POV: Ginevra Weasley
The birth of a daughter in the Weasley family, which for several generations had brought only boys into the world, was accompanied by joyful laughter, as well as happy tears from Molly Weasley. When she first held her daughter in her arms, she could not hold back her tears. She was given the name Ginevra Molly Weasley, but from day one, no one ever called her anything other than Ginny.
Growing up in a house full of boys meant a quick survival lesson for little Ginny. While other witches played with dolls, she was learning to weave between Filibuster fireworks and the flying traps set by Fred and George. She learned to bite from the overgrown gnomes in the garden, because when something bites you, you have to bite back. And at the kitchen table, she had to learn to fight for her own voice.
Bill and Charlie, as the eldest brothers, were grown-up, fearless heroes to her, even if they were often far away. Percy was almost stricter than their parents. And the others? They made up her everyday world.
Every member of the family, even Ronald, watched over little Ginevra to make sure absolutely nothing happened to her and that she didn't even go near danger. Little six-year-old Ginny, however, had inherited the stubbornness of the entire family, so whenever the others fell asleep, she quietly slipped into the broom shed.
A flying broom was freedom. A flying broom was joy. A flying broom was danger.
Flying was simply magical. And surely Harry Potter flew, too. If the hero of the wizarding world could fly, why shouldn't she?
She was never caught. And so with every secret flight, a wild desire for freedom grew within her, along with a quiet certainty that one day she would play Quidditch professionally.
She would become the best Quidditch player in England. And if Merlin willed it, in the whole world.
When Ginny was nine years old, she realized for the first time that life wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Luna Lovegood's mother, who lived just over the hill, died in a tragic accident.
Pandora Lovegood was well-liked and beloved. To little Ginevra, she was like a favorite aunt. She was the exact opposite of old Muriel Prewett, who always had cruel and sharp words ready, making the smiles fade from their parents' faces. Pandora, on the other hand, could light up a whole room—with a single smile, a glance, or a simple gesture.
And so at her funeral, it wasn't only the Lovegoods who wept. Many people who knew and loved her came, and among them was little Ginevra. She stood there with her head held high, even as tears flowed down her cheeks like a waterfall.
"Ginny, there's no need to be ashamed of tears. They are proof that a person has a heart full of courage and the capacity to suffer," Pandora had once told her with a smile, even though tears had been streaming down her own face at the time.
Back then, Ginevra hadn't yet understood what Pandora meant. Nor did she understand why she had been crying. But she knew that if tears were genuine, there was no need to hide them.
She didn't actually remember much from that day. Just Pandora's smile, her laughter, the tears on her face, and the scent of chocolate pudding that filled the whole house.
And although she didn't fully grasp it yet, it was right then that Ginny realized for the first time that some people remain in your heart long after they are gone.
The true turning point in her childhood came when Ronald left for Hogwarts. And not because a name she knew from bedtime stories entered their lives—Harry Potter.
When she saw him for the first time at King's Cross Station, she had no idea who he was. An ordinary boy with messy black hair and green eyes. He didn't look like a hero. His gaze didn't radiate the confidence and determination Ginny was used to seeing in her brother Bill.
And in fact, it was only later that she found out the ordinary boy was Harry Potter—along with the joyful news that Ron had been sorted into Gryffindor.
And perhaps heroism lies in the heart, not on the outside, Ginevra thought then.
With Ronald's departure, however, her life changed. She was left as the only daughter in the family, and so her mother, Molly Weasley, began focusing her attention almost exclusively on her. Ginny felt like she couldn't even catch her breath.
Knitting, cooking, cleaning, proper behavior... simply everything.
Until Ginevra began praying in her mind to both Morgana and Merlin for someone to rescue her from it.
Ginny almost thought her prayers had been answered when one day Aurors suddenly appeared at the Burrow alongside Aunt Muriel.
And Muriel, who usually had a sharp word ready for every occasion, said nothing at all this time.
That terrified Ginevra more than anything else.
She understood instantly that something serious had happened.
Her mother was stunned without a single explanation and taken away like some dangerous Dark wizard. Ginny screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to reach her, but it was useless.
"Stop it, Ginevra. Everything will be fine," Muriel told her in a sad voice.
Ginny looked at her, and for a moment she thought she saw tears in the old woman's eyes.
But she had no intention of stopping.
Only when Muriel cast Silencio followed by Petrificus Totalus did Ginevra understand what powerlessness meant.
Everyone was gone. Her brothers. Her parents.
And she still had no idea what was happening.
Tears streamed down her face. For the first time in her life, she was completely helpless. And she remembered that feeling.
