The Titans of Secrets

─Chapter Six

Story: The Titans of Secrets
Chapter Six: The Mysterious Letter

The sound of something rough being scrubbed against something hollow filled the room.

"Ugh! Why do I have to do this?!" Ginny exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized for not the first time in that particular detention session.

"Yes, of course you are!" Ginny shouted in annoyance, throwing the cauldron she had just scrubbed into a pile of newly washed vessels. She bent over to take a vial but broke it accidentally, causing fresh blood to splatter everywhere along with Salamander eyes. "Damn it!" she swore. Harry hurried over to her, carefully avoiding the glass pieces.

"I'm sorry -" he apologized again then took out his handkerchief and offered it to her. Being the stubborn girl she was, she refused it and got back to work after wiping her bleeding hand on her shirt. Harry looked rather put out as he got back to the scrubbing.

"Is - everything - done?" a drawling voice came as the door to the gloomy place opened.

"Just a moment, Professor," Harry said before snatching the knife out of Ginny's hand and wiping it clean, not even leaving a pint of tunip berry juice on it. He kept it rather gently at the place where the cleaned utensils were and stood up.

"Get back to your dormitories and ten points from Gryffindor for delaying your task," Snape ordered with a sneer. Before Ginny could protest, the raven haired boy dragged her out, taking their wands from the Potions Master.

Ginny squinted lightly as her pupils got used to the light after the darkness of the dungeons. The Hogwarts air seemed much fresher and refreshing than the Dungeons'.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized again. She snorted.

"Just how many times do you plan on apologizing?" she asked as they started on their way to dinner. She saw, from the corner of her eye, Harry shrugging.

"Till you forgive me, I s'pose."

"I thought I forgave you long ago," she said, turning to face him. He looked guiltily at her and her heart skipped a beat witnessing his sad eyes.

"Genuinely? I know I've been an idiot."

"O-of course I did!" Ginny stuttered, trying not to turn away which would result in him thinking she was still mad at him. This time, he smiled gratefully at her and she wondered why she just did not melt into a puddle yet. YET.

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After dinner, Ginny found Gilligan curled up on the couch in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. Feeling obligated to check on him, him being her friend, she approached him slowly and sat on the chair beside the couch.

"Hey," he said lowly.

"Hey Gilligan. Are you okay?" she asked gently. He sighed. "You haven't been hanging out with us lately."

"I just don't feel too fine. Just a. . . blue day, y'know?" Ginny nodded. His green eyes glimmered, reflecting off the red fire. "How was your detention with. . . Harry?"

"Okay. He did most of the job, so yeah," Ginny replied, choosing her words carefully. She still did not have the clear picture as to why Gilligan was fighting with his elder brother. Gilligan nodded ever so slightly then sat up.

"Ginny. . . Can I tell you something?" he asked. Ginny nodded and grabbed his hand to give a reassuring squeeze.

"Of course you can. You can confide anything in me and I promise to keep it a secret."