A/N: Dumbledore�s advice is mine! I�m proud of it!
Chapter Twenty-One: In the Red Light
What can I do, to make it right?
Falling so hard, so fast this time.
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?
--Backstreet Boys
�Okay, Malfoy,� said Potter, grinning, �let�s play Quidditch.�
Malfoy nodded as he rocketed upwards in an attempt to search for the Snitch again. He glanced at the Gryffindor stands and saw Ginny, making her way towards her seat as she held the box tightly in her arms. His gaze flew to the Slytherin stands and saw Parkinson, at the very front, staring up at him. She gave him a thumbs-up sign.
Knowing that everyone was depending on him to win this game, his eyes suddenly became even clearer as he searched for the golden ball, now even more determined to win.
A golden spark was speeding far below the ground that made Malfoy and Potter quickly shift positions and zoomed towards the ground with everyone�s frantic screaming in the background. Potter was behind Malfoy for about an inch. He could feel it. He was going to win. The Slytherins would win the House Cup. This year would be remembered forever. After all these years, his hard work would finally pay off.
Malfoy reached out a hand to grasp the Snitch with Potter at his tail, but before his fingers even touch the golden ball, his mind suddenly wheeled back towards the past month.
�Ah, the pathetic team, it�s as if all the Potter-lovers in the whole world united and formed your group, the Harry Potter fan club. One advice for you three, go get a life for Merlin�s sake��
�You didn�t really think I�d read this out loud? Your entries don�t even start with dear diary, more in the lines of: Hey, I saw Harry today, he�s so cute�actually.�
�You make me laugh, Weasley.�
�Malfoy, it would take two Gryffindors dead and an awful lot of pounding concerning Harry�s head and a gigantic toilet seat before a laugh can come out of you.�
�No, sometimes it just takes a Weasley.�
�Tell me Weasley, why should we trust you again?
�Because I�m your only hope.�
�I mean, if everyone sees what I see in you�then�they�re going to love you.�
Malfoy stopped in mid-air as he remembered her words, making his resolve as rigid as stone.
�You know Malfoy, even if you don�t play Quidditch, you�re still the same person to me��
�I love her��
With Potter�s last words echoing in his mind, Malfoy backed away an inch just as he was about to catch the Snitch, and allowed Potter to fly in front of him. Malfoy crashed into the hard ground as the crowd gave a cheer for Harry Potter.
The sight was as same as it always was every year. As Potter held up the golden Snitch for everyone to see, Gryffindor banners were strewn everywhere. McGonagall had her face covered with the palms of her hands as she hid her tears of joy from everyone. Dumbledore was doing his victory belly dance, while beside him, Hagrid jumped up and down in his seat, making the tiny Professor Snape scowl in disgust as he bounced along with Hagrid due to his gigantic weight. Seamus Finnigan had tears in his eyes as he choked out through endless sobs, �And Harry Potter catches the Snitch at the last second! Gryffindor wins the match!�
The cheers were deafening. People were suddenly coming down from the stands and running towards their Quidditch hero, as their team hugged Potter with tears in their eyes. Malfoy remained lying in the grass, knowing very well that the Slytherins wouldn�t understand why he did such a thing, but he was pretty sure that they didn�t know that Malfoy intended to do it. Except maybe Trent McGuire; that guy never misses a single thing. He prepared himself for a possible assault when he saw his own team land on the ground angrily. Trent marched towards Malfoy and held him by the cuffs of his robes.
�Don�t lie to me,� he murmured sinisterly, �I saw what you did, you idiot.�
�You got good eyes then,� Malfoy responded impassively.
�I want to know why you did it,� he argued as he shook him roughly, �why the hell did you do it?�
�Because,� Malfoy began as he felt his lip bleed from the fall, �if you really count all of the circumstances, it�s obvious that I already won over Potter.�
�Oh yeah?� said Trent, mockingly, �Don�t think that you�re acting all mysterious on me now, Malfoy�I know everything about you. I�ve seen it�all of it. Your seemingly insignificant stares as she polishes our shoes, your constant warning to all of us not to take advantage of her just because she was assigned to clean our broom shed. And now you think that you won over that bloody Potter because you�ve snatched the girl, well think again.�
Malfoy gave Trent a dagger-filled look before turning around just in time to see the youngest Weasley give Potter a hug. Although a lot of people were currently beside Potter, he didn�t miss the look Potter was reserving for her, as though he wanted her to stay in his arms forever. He winced at the sight.
He didn�t know why he cared. He didn�t even know how it happened, how he suddenly woke up one morning, with the image of her the first thing popping in his eyes, instead of the usual expensive sheets his father bought for him. All he knew was that this sight was tearing him apart, making his eyes close in grief.
�That could have been you, Malfoy,� said Trent, this time the usual antagonism in his voice slowly fading away. �After all this time, I thought you already realized something. The weak of heart never gets the fair maiden.�
Malfoy brushed Trent away with repulsion as he limped towards the broom shed, every ounce of regret filling his body. For a moment, he realized that all of what Parkinson told him in breakfast was in fact, true.
