Chapter 9

Ginny sat quietly on her chair; her legs folded daintily, hands on lap. On the outside she looked no more than a bit nervous, but on the inside she was filled with pure terror. Before her were more than fifty young boys and girls, staring intently. She cleared her throat, the noise almost echoing in the deathly quiet room. She offered a smile of harmlessness but it was returned with the same blank expression as before. She checked the clock on the wall. Draco had promised to be there on time, but he was now almost twenty minutes late. She secretly wondered if this was a plan. Was Voldemort's plan for her to sacrifice her to a bunch of 10 year olds? Ginny braced herself to run at any sign of sudden movements, not much good it would do her without her wand.

Tired of the silence and bolder from the anger she felt at Draco standing her up she said firmly, "Right, let's not wait any longer from Mr Malfoy-"

"I beg your pardon?" came his cold voice from the door.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the typicality of the situation. Draco would always show up at the nick of time with his cocky attitude and act like he saved the day.

"We always wait as long as it takes for our superiors, Miss Weasley. Isn't that right class?" he said smugly as he strolled in.

"That's right Mr Malfoy."

"Good. What is it we say Albertus?"

A young blonde from the back stood up stiffly and said, "The Dark Lord is our guider and protector. Nothing can be done without his permission…" he shifted his eyes nervously to the others apparently having forgotten the rest of the answer.

A dark haired skinny girl stood immediately from the class and finished "He is the ultimate authority and will lead us to victory in times to come."

"Very good Yvonne." Draco turned his back and whispered to Ginny "See, we have our own Granger."

She smiled nervously, but the shock on her face was evident. Ginny could not believe the brainwashing they were doing to these children. In the Order you had to be 18 to even think of joining and here in some Death Eater lair they were literally breeding them. Draco raised his eyebrows at her before turning around to talk to the rest of the class.

"Miss Weasley here will be teaching you Maths and English. Mrs Rowlings is unfortunately… ill after a fight last week."

A timid girl from the back raised her freckled arm in the air, "I-is she okay Mr Malfoy?"

"To tell you the truth Cygnus," he said turning his attention to her, "we're not sure. Professor Snape is doing all he can to help and hopefully she will be fine. But what did we learn about casualties?"

Cygnus took a break, trying hard not to blink while her eyes filled with tears, "Casualties are sacrifices we are bound to make for the greater good," she near whispered.

"Good, class, let me have a word with Miss Weasley here for a minute. Sit quietly, and read the chapter 4, where Miss Rowlings said you had left off. Remember, Miss Weasley is here to instruct you and any attack against her will be regarded as an attack against the Dark Lord," he half turned his back before taking a breath and adding in what Ginny could have sworn was a sympathetic tone, "Mrs Rowlings… Your mother will be fine, Cygnus. Snape is the best."

XX

"What did you get me into," she began as soon as they stepped outside the classroom.

"I quite think they're rather charming."

"Charming, you call this charming?! Draco, I am not helping you brainwash these poor innocent children. Do you give them a choice in anything? Or do you force them all to live by your sick rules?"

"The choice is simple: live or die. Everything we teach these kids, we teach them to survive. You lot wouldn't hesitate to kill any one of them had you the chance."

"We would never hurt little children. Never."

"How can you be so sure?"

But she wasn't. As she stood her ground her mind drifted back to the day she left the order, the day when Tonks walked in with the body of a 15 year old, stricken with grief. Yet they all still kept on killing – all of them. How much worse had it gotten? Did they walk in now with bodies of 12 year olds? In a few years would these children still be alive? And for what, with all the killing that had gone, all the battles that had been fought they were no better off than they were before.

"Can't… Can't I just cook?" She near pleaded.

"Afraid not Weasley; Dark Lord's Orders. Basic English and Maths, it won't be hard. I promise."

"But I can't, I can't be a part of this."

Draco sighed, and although there was annoyance in his tone there was also a hint of understanding, "whether you like it or not, you are. There's nothing I can do. Look, start today with the chapter I've left you. It should be pretty easy. Stand your ground and you'll be fine. You're not an idiot. You can handle them."

He nodded to the direction of the classroom signalling for her to return. She turned her back and took two steps towards what would be her new occupation before remembering something that had been troubling her, "Mal- Draco."

"What is it, Weasley?"

"Well… what about that one girl, who's mum…" she couldn't finish the sentence.

"What about her?"

"Well, do you really think she should be in class? Shouldn't she be given some time out? Maybe go see her mum?"

Draco put his hands in his pockets, "I don't think that's necessary…"

"Why not?" She was outraged at his insensitivity.

He shrugged, "it builds character."

Ginny near laughed at the ridiculousness of what he had said, "Do you honestly believe that?"

"It doesn't matter what I believe, now go! And Weasley, don't you dare try to escape. I'll collect you in an hour"

She only glared as her response but went nonetheless, with her first task of duty being neither English nor Mathematics, but to excuse Cygnus immediately from class for at least a week. If she was going to do this, she would do it on her terms. For once she was determined to make a difference in the world surrounding her and she would be damned in Draco would stand in her way.

XX