Editor's Note

This is an archived version of Callidora-Malfoy's Forced into Darkness. That author deleted the story. I have permission from the author to host this fic under my pen name; I also have permission to grant adoption of the story. I reserve the right to produce my own take on this story in the future, but it will be a separate document. I was a beta reader for chapters 5 - 9 of this story.

I have not immediately received a reply to a PM sent to Mogli the Witch about permission to adopt that original story idea or to post Callidora-Malfoy's continuation.

Reviews of the originally posted story are archived on the reviews page. Feel free to leave your review for Callidora-Malfoy on this archived story.

I am in the process of editing the content of the story. Due to the spelling in the original document (e.g., "colour," "metres"), I have chosen to edit the story using British punctuation rules, most of which I gleaned from a tutorial on the BBC's website. I am a writer in the USA (which explains why this note follows US punctuation rules), so if you see errors, please offer corrections.

DZAuthor

- Chapter One last edited December 2, 2012 -

ORIGINAL STORY DATA
Rated: Fiction M - English - Romance/Drama - Ginny W. & Lucius M. - Chapters: 10 [Chapter 10 was an author note.] - Words: 48,472 - Reviews: 261 - Favs: 79 - Follows: 139 - Updated: 11-27-12 - Published: 04-02-11 - id: 6868997

THIS STORY WILL NOT BE UPDATED. THIS IS THE "COMPLETE" STORY IN ITS ABANDONED FORM.

by Callidora-Malfoy

Author Note: Some of you may recognize this story. Mogli the Witch—I bow to her greatness—has kindly given me permission to take over this story rewriting and finish writing it. Only the first two chapters are re-writes. As the original story got only three chapters far, everything after chapter two is completely my own work. Also note that this story is slightly AU.

Disclaimer: This entire magical world belongs solely to J.K Rowling. I own nothing.

Forced into Darkness

Chapter One: The Marriage Law

Lucius Malfoy Apparated away from his office at Malfoy Manor, appearing in a darkened clearing just outside the Hogwart's protection boundary. Taking a moment to compose himself, he adjusted his cloak and unwrinkled his slacks, adjusting his appearance to be as immaculate as ever. To be presentable in appearance was a trained and not-forgotten "must" in the life of a Malfoy man.

His calculating gaze fell onto his dark surroundings, surveying the hollow landscape and tall trees with precision. His sharp, silver eyes darted around, immediately finding the cloaked figure that was already waiting for him, a wand at the ready. He saw little of his company, merely an outlined silhouette in the shadows. Greasy dark hair fell into the man's face, strands sticking nearby his most recognizable feature—a scowl.

"Severus." Lucius nodded, his head bobbing in recognition of his old friend, and his hand tightening on his cane as he moved closer to the other man.

"Lucius," the dark-haired man replied, withdrawing his wand in a preparatory manner and raising it towards the gates. After his wand stood briefly in the air, using an elaborate slashing movement, Severus began rapidly whispering a plethora of archaic incantations and spells in order to lower the castle wards, so as to let himself and his fair-haired fellow inside.

A soft hum whistled for a few seconds, an echo invading the large space the men stood in. The sound was as brief as the [appearance of the] metallic golden colour around the castle. Severus was [lifting] several spells that contained the buildings in security. With the fading of the beautiful colours, Severus flicked a glance at Lucius Malfoy and with a tilt of his head beckoned him forwards.

Lucius Malfoy took small, precise steps towards Severus, who pocketed his black-walnut wand, having securely restored the castle's magical protection wards once he had crossed the threshold.

"I presume you're here for the girl?" Severus asked with a side-ways glance at the older Malfoy man, his face without expression.

The two stepped into line with each other as they made towards the front of the old castle. A pause came between them when only footsteps on gravel could be heard, until finally, 'Yes,' Lucius answered as he stepped onto a dandelion. The flower was crushed to cinder-like grains beneath his feet, a yellow circular splotch left to decay behind him.

"She will not receive you well," he replied, giving Lucius a sharp look. The Hogwarts professor looked pensive for a moment. "Neither will the rest of the Weasleys."

"It does not matter. She will have no choice," he replied, his voice smooth. "And I do not care for the other Weasleys. They cannot contest this," he added, his voice now firmer, harsher, as if he was struggling to keep himself composed and have his intentions well received.

He cleared his throat before continuing. "Besides," he added, lowering his voice as if to magnify his purpose, "you know, as well as I know, that it is not long before the Ministry will be crushed under the Dark Lord's rule, and when that happens, all traitors will be tried."

Flicking a glance upwards, Lucius could see the distinctive Entrance Hall only a dozen metres away. The place smelt of brick and boredom, a cage he'd never much enjoyed being in. Returning to the school reminded him of ignorance, an ignorance that Hogwarts students carried like a torch. "She may not thank me, and she will fight, no doubt, but this way she will not end up with a wilted mind in Azkaban. A beautiful face can only go so far until insanity ruins it."

Severus merely nodded at this as they simultaneously ascended the stairs at the front of Hogwarts. There was only a handful of students hanging around when the two men entered. Their eyes stared, slightly fearful, if not completely terrified. Severus Snape was one to be feared in his own right—but the two men seen publicly together represented an unfortunate trouble.

