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Hinny microfics

I am breathing new life into the hinny microfics, that was previously wonderfully hosted through @hinnymicrofic and will now be hosted on here and through our Discord.

The microfic concept:

Every month a list of prompts are posted and you pick one (or multiple) and write a very short (less than 500 words) fic about Hinny with that prompt. You can do a full month and post the prompt corresponding to the day, but you don't need to stick to that.

Rules

main ship should be Hinny

aim for less than 500 words, 1K absolute max.

If it is more than 1K, it is now a micro-oops!

There is an AO3 collection you can post to (you can for example have a microfic story you then post a microfic per chapter)

Tag us (@ginnystrophyhusband) and we'll reblog it here

Feel free to share it on our discord server

If you have questions, please send us an ask our ask it on the server.

Rewards: Of course you are rewarded for your hard work. For every microfic you are rewarded a slice of the coveted treacle tart. Point system:

1 slice of treacle tart per microfic

10 slices make one treacle tart

5 treacle tarts will bring you a bonus jar of pickled toads. Yummy!

If you complete all prompts for a month, you are rewarded the treacle tart extraordinaire

The microfic prompts will be shared monthly in a separate post (all relevant posts are tagged hinnymicrofics) and updated on the server.

Discord server AO3 collection

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In Another Life, chapter 15, Grimmauld Place

For anyone who's interested, here's a sneak peek into the next chapter of In Another Life. Now that the shadows of the past have caught up with them, some things are about to change...

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"Mum, who was that man?" Harry asked, worried as he stepped closer. Ginny, Ron and Emily shared the same look of alarm as they hurried over.

Lily stood frozen, her gaze fixed on the spot where the man had been moments before, her eyes wide and unblinking. She shook her head slowly, as if trying to make sense of what she'd seen.

"Mum!" Harry called again, louder this time, and finally, she looked up.

"That was… someone I knew when I was young," she said, her voice distant. "A neighbour's boy. We used to play together, before Hogwarts. He was the first who'd told me about magic, and that I am… a witch."

Harry's eyes widened. "Wait, so… he was your boyfriend?"

"No," Lily replied quickly, a hint of defensiveness in her tone. "We were just kids. Though… he wanted more, later on."

"Did Dad know him?" Emily asked, a worried frown crossing her face.

Lily gave a dry, bitter laugh. "Oh, yes. James and Severus knew each other all too well. They were sworn enemies. They hated each other."

A chill run down Harry's spine as he recalled the dark, hateful stare the man had fixed on him. "He looked like he wanted to kill me," he muttered, still feeling uneasy.  A warm hand slipped into his and Harry glanced at Ginny, grateful for her silent support.

Lily took a deep breath, trying to shake off her stupor. "I need to speak with Dumbledore," she said, suddenly brisk. "All of you - go inside. Now. Seal the door."

"But, Mum, we can't just..." Harry began.

"Do as I say," she cut him off, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Severus is a Death Eater. He's always been loyal to Voldemort, he worshiped him. He's dangerous – never forget that."

Before they could protest, Lily strode off towards the Apparition Point and vanished with a crack.

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In Another Life, chapter 14, Shadows from the Past

I've got good news and bad news. The good news for my readers is that I've accepted a challenge to write 20,000 words in February, so new chapters might come faster over the next few weeks. The bad news for me is that I now need to write much faster! Lol.

And here's a sneak peek at the next chapter which might be posted soon.

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"The Malfoys? What about them?" she asked cautiously.

Lily exhaled, studying her carefully. "There's word that something's happening at Malfoy Manor and we're worried. Graham said you might know more."

Rosalind nodded slowly. "I was there last week. They ordered a few suits and a mourning dress."

"Did you notice anything unusual?" asked Tonks.

"It's always strange and unfriendly at Malfoy Manor," replied Rosalind. "They're all pompous and arrogant, except Narcissa. She can be surprisingly kind—seems she doesn't have it easy with her husband." She hesitated briefly. "Last week, she ordered a mourning dress. When I took the measurements, I asked, and she mentioned through tears that her son had died—apparently poisoned by a diary.

"A diary?" Tonks echoed, sceptical.

"I may have misunderstood her. She was speaking so quietly, obviously afraid someone could eavesdrop," Rosalind admitted. "There was a boy around Graham's age, with black hair. They called him 'My Lord', and they feared him, that was pretty obvious. They had me making him robes - the same sort my husband used to wear. Death Eater robes, but made from finer material." She shuddered. "There were other men there too, also in Death Eater robes. I only recognized one of them - Avery. Those awful white masks were lying around as well." She paused, then added quietly, "At one point, Avery called the boy 'Tom'. That's all I know."

"Thank you, Rosalind," Tonks said, looking both relieved and worried.

"Can we go now?" Rosalind asked, visibly feeling unwell.

"Yes, of course," Lily replied.

"Graham, are you coming?" Rosalind glanced at her son.

"In a moment," he said, giving Emily a quick hug and whispering something to her before joining his mother.

"Alright. Hermione, Colin? Ready to head home," Lily asked. "Colin, you're coming with me, and Hermione's going with Dora."

