[HP] Complex Touch

"Have you read the Daily Prophet?"

"Hmm. Those Muggles who got killed...it was horrible."

"I've heard that the Ministry of Magic is starting to hire fresh graduates as Aurors. After a few months of training, they're thrown into battle."

"A battlefield? Is there a battlefield? They didn't write about it in the Daily Prophet."

Ginny opened her eyes, surprised to find that she had fallen asleep on the train from Hogwarts to King's Cross.She usually can't sleep.She rubbed her eyes and looked around the car.

Remus, Lily, and James were still talking; the expressions on their faces made Ginny think they were three old friends.Peter sat next to Remus, opposite Ginny, reading the Daily Prophet with wide eyes.Sirius had his arm around Ginny, snoring softly.His face was pressed against the window, and Ginny was sure he was drooling.She smiled slightly.

"My dad is an Auror," James said to Lily. "He shouldn't have told me. There's a war going on out there, and the Ministry won't let the Daily Prophet report it. He told me they didn't want the public to be scared."

Ginny's smile faded away, and she frowned, the words sounded familiar.

"Feels unreal, doesn't it? There's a war going on and we don't even notice because we're safe at Hogwarts," Lily said palely. "Muggles are targeted because they can't do magic."

Remus and James looked at the helpless Lily, not knowing how to react.She must have noticed the silence, for she sat up straight and put on a mask.She looked no longer afraid, but embarrassed.Remus reached out a friendly hand and touched Lily's knee lightly.

"Your family will be fine," he told her.

"How do you know?" Lily asked.

"Lily." James whispered her name, and they looked at each other.

Although there were four other people in the carriage besides Lily and James, Ginny suddenly felt as if she had intervened in a very personal moment.There was something indescribable but very touching in the way James looked at Lily.Even Remus, who was participating in the chat, blushed and looked away.At this moment, he found that Ginny was listening to their conversation.

"Ah, you're awake!"

Only then did Lily and James look away from each other, Lily seemed to relax a little, and she turned to Ginny.The atmosphere and topics in the carriage became more comfortable.

"We're almost there," the Student Council President said simply, but she smiled. "I really want to see my family, we haven't seen each other for so long."

"Yes." James leaned back on the seat and raised his arms. "My parents wanted to meet you two at the station. They said they didn't want immoral women to spend the holiday with them."

Ginny smiled and slapped James on the arm.Lily looked terrified.

"No!" Lily yelled.

The girls' reaction made Remus smile.

"Of course not. My mom was glad I brought the two ladies home, what did she say?" James cleared his throat, trying to imitate his mother. "'Who's going to like you four rotten boys.'"

"We are not full of bad water." A weary voice said suddenly. "We were just misunderstood."

"Listen, listen!" James yelled, reaching out and shaking Sirius by the shoulder.

Sirius opened one eye and looked at his friend, grinning like a wolf.When Sirius was fully awake, he opened his other eye and bit Ginny's ear teasingly, and the train started to slow down.Ginny giggled and pushed Sirius away.

"I'm going to another compartment to get my suitcase." Lily stood up. "See you after Christmas?"

Although she was asking everyone in the carriage, her eyes turned to Ginny.Although Lily was spending more time with the Marauders now, and they accepted her as easily as Ginny had done before, she seemed terrified of being alone with the four boys at once.But she's been treating their best friend like a pack of shit for years, and you'd feel the same way.Ginny nodded.

"Merry Christmas, Lily," Ginny replied. "I'm so excited to be with you in the new year with these boys."

Lily and James laughed together.

"I'll go with you." James also stood up and took his luggage from the overhead rack. "Sirius, before Ginny elopes with the Weasleys, make sure she meets my parents, okay?"

"Well, of course," Sirius said.

James and Lily left the car with the sound of farewell.The train was almost at a complete stop now, and Remus stood up, taking both his and Ginny's suitcases down.Ginny smiled at him, and he winked at her.

"Ah, Ginny, can you hold your wicked cat?" Sirius hissed, and the kitten glared at him.