Grumbling Muriel Prewett became a permanent fixture at the Burrow. To her, everything was bad, cheap, and poor quality, yet she took care of Ginevra all the same and taught her everything she deemed necessary.
Ginny didn't stop pressing and kept trying to uncover the truth. She still had no idea what had happened. Ron and Percy ignored her questions, and Fred and George did the exact same thing, even though she had hoped to get at least a bit of honesty from them. When Bill sent word that he was coming home, she was thrilled. Finally, she would learn the truth.
Yet this time too, she had no luck.
Bill didn't stay long. He worked as a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts Bank, and they hadn't given him more than a week off. He had to return to Egypt.
For the first time, her big brother wasn't smiling. He frowned and looked sad.
He didn't look like a hero.
But he was there. Like a quiet presence that let her know she wasn't alone in this.
When Bill spoke with Muriel about serious matters, a strange silence settled around them. Ginny couldn't hear a single word, even though she clearly saw their lips moving.
When Charlie came home on leave after Bill's departure, it was exactly the same. Except for one thing. This time, there wasn't total silence around the conversation with Muriel. Ginevra heard the quiet buzzing of flies.
Ginny, however, was stubborn and resourceful. She figured out very quickly why they suddenly weren't allowing her to read the new issues of the Daily Prophet.
And so, with determination, she set off to see her friend Luna Lovegood.
Ginevra knew that Luna's father, Xenophilius Lovegood, editor of The Quibbler, subscribed to every single issue of the Daily Prophet. Although according to him the articles in the newspaper were full of drivel and nonsense, he always used to say that one had to keep an eye on the competition to know how not to do things.
Luna had sad eyes and gently shook her head.
She didn't want to tell her what had happened either. She wouldn't even let her into the room where Xenophilius stored back issues of the paper.
And right then, Ginevra understood that if she wanted to find out the truth, sometimes it was necessary to play dirty.
"Luna, Aunt Aurora used to say that a truth that hurts is often much better than a lie," Ginevra said calmly. "Please, Luna. Help me," she asked again.
Tears as big as peas were already streaming down Luna's cheeks. At the memory of her mother, her voice broke and she sobbed quietly.
Ginevra watched her for a moment. She didn't want to hurt her, but she needed to know what had happened. She needed to understand why her own family was so desperately trying to keep everything hidden from her.
In the end, Luna nodded with slumped shoulders. Through her tears, she stepped aside and let her into the room.
Ginevra went inside.
Before her stood shelves filled with old issues of the Daily Prophet. Now she only had to find what everyone had been hiding from her so anxiously.
With Luna's help, they went through every issue from the date the Aurors had taken her mother away. In the very first article she opened, there was a photograph of the Weasley family on the front page. Ginevra learned why the Burrow had been dubbed the House of Horrors. She learned everything her family had gone through. Why her mother had been taken away like a dangerous Dark wizard. What had happened to her father. And above all, where her other brothers were.
Her father had a shattered mind. At first, it was believed his condition was beyond repair. Later articles, however, revealed that Pettigrew was not entirely devoid of talent, and despite the immense damage he had caused to both adult Weasleys, with proper treatment at St Mungo's Hospital they had a chance to eventually recover. Even if with severe and permanent psychological consequences. Regular rape, control, and brainwashing over an entire decade would break anyone.
The only relief for Ginevra was discovering that Pettigrew had only arrived at the Burrow after her birth.
So she was indeed the daughter of Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett.
That thought brought her a strange sense of relief, which was immediately replaced by another question.
How could this have happened to her family?
Her childhood had been full of love, laughter, and happiness. How could that same house turn into a House of Horrors every single night? How was it possible that no one had noticed?
How was it possible that Pettigrew, that filthy rat, was from Gryffindor?
Slytherins were the evil ones, after all. That was what everyone had hammered into her since birth.
Ginevra returned home with messy hair, red eyes, and a face soaked in tears. A single glance was all Muriel needed to understand that the girl had finally uncovered the truth.
"Why?" Ginny asked in a broken voice.
Muriel didn't wait. She simply pulled her into a hug.
"Because the night is dark and full of terrors, dear child," Muriel answered her sadly.
Ginevra snuggled against her and, for the first time all day, stopped fighting her tears.
That evening, Muriel explained far more to her than just what had happened to her parents. She told her about the history of the Prewett family, about their names that had been written into stories of courage and bravery over generations. They had all belonged to Gryffindor. They were all proud, brave, and believed that justice was worth fighting for.
And they had all paid for it.
"Courage without wisdom is merely blind boldness," Muriel said in a broken voice. "If you want to be brave, dear child, be wise. Be humble. And above all, be cunning."
Ginevra thought about her words for a long time.
Courage.
She had enough of that inside her. At least she thought so.