"All set, Mrs Potter," Colin replied with a broad smile, grabbing his camera before following Lily. Just as he reached the door, he turned back. "I'll have the photos for you tomorrow. Promise!"

Hermione exchanged a shy farewell with Ron, a scene that brought an amused look to Tonks's face as she waited to Apparate the girl home.

When they'd gone, Harry glanced at Ginny, "What a day. I could use a good hour on my broom."

"Splendid idea. Could have been mine," Ginny replied, her eyes sparkling. "See you at your place in ten?"

Ten minutes later, Harry and Emily stepped outside in their Quidditch gear to find Ginny and Ron already waiting. Lily had just returned from dropping Colin off, smiled at them as she headed towards the backdoor.

"Lily, is that you?" an unfamiliar voice called suddenly.

Harry's head snapped round to see a man in dark robes with greasy, black, shoulder length hair approaching.

Lily froze, her eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and disgust. "Severus?" she murmured, barely audible.

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In Another Life, chapter 13, An Unexpected Visitor

I couldn't wait any longer to share Harry and Ginny's first kiss with you, so I posted Chapter 12 much earlier than planned. Naturally, this means the sneak peek of Chapter 13 will be coming your way earlier as well!

It’s not obvious in the sneak peek, but with Chapter 13, we’re gradually heading into the darker, more adventurous part of the story. Enjoy!

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After scanning the room, Ginny turned to Emily. "Is our guest here yet?"

"Should be here any minute," Emily replied. "Dora went to pick her up earlier."

"She's coming on her own?" asked Ginny, surprised.

"Yeah, her parents have appointments. They're dentists and had to set up a new surgery. They only got back from Canada a few days ago and have just moved into a new house, so there's a lot of paperwork to sort out," Lily explained. "Her mother plans to visit this afternoon, though. Dora will pick her up then."

At that moment, the front door opened, and Tonks stepped inside with a girl in tow. Ginny's eyes swept over her, taking in the bushy brown hair, warm brown eyes, and the slight overbite visible when she smiled. As Tonks took her knee-length winter coat and hung it in the cloakroom, Ginny’s eyebrows raised slightly. Her gaze flicked to the emblem on the dark-green T-shirt she wore—above the silver lettering Whistler's Peak Academy of Magic, a mountain peak crossed by two wands was depicted beneath an eagle in flight. Ginny's attention returned to the girl's curious, friendly smile.

Harry came hurrying back down the stairs. Ginny flashed him a quick smile as she accepted the envelope he handed her, clasping his hand as Tonks stepped forward beside the girl and called out cheerfully, "Come here, everyone, meet Hermione Granger."

Hermione smiled politely, her excitement evident. "Hello! Dora's told me so much about you. It's wonderful to finally meet you all in person."

Ginny, noticing Hermione's gaze briefly lingering on her hand in Harry's, returned her smile warmly. "Likewise. So, you're the girl from Canada, right?"

Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! My parents moved there for work when I was little, and I've spent the last two years at a magic school in British Columbia. I'm really excited to continue my education here in the UK now that we've moved back."

Ron. Staring at Hermione with wide eyes, spoke up. "What’s the school like over there? I imagine it’s quite different. We’re more or less home-schooled here."

"Oh, exactly," Hermione replied, her eyes lighting up. "The Canadian magical education system is fascinating. They focus a lot on practical magic—especially environmental magic, given the landscapes they're in. But I've always been curious about what it was like back home, especially during the war."

Harry and Ginny exchanged glances, but it was Ron who answered first, "Most of it, we only know from our parents, because we were too young. But we're happy to tell you what it's like now. You probably know we don't have a magical school anymore. Hogwarts no longer exists."

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In Another Life, chapter 12, Ron's Birthday

Since chapter 16 was finished earlier than expected, I’ve uploaded chapter 11 a little sooner—so the sneak peek of chapter 12 is arriving early as well. Enjoy this quick glimpse into their game of Truth or Dare.

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Ron retaliated by daring Ginny to get them another round of Firewhisky.

Harry watched with amusement as the banter escalated until Ron, with a gleam in his eye, asked Ginny, "Has anyone ever seen you naked?"

Ginny's eyes snapped to Harry, staring at him accusingly.

Harry’s heart raced as panic set in. He had never told anyone about the time he’d accidentally barged into Ginny’s room. Shaking his head slightly, he prayed she would believe him.

A somewhat triumphant smile played on her lips as she turned back to Ron. "Everyone in the family has seen me naked," she said calmly. "Remember when we were kids? The bathtub was in the kitchen each weekend, and we were bathed one after the other." She smirked. "I can only hope yours has gotten bigger."

"Ginny," Ron cried indignantly, but then burst into laughter. "You're right. I'd forgotten."

Ginny shot her brother a satisfied grin, then turned to Harry, giving him an appraising look before a smile tugged at her lips. "Your turn, Harry. Truth or dare?"

For Harry's taste, the dares had gotten a bit out of hand, so he muttered, "Truth."

Ginny's eyes narrowed, her expression suddenly more shrewd. "Have you ever been in love?"

