Crazy
I do own any of J.K. Rowling's characters.
I'd started this story a long time ago and I was writing this storyline only when I have got enough time and good mood. I was trying to make it as perfect as it's possible so please don't expect that chapters will be add in short parts of time. I'll be trying to do it as good as I can. Reviews and attention are always welcome :) ~ Gewura
"It can't go wrong." He assured with a calmly and low voice. The woman with a dark complexion who was sitting next to Snatcher frowned with some kind of doubt. "I'm one of the best." He added, confident in his skills. The small, scornful smile has formed on her face.
"Yes, yes, Scabior: the best strategist on the Black Lord's services – I know it" she mocked. In her pronunciation was barely noticeable Russian accent. She looked straight ahead to meet with her glance a man's figure covered with a dark robe. The dark trees of Forbidden Forest were whispering around them. "It's repeated in your group, especially by Greyback, when they're after a few bottles of fire whiskey." She smirked when a memory came to her mind.
Man was still focused on a view of deep in a fog blurry contours of Hogwart castle's walls. Majestic building when it was hardly lighted by white moon's glimmers and surrounded with a night was showing its true character. It was pessimistic picture which he could compare to old photography of forgotten graves. It looked like magic school was in mourning (as its students) of headmaster's future death.
Snatcher smiled mostly for company.
"To all intents and purposes…" Young woman continued once again pulling him out of his thoughtfulness. She was getting impatience which didn't surprised him. She was a new member of his group of Snatchers. She was still a whipster anyway – She finished a Durmstrang about an year ago as unregistered animagus. "Why do you need a student of Hogwart?"
When he heard a question, he grinned widely and in his green, watchful eyes flashed worrisome glimmer.
"I started to feel sorry for her…" She mumbled. It wasn't true at all, because Vanja hasn't got correctly developed feeling empathy. She sighed and fixed her eyes on overgrown with a grass common lands.
The start of school year in Hogwart's great hall seemed to be more solemn than it used to be. Room was profusely dressed with lights and every student was wearing dress suit. Houses shields hanged and presented with a proud. Friendly and full of pride Gryffindor, which sometimes reminded her feeling of loss or loneliness in a joyful crowd. Covered in yellow Hufflepuff with busy and loyal students who sometimes couldn't see the abandoned one. Clever and arranged students of Ravenclaw who hates changes. The last one, dressed in the green and introducing itself as a snake, inward-looking Slytherin.
Ginny Weasley felt little overwhelmed with atmosphere. It was going to be her one before last year in school. She couldn't find any of her friends, family members or boy, who she used to love. Question if she still love Harry as a boyfriend, not as a friend took her all holidays. She didn't even sure, but she cursed to think that she recognize Harry as an older brother, especially when he didn't have any time for her.
She left the great hall to take the air before the celebration. Hall, although it was magical, was still stuffy as it was normal, muggle-born's church. Ginger-haired girl leaned against the wall and sighed. She felt like stranger when she was surrounded with this crowd.
"Are you alright?" Someone's voice came to her from the left. She felt as sense of helplessness fill her guts but she turned to only student who showed her interest since she entered the school. With an amazement she saw one year older Slytherin, Blaise Zabini.
"What do you want?" She asked reluctantly and looked sideways. If it was anyone else she would tell him about her worries but one of Malfoy's "friends" wasn't a right person to confidences. He probably came only to mocking about her family end enjoy her pain. She clenched fists and in her brown eyes flashed fury. No one could offend her again. She won't allow it.
"Girl, stop jump to conclusions! You look like you will kill me if I say a word." He smiled. She frowned deeply. It wasn't normal Slytherin's student reaction. Maybe surprise on her face, maybe something different, caused that boy's expression changed into normal, contemptuous look. "Ginny…" He started but Weasley girl cut him off with an hostile snarl.
"You used to call me a traitor of blood." She barked. Strange situation and his cultural behavior absolutely shocked her that she didn't know how to behave. Was he really just joking?
"What are you doing with him?!" She realized that her brother, Ron, who appeared with Harry from nowhere was screaming at her. How dare him shout at her like she was a child just after left her in a crowd?! She turned to her family member with offense. He cut her off her thinking anyway.
"Not of your business." She answered simple. It probably pissed Ron off but she didn't care. Her stupid brother embarrassed her in front of people a moment ago. He opened mouth to snap back, but was ran by Zabini.
"I wanted to apologize for our argues, Ginny. If you want to talk, I'll be in Slytherin's common room." And he passed them to enter great hall.
Ron was still digesting information when his sister left them too and his best friend immersed himself in meditation about sense of his expired relationship.
It was a fact that Harry didn't have enough time for his girlfriend while holidays but he could justify himself with Sirius Black's death or meetings with Dumbledore. It was a fact but before now boy had never felt that Ginny is moving away from him more and more. Worries were poisoning his heart, when he remembered about situation in with he found his best friend's sister a moment ago. He sighed heavily and entered the Great Hall to greet a new school year. He had taken a place at the Gryffindor's table, opposite of Ron and looked around only to confirm his suspicion: Ginny was observing their opponents students from snake's house. He improved on the chair nervously and wrapped his hand under the chin. That was the longest ten minutes in his life when he was waiting for headmaster's welcome speech.
