"My lord, it is done."

Voldemort smiled, gleaming snakelike fangs protruding from his mouth. "Excellent. The old fool is dead. Wormtail!"

The man formerly known as Peter Pettigrew scampered to his masters side, looking up more in fear than in reverence. Voldemort decided this was a good thing. There was value in respect, but with men such as Pettigrew, fear is a much more effective emotion to use to his advantage.

"M-m-master?" Pettigrew stuttered.

Voldemort looked down at the pathetic man groveling at his feet. It would soon be different. A new world, an ordered world. One where power is to be feared and respected, where those unworthy would know their place. Talent and magical prowess are all good and well, but it would not do to have those with power, with talent to be left unchecked. Personally, Voldemort had really no problem with mudbloods. They were a nuisance, yes, but more so because they did not hold the same traditions, culture and superstitions pureblooded wizards and witches held. They were more open minded... and less susceptible to be swayed by his half truths and superstitious preaching.

It was nothing personal. But when power over the world was at stake, one did not take chances with free thinkers.

"It is time we played with your "best friend's" son a little more Wormtail... now tell me, you were with that Weasley boy for a good 9 years. Besides him and the mudblood, who else could we use?"

"M-m-master... the boy... never got as close to anyone else... there is one girl he fancied in third year... Cho Chang... but they are not together."

"Take her anyways." Voldemort ordered. "Use her if we can, kill her if we cannot."

"Y-y-yes master."

With a pop, Pettigrew disappeared. Voldemort looked over at a few hooded figures. "Now that the trash is gone..." He received a few chuckles for his troubles. "When will Snape and Bellatrix be back?"

"Soon Master."

Just as the words left the mook's mouth, several pops announced the arrival of his Hogwarts infiltration team.

"Ahh, the prodigal child returns. Welcome back... Draco Malfoy." Voldemort humored the boy. He knew full well that the Malfoys were all bark and little to no bite. He allowed the boy a few moments to bask in his glory... then quickly brushed him aside, turning his attention to those who mattered. "Severus... I trust the second part of the mission I gave you went as smoothly as young Draco's task?"

"Indeed my lord." Snape bowed deeply. "It seems young Mister Potter has developed quite a fanclub this year, however... he did not take fancy to any of them... instead turning his affections onto one young Ginny Weasley. However, sadly, Potter has decided that in order to 'protect' his love, he would have to break up with her."

Voldemort, and just about everyone present, laughed mirthfully. Voldemort almost pitied Dumbledore. The stupidity of the Chosen One was almost exemplary.

"Has he distanced himself from this girl?"

"He has my lord." Snape replied. "In fact, he plans on not returning to Hogwarts next year, instead, choosing to hunt down the remainder of your horcruxes. Potter may be Dumbledore's favorite, but his emotions and mind remain an open book to anyone who cares to look."

Voldemort's eyes flared briefly before he squashed the remnants of fear and anger within him. It would not do for him to show anger in front of his inferiors.

"Very well... let him go. He will not get far. Bellatrix."

"Yes my lord."

"Find the Weasley girl... bring her to me. It is imperative that you BRING her to me. You will not cause collateral damage, you will not kill anybody. You will find the girl, you will go in, and you will BRING HER TO ME. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes my lord! I am your most faithfu-"

"Go."

Bellatrix disappeared in a flash of black. Voldemort smiled inwardly. Simple, lost souls like Bellatrix Lestrange were among the easiest to mold, and there really is no comparison in the value of her loyalty. Snape on the other hand...

"Severus..."

"Yes my lord?"

"You have done well."

"My lord is too kind, there is still much more I can still do."

Voldemort smiled. "That will not be necessary."

He raised his wand.

---

He loves her... he truly loves her... he's only doing this because he loves her...

Ginny didn't know if she was any closer to convincing herself that Harry breaking up with her was the right thing to do, but repeating the mantra over and over again in her head at least distracted her long enough.

