Ginny's Story

Chapter 28 Getting Through It

I know I said I would be uploading a lot more now since I have my new MacBook Air *squeel* but I just recently found out that I can't actually write on anything proper until I get home from holidays and downlod microsoft word and stuff. I wrote this chapter on mail, which wasn't the best but it'll do until now. Anyway, I'm now putting a stop to this useless little chat and let you read the chapter :) Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 28 Getting Through It

Nothing at Hogwarts changed; it hadn't become any worse and definitely not better. But somehow the weeks flew by quickly, leaving me with barely any time to think, which was the best thing I could have wanted. Nobody wanted to focus on what Hogwarts was and had become.

I was still trying to get the DA to stop doing things that got them landed in detention, but there were always the rebels. I had to remind myself to keep my cool that if I wasn't in charge of all of this - that if Harry, say, was back and running DA - I would be doing the exact same thing. I would still be acting like any other student that hadn't matured and realised the serious consequences of their actions.

Neville and I were constantly being called by DA members of all ages with their coins, to come and help them out of detention. But for some reason they never learnt.

"Let's just stop by the hospital wing before class starts," I said to Neville. "To check and see if any DA members are there, I mean."

Neville nodded and we headed off the now-familiar corridor towards the hospital wing that we visited at least once a day.

"Madam Pomfrey, Professor Sprout," Neville nodded in greeting. The two witches were standing in the doorway leading to Madam Pomfrey's office, their heads low and in deep conversation.

"Oh hello, dears," Professor Sprout smiled slightly. "I was just discussing with Poppy about some new plant I am growing in Greenhouse Four. It originates from Romania and apparently it helps cure the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse. You're brother, Charlie told me about it, Ginny. You should all stop by sometime, I would love to hear what you think about it Neville."

Neville smiled widely. "You mean you'd let us in Greenhouse Four?" he asked eagerly. Professor Sprout nodded.

Greenhouse Four was the only greenhouse that no students or teachers - with the exception of Professor Sprout, of course - were allowed. It was a sign of great trust that Professor Sprout would let the three of them in there.

"Thank you, Professor," I said graciously. "We would love to come sometime. After class tomorrow, perhaps."

"Wonderful. I would love to see you then," Professor Sprout shouldered her bag and bid Madam Pomfrey farewell. "Oh, and fifty points each for your fantastic reports you handed in... yesterday." Sprout winked and left, leaving the three of us laughing. Those reports we hadn't even handed in yet, and no doubt when we did, she would give us fifty more points. In a way, the teachers were acting a bit like they were when Umbridge had taken over the school.

Madam Pomfrey cluttered around with some potions in her cupboard and hurried to three occupied beds that had the curtains drawn.

"Who?" I asked, saying the same thing I did every time we visited the hospital wing.

"Surprisingly only two from the DA," Madam Pomfrey said, drawing the last curtain to reveal the still form of Draco Malfoy. "He must've gotten hit by one of his own friend's Cruciatus curses while they were 'punishing' Terry Boot and Michael Corner."

"Why are they unconscious? Cruciatus shouldn't knock people out," Neville asked, shuddering at his own memories of the terrible curse.

"That would be my doing," Madam Pomfrey said calmly. "The after-effects are, as you know, greatly uncomfortable, so I thought i would be... kinder if I gave them the dreamless sleep potion. At least they don't have to suffer any more than they already have."

I understood Madam Pomfrey's reasoning very well and mentally thanked her from saving my friends from pain. I just wished she'd left Draco Malfoy to suffer instead of helping him.

It was a tough life, but that was war. The thing that counted most was that we were getting through it the best we could.