A/N: Hi again!! YAY!! I'm so happy with the astonishing number of reviews, thank you soooo much!!! This chap would have been up a few days sooner, but cursed technology got in the way (as well as siblings screwing around with the comp and losing a part of this chapter!!) First, I'd like to remark at what a surprising, serendipitous journey writing can be. This story has spun out of control than what I originally planned—I just thought of an extra plot twist, one thought led to another, and well, you get what you're reading now. I KNOW this is a Draco/Herm story, I have not forgotten, lol, but this next chapter with the Ginny subplot is integral to the whole plot later on. Besides, I think (or hope, lol) its just as interesting. But yes, I promise lots of wonderful Draco/Herm action in the near future. Meanwhile, tell me what you think of this chapter.
Oh, and another point: every update I am amazed at how intelligent and wonderful my readers are. You guys bring up a lot of valid, good points, and even give me new ideas. Thank you!!! Ur reviews are indispensable, and ultimately, I think the more reviews I get, the better this story gets because of your feedback (at least I hope I'm doing okay. J )
And now for specific responses:
Ashes of Roses: Where were you on Saturday? We missed you, lol. I miss you, :{ Hope you got my reviews, and many good wishes for your future stories. Thank you so much for the continued reviews and support.
Clover: You'll see Ron and Harry's reaction soon. Hope you especially like Ron's.
ErinWrites: I'm glad you like the direction (or current misdirection, lol) of the plot. You should update your own stories too!! Thank you for reading everything I write—it's greatly appreciated.
B-Chan and Syaorons Angel: Yes, this IS a Dr/Herm fic, I have not forgotten, but this chap is pretty crucial to the plot (not to mention quite reveals a lot).
Very Interested Reader: I love Dumbledore too, but it's kinda frustrating whenever he keeps things from Harry and the others. Yay! Glad u like my Ginny. Good observation—a lot of her actions and personality will be due to the effect of the Dark Mark. She'll go thru a lot of changes in this story. As for the plot u suggested, I actually DID consider doing that when I was figuring out this story from before (Scary, ur beginning to think like me, in twisted, dark rabbit holes, as u said, wink.) Read to see what actually happens—hope ull be surprised again. Sorry if Lucius pops up a lot, but u'll see why.
Jedi Amoira: New reader! Yay! Glad u like my humor. Ginny will have a lot of interesting reactions to everything she finds out.
JeanB: I admit that it was stupid of Herm to show Draco Ginny's mark. I slightly mention that in this chap. Hey, she's only human, u know, and I needed to do that for the plot. Thanks for reading and giving constructive comments.
D/H fanatic: I know! I get computer probation too sometimes!! Grrr. Bless u for still making an effort to read. Give ur basilisk a nice pat on the head for me. I could suggest a few annoying world leaders that might make a nice meal for him right now (whistles innocently).
Lutherese legarde: Hey, DID u read my story?? Please do! I promise it'll be worth it! If neone told u about it, please let me know so I may thank them.
A side note about the poem: The Latin phrase which precedes it actually appears on the manuscript of the poem. It reads: Happy is he who has been able to learn the causes of things.
Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
Virgil
They Say that Hope is Happiness--
But genuine Love must prize the past;
And Mem'ry wakes the thoughts that bless:
They rose the first—they set the last.
And all that mem'ry loves the most
Was once our only hope to be:
And all that hope adored and lost
Hath melted into memory.
Alas! it is delusion all—
The future cheats us from afar:
Nor can we be what we recall,
Nor dare we think on what we are.
Lord Byron
Chapter Six: More than Blood
Draco turned around lazily and put on his best drawling voice. "You know, father, that whole appearing-seemingly-out-of-nowhere-from-the-dark-shadows thing is highly outdated."
"Sorry, after thirty years of being a Death-Eater, it becomes a habit." He said, although by his voice you could tell he was not at all amused.
"Especially since I always know you're there," Draco said. 'And especially because I know you've always been watching me through that enchanted mirror over there,' he thought, but he wasn't about to let his father know that.
"That was actually quite a smart move, accusing the Mudblood of having the Dark Mark so that she would bring whatever friend she had to you when she revealed herself. I suspected that she would probably be a Gryffindor."
'Not really, father,' Draco thought. 'It was just as Voldemort said—I guess I'm blessed with dumb luck.' But he said out loud, "Alright, now that we know who it is, what are we going to do?"
"Nothing, immediately," said Lucius. "Let Dumbledore tell her everything; then she'll feel betrayed, and not want to have anything to do with him for a while. That is when she will be vulnerable; that is when we make her go back to the Dark Side," he had a horrible glint in his eye, "at least, that's what Voldemort thinks."
Draco was leaning against the bedpost, his usual style, but he straightened up, intrigued. "Do go on."