Crookshanks was placed next to Sirius' schoolbag.Ginny tiptoed, grabbed Crookshanks, and hugged the kitten to her chest.

"You didn't bring a suitcase, Sirius," said Ginny, packing Crookshanks into her purse.

Thank goodness her purse could hold a kitten, as Ginny didn't have the sort of Crookshanks Hermione had.Ginny froze at the sudden thought of Hermione, who hadn't thought of her for a long time.What are Harry, Ron and Hermione doing?Facing danger for the sake of the wizarding world?

"—there's enough clothes at Potter's house that I don't need a suitcase. There's really no need."

Ginny blinked, looked up and pretended to smile, she didn't hear Sirius.Remus glanced at her, then was drawn to Peter, who had just balled up the Daily Prophet and dropped it on the floor.

"Can you imagine?" Peter trembled.

Sirius, Ginny and Remus all looked at Peter curiously.

"What's the matter, Peter?" Remus asked slowly.

"With so much power...you can destroy a family of wizards and Muggles in the blink of an eye, and no one can stop you...that kind of power..." Peter's voice was getting weaker and weaker, although his voice was full of obvious disgust, but there is something else in it.

Sirius frowned, picked up Ginny's suitcase, and was about to leave.

"Wormtail," Sirius said as he opened the door of the carriage. "It's not a good thing to have that much power."

"I know!" replied Peter, looking wide-eyed at his friend.

Ginny couldn't help staring at Peter.There was longing buried beneath his disgusted voice, and she felt a little sick.She also understood why he would not remain faithful to his friend.

"He meant," Remus smiled softly at Peter, before Sirius said. "Voldemort will be killed eventually. A single wizard cannot handle that much power. The Ministry just needs to be ready to catch him in one fell swoop."

Before Ginny noticed, Sirius had walked into the aisle.Ginny said goodbye to Remus and Peter quickly, and ran down the aisle, after Sirius.When she caught up with him, he naturally took her hand and smiled at her.They squeezed their way through the crowded aisle until they finally found a door that would allow them to get out of the car.The scene outside took Ginny by surprise.

Ginny hadn't seen so many people at King's Cross for a long time.In her day, there were very many students who did not return to Hogwarts.When she took the train back to Hogwarts for her sixth form, there were not so many people at King's Cross.Ginny watches the child and parent reunion with envy.The children squealed with joy and quickly told their parents stories about their school days.

Sirius walked on, he was used to this kind of uproar.As if he knew where the Potters would be, after a few minutes, Sirius walked up to two adults who looked very similar to James.Ginny glanced at them at once. They were the grandparents of the boy she loved.They all had friendly faces, but they hadn't noticed Sirius and her coming.

"Hello." Sirius greeted, and the parents looked at him in surprise.

"Oh, Sirius!" The woman smiled and gave him a hug.

Mr. Potter looked at them with a smile, and then he noticed Ginny.He stepped forward, letting his wife continue fussing over Sirius.

"You must be Ginny," said Mr. Potter, holding out his hand to Ginny.

She nodded and shook his hand.She noticed that Mr. Porter looked older than most parents of only children.Most of his hair had gone gray, but Ginny could still see some black hair.His face was lined with lines, but, Ginny found, it was hard to notice when he smiled.Although he is no longer young, he is very handsome.

"Ah, a firm grip. You're clearly a Quidditch player." Mr. Potter let go of her hand. "I'm James' father, Edward. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Ginny replied. "And you?"

"I'm fine despite the bad weather. Glad the boys are home."

After he finished speaking, Sirius joined the conversation.

"Aurora told me that you two peeked at the first meeting between James and Lily's parents?" He asked playfully and happily.

"Aurora! How could you lie to our son's good friend like this?" Mr. Potter looked at his wife, asked with a smile, and then looked at Ginny. "We never peek at our son. Never peek."

Mrs. Potter shook her head, but she was also chuckling.She put her arms around her husband's waist, leaned against him, and tilted her head to look at Ginny.

