I'm sick with a cold but I've put it off long enough and it's better than not doing anything at all since I can't focus on my homework. Enjoy :).

Moonshadow: Crescent Night

Chapter 1 Banished

There was a flash of red, green, and amber light as numerous spells were cast at once. Once the light cleared, the vacant snow that held the vile Morgann, Harry and Ginny held only two fallen wands.

Fingered Love's golden locks

And held him close to my cheek.

Never let him loose,

To reek his love on others

Chaos, distrust and lies

Blinded Cupid

Says "I bring love"

But cannot see

I am here

To love thee

Sings Morgann as she dances around the snow covered woods. Stepping onto the snow covered path she headed south towards a silver glimmering castle.

"Mhmm," Harry moaned. Where am I? Where's Ginny? Where's Morgann? Opening his eyes Harry saw snowflakes falling from the gray sky. Looking around he could see a dense forest of snow caked trees. "How long have I been asleep," Harry asked himself.

Sitting up he noticed a path heading west. Standing up the thin layer of snow fell off of him and Harry could see a silver castle over the tree line. Its turrets were made of black ice that lead to snow covered garrisons. Light blue flags blew in the light breeze. On the flags held the crest of St. Arisles of Moonlight: a crescent moon under a long sword with the moonflower in the center of the blade that crossed the moon. Four towers stood against the castle walls each facing north, south, east, and west. Each held a gate that would only be opened a certain phase of the moon. Special cases appeared when a gate would open not on its phase of the moon, but those as I said are special cases.

"It's so quiet," Harry whispered not wanting to disturb the peace that was the Forest of Nightmares. Turning around he could see that he had been lying on a path that lead to the castle. Looking around he quickly realized that he didn't have his wand. Seeing no other alternatives he started down the trail.

Ginny opened her eyes and immediately felt the chill of snow fill her fingers as she gripped a rock laden with snow. Pain shot through her arms, legs and head as she tried to move. Hearing the sound of rushing water she pulled her self up and crawled closer to the stream. Lowering her self to the cold water she cupped her hands and took a drink. Feeling the saltiness cover her tongue she spit out the liquid and coughed.

Rolling over she closed her eyes. Ron or Hermione must have hit me with some type of spell. Ginny thought to herself. Feeling around for her wand she opened her eyes and looked quickly around in the snow. Falling onto her back, the snow drenched the hot pain in her limbs. Facing the sky she let the snowflakes land in her hair while watching the gray sky move slowly above her. As she closed her eyes she heard the crunch of snow and a cold shadow envelop her.

"Giving up?" the shadow asked the sound of joking in his voice.

"Leave me alone. I just want to be left alone right now." Ginny said quietly not bothering to open her eyes.

"Do you want some help?"

Opening her eyes Ginny saw the shadow was a tall figure wearing a cloak made of dark blue fabric with silver rivulets that reached the ground. Peaking from under his hood she could see long white hair. Pulling back his hood she met his vibrant grey eyes and a playful smile.

"Sorry to be rude, I'm Aerix Duke van de Cique, son of Duke Fredrick XI that owns these lands. I was just taking a stroll with my brother Duke when I found you. By what chance are you willing to tell me your name?"

Pulling herself in to a sitting position Ginny looked hard at the young man standing in front of her. Quickly thinking of how he reminded her of Malfoy she gave him a cold look and gritted "Ginny" through her teeth.

"Ginny eh? Would you like some help," he asked again this time extending his pale hand towards her.

Seeing the laughter in his eyes she declined with a way of her hand.

"No thanks," she said curtly. Grabbing a nearby tree she pulled herself up and began stumbling across the snow till she fell down in a heap. "I can't do this, I can't do this," she whispered her breathing labored.

Not looking up she felt the warm hands of Aerix pull her into a tight hug. Instantly warm peace flooded her from head to toe pushing the now cold pain out into the snow. Only the light breeze could be felt through her hair as Ginny was hugged by the shadow.

Momentarily forgetting about Harry, Ginny sank into his arms. Breathing his scent in deeply, she sighed and drifted deeper and deeper into his embrace. Something, somewhere in her heart she heard a murmur and swiftly released her self from his grasp. "What did you do to me," Ginny asked hoarse outrage in her voice, breathing hard. Giving her a small smile he looked at Ginny and shook his head. "She doesn't know," he whispered softly.

"Who are you talking to," Ginny asked feeling more disturbed at what was happening around her.

"As I mentioned before I was talking a walk with my brother, but if you would like I could lead you to the castle up the path." Pointing to the east Ginny saw a path that indeed lead to a castle.

"Whose castle is that," she asked the strength in her voice returning.

"That is my mother's castle. She is the headmistress of St. Arisles of Moonlight. We were going for a visit when my brother and I couldn't decide on which path to take. He chose one way and I chose another, even though the finale decision was mine.

It's a school of great study that has been around for centuries and before that it housed the great family of Vampshire. If you take the path in the other direction it will lead you to the village of Vampshire named of course after the founders. In fact all the paths to the castle lead back to the village except one."

"Which one," the red head asked.

"It doesn't matter," Aerix said looking up at the sky. "It is a difficult path to find and once you do it leads to places you may not want to be in."

"If that's the castle of St. Arisles of Moonlight and I'm not in the village of Vampshire, where am I exactly?"

"You are in the Forest of Nightmares, right beside the River of Flowing Tears. No one knows where it is birthed or where it dies but it can be followed to the castle or the village."

Deciding to trust him with a question Ginny asked him, "Have you by chance seen a raven haired boy with emerald green eyes and glasses? I have to find him and get back to school."

"Oh I didn't know you attended Mother's school. Why didn't you tell me? And here I was explaining things to you as if you had just fallen from the sky."

"Because I don't attend that school, I'm a student of Hogwarts School of…" her voice drifting off at the sudden thought that her may or may not be a muggle. But how did he heal me if he is a muggle. No muggle I know can heal with just a touch at all.

"Where is it that you were saying," he asked again.

"Never mind. Thank you for helping me. Goodbye." Stepping on the path Ginny headed east, wanting to get away from the strange man as soon as possible.

"Wait!" he called after her. "Don't you want me to come with you? The path splits again ahead and you might get lost."

"No I'll be fine," she called over her shoulder.

"Fine then, beware my brother Duke. He bares a resemblance to me but he is no where near as kind," He shouted at the shrinking figure, fiery red hair in the breeze.

"Alright," she called but he couldn't hear her because she had just rounded a corner of trees.

"Well dear brother, what was that all about? I'm not that bad," said Duke. He stood as tall as Aerix and wore the same cloak. Also bearing pale skin he instead had black hair and bore ocean blue eyes instead of grey.

"Well you can't be trusted. Don't you think it is fitting to warn people of your actions?"

"Humph! Let us go. I'm hungry and mother promised to feed us."

Pulling up his hood Aerix stepped onto the path Ginny had taken and followed the young girl.

After walking for some time Ginny did indeed come to a fork in the path. Both headed in different directions that she could see rounded back toward the castle. They both held dense trees. Although along the right path the castle was more visible as opposed to the darkened left path. Choosing the right path she silently wished for her wand or broom so she could move faster or conjure up some heat. Daydreaming about snuggling with Harry Ginny didn't see the path end and fell fast into a seemingly endless pit.

I've gotten the works on this cold. Ugh. Sneezing, slight runny nose, stuffy nose, sore throat starting and the beginnings of a cough. R&R