Ginny had concluded that she was having a very productive day. It wasn't going the way she had expected it to go that was for sure. When she was summoned to the Headmaster's Office, she was sure it would have gone straight to hell. A year ago she wouldn't of had the strength to stand up to Dumbledore. Then again, she wasn't the same person she was back then, either. Back then, she was weak, pathetic even. She was trapped in a life she wanted no part of. Yet she did nothing to change it.

She believed the lies that she was told without question. Accepted her fate, as if it was her duty for what happened in her first year. It was often thrown in her face when she showed any signs of independence, or whenever she dared to think for herself, or even state an opinion the hadn't been given by someone else.

She had followed Neville into the Ministry that night. Ginny knew it was a bad idea, yet she never said anything. As always, she just accepted her fate as penance for past sins. Yeah, she was pathetic, but if she hadn't gone with them? If she hadn't been captured. Tortured. Rescued? Would she had become who she is now? Perhaps something good did come out of all that...

She would never have met Shadow. Her Dark Knight in shining black fur, as Tonks would often tease her. She didn't care. When she woke up, he was there, always standing watch over her. He never left her side during her recovery. When she feared that she would be a scared freak, he would give her a reassuring lick. When she couldn't sleep, his purr was her lullaby. When she looked into his green eyes, she saw unconditional acceptance. Plus, she loved to run her hands through his fur. He was like the best security blanket ever.

The only time he left was when Mrs. Evans ordered him out. Usually it was when she needed to be bathed or her bandages needed changing. The gray haired old woman promised her that she wouldn't let her wounds scar up. Mrs. Evans applied the ointment every few hours for what seemed like days. It itched like crazy, but if Ginny so much as thought of itching, Shadow would pounce on her and lick her face till she swore she wouldn't. They took really good care of her.

It was three days before Tonks woke up. She was badly hurt that night. Ginny remembered the air above her ripple like water. A second later Tonks fell through it, as did a spell that just missed her. Ginny could hear the battle raging around her. She wanted to go and help Shadow, but knew Tonks needed her more. It was then that she saw a huge werewolf coming at them. In a frenzy she rolled Tonks onto the portkey. At the last second she was pulled away just as Tonks vanished.

What happened after that came in bits and pieces to Ginny. She remembered being dragged back to that unholy Manor. The feel of a large clawed hand around her throat. The smell of foul breath in her face. A glimpse of what looked like a black werewolf with it's claws around Lestrange's neck, yet something was different about it. Then the warmth of fur shielding her naked body from the cold night as trees blurred by. She remembered the sound of a door being destroyed, only to be followed by the scream of a woman. Then everything went black.

She woke to the comfort of a warm bed. The pain that was her only constant since she was taken had considerably lessened. A large panther peacefully stood watch at her bedside. His steady purr had a soothing affect on her, reassuring her. She knew instinctively that he was a protector. He was her protector. For the first time in a very long time, she had felt truly safe.

She didn't want to go when Lupin came to take her home. The only good thing to come out of it was that he was very attentive to Tonks. She guessed that almost losing her helped him remove his head from his arse. Tonks of course was in heaven. Ginny, not so much. Though her family was great, they hovered a wee bit too much. It was the nights that were the worst. The nightmares came even worst than they did after the Chamber of Secrets. It got so bad that she stopped sleeping all together. She withdrew from her family. How could she tell them? How could they possibly ever truly understand?

Thankfully, Tonks came by to check up on her. She sized up the problem and was able to get Ginny to open up. She herself was having trouble sleeping, but Tonks had someone sharing her bed to comfort her now. Merlin, she missed Shadow. Ginny told her that he always made her feel safe and protected. The next day Tonks gave her a stuffed panther that purred. It even sounded like his purr. She slept soundly that night, with dreams of running through a field next to her Dark Knight in midnight fur. They stopped at a water hole, and when she bent down to take a drink, a Tempest Jaguar was looking back at her. It's fur was like quicksilver, and it's brown eyes had a star-burst design that pulsed with electricity.