"Er, what?" Harry blurted, taken off guard. It took him a moment to process the question. "How…how would I know?" he stammered. "I mean, isn't that something you figure out over time? Together? But if you haven't, then... how would you be sure?" He trailed off, looking at Ginny with wide eyes before shrugging helplessly. "I don't know," he admitted.

"That's not an answer for a dare," Emily interjected.

Ginny gave him a thoughtful look, then turned to Emily. "It counts. Your turn, Harry."

Harry exhaled, relieved to have escaped the question so easily. His eyes scanned the room, finally settling on his sister. "Emily, truth or dare?"

"Oh." Startled, Emily sat up and blurted, "Truth... erm, no. Dare."

"First answer counts," Ginny said with a smirk. "So it's truth."

"Have you ever gotten a love letter?" Harry asked, grinning mischievously.

"Harry!" Emily groaned, her cheeks turning pink. "You already know that."

"Then it should be easy to share," Harry teased, trying to look innocent.

Emily huffed, clearly embarrassed. "Well, it's not really a love letter, but Graham wrote to me and said...he said he liked me."

Ginny's eyes lit up with excitement. "Our little Emm, the first to get a boyfriend!" she teased, nudging Ron.

"Not exactly surprising," Ron added with a grin. "They've been hanging around each other a lot when he was here."

Emily glared at Harry, her eyes narrowing with playful intent. He knew immediately she was about to turn the tables. "Harry, truth or dare?"

Uh-oh. Judging by her look, she was going to ask something about Ginny, no doubt. Better not risk that. "Dare!" he declared, feeling smug.

Emily's eyes sparkled, still holding onto her earlier annoyance. "Alright then. You have to kiss Ginny."

Ginny looked up sharply, her expression unreadable, and Harry instantly felt the tension in the room shift toward him.

"And what if she doesn't want to?" Harry asked, shooting Emily an accusatory look. "She declared she wouldn't be kissing anyone—or anything—after that ghoul."

Emily gave Ginny a pointed look. "I don't think she's the type to back down from a dare."

Harry glanced at Ginny, whose face remained unreadable. "You gonna chicken out, Potter?" she teased, her tone light but her gaze steady. "I've kissed worse."

Harry got to his feet slowly, walking toward her, while Ginny rose as well, a flicker of nervousness in her eyes. For a few heartbeats, they stood face-to-face, locked in each other's gaze. Then, Harry stepped closer and quickly kissed her on the cheek.

"Boo!" Emily groaned dramatically. "That's cheating!"

Ron, meanwhile, smirked knowingly at Harry and shook his head, as if to say, Nice try.

Harry caught Ginny's eye, and for a brief second, he thought she looked… disappointed.

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In Another Life, chapter 11, New Students

I’ve just realised I made a bit of a mess with the chapter numbering. In my main document, Chapter 1 follows the prologue, but of course, on AO3, the prologue is Chapter 1. I’ve now adjusted that, so I’m writing Chapter 16 at the moment instead of Chapter 15. Sounds much better, doesn’t it?

Here’s a sneak peek at Chapter 11. But first, a little spoiler: in Chapter 12, Ron’s Birthday, something will happen that some of you have probably been waiting for a long time!

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Next, a tall, dark-haired man stepped forward. "I'm Malcolm Whitby, and this is my son, Kevin. I'm a wizard, but I work with Muggles, so my wife, who's a Muggle, has been handling most of Kevin's magical education." He gave a short laugh. "Apart from the practical side, my Eloise knows quite a lot about magic."

His comment drew some amused chuckles from the group.

Finally, the mother of the sandy-haired boy introduced herself. "I'm Rosalind Pritchard, a tailor by trade," she said, her elegant appearance reflecting her profession. "I'm here with my son, Graham. My late husband and I were both wizards. I've had to raise my son alone while running my tailoring business to make a living. I was glad for the opportunity to let Graham learn alongside others." She hesitated briefly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face. "Of course, I'm happy to help with the new school if needed."

So, Graham was his name, Emily thought, stealing another glance at him - only to realise he was watching her. Suddenly feeling warm, she gave him a small smile and quickly looked away.

At that moment, Dumbledore appeared, flanked by his house-elves, sitting in his comfy chair. Clearing his throat, his usual twinkle in his eyes, he let his gaze sweep over the group. Then, in a solemn tone, he began, "Welcome, everyone. We are gathered here today under somewhat unusual circumstances, but rest assured, you are all among friends."

As Dumbledore spoke, Emily's attention drifted back to Graham. He caught her looking again and returned her gaze with a warm, quiet smile. Feeling flustered, she turned her attention firmly back to Dumbledore, determined to focus on what was being said.

Ginny leaned toward Emily and whispered, "You know, Graham isn't that bad-looking." Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

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In Another Life, chapter 9, Apparition Exam

Hi, I hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday season!

As promised, here’s a little sneak peek of the next chapter of In Another Life—just in time for Christmas. Who do you think is the girl Tonks is talking about at the end? Enjoy, and I hope it piques your curiosity!

