Ginny Weasley knew that she should be more careful of what she wished for.
"I want to do more!" Ginny had ranted to Neville Longbottom, after being forced to witness Alecto Carrow loudly extolling the virtues of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission; which was back in action after the break-in in the Ministry. Although Ginny had politely informed Alecto that she (Alecto) wore more mud than the Muggleborns ever associated with, Alecto, surprisingly, didn't take the comment too well – which was why Ginny was wincing with the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse.
It was as if they weren't getting anywhere; and resistance was a matter of principle rather than strategy. It certainly wasn't stopping daily torture in Hogwarts.
It was at this point, usually, that Luna Lovegood would've made an insightful comment that gave Ginny comfort, but as it was, she'd disappeared around Christmas. If Ginny hadn't had the younger students to protect, she'd have gone after Luna herself – risking her Mum's wrath, of course.
Unfortunately – or fortunately – for Ginny, the chance came – at the cost of a scratched arm, three squealing Slytherins, a black eye for Amycus Carrow, a shattered flagstone, a burnt banner-rug and a ruined shirt.
"Seriously?" Ginny demanded of her captor as she regained consciousness. "That's the fifth time this week." Ginny looked hopelessly at the torn stitching at the top of her shoulder. "There are only so many times I can put a clothes repairing charm on it. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly made of Galleons."
Voldemort, twirling his wand as he sat upon the noble crown of his great ancestor, looked down upon his captive – with floating letters proclaiming the word SURPRISE! Above his head. Voldemort gave one of his high, cruel laughs.
"Oh, for goodness sakes, Tom." Ginny said, looking up. "As if I wouldn't know it was you. And get down from there. My neck is still sore."
"Troubles with the Cruciatus?" Voldemort asked sympathetically.
Ginny nodded in the affirmative.
"Sorry." Voldemort said, not sounding apologetic in the least. "Compared to the Lestranges, the Carrows are rank amateurs… I should really get them replaced if I am to solidify my foothold in Hogwarts." Voldemort made his way down and sat on his ancestor's beard.
Ginny was grateful for the relief.
"By the way," Voldemort inquired. "I noticed someone has graffitied a phoenix on the wall with the message 'Dumbledore's Army Lives!' You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
"I've grown up in a family staunchly opposed to the Dark Arts. Harry Potter has been coming to my house since before my first year. Every chance I get, I am sure to fight the encroaching shadow of evil. I've fought Death Eaters on numerous occasions, and I can't resist the urge to speak up in my classes." Ginny listed. "I'm sure I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about."
"Oh…Sorry I asked." This time, Voldemort did look a little sorry. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've brought you here…" Voldemort trailed off, clearly wanting Ginny to ask him.
Ginny, of course, wasn't going to facilitate Tom so easily.
"Probably as part of some convoluted plan which will, due to the incompetence of your followers and your own arrogance will fail to achieve your ridiculous goal. As usual." Ginny couldn't help added a parting shot.
Voldemort looked quite disconcerted. "How did you know?" Voldemort tapped his head, as though worried his thoughts were leaking out.
"I don't know Legillimency, if that's what you're wondering." Ginny said, pausing as she considered the implications of a conversation with Voldemort. She still remembered how that had turned out the last time. Still, a semi-normal conversation was what she had at the moment, so she was going to try and make the best of it. "I've just learned to read people reasonably well over the years. Of course, you're not as full of surprises as you once were. I'm beginning to think you've run out of original material."
This was a mistake on Ginny's part, as Voldemort looked offended at the suggestion, and challenged to come up with a new, brilliant plan. Luckily, he already had one ready.
"I'll have you know," Voldemort began, "That my brilliant plan is already in motion."
"Which is it now?" Ginny asked. "Don't tell me we're on a fishing trip."
"Fishing trip?" Voldemort asked.
"I better not be bait." Ginny warned. "Because quite frankly, I'm sick of the idea."
"Oh." Voldemort said. "Well, you're not."
"Good." Ginny told him.
Voldemort took advantage of a lull in the conversation to steer it to what he wanted to talk about most: himself.
"The other day I had a little issue with the Dementors. They rather believed they could suck out my soul. Of course, being the Supreme Master of Darkness, I had no trouble with dealing with the problem." Voldemort laughed for some reason; as if the whole concept of a Dementor's kiss was irony to him.
