The Emerald Army by luukjn



Summary: After Ginny is caught by Severus Snape stealing the sword of Gryffindor, Snape gives Ginny a very special mission.

This story is part of my 'Family of Harry Potter' series.
Rating: PG-13 starstarstarstarhalf-star
Categories: Ginny's Accomplishment Challenge (2012-2), Ginny's Accomplishment Challenge (2012-2)
Characters: None
Genres: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: Family of Harry Potter
Published: 2012.04.21
Updated: 2012.05.05


The Emerald Army by luukjn
Chapter 1: Mission
Author's Notes:

Chapter 1: Mission

"Are you sure about this?" Neville Longbottom asked an irate Ginny Weasley nervously.

"For the thousandth time, YES!" Ginny nearly shouted, not something she should do considering the situation they were in.

"A little trouble is never a bad thing, but this... this goes a bit far, don't you think?" Neville asked.

"Neville, the sword belongs to Harry, and we are going to steal it for him. You were on board for this, so don't even try to back out now!" Ginny whispered fiercely.

“There he goes, the distraction has gone off,” the dreamy voice of Luna Lovegood said interrupting the argument.

“Okay, we can do this,” Neville whispered.

The trio carefully crept towards the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office. No, Snape's office now Ginny had to remind herself. Despite what she said to Neville, she herself was a nervous wreck. So many things could go wrong, but it just had to be done.

“Emerald,” Ginny said to the gargoyle, which opened for the trio. Ginny shortly wondered why Emerald was the password, but pushed the thought aside to focus on ascending the staircase quietly. The plan was for Ginny and Neville to go up and steal the sword while Luna kept watch for Snape's return. Meanwhile, the rest of the D.A. was causing trouble in the Great Hall to provide a diversion, something that would be just short of suicide if they were caught at it.

Silently Neville and Ginny entered the office. Looking around Ginny saw that the office had not changed much from the time when Dumbledore was headmaster. The portraits where all asleep, except for the portrait of Dumbledore, who was looking alert and following Neville and Ginny with great interest. Neville went straight for the sword that was in a glass case on one of the shelves lining the walls. Ginny meanwhile approached the desk where a framed picture caught her attention.

The picture was of a red-haired woman with striking green eyes. She was laughing at something with a look of love and adoration on her face. Below the picture was a piece of parchment on which was a signature that said 'Lily'. Ginny quickly realised that she was looking at a picture of Harry's mother.

Ginny carefully picked up the picture and the parchment slipped. Ginny gasped at what she saw. She was looking at what was undoubtedly a one year old Harry who was zooming around on a toy broomstick, zooming in and out of the picture. Ginny gently touched the picture where Harry appeared on his toy broomstick and followed his progress with her finger. Ginny had to fight back a sob. She hoped with all her heart that wherever Harry was he was safe and that he would return to her.

“GINNY!” a voice nearby hissed. Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin and looked wildly around only to see Neville with the Sword of Gryffindor in his hand waiting impatiently. It was only then that Ginny recalled that they where breaking into the headmaster's office. She quickly put the picture back on the desk and made to follow Neville out of the office.

Just as Ginny began to move towards the door, it opened with a bang. In came a struggling Luna who was being held by a menacing looking Amycus Carrow. Amycus was followed by his sister Alecto who was grinning wickedly. Both Carrow siblings were followed by a furious-looking Snape.

Ginny knew that they where in big trouble. She looked around for any possible avenue of escape, while thinking up any possible excuse as to they were in the headmaster's office. It didn't help matters that Neville was still holding Gryffindor's sword.

Snape strode through the office. Ginny noticed that he quickly put the picture she was just looking at away in a drawer of his desk, while the Carrows advanced on Neville and herself.

“So, you thought you could steal this sword?” Amycus said in a menacing tone.

“We will just have to discipline you,” Alecto said, brandishing her wand.

“I will take care of that,” Snape said, looking from Amycus to Alecto, his face stormy.

“Severus, you know we are in charge of all punishments,” Amycus said sweetly, to sweetly for Ginny's tastes.

“Should I tell the dark lord that you have been flaunting my authority?” Snape asked, glaring at the two Carrows.

“No, no, that won't be necessary,” Alecto said quickly, lowering her wand and leaving the office.

“I trust you will find a suitable punishment for them, then,” Amycus said, walking out of the office.

“Oh, yes, I will. They will go into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid,” Snape said, glaring from one teenager to the other.

“Are you sure that is sufficient?” Amycus asked, turning around.

“Escort Lovegood and Longbottom back to their dormitories, Amycus. I will deal with Weasley personally,” Snape said in a tone that brooked no argument.

“Of course,” Amycus said almost gleefully. Ginny had a feeling that Neville and Luna would take a detour to being tortured. But she knew she would have it worse than they. She had to stay with Snape after all.

After Amycus, Neville and Luna had left the office, Snape closed the door and waved his wand over it. Ginny assumed he was warding it against intruders. This did nothing to calm her down. She was standing alone in the room with the man who had murdered Dumbledore with no way to escape. Ginny had the feeling she would be lucky if she escaped alive.