"Are you Sirius' girlfriend?" Mrs. Potter asked kindly.

Ginny hadn't expected Mrs. Potter to say that to her first, and she opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again.She felt that she had been speechless too many times recently.Sirius didn't make the atmosphere awkward, he grabbed Ginny's wrist and pressed a melting kiss on her lips.When he let go of her, she felt her face burn.

"That answers your question—oh! What's the matter?" Sirius yelled, rubbing his arm.

"Nice first impression," Ginny hissed, hitting Sirius again. "Before I said a word to her, you made out with me!"

Ginny glanced at the Potters, ready to explain or apologize, but was surprised to see them laughing again.

"Exactly as I thought," said Mrs. Potter softly. "Sirius will only bring back a girl who knows how to handle him."

"Yes." Ginny said timidly. "After growing up with my older brothers, I've learned how to deal with boys."

Mrs. Potter nodded, wisely not asking about Ginny's family, and Ginny didn't even realize she had slipped up.Sirius seemed pleased that the first meeting had gone so well, and he turned to Ginny.

"The Prewett twins warned me not to keep you too long," he said. "I see them over there. Want me to walk you there?"

Ginny looked in the direction he was pointing.She could see a tall, lean, red-haired man standing in the distance, and her heart tightened.Is that her father?

"No... I'll just go by myself. See you after Christmas." She tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye, nice to meet you."

The Potters also bid her farewell.

"I'll see you after Christmas, dear. Merry Christmas," Mr Potter said to her. "be safe."

Ginny nodded, took her suitcase from Sirius, and walked to where her father was.Her heart was beating faster and faster, and her palms were sweaty.It was the first time she had seen her family in months.The last time she heard her father speak was the night before she left for school.That seems like a long time ago.

She was there all of a sudden.The Prewett twins, a little boy and her father stood before her.They didn't notice her.Fabian was chatting with her father, happily asking about his sister's pregnancy.Gideon hugged and tossed the little boy, who didn't look like six, up and down, and the boy shrieked.

"Mom!" the boy called, his blue eyes sparkling.

Hearing the boy's cry, Gideon lowered him safely to the ground, brushed the hair from his face, and rushed to introduce Ginny to his family.The little boy hopped up and down behind him.

"Arthur, this is Ginny," Gideon said, tugging at the tall man's arm.

Ginny couldn't help feeling very surprised.Her father stood before her, healthier than she remembered.He hasn't bald yet, and there are only faint fine lines on his face.He grinned, gave Ginny a familiar smile, and nodded.

"You look like Molly," said her father, his eyes shining. "Are you sure you want to spend Christmas with us? We're a pretty rowdy bunch."

Ginny couldn't help laughing, and she nodded.

"I don't know where else I can go." She whispered, her heart clenched even tighter.

"It is to have this kind of spirit!" Fabian said, and picked up the little boy. "Charlie, she's not your mother. She's Ginny. She's going to spend Christmas with us."

Charlie smiled at Ginny.He is missing some teeth and has freckles on his face.It seemed strange to Ginny to see her brother as a child.It's an unreal experience.

"Hello, Charlie," Ginny greeted.

She couldn't believe that she didn't cry when she spoke to her father and brother.However, the pain in her chest let her know that she was not in shock yet.

"Hi, Ginny!" said Charlie. "You look like my mother!"

"I've heard," replied Ginny, her smile deepening.

"Is that a cat?" Charlie cried, breaking free from his uncle's arms and running over to Ginny.

He pulled Crookshanks out of Ginny's bag, and the kitten stared at him at Charlie's rough hands and feet.His small face was full of surprise, and he moved closer to Crookshanks' face.

"Charlie! Don't catch other people's cats!" Arthur sighed. "I'm sorry, Ginny, but he's obsessed with animals and can't help himself. He's usually pretty good."

"Yes." Gideon snorted. "You need to worry about Bill."

"Okay, let's go back to the Burrow. Molly's making lunch." Arthur smiled at Ginny, who didn't know what to say.

She is going home.