Of course, Ginny Weasley wasn't exactly the kindest person in the world – especially not to soul-sucking Dark Wizards who masqueraded as pocket-sized friends.
"Quite unlike your capacity to deal with children." Ginny effectively shut up Voldemort's laughing. "You know Tom; I read that you've been accused of stealing candy from a baby. I would be glad to offer my services as legal counsel in your defence."
Voldemort's red eyes twitched with annoyance.
"Well, without a Patronus – and I seriously doubt I'd ever have the ability to make one – I am forced to consider alternative methods to ward off the Dementors. They're useful servants."
"Fascinating as the Dark Arts are." Ginny said with an eye-roll. "I don't see why you'd infiltrate Hogwarts and kidnap me just to tell me that."
Voldemort waved around a little, as if he was swatting away Ginny's waves of attitude. "Of course not, and if you'd shut up for once, I might get to what I'm on about."
The desire for information battled with the desire to make a snarky remark. Ginny settled for looking insolent for the moment.
"You see, in my quest for power, I have neglected some aspects of life that others find important. I've realised that that this has been an error on my part. So, I'm here to rectify the problem."
"You know Tom; you trying to fix things is probably going to make things worse."
"I'm not doing it alone. You're going to help me."
Ginny couldn't help an involuntary chill creep up her spine at Voldemort's statement. Quashing the feeling of fear and terror down, Ginny stared at Voldemort. She was not the helpless girl of her first year. She could – and would - stop Voldemort – whatever his sinister scheme might be.
Voldemort smirked in relish as he made to reveal his brilliant plan.
"I shall have your heir."
Ginny should've known that Voldemort would come up with something like that. Now she'd have to let him down (not that she expected Voldemort to be discouraged by that), for all the good it'd do.
"I really don't think…"
"Don't worry." Voldemort said kindly. "You're a Gryffindor. It comes with the territory."
"That's not what I meant." Ginny paused, frowning. "I didn't figure that you'd be one to want an heir…"
"Why stop at one?" Voldemort inquired to Ginny's raised eyebrow. "I'm going to have millions!"
Ginny blinked. It was one thing to have to unleash a gigantic serpent on her friends. It was one thing to have her soul violated by his evil maliciousness.
It was another thing entirely to have to give Lord Voldemort the Talk.
"Umm, Tom." Ginny began, embarrassed. It wasn't as if she was an expert on the subject – at all. "I don't think it works quite like you believe…"
"Of course it does, I, Lord Voldemort, have commanded it to be so. Therefore it shall be so."
Ginny rubbed at the bridge of her nose, taking the time to appreciate how surreal her life was at the moment.
"I'm sure you can, Tom." Ginny decided to let Voldemort stew in his delusions. "But I wouldn't be able to…"
"Oh, don't sell yourself short." Voldemort smiled at Ginny. On most people, it would be a pleasant gesture; but Lord Voldemort was not most people. "I wouldn't select you if you were incapable."
Well. That was that plan scuppered. Ginny wondered where Harry was – and what he'd think of Voldemort's latest plot.
"But surely there are others…more willing." Ginny tested. "Bellatrix, for example."
Ginny didn't think Voldemort would be worried about adultery. She was quite correct.
"Bella, whilst a loyal servant; is not suitable for this."
"And I am?" Ginny inquired. "Tom, you've gone insane. Insaner, if that's at all possible."
"You know, I'd much rather you called me Lord Voldemort." Voldemort said. "It is my name, after all."
"To some, perhaps. But you'll always be ickle Tommy to me. Besides, you frequently speak of yourself in the third person. You'll have to excuse me if I don't take your advice to heart."
"Lord Voldemort realises that he's been conversing with you without referring to Lord Voldemort in the third person. Lord Voldemort apologises for the mistake."
"How on earth have you managed to get this far?" Ginny asked, shaking her head.
"Well," Voldemort began. "Lord Voldemort can tell you how Lord Voldemort acquired his name."
"I know how. You used an anagram spell on your name."
Voldemort, who had moved to stand next to Ginny, elbowed her side. "Oh, Merlin! It's as if we're soulmates!" He then proceeded to chuckle as if he'd made a very clever joke.
Ginny could only place her hand on her face. Rubbing her brows, she turned – and stepped back away – from Voldemort.
