Chapter Ten – More Than a Feeling

** Thank you everyoen for your reviews. I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get this next chapter up. I am getting married next month and have been busy with organising that. Enjoy the chapter and please review**

Ginny looked over her shoulder at the group following her along the corridor. James, Remus and Sirius were talking softly between themselves. Occasionally Sirius would glance up at her and if Ginny caught his gaze she could feel herself blush. Sirius had not let her out of his sight over the past few days since she had been released from the hospital wing. With the exception of actually attending classes, Ginny suddenly found that Sirius was constantly around. And if she was being honest with herself, she found his presence very comforting. Every night the two of them would sit by the fire in a corner in the common room and talk. Sirius had never pushed her to reveal more that she wanted to and she was thankful for that. But Ginny had decided that tonight was time. Since her visit with her family and Harry and Hermonie thanks to the resurrection stone Ginny had felt a small weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

A soft touch on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts and Ginny looked up into Remus's warm eyes. "Somebody has been following us" he said as he pointed to the small kitten that was pattering around his feet.

"Luna!" Ginny exclaimed happily as she spotted the kitten that Remus had given her. She had named the kitten after her old friend. The kitten was inquisitive just as Luna Lovegood had been. She readjusted the black bag that she was carrying over her shoulder as she picked up the kitten. Inside the bag was her photo album, her copy of the Marauders Map, the letter from her brothers and Harry and of course the DA coins.

Remus reached over to scratch Luna on the head and Ginny giggled as Luna pushed her head up to Remus's hand almost urging him to scratch her more. "Your doing the right thing you know" Remus told her quietly.

She shot him a questioning look, silently urging him to continue.

"Telling Sirius and James. They both care for you a lot, we all do" he said smiling gently down at her. "What you are carrying around inside you Ginny, what you are dealing with knowing what is to come. Well, you need support"

Again she said nothing but simply cast a glance at him.

"I can see it in your eyes Ginny. Just how much it weighs on you sometimes"

Ginny shifted Luna to her other arm and used her free arm to reach put and grab Remus's hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze she offered him a brilliant smile. "You're my best friend Remus Lupin, you know that?" she said quietly.

Reaching the entrance to the Room of Requirement Ginny stopped, dropped Remus's hand and turned to face Sirius and James. "Do you know where we are?" she asked them curiously. The Room of Requirement was not on the Marauders Map and Ginny was sure that none of them knew where they were.

"We are in the third floor corridor?" James asked confused as he looked around at the empty corridor.

Ginny grinned at the three of them. "I don't believe you know all of Hogwarts secrets yet James" she said cheekily before beginning to pace back and forth. I need a place where we can be alone to talk, where nobody can overhear us she thought to herself. Taking a step back Ginny smiled when a doorway suddenly appeared behind her. She took in the surprised looks on the boy's faces and grinned wider as she opened the door. "Welcome to the Room of Requirement" she said stepping into the room. They quickly followed her.

"What is this place?" Sirius asked amazed as they entered and looked around. The room had changed according to Ginny's thoughts and in front of them was a small sitting room with a large rug, a few comfy oversized chairs and a small coffee table with a tray of piping hot chocolate.

"Some people call it the Come and Go Room. The room becomes whatever you need it to become. It also connects to the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade" she told them.

"How did we know not know about this? Actually how did you know about this?" James asked causing all pairs of eyes to focus in on Ginny.

"That's why we are here. There is a lot I need to tell you, some of which Remus already knows" she said quietly as she walked forward putting Luna down and taking a seat on one of the chairs. She gently put her bag down next to her and watched as they all took a seat. "Before I start you need to promise me something you can't repeat what I am going to tell you. If it ever got out what I'm going to tell you, however inadvertently it would not only be my life at risk" she told them seriously.

"Ginny-" Sirius began.

"No I'm serious. You have to promise me. Not a word to anyone. Especially not to Peter" she told them. "Dumbledore already knows everything and I believe he has told you some of what I'm about to tell you at the Order meeting?" she queried as she looked at Remus. He nodded at her in return. Sirius and James staying silent during this exchange.

Ginny opened her bag and gently pulled out the Marauders Map and her photo album. "Remus didn't tell me about the Marauders Map, I have my own" she said waving the map at them. "This is your map from the future" she began. "As you know my real name is Ginny Weasley. My parents are Arthur and Molly Weasley, Gideon and Fabian's sister. The twins are my uncles"

Sirius and James had stunned looks on their faces. "But that would mean – "James began but Ginny cut him off.

