Ginny's Sixth Year

Chapter 28

Detention. 7:30. With Hagrid.

We showed up to Hagrid's hut at 7:15. Better safe than sorry. He said that he didn't want to make us serve detention with him tonight, and that he would escort us back to the castle later. But first, he sat us down for tea.

Hagrid's hut was warm, welcoming, and comfortable, unlike Hogwarts itself. Neville, Luna, and I sat down on the huge sofa in front of the fire. 

"So, what's the story?" Hagrid asked as he handed us three thick blankets. "I don't mind if you fall asleep, by the way. It's safer here."

"We snuck into Snape's office to steal the sword of Gryffindor. It didn't work out very well," Luna said.

"Yea', I just 'bout figured 'at. What's the whole story?"

I sighed. "You really don't know?"

"I want to hear it from you."

"Oh, alright," Neville said. "We'll tell you what you want to know."

"How've the new professers been treatin' you. The Carrows?"

We told him about how much torture we had been through, all the noteworthy endeavours. I broke down when we got to the part about the hospital wing.

"Nice kids, the twins. Troublemakers, but good kids," Hagrid chimed in while giving us each large, steaming mugs of tea. After I had calmed down, Luna and Neville told their side of the story.

"We knew Ginny had gone to the hospital wing, and when Colin asked, that's what we told him. We never could have guessed what they were going to do to him," Neville started. "Snape's came during Dark Arts and asked us all our last names. They got to Colin and Snape dragged him to the front of the room by the ear. Snape said something like 'this is what happens when we let this filth in our school' and then left. They just...left."

We all sat in silence for a few moments. "He'll be okay. He's tough," Luna said half-heartedly. 

I wasn't really listening as Neville started telling Hagrid about everything else that had happened. It was really just the same thing over and over, anyway. I was almost done my mug of tea when Luna leaned onto my shoulder and fell asleep. It was all so comfortable—the dim firelight, Luna's deep and rhythmic breathing, Neville's soft voice talking slowly, the warmth from the fire and the heavy blanket, and, most of all, the fact that it reminded me of home. I longed for it to be Charlie sleeping on my shoulder and Bill listening to Ron tell a story. I wished that the sound of Fang's breathing was, instead, the twins snoring away. I wanted to be leaning on Percy instead of the side of the sofa.  I wished we were all well-fed and content with life; that we were all together and safe, just like before the war. The more I imagined these things the drowsier I got, and I finally gave into sleep.