But courage alone was not enough. Her mother was brave. Her father was brave. Her brothers were brave. And yet...
Ginevra did not want to end up the same way.
She did not want to be the one crying over her family's fate one day.
She wanted to be powerful. She wanted to be wise. And if necessary, cunning.
Because she never wanted to experience that feeling of being able to do nothing ever again.
Never again did she want to be helpless.
Shortly after, her father returned home.
He was no longer the brave and kind wizard Ginevra remembered. He tried to smile, but he twitched at every unexpected sound and glanced behind him at every shadow. His face often twisted with anger and hatred, and more than once he just sat in silence, staring at the wall.
Only Muriel remained her usual self. Feisty, stubborn, and determined.
And it was from her that Ginevra absorbed all wisdom and advice like a sponge. Muriel spoke to her about the world, about people, about wizarding families, and above all about how one must be prepared, because the world does not forgive weakness.
When her brothers finally returned to the Burrow as well, Ginevra expected everything to get back on track at last.
It didn't.
In the Burrow, love, laughter, and joy could no longer be felt.
There was anger in it. Hatred. And a desire for revenge.
The boys locked themselves in their rooms, spoke quietly among themselves, and ignored Ginevra. As if she were too young to understand what had happened, or too insignificant for anyone to bother explaining anything to her.
Until she'd had enough.
And Muriel had had enough too.
One day, with a sharp look, she packed all of Ginevra's things, took her by the hand, and led her away to her manor.
The Prewett Manor was enormous. It had high ceilings, scores of rooms, and more space than Ginevra would ever need.
Except something was missing.
Love. The kind she had been used to at the Burrow.
Except that was missing from the Burrow now, too.
Ginevra felt that her family had been irrevocably broken.
In her new home, however, she could fly as much as she wanted. Read whatever she wanted, and do almost anything she pleased.
Of course, Muriel kept an eye on her.
Mostly she gave her valuable advice. Sometimes, though, with a sad look, she would say something that made Ginevra merely roll her eyes:
"Find yourself a rich husband from a good family!"
Or:
"Stand up straight and act like a lady, not like your wild brothers!"
And then there was her eternal war against Gryffindor.
"In Gryffindor, you'll just be another one in line. Try Ravenclaw!"
According to Muriel, even Slytherin was a better choice.
Yet Ginevra had grown fond of her sharp tongue and confident demeanour. She often expressed her gratitude through hugs, during which a sly gleam would appear in her chocolate-brown eyes.
For she knew that with every hug, she melted Muriel a little.
And when Muriel melted, she didn't spare galleons.
Whether it was a new broomstick, nice and comfortable clothes, or books. And when Muriel reminded her while buying clothes, "Clothes won't make a witch out of you," Ginevra got books on Defence, duelling, and combat magic as well.
Because the world does not forgive weakness.
And so, when one day she went shopping in Diagon Alley with her family, Muriel gave her a hundred Galleons for everything she would need for Hogwarts.
Naturally, her first stop was Ollivanders.
After much testing, Ollivander narrowed the choice down to two wands with the same core and the same wood.
Both were made of yew.
The difference was in color. One was white. The other a dark caramel.
Ginevra looked at both for a moment, but in the end, she chose the dark caramel one. The yew wand fit into her hand as if it had belonged there all along. Perhaps she had chosen the wand. Or perhaps the wand had chosen her. And after nearly a year, Ginevra felt whole again for the first time.
The rest of the shopping trip in Diagon Alley flew by. Ginevra still managed to catch the cold compassion in Lucius Malfoy's eyes, however, before her father attacked him for no apparent reason.
It was sad to see how much trauma had changed Arthur Weasley.
When her brothers finally managed to pull her father off Malfoy, they began leading him away despite his protests. Ginevra stood still for a moment and, with flushed cheeks, turned to Lucius.
"I apologize."
Lucius Malfoy sized her up with cold eyes. There was no trace left of the compassion she had caught a moment before.
In the end, though, he slowly nodded.
His gaze scanned her from head to toe, stopping at the cauldron where she had stored her books.
Casually, he pulled out three of them.
"New books, Miss Weasley," he remarked, nodding to himself. "Mrs Prewett must care for you very much."
Before Ginevra could respond, he turned and walked away together with his son.
Now that's sharpness, Ginny thought.
A single glance was all it took for him to understand who was looking after her.
She knew Lucius Malfoy was a dangerous wizard. A Dark wizard. And he was from Slytherin.
Even so, Ginevra could not tear her eyes away from him.
Power radiated from him with every movement. From his posture, his voice, even from a simple glance.
And though she didn't know why, for the first time she understood that power doesn't always have to be loud.