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"As you know, we've been investigating the disappearance of Muggle-borns," Charlie said gravely. "Dora and I have been looking into the matter and we repeatedly came across a mysterious person connected to the cases, a certain Dolores Umbridge."

"She works for the Muggle Ministry, under the Minister for Crime and Policing," Tonks added, "but we suspect she's a witch."

Dumbledore's expression grew serious. "I remember her. She was an undersecretary at the Ministry of Magic for a time." He paused, shaking his head slowly, as if sifting through old memories. "I thought she'd died when the Ministry burned down."

"I wish she had," Charlie said bitterly. "She works for the Muggles now, and whenever a Muggle-born goes missing or is found dead, her department takes over the case. The Muggle authorities think it's the work of a serial killer."

Lily frowned. "And the victims…are they always Muggle-born? No Muggles?" she asked worriedly.

"Always Muggle-borns," Tonks replied grimly. "And every single one of them was registered to attend Hogwarts."

"This Umbridge woman must know exactly who's Muggle-born and who isn't." Ginny stated, disbelief written all over her face

"We need to warn the new students," Harry cut in, his voice urgent. "They need to know what's going on."

Tonks gave him a sad, resigned smile. "We've already warned them to be careful. Albus has provided them with portkeys for emergencies, but let's hope they never have to use them. They're not very comfortable with the idea."

"I assume they'll also come to our gathering using these portkeys," Lily chimed in.

"Yes, of course," Tonks confirmed.

"Are all the students coming next week Muggle-born?" Emily asked.

Tonks shook her head. "No. So far, we've got two half-bloods, two Muggle-borns, and one pure-blood. The girl joining after Easter is also Muggle-born." She chuckled softly as if recalling something. "That one was especially eager to get back to school. Apparently, she'd been attending a wizarding school in Canada and was worried she wouldn't get any magical education once her family moved back to England."

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In Another Life, chapter 8, New Year's Eve

Hi everyone!

Wow, I have to admit, I was a bit surprised (and more than a little overwhelmed) when I suddenly got so many followers. Thank you all so much!

I’ve had this Tumblr account for a while, but if I’m being honest, I’ve never quite figured out how to properly use it. Posting sneak peeks was already a victory, haha! I probably should take some time to actually learn my way around here, but every time I think about it, I feel like it’d eat into my writing time—and let’s face it, writing always wins.

Anyway, enough rambling. Here’s a sneak peek of Chapter 8: New Year’s Eve. Hope you enjoy it!

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Harry took a big swig from his bottle and glanced around. His mother, along with Mrs Weasley, Charlie, and Tonks, was sitting in the chairs, warming their hands on their mugs of mulled wine, while his sister stood nearby with Ginny, drinking what Harry assumed was hot tea. Once they had finished their butterbeer, they quickly switched to mulled wine at Ron's suggestion, as their mothers seemed a little distracted tonight, maybe even a tad tipsy, and weren't paying much attention.

Harry couldn't help it, but his gaze kept wandering over to the girls, who'd apparently also switched to mulled wine quite unobtrusively. Watching Ginny chatting so animatedly with his sister dampened his mood for a moment. He'd avoided Ron's sister since that stupid incident on Boxing Day, simply because he didn't know how to treat her. He'd tried his best, but as always, it had ended in disaster.

"Harry, are you even listening?" asked Ron, waving his hand in front of Harry's eyes.

Torn from his thoughts, Harry looked up. "Of course. What's up?"

"It's about to start," Ron said, grinning and pointing to Charlie, who was setting up the Muggle fireworks he and Tonks had gotten from somewhere.

A glance at his watch told Harry that it was indeed almost midnight.

"I'll get us some more mulled wine," said Ron and trotted over to the drinks table where champagne glasses were already being prepared for midnight.

"Hi, Harry."

Startled out of his musings, Harry turned around only to stare at Ginny, gobsmacked. "Hi," he answered cautiously, a crooked smile on his lips.

"I... erm," she started and sighed, giving Harry an uncertain look. "I want to apologize. About Christmas."

"Oh," Harry replied, surprised. "You don't have to apologize. It was my fault."

"Hogwash," Ginny responded, eyeing Harry irritated. "Ron bumped into you, and you didn't see me. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"But I ruined your dress," Harry said, confused. "You had every right to yell at me. Your mother said you wore that dress especially for Christmas."

Ginny chuckled, shaking her head. "Not especially for Christmas, rather for..." She paused briefly. "It wasn't a good idea anyway."

"You looked really amazing in that dress," Harry blurted out, feeling a blush spread across his face, much to his discomfort.

"Thank you, Harry," she replied sheepishly, giving him a hard-to-read look.

A lump formed in Harry's throat, and he couldn't hide a smile as he felt his cheeks heat up even more. But not from the bonfire. Taking a step closer, he heard Ginny's breath hitch as he stood so close to her, looking into her chocolate-brown eyes. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair that had come loose in the wind behind her ear. "You always look great no matter what you're wearing," he heard himself saying.