Lucius Malfoy merely raised an eyebrow at the students who were openly gawking at him. He merely rolled his eyes in disdain when a group of some first years, presumably, squealed in horrified terror and pelted away like shot-darts down the hallways. Having heard many stories, Lucius was sure, they were running for their lives.

He smirked at the way his mere presence instilled fear in others. He could just imagine how the others would respond to him walking about Hogwarts Castle. Even more so, he couldn't wait to see the girl's face when he told her.

Severus Snape looked towards Lucius. "I will see you inside," he said before walking towards the Great Hall, his dark cloak billowing behind him.

Lucius Malfoy strolled through the Entrance Hall with firm, decisive steps and sharply pushed open the wooden door, the old hinges straining under the force, which combined to mimic a sound of creaking and age that echoed inside the large room. More gasps were received around him as he entered. Students sat with their mouths dropping and their gazes wandering. With eyes wide, they followed the well-known figure's movements in fear, in awe, and in dread.

Lucius Malfoy in Hogwarts was never something to be taken lightly. The Malfoys were known to be a powerful family, one with strong ties to the dark arts, at that. The fact that the family patriarch was at Hogwarts was enough to silence anyone, in shock. There was only one question running through the minds of each person: why was he here?

Few had seen him in person when he had collected his son Draco at the end of the last school term. He had merely come and had gone, his son in tow, and had left without a trace. Since the last Wizarding War, there had been whisperings that Lucius Malfoy was indeed a Death Eater, but [that fact] had only recently become public knowledge when he was apprehended in the Ministry of Magic only a few months ago. That in itself instilled fright inside the hearts of students galore.

It still had remained unknown how he had managed to avoid wizarding prison. He had been one man of several to be taken away on charges of treason. However, he was the only one to avoid being [incarcerated]. Unfortunately, his fellow comrades had not had the same luck in escaping the Department of Mysteries and had continued without much more luck upon receiving sentencing in Azkaban. It came as no surprise to the wizarding world that Lucius had managed to slither his way out of imprisonment. The man breathed the essence of power. His eyes shot only daggers of courage and emblems of influence. It would have been a terrible folly for any witch or wizard to have forgetten this fact.

It was seven in the evening. Naturally, everyone was seated in the Great Hall, students immersing themselves in the chatter of their friends and causing a raucous as they waited for their evening dinner. So when an infamous Death Eater entered the hall, not only did the smiles and laughter disintegrate, but the food too had not appeared in front of them. For even the professors and the headmaster were struck by confusion.

Hundreds of worried eyes met those of the most feared of Voldemort's men. Velvet robes billowed behind him. The Slytherins looked slightly wary, the sole exception being Draco Malfoy. He remained calm and looked with proud arrogance at his father, a haughty smirk firmly etched upon his handsome face. He'd been expecting his father.

A vast majority of teachers and older students had their wands firmly grasped in their hands, ready to defend the castle at a moment's notice. Those were dangerous times, and Lucius Malfoy was very much a dangerous man who held a legitimate and real threat. For all they knew, Voldemort's armies could have been descending on the castle.

Lucius Malfoy disregarded them—the bumbling children and incompetent teachers were no threat to him—and walked straight to the staff table. The sounds of his cane hitting the ground followed him up to the table, where he was greeted by the Headmaster with a curt nod.

The elderly headmaster smiled genially at the man standing in front of him. "For what do I owe the pleasure, Mr Malfoy?" Dumbledore's tone was light and kind. He spoke in a smoky drone that was soft even when enriched with anger. Any knowing student wouldn't have missed the fact that the usually cheery voice was void of any warmth upon seeing Lucius Malfoy in his castle, or the fact that his smile hadn't quite reached his normally twinkling blue eyes.

Malfoy levelled his gaze to Dumbledore's and sneered, "Headmaster, I trust you already know the reason for my unexpected visit." His cool grey eyes flicked to the Gryffindor table almost imperceptibly before settling back on the imposing figure in front of him. "I am here to claim what is mine by law."

Never losing his expression of polite interest, Dumbledore answered very slowly, "Indeed, I believe that I know. But I would ask you to give up your right."

His answer was immediate and unwavering. "A Malfoy never lets go of what's rightfully his." Lucius Malfoy then smiled as if he was amused and continued in a condescending manner, "As you very well know, Dumbledore." At the staunch look in Dumbledore's eyes, the mocking smile vanished from his face and was replaced by a mask of calm sophistication. "You will call the girl now." His words were hard like stiff ice, and Dumbledore did not miss the warning undertone within them.

Dumbledore sighed, sadness overwhelming him and for once making him feel his many years. Had the law not been involved, the old headmaster would have seen to it that the elder Malfoy had recognized his place in the wizarding world, a coward's place. It was out of his hands now. "Miss Weasley, would you please join us up here?" he asked in a heavy voice, the soft words heard in every corner of the silent hall.

