Ginny blinked her eyes open, taking in her surroundings in the first-year girls' dormitory - a cozy, warmly lit room with soft red and gold hangings on each bed and a gentle warmth radiating from the nearby fireplace. The place had a quiet elegance to it, a blend of coziness and age-old magic. She took a moment to process where she was: Hogwarts, Gryffindor Tower, first-year girls' dormitory.
She couldn't believe she was finally here.
Across the room, Ginny could hear soft movements as Emily Kirke adjusted her robes. She was already dressed and looking bright-eyed and awake and Ginny's curiosity got the best of her.
"You're up early," Ginny said, sleepily.
Emily grinned, her voice bursting with excitement. "I couldn't sleep a wink! I've been waiting ages to finally be here." She beamed, looking as though every corner of the room held a secret treasure. "Besides, my cousin Andrew promised Auntie he'd show me around today. We're meeting in the common room and then we'll head down to the Great Hall together."
Ginny smiled, taking in Emily's enthusiasm. She envied how natural Emily seemed here, like she belonged instantly. Ginny, on the other hand, was still adjusting to the strangeness of everything.
As Emily bounded out of the room, Ginny took a breath and grabbed into her bag, feeling an urge to reach out to the one familiar voice in her mind. "Tom?"
"Good morning, Ginny. Excited for your first day?" Tom's voice echoed within her thoughts, calm and unhurried, as though he was there beside her.
"Nervous, actually," she admitted, glancing around at the quiet room. "Everything's so different here - like everything's bigger and, I don't know, more intense than I imagined."
"You're not the only one who feels that way, you know. Everyone is figuring it out. And you have me always beside you to help, Ginny. Just take it one step at a time."
Ginny took a deep breath, feeling calmer as she absorbed his words. It was enough for now. She placed the diary back into her bag, slipping on her robes before heading down the corridor to the shared bathroom.
After taking a quick shower and putting on her Hogwarts uniform, Ginny felt a bit more prepared for the day. She padded back into the room, where her roommates were still snuggled under their blankets, unaware of the time.
"Come on, Mira, Daisy," Ginny whispered, gently nudging each of them awake. "If we don't hurry, we'll be late!"
Mira blinked awake slowly, her face barely stirring as she smoothed down her hair. "Alright, alright…" she murmured, sitting up with a composed, almost regal air that seemed to be a permanent part of her.
Daisy, on the other hand, stretched shyly, looking up at Ginny with sleepy eyes. "Is it… really time already?" she asked, her voice a soft murmur.
"Yes, really!" Ginny replied with a small smile. As the two girls finally got up and began to prepare for the day, Ginny felt her nerves return in small waves, but this time, they were overlaid with a quiet determination. This was her first day at Hogwarts and even though everything felt daunting, she had Tom's guidance to get her through it.
The three girls made their way downstairs, where they joined the other first-years, waiting for the prefect to lead them down to breakfast.
It was time to face her first day at Hogwarts.
Ginny entered the Great Hall with Mira and Daisy by her side. Hundreds of students sat at the long tables, voices filling the air with a low hum of conversation and overhead, the enchanted ceiling showed a bright morning sky. It was awe-inspiring. But having Mira and Daisy beside her helped. She held onto that small comfort, letting it steady her.
As they approached the Gryffindor table, Ginny's gaze shifted, landing on a familiar face further down the row - Harry Potter. Her heart gave a nervous lurch and an anxious flutter rose in her chest. She felt like all the stares in the hall might suddenly shift to her, that everyone would see her staring, even though no one was actually paying her any mind. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, then mentally reached out to Tom. "Tom, are you there?"
"Always," his voice was steady in her mind, a quiet presence that soothed some of her anxieties. "Everything alright?"
"I just… I don't know. I feel so out of place here. And…" her eyes darted back to Harry, though she forced herself to look away quickly, "and he's right there, you know? It's silly, but I can't help feeling awkward."
