From the light that calls my name,
All the creatures stirred above me,
Now I'm crawling towards the sun.
-Crawling Towards the Sun
After the defeat of Voldemort, during what would be the summer before Ginny's final year of schooling at Hogwarts, the Wizarding World was already showing signs of great and significant change. Intermingled were the insuppressible feelings of elation and grief, both overwhelming in their unique power and both combining to forge what would be the New World. At the head of it all was the icon, the pariah if you will, of all things virtuous and good: Harry Potter. Pursuing his ambition of becoming an Auror, he had become the most celebrated of the Heads of the Department with understandably little resistance. Perhaps more pivotal even than the new Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shackebolt, Harry had become a beacon of hope for the general populace of the wizarding community. Ever the martyr, Harry felt personally obligated to be the shepherd of said community into the New Age, and Ginny stood faithfully by his side. With
determination equal to Harry's, Ginny felt she needed to be Harry's sole and most stable crutch during the post-trauma, a job rarely recognized compared to The Leader of the Free World and not half as celebrated. This is when, where and how our story takes place.
"Ginny, dear, wake up. I need your help setting up."
Ginny rolled over in bed only to face the glare of the sun filtering through her blinds, penetrating the thin film of her eyelids. Nothing for it, she'd not be able to get back to sleep now that she'd been woken.
"'M up. I'm gettin' up."
Ginny heard the soft retreat of her mother's footsteps out of the room and down the stairs. Molly Weasley didn't linger often these days, when it wasn't necessary. Ginny thought it might be for the benefit of everyone else in the house rather than her mother. With that thought, Ginny slowly rolled herself to the edge of the bed and swung her feet to the floor. Changing briefly into clothing she barely glanced at, she wandered downstairs to await instruction.
Ron, conscious but not looking quite awake, glanced up at her from the kitchen table upon her entrance. He made an odd grunting noise which Ginny took to be an acknowledgment of presence and continued to lazily spoon the steaming bowl of porridge placed in front of him.
"Did Mum have to bribe you to get up this early, or was there a spider in your bed sheets?" Ginny quipped, pulling out the chair opposite him and opting to pour herself a glass of pumpkin juice rather than start on a real breakfast.
Ron's second grunt was muffled by his porridge, but accompanied by a weak glare. Ah, progress. Molly re-entered, carrying a stack of freshly laundered clothing, some of which Ginny ecognized as her own.
"Ginny, why aren't you eating?"
Ginny almost smiled but instead rolled her eyes. "Because I'm not hungry, Mum. You ask me that every time, and I've told you, I just don't like breakfast."
"'S the most important meal, y'know." Ron mumbled from across the table while Molly began to ladle porridge into a bowl for Ginny.
"Tell me, Ron, have you found a publisher for your book of Useless Statements of Fact yet? I'm certain it would fly off the shelves." Ginny responded, eyeing the porridge with resigned distaste.
Grunt the third. Ah, sweet victory.
Two hours later found Ginny in the yard, setting up tables and chairs for the event to take place very soon indeed. The Order of Phoenix was to come to The Burrow for an official induction as the new volunteer-based branch of the Auror Department. Working alongside the Department and privy to the subsequent details, the Order of Phoenix was now becoming a recognized policing force throughout Wizarding Britain. It was to be a rather formal event with a press
release and all the newest Order members, including but not limited to Neville Longbottom, Angelina Johnson (soon to be Weasley, though, as George proposed following the Hogwarts Battle), Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Oliver Wood. Ginny and Luna would of course be joining the moment they turned of age. With that thought in mind, Ginny took extra care in setting everything up perfectly so as to make the best impression possible.
"Guess who?" said a voice in correspondence with a pair of hands covering her eyes. Resisting the reflex to reach for her wand, Ginny smiled.
"Viktor Krum? Is that you? Ouu, I knew you'd come for me!"
The voice chuckled, and the hands were removed and placed on Ginny's hips, turning her body. Ginny smirked at Harry, feeling the swell of heart she always did in his presence. "You're lucky I know you're joking," he said, "or else I'd be horribly offended."
