I confess, I get rather disappointed and disapproving when in a book substantial time passes without any reference to that period at all, but as the weeks that passed were considerably routinely and repetitive, I deem it pointless to have chapters and chapters about them when hardly any information is being given to the reader. So yes, months went by, extraordinarily quickly. October arrived with that annual icy chill that comes with it - by late November snow swirled in, freezing Hogwarts' inhabitants even more. People go about with there cloaks wrapped tightly around them and their hands shoved into their pockets. Professor Snape's behavior is even more terrible - I am engulfed in extreme disapprobation at the fact that he neglects to put effort into warming up his classroom - well, I suppose he would grasp any opportunity at giving his students displeasure. Though I am behaving badly again. I am not giving the respect I ought to to a teacher. I just hope my irrepressible dislike of Professor Snape is not revealed physically. Feeling so mentally is enough.
Yesterday I dragged a reluctant Ginny to the Hospital Wing and insisted that Madam Pomfrey give her some Pepperup Potion - I asked her if Ginny suffered from a sickness like a cold but she said she didn't have any symptoms, and if I was worried she must only be physiologically unwell, but what could be bothering her inwardly? Homework? Friendship, maybe? But no, she does have quite a few friends, except she hasn't really been hanging out with them lately. I suddenly wondered if one of her friends had been harsh and she was distraught at that. But then, with a feeling of sudden realisation, I remembered how Ginny had been depressed just three weeks after her arrival at school. She couldn't continue to be sad about a broken friendship still. Or could she? Well, who were her friends? Her main one was Linny, I girl of whom I did not know much about. If she had other friends I don't think they could distress her like this. They simply wouldn't be close enough. I confirmed that later I would confront this Linny and see if she had upset Ginny like this.
Later in the afternoon, after searching the castle for half-an-hour, I found the person I was trying to locate. The blue-eyed, congenial brunette caught my eye walking briskly down some stairs as I appeared on a landing after coming through a door. I hurried forward but abruptly halted as the staircase before me moved and I narrowly avoided toppling off the edge. After hastily recovering myself I impatiently awaited the next item of conveyance. I exhaled irritably as another staircase provided me passage downwards, but Linny was some way away now. I hastened down this way and that, again having to wait for another staircase of transport. Finally I caught her on the marble staircase and captured her attention by calling loudly, "Linny!"
She looked around, startled. I skidded to a halt before her and after gasping for air a moment, said breathlessly, "Linny." She watched me as I straightened, flattened my prefect badge onto my chest and tidied my hair before continuing. "The reason for this unceremonious confront of mine I will explain now," I said grammatically and clearly. "I mean to ask you - have you (perhaps, purposely) upset my younger sister Ginny, for some hurtful reason? Because I have noticed she has definitely not been her bouncy, sociable self lately, and I am concerned. I wondered whether you have damaged her spirits. She has been peculiarly like this three weeks after she arrived here, and I certainly don't want her to be depressed in her first year. She is only eleven, inexperienced, and lacks independence." I eyed her suspiciously. "Have you...?"
"No!" Linny denied my accusations immediately. I exhaled huffily, not believing her. She noticed my attitude and continued, "why on earth would I want to upset Ginny? And why would I?" Anxiety flashed across her face. "What's she like?" She asked worriedly.
I considered sticking up my nose and refusing to tell her yet I decided to relent. "She's just not herself," I said reluctantly. "Absently anxious. Madam Pomfrey says she's not physically bothered, but mentally. I am unable to comprehend it. I thought maybe you had done something."
"I would never deliberately physiologically hurt Ginny in any way," Linny said defensively. She sighed. "Poor Ginny."
I believed her honesty to be genuine. "Yes," I agreed. "I must look into it further. I - well, it must not be you then. I admit it was quite hasty and silly of me to assume so quickly. I am sorry." I moved away. "Well, good bye then, you must be getting off to your class."
"Oh, yes, Charms," Linny said, smiling. "See you."
"Bye." And I briskly departed. No, I confirmed inwardly, it was not Linny. But then what was bothering Ginny?