Tom's response was calm and patient. "There's no need to worry about him. Just focus on yourself and your friends. Remember, you belong here as much as anyone else does. Just take it one moment at a time."
Ginny took a deep breath, echoing Tom's soothing words in her mind and felt her nerves settle a bit. She spotted Emily, sitting with an older boy - most likely her cousin, Andrew - and found a seat between Emily and Daisy, relieved to have her friends nearby.
Just as Ginny began to relax, a loud, familiar screech shattered the calm of the Great Hall, silencing the chatter and making every head turn toward the Gryffindor table. Her heart sank as her mother's furious voice, magnified tenfold, boomed through the hall.
Ron, that idiot, had just opened a bright red envelope in front of him - a Howler - and Mrs. Weasley's voice erupted from it in full force: "RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR? I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED!"
Ginny focused on her breakfast, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. The Howler continued its shrill reprimand to Ron, Mrs. Weasley's furious voice echoing through the Great Hall. She pretended it had nothing to do with her, concentrating on her toast and hoping to avoid any association with the spectacle.
Mira leaned over, raising an eyebrow as she looked from the Howler to Ginny. "Isn't that your brother?" she asked, an amused grin creeping onto her face.
"Unfortunately, yes," Ginny mumbled, keeping her head down. She was hoping that would be the end of it, but then Mrs. Weasley's voice softened as the Howler concluded.
"Oh, and Ginny, dear - congratulations on making Gryffindor! Your father and I are so proud of you!"
Ginny froze. Her cheeks burned as she felt all eyes at the Gryffindor table shift in her direction. It was as if an invisible spotlight had landed on her and there was no escape. She managed a tight smile, but her stomach felt like it had dropped through the floor.
Emily burst into giggles beside her, trying and failing to stifle her laughter, while Daisy looked at her with a mixture of pity and sympathy, which somehow felt even worse. Ginny wanted nothing more than to sink under the table and disappear.
"Tom..." she called out internally, hoping he could somehow erase the humiliation that seemed to be wrapping around her. "Please tell me everyone will just stop looking at me."
Tom's voice was calm and steady in her mind. "It's nothing, Ginny. People will forget it soon enough. And really, what's wrong with your mother being proud of you? Focus on that, not on what everyone else thinks."
Ginny took a deep breath, letting Tom's words settle her nerves. She looked up, managing a small, awkward laugh as her roommates' reactions faded. Still, she couldn't shake the embarrassment completely.
Emily's giggling trailed off and she gave Ginny a friendly nudge. "Hey, at least your mum's proud of you! Even if she had to let the whole school know," she teased, her eyes sparkling.
Ginny gave a small, reluctant smile. "Yeah, that's Mum," she murmured, attempting to laugh it off.
The others joined in the light teasing, and Ginny laughed along with them, grateful to feel a bit less exposed.
After breakfast, Ginny and her friends - Mira, Daisy and Emily - wandered through the bustling hallways of Hogwarts, taking in the sights and sounds of their new school. The first-day excitement was contagious and Ginny felt a surge of pride being among her Gryffindor friends. Everything seemed to be going smoothly and she was glad to be part of a group of girls who shared her excitement and nervous energy.
Just then, as they rounded a corner, Ginny spotted a familiar figure moving through the crowd with an unmistakable, dreamy expression on her face - Luna Lovegood. Luna's blonde hair flowed around her shoulders, her eyes wide as if she were lost in another world and her robes were slightly mismatched. As always, Luna looked as though she had dressed in the dark, with a necklace of what appeared to be butterbeer corks hanging around her neck.
"Oh, look," Mira muttered, nudging Ginny. "Isn't that the Lovegood girl?"
Ginny felt a twinge of discomfort, her face flushing slightly. She had known Luna for years, as they both grew up in Ottery St Catchpole, but here at Hogwarts, around her new friends, Luna's quirky, eccentric manner felt suddenly glaring. Ginny knew her friends would find her strange and the last thing she wanted was to be lumped together with Luna on her very first day.
