A/N: Thanks to all readers and reviewers, especially amethyst-rose and tryntee13 !

Ginny was sprawled on the floor at the end of a corridor, a door looming above her. Every bone and muscle in her body ached. She scrambled to her feet as fast as she could and started banging at the dark, featureless door. "Let me in! Let me in!" she screamed, knowing that her pleas made no sense at all. Her hands already hurt and her wrists were throbbing, and she could feel how hoarse her throat was before she even began. After only a few minutes, she had to stop.

It wasn't going to do any good. There was something more, something else, she'd had it, whatever it was had been hers and it had slipped away, she had to get hold of it again! Ginny set her teeth, and more pain shot through her jaw. I must remember, she thought savagely. I have to… I have the right to remember, to know…

"I have the right," she said aloud. But even as she said the words, she realized that she no longer knew what she was talking about, or why. Their meaning had faded away.

All right. That's gone. Can't get it back. Stop, Ginny; think. Think… I can do it, I know I can. She leaned against the wall and wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, her mind whirling, throbbing to a steady, terrifying drumbeat.

Draco. Something about Draco. She didn't even notice that she had stopped thinking of him by his last name.

Her mind struggled to remember, struggled, struggled, struggled.

Something moved on the door's surface. It caught Ginny's eye.

Prudence Johnson's beautiful, haunting, slightly mocking face looked back at her, imperious as a judge.

"Why, you- " began Ginny fiercely, starting forward.

The image vanished. Ginny put out a hand only a moment before she ran facefirst into the door. It felt as hard as obsidian.

She wasn't there. She can't have been there.

"Oh, gods, what an idiot I am," she said aloud. "No. That's not it. I really am going mad after all. I should've guessed it would happen from the second I agreed to come to the Pureblood Ball; if I don't have more sense than that, I deserve whatever happens to me…" She kept speaking, hardly knowing what she was saying, afraid of what she might hear if she lapsed into silence. But she finally did. There was really nothing more to say. The silence pressed in upon her, and she stared into the mirrorlike surface of the door.

As in a glass darkly, she saw him. Draco Malfoy sat on a cot in a dim room, his head drooping. Waiting for a footstep he never heard, a touch he never felt. His face was unbearable to see. He had lost all hope; she knew it even in that fleeting instant, because he could no longer hide any emotion from her. Then an iron door clanged shut behind him. The scene snuffed out as suddenly as a drenched candle, and she was looking back into her own face.

It had only lasted a fraction of a second. She might have imagined that, too. She probably had. Or she might have hallucinated the entire thing. She might have—

Ginny stood very straight. "I have the right," she said again. "And I do know why."

Ginny. I need you.

She reached out and turned the doorknob-

-and then she was in the middle of a long, dark corridor with a smooth stone floor and walls. She could just see an irregular stone ceiling if she looked up, although the faint wisps of mist eddying through the space prevented a clear view. It all looked familiar. After just a moment's thought, she knew why. It looked exactly like one of the corridors where she had wandered with Draco over the past few days. The corridors between the soft spaces, she thought, the connecting passageways, the ones that really weren't anywhere.

She heard a noise and instantly dove behind a rough corner. Astoria was creeping down the corridor, wand out.

Shite!

She watched the blonde woman stealthily move down the corridor towards her, peering round each corner on her way. She looked down at her own hands. They were trembling. My wrists hurt so much, she thought. The ends of her fingers had been scraped raw in a few places. She wanted to run. She forced herself to stay still.

Astoria's trying to find someone, realized Ginny. Who, though? Draco? Or is she trying to hide from Daphne, maybe? Oh, gods, where's Daphne? I forgot all about her, she thought guiltily. But she's got to be all right. I couldn't believe she wouldn't be… she certainly has less reason to be in trouble than any of the rest of us! No. It has to be Draco. Where is he? What has she done to him? The corridor wavered with the savage wave of rage that seared through Ginny at that thought. She tamped it down. She needed to be calm now; very calm and quiet and careful, and she must, must, must not dwell on that last sight of Draco sitting on the cot, or she might start screaming, and simply never stop.

Now Astoria was headed past her. Ginny wished she could cast an Invisibility charm on herself, but after a few moments' thought, she decided against it. Those weren't very effective to begin with, and there was too much of a risk that Astoria would hear her whispering the spell. She was just going to have to trust to her old Seeker training. Ginny slipped down the corridor after Astoria, staying just far enough behind her so that she wouldn't be heard or seen—hopefully.

