Disclaimer: I don’t own it, JKR does. You know that …

 

The Charm Bracelet

 

 

*

 

“Ginny? Hey … Ginny … GINNY!”

 

“Wha-? S’matter?”

 

“Time to wake up,” he said smugly.

 

She rolled onto her stomach and chucked a pillow at his face.  "Ron, get out of my room!"

 

“Sorry, but we have to leave in half an hour.” He started tugging at her shoulder, and prodding her in the center of the back.

 

“Out.”

 

“We’re going to see Fred and George. Remember?” He sounded astonished that she could forget something so important, but it had totally slipped her mind. They were going to Diagon Alley today, just her and Ron. She was really exited at the idea of being there without her Father or Mother, who frowned on the idea (both of them were protective of their children; Molly more than Arthur in many cases). However, pointing out that they were clearly capable of taking care of themselves, and Ron nearly falling onto his knees begging, her mum had caved.

 

She rolled out of bed and groggily pulled on her slippers. Then, casting Ron a dirty look, she headed towards the bathroom to get ready.

 

Ginny was still half asleep when she walked down the stairs, twenty minutes later. She hated mornings. They were too bright and too early. But she could smell coffee and bacon, which was enough to get her out of the bathroom, and into the kitchen.

 

“Morning, dear.” Her mother was bustling around, offering her a somewhat cheerful smile, though with all they had been though in the last few weeks, it was hard to stay truly happy for very long. Ginny mumbled something incoherently, and took a seat at the table adjacent to Ron, who was already stuffing his face and reading the paper between bites. Lately there had been a lot of news on You-Know-Who’s return, though she didn’t understand why he had to read it in the paper, the Weasley family had first hand information about everything that was happening with the Dark Lord’s return. And the Prophet would only say what the Ministry wanted it to.

 

“Save some for me, please!” said Ginny, as Ron reached for another piece of bacon.

 

“Ifyer eer rleer verd bemoe,” he mumbled intelligently, as if it made the most sense in the world. She rolled her eyes and helped herself to some coffee (which Ron had never had a taste for, resulting in there always being enough for Ginny) and a piece of toast, which she buttered delicately. 

 

“Now,” her mother stated loudly, after they had finished eating and assembled in front of the large stone fireplace. “IF you don’t land in the right gate, don’t bother to look where you are, just take the extra Floo  powder I am giving you and come STRAIGHT home. I expect you both here before dinner tonight. Oh, and ask Fred and George if they want to come too, there will be plenty.”

 

“-Yes, mum-” they droned in unison.

 

“-And stick together-”

 

“-Yes mum-”

 

“-And if you feel like you are in danger, find the nearest fire place and Floo back to the burrow-”

 

“-Yes, mum-”

 

“-And if-“

 

“-Mum,” Ron interrupted, putting his hand, signaling her to stop, “We will be fine.” 

 

 “I’m sure you will, but it is always good to be prepared!” Ginny saw Ron roll his eyes, and had a sudden image of Moody in her mind screeching ‘CONSTANT VIGILANCE.’

 

“Now remember, clearly … ‘Diagon Alley,’” Molly said as if advising little children how to say a long word. This time it was Ginny who rolled her eyes. Ever since Harry had ended up in Knockturn Alley, her mother had made sure that they pronounce their destination correctly.

 

“Ok mum. Bye,” Ron said quickly, as he leaned over to give her a hug.

 

Ginny repeated that gesture, and grabbed a pinch of Floo powder. She stepped into the fire, and clearly said, “Diagon Alley.”

 

*

 

She coughed a little as the soot from the fireplace floated around her face. Remembering that Ron was probably on his way through the gate, she hurried out of the way, and seconds later, the tall redhead appeared in the emerald flames.

 

He choked on the ash, and Ginny laughed at him, which earned her a playful punch in the shoulder. “So … looks like it's just you and me,” He said.

 

“Yep,” she replied happily.

 

He grinned. “Cool. So, umm, do you even know where their shop is?”

 

“I thought that you did!”

 

“Absolutely NO idea!”

 

“What are we supposed to do?” She laughed at herself a bit, coming all the way to Diagon Alley to visit her brothers, and not knowing where to find them. Neville would be proud…

 

“Meh-” He shrugged “-It isn’t that big of a place … I’m sure that we will find it in no time.”

