"Severus, it is awful that the boy doesn't even know that you are his father. And the Malfoy's certainly haven't done much for his upbringing. Bring him to you Severus. Save him before it's too late!"
Severus shook his head as Erasmus disappeared into a cloud of mist. The old creature was slowly going to drive him mad! Methodically, Severus removed the bloodstone from the Quicksilver potion and placed it back inside its hidden compartment. Slowly, he placed the stone back into the wall, placed the vial in its usual position, and tapped around the opening three times. The portrait closed soundlessly.
Severus could not fathom what he was going to do about Draco. He simply could not bear to hold onto the boy. His mother, Merlin bless her soul, was a profound creature for which a breath might have withered. Still today, Severus blamed himself for marrying the frail creature. Elizabeth was simply the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon, and especially at night, Severus could not help but blame his seed for killing her. He should have known that the child of a vampire would bring about a much more difficult birth, and when Draco finally made his way into the world, his mother simply was able to look at him and smile. Severus still was haunted by her final words..."He's so beautiful."
Severus simply could not bear to handle the child that was the symbol of his beautiful bride's demise, so he had made the deal with the Malfoy woman. Unfortunately, Severus knew that Erasmus wasn't going to let this go, so he might as well prepare himself.
Slowly, almost without a sound, a single sole managed to escape from Azkaban. He was going to make that Mudblood lover pay, and dearly. Under the guise of night, Lucius Malfoy made his way through the darkness. The Dark Lord told him everything he needed to know. He knew his small red haired quarry, and what he planned to do with it, would hurt the Potter brat more than anything else in the entire wizarding world. He cautiously made his way to the Burrow, looking for his quarry. He froze, hearing a voice.
"Ginny, do your mum a favor and run to the wood and grab me a bit of wormwood? I forgot to fill my supply this morning." Mrs. Weasley shouted happily.
"Sure thing, Mum."
Ginny ran out of the house like a bolt, not paying attention to what was lurking in the darkness. Suddenly, she was grabbed, her attacker placing a soaked rag over her mouth. She didn't even have time to scream.
"Be still, or I'll slit your throat." Lucius snarled.
Although Ginny was quiet as could be while the fumes from the rag made her befuddled and confused, Lucius had plenty of ideas for the poor girl.
He carried her into the woods, keeping his senses alert. Finally, he found the hollowed out tree stump that the Dark Lord has said would be at his disposal. He quickly bound Ginny's hands together with a few branches of a sapling.
"Why are you doing this?" Ginny quietly pleaded.
"Because your father needs to learn what true evil is." Lucius sneered at Ginny. "Now be still, or you will not like what happens next!"
Ginny quietly cried...inwardly hoping for someone to rescue her. Why had she decided to stay at home this week? She should have gone back to Hogwart's, but her mother seemed to really need her at home, her father having been gone most of this week because of work at the ministry. She had even sent Harry an owl to see what he thought of the idea, and he had told her that her mum would probably appreciate the extra hand. Even Dumbledore told Ginny that she could start a week later to help. But she should have listened to her gut feelings. Now, even Harry couldn't save her.
Suddenly, Lucius swung at Ginny, hitting her squarely in the side of the head. For her, the world went black.
"Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley yelled out into the yard. "Haven't you found the wormwood yet?"
Mrs. Weasley ran to the edge of the fence, and waited. It wasn't like Ginny to simply not come back. It had been well over an hour since she left.
"Ginny?"
She screamed as she saw the drag marks in the dirt. Someone had taken her daughter. She ran back into the house and sent an owl with one note for the Ministry and one for Dumbledore. She needed Ginny found fast.
As soon as Mr. Weasley received the owl, he and members of the Ministry formed a search party. The group apparated to the Burrow as quickly as possible. It wasn't long until they found the tree. Stuck to the outside of the tree, was a single note, held in place by a smear of blood.
Weasley,
You would think that your loving wife would have sense enough to not let her daughter out alone. The Dark Lord has spoken. Look inside the tree!
L. Malfoy
Mr. Weasley slowly bent down to look inside the tree. There, his peaceful angel lay still. There was so much blood one couldn't imagine that anymore was left in her body. Malfoy had done his service to the Dark Lord well. Poor beautiful Ginny. Dead.