Astoria kept constantly turning her head, looking up and down all round, seeming utterly aware of each sound, each footstep, and each scuff on Ginny's slipper on the rock floor, she was sure. She had to hold her breath and move so slowly that she was afraid that she'd lose track of Astoria for that reason alone.

Astoria turned a certain corner with a rock formation on the ceiling—a stalagtite, Ginny remembered. I never forgot the difference between stalagtites and stalagmites again after I saw them both under the Malfoy vaults in Gringott's, she thought. Astoria paused and looked round for a few moments. Ginny's heart hammered. What was the woman doing?

Precious seconds ticked by. Come on! Ginny silently screamed at her. Hurry up! Go!

Finally, Astoria moved on. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief and stole after her.

A few moments later, the blonde woman reached a sort of crossroads where four corridors met. Ginny racked her brains, trying to remember if she'd seen it when she and Draco were going through these corridors. She really didn't think so… oh, no, that bitch is stopping again!

Something glinted round the corner, teasing the very edge of her vision. Ginny's heart leapt.

"Psst! Astoria!" a male voice hissed.

No. That's not Draco, Ginny realized.

"What are you still doing here?" said Theo Nott, stepping out into the center of the stone crossroads. "I'd have thought you'd have found Malfoy again by now."

"Not yet, Theo," said Astoria. "It takes a bit of time, you know."

"Why don't you just let me do this?"

"Darling, I can't. I can follow him because I'm his wife- oh, I wish you wouldn't get that look on your face; you know perfectly well the marriage has been in name only, Theo, so you can just stop that right now- but you couldn't begin to get near any of the hidden places down here."

That's it, Ginny realized. That's why Astoria left with Draco and then lost him again. She needed him to get her down here. But she didn't want to stay with him… fuck, what does this mean?

"I suppose you're right," said Theo. "But we're losing time."

"I'll find it, and then we'll get him. Don't worry so much."

"You're sure? You'll have the proof?"

"I'm sure, darling."

Theo tapped his fingers on his thigh. "I'd be a great deal happier if we could sure of exactly what Malfoy's up to."

"Well, we can't. We certainly know it's something that he's not supposed to be doing. That's enough, isn't it?"

"It'll have to be. I'd also be happier if Potter were with us as backup on this one."

Astoria laughed lightly. "Oh, Harry… we'll have our work cut out for us to get him to trust either of us again, after that little scene in front of Kingsley. Well, only me, actually."

"You can't seriously mean that he didn't understand what was really going on," said Nott. "Even he couldn't be that thick. You did everything short of batting your eyelashes."

"Oh, he could be. We're talking about the hero of the wizarding world, remember? He'll always stick to the letter of the law, Harry will. But I'll get back in his good books, don't worry about that. I'll keep harping on how confused I was in front of the mean old Minister, and it'll all come right."

Theodore's dark brown eyes narrowed. "So it's Harry again, is it?"

Astoria gave a rather secretive smile. "That's his name, after all."

"Yes—it's Potter's first name, which you seem a bit too fond of using lately, Astoria."

Astoria shrugged. "Really, Theo, you know that doesn't mean a thing."

"Maybe not," said Theodore. "But while we're on the subject, it seems to me that you were playing your part just a little too well upstairs over dessert, as well."

"I don't know what you mean," said Astoria.

"Oh, I think you might," he said. "You defended your husband quite convincingly, Astoria. Didn't you?"

"Oh, Theo." Astoria put her hand on his arm. "Are we really going to go through all that again?"

"If we need to," he said. "I meant what I told you before. I hope you haven't forgotten."

She ran her fingers up his sleeve, smiling. "You're not going to be tiresome, are you?"

His face was as still as granite, and then his lips twitched slightly. "Damn it, Astoria…"

"You know very well that the plan couldn't work any other way. I couldn't be seen to be working openly against Draco. I've only explained it a thousand times, Theo. That was your job, as well as Harry's, or Potter's, or I can call him by whatever name you like, and you both did it very convincingly indeed."

Theo said nothing for a moment, which gave Ginny's mind a bit of time to work frantically, attempting to put together everything she had just heard and seen. Finally, he nodded.

