Just a few quick notes to help things make a little more sense:

This will be a Sirius/Ginny fic set in the Marauders' Era. It is not DH compliant, but will follow canon through HBP. While not my first fanfic attempt by any means, it is my first HP attempt, and I'll warn you right now – I have neither a beta nor a Brit-picker, so…deal with it???

Enjoy!

Ginny Weasley and the Fleetness of Time

Chapter One – Decisions Fraught with Confusion

She could not believe that this was being asked of her. Of her! Well, of anyone, really. This wasn't the sort of thing that should be asked of anyone; it wasn't fair and – and it was too much. It's too much for one girl of not yet seventeen to handle, at least in a way that would have a positive outcome.

"Professor, I don't know if I can – " That is all she gets out before said professor interrupts her.

"You, Miss Weasley, are more than capable of completing this task," Professor McGonagall interrupts firmly, though not unkindly, "In fact, I cannot think of anyone better suited for this than you are."

The words do little to convince the girl, set as she is in her feeling that nothing good could come of this. "Why me?" she asks on a whisper, "Why would you ask me to do this when there are so many students here that are so much more capable than I am?"

Professor McGonagall watches her, a shrewd look on her face. "Ginevra," she begins, surprising the younger woman with the familiar address, "Please think about it for a moment. If I'm sitting here with you, telling you to go back into the past, did it ever occur to you that there might be a specific reason I am asking that of you?"

Blank-faced, Ginny thinks it over for a moment. The war-weary professor gives a thin-lipped smile of grim satisfaction as realization dawns. "You mean – that is to say, you knew it has to be me because…"

"Yes, because I remember you from then Ginevra," Professor McGonagall smiles slightly, bowing her head in acknowledgement, "I actually had the honor of getting to know you quite well, my dear."

"Oh," she softly utters, all that she can manage at the moment. The thought of getting to know her somewhat closed off head of house is a little overwhelming to her, but with the enormity of the situation, she can't afford to ponder on that. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I can tell you what you did before," Professor McGonagall tells her softly, "And I can advise you that I think you can do more, so much more."

Ginny's eyes widen slightly at that, and she worries her lower lip between her teeth as she watches her professor expectantly. When it becomes clear that she isn't going to elaborate until something is said, Ginny sighs. "What did I do?"

To Ginny's astonishment (and possibly shock and tiny amount of horror), Professor McGonagall smiles widely at her. It is far and away the biggest smile she has ever seen grace the face of her stern professor. "You, my darling girl, brought much light and happiness to several individuals who greatly needed it at that time in their lives. Myself included."

To Ginny's horror, tears fill the professor's eyes before she has the chance to blink them away. "I – I'm sorry, Professor, but I just don't understand."

"That's the marvelous part of all of this; what you don't understand now, you'll figure out when you get there." Ginny opens her mouth to question that, to protest, but McGonagall holds a hand up to ward off her comments. "Ginevra, you're a very blessed young witch. You have a talent that you don't always use in the right way and that you don't always see through to its fullest, but it is there. Going back is your opportunity to put those talents to the test, to use them to their fullest. I believe that you can do this; in fact, I know that you can."

Her unwavering confidence and unexpected praise give Ginny something of a boost, and she nods absently as she runs through this in her head again. "What should I do?" she whispers, "Who do I befriend? How am I supposed to - what I mean to ask is, how am I supposed to know who to get close to? Erm, beside you, of course."

McGonagall has the nerve to smile at her in an indulgent sort of way. "Ginevra, I know that saying this, more than anything else, will raise your hackles, but you will know who you are supposed to befriend when you get there."

Of course, her teacher is right, that does hack her off in a way that little else could. But she brushes that aside, and leans forward. "Will I be able to say goodbye to everyone? My family, my friends…Harry?"

The downturn of her professor's gaze is enough to answer that question, but McGonagall answers anyway. "I'm afraid that just won't be possible. Most of your family is out on Order missions of their own, and your friends and Harry…"

"Right, we don't even know where Ron, Harry, and Hermione are," Ginny interrupts, trying to keep some of the bitterness that she's feeling out of her voice, "I – I understand. Why I can't say goodbye to them, I mean. I'm still not certain I know what I'm supposed to do in the past, though."