"That is where that lovely potion comes in; Dumbledore will tell her all, and she will denounce him in her heart—the Mark will harden her, make her stubborn. Then we er, accidentally slip her the potion. She needs someone to bring out her powers to full effect; and after the potion, and that wonderful performance you gave tonight, guess who she'll practically run to, ready to do all for him?"
Draco smiled, but he was despising the way this was going more and more every minute. "And then what? What good will that do, to have her fall in love with me?"
"We know what she is capable of, what she holds the key to. The Dark Lord needs her. But with the potion, she'll listen to you." Lucius started pacing back and forth. "Don't you understand, boy? Finally, the Malfoys will be under the command of no one. Finally, we can reclaim our rightful place, reclaim it since it was overthrown by Salazar Slytherin."
Draco sighed. "That's all wonderful, dad, but there's one teeny tiny thing: Voldemort just happens to be immortal. How can you defeat someone you can't destroy?"
Lucius walked back into the corner, the shadows creeping onto his face. "There are some things about Dark Magic you have yet to learn, Draco. Whatever is given--it is given at a price. Being a Malfoy, you should understand this quite easily. If one cannot pay the price, then whatever is given can just as easily be taken away."
Draco shook his head. "Sorry father, you lost me there."
"The Dark Lord gained his immortality, but he needs to compensate for it; what do you think he will use?"
Draco gave out a long exhale of breath. He felt like his throat was being crushed in a vise. He muttered, "Ginny."
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"Sir, please, we need to speak with you," said Hermione as she walked into Dumbledore's office, followed by Ginny. As Head Girl, she always knew his password in case of an emergency—and this was one hell of an emergency.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" he asked pleasantly from his desk as he looked over to her from underneath his half-moon spectacles.
"Sir, you need to um, see this," Hermione said hesitantly. Ginny was heartbreakingly quiet. She merely walked up to him and raised her sleeve. Dumbledore gazed at her arm, at the Mark, silently for quite a while. He shut his eyes, then opened them slowly.
"Miss Granger, please go and fetch Mr. Ron Weasley. This concerns him also," he said hoarsely.
"Yes, sir," she said as she lowered her head and went out of the office. Ginny sat there and promised herself, forced herself to promise, that she would do everything to not cry.
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"Damn you!" Harry cried, smiling. "Seven years, and I still haven't figured out how to beat you at bloody chess."
Ron returned his smile, as he began packing up his chess set, which was slightly difficult, with all the pieces congratulating each other.
"Time is what works against you, Harry. I've known you for so long, I already know what you're gonna do before you do it. It's all in anticipation, and using that for deception, catching someone by surprise."
"Well how come I can't do that to you?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged. Harry pointed a finger at him and chuckled. "Maybe you have more Slytherin in you than you thought."
Ron widened his eyes. "Don't even joke about that. If a Weasley ever had any Slytherin in him, I'd go hang myself."
They both snickered. Suddenly they stopped when they saw Hermione, looking pale.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, who died?" Ron said half jokingly.
But Hermione was silent. After a few moments, she said, her voice very muffled and cracking. "Ron, you need to go talk to Dumbledore." She closed her eyes, holding back tears. "It's really important, Ron."
He stood up and looked at her, concerned. "Love, what's wrong?" He cupped her face in his hands. She looked at him, and then buried her face in his shirt, putting her arms around his neck. "Just go," she said, breaking away.
"Aren't you coming?" he asked.
This time she couldn't keep back the tears. "No, you need to see him alone, with-- with Ginny."
Ron looked at her. "Alright," he said determined. Hermione's tears had made shiny, wet tracks on her cheeks. He raised her chin, gave her a soft kiss on the lips, and after giving a confused look to a bewildered Harry, he left. Ron could still taste the bitterness of her salty tears in his mouth.
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Ron opened the door to Dumbledore's office, and saw Ginny sitting in front of him, as if she were not there; if Hermione had looked troubled, she looked a thousand times worse. She seemed like a hollow, desperate shell.
"Have a seat, Ron." Dumbledore said.
Ron walked toward Ginny and slowly took a seat next to her, facing Dumbledore. He looked at Ginny and tried rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. She bit her lip.
"Gin, what's wrong?" he asked. She turned her head the other direction, as if looking at him was painful. He took her hand and held it tightly; she let him as if she couldn't fight what she was fighting against after all.
"Look, Gin. I don't care what you've done. You'll always be my sister, and you know that." At this she almost broke down. She hid her face in her free hand and groaned in anguish. She was squeezing his hand so hard her fingernails were driving into his skin. Ron put his arms around her and looked pleadingly at Dumbledore for an answer.
Dumbledore gave out an extremely long sigh; he looked devastatingly older. He began:
"Ron, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Ginny, if you please, show him what I mean."
Trembling, Ginny showed him her arm. Ron nearly collapsed in sheer, ultimate, astonishment.
