Chapter the Second

Ruby tiptoed out of the clearing where her brother and Ginny were asleep. Something silver sparkled in the torchlight. She mediated the torch so that she could pick up the silvery thing.

"It's beautiful..."

A necklace lay sparkling in her palm. It had a fire ruby as a pendant which was inscribed with ancient runes. Ruby lifted the necklace to her neck and fastened the chain. There it lay, shimmering in all its glory. Ruby walked back across the forest and fell asleep.


When Ruby woke up, Harry was already cooking breakfast and tending the fire while asking Ginny countless questions. Thankfully, he had given up on referring to Ginny as 'kid'.

"So Ginny, how were you ambushed?"

"Well, Mum and I were outside, and then all these Inferi rose up from -"

"What are Inferi?" asked Harry.

"Lost souls. They rose up from the pond, and we were absolutely terrified. Mum took out her wand and tried to disspell them, but she couldn't and she told me to run, and I did, but then the Inferi grabbed me. Their hands were awful, Harry, simply awful. Slimy and filthy, stained with blood. And not to mention their mouths! Horrible and gaping, no jaws, and their breath reeked of death. They dragged me into the forest and cut me. I don't know why. They put my blood in a vial, then left me where you found me. I laid there for two nights and and one day. My magical core healed me."

"Why would lost souls be after you?" asked Ruby, interested.

"I don't know, but it scares me. The only people who can control Inferi are Dark wizards, like You-Know-Who."

"You-Know-Who?" asked the twins in unison.

"He killed hundreds of people ten years ago. It was called the First Wizarding War. If Inferi are out again, it means that he's back from the dead."

A strange look flitted across Ruby's face.

"Can you raise people from the dead?" asked Ruby.

"No. Maybe Dark wizards can do it."

Ruby asked, "What school is it your brothers go to?"

"Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts." Ruby let the word roll around in her mouth.


"Goodbye, Ginny. We've only been friends for a short time, but we're going to miss you so much!" cried Ruby as she hugged Ginny for the seventh time.

"Goodbye," Harry waved as the redhead walked across the street and out of their little world. Ruby turned to her twin brother.

"You were sweet on her, weren't you?" she asked. Harry ducked his head and blushed a deep red. Ruby continued to stare.

"C'mon, Ruby."

"Harry, wait up!"


The fire crackled in the silent darkness. The twins watched it.

"Harry, I've been thinking since Ginny mentioned that wizard. Do you remember how Mum and Dad died?" asked Ruby gently. From a young age, she had always assumed the role of older sibling, and sadness was weighing down on her.

"I remember a lot of green light."

Ruby sighed.

"Lily, take the children and run!"

"I'm not leaving you, James!"

"For the children!"

"Avada Kedrava!"

"No, spare the children, not the children!"

"Step away, silly girl!"

"Don't you remember?" asked Ruby. It was a painful subject, and she hated bringing it up, but she couldn't see why Harry couldn't remember anything. She fingered the pendant. Her fingers fell on a groove. She pressed, and the pendant sprung open. The pendant was only a vault. Inside was a silver key. I wonder what this key unlocks. She held it up to the fire so that she could see the words clearly.

"You can open every door," she read, " if you only have the key."


And that's an end to my second chapter. Thank you, redrobin1999 for your review.

Go fanfiction!