"No!" Mr. Weasley dropped to the ground, sobbing.
The next morning, Ron, Hermione, and Harry met at the Gryffindor table in the grand hall. There was still a bit of time before breakfast. Just as Harry was about to tell them what had happened in his potions session, Dumbledore softly called to Ron.
"Ron? I need to see you in my office. Something has happened. Follow me."
Ron looked at his friends.
"Ron, just go, we'll be here for you. I'm sure you aren't kicked out of school."
Ron followed Dumbledore to his office.
The next thing that Hermione and Harry knew, a loud scream pierced the calming quietness of the old building.
"Harry that was Ron. Something dreadful must have happened."
"Oh no...I hope everything is alright at home."
Suddenly Hedwig burst into the grand hall carrying the Daily Prophet. Harry took it from her and absentmindedly stroked her under her chin. He opened the paper to find something that he never expected.
TRAGEDY AT WEASLEY HOUSEHOLD! Escaped convict, Lucius Malfoy sought.
Harry looked down at the article. His blood froze. Ginny was dead.
"Harry?" Hermione asked. "What is it?"
Harry slowly slipped the paper over for her to see. "Ginny's dead."
The rest of the day continued in a blur. Dumbledore canceled classes, giving the rest of the week for the school to mourn Ginny's death. Ron had gone home to be with his family. Hermione tried to get Harry to participate in the counseling sessions the professors were holding, but Harry wouldn't take part. He preferred to walk around in a daze. Draco was quarantined in the infirmary, right after the news hit, he was beaten senseless, ironically, not by Harry, but others. Draco even swore that he had no knowledge of the event, and tried to apologize to Ron before he left. Ron swung at Draco, and that was what started the beating.
They caught Lucius two days after Ginny's death, trying to steal a muggle car. Dumbledore said that he didn't know how to live without his wand- which was still safely tucked away at Azkaban.
Harry couldn't stop thinking about Ginny and how it should have been he that was killed. If only I could have been there for her, Harry thought to himself. After all, he was the reason that Voldemort was on this rampage in the first place. If he had never been born, or if only he would have died in the first place, Ginny would still be alive. Harry flung himself down on his bed, pulled out a sheet of parchment and began drafting a letter.
Hermione,
You are probably the last person in the world that can care much about me. Ron, more than likely, hates me now because I never protected Ginny like I should. Watch over him for me. Take care of Hedwig for me. She likes you, and I know that you will take good care of her.
Keep an eye on everyone. Even Draco. I don't think he ever imagined that Ginny would be killed. Something tells me, he needs a friend. I will miss you Mione. Eat a Chocolate Frog for me on your birthday each year, think of it as my present to you. Maybe the world will be safe without me. It seems that my presence makes Voldemort much more powerful, and if I wasn't around, maybe you could learn to live in peace.
I'll leave you now. Tell Dumbledore I'm sorry.
Harry
Harry rolled up the letter and sealed it with a ribbon.
"Hedwig? Please make sure Hermione gets this tomorrow morning."
Hedwig hooted in acceptance. Harry walked over to his desk and grabbed his wand. He ran out of Gryffindor house with alarming haste. The Fat Lady barely had time to move out of the way.
"Watch it young man, or I may not let you back in!" The fat lady called after Harry.
Harry ran down the hall and out the first door he could find. Never was there a moment that he second guessed himself. And once he had reached the edge of the lake, he paused and looked at the shore. He so wished that Ginny were alive, so he could do this to save her, but at least now, maybe he would save the rest of wizard kind. For once, he wished that he didn't have to be the hero, but now, he knew that it was all for naught. Suddenly, he caught a flash of light. There, glistening in the last rays of the day, was a small sliver of glass. Harry grabbed it quickly, dropped his wand, and deftly used the glass to slit his throat. The blood flowed easily and freely. If he had wanted to stop, there was no going back now. He had done it right- and in that, he was glad. He finally felt release when his world began to blur. Suddenly he heard a voice, a voice that he would have never expected.
"Potter?" Harry just barely made out the figure of Severus Snape before losing consciousness.