As luck would have it, Professor McGonagall came by to go over what she missed at the end of the year. In truth, Minerva never could forgive herself for what happened to Ginny in her first year. It happened on her watch, as she so often said. Upon returning to Hogwarts for her second year, Minerva made Ginny a teachers aid. She often called on Ginny to aid her in grading papers. It was funny that this often happened when Neville was being a bigger arse than usual. Over the years, she helped Ginny with spells that were well beyond her age. Minerva would conveniently leave a book from the restricted section open on her desk. Then make an excuse to step out of her office.

Ginny told her about the dream and Minerva was beside herself with joy. The woman actually giggled like a school girl. She told Ginny it wasn't a dream, but a vision of her Animagus form. She told Ginny that a Tempest Jaguar was a Magical Creature that hasn't been seen in over a century.

An idea formed in her head that day. One in which maybe she could escape the life she had been saddled with. All she had to do was become an Animagus. Professor McGonagall help her achieve that goal over the course of the next year. What her wise Professor neglected to tell her, though, was that she would go through Bloody Heat Cycles. No, she thought she would have remembered that little conversation.

She remembered how Harry purred in her ear and the effect it had on her. If Harry was reacting the way he was to her, added with her own primal urges whenever he was close to her, it meant only one thing: he was an Animagus too, and probably one that was a large feline, like hers. Before she could put more thought to her epiphany, the car came to a halt in front of her new vault.

Ginny stepped off the car and looked at the massive doors. It was covered with cobwebs, due to lack of use. A key turn later she was standing in the middle of the first thing that she could call truly hers. In the middle was a mountainous pile of gold. From her Bank statement, she knew that it was around 497,736 Galleons, 586,2943 Sickles, and 83,719 Knuts. She also had three properties, a Chateau on the Southern Coast of France, a cabin in Scotland, and house in Whales. Of course, that was just a rough estimate.

Dilys had told her to get a few items that were in her vault. She specified that Ginny should take her wand, her diary, and most importantly, her personal Spell Book. The wand was because it would be unregistered. Ginny's blood would assure that it would chose her as it's new master. Dilys had made it herself and some of her own blood was laced in the core. It was a tradition that has been lost over the two hundred years since she walked the earth. Even if she was disarmed the wand would only work for Her or someone of her line.

Her diary was so Ginny could get to know the woman she was. Perhaps there would be some insights, and a few life lessons within the pages that would help Ginny. Her personal Spell book contained family spells, as well as spells and charms that she learned through her life, and a few that she created herself. Ginny was sure that any healer at St. Mungo's would pay anything just to get a look at.

Ginny summoned Winky and they got to the task of finding them. Twenty minutes later she had what she was looking for, as well as a few things that she was sure would come in handy. Eventually. Among them was a bag of holding and one of Dilys's rings that worked as a portkey to her properties. Satisfied that she had everything she needed, she headed back up. She had a Magical Contract to get and a certain Noble Lord that had some questions to answer.

Ginny stormed into the Magical Contracts Office with the full intent to kick some bureaucrat's arse up and down Diagon Alley. She came to a cold halt when she felt felt the residual magical signature in the room. She had cleaned up after enough of Fred and George's experiments to know the signs.

The room was empty, with the exception of one man sitting behind a desk. Worry and regret was written all over his face. Ginny closed her eyes and let her other senses take in the room. They had become more acute these last few months, as she got closer and closer to achieving a full transformation. She picked up Harry's scent almost immediately, but it was a good hour old. There was a another scent as well. The strength of it led her to believe that it's owner was still in the room.

"I can smell you! Come out and face me." Ginny ordered to an almost empty room.

"Your sense of smell is astounding, human." A goblin said as it reviled itself. What stuck her as off, though, was that this one was a good foot bigger than most goblins. Instead of a business suit, it was draped in full battle armor. Even its head was covered. If it wasn't for the voice, she would have never suspected that it was a female. Come to think of it, she was sure that she had never even seen a picture of a female goblin before.

"Are you a female Goblin?"

"I am a Guardian of Gringotts, that happens to be female, human. Or do you think that the only thing we are capable of is breeding?" She snapped as she walked past Ginny and took a position behind Malcolm. The man whimpered and looked down at his desk, not daring to met either of their eyes.

"I meant no disrespect. It's just that I've never seen one of you before."

"That is of our choosing not yours. We are well aware of how many of you view any species that dares to be...different." Ginny winced at her sharp tone, but guessed she had her reasons.