Harry couldn't believe his own ears. Had the mulled wine made him brave? His heart pounded loudly in his chest as he met Ginny's wide-open eyes, which felt like magnets, drawing him in. He leaned forward a little and could almost feel her lips on his when Emily's distant voice sounded, "Ginny, Harry, come on. Mum has already poured the champagne. It's almost midnight."

Brought back to reality, Harry took a step back. Still a little befuddled, his gaze followed Ginny's, who was giving his sister a disgruntled look.

At this moment, Charlie set off the fireworks.

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In Another Life, chapter 7, Christmas

If anyone’s interested, here’s a sneak peek at the next chapter—featuring Harry on a rollercoaster of emotions!

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Every so often, Harry's gaze drifted across the table to Ginny, seated beside her brother Bill and opposite Emily. Twice, he caught what he thought was her looking back at him, only for her to quickly drop her gaze to her plate the moment their eyes met. He smiled to himself, really enjoying the Boxing Day surrounded by friends.

"When everyone is finished, there will be pudding," Mrs Weasley called and glanced over at Ginny, "Can you please help me, dear?"

Harry's eyes followed Ginny as she helped her mother levitate the dishes into the kitchen. A nudge in the ribs made him turn around and look into the grinning face of his sister.

"What?" he asked, bewildered.

"Nothing," Emily replied, her grin growing even broader.

"Then why did you jab me?" Harry enquired, still confused.

"It's rude to look at a girl's bum," Emily whispered with a grin.

Harry's face turned scarlet. "I…I didn't," he muttered, suddenly realizing he'd done exactly that without even noticing. He'd been staring at Ginny Weasley's bum. Not for the first time. His eyes were darting around to see if anyone else had noticed?

"It's even ruder to lie to your favourite sister." Emily giggled.

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't you dare tell her," he hissed in a low voice. Hoping to escape the topic, Harry decided to head to the loo, but as he stood up, he bumped right into Ron.

"Sorry. I didn't see you," he muttered, flustered, and took a step aside.

"Merlin, watch out," a voice screeched behind him.

Spinning around, Harry found himself face-to-face with Ginny, who was holding a bowl of cherry sauce - its contents splattered across the front of her dress, particularly on the fabric just below her neckline. His mouth dropped open, and a short, nervous laugh escaped him before he could stop it.

Ginny's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Harry's face turned scarlet. "S-Sorry," he stammered, his throat dry.

"Keep your apology - and your clumsy hands," Ginny snapped, glaring down at the sticky mess. Blinking back tears of frustration, she turned on her heel and stormed upstairs, slamming the half-empty bowl onto the dresser as she went.

Harry stared after her, his stomach twisting in guilt. "Brilliant," he muttered under his breath. "Absolutely brilliant."

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In Another Life, chapter 6, Christmas Market

Here I have a sneak peek at chapter 6 of In Another Life. It's called Christmas Market and will be posted around the first Advent. Enjoy!

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"We're up in my room, Mum," Ginny said. Giving Emily a meaningful look, she nodded her head toward the stairs and walked ahead.

"Sorry about the mess," Ginny said as they stepped through the door.

Emily pushed the covers aside and sat on the bed. "It usually looks the same in my room," Emily admitted, waving her hand. "I only tidy up on Fridays and when I'm expecting guests, and that can only be you." Spotting a wrapped box on the desk, she asked, surprised, "Oh. You've already wrapped Christmas presents?"

"It's just Bill's gift," Ginny replied, grimacing. "I wanted to go shopping with him, but he didn't have time yet. I hope he gets in touch soon. If I can't go to London tomorrow or the day after, I have to settle for shopping in Ottery. But they don't have that many shops there, so I'm not sure I'll get what I want."

"I went to Godric's Hollow with Harry today," Emily said. "There aren't that many shops either, but we managed."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You go Christmas shopping with your brother?"

"Don't you ever go shopping with Ron on market days?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, sometimes. But never for Christmas gifts."

Glancing at her friend, Emily bit her lower lip, debating whether to intervene or not. "Are you planning to get Harry a present, too?" she finally asked.

Ginny looked at her, surprised. "Should I?"

Emily sighed and began hesitantly. "I'm not sure. I know he has a gift for Ron. But he acted so secretive that I've got the feeling he had a gift for you, too."

"Why should he do that?" Ginny asked incredulously. "Does he even know I exist?"

Emily snorted, shaking her head, slightly annoyed. "You two and your ignoring games. I don't want to get involved. I just thought I'd warn you. I'm pretty sure Harry got something for you. Do whatever you want with that info. I just didn't want you to be caught off guard."

Ginny took a deep breath and sighed. "What do you think I should do?"

"Just have something small for him, just in case. You don't have to give it to him unless he has something for you," Emily suggested. "It doesn't have to be anything big. I think I know what he got you, but I don't want to tell you either. That wouldn't be right."

Ginny rubbed the bridge of her nose and dropped on the bed beside Emily. "Thanks for the heads-up."

"So, were you going to show me those scandalous romance novels, or was that just a tease?" Emily grinned, trying to cheer her friend up."