"And as for Potter," Astoria went on, "for our purposes, we've got to act as friendly as we can, as you know very well. You ought to be glad that I'm taking on that burden for the most part, and you really should do it as well, although I certainly understand how wearing it is. It's so boring to deal with someone who's so utterly convinced of his own earnest uprightness."

"I suppose you're right," Theodore said again.

"Now I really do need to leave, darling. Don't worry about a thing. I'll meet you as soon I can."

"Yes…" Theodore frowned at her. "But I've just thought of something else, Astoria. What are you going to do if you run across Ginny Weasley? It's quite possible that she's prowling about down here."

"Oh—I don't know. I hadn't thought about that. I'll Stupefy her if I see her again, I suppose," said Astoria. "Then perhaps a good Memory charm to boot. I'd love to throw her down the nearest pit, if I could get away with it—"

"No, you won't, Astoria," said Theodore, interrupting her.

Astoria set her jaw. It emphasized the unattractive scrawniness of the upper part of her face, thought Ginny. She wondered if she wouldn't rather take her chances with Astoria and the pit than with Theodore. Ginny's hand tightened around her wand, and she imagined strands of blonde hair scattered all over the stone floor. Prior to Astoria being the one who ended up in the pit, of course.

"Don't worry, Theo," Astoria said coldly. "There would be too many awkward questions tomorrow if the Weasley girl disappeared tonight. I'll save your little Gryffindor for later use."

"That's not the point. What if you've got her Stupefied and then someone else finds her?" asked Theo.

"Well, I'm sure I don't know what would happen then," snapped Astoria. "Do you expect me to think of everything?"

"Have you thought of using Cambio first? Change her to look like- I don't know- Colin Creevey. Or someone else completely unimportant."

"How amusing," said Astoria, sounding less than amused, in Ginny's opinion. "Nobody would bother with him, I'm sure. There'd be no need for a Disillusionment charm."

What on earth? thought Ginny.

"Not on Creevey's account, no," said Theo. "But there's this to think about. If you do find Ginny Weasley, she's not supposed to be down here. She has no reason to be. No excuse either. Something might be made of that."

"Oh, Theo, I really don't know," sighed Astoria. "I suppose it could. But it's all just too, too much. I've got quite enough to think about right now without worrying about her."

"All right," said Theo. "What about anyone else?"

"Oh, I'm not worried about anyone else," said Astoria, shrugging.

"What about Daphne?"

"Well, she was making tiresome noises at me earlier. I told her to clear off in no uncertain terms, and that's what she did," said Astoria. "I can't be expected to worry about her any further than that, can I?"

"No sisterly love lost in the Greengrass family, I see," said Theo.

"I'm sure she's perfectly all right." Astoria waved a hand, the red-painted fingernails each filed to a cruelly sharp point. "Don't waste your concern on Daphne, believe me."

If she had needed another reason to throw Astoria into the darkest, deepest pit in existence, Ginny decided, the woman had just provided one. She probably wouldn't care if her sister got eaten by giant flobberworms! But at least Daphne's out of all this by the sound of it. She's luckier than the rest of us. Maybe she left with Dean; I hope so. Not that I can leave, not until I find Draco… oh, Draco…

Theo took hold of Astoria's waist, holding her just at arms' length. "Find Draco Malfoy quickly, Astoria. I want to get this over with."

"Oh, Theo, so do I," said Astoria.

"Not nearly as much as I do." Theodore looked at her intently. Then he leaned in and kissed her.

For an instant, Ginny thought seriously about drawing her wand and hexing both of them. No. Common sense intervened. She needed Astoria to lead her to Draco—if she ever detached herself from Theo Nott, that was. Ugh! she thought as the kiss went on and on. Theo kisses like a carp gasping for air. But he's a sex god compared to Astoria. Who could blame Draco for never wanting to touch her, even leaving aside her personality? That scrawny body, that stiff way she has of holding herself, and how she sort of squashes her lips against his, and the noises she makes, like a Muggle car that can't start on a snowy January morning—ick! If I were a man, I'd turn queer rather than shag her!

"Theo, darling, I've got to go," Astoria finally whispered. "Draco's very close."

"Go on, then," said Theo. "I'll imagine us, Astoria. Together. Later on."