At the Gryffindor table the students were watching the exchange with interest, but at the sound of her name, Ginny Weasley snapped her head in the direction of Dumbledore, who nodded at her. The youngest Weasley shared a momentary look of questioning with her brother and her friends, but their eyes claimed no answers. Ginny stood, and many watched in grave anticipation as the young girl strutted confidently to the staff table.

With only a slight hesitation did she step beside Lucius, all the while feeling the eyes of hundreds of students follow her as she made her ascent. She stilled when she was in front of the headmaster, trying her best to ignore the presence of the man she had grown up to loathe. That man had endangered her life only months before, and she would not wilt as a dead flower beside him. She stood as strongly as any other Gryffindor would have done in her position.

She could feel his cruel grey eyes glaring at her, and she dared to look back at him. His aristocratic, white blonde hair was held back in a neat ponytail, and he was wearing an expensive, tailor-made velvet back cloak. His body was rigid with arrogance, and she could just feel the Gryffindor rage inside of her just while staring upon his attire. She felt the hatred she'd always had for him well up, and it was only the mild presence of Dumbledore metres away that stopped her from raising a wand and jinxing the horrid man, if he could be called that. She turned quickly back to the headmaster.

Dumbledore watched on silently during their wordless interaction, Lucius ignoring her small body next to his, and Ginny shooting daggers with her honey eyes into the man's heart. Dumbledore was curious how [he] would tame her temper in such an extraordinary situation.

Dumbledore sat quietly for a few moments as the older man looked down on the red-haired woman beside him. He looked at her tiny figure and yet felt the presence of someone much larger at his side. Just the same as he looked at her, Ginny responded with a similar glance of confusion, and for one brief moment their eyes met—warm honey-brown eyes met cold silver-grey ones. His intense stare seemed to penetrate into her very mind, and she quickly broke the contact, determined she would never admit how uneasy he had made her feel in those few seconds.

Quelling her unease, she yet again turned her attention to Dumbledore, and a seed of dread was planted in the back of her mind at the sad look in his eyes. "Sir?" Her low voice, full of apprehension, wavered slightly as she spoke. She no longer felt the intensity of courage and rather felt very small instead.

The aged headmaster looked at her poignantly with a sombre expression that was unfamiliar on his face. "Miss Weasley, I trust you know Mr Malfoy."

She flicked a quick look at said man and slowly nodded her head, the earlier feeling of dread beginning to build inside her stomach. "We've met." She smiled grimly as she mentally added: It only so happens he tried to possess me through that damned diary of his Master.

Dumbledore smiled soothingly, trying to reassure her. He knew exactly what she was thinking about. "Miss Weasley, you are well aware of your family's pure-blood status, yes?" he asked without any preamble.

Again, she nodded her head in assent. It was nothing she was particularly proud of; having that blood [status] shouldn't [have made] any indifference, but she did recall reading her family name in a book which told her as much. In fact [neither] the Weasley [nor] the Prewett lines [had] seen much, if any, Muggle traces. It was rare indeed, but she held no stock in it.

"Miss Weasley, have your parents ever mentioned, by chance, that there is a registry of pure-blood witches?" Dumbledore asked her, his voice soft and kind, more so than usual.

Though she was feeling uneasy about all this, she was more confused than anything else.

[He continued his question]: "And at that, upon showing first signs of being magical, each child is added?"

Ginny Weasley frowned, unsure of where this conversation was leading and how it involved her. She slowly shook her head, her brow furrowed. "No, Sir, I can't say they have," she said just as softly, as her heart began twitching with concern.

Dumbledore rubbed his forehead and sighed heavily. "Miss Weasley, I am sorry that I have to tell you this—and it may come as a terrible shock to you—but due to an ancient but unfortunately still valid wizarding law, any unmarried pure-blood wizard can claim to marry you." His voice was much more calm [than the situation merited], his eyes never mirroring that [subtle] and rather [intense] burning as they stared towards the man that would soon destroy the life of this young witch. A witch, in particular, that held much promise.

Ginny Weasley looked at the now frowning headmaster in anger, the blood draining from her face and her stomach dropping as horror and dread filled every pore of her body at the turn the conversation had taken. At that point, she barely noticed Lucius Malfoy, who had been watching her reaction with interest and now had a pompous smirk firmly plastered to his face.

"No. Professor, this mustn't be possible! You can't let him claim me. It's barbaric!" Ginny yelled with a rage she had never quite contemplated before.

"I know it's unfortunate, Ms Weasley, but it's true," Dumbledore sustained. "In fact, an unmarried pure-blood witch has the legal duty to marry any pure-blood wizard who demands it." Dumbledore's face was a shining mirror of sympathy.

As much as Ginny knew he wanted to stop it, she recognized the look of defeat that told her he could do nothing. Her head was reeling. She could see Dumbledore was still talking, but it felt so far away. Inside her, a small voice cried out, No! over and over again. Her life was spinning out of control before her very eyes. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she barely registered Dumbledore saying, "Miss Weasley, Mr Malfoy's wife died last month, and he is here to take you with him as his new wife."

[Note written by the author, not the editor:]

Thank you, Somewhere Sky, for betaing [sic] this chapter.

Editor's note: Thank you for reading this archived, edited chapter of Callidora-Malfoy's story.