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the people who claim ginny’s “personality” came out of nowhere never fail to amaze me with their inability to actually comprehend the text

it’s literally shown in PS (fleetingly) on the train platform and talked about as early as CoS that ginny weasley is a certified YAPPER. she’s a talkative, opinionated gal. ron points out that her quiet / shy behaviour is very unusual for her, so if one does have basic comprehension skills, it is pretty clear that the ginny we see in the earlier books (which are from harry’s pov) is not who she really is. ginny says as much herself in HBP, “i never used to be able to talk in front of you remember? hermione thought you’d take more notice if i was a bit more… myself”? like are we comprehending this? it’s not rocket science…

as the books go on, her confidence around harry grows the more she detaches herself from the idea of harry that she grew up with, and the actual harry. this journey is slightly impeded by the fact that harry saves ginny’s life in CoS, which she feels a significant amount of guilt and embarrassment over (which harry himself picks up on this in PoA), not to mention she’s still processing the trauma that accompanied that experience (as seen in the way she reacts to the dementors — she is the only one who has a strong reaction to them, like harry). in the years following, we find out in CC (whether you take that to be canon or not), ginny explains she was very lonely during and after the diary debacle, as she felt very isolated from everyone else. this would also cause her self-confidence to take a severe battering, therefore her true personality is not able to shine, especially not in front of harry potter aka her crush aka the boy who saved her life and almost died doing it.

in GoF, harry (and in turn us, as the readers) start to see glimpses of her playful personality - she’s close with fred and george, she calls her brothers out when they’re being unkind, she goes to the yule ball with neville (turning down the opportunity to go with harry, because she doesn’t want to go back on her word), she gives ron’s owl a silly name and she starts to let go of her childhood crush, and takes a chance on another boy who’s actually shown interest in her.

by the time we see her again in OotP, OF COURSE she has undergone some serious character development. she has a boyfriend now! she has a group of friends now! she’s able to be herself around harry! she has a better support system now, her self confidence has returned, and with it, her sense of self worth. she calls harry out on his shit when he needs it, she also comforts him and gives him the space to share his worries without judgement or admonition, she stands up for what’s right, she kicks ass at quidditch (which she’s been wanting to do for the past four years bc she has been practising since she was six years old!), she joins the fight at the DoM, risking her life and dumps her boyfriend for being a sore loser! because she deserves better than that!

the ginny we see in HBP has gone through So Much. but she has only continued to grow as a character - with so much heart, wit and spunk. of course, harry is paying attention now and of COURSE he’s a flustered mess trying not to fall for his bestfriend’s sister for nearly 800 pages but he can’t help it!!!

a lot of ginny’s development happens behind the scenes, in quiet ways, but if you actually pay attention, it’s very obvious who she truly is. the reader slowly becomes more fascinated by this girl as more and more of her story unravels — as does harry. and that’s the beauty of it.

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In Another Life

I just realized it’s almost time to post the next chapter of In Another Life! I've just finished Chapter 12, An Unexpected Visitor, and in a few days, Chapter 5, Diagon Alley, will go up. Time for a quick sneak peek! Enjoy!

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Bill demonstrated how to open the entrance, and a small hole formed where the brick had been, quickly widened into a large archway.

"Okay. Follow me! And stay together," Bill called as he stepped out onto the cobblestones of the alley that came into view on the other side of the archway. Briefly glancing back, he uttered, "Charlie, Dora. You two go last and make sure no one is left behind," and continued on his way down the alley.

Harry followed his mother, who walked with Mrs Weasley after Bill, and halted briefly to make sure Ron was next to him. Occasionally bumping their shoulders, they walked in silence side by side, eyes constantly darting around to spot anything suspicious.

The sight of the facades of the houses lining either side of the alley was eerie, and the absence of living beings made Harry feel queasy. Most storefronts were boarded up, some had signs announcing the stores were closed as if the boards hadn't already made that obvious. Torn off boards on several shops were probably the evidence of burglary attempts.

Harry glanced at Ron, who seemed just as edgy as Harry himself. "Spooky," he heard Ginny whisper to his sister.

"What a shame," Mrs Weasley growled, her voice grave. "Diagon Alley used to be such a hectic place with hundreds of people busily wandering around."

"Some new shops have opened up recently," Harry's mother said, pointing to a house down the alley. "Over there is the apothecary I deliver ingredients to every other week. A little further down, a new shop sells magical creatures."

"The big white building at the end of the alley is Gringotts," Bill explained. "I hope you brought Galleons with you. Without an appointment, you don't get money from the goblins these days."

"We have enough money with us," Harry's mother replied. At Mrs Weasley's hesitant look, she added, "Dumbledore arranged with Madam Abercrombie that we can pay in instalments if necessary."

Briefly turning around, Bill called, "Please, stay together!"

"Why?" Ron asked. "There's no one else around here." He glanced at Harry for confirmation.

"You never know," replied Bill.

"Sometimes, dark figures lurk around the side streets, waiting for people walking around alone," Tonks interjected, pointing to a street across the way. "Especially over there in Knockturn Alley."