 

“Yeah, I bet you’re right,” she sighed. “Let’s just start looking for a big orange and blue sign that says ‘WWW’ on it. Won’t be too hard to spot.”

 

Ron nodded, as they stepped into the crowded wizarding community known as Diagon Alley.

 

*

 

Half an hour later, on the other side of the alley, Ginny spotted the sign which read, ‘Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, Guarantied Chaos!’

 

“Guarantied chaos?” Ron read questionably, “Well, I suppose, if they’re selling anymore of those fireworks …”

 

Ginny just smiled, and grabbed his wrist to pull him towards the shop. It was nice looking on the outside, a dark brown wood, with a sign over the door (WWW) and another one in the window, which read ‘Grand Opening Sale. Everything in the store 20% off until September 1^st !’

 

“Ahh, trying to make nice with the with the Hogwarts students before they have to go back to school,” Ron said reading over her shoulder as Ginny pulled him inside. It was packed with customers; there was barely a place to stand. Children were begging their parents to buy them something or other, and other people were looking in amazement at one of the everlasting fireworks floating above their heads. Ginny was glad to see that it didn’t sport a rude comment like the ones that had been floating around school. It was simply a red dragon that flew in circles; every once in a while shooting golden sparks from its mouth.

 

The people were everywhere, and Ginny was afraid that if she let go of Ron’s wrist, she would never see him again. Suddenly, a patch of electric blue hair caught her eye. That’s an odd choice of colour, she thought, very interesting though.

 

Ron seemed to have spotted the blue haired witch too, for he was staring at her with a curious look. “You know, I think that we might know …” As if to answer Ron’s statement, she turned around to reveal a familiar face.

 

“Tonks!” cried Ginny, finally letting go of Ron and running towards her.

 

“Hey, Gin,” she said. She quickly embraced her, while adding, “It is my cousin’s birthday next week, and I just had to check this place out! It’s pretty cool ‘eh?”

 

“Well, what can we say?"

 

“The owners are geniuses!” Ginny turned around to see her twin brothers standing a few feet away. They sandwiched her in a hug and let go only so she could breathe.

 

“So, what is our little sister doing all alone in London?” asked George, with mock concern.

 

“Oh, I’m not alone, Ron is here … somewhere,” she said, scanning the room. He was standing over by a large shelf full of sweets. Why isn’t this surprising? she asked herself. Quickly, telling the twins and Tonks that she would catch up with them later, she headed towards her youngest (and tallest) brother.

 

“Hey, I found Gred and Forge,” she said, coming up behind him.

 

“Mmhmm,” he half-heartedly muttered.

 

“Hello … Earth to Ronald!” She waved her hand in front of his face. “Are you still with us?”

 

“Hmm, Wha-?’” he said, irritated, as he came crashing back down to reality.

 

“I said I found the twins, if you want to say ‘hi’ or something,” she repeated, rather annoyed.

 

“Oh, umm, yeah, I’ll find them in a sec,” he said, going back to his own world.

 

“Ron!” she loudly exclaimed, annoyed that he wasn’t paying any attention to her. “What are you looking for?”

 

“Nothing!” he answered too quickly, and the tips of his ears turned slightly pink. Her face split into a grin, and she leaned against the shelf so she was facing him. He determinedly looked at the sweets about a foot above her head.

 

“Ohh, Ickle Ronnikins, are you embarrassed?”

 

“Gin, you have to stop hanging out with the twins. Two of then is enough!” But his ears didn’t return to their natural colour.

 

She smiled, taking this as a compliment “Well?”

 

“What?”

 

“Is it a girl?”

 

“What?!”

 

“Do I know her?”

 

“Know who?” he said, trying, and failing to look innocent.

 

“Ha! I was right … it is a girl!”

 

“I never said that.” He looked away, going even redder.

 

“You didn’t have to, I figured it out all by myself! So, do I know her?”

 

“Look, if you really must know, it’s Hermione’s birthday in September, and I am not going to have a chance to buy he something when we get our school supplies ‘cause she will be with us!” he nearly yelled. Luckily, the shop was so loud, no one around them noticed. He was visibly redder than at the beginning of their conversation.