"I'm not even born yet. I don't exist until 1981" Ginny replied quietly. "I've come from the future. The day that I fell into your yard last summer James; I was sent back by a time-turner that was charmed to send me directly to Potter Manor. My time is 20 years from now" she began.

"In my time Voldermort had a massive following and had taken control of the Ministry and of Hogwarts. We have muggle-born registers, Death Eaters as Hogwarts Professors. Utter mayhem. It all came to a head the day that I arrived in Potter Manor. We had the final battle here at Hogwarts and we lost. Voldermort attacked Hogwarts, many of us students stayed to fight, to try to help Harry anyway we could. But we were outnumbered. Most of the Order of the Phoenix and the DA were killed, my family and friends were murdered and Harry did not survive" Ginny told them sadly.

"Voldermort had come out of the Forbidden Forest with Harry's body. In that one moment we all knew it was over. Suddenly my brother Charlie appeared in front of me and dragged me through Hogwarts into an empty classroom. We ran past so many dead bodies. We had such a short amount of time together. He gave me this bag and the time turner, told me he loved me and I disappeared just as Death Eaters reached us. Charlie died protecting me" she whispered quietly as a single tear made its way down her cheek. She didn't bother to wipe it away.

"You said Harry was your brother's best friend right? Why would you all try to help a boy fight? " Sirius asked confused.

Ginny took a deep breath and opened the photo album to a page that had a picture of just her and Harry. James and Sirius started opened mouthed at the picture. "Prongs he could be you!" Sirius said in amazement.

"Harry is the key to it all. That is Harry James Potter, the boy who lived. You son James" she said told him quietly.

James stared at the picture in disbelief. "I have a son" he said awed. "Did you know him well? Is he like me? Who is his mother?" he asked Ginny curiously.

Ginny allowed herself a small smile at him knowing he would not be so jubilant when she finished her story. "I knew Harry very well. And he is like you in ways. He is also like his mother. He's a great Quidditch player. He was the youngest Gryffindor player in a century. He made the team as a Seeker in his first year. I dated him for a while."

"You dated him?" Sirius asked surprised. Ginny nodded at him and thought that he looked the tiniest bit jealous.

"Potters like redheads. Lily was his mother" Ginny continued.

Both Sirius and Remus laughed as James blushed bright red.

"That's what I have been keeping from you all. That is what I live with every single day. The people we lost. The memories, everything. I can't go back. There is nobody left to go back to"

They were looking at her in disbelief, trying to comprehend what they were telling her. Sirius could not believe what he was hearing. He knew that Ginny had her secrets but he never imagined that it would be anything like this.

"What about us?" he croaked out. "Were we there?" he asked referring to the Final Battle.

"This is where it gets hard" she admitted. "I knew Remus the best. He was my Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor in my second year. After the events of my first year well let's just say that Remus helped me a lot. I also knew his wife pretty well. She was an Auror."

"Moony married an Auror! Who is she?" Sirius asked as Remus chuckled.

"She won't tell me" Remus said frustrated.

"You haven't met her yet that's why. I don't want to spoil anything" Ginny explained.

"What about me? Did you know me in the future?" Sirius asked curiously.

Ginny briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Ginny?" Sirius said softly concerned.

Ginny whirled around and took a step closer to the boys. "You did not have a happy life Sirius. The first time I saw you was in Grimmauld Place. I'll never forget the look on your face. You looked so haunted. You spent thirteen years in Azkaban for a crime you did not commit. You then escaped Azkaban in your animagus form but had to go into hiding. Two years later there was a Battle in the Department of Mysteries. Harry had received a vision of you being captured and tortured by Death Eaters. So we came to rescue you. You were killed in the battle by Bellatrix Lestrange." she managed to choke out.

"James, you didn't make it out of the first war. Voldermort killed you and your wife himself. And then Remus was the only Marauder left by the time Voldermort got to Hogwarts. Remus died in battle with his wife by his side.

There faces had gone pale, both James and Sirius seemed frozen on the spot.

"There is so much more. Oh this is so hard!" Ginny said angrily as she jumped up from her chair and began to pace around the room.

A stunned silence had taken over the room. Ginny forced herself to meet Sirius's face. He looked confused, like he didn't believe her. "What crime?" he asked quietly his eyes never leaving her face.

"Ginny start with the prophecy" Remus said gently. He could feel the tension in the room and knew it would not be going away anytime soon.

And so she began telling her story yet again. Starting with the rise of Voldermort, the Prophecy, the Potters being betrayed by Peter and being killed by Voldermort right up to Harry's upbringing and the hunt for the Horcruxes and the Final Battle.

She felt spent. For the most of her story she had looked down at her hands not wanting to see the reactions on the faces of Sirius and James. Ginny bravely raised her head and took in their expressions. They looked stunned and disbelieving. "Every word I have said is the truth" she told them softly.

