well? has she an interest in law enforcement? Or is it because of one of those Wireless serials?"
"We were both on the House quidditch team," Katie supplied with a negligent shrug. "She told me she has interest."
"Mentorship is a serious responsibility, one that can open you up to an excessive amount of scrutiny. Such things can be potentially dangerous right now."
Katie decided he wasn't a Death Eater. Or at least, not a rabid one.
Katie looked at Stepanov. "Sir? What do you mean?"
Stepanov looked at her grimly. She was cautious, not stupid. "These are dangerous times, Cadet Bell. Things will undoubtedly grow even more dangerous. Your intention seems pure, but you rely on this girl's word. You don't know her intentions for certain. To be a mentor is to be responsible for her education in all regards. You take on the responsibility that she learns about this program, she learns of her options and what it takes to become part of this program." He looked at Katie evenly. She didn't look scared, which was a credit to her. Then again, she had over five months' time on the curse damage ward at St. Mungo's recently. There was precious little in the file regarding that damage, and he felt it played a large role in her desire to do well. "No response to what I said?"
"This is all true," Katie replied evenly. "There isn't a lot of information available regarding duties, but I assumed that my role would be more than simply handing out a brochure and saying a few nice things."
There was that edge to her tone again. He would have missed it if he hadn't looked for it. "You will need to have a supervisor of your own, of course, as well as clear a situation like this with the current Headmaster. She's a sixth year, and will not be taking NEWTS for some time. the Headmaster may not feel it's appropriate, especially given the political climate."
Katie nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, sir. I hadn't known about all of this. Assuming that I'm even considered a mentor candidate, who could I ask to be my supervisor?"
Stepanov smiled thinly. "Speak with the Headmaster. Then report back to me. We'll see what will become of this process depending on what the Headmaster believes."
Katie nodded. "Thank you, sir. I will take this into advisement," she murmured. "I will be a credit to the program."
"Oh, I'm sure you will," Stepanov replied, standing. He still had little sense of Katie as a Cadet, which was interesting. She wasn't trembling, wasn't rattled, and seemed thankful for his advice in a genuine manner. He wasn't used to quiet respect, especially in the current atmosphere of unease and disquiet. He was neutral in the upcoming conflict, hoping to keep the law as unsullied as possible. He would have to keep an eye on Katie to be sure she did the same. Regardless of political leaning, Cadets had to remain in good standing within the program.
***
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On To Chapter 2...