It wasn't long before they halted in front of an ancient, narrow house with slim display windows on either side of the door. Above the entry was written in squiggly, scarlet letters: Madam Abercrombie's Wand Shop.

"That's Ollivander's former shop," Harry's mother explained. "Madam Abercrombie bought it from Ollivander's niece."

"That's odd," Mrs Weasley said wonderingly. "They always said Ollivander had no relatives."

"How about you just ask her," Charlie suggested, grinning. "I'll wait here with Dora and Bill to watch out. It's too cramped inside anyway."

"Good idea. Let's go in," said Harry's mother and pulled open the shop door.

"You first," said Harry and let his sister pass, who grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her with her.

The shop was indeed cramped and gloomy, Harry realized as he walked in. A wide desk was blocking the way into the room beyond, which looked more like a short corridor lined with shelves packed with boxes on either side. The scenery was lit by an aged oil lamp hanging above the desk, giving the older witch sitting on a chair behind the desk a slightly spooky appearance.

"Ah, I assume you're the customers Albus announced," the woman said warmly, rising from her seat. Harry couldn't tell how she did it, but the moment the witch rose, the ceiling lit up, bathing the room in a cosy, warm white light that transformed the shopkeeper into a friendly-looking granny. Her lively dark eyes couldn't hide the fact that she was hardly younger than Dumbledore himself.

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In Another Life: Chapter 4:  Apparition Lessons

It’s time to take another look at the upcoming chapter of In Another Life. Since I’ve restructured the chapters and made them a bit shorter, the sneak peek I shared last time will also be part of the next one. But don’t worry, I’ve got another sneak peek for you, and here it is:

A cold, grey day greeted the small group as Tonks led them onto the Quidditch pitch for their first Apparitions lesson. Emily had just arrived with Ginny and her brother Bill, and because it was Ginny's first visit to the Potters, Emily had taken the opportunity to show her friend her room as she put away her bag.

"Nice room," Ginny nodded approvingly, glancing around. "It's larger than mine. Your whole house is larger."

"Your room is cosier," Emily replied.

"Your room is cosy, too," Ginny noted.

"It's a different kind of cosy at your house," Emily replied. "More…quaint. I love that."

"Yeah, maybe," Ginny said, eying the photograph on the desk that showed Emily and Harry on their brooms at the Quidditch pitch.

"Harry's room is right next door if you want to take a look," Emily suggested.

Ginny shook her head. "Better not. It's none of my business. Besides, I wouldn't like it if he'd snoop around in my room either."

"Fair point," Emily replied, watching her friend more closely. "What about you and my brother? Sometimes, it looks like you both pretend the other doesn't exist."

Ginny bit her lower lip and shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't see why to worry about it, either. He doesn't seem to like me that much anyway."

"And do you like him?" Emily asked cautiously.

"Oh, Emm. Stop that. I hardly know your brother." Ginny groaned. "Let's go back downstairs. Apparition class is about to start."

[gin110881]

A quick peek into the next chapter of In Another Live. We are slowly starting to see other members of the wizarding world who have survived…

In the meantime, some 70 miles west of the Burrow.

The slamming of the front door made him sit up, and a quick look out of the window confirmed that his Master had left the house. Experience had taught him that his Master wouldn't return for at least two hours. Time to clean up his Master's office.

His Master's office was in an otherwise unused corner of the mansion, hidden from the prying eyes of the occasional visitor or nosy family member.

Though, when he opened the door to the office, he was surprised to find someone there.

"The young Master shouldn't be snooping around in his father's office," he admonished the blond boy, who had climbed a ladder, searching the bookshelves for something.

"Leave me alone and sod off, Dobby!" the boy hissed, not paying him any further attention.

The house-elf could physically feel the dark magic emanating from the books on the shelves, books a boy of his young Master's age should not get his hands on.

"The young Master will be severely punished if the Master finds out what he's doing here," Dobby said, wincing when the boy took a small black book off the shelf that emanated a particular dark kind of magic.

The boy finally turned around and stared at him with hate-filled eyes. "I said sod off. And if my father finds out what I'm doing here, I'll know who betrayed me, you little bugger."

Sighing, the house-elf turned to leave the office. What else could he do? He'd come back later to clean up his Master's office.

[gin110881]

Through the Other’s Eyes

A sneak peek into Chapter 3 of Through the Other's Eyes, an identity switch story, which will probably be posted on Friday.

If anyone is interested, here is the link to the story with 2 chapters already posted. https://archiveofourown.org/works/58672555/chapters/149501176

Harry sat down on the sofa beside Ginny and hesitated. "Can we…close our eyes again? It's easier to talk that way."

"Sure. It's dark anyway, so it doesn't make much difference," Ginny replied.

Harry leaned back and took a deep breath, and asked sheepishly, "How are you holding up?"

She chuckled softly. "Well, since I survived the shower, I'd say I'm doing well."

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Harry asked, half amused, half curious.

"Without glasses, I couldn't see much anyway," Ginny giggled. Harry could almost see her mischievous grin, even with his eyes closed.

"I know. Without glasses you have to rely more on…your hands," Harry teased.

