A/N: I've decided to start writing once more. This story is going to be rated M for language and content of the story. In time I will begin to re-write and update Auburn Lightning, so for those readers, an update will arrive shortly.

I don't own anything from Harry Potter. All this story contains is my twisted version of what happened, based on the stories by J.K. Rowling.

In the Midst of Evil

Chapter 1- Afternoon Tea

It was a chilly day in Godric's Hollow. Valentine's Day had just passed, and the atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. Many people, mainly Muggles, were settling in front of their televisions to watch daytime TV. Nobody wanted to leave the warmth and comfort of their homes; families blissfully ignored the wind that was rattling their windows and which created miniature dust tornados on the streets.

The curious fact about Godric's Hollow, however, was that there were two houses that belonged to certain people who possessed extraordinary abilities. Both houses belonged to people whom the wizarding community was extremely knowledgeable about. In one, lived Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley; the other was where Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley resided. Although both buildings housed witches and wizards, the two separate families appeared perfectly normal to their Muggle neighbors. The only odd fact was that neither household appeared to use the cars parked outside their homes more than once or twice a year. The Muggle residents of Godric's Hollow merely dismissed this fact as the households being environment-friendly. Little did these ignorant Muggles know, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny tended to travel by Floo, broomsticks, or Apparition.

Now, on this particularly chilly February afternoon, a woman of around sixty was standing on the sidewalk directly across the street from the Potter household. No Muggle paid any attention to her: even though she was a witch, she was smartly dressed in a white blouse, black tweed pants, and a dark blue jacket, in which her wand was stowed. She was wringing her hands nervously and kept glancing from the house opposite her to the small silver wristwatch clasped to her left arm.

Then, when the watch showed the time as being exactly 2:00 in the afternoon, the woman subconsciously fiddled with a beautiful locket that was hanging around her neck and crossed the street. She knocked on the red front door and waited.

At first it would have seemed as if no one was home, but the woman waited patiently. After two minutes, footsteps could be heard and then suddenly the door was wrenched open. A young woman in her early twenties who had a mass of shockingly red hair peered out. The older of the two ladies smiled politely.

"Hello. You must be Ginny Weasley. How do you do?" Ginny just stared. Despite the silence, the old woman continued to smile serenely. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments, but then Ginny suddenly exhaled sharply and said, "I don't mean to be rude, but how the hell didn't we know you were coming?"

The woman with the necklace chuckled slightly and replied, "I am a very talented witch, miss Weasley."

"Obviously," Ginny muttered. "We must've put a hundred different sensory charms on this place." She looked intently into the old woman's face. "What is your name?" She asked.

"I am most commonly known as Tracey Stevens, dear." Tracey took a deep breath and bowed her head slightly. "These must be hard times for you and Harry. I know you do not trust many, but I am trustworthy. I have something I need to tell you and Harry. It is the story of my life, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss it."

"How can we be sure you aren't…"

"Trying to kill you and Harry? You can't be, but if it would put your mind at ease I will take Veritaserum without complaint." Tracey pulled out a flask that was filled with clear liquid and gave it a little shake. "I assure you, Ginny, that you will not be disappointed when you hear my tale."

"Well," said Ginny after a moment's hesitation, "I'll trust you. With the charms on this place, you'd be crazy to try to kill us anyways."

Ginny opened the door wider to allow the woman to walk in. Tracey stepped over the threshold and looked around. The front entry was clean and handsome. Dark wood floors were polished, and a wide staircase winded itself towards the second floor of the house. A mirror dominated the wall to the left of Tracey, and pictures of Ginny and Harry's friends and family were placed around the narrow room. Their inhabitants waved happily from between the frames, and Tracey smiled slightly.

"You have a beautiful home," Tracey murmured.

Suddenly, a noise from the end of the hall destroyed the moment. Harry Potter came running out of a door at the far end of the room, looking at Tracey intently.

"Ginny, are you stupid? What the hell are you doing?"

"It's okay, Harry. This is Tracey; she says she has something interesting to tell us. I thought I'd invite her in for our afternoon tea."

Harry looked at Ginny incredulously. "Did you have a personality change overnight or something? You just let a stranger into our home!"

"She's alright, Harry," said Ginny with an air of finality. Harry let out a whoosh of air and shrugged.

"If she kills us, Ginny, it's your fault."

Harry trudged back into the room he had barreled out of earlier, and Tracey glimpsed that it was a kitchen. She took off her boots and jacket and followed Ginny through a door to their right. A fire crackled merrily and squashy armchairs formed a pattern around it. Ginny gestured to a chair, and Tracey sat down. Ginny took a seat in a loveseat directly opposite her and watched. The flames made the only noise as the two women sat. After a few minutes, Harry walked into the room with a tray floating in front of him. With a wave of his wand it landed gently on a table. A second wave had the tea pouring and serving itself to the three people in the room.

He sighed. "What is your name?"

"Tracey Stevens. I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Potter."

"Ninety percent of which was probably lies," said Harry darkly. "So what's the purpose of your visit today?"

"I'm here to tell you the story of my life. It's as simple as that."

Harry snorted slightly. "Not meaning to be rude, but what's so special about your life story as to disturb my girlfriend and myself? Is that all you're here for?"

Tracey smiled sadly. "I'm not saying my life is particularly special or unique… but I'm also here to clear my name. I will not die with a bad reputation."

Harry and Ginny glanced at each other. "What exactly is it," Ginny started slowly, "that you have done to earn a bad reputation?"

"I loved Tom Riddle."

Ginny spluttered into her tea, causing hot liquid to spill onto her skirt. Harry, on the other hand, dropped his teacup, which smashed on the carpet. He stood up and glared at Tracey angrily. "Get out of my house, now," he said quietly, watching Tracey's every move.

"You misunderstand me." Tracey kept her composure while Ginny waved the spilt tea away with a flick of her wand and fixed the broken teacup with a muttered reparo. "I was never a Death Eater. I never had any intention of becoming one of Voldemort's servants." Tracey paused, then added for good measure, "I was in Ravenclaw house at Hogwarts."

Harry seemed to relax at this new piece of information. He didn't take his eyes off Tracey, but he did sit back down in his seat. He ran a hand through his hair and glared at Tracey once more. Ginny, however, was looking at Tracey with a sort of wild intensity.

"Dumbledore always told us that Voldemort could never love. That was his weakness! He told us!"

"Tom's love for the Dark Arts was greater than his love for me. It's as simple as that."

"That's so tragic…" Ginny muttered.

"Ginny! Are you seriously sympathizing with a woman who claims she loved Voldemort?"

"Harry, I know Voldemort was an evil, evil wizard. But if Tracey is telling the truth, then it shows that even the cruelest of people can have a soft spot. I think we should listen to her. She said she wanted to clear her name, and we should give her that opportunity." Ginny glanced at Tracey and smiled.

"Fine. We'll listen to you. But one odd move and you'll find a dozen curses being shot at you within three seconds." Harry slumped back into his chair and waited.

"Thank you. Both of you," she bowed her head slightly. "I will start from the beginning, because my childhood has much to do with the rest of my life."

And so, Ginny curled up against Harry, and together they began to listen to the only person who truly loved Tom Riddle tell the tale of her life.