"We are not all like that." Ginny said as she walked up to her with a hand extended. "My name is Ginerva Molly Weasley, but my friends call me Ginny." The Gringotts Guardian looked at her outreached hand as if it was a foreign object. It was only when she concluded that the young witch posed no threat, did she remove her gauntlet and shook her hand.

"Hesta Nala Silverback." She took Ginny's hand and gave it a hard shake. Her grip was a lot tighter than what was necessary. When Ginny didn't break her smile or show any outwards signs of distress, did the woman return the smile. Ginny had the feeling she had just passed a test. "I apologize if I was brisk with you, Ms. Weasley. I have dealt with too many Ministry types. It seems that I have become what I despise. I have misjudged you. For that I am sorry."

"Please call me Ginny, and trust me, I know all too well how dealing with the Ministry can put you in a bad mood."

"You have no idea, and please call me Hesta. Now. Have you ever seen a bureaucrat wet themselves?" The two women shared a chuckle before the Goblin's face turned serious. Then it hit Ginny that the woman wasn't kidding about making the man piss his pants.

Death Eaters had slowly filtered their way into Gringotts, under the disguise that they were there to visit their vaults. With house elves in tow, the ones with the most to lose were charged with emptying their vaults. Three more teams had more distinct jobs. The first one, that consisted of the newest members, were positioned inside Gringotts to attack anyone claiming their vaults and, most importantly, to kill as many Goblins as possible. The team outside were there to cause the most panic. They consisted of Dark Creatures that had sworn loyalty to Voldemort. The last team was lead by Augustus Rookwood. The former unspeakable was charged with breaking into the Slytherin Vault and reclaiming all that laid within. Voldemort told him that he must retrieve Ravenclaw's Diadem at all costs. His master didn't tell him why it was so important, but he did know that he had Draco Malfoy remove it from it's hiding place at Hogwarts last year.

Once the inner circle's vaults were emptied and the Slytherin Vault breached, was the battle to begin. Rookwood's team consisted of ten members that had very unique set of skills. For two hours they diligently worked to bring down the ward that had been placed around the door. Augustus had to admit the boy was gifted. He knew that going in. They had successfully hid themselves for sixteen years. They had let loose a Basilisk on the Succubus Colony that Black was sworn to protect, in their hopes of flushing them out. It failed miserably and the Dark Lord wasn't happy to find that he lost both of his prized pets to the hands of the damn lightsiders.

"Augustus! The ward is down!" One of his team informed him.

"Foolish boy. Did he think that the wards would hold me for long?" Rookwood sneered as he advanced with the key that Voldemort gave him.

"Do you actually think that key will work?"

"It never hurts to try. Perhaps he was strapped for time and was only able to put on the one ward?" Rookwood inserted the key and turned it. He was thrown across the hall by the large volt of electricity that coursed through his body. The healer that he had assigned to his team rushed to his side. After a few healing spells, the man was able to get to his feet.

"I'll take that as a no." One of them joked. With a flick of Augustus's wand the man was thrown into the huge door. He immediately screamed out in pain as his body was electrocuted.

"So it would seem." Rookwood taunted him. No one attempted to aid the man. After five minutes he dropped to the floor, as the spell ran out of power. A good thing too, as the smell of charred flesh was quite revolting. A key turn later the door's numerous locks opened.

"The whelp is good, but I'm better." He said with a sneer as he marched into his master's vault.

Lily,

Good luck today, I know you'll be brilliant. Teaching is your true calling. It's just a shame that you couldn't achieve it until now. I know being at Hogwarts might bring back some old memories. You and Jimmy made so many there. You're a strong, confident, and gifted Witch, and much more braver than I. I know you will can do this. I say cherish the good memories, and toss the rest. I've missed our long talks, and look forward to Christmas at Potter Manor. We have so much to catch up on.

Now, I must ask something of you. I don't ask this as a friend, but as a Mother. You have a way of seeing through all the masks that we wear, and revealing the true person within. I know this because you saw through me. You helped me find my true self. I'm praying you can do this for my son.

I know what he's become. That was Lucius's doing, but he's tucked away in Azkaban now. It might not be too late for Draco. He was once a good boy. He's still in there, I know it. I'm begging you Lily. Bring me back my son. Please.