"I'm going to kill Peter" Sirius seethed. He stood quickly as if to leave the room. Anger written all over his face. But Ginny was quicker. She had her wand out and was standing in front of him before he knew what had happened.

"You will do no such thing" she told him quietly.

"But Ginny, he turned to Voldermort, he betrayed James and Lily " Sirius stuttered, still unable to believe everything that he had been told.

"You think I don't know that" she asked him her head shaking slightly in frustration. "It's taken me a while to realise this but you can't punish people for things they haven't done yet. I hated Peter the first time I met him, I hate Severus Snape with a passion. And I want nothing more than to see Lucius Malfoy be given the dementors kiss for what they have done. But none of it has been done yet" she stressed to him.

Sirius cocked his head to the side and took a step towards Ginny. "And my brother? Where does he fit into all of this?"

"Regulus has his part to play Sirius" Ginny told him quietly, knowing that was not what he wanted to hear. She had not revealed the fact that Regulus was a Death Eater that betrayed Voldermort in her time, or the fact that she was sure he was a Death Eater now.

She reached forward and held his hand, pulling on it slightly and forcing him to look at her. "Can you trust me?" she said quietly. "I've got a plan you know. I'm going to make sure the future doesn't happen that way"

"This isn't a game Ginny, you can't just go out and change everything. Look at what has happened to you so far. The attack in Diagon Alley and our trip to Hogsmeade" he told her.

"Of course I can change the future. I have to believe that Sirius. What else do I have? I have none of my family or friends. All I have are these memories of a life that I will never have. So if that means I am going to get hurt in battles or hunting Horcruxes or befriending Slytherins then that is what I am going to do" she said softly but firmly.

Sirius looked down into her eyes and gently squeezed her hand. Reaching up slowly he gently brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "So we create memories and a life for you here. This is your life now Ginny" he told her quietly. "I'm going to help you. You know that right?"

"We all are" Remus spoke up from behind them. "Whatever you need Ginny" he said his eyes shining in determination. He reached forward and put a hand on her shoulder, offering her his comforting presence.

"What is the DA?" James asked curiously from beside Remus. Both Ginny and Sirius turned to look at him and found James holding up a galleon. Ginny smiled at him and walked back towards him. Gently turning the coin over in his hands she showed him the writing on the other side. Hogwarts Final Battle. She knew he had seen the coin before. "The DA stands for Dumbledore's Army. We formed a group in my fifth year to practice defensive spells when the Ministry started to interfere at Hogwarts. Harry was the leader. I came up with the name" she said smugly. "There were about 20 of us students from 4th to 7th years in it. My three brothers, Ron, Fred and George were in it. We learned defensive spells like Reducto and the Patronus charm, things that you don't usually learn to your 7th year. And they came in handy. Reducto saved more than one life when we battled the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries and certainly helped on the Hogwarts express when the Dementors showed up. Harry had a lot of power and he was a good teacher" she mused.

James gave her an odd look before jumping up and pulling her into a hug. "Your like the sister I never had Ginny" he said as he swung her around in a circle. Placing her back on the ground he looked down at her. "You could have been my daughter in law!" he exclaimed in shock before doubling over in laughter. Both Sirius and Remus chuckled along with him.

"Harry would have had to get through my six brothers before I became a Potter" she replied cheekily, glad the conversation had taken a light heartened turn.

Composing himself James leaned down and whispered in her ear. "One way or another we will make you officially family one day" he told her as he cast a glance at Sirius.

Ginny could feel herself blush under James's suggestion.

The group sat down and talked over things for another hour or so. Or rather the boys asked questions and Ginny answered them as best she could. "There are some things that are just too painful to talk about. Little things that remind me of them all. I may never be able to talk about it you know" she mused.

The group got up to leave and James froze on the spot. "What about Lily?" he asked blushing slightly, she was going to become his wife and the mother of his children.

"You can tell Lily when the time is right James. But bring her hear to tell her so there is no risk of being heard" Ginny told him.

Coming out of charms the following afternoon Ginny was walking down the corridor with her dorm mates when she saw Sirius approach them with a determined look on his face. The girls exchanged knowing glances and quickly stepped to the other side of the hallway to give Sirius a chance to talk to Ginny. "Hi" she said a bit hesitantly, unable to read the expression on his face.

Sirius didn't say anything he simply pulled her to him and kissed her on the mouth. Surprised Ginny dropped her books and responded in kind. Ignoring the giggles of her dorm mates, she let herself get lost in everything that was Sirius. His strong arms held her tightly to him, his hair gently brushing against her cheek, his unique scent filling all her senses. She didn't know how long they stood there kissing. Nothing else mattered at that moment except Sirius.