McGonagall pauses for a moment, regarding Ginny intently as she takes a moment to gather her thoughts. "You will make the world a better place, Ginevra. Perhaps it will be in a small way, like improving the lives of those you come into contact with. But I see you doing larger things now, for the good of everyone."

That takes Ginny by surprise, and before she can let the heavy implications of those words blanket her, she asks a more pressing question. "Wouldn't you know already if I'm to do larger things?"

"Time is fluid," McGonagall relates with a small smile, "As you change it, what I know now will change as well. Do your best. I daresay that is all anyone could ever ask of any other person."

Ginny gives her a wry smile, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "I guess that we'll have to hope my best is good enough. I – I just wish that you could give me something more to go on, Professor. It feels like there are specific things you want me to do, but you aren't telling me what they are."

McGonagall nods, rising from her chair and turning to look out a window enchanted to give a perfect aerial view of the lake. "It would be selfish of me to guide you with the specifics. And furthermore, did I not just say that you would know what to do? Honestly, Miss Weasley, a little confidence in yourself will go a long way in this."

"What if – I'm afraid I'll mess this up," Ginny admits in a rather terrified tone, "If I mess this up, what will happen?"

"If you mess things up, well, how would I know what will happen? Time is fluid," McGonagall sighs at having to repeat herself, "But as I also said, I do not believe that you will. Besides, for the record, wouldn't you say that things are messed up enough now as it is?" Ginny has to concede to that, a small smile uplifting the corners of her mouth. "There is very little that you could do to make the future bleaker than it is now, do you not agree?"

"I – no, you're entirely right, of course," Ginny agrees after a moment of contemplation, "I suppose that I'm just scared."

McGonagall inclines her head in a brief nod, mostly meant to show that she heard. "That is perfectly natural. I'd be rather worried if you weren't scared or nervous."

"Terrified," Ginny supplies, letting out a breathless little laugh.

The professor nods, a small smile playing over her lips. "You will be fine, darling girl. You absolutely will be fine. And if my memory serves, you will like it. You will like the people who befriend you, love some of them even, and you'll make a wonderful difference. I know you will."

Her words are heartening for Ginny, and she nods her agreement with the professor's words. "Okay, I can do this," she says resolutely, squaring her shoulders and looking McGonagall in the eye, "I won't fail you."

A sad sort of wistfulness creeps into Professor McGonagall's eyes at that. "My darling girl, there is no way that you ever fail me."

"Thank you," Ginny smiles, somehow bolstered by the headmistress's unconditional support of her. "I'm ready, then."

"Well, then," McGonagall nods, taking a shaky breath, "Do you remember everything? How to work the time turner? And you are not to share details of the future with anyone, Miss Weasley. Change what you can, but the workings of time are not things that most people can understand, and I fear what would happen to you if people thought you were playing about with it."

"I suppose that is exactly what I'll be doing, though. Meddling with time?"

McGonagall agrees with a sharp inclination of her head. "Of course. It just won't do for anyone else to find out about it, do you understand that? I can only imagine what I would say if I knew." She shakes her head, as if to clear it of the thought. "But that is no matter, Ginevra. You won't tell anyone, so it is beside the point. For you own safety, no matter how close you get to someone, you are not to tell why you are there or where you are really from."

She recognized that maybe this was the one area that McGonagall wasn't freely giving her explicit trust. Ginny can understand where she is coming from there. She can imagine how great the temptation to confide in someone will be, especially if, as McGonagall has promised, she gets to know people, gets to be friends with them and close to them. It's a natural inclination, and she has always been a fairly open person who was quick to share herself. Of course, that thought brings on the shuddering reminder of Tom Riddle and his diary, only serving to drive home McGonagall's point.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise," she whispers fervently. "But I don't understand why it would be so disturbing to people, if it is something they could recognize as a possibility."

"I suppose you wouldn't know," McGonagall sighs almost absently, "Well, while we recognize it as possible, it is not widely practiced. That is especially true back then. Even now, when it is used, it is in such circumstances as Ms. Granger's class schedule her third year, which I'm sure you're aware of."