She knew it was going to happen eventually. Harry was like that; he was noble. He thought he could protect everyone by pushing them away. By making all outwards appearances seem like he no longer cares.

They say the best spies are ones without close family and friends... when being hunted for information, the enemy had nobody to use for leverage. Ginny understood that concept, but she felt despite that, Harry was not helping anybody by keeping himself isolated from the only power he possessed that Voldemort did not: love.

Just then, alarms rang out through the Burrow. Ginny immediately had her wand out. Throughout the house, she could hear her brothers and her parents jumping to alert as well. Together, the Weasley clan descended the stairs, wands at the ready. Magical energy crackled in the air as adrenaline pumped through everyone's veins. Slowly, gently, Arthur Weasley magicked the front door open...

...and everyone groaned as a stray garden gnome hurled itself into the Weasley living room. It's been happening for a few weeks now, ever since they got back. The garden gnomes had apparently started to act up ever since Dumbledore died; her mum believed that it was because magical creatures can sense imbalances and concentrations of dark magic in the world. Ginny just felt that the garden gnomes were simply acting up just because. She walked over to the twitching gnome since it landed right near her feet during it's impressive leap into the living room and reached down for it, intent on hurling it into the middle of the Atlantic.

---

"STUPEFY!"

Ginny Weasley collapsed in a heap, clutching the now disenchanted muggle garden gnome. Bellatrix kicked the contraption away in disgust. Muggles in their infinite wisdom had apparently saw fit to make plastic replicas of garden gnomes to display in front of their homes. Bellatrix would've much preferred to saunter into the Weasley home and slaughter the entire blood traitorous lot on her way to grabbing the girl, unfortunately her sister had insisted this would be the most discrete method... stealing a muggle garden gnome, animating it to hurl itself towards the Weasley girl and have it serve as a portkey.

The Weasley girl was so dazed by her sudden transportation by portkey that she barely had time to gasp before she was stunned. Bellatrix levitated the girl's limp body, conjured a set of ropes and firmly secured the girl. Then grasping the girl by the arm roughly, she turned on the spot and disappeared, taking the redheaded girl with her.

As Bellatrix vanished, the garden gnome rolled gently down the sloped lawn where the death eater once stood, stopping only when the lifeless body of its former owner stopped it. Moments later, it burst into flame, consuming the poor muggle man, his dead wife, their dead children, the dead cat, the lawn, the house, everything.

---

"I have returned with the girl master."

Voldemort knew how to smile when circumstances to do so presented themselves. This was certainly one of them. He held out his arm towards Bellatrix who eagerly took it and placed wet kisses upon it. He let the woman indulge herself for a second before withdrawing.

"You have done well..." He said. "Go rest, you deserve it. Soon all our plans will come to fruition and you shall stand beside me as I take my rightful place in the world."

Bellatrix Lestrange nearly orgasmed at Voldemort's words. She gleefully pranced off, leaving Voldemort to deal with Potter's little girlfriend how he pleased.

Voldemort looked at the young, unconscious girl. He probed her, fed upon her memories, opened her emotions and read them as a book. One glance and he knew she was the one he needed. Voldemort glanced over at two of his death eaters.

"You two... take Miss Weasley to her chambers. Make SURE she remains well fed, alive, comfortable and UNHURT. In fact, for every scratch I find on her body, I will KILL one of your family members. This is how important it is to me that she remains unhurt. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes my lord!" The two guards stuttered. They quickly and gently levitated Ginny's body from the room, making great care to move her delicately and keep her far away from the rough walls of Voldemort's dingy hideout. Voldemort looked over at Peter Pettigrew, standing to one side, scared stiff.

"Wormtail, you did well in bringing the Chang girl. Unfortunately, she is no longer of use to us."

"My lord?"

Voldemort sighed, you'd figure after nearly 2 decades, this idiot would understand what it meant when a hostage is no longer of any use.

"Kill her. And dump her body where we put dear old Snivellus. It's time we made a move on young Harry Potter."