Forever Sisters,

Cissy

Narcissa had just finished her letter to Lily when Harry strolled up to her desk. He had only known her for about a year, but he was very fond of her. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her face held the look of a worried mother. The same look that he caused his own mum to have more times than he cared to admit. He decided she needed some cheering up. So he plopped his butt down on her desk, making her jump.

"You know, you have entirely too nice of a ass to be crying this early in the day." Harry teased as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. Narcissa recognized the game. She had seen him play it with her niece whenever they were around each other. She and Lily would laugh for hours at their antics. She decided to have a go and leaned in.

"And when were you looking at my arse young man?"

"The question is not when I was, but when I wasn't?" Harry asked with his trademark grin.

"And what would your mum say if she knew you looked at my arse?" Narcissa asked with a grin of her own.

"She would say I have excellent taste." Harry said leaning in more.

"Fancying a shag with an older witch, are you?" Narcissa closing the gap between them.

"Wouldn't be opposed to it." Harry got nose to nose with her.

"Only one problem with that big boy." She tugged playfully on his ear as she dangled the bait out for him to bite.

"Which is?" Harry asked as he nibbled at her bait.

"I used to change your diapers." Narcissa teased as she pushed his head back. She was sure that she had just won.

"A few thing have changed down there since then. Plus it brings a whole new naughty level to it." Harry wiggled his eye brows at her in victory. He tapped her cheeks that now showed a rosy tint. "I win."

"Your mum's right. You are incorrigible."

"Hard to believe that he use to be shy, isn't it?" Remus interrupted from the doorway. "Aren't you suppose to be at school or something?"

"There are many things that I should do that I don't."

"It's your wife's fault that he is like this, you know."

"Don't remind me. Well, Cub, what brings you here?"

"What? Perving on Aunt Cissy isn't a good enough reason for you?" Harry said as he gave her a wink.

"That's it, off with the lot of you. I have work to do." She shooed him off her desk and into Lupin's Office. Harry sneaked a kiss on her cheek before she closed the door.

"Dobby." With a pop, her most loyal house elf appeared at her side. She gave his head an friendly rub.

"Yes, Mistress Narcissa? How may Dobby serve you?"

"Take this letter to Lily Potter at Hogwarts please."

"Of course, Mistress." With another pop he was gone. Within Lupin's office the air took a more serious turn.

"What's going on, Cub?"

"Does the old fart still think you're in his control?"

"Yes. When I returned to England after Riddle's Diary was discovered, he confided in me about the Horcruxes. He paid me to hunt them down, and I have to say that his information was a lot better than mine had ever been."

"So what's left to destroy?"

"Well as you know, Longbottom destroyed the diary, Orion took care of the locket, Riddle used the ring to bring himself back, and I took out that damn snake myself. That leaves Hufflepuff's Cup, Ravenclaw's Diadem, and, sadly, Longbottom himself."

"How long do you think Dumbledore has known that he was one of them?"

"Right from the off. He doesn't know that I've figured that out. Narcissa said she was sure that Bellatrix has the cup in the Lestrange Vault. We know where Neville is. That leaves the diadem. Are you sure that it's in Slytherin's Vault?"

"I would if I were him. If it's in there, they'll be going for it soon. It was one of the reasons that I let it slip that I had the Slytherin Vault key. With any luck, they'll lead us right to it." Harry finished with an almost evil grin. Remus was glad he was on their side. He was far more devious than all of the Marauders combined.

"On a lighter note, I've just recruited two new Marauders. They were former students of mine, and trust me when I say that they are Marauder through and through. They are brilliant inventors. Just have a look at some of the products they've been supplying the Order with." Remus handed Harry three very long rolls of parchment. As he scanned the items for sale, his eyes held a gleam of mischief.

"Please tell me you've placed an order."

"Did I ever. And unlike Dumbledore, we will actually pay them."

"These guys have names, or are you just going to keep calling them They?"

"Fred and George Weasley."

Ginny watched as Hesta hauled off Malcolm Douglas. Whatever they were going to do to the man, it was too lenient in her book. He helped Dumbledore and Neville control every aspect of her life for the last few years. She was looking forward to some long overdue payback. She looked at Hesta and mouthed Thank You. Her new goblin friend bowed her head in respect. She then pointed to her prisoner's couch; she had indeed made him loose control of his bladder.