Ginny nods. "I won't tell, Professor, I really won't."

McGonagall nods. "I – but if you must, I trust that you will know who you can confide that information in."

"You?"

"That is for you to decide," McGonagall smiles. "If you do, I'm sure I shall do my best not to give into the temptation to commit you to the ward for the deranged at St. Mungo's."

Smiling a little, Ginny nods. "Thank you. And really, I will not tell. I can understand how important it is that I do not."

"Well, then, I guess you are ready to go. I've taken the liberty of procuring you some robes that will be more acceptable for the time you will be, along with some timely Muggle wear. There's also a broom, as I'm sure you'll want to try out for the Gryffindor quidditch team. There is also a sack of galleons, enough to last you a couple of years, if not longer." She raises her hand to cut off Ginny's protests. "No, now you listen to me. You'll need these."

"I – a couple of years?"

"There is no set timeline. When you think you've accomplished as much as you can, then you can come back. This is very much of your own free will. All that I implore is that you keep an open mind, and follow your heart."

At this, Ginny starts. "My heart is here," she says softly, earnestly, "It's with my family and Harry."

McGonagall gives her a tightlipped smile, shaking her head slightly in the negative. "Perhaps that is true, but perhaps it is not. I guess that is something you shall have to discover for yourself." She reaches out, laying a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "You and Mr. Potter have ended things, no?"

"Yes, we have," Ginny blinks, unsure as to why she's being asked that.

Professor McGonagall seems to exhale at this, perhaps in relief. "Then that is something. You are free. Your parents know and understand where you are going and what you will be doing, and you have no other obligations here. 'To thine own self be true'. And perhaps, just perhaps, there is another who needs you more than Mr. Potter does."

That phrase is familiar to Ginny, and her mind immediately wanders to Hermione. It sounds like something her friend would say, so she wonders if it isn't some sort of Muggle colloquialism. But thoughts of that are beyond her right now, as is the desire to ponder on the meaning behind it. It does burn a little, though, that their respected teacher would suggest she move on from Harry. She doesn't exactly understand where that would be coming from.

"Well, then," Professor McGonagall begins brusquely, "Are you ready? I have the time turner here, and you know what to do with it. Just keep it safe, hidden where no one can find it."

Ginny nods, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "I'm ready," she says, her voice a bare whisper.

The headmistress nods, giving her a wistful smile. "And you remember your cover story? And that you cannot go by Weasley. I'm sorry, but your family is just too well known to be that blatant about it."

"I remember," Ginny assures her, pressing a hand on top of the older woman's, "It'll all be fine, I promise."

"Oh, dear girl, it should be I comforting you," Professor McGonagall chuckles before sobering into her usual stern demeanor. "Alright. Off with you then."

Ginny's heart – or possibly stomach – seem to leap into her throat at those words, and her fingers begin to tingle with nervous anticipation. She clenches her fingers around the shrunken packages tightly, too nervous to trust any looser of a grip. She does as she was told perfectly; the correct number of twists on the time turner while standing perfectly still. Professor McGonagall watches until the young woman is blurred out of sight before sitting heavily in one of the chairs in front of her desk.

"She'll be fine, Minerva," the newest portrait in the office says to her. Professor McGonagall glances over to look at Albus Dumbledore. "She is a very strong, very smart young lady. Honestly, if this wasn't such an integral part of her destiny, I would've considered sending her back anyway, only to a different time in her own life."

"What on earth – why would you do that to the child?" Minerva sputters in a fashion very unlike her.

Dumbledore merely smiles serenely at McGonagall, the eyes in his portrait twinkling in a way that just did not seem right. "Could you imagine how much stronger she would've made your golden Gryffindor trio? Sending her back for that purpose would've benefited those three very much."

McGonagall shakes her head in irritation. "I'm not concerned about doing things for the benefit of those three right now; I am much more concerned about Ginevra. I hope that she takes my words to heart and follows through as we remember."

"And more," sighs the former headmaster. "I hope she can do more."