 

“Well, that’s no big deal… unless…”

 

“There’s no unless!” he mumbled, gripping a box of something that he had pulled off the shelf.

 

“Fine. You know, Harry’s birthday’s first…”

 

“I already got him something,” he muttered.

 

“Oh, you could have just said that,” she said simply, “Unless …”

 

“There is NO unless!” he growled.

 

“Whatever you say.”

 

He glared at her, apparently choosing not to respond. She looked up at the box of sweets that he was holding (or crushing). “ ‘Rainbow Top Drops. Just pop one in your mouth, and your hair will turn all the colours of the rainbow for up to twelve hours’ … oh, yeah cause I’m sure that Hermione would just love to walk around with multi-coloured hair!” she said sarcastically.

 

“Do you have a better suggestion?” he asked impatiently.

 

“Actually, yes I do. And it isn’t here,” she answered matter-of-factly.

 

Ron glowered at her for a second, then looked down at the box and sighed. 

 

“Fine,” he said, unenthusiastically, replacing the box on the shelf. “But only after I get to look around a bit, OK?”

 

“Sounds good to me!”

 

“Hmm,” he mumbled, looking around the store.

 

“And I know just the place,” she continued, squealing, “It’s this great little shop, about five minutes from here. It is full of little things that she will love. I remember a few summers ago she sai-“

 

“Hey Gin.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Please shut up!”

 

 

   *

 

Half an hour later, after bidding goodbye to Fred, George and Tonks, they left the shop.

 

“So, where is this?” Ron asked, trying to sound like he didn’t care. He hoped that he was convincing.

 

“Umm … I think that it is just around that corner.”

 

“Ok,” he said, “What is in there that you think she will like so much?”

 

“Well, it has a bunch of stuff … just, wait ‘till we get there.”

 

They kept walking, looking in the shop windows as they went. “You aren’t taking me to a book store, are you? ‘Cause I think that she has enough of those.”

 

“Nope,” she answered, as they rounded the corner. “Better than that.” 

 

“Ok, good.”

 

“See, there it is,” Ginny said, pointing towards a shop with dusty red paint, and the words, ‘Adraylea’s Odds and Ends’ written on a sign above the door in gold. It had a window display case that was holding unusual necklaces, and quills in colours that he had never seen before.

 

“What is it?” he asked, looking at an ugly fuchsia quill with electric blue spots.

 

“It’s a shop, Ron. You buy things here,” she said sarcastically.

 

“I figured that, thanks,” he said, annoyed. “I meant what does it sell?”

 

“Well, just antiques and things … abnormal stuff!”

 

He gave her a skeptical look.

 

“Don’t worry! She will like it. And now you can get her a gift that actually means something, not just sweets or a book”

 

“I gave her perfume for Christmas!” he declared, instantly regretting it. He could feel the blood rush to his cheeks and ears.

 

“Yes, you did, didn’t you,” she said, smiling slightly.

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” More pink.

 

“Nothing.”

 

God I hate it when she does this. She is like one of the twins, only a girl, and therefore able to use her powers against me… he thought. As they entered the shop, bells jingled above their heads. Looking around he discovered that they were the only people in the entire place, not even a shopkeeper. There were shelves and tables that were full of knick-knacks, and rows of dress robes and other cloths along the back wall. Ron was looking at another quill, this time in jade green, with silvery and bronze stripes that coiled around it.

 

“Interesting …” he murmured to himself.

 

“Yes, well I found dat quill on my travels to Peru about 20 years ago,” a low voice with a thick African accent said. Ron jumped, and turned to see a dark, old witch with a long braid of gray and black hair that fell just above her waist, and was being held by a bronze butterfly. She had dark blue eyes, and was wearing the most interesting robes that he had ever seen, if you could even call them robes; They were deep red, which faded into a yellowish orange, giving the illusion of a sunset.

 

 “Of course, it is not my favorite. Dis one-” she said holding up a quill that looked like a peacock’s but was coloured deep orange, with a black, red and gold center, shaped like a zebra, “-Is my favorite … I am selling, dat is. Dere are a few in the back, dat I would never dream of parting wit. I obtained dis one when I lived in South Africa. We were on a mission to find a rare species of lion, whose blood had miraculous ‘ealing powers. I remember when-“ she cut herself off as she saw Ginny, lurking in the corner, looking at the dress robes.