*.*
Ginny felt her heart explode in delight as she saw with her own eyes Harry�s fist, closing unto the golden ball. Colin and Neville first gave each other high-fives before hugging Ginny close to them, screaming in her ears. Ron and Hermione were holding hands as they ran towards the field with smiles on their faces. Colin, Neville and Ginny went with the crowd as it slowly brought them to Harry, who was currently hunched from all the pats in the back he was receiving and his hair even more tousled than usual as people kept on messing it up.
With a slight push from Neville, Ginny found herself tripping into Harry�s arms. She felt his hear pounding in his chest, and smelled the melting snow in his robes. Ron was hanging on his back, not noticing that Ginny was smothered on his bestfriend�s chest.
�Nice job, Harry,� whispered Ginny softly.
�It wasn�t me, Gin,� Harry replied, his words audible only in Ginny�s ears.
�What do you mean?� she asked in surprise, as she pushed herself away from him.
�Malfoy let me win,� he answered.
�What?!� Ginny whipped around, hoping to spot Malfoy in the midst of the crowd. Finally, she saw him glance at her momentarily before backing away with Trent, limping. There was something about the look Malfoy gave her, and she was sure that it wasn�t good.
Just as she was about to ask Harry what he really meant, she saw that he was being swept away by the riotous Gryffindors, making him unavailable for questioning. Why did Malfoy walk away like that? What did she do?
�Oh no,� said Ginny as sudden consciousness dawned upon her, �He saw me in Harry�s arms!�
Her head bowed down towards the soft grass as she tried hard to contemplate about how she could get Malfoy to forgive her. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn�t her mind work every time she was excited?
Ginny was so deep in her thoughts that she didn�t notice an old man trudging up slowly behind her. He was wearing half-moon spectacles behind his sky blue eyes that never dim. As he walked, his long white beard swayed in the wind, light as a feather. He cleared his throat to make his approach known to the absent-minded lass.
�Professor!� she gasped as she whipped around to meet him.
�Sorry for bothering your pondering, Miss Weasley,� he apologized as his eyes crinkled into a smile.
�Oh, no problem, Professor Dumbledore,� she said, laughing, �don�t mind me.�
�I called you because it seems to me Professor Snape is in dire need of somebody�s help,� he explained as he gave a soft chuckle, �apparently, the ingredients he needs to retain his full size are fully matured. It would be a disaster if he doesn�t obtain the potion right just because he can�t reach for the wooden spoon on top of his cauldron.�
Ginny laughed at the funny scene that popped inside her head. It contained a small Snape, bending down on the edge of his bubbling cauldron as he tried to reach for his wooden spoon that was on the other edge. Basically, her scene ended with Snape soaking wet.
She couldn�t believe that it had already been a month. This only meant one thing. Her service to the Slytherins was no longer needed�her punishment was over.
�Miss Weasley, can I give you a piece of advice?� the headmaster asked, his kindly voice once more breaking into her thoughts.
�Why, certainly Professor!�
�I don�t know a lot of things,� said the headmaster, smiling, �for example, I don�t know why Severus is very determined to produce the potion himself, although he very well knows he can�t reach the top of the cauldron itself, but I do know one thing, Miss Weasley. And that is, whatever of I may, whoever it is that you�re thinking about, I suggest you hold tight to it.�
Ginny�s eyes widened in surprise as she became conscious of what the headmaster was saying. She didn�t know how he knew about her situation with Malfoy, but as her father said, Dumbledore never misses a trick. �Why, professor,� she asked quietly, �why do you want me to hold tight to it?�
�Because�� Professor Dumbledore explained melodiously, �the love that nurtures in supreme misfortune and adversity is the most exceptional and everlasting of all. I�ve seen it before Miss Weasley, and this time around, I believe that the eyes of the course of both of your love will never gain sight of the end."
*.*
�Hand me that aconite over there, Weasley, will you?� Snape squeaked as he stood atop of the books he borrowed from Professor Flitwick, stirring the bubbling cauldron with a wooden spoon that was bigger than him. It turned out that Snape really was gritty about the fact that someone was willing to assist him, nevertheless Ginny stayed in the dungeons, annoying Snape in the process. It was very useful to have Ginny in there to assist Snape, for if it wasn�t for her, Snape would be taking ages before getting the potion done.
�What aconite, professor?� Ginny asked from the top of a ladder, her eyes scanning the countless of jars in front of her.
�In simpler terms, its called wolfsbane�these blasted Gryffindors�every year turning into an even more of a dunderhead than the year before��
Ginny gave Snape the jar, obviously immune from his harsh words. As he poured the last required substance into the potion, the liquid gave a small hiss and turned into a sickly purple colour while bellowing out bright yellow fumes that made Snape smile.
