Chapter 14
Ginny stood on Platform 9 ¾ with Pansy. She was staring at a group of redheads and Harry Potter. She knew Harry’s situation somewhat. And she would give all her not inconsiderable gold to see him stay with her family full time. But right now, she couldn’t help but feel that she had been easily replaced. The girl didn’t work out, let’s get another Gryffindor to complete the set.
Pansy, in a display of solidarity put an arm around her. Okay, Ginny was pretty sure Pansy was doing this to piss her family off. Ginny was all for it—
“Ginny.”
Her mouth parted slightly as, of all people, Percy walked toward her. Oh Morgana, was he going to try to convince her to come back.
“Perce.”
“Has anyone told you, you’re a terrible Slytherin?”
Her mouth fully fell open.
“What?”
Percy rolled his eyes in a decidedly un-Percy like way.
“You couldn’t just have gone to Gryffindor like me.” He shook his head.
“W-what?”
“I was supposed to be in Slytherin.”
Ginny looked at Pansy, who had an equally shocked look on her face.
“Argued with the hat for about ten minutes. Everyone assumed it was a tossup between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. But the hat was dead set on Slytherin. I finally convinced it that the most Slytherin approach would be to go to Gryffindor—avoid all the heat from the family.”
Both girls stared at him.
“I checked up on you, in Knockturn.”
“You went to Knockturn?” Ginny said, as if this was the most shocking thing of all. Percy rolled his eyes again.
“Easiest way to make galleons with almost no education.”
“Why didn’t you visit?” Ginny asked.
“No offence, Gin, but you’re twelve. I wasn’t exactly about to tell you all my secrets unless I was sure you wouldn’t make up with mum and dad and let it slip.”
Ginny made a face.
“I wouldn’t…”
“I believe that now.” He glanced back at his family, who was staring at them. Fred and George were already on the train, it was just Ron, Harry, and her mum and dad.
“Anyway. You’re not the only one who’s frustrated. I’ve made more galleons in four months than dad does in a year selling enchanted items in Knockturn. You were too young to really see it, but before this it was a trip to Romania and before that, to France. Everytime we come into some money, they spend it. Just make your plan, and don’t let them guilt you into thinking you need to be some poor ministry flunky for the rest of your life. Bill and Charlie followed what they love. Fred and George will probably do the same. Us Slytherins, we’ll rule the world, eh?”
He walked away. Her mum and dad held a whispered and intense discussion with him as he returned. He seemed to play it off with a shrug.
Ginny felt like someone had hit her with a hammer.
“Did that just happen?” she said softly.
“Your brother is kind of hot,” was Pansy’s only response. Ginny hit her.