Later on! thought Ginny with a shudder. I can just imagine his idea of later on. No, I can't, not if I ever, ever want to break the no-sex curse! On the other hand, if I wanted to join a Muggle convent and become a nun, that would be the ideal way… But wait, how's Astoria so sure that she'll have time to meet Nott later on if she'll be trying to consummate the Pureblood Marriage Bond with Draco? Oh, gods, I don't want to know or think any more about her sex life than I have to! And anyway, she won't be, because I'm going to stop her.

"Come back to me soon," said Theo.

"I will," said Astoria. "Don't worry about that. It's hardly as if I'm going to stay a moment longer than I need to."

"I will worry, though," said Theodore. He looked at her intently. "Astoria, if you don't come back, I'll know something's wrong. I'll tear this place apart if I have to. I'll take Malfoy apart with my bare hands—do you understand me?"

Astoria smiled. "Goodness, Theo. You ought to have taken to the stage. Such unnecessary drama. I'll be back, never fear." She kissed him lightly, and then she turned away.

"Wait. One more thing. I'd almost forgotten," Theo called after her.

"What is it?" sighed Astoria. "Do hurry, Theo."

"I don't know if this is important, but you never know. It might be. I overheard Thomas saying something to Shacklebolt about bringing up some marriage law matter or other before the Wizengamot."

Astoria stopped. Even from where she stood, Ginny could see that the woman's sallow complexion had gone pale. "What? What else did you hear?"

Theo Nott shrugged. "Nothing, really. The Minister sort of grunted in that way he has sometimes. It's probably nothing unless Thomas wants to marry your sister, or some such rot, but you know how that sort do stick together."

Astoria shuddered in a theatrical way. She had recovered her composure so quickly that Ginny wasn't certain whether she had ever lost it. "Quel horror! Well, I'm sure it wasn't important. I'll see you soon, Theo dear. Ciao."

Watching his face as Astoria walked off, Ginny thought that he might actually care about her, in his own way. I wonder if she can care about anyone at all? Even if she can, Theo's certainly not the one.

Astoria continued to hurry down the hall. Ginny never could have kept up the pace if the other woman had been as cautious as she was earlier, but Astoria barely seemed to notice anything that was going on around her, and she was able to follow her as fast as she needed to.

The passage was narrowing, growing rougher, the ground becoming more irregular, and Ginny wondered where on earth they could possibly be going. The faint, sourceless light started to flicker. It wasn't quite sourceless anymore, Ginny realized. It was coming from a grey, formless thing ahead of them both. No, it had a form. They drew closer, and closer, and Ginny realized what it was.

It was silent, but it was not still. It was shaped like a ragged door, and its center was a writhing whirlwind. It was a primal portal. That was what she was trying to think of. Something almost clicked in her memory. She had seen something like this before. But where… where….

There was no time to think. Astoria was running through, not looking back, and Ginny realized that she had no choice but to jump in after her. She realized halfway through that Astoria probably knew she was there. Shite! But there wasn't any other way, because that was what she'd done last time, when…. Her mind ran after the memory, strangely unable to pin it down.

They moved through a mist, still silent, utterly silent. Then a wind began to blow away the grey shreds. As if through a dirty glass, Ginny could just begin to see a corridor. It was long and dimly lit, with shabby walls and a low, grimy ceiling.

They had brought her here, terrified, hurting and hating, a tiny twelve-year-old girl desperate to hide from the world. You'll be perfectly all right, Ginny dear. I'm sure that you'll only need to stay for a very short time. The mediwizards will take such good care of you. And we'll come to visit you as often as we can.

But they hadn't.

Oh yes, Ginny knew now.

Astoria was using the portal to travel to the underground tunnels below St. Mungo's.

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Hey all, believe it or not, we're getting closer to the end! 😊 And we're finally going to learn Astoria's evil plot.

There's a quarantine-themed D/G challenge in the FFN group right now, and I'm working on a new fic as one of my Camp NaNo projects! *Queen's Plague* is set in 1854 during the terrible cholera epidemic of Victorian London. Draco, a reluctant Ministry of Magic minion, is sent to retrieve Ginevra Weasley, who is illegally working as a Muggle nurse at a new hospital. They both end up trapped in quarantine at one of the Malfoy estates in the wilds of northern Yorkshire. But then a dangerous mystery threatens to engulf them both, and they need to work together to find and answer before time runs out….