 

“Ahh, child,” she said as she approached her, “Dose I found when I went to France, some fifty years ago. Dey fit me at dee time, but sadly, I have long since been unable to wear dem,” she said, examining the deep violet robes, which had a chain of delicate looking roses that made its way around the waist.

 

“Wow, they’re beautiful,” Ginny said looking at them closely. “But violet isn’t really my colour,” she said, sounding a bit disappointed, as she touched her flaming red hair.

 

“Well, dat is true … and we must find something dat will show-off your beautiful eyes!” Ginny smiled, as Ron coughed, and gave her a pointed look.

 

“Oh, right,” she said, remembering the real reason that they were there. “Uh, we’re actually looking for a gift for someone.”

 

“Aha, I see. Well, who are you looking for? What are dey like?” she asked Ron, who raised his eyebrows and pondered the response.

 

“Umm, lets see … she is a know it all, brainy, talkative, bookwo-“

 

“Ron! She is smart, and sophisticated,” Ginny said, shooting an annoyed look towards her brother.

 

“Err ... yeah, I guess that she is that too,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous fashion. The lady, presumably Adraylea, gave him a knowing look.

 

“Oh, I understand,” she said to him, giving him a wink.

 

“There’s nothing to understand,” he muttered under his breath, while Ginny laughed.

 

“Oh, isn’t there?” she whispered. Ron shot her a look.

 

“Well, dis might do,” said the witch, rummaging through a stack of little boxes. “Tell me young man, does dee girl you are buying for often wear jewelry?”

 

“I, umm, I-I … umm-” He glanced at his sister.

 

“No, she wears a pair small silver earrings, and sometimes a watch, but nothing else.”

 

“I see … so, she is not dee flashy sort. Good, I have dee perfect ting …” she said, pushing aside many boxes. Ron leaned forwards to see what she was looking for. “AHA!” she said, “Found it!”

 

“What is it?” Ron asked curiously. She opened the small, scarlet box, and pulled out a thin silver chain. There were four little silver charms on it.

 

“Wow, that is so pretty! And so Hermione,” Ginny said in an unusually girly voice. Ron gave her a look, and she regained her regular, cool composure.

 

“Erm …right,” Ron said, still giving her an odd look. He hadn’t seen Ginny so worked up over something like jewelry since she was thirteen.

 

“Yes, it is very pretty indeed. I found it on a trip to dee Christmas Islands in 1934. Each charm also has a story behind it. Dis one-“ she said, indicating a silver charm in the shape of a leaf, “-is for personal growth. It is said to help dee person who is wearing it identify their inner-self, and dis one-“ she said, showing off the charm shaped like a teardrop, “-Is meant to help dee owner though times when dere are many thoughts on dee mind, and not enough time to organize dem. And Deese two-“ she said holding up the last to charms, one was shaped like music note, the other was shaped like a heart, with a diminutive blue stone in the center, “Are meant to bring harmony and love. Dee blue stone in dee center can only be found on the islands. When put with dee heart, it means ‘True love’”

 

“Wow,” Ginny said, sounding impressed.

 

“Yeah,” Ron said, but he didn’t sound as impressed. He sounded worried. “How much does it cost, though?” He said, going slightly pink around the ears.

 

The lady surveyed him for a second, as if deciding if he was worthy. She smiled slightly, and handed him the box. “Two sickles.”

 

“WHAT! This must be worth more than that,” he said, completely surprised.

 

“W-ell … if you want to pay more …”

 

“No, no. Heh heh … thank you so much,” he said digging into his pocket, and fishing out two silver coins.

 

“Tank-you,” she said, and as he and Ginny were about to leave the store, she added, “Dis young lady is very lucky to have such a caring friend.” And with that she vanished into the back of the store.

 

 “Well, that was weird.” Ron said as they left the store.

 

“Yeah, but I was right, wasn’t I?” she said

 

“About what?”

 

“I knew where to find the perfect gift!” she said smugly. “Now, isn’t that better than sweets?”

 

“Well … I would have prefere-” he was cut off by Ginny punching him in the arm. “I’m just kidding. Thanks.” He would never admit it to her, of course, but she was pretty cool to have for a sister.

 

Fin