With a Magical Contract that wasn't worth the parchment it was written on in her hand, Ginny headed back toward the main entrance. She had to find Harry. He had some explaining to do. She was conflicted as whether or not to be cross with him for confronting Douglas behind her back, or snog his brains out for well, just being him. Even if he was sometimes an overprotective git.

"Well, look what we have here, George."

"A little sister playing hooky from school."

"I don't know to be..."

"Shocked or..."

"Proud that we have..."

"Rubbed off on her."

Ginny stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at her brothers. She could see that they had once again managed to avoid a hair cut from their mum. It was really quite pointless. Sooner or later they would have to eat and no one cooked like their mum. Then she would have them right where she wanted them.

"What do you have there..." Fred started.

"Oh littlest of the Weasley's?" George finished his brother's question as he went to grab the parchment his little sister was holding. Ginny pulled it out of his reach, before hitting both of them on the head with it.

"None of your bloody business. Care to tell me why you two aren't at work? "

"You know you really..."

"Look like mum when..."

"You put your hands..."

"On your hips like that." Both ducked as a curse was sent at their heads before holding up their hands in defeat. "We surrender!" They both said in unison. Ginny pointed her wand warningly at them.

"Get cheeky with me again and you both know what spell I'll use on you."

"All hail Ginny..." They said together.

"The strongest..." Fred added.

"Deadliest..." George followed.

"And scariest Weasley of them all." They finished together, as they knelt at her feet. She patted them both on their heads.

"Good, and my servants know their places." Ginny teased them with her arms crossed over her chest. She could only hold the scowl for a few seconds before she burst out laughing. She lunged at her brothers and pulled them into a tight hug. George took the opportunity to try and snag the parchment from her hand. Again Ginny pulled it out of reach and then hit him in the head with it. She was about to hex him when she sensed something bad was about to happen.

"Do you two smell something foul?" Ginny asked as she looked around to find the source of her unease.

"We meet again, Ms Weasley. I dare say, my Lord will be most pleased when I deliver you to him."

Three wands leveled at the the Death Eater's head. His face may have been hidden under a glamour charm, but the three of them knew that voice anywhere. Ginny was the first to gain control of her voice.

"When the hell did you get out of Azkaban, Malfoy?"

"Well, not much need of this anymore." Lucius said as he waver his wand and his true face emerged. Azkaban was not kind to him. He had lost some of his good looks and now sported a long scare down his left cheek. "Ah, much better. As I was saying, I will earn much favor with my Master when I lay you at his feet. Now come along quietly and I promise your brothers will have a painless death." Lucius mocked her as more Death Eaters surrounded them. Ginny glared at him. She wasn't handing her brother over to these bastards, and she sure as hell wasn't going to surrender herself to them.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told that bitch Lestrange." Ginny said in too sweet of a voice. "FUCK YOU, CUNT!" She screamed as she sent her most powerful Bat-Bogey at him. Malfoy pulled a new recruit into the path of the hex. As the man's screams drew the attention of every one around them, the Death Eaters withdrew their wands and formed a protective circle to defend themselves. It was all the distraction that the twins needed. Fred threw instant darkness powder around them as George threw three decoy detonators in different directions. With her brothers flanking her, Ginny led the way as the trio of Weasleys made a run for it.

Curses were flying in every direction as they made their escape as more and more Death Eaters came out of the woodwork. Fred opened a door to an empty office and the three ducked in before George cast a locking charm on the door.

"I'm rubbish with that. We need Bill, because that won't hold them for long."

"I guess we make our stand here."

"Or we call for help, you gits!" Ginny waved her wand and thought of a kitchen and the best snog she had ever had.

"Expecto Patronum!" A fully formed Patronus emerged from her wand. "Death Eaters have us pinned down. Their all over Gringotts. Get you sexy arse over here now!" With that her patronus ran through the wall and to it's intended target.

"One, who did you just call?"

"Two, how do you know..."

"He has a sexy arse?"

"And three, when did you..."

"change your patronus?"

"Things change," was the only response Ginny gave them. She was hoping it would get to him in time, as she really wanted to live long enough to snog him again.