Ginny playfully jabbed him in the ribs. "I didn't touch you. Well, I had to wash you, after all. Stop complaining."

"I hope you were thorough," Harry quipped.

"As thorough as necessary," Ginny replied, her tone light.

"And was little Harry a handful?" Harry asked, half - joking, but also dreading the answer.

"Nope, he behaved. Just a bloke in the shower, so I guess he was bored," Ginny said, amused.

[gin110881]

Last week an idea popped up in my mind and suddenly I'm 8k words into another WIP.

Here's a peek into Through the Other's Eyes, where a potion made by Fred and George fails and Harry and Ginny suddenly wake up in each other's bodies. It is set in the summer before DH, the last week before they go back to Hogwarts. Not sure when I'll start posting this story but it might happen soon.

As she quietly tiptoed out of the room, Ginny let out a frustrated groan. Of course. The bathroom was on the next floor down. She wasn't in her own bed; she was in Ron's room, so of course, she'd have to navigate the house in the dark.

In the dim light, she made her way down the stairs, carefully feeling along the walls for guidance until she reached the bathroom. She slipped inside and quickly locked the door behind her before flicking on the light.

Ginny blinked at her reflection in the mirror, her heart racing. What she expected was to see herself in Harry's oversized pyjamas. What she hadn't expected was the undeniable bulge in the front of those pyjamas. Groaning, she muttered under her breath, "Merlin, no…"

And then she caught sight of something even more jarring: her reflection - it was blurry as hell, but it wasn't her. Staring back at her from the mirror was Harry, wide-eyed with dishevelled black hair.

Her hands trembled as she hesitated, looking down at herself again, panic rising. How on earth was she supposed to… do this?

After a few deep breaths, Ginny steeled herself. "Alright," she muttered. "I can do this." She gingerly pulled down the pyjama bottoms, giving Harry's reflection in the mirror a glare. "Don't laugh, Potter. It's not funny." After a few awkward moments of figuring out the right position, she decided to do it her usual way and sat down on the toilet - though not without a few muttered curses and a lot of blushing.

[gin110881]

A quick peek into the next chapter of In Another Live, the scene where Harry meets Ginny for the first time…. https://archiveofourown.org/works/57530689/chapters/146377183

The footpath led directly to a somewhat ramshackle-looking multi-story dwelling. Several smaller houses seemed to be glued to the roof of a stone cottage, almost looking like small towers, each with its own roof. Someone must have magically lifted these houses and then fixed them up there, slightly askew. Harry was sure that only a good dose of magic kept the structure from falling apart.

As they got closer, the door opened, and a red-haired girl stepped out.

"Hello Ginny," Tonks greeted her. "Do you remember me? I'm Dora Tonks. Last Wednesday, I visited your brother Charlie. And this is Harry." With a winsome smile, Tonks pointed to Harry.

"Err, hi..." Harry stammered, staring at the girl. She was really pretty with her faded jeans that were ripped in several places and her long red hair that went well with her faded green t-shirt. Her brown eyes darted inquiringly from one visitor to the other.

Finally the girl nodded. "Yeah, I remember you. But you were looking different. Your hair was black and a little longer."

"I enjoy changing my looks," Tonks replied with a grin. "But if you like the black hair better..." Her pink hair turned black and a little longer, even on the shaved side. "Better?"

"No, no. It's okay. You can wear your hair however you want," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes. "I'm home alone. Mum is in the greenhouses, and Charlie isn't back from work yet." Ginny shrugged. "Do you want to wait or leave him a message?"

"Ron isn't home either?" Harry asked, surprised. "We wanted to meet here." Frowning, Harry wondered if he'd gotten something wrong. But that couldn't be. They'd exchanged several letters throughout the week and planned to meet on Saturday.

"On Saturdays, Ron often accompanies Charlie to work. He isn't back yet either," the girl explained. Throwing a glance at her watch, she added, "They're late. Usually, they're back by noon."

"I'll wait, then," Harry replied, glancing at Tonks. "Or what do you think?"

Sighing, Tonks shrugged and nodded. "I have nothing else to do."

Harry turned back to the girl, wondering if she also was home alone as often as he was. "If I'd known you were home alone, I would've brought my little sister," he said, giving her a friendly smile.

Frowning, Ginny protested, "I'm not a babysitter."

"What?" Harry asked, bewildered. That's not what he'd meant. Quickly, he clarified, "She's not a baby. She's your age, 13."

Crossing her arms, Ginny shot Harry an icy look. "I'm 14."

Tonks laughed. "Oh, Harry. You have to work on your pick-up line."

Giving Tonks an annoyed look, he shot back. "I thought she was home alone as often as we are and would appreciate some company."

Grimacing, Ginny muttered. "I'm sorry. Of course, you're welcome to bring your sister if she's bored at home."

Not sure if she really meant it, Harry gave Ginny a scrutinising look and finally replied, "I'll ask her."

"I'll go and let my mum know we have visitors," Ginny said. Putting on a pair of wellies lying by the door, she walked away without another word. Harry couldn't help but watch her backside until she disappeared around the corner of the house.