"Ginny," Tom's voice sounded in her mind, gentle but firm. "She's your childhood friend. It wouldn't hurt to say hello."
Ginny hesitated, biting her lip. She knew Tom was right in a way - Luna was familiar and a part of her wanted to bridge that gap, to show kindness. But then, Mira gave her another nudge, an amused glint in her eye.
"Is she talking to herself?" Emily whispered, barely containing her giggle.
Ginny's cheeks grew warmer and against Tom's silent encouragement, she decided not to draw attention to Luna. Instead, she looked away, pretending not to see her.
Luna stopped, a faint, dreamy smile appearing on her face as she looked directly at Ginny. "Hello, Ginny," she said in a lilting tone, her voice carrying a calmness that felt slightly surreal.
Ginny froze, managing a brief, awkward nod, but nothing more. She wanted to say hello properly, introduce her friends, maybe even walk with Luna for a bit. But instead, she brushed past, hoping her friends wouldn't ask her about it.
As they walked away, Ginny felt an uncomfortable twist in her chest, a small pang of guilt settling in. She glanced back over her shoulder, catching a final glimpse of Luna standing alone in the corridor, her gaze following them, serene but lonely.
"Why did you ignore her?" Tom's voice was laced with a hint of disapproval, though still calm. "You'll regret it, Ginny. There's no shame in being kind, even when others don't understand."
Ginny sighed, feeling the weight of that guilt, but she pushed it aside, attempting to quiet Tom's voice. She didn't want to dwell on it, not with her friends there and especially not with so much of her new life unfolding around her.
In Transfiguration, Ginny focused intently on Professor McGonagall's instructions, trying to absorb every word. The goal for today was simple in theory: Turn a matchstick into a needle. With her matchstick on the desk in front of her, she whispered the incantation and gave her wand a hopeful flick. But the matchstick didn't even tremble. Her heart sank as she noticed her classmates also struggling, most not producing any change at all.
"It's not only about the words or the wand movement," Tom's voice came into her mind. "Close your eyes. I'll show you how it should feel."
Ginny took a breath, closing her eyes as Tom's presence filled her mind. She felt a sense of weight and clarity - a distinct feeling of transformation, sharp and focused. It wasn't her imagination. It was as if Tom's own memory of casting the spell had become part of her, infusing her with a new understanding.
With her fingers steady and her focus sharpened, she whispered the incantation again. The matchstick shimmered, its rough edges smoothing out, glinting into the polished shape of a needle. A slight smile tugged at her lips as she lowered her wand, surprised and thrilled by how effortless it had felt with Tom's guidance.
Professor McGonagall's eyes widened slightly as she came over to inspect Ginny's work. "Well done, Miss Weasley!" she said with clear approval, nodding. "A nearly flawless attempt. Five points to Gryffindor. You may well have a talent for Transfiguration."
Ginny beamed, feeling a surge of pride at McGonagall's praise. Her roommates, Daisy and Emily, exchanged glances, impressed. Mira, however, looked just the tiniest bit miffed, casting a determined glance at her own matchstick. Ginny could sense the subtle change in her friend's focus and knew Mira wouldn't rest until she'd achieved similar results.
After a while, Mira finally succeeded, her matchstick turning into a somewhat crude but recognizable needle. Ginny leaned over, offering pointers with Tom's words echoing in her mind, helping guide her explanation. Soon, both Emily and Daisy made small improvements, though neither managed a full transformation.
In Charms class, the lesson focused on Lumos, the Wand-Lighting Charm. Professor Flitwick encouraged the class to focus on visualizing light as they cast the spell, though once again, Ginny's first attempt fell short. She waved her wand, but it remained dark.
"Here…" Tom's voice filled her mind again. "Picture the warmth, the glow of the light you want to create. I'll show you how it should feel."
Once again, Ginny felt a mental image materialize - a feeling of warmth, the steady spark of energy forming at her fingertips and flowing into her wand. She followed Tom's guidance, taking a slow breath, allowing the feeling to settle within her. Then, raising her wand, she tried again.