"But seriously." Voldemort said, calming down. "The name's based in French. I won't tell you what it means; but the T on the end is supposed to be silent."
"So your name is Voldemore?" Ginny asked. "No thanks, there's too much of you already."
"Of course." Voldemort replied, sounding irked. "But everyone – I mean, everyone who dares call me my name - says VoldemorT! By Salazar's Beard, it's annoying!"
"The T is silent. Why haven't you said anything before?"
"Well, I thought it was rather obvious, and by the time I realised it wasn't, it was too late to change it." Voldemort paused. "At least, I thought so until recently – you see, I've put a Taboo on my name. Most people think I did it to catch Witches and Wizards who oppose me; but that's just a beneficial side-effect."
"How fascinating." Ginny said, feeling a headache coming on.
"I know. Anyway, back to the subject of my heir, if we could get started…"
"Oh no!" Ginny quickly replied, stalling for time. "You can't just get started. There are a lot of factors that have to be taken into account…."
"You know, that's what Severus said…" Voldemort mused. "I didn't listen to him, because hey, what would he know?"
"The most important thing is love." Ginny said sagely.
"That again?" Voldemort asked, sounded irritated.
"Yes. And seeing as you don't love me, and I certainly don't love you; I'm afraid it will never work."
Voldemort looked disappointed. "I suppose I love power. Do you think that counts?"
"I don't think so…"
"Oh…" Voldemort replied, downcast. Subsequently, his expression brightened. "Well, no sense in not trying!" Voldemort declared, striding forward purposefully.
Ginny immediately tensed further. She mightn't have had her wand; but it would be a foolish person to assume that meant she couldn't defend herself.
Voldemort though, wasn't a complete idiot. He backed off. "I've heard that it's better if you're not tense…" he explained.
"That's uncharacteristically kind of you…" Ginny said, fully aware that Voldemort and Kindness were the same poles of two magnets.
"Anyway," Voldemort explained, "It was the Dementors that made me come to you…"
"The Dementors…"
"Well, they didn't exactly say 'Go to Ginny Weasley', but I figured it out." Voldemort looked proud. "It took a lot of research, of course – which is why I selected you."
"But what's this got to do with your heir?"
"Well, it'll ward off the Dementors..." Voldemort said, looking at Ginny with an odd expression. "You don't do that?"
"Heaven forbid, no!" Ginny replied, looking outraged. She really shouldn't have been surprised.
"Goodness." Voldemort said, looking quite confused. "Never?" His expression changed to one of hope. "But if that's the case, you won't have use of them…"
"Where on earth did you get the idea that your heirs could ward off Dementors…" Ginny inquired.
"Not ward them off; warn them off. Like the warning signs in nature – do not touch."
"I still don't get it." Ginny said. She didn't mean to be obtuse, it just came naturally.
"Dementors want to suck out your soul…" Voldemort ventured.
"Yes…"
"And what is the colour of your heir?"
"My he… My hair! Tom, you moron!"
"Ginger, of course. And everyone knows gingers have no souls."
"You wanted to use my hair? And, sorry to disappoint you, Tom." Ginny said, not sorry in the least. "But gingers do have souls."
"Oh, man…" Voldemort said, sounding disheartened. "Bummer…"
"One thing though…" Ginny asked. "Why did you say heir instead of hair?"
"I wanted a silent letter…"
Ginny could only facepalm.
"Hey!" Voldemort said brightly. "I've got another idea!"
"What now?" Ginny asked, not sure if she wanted to know.
"Do you think if I banned skirts, some people," Voldemort said ominously, referencing Harry. "Won't be able to hide behind the ones worn by better witches and wizards…"
Ginny thought she'd better keep silent rather than debate Voldemort on this one.
"Hold that thought." Voldemort said. His mark was burning. "It seems like my loyal Death Eaters have got him!"
"Don't bother." Ginny said, as Voldemort hurried off. "He'll be gone by the time you get there."
Voldemort looked chagrined. He shuffled off, before remembering that he had a portkey to the Manor in his pocket.
Ginny hadn't managed to wound Voldemort; but she had gotten her wand back – as well as succeeding in pinching his. She also managed to put a couple of pro-goodness and lightness messages on his robes – 'Help, I'm obsessed with a teenage boy' and 'I 3 Muggles'. It wasn't much, but as Luna said, the little things counted…