"You would not," Ginny replied, taking in Harry's mock-serious face which was ruined by the humour in his eyes. Harry cracked a smile.
"You're right. Because you're mine, and I wouldn't let anyone change that. Not even Viktor Krum," he murmured, already leaning in for a kiss. Ginny gladly returned the sentiment. She couldn't really say how long they stood there, Ginny blissfully ignorant of the work she should be doing before a voice interrupted them.
"Oy, if I'd have known we'd be coming to watch you snog my sister I'd have stayed at home."
Ginny broke the kiss reluctantly and stepped back from Harry, exchanging an exasperated look. The couple had very little alone time these days and every moment counted. But not to George.
"Hullo, Angelina." Ginny greeted, ignoring her brother's commentary and his appearance altogether. The shine of Angelina’s engagement ring caught Ginny’s eye.
"Hey, Gin. How's setup going?" the dark-skinned girl asked, her eyes twinkling slightly. George and Harry were having a conversation further down the yard now, heading toward the make-shift Quidditch Pitch, and Ginny figured asking either of the boys for help was all but a lost cause now.
"Just fine, thank you. I could use some help, actually, if you don't mind?"
Angelina glanced toward George's retreating back and sighed. "Guess there's nothing for it, now. He's long gone. What do you need done?"
With Angelina's help Ginny managed to set up the dining area in very little time whatsoever. The dinner would be ready soon, and when finished the press would arrive and the real business would begin. Perhaps Ginny could get in just a little Quidditch before then. She followed Angelina, who was already on her way and seemed to be on the same level as Ginny.
After a brief game, which Ginny was proud to say she and Angelina won (Harry, she discovered, was rubbish at being Keeper) the four returned to the house for some last minute preparations. The number of people outside had increased significantly and there seemed to be little left to do in the way of set-up, for which they were all grateful.
"Harry!" called Hermione from near the chicken coop, waving her arm as though she were stranded on a desert island.
"Be right back," Harry whispered in Ginny's ear, giving her waist a little squeeze before setting off toward Hermione, where Ron had also just appeared. Though the days of the 'Golden Trio' were over, the three continued to act as if they were on some sort of secret mission at times, which irritated Ginny to no end. Feeling slightly annoyed at the exclusive behaviour and lowered voices, Ginny left the company of George and Angelina, who were staring into each others' eyes and cooing, and made her way over to her eldest brother for whom she'd always had a reverence.
"Bill!" she cried, throwing her arms around him.
"Hey, Gin," he laughed, hugging her back. "How's it been?"
"Not bad," Ginny admitted, stepping back and taking in his little earring and the gentle banter going on all around her. "Mum wasn't too barmy, pretty relaxed over all I'd say."
"That's a nice change. Excited to be going into your final year?"
"Not really." Bill laughed, but the rest of their conversation was cut short by Molly's voice.
"Dinner's ready, and if we want to be finished by the time the reporters get here we ought to tuck in now, everyone."
Murmurs of agreement around the yard, and Harry rejoined Ginny, smiling apologetically for his brief absence. Ginny gave him a small smile in return, and they both took a seat near one end of the large table comprised of three separate tables. There was very little talking from that point
on aside from praise for Molly's cooking. Ginny loaded her plate with almost everything around her, feeling rather peckish seeing as how she had decided to skip lunch due to her large breakfast. Dinner, now there was a meal one could appreciate.
Sometime later when everyone was comfortably fed, and some fit to burst, Ginny finally took a real look at everyone in attendance. She spotted many old Gryffindor Quidditch Team members, Luna was at the far end wearing her radish earrings and talking animatedly to Seamus with whom she had struck up a very close albeit unexpected friendship, Dean, Lavender, Neville, the Patil twins...so many familiar faces. Ginny felt a great swell of pride mixed with triumph
at all of the people who had come so far to be here, fighting to maintain what was right and soon to be rewarded with true recognition. It was going to be different now. It was all going to be completely different.
Author notes: Review? Comment? I think so. Thanks for reading!
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