"Lumos."
This time, her wand-tip glowed brilliantly, a bright and unwavering light. Flitwick's face split into a delighted smile as he hurried over to her.
"Remarkable, Miss Weasley! Quite impressive for a first-year! Ten points to Gryffindor. Perhaps you'll have a gift for Charms that could rival even your brother Bill's."
Ginny felt her cheeks heat at the mention of her older brother, but the praise filled her with a quiet satisfaction. She glanced over at her roommates, who looked at her with a mixture of awe and amusement. Emily raised her eyebrows, laughing lightly, as she muttered "Oh, wonderful. Now we've got a prodigy on our hands."
Daisy, wide-eyed and genuinely impressed, grinned at Ginny. "I'll be asking you for tips from now on!"
Afterwards, Ginny found herself helping her new friends once more, quietly channelling Tom's suggestions as she explained things. By the time they headed back to the common room, her friends were looking at her with newfound admiration - though only Ginny knew just how much of her success was truly her own.
As Ginny and her roommates made their way through the corridors toward Gryffindor Tower, Ginny absentmindedly checked her bag, only to realize that her quill was missing. She must have left it in the Charms classroom when she was packing up. Her friends, already chatting about their next classes, hadn't noticed her pause.
"I'll be right back," Ginny said, offering a small smile. "I forgot my quill in the Charms room. You guys go on ahead."
Mira, Daisy and Emily waved her off without hesitation, already turning back toward the tower, eager to settle in before dinner. Ginny watched them go for a moment, feeling a pang of unease. The empty corridor seemed to stretch on forever, her footsteps echoing off the stone walls as she made her way back to the classroom.
But as she rounded a corner, she froze. A group of male first-year Slytherins stood nearby, laughing and chatting amongst themselves, some leaning against the walls. Nathaniel Harper was among them, his posture exuding arrogance.
Ginny's heart gave an uneasy lurch as Harper's gaze landed on her. She tried to ignore it, to walk by without making eye contact, but it was too late. A sneer twisted his mouth as he took a step toward her, the others falling silent as they watched, interest flickering in their eyes.
"Ah, look who it is..." he drawled, his tone dripping with disdain, "a Weasley. Tell me, did they let you in because they ran out of actual wizards?" His voice grew louder, the words cutting sharper. "Or did your blood-traitor family scrape together enough to buy you a proper uniform this time?"
"I can help you," Tom's voice broke through in her mind, "either with hexing them or to help you respond. Bullies like him don't stop unless you stand up to yourself."
But Ginny didn't want to fight. What if she got in trouble on her first day. Tom could probably help her hex Harper but there was a whole group of Slytherins. So, she just tried to ignore them.
"What's the matter, Weasley? Too poor to afford a proper comeback?" he taunted as he took out his wand. "You know I learned a few hexes from my father… maybe I should try them out on a Gryffindor blood-traitor?" he asked his friends.
A shiver went down her spine. The hungry look of one of the other boys made her unease even worse.
"Don't worry, Ginny. I can help you defeat them if it comes to a fight," Tom tried to calm her down, but Ginny wasn't really listening. Could she fight a whole group of boys? And even if… wouldn't she get in a lot of trouble? What if she was expelled on the first day…
So, much to her shame she turned around and ran away. She heared them starting to laugh behind her but she didn't stop.
Ginny had heard the rumours. The older students whispered that Slytherins sometimes took pleasure in hexing Gryffindors who were caught alone.
She had no plan where to run to, but when she saw a girls' lavatory she decided to hide there. Boys wouldn't follow her in here, right?
She pushed open the door and found it empty. Ginny let out a quiet breath of relief, the sounds of the castle's bustle fading behind her as she closed the door softly.
She found an empty corner and sat down, leaning her back against the cool stone wall, trying to calm down.
Ginny hated that those stuck-up families thought they were better than hers just because they had more money. She also hated her own weakness and cowardice. She was a Gryffindor, but there was nothing brave about her.