Sometimes it is enough that a person simply has it.
When the day of departure for Hogwarts arrived, Ginevra had to promise a worried Muriel that she wouldn't press to end up in Gryffindor.
Ginny had no problem with that. She had long since understood that courage alone was not enough. Muriel was right. The night is dark and full of terrors, and a person needs to know more than just how to stand with head held high and rush into danger.
This time, however, she didn't want to run from the unknown.
She wanted to step forward to meet it.
Whether Ravenclaw or Slytherin awaited her, she was ready to find out where her own path would lead.
At King's Cross Station, her brothers were already waiting for her alongside her father. Arthur Weasley offered her an attempt at a smile and a parcel of sandwiches that stank unpleasantly of fish.
"Food for the journey, Ginny," he told her, his eyes twitching nervously from side to side at every movement of the people around them.
In the end, he couldn't even manage the walk to the barrier to the wizarding world and set off back home. Her frowning brothers accepted it with a sigh.
"Follow us, Ginny," said a solemnly frowning Percy.
The others were just as solemn and gloomy. There was no trace left of the mischievous glint in the twins' eyes. Ronald was equally quiet, letting himself be led by the rest.
And so Ginevra followed them silently through the barrier.
"You can sit with us, Ginny," Ronald suggested quietly. "With Hermione and Harry."
Sitting with them would be easy. And safe.
Except Muriel had told her that everyone has their own path.
And Ginevra didn't want anyone else deciding hers.
She wanted her destiny firmly in her own hands.
Therefore, she merely shook her head and set off to find Luna Lovegood.
She had already walked halfway through the train and still hadn't found her. Tired, she claimed the nearest empty compartment. She hoped Luna would find her, but if not, at least she would have a moment of peace to read.
Every now and then, her compartment door opened. A single breath was all it took for a student to snap the door shut immediately.
Her sandwiches truly had a pungent fishy aroma. They were good for something, at least. She was left in peace.
When a scratching on wood suddenly came from behind the door, Ginevra ignored it at first. The scratching didn't stop, though. After a moment, it moved to the glass, the grating noise beginning to irritate her ears.
Wand in hand, she carefully slid the door open.
Sitting on the floor behind it was a black cat. It lazily swished its tail from side to side, watching Ginevra with bright green eyes as she aimed her wand at it.
For a moment, they sized each other up suspiciously.
Then, with a sigh, Ginevra stowed her wand and cautiously extended her hand toward the cat.
Before she could touch it, the cat hissed menacingly and extended sharp claws.
Ginny immediately pulled her hand back.
"I get it. No touching," she nodded. "Are you hungry?" she asked after a moment.
Without waiting for an answer, she stepped over to the package of tuna sandwiches. She pulled one out, unwrapped it, and laid it on the paper bag so the cat could reach it comfortably.
"Meow."
The cat was apparently expressing its thanks with that, as it fluidly leaped up toward the sandwich and tucked into it without the slightest hesitation.
While the cat ate greedily and noisily, Ginevra smiled at it with contentment.
There was something special in that. Something simple and honest.
Animals didn't try to pretend.
The cat was hungry, so it went after what it wanted. Without shame, without excuses, and without unnecessary questions.
Ginevra didn't yet realize what a good decision it was to share her sandwiches with this unknown cat with the menacing gaze and sharp claws.
Even less did she suspect that it belonged to a boy who was only one year above her.
And she had no idea at all that her small gesture would soon be returned in the form of aid from one of the most powerful wizards of his generation.
At that moment, however, she had merely gained her first lesson in bribery.
And tuna sandwiches turned out to be a surprisingly effective currency.
***
Author's note:
Once I started writing, I just couldn't stop. Five hours later, and we have a whole chapter!
Now that we've seen what happened before Hogwarts, does Ginny ending up in Slytherin make a little more sense? I really wanted to explore why she ended up there instead of just having her Sorting come out of nowhere.
And we finally have Styrax! He's not exactly a sweet cat... Ginny simply found the fastest way to get on his good side: bribing him with tuna sandwiches.
Tuna sandwiches FTW!
P.S. This one is for EnderScroll, who asked for a Ginny POV. You asked, I delivered! :D
***
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Upcoming Chapters – Already Written(15):
102. GW2: My Best Friend
103. Pride Before the Haircut
104. Fire and Thunder
105. Better to Be Feared
106. A Serial Killer Under the Bed
107. The Legacy of Rookwood Castle
108. Worse Than Horcruxes
109. Cleansed by Fire
110. Running Dead
111. I'm Dying
112. AM: Everything We Had Left
113. Still Breathing
114. The Headmaster Is Expecting You
115. The Silver Hand
116. Last Thoughts and Pancakes
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