"Sweet Jesus," he muttered. He looked at her, horrified.
Ginny stared at him, her eyes very red. "It wasn't my fault. I've had it since before I can remember."
Ron felt like he was about to go mad. "What?"
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Ron, listen to me. When Ginny was born, she was snatched by the Dark Lord, who seemed to be determined to raise her under his control, and make her one of his followers. He marked her as one of his own when she was just an infant. Fortunately, his plans were interrupted by Harry Potter, who caused him to lose his powers even though he was merely a baby himself. So I undertook the responsibility of getting you back, and placing you in a…different home, one where you would be safe."
"Excuse me? Are you saying that…she's not my real sister?" Ron had gone completely white—his freckles stood out like splatters of blood.
Ginny turned to him sharply. "You mean you didn't know?"
"Of course not," Ron said, angered.
"I'm afraid its true, Ron. I slightly altered her appearance, and I put her with a specific family where she would…fit in, be completely unsuspected."
"I had red hair, just like everyone else in your family." She said the word "your" as if it killed a part of her to say it.
"But…But…I mean….during all this time…" Ron stammered.
Ginny wrenched herself free of Ron's grasp. She looked fiercely at Dumbledore. "I don't understand; why not just give me back to my original parents? Who are they?"
Dumbledore gulped. "That would have been quite impossible."
"Why?" Ginny's anger had been boiling up for a long time. Her whole entire life, she had been living a lie; everything she had believed in was false. She wondered why it had to be that way. She felt the mark on her arm searing.
Dumbledore answered, "Well, Ginny, we aren't able to reach them, at the current time." Ron raised his eyebrows, and Ginny held her breath. He continued. "Ginny, I'm not sure how to tell you this, but your parents…well I mean they are legendary, but unfortunately they don't exist at the moment."
"You mean Voldemort killed them?" Ginny said. Ron winced when she mentioned the name; she had a curious aura to her that reminded Ron terrifyingly of Harry.
"No, he didn't." Dumbledore said with finality. He lowered his eyes. "Ginny, your parents lived more than a thousand years ago. They were none other than Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff."
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Harry's jaw was so wide open he somewhat resembled a dead fish.
"You mean Ginny has a Dark Mark?"
Hermione nodded. "I also think that perhaps Dumbledore hasn't been totally honest with her about who her family is."
Harry's hair was on end because of his fingers running through it. "I can't believe this. And Malfoy, he somehow knew about all this?"
"Yeah. I told you, he asked me if I had the Dark Mark."
"But you told him Ginny had it instead?"
"No, I said I showed it to him." She reddened a little. "I realize now that was a pretty stupid thing to do. But I knew he had information about it, and I just had to ask him."
Harry shook his head. "He was probably looking for who it was. Whatever we do, we have to keep Ginny away from him as much as possible". Hermione nodded. She wondered what was going on inside Dumbledore's office at that very moment.
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"That's impossible. You're still lying to me!" Ginny said, her eyes fiery. Ron gaped at her; she seemed taller, and with her flowing hair and sparking eyes, she seemed more commanding, even slightly frightening. He never thought she'd have the nerve to talk to Dumbledore like that.
"No, it's the truth. If you'd sit down, Miss Weasley, I'll explain the rest of it to you." Dumbledore said sternly.
Ginny exploded. "Miss Weasely? Why are you calling me that? You know that's not my name. You've been calling me that for six years, making every one call me that when you knew it wasn't true!! You bloody knew!" She was yelling and at the last word, she collapsed to her knees, her shoulders shaking with grief.
"Calm down!" Dumbledore said fiercely. Ron froze—he had never seen him so angry. Was he angry with Ginny's indignation, or with himself? "Listen, Ginny, and yes, that is your real name. You were christened with it, and so I kept it; however, your surname is, of course, Slytherin."
Ginny sat there, and with a pang suddenly remembered—her acceptance letter had come frighteningly late—for a few torturous weeks she thought she hadn't been accepted, that she wasn't a witch. It finally hit her that they didn't have her name on the record.
Then something came to her. "But I'm, I mean, I was put in Gryffindor. Isn't that a little contradictory?" she said more contemptuously than she was used to.
"The Sorting Hat goes by your personality, which in turn, is affected by how you are raised. Slytherins themselves can be very brave as well, and the Sorting Hat saw that in you and put you in Gryffindor. Your Dark powers had not surfaced clearly yet, because your Mark had not. " Dumbledore leaned in closely. "But Ginny, not anybody could have opened the Chamber of Secrets. I'm not sure if Voldemort even realized that, or Lucius Malfoy, when he slipped you that diary. Not anybody could have controlled that basilisk snake, even if Tom Riddle was making you do it; you still managed to keep it from killing anybody, although you did it subconsciously. It wasn't entirely pure luck that all those students survived those attacks."