Pulling back to breath Ginny took in the dark look in Sirius's eyes. A shiver of pleasure washed over her and for one fleeting moment Ginny felt that everything was alright. Sirius is my future, she thought to herself. She was so lucky to have the Marauders in her life. James was her replacement brother, her daily remainder of Harry and what she was fighting for, Remus was her confidant and her best friend yet Sirius had her heart. And she had a feeling he always would.

He gently leant his forehead on hers took in a shaky breath. Ginny thought he seemed almost nervous. "I'm in love with you" he whispered. "It doesn't matter where you came from or what happened back in your time. You're here now".

Ginny smiled shyly up at him. Inside her heart was pounding. "I love you to" she whispered back to him.

He grinned wolfishly down at her. "I've got a feeling about you Ginny Delacour. You're going to change my world". And he placed a quick kiss on her forehead and was gone before she could say anything else.

Regulus Black had been following Ginny around for the past few days. He had been reluctant to talk to her in Potions class after the incident in Diagon Alley, so he had occupied his time in class by concentrating on his studies. And of course he was nervous about the fact that she knew he was a Death Eater. Outside of class he had become her shadow. Discreetly of course, nothing less would be expected of him. At first glance if you weren't looking to deeply Ginny seemed like every other teenage girl at Hogwarts. However once Regulus started paying close attention to her, he found he couldn't stop. Ginny was actually quite different from the other girls in their year. It wasn't anything that she had specifically done; she went to classes, Quidditch practice, spent time with the other Gryffindors and she was close to Lily Evans, the Prewitt twins and the Marauders. With the exception of Peter Pettigrew of course. She spent little time with him and when they were together in a group in the Great Hall at meal times she almost ignored him completely. Regulus was sure he had caught her looking at Peter in utter contempt one day.

It was one evening when she was studying in the library by herself that Regulus got his first glimpse at the real Ginny Delacour. She had a faraway look on her face as she stared past the books in front of her and at some invisible point on the wall in front of the table she was working at. A dark look came over her face and Regulus knew that whatever thought had crossed her mind was causing her deep pain or anger. He had stayed hidden behind a bookcase watching her for about ten minutes. Ginny was still lost in her thoughts when Remus Lupin approached her.

"Are you okay?" Remus had asked her concerned as he sat down next to her.

"I will be one day" she had replied. And she was completely honest in her response, Regulus had thought.

"After he's dead right?" Remus asked.

"Of course. I wish we were out there finding the things quicker so we could kill him" Ginny replied.

Regulus frowned in confusion. What things? And whom did Ginny want to kill?

"I want to be there when he is killed Remus. I want to walk up to him and tell him who I am and that every one of his followers will be punished for the crimes that were committed" Ginny said coldly.

Regulus found their conversation had quickly ended when a large group of young students came into the library.

That had been two days ago. He had spent the time after the spying in the library thinking. His thoughts had been divided between analysing everything he had done and seen since becoming a Death Eater and analysing the life of Ginny Delacour. A seed of doubt had entered his mind if becoming a Death Eater had been the right thing to do. He believed in purity of blood and that pure blooded witches and wizards should be given a higher place in society, he was a Black after all. He did not believe that half bloods and muggle borns should be killed just because they were not pure bloods. After all you can't control who your parents are right?

He had thought the attack in Diagon Alley had been a good idea. It was just to scare people and show them the power of Lord Voldermort and the Death Eaters. But seeing Ginny being cursed by Bellatrix Lestrange had momentarily opened his heart. He had used any excuse to get Bellatrix away from Ginny and was happy to hand Ginny back her wand after Bellatrix had fled.

Little did Regulus know but at that very same moment Ginny was thinking about him and was hoping that she could get him to care about her enough that he would turn from Voldermort.

The Gryffindor quidditch practice had just finished and the group were packing up the equipment as the Slytherin team approached. Jonathan Zabini kept a tight rein on his team and did not want their training distracted by taunting the Gryffindor team tonight. They had a game in two weeks time and Jonathan was determined to see Slytherin. He eyed the group of Gryffindors as they approached. Sirius Black was leading the group with James Potter. Behind them were Ginny Delacour and the Prewitt twins. The rest of the team had already left.

Jonathan turned to look at Regulus Black who was eyeing the group cautiously. "You've got five minutes" he whispered to Regulus before turning back to face the Gryffindors.

"Black, Potter, Prewitts and Miss Delacour. I trust you had a pleasant practice?" he asked them, faking interest.