Ginny curled her legs up slightly, resting her arms on her knees and allowed her mind to wander. She just needed a moment to collect herself, to calm down before facing the rest of the day. She closed her eyes briefly, her breathing slowing, to let her mind settle.
Then the world around her began to blur as her thoughts drifted. It wasn't long before she began to feel a strange weightlessness, as if her mind was slipping away. She felt dizzy…
When she finally became aware again, she was still sitting on the cold bathroom floor, but now there was a strange sensation in her body - like waking up from a nap that wasn't quite a nap. Her mind felt disjointed, the hazy fog not quite lifting.
"You fell asleep," Tom's voice broke through the confusion in her mind, clear and calm. It wasn't a question, just a quiet observation.
Ginny blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from her thoughts. She could feel the dizziness lingering, a heavy pressure at the back of her skull as she sat there, uncertain of how long she had been sitting on the bathroom floor.
Her heart began to race, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she registered her surroundings fully. She couldn't have been asleep here - of all places! On the cold floor of a bathroom, tucked away in a corner.
She quickly got to her feet, her knees feeling weak and took a moment to steady herself against the wall and rubbed her eyes, trying to compose herself.
She didn't want anyone to know, that she had fallen asleep in the middle of the day on the bathroom floor. Ginny stepped out of the lavatory, trying to shake the feeling of dizziness and the lingering, foggy confusion.
As she reached the hall, she saw Mira, Daisy and Emily waiting near the Great Hall. Their faces lit up with concern when they saw her and Emily was the first to speak.
"Ginny! Where did you go? We were starting to get worried," she said, her voice laced with a bit of anxiety. "You've been gone for ages!"
Ginny blinked, still trying to make sense of the lost time. "I... I must have gotten lost," she said quickly, offering them a weak smile. The lie felt clumsy on her tongue, but she couldn't tell them the truth. She couldn't admit that she had been sitting alone in the bathroom, letting time slip by, as if she had fallen into some kind of trance.
Daisy looked at her a little more closely, but before she could say anything, Mira raised an eyebrow. "More than an hour, Ginny. Dinner's about to start and we were worried."
"Really?" Ginny tried to sound casual. "I must've just lost track of time." She ran a hand through her hair and glanced down at the floor, avoiding their gaze. Her stomach churned slightly, but she pushed it down. 'I'm fine,' she thought, forcing the words out, even though she didn't feel fine.
"You're fine," Tom's voice echoed faintly in her mind. He was just trying to comfort her in some way, but the steady sound of his voice made her feel more grounded, despite everything.
Her friends continued walking with her toward the Great Hall, but Ginny couldn't shake the feeling of unease that clung to her. As she reached the doors of the Great Hall, she shoved her uneasy thoughts away. Dinner was about to start and there was no point in thinking about it now.
At dinner, Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table with her roommates, picking at her food as they chatted about their day. The laughter and warmth of the Great Hall surrounded them, but Ginny felt distant, almost like a spectator rather than a participant.
As Emily recounted a funny moment from her train ride yesterday and Mira commented on the difficulty of the lessons, Ginny only half-listened. Her mind kept drifting to the encounter with Nathaniel Harper and the strange lapse of time in the girls' lavatory.
Later, as she lay in bed, the others working quietly on their homework, Ginny closed her eyes, seeking some peace. Tom's voice filled her thoughts, offering comfort. "You're doing well," he reassured her. She leaned into his words, finding solace in the familiar rhythm of his voice. Despite the unsettling feelings that lingered, his presence anchored her in a way nothing else did.
At least she'd done well in class today. And she'd gotten closer to her new friends - that had to count for something, right?
As she drifted closer to unconsciousness, a wave of dizziness suddenly swept over her, similar to the feeling she'd experienced earlier in the girls' lavatory. Her head spun and her vision blurred. 'Am I falling ill?' she wondered briefly, before the darkness overtook her.