�Just one more hour, Weasley,� he said beaming, �and I�ll be back to my full size.�
�Professor,� Ginny called out uneasily as Snape climbed down from his pile of books, �can I ask you a question?�
�As long as it has something do with my subject, yes.�
�Why do you brew a potion?�
It was the first time Ginny saw a slight hint of light breaking into the professor�s face. His eyes softened, as if no question can please him even more than this question does. When Snape spoke, Ginny could tell that his answers weren�t based on the potions at all. She knew that there was a deeper meaning in his words, as if he was saying it for someone he may never forget for the rest of his life.
�It�s been long since someone asked that question, but I stand by my words. I brew a potion because it gives me satisfaction that no one else can give. It is the light that I look forward to in the long length of the darkness that fills my day. I surrender my heart to it completely, trusting it with I have and pushing away all doubts. And most of all, I brew a potion because it believes in me, and because everything I do for it, is the same things that it does for me.�
All of a sudden, Ginny knew. The last piece in the puzzle inside her mind was solved. Everything made sense.
�Professor, can I�� she racked her brain for excuses in a second and came up with an extremely person one she would use only for emergencies, ��go to the girl�s lavatory? It�s my time of the month and believe me, that thing down there�s pouring like a faucet��
�All right, Weasley! Stop giving me descriptions!� Snape bellowed, covering her ears. But before walking out of the room, Ginny had to ask one more question that was tugging in her mind.
�Professor, you said that someone asked you that question before, who was it?�
�Malfoy, he asked me that question. Although he wasn�t the first one�the first one was my classmate.�
It was enough to send Ginny grabbing the box Malfoy gave her from Snape�s table and breaking into a run. She sprinted in the dungeons, her steps echoing in the empty hallway, as everyone was inside their common rooms, chatting about the Quidditch match. She found herself in the middle of two staircases, one leading up and one leading down. She went down to a flight of stairs in which the steps were rough and chalky, indicating how seldom people go down in this staircase. She was again met with the sight of dozens of painting, all filled with unmoving different kinds of food, providing a cheerful aura in the hallway.
The kitchen, Ginny thought, suddenly understanding what the hallway was for.
Immediately, as she walked towards a particular painting, events and clues in the past few months reeled back in her head, making more and more sense. McGonagall had mentioned something between the lines of Lily�s parents disliking her unknown admirer because he had a family of long line of witches and wizards. She also stated the fact that he had blocked a Bludger for Lily when she was playing in their team, and his face not being the same ever since. He was against Sirius Black, and as Madam Hooch said, the only time that Lily Evans was playing against her house, was when she played with the Slytherins, making him a part of the Slytherin house. He likes sunsets�who else liked sunsets in the school?
Draco Malfoy.
Ginny stopped in front of the familiar painting with the huge bowl in it. It was the same painting she and Colin saw the night when a mysterious red light was illuminating from one of its fruits. Ginny grinned in anticipation as she placed the box at the ground and held out her wand in front of her, pointing towards the one red apple.
�I don�t know, I just heard them,� Neville replied lazily, �they didn�t even know I was at there backs.�
�So�his mother liked apples�� Colin said wistfully.
�Adored them,� Neville corrected.
How could she have not known it earlier? The answer came from her own mouth! She was searching for a flat nosed, Slytherin professor who had a long line of witches and wizards as a family and she clearly remembered herself shouting to Malfoy one afternoon in spite�
�I�m a pure-blood�I came from a long line of witches and wizards too. You can�t discriminate me for I�m as same as you and that misshapen Professor of yours.�
�Ego amare tibi perubique,� Ginny whispered in the dark.
Her wand gave off red sparks that circled around the apple twice. She was momentarily blinded by the light, making her remember about the night Colin and her saw the same red light for the first time. They both thought that it was Professor Flitwick creating the said beam, for he was the only person in the whole school who needed books for standing. Both forgot that at that current month, Professor Flitwick wasn�t the only one in need of books to reach for something high.
A tiny door appeared in the painting and Ginny reached out to turn the knob with her fingers. As the door opened with a creak, Ginny saw a bunch of parchments strewn together with a piece of string.
It read: Lily�s Journal.
In the very first page of the parchments was a moving picture of a young girl with fiery red hair, very much like hers, as she sat in the arms of a young man, with the sun setting behind them. The young man�s face was set in a scowl, his black hair matted to his forehead and his robes expensive and new, contrasting to the girl�s uniform, which was obviously a hand-me-down. Nevertheless, the girl was still smiling.
Below the picture was the following caption:
�Ego amare tibi perubique,� Ginny said softly, her voice echoing in the dark.
�I love you, everywhere.�
Ginny jumped at the sound of the voice, not expecting that she wasn�t alone. When she craned her neck to see who it was, it made her even more surprised than before.
For it was Lily�s son that was standing behind her.
Harry Potter.
A/N: I decided that putting that chapter up will be too long so yeah�another chappie for ya all!
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