“Sit!” Snape said.

Ginny sat on the chair in front of Snape's desk. Snape however remained standing.

“Where is Potter?” Snape asked.

Ginny had expected this. Even if she knew she wouldn't have told Snape, but the truth couldn't hurt in this case.

“I don't know,” Ginny replied defiantly.

Snape merely sighed and sat down in his chair behind the desk.

“Didn't expect you would,” Snape said.

Ginny noticed that he looked tired. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but stopped herself just in time.

Snape seemed to be considering something as he studied Ginny carefully. Ginny was getting uncomfortable in the silence that stretched between them.

Suddenly Snape made a decision. He opened the drawer in which he had hidden the picture of Harry's mum. Snape removed the picture and laid it down on the desk so that Ginny could see it.

“Do you know who this is?” Snape asked in a strangely quiet voice that Ginny would never have associated with the man.

Ginny merely nodded, to afraid to speak and not knowing where this was going.

“She was Lily Evans, the most lively, most fierce, most beautiful girl who ever lived,” Snape said almost dreamily.

Ginny realised that Snape must have cared greatly for her.

“She died because one man made a mistake,” Snape said lowly, so low that Ginny had to strain herself to hear him.

“If she was at Hogwarts now, she would have done the same thing you are doing, she wouldn't have let it all happen,” Snape continued in that same tone.

Ginny opened her mouth to protest that she had no idea what Snape was talking about, but Snape forestalled her by raising his hand.

“But you must understand that you are not making my job any easier. I have to keep the students safe, and I can't do that if your 'Dumbledore's Army' keeps making trouble,” Snape said eyeing Ginny closely.

This time Ginny couldn't stay quiet.

“I will not lie low and let you and the Carrows torture the students like toys. We will stand against you and the Carrows!” Ginny said hotly.

“And I expect no less!” Snape said raising his own voice slightly.

Ginny opened her mouth to respond, but again Snape cut her of before she even could get started.

“That is why I ask you to train the students so they can protect themselves,” Snape continued in a lower tone.

Shocked, Ginny quickly closed her mouth and looked at Snape incredulously. She was too stunned to say anything.

Ginny sat trying to process what was being asked of her while the silence seemed to echo Snape's words.

Finally Ginny found her voice and asked, “Why?”

“Death Eathers and Dementors are bad, but tortured and dead students really scare me,” Snape said with a sigh.

“Why? You murdered Dumbledore!” Ginny said hotly, standing up.

“Don't talk about things you don't understand!” Snape said loudly, also standing up.

“Then why don't you explain it to me?” Ginny asked.

“Because. You. Don't. Need. To. Know,” Snape said emphasizing each word.

“You ask me to train the students, I guess I will have to train the Slytherins to be better killing machines? Is that it?” Ginny asked.

“Are you listening to me? I want you to train the students so they can defend themselves against the Carrrows!” Snape nearly shouted.

“Give me one reason I should trust you, give me one reason this is not a trap!” Ginny said, glaring at the headmaster.

Snape looked carefully at Ginny, and then raised his wand. Ginny tensed and grabbed her own wand, but Snape merely pointed it towards the window.

Expecto Patronum!” Snape shouted, and out came a beautiful silver doe which cantered around the office.

“This was the Patronus of Lily Evans, now it is mine,” Snape said softly while Ginny was enraptured with the doe.

“You know what it means to have the same Patronus as another person?” Snape asked softly.

“You love her,” Ginny said just as softly.

“And I would do anything for her,” Snape said while dismissing the doe.

Ginny nodded dumbly, still shocked by this latest revelation.

“You are to lead and train a select group of students, train them like Potter trained the DA. I will help in any way I can without raising the suspicions of the Carrows. If they find out about this, it will be both our heads on the line!” Snape said lowly.

Ginny nodded that she understood.

“I don't know what Potter did with my old potions textbook, but find it. In it are useful potions, curses and counter curses. Most curses in it are dark, but the counter curses are exact counters to those dark curses. Train them, since the Carrows and most Death Eaters know the curses in that book.”

Ginny nodded again, she knew exactly where it was, since Harry had told her while they where dating.

“You should get to your Common Room. You can tell anyone you trust about the new club, but if you tell anyone about me and Lily, or my involvement in the club, you will not get away this easily, understood?” Snape asked menacingly. Ginny nodded that she understood, she would not be telling anyone this easily.

Ginny quickly got up and went back to the Gryffindor Common Room, her mind buzzing with what had just transpired. She knew one thing for certain, she would never be able to look at the Headmaster the same way again.

~O~

“Are you sure about this, Dumbledore?” Snape asked Dumbledore's portrait warily, the moment the Weasley girl closed the door. The portrait of the previous Headmaster had followed the proceedings with great interest.

“She is the right choice for this,” Dumbledore's portrait said, his eyes twinkling.

“I sincerely hope we are doing the right thing,” Snape said, looking at the picture of Lily.

Yes, he sincerely hoped that the Weasley girl would pull through, for both his and Potter's sake.

“I suppose I have to do something about that enticement,” Snape said to himself, looking towards Gryffindor's sword.


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