"Jonathan Zabini, always a pleasure" Ginny said with an amused look on her face.

Jonathan smirked when he noticed the scowl on Sirius's face. Sirius had taken a step backwards to stand next to Ginny. Almost possessively, Jonathan thought.

"Let's go" Sirius said to the group as they began to leave the pitch.

Jonathan eyed Regulus curiously. It was common knowledge around Hogwarts that the Black brothers did not get along. Sirius was a happy go lucky Gryffindor who was a complete disappointment to his parents. At the end of his fifth year he had left his family home and moved in with James Potter and had never returned home. He also had his inheritance cut off, well that was what he had heard through the Hogwarts rumour mill. The animosity between the brothers only fuelled those rumours. And now Regulus wanted to talk to Ginny Delacour, Sirius's girlfriend, about some potions work they were supposed to be doing. Jonathan did not believe for one second that was what Regulus wanted to talk to Ginny about, but really what did he care? It was no skin off Jonathan's back if they were to talk. And besides he was quite happy to stand on the sidelines and see how things would play out. He genuinely liked Ginny. She was witty and not afraid to speak her mind. She was also very good at charms and curses. He could sense power and knowledge in her and he wondered for a fleeting moment if Regulus did too.

"Ginny can I have a word?" Regulus asked as he stepped forward, placing himself in front of the group of Gryffindors.

Ginny offered him a small smile and took a step forward. "Okay" she said quietly walking past Sirius and James.

But Sirius was quick to grab her arm. "Ginny" he began but she cut him off with a withering look. To Regulus's surprise Sirius did not say anything else. He simply turned to glare at him and stalked past the Slytherins back towards the school. The Prewitt twins wordlessly following him.

Only James Potter lingered. He eyed Regulus for one moment before turning to face Ginny. "I'll wait for you at the entrance hall okay?" he asked her.

"Thank you James" she replied.

Seeing as the Gryffindors were gone and Jonathan had led the Slytherins onto the pitch Regulus turned to face Ginny. He quickly got out his wand and cast a silencing spell so that nobody could hear them.

Ginny, he noticed, didn't say anything. She simply gave him one of those inquisitive looks of hers. He suddenly wanted to tell her everything. He was unsure of his decision of becoming a Death Eater. He was sorry that she had been hurt in the attack on Diagon Alley. But couldn't find the right words.

"Does Voldermort tell you much about himself?" Ginny asked him curiously.

He had not been expecting that. "Not really" Regulus replied honestly.

"His real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle and he is a half blood" Ginny continued.

"What?" Regulus said in shock.

"That's right, your Dark Lord is a half blood. His father was a muggle. He went here to Hogwarts after spending many years at a muggle orphanage. Interesting that he goes on and on about blood purity when he himself is not a pure blood".

"How do you know this?" he asked curiously.

"I know a lot of things Regulus Black" she responded cryptically as she looked him deep in the eye.

Regulus felt like she was looking straight through him and that she could see into his soul. "Are you a seer?"

Laughter bubbled out of Ginny and she grinned at Regulus. "I wish! That particular gift would come in handy don't you think?"

Regulus found himself smiling back at her for a moment before he remembered what he wanted to say to her. "I'm sorry that you were hurt in Diagon Alley" he said quietly. He didn't like seeing her under the Crutacious curse.

"I'm okay" Ginny said gently. "Are you okay though?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side.

"I'm confused" Regulus admitted to her.

"It's okay to be confused".

"I don't know if I did the right thing anymore" he said as he thought about being a Death Eater.

Ginny took pity on him and quickly stepped forward to give him a hug. "You have to go to practice now. But you know you can talk to me anytime okay?"

She took a step back and turned to head off towards the school where James was waiting for her.

"Regulus what I told you about Voldermort was true. He is a half blood. He is also a maniac. He will not think twice about killing any of his Death Eaters you know that right?"

He simply stared at her waiting for her to continue.

"Keep your ears open when you are with him. He's doing something that nodoby should ever do. You'll know what I mean when you hear him bragging about it"

Ginny didn't wait for his reply; she simply turned and began to jog back towards the school. She saw a solitary figure sitting on the steps at the entrance. She called out a hello when she approached James.

"Are you okay?" he asked her as he stood up.

"I'm fine" she replied smiling at him.

The two turn to walk inside and back to the common room. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about or is this one of those things you don't want to talk about?"

"I know that Sirius and Regulus have their differences and that Regulus and I being friends is trying for Sirius. But Regulus needs a friend James. And I will be there for him"

James looked at Ginny and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they walked up the stairs. "I hope you know what you are doing".

"So do I James, so do I".