Ginny was trying to take all this in—she was trying to, but somehow, her head was spinning. She wanted to wake up, to end all this: it couldn't possibly be true; she was just having an awful, extended nightmare, right?
"But, I mean, how did You-Know-Who capture her from a thousand years ago, and why?" Ron asked.
Oh God, there's more, Ginny thought.
"There's a lot of history about the four founders of this school that not many people know about: quite scandalous, interesting stuff, you know. Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw were married, actually. But Gryffindor always held a secret grudge against Salazar Slytherin."
"Why?" Ron asked.
"They were both in love with Rowena Ravenclaw, but she chose Gryffindor, and Salazar never forgave him for that. For ages they fought over whether or nor purebloods should only be allowed in the school. Godric won out in the end, but Slytherin had his revenge. Helga Hufflepuff was Godric's cousin by marriage, and one of his most trusted friends; He tricked poor Helga, sweet, innocent woman though she was. He seduced her, making her think that he had patched things up with her cousin and was no longer willing to wage war against him. Ginny here was the result. Of course, Syltherin always had ulterior motives. The child would be able to play a role in his Heir's consolidating of power. But the only way he could do that was to transport her to a different time—Rowena was an expert on that and he managed to steal her Time-Turner. He organized it so that one day his Heir would come take the child and raise her as his own. Voldemort did so, traveling through time. But he lost his powers because of Harry Potter, and the rest is history. Incidentally, there is only one Time-Turner in existence that has the capability to go back, and it has disappeared. It could still be by Voldemort, as far as we know. "
Ron was shaking his head in disbelief. Ginny was silent.
"Oh, and one last thing you should know. When I brought you to the Weasleys, you were exactly Ron's age. However, I wanted to make it look like you were a year younger, so it would be less obvious who you were. I instructed Molly to periodically give you youth potions to make it look like you were a year younger."
Ginny closed her eyes. She didn't even know her true age. This was the last drop in the bucket before it toppled over, its contents crashing in waves of fury. She got up, glared at him so frighteningly that even Dumbledore was slightly surprised, and she ran out of the office. Ron bolted after her.
She ran across the hall for a while, but stopped and slunk against the wall until she was on the floor, her knees huddled against her. She was gasping, panting, hyperventilating. She wanted to scream, to howl, until she could wrench her soul out through her lungs. She couldn't help it; her eyes were burning, and she was crying--weeping in that heaving, desperate way that you only see in someone who does not want to cry.
Ron bent over to her and tried to touch her, but she thrust herself away from him. "Can't you see, Ron?? Everybody in my life has lied to me; I know absolutely nothing about myself. I'm not… I'm not even supposed to be here! I don't even know my own goddamn name, not even my age!"
He grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a steady stare. "Ginny, listen to me. I don't give a shit as to what he just said. Do you remember what I said at the beginning of all this? I don't care what happens. You'll always be my sister—always. I have loved you my entire life; I always have, and I always will. I'm your brother not only because of blood."
Her mind flashed back to all her brothers: Bill, with his many girlfriends and his job of hoarding gold for Gringotts bank, had a glamorous life, was always someone to look up to, to be admired. Charlie, with his sweetness and kindness and endearing passion for dragons-- seeing him was like coming home to a cheerful, comfortable fireplace. Percy, who was sometimes bossy and uptight, yet was always responsible and trustworthy. Fred and George, who would sometimes make her life hell with teasing her, yet always cheer her up with that wonderful thing called a laugh. And finally, there was Ron— closest to her in age and secretly her favorite: he always stood up for her, yet never had the slightly superior, overbearing tone that older brothers tended to have. He treated her as an equal, not like a little sister. Ginny looked up at him, saw his fierce blue eyes: always reassuring, always protecting, always there for her. She smiled; at times, he was more than a brother—he was a salvation, and a friend. And that hadn't changed—it could never change.
She hugged him tightly, and cried into his shoulder. He gave her a kiss on the forehead. At that moment he was the only thing that kept her from slipping into the dark abyss of despair that had been threatening to overtake her. But it would be the last time she let him be the shoulder to cry on.
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A/N: How'd u guys like that? Sorry if it's getting more complicated. Hope u liked it; What is Ginny's involvement in Voldemort's plans??
Next chappie: We see Draco's reaction to his father's little scheme. Ginny asks Draco for a little, ahem, help (you'll see—it'll be good, hehe). And we also learn something about Ron and the rest of the Weasleys. Until then, Read and review!!!
Puts on cheesy infomercial voice: All those who review will receive the ultimate fanfic gift package: a personal thank you and response to ur comments, an email whenever I update with a link and if u review in the next five minutes (lmao) you will be blessed by fanfiction gods with many reviews to ur own stories. Lol. For a limited time only!!!