She was listening Dumbledore's speech at half but she was still tracking Zabini's behavior at his table. He was cultural but it was typical for someone who was recognized as one of Hogwart's skirt-chasers. Fact that that kind of guys exists was always pissing her off. They were assholes who were playing with girls feelings. She quietly snorted with contempt.
Suddenly one thought came to her: maybe he had just bet with another Slytherin that he can pick her up. It could be possible considering that boys, who are in her brothers age have got stupid ideas. It irritated her more and she decided that she would go to meet with that false man after a meal. She really wanted to discover his cheating in feigned friendship.
She was so riddled with her thought that she didn't notice Harry's suspicious look or Hermione's late appearance. She did pay any attention when boys nervously asked brunette why she came about half of academy.
"I met younger friend who asked me to help her with her inferiority complex" she answered with uncertain voice tone "It took too much time." She added with a sigh.
"Wow, Hermione, you're role model every day." Mocked Ron with gently smile on his face. He was trying to cover his worries about sister's strange behavior. On the muggle-born's face flashed sad which disappeared within a second. It would have been unnoticed by any of them if Ginny hadn't turned to them when Ron ended his sentence. Surprise and a discreet question in her eyes were directed at Hermione but she didn't react.
Ginny made a note in her mind to ask older friend about this later.
As soon as ceremony came to an end, Ginny Weasley left Great Hall. She ran to the dungeons as fast as she could. It was really important to not be noticed nearby Slytherin's common room by anyone who she knew.
She had some time so she reminded herself that she has a room with Luna, like in last year. Lovegood, despite of general opinions about her warped mind, was loyalty and trustworthy friend. She was nice girl with specific world view. Ginger-haired one though that it isn't a mistake that she is specify Luna as her best friend. It makes her smile.
"What are you grinning for, Weasley?" Asked Malfoy's contemptuous voice, which cut her off of her thinking. She rolled her eyes and yawed ostentatiously before she gave him an answer.
"You're boring with your invariable reluctance to everything which is moving." She has no idea why she was so cheeky in front of undeniable king of all Slytherins and main members of his gang. She realized that she likes her new visage. Visage which made Malfoy's company hesitate.
"All Weasleys are so stupid or you're an exception? Oh, I forgot that all of your family are exceptions." He laughed mockery and his gang joined to him after a moment. Gryffindor student, who was still leaned back against cold wall, gritted her teeth.
Her hand reached down to wand. She was about to cast spell when she heard another, low voice.
"Was it great talking?" He asked with warn voice. Sound of threat which was in his tone made Malfoy's group went to their dormitories. Ginny was looking at that scene in disbelieve. Was the Slytherin's hierarchy changed?
"…With a traitor of the blood?" Snarled Malfoy with vicious "Shame on you, Blaise."
Boy with dark complexion smiled to him, but in his eyes flashed desire to murder. Ginny knew from her friends stories and her own experiences that Malfoy was a coward but speed with which he went away from them surprised even her.
"Come." Commented Zabini after a moment and he walked to one of corridors. Girl hesitated for a short time and caught him within a moment.
"What do you want from me?" She asked and looked around to make sure that she wouldn't be one of the first topic of tomorrow's rumors.
"Why do you think that everyone is so interested? Why couldn't you accept that I'm just offering you my help? Maybe I want to improve our relationship…" He suggested with an erring smile.
"Because you're Slytherin and students from Snake's House are interested?!" She barked affected by his perfidious lies "Maybe because any of you get interest with me until now!" she snarled and turned on her heel. She ran away before he shouted kind of apologize to her.
Ginny stormed over to the dormitory. She find her blond-haired friend sitting on one of the beds and reading book. Luna rose at her a questioning look of her big and shining, silver eyes. Ron's sister sighed, sat down and asked hesitantly:
"Do you think that Slytherins could ever change?" She looked down with shame.
When she rose her glance back at friend she found a worrisome view…
Luna frozen in a place and her eyes have grown unnaturally. Her book has fallen down from her trembling fingers. Girl sat straight and titled her head without blinking. It was horror image. Ginny couldn't force herself to run away to get some help. Luna's eyes were hypnotizing her with irregular patterns which appeared on her pupil…
"No one is what he seems to be." She declared with insane look on her face. Her voice was foreign and words were getting out of her mouth with trouble as everyone was giving her unimaginable pain. Suddenly she started to bend like she was in convulsions. She screamed like something was ripping guts inside of her body. She returned to silence. Her eyes till weren't blinking. "The man had got the dog which, despite of its attachment, ran away to the forest. So the man tamed a wolf which was guarding his house since then, while man's friends were defying him. The man has got a duck which was hurting him unconsciously, when it was pecking him on hands." Luna grinned horribly and closed her eyes. She fell down on her bed as she went to sleep. Ginny was still shocked with information.
"Luna!" Ginny shook her friends shoulders. Girl felt as she has lost something really important. She couldn't move to get help. She was just shivering and begging blond one to get up. "Luna" she repeated as it was kind of saving spell.
Suddenly Lovegood sat again and took her book from the floor. She looked around with unconscious eyes.
"Ginny, are you okay?" She asked with worry before she returned to her lecture. Gryffindor student froze in place. She didn't know what exactly was going on. This prophecy which she heard from Ravenclaw friend could only complicate everything. "I thing that you should go to sleep. You look like you've got a fever." Advice came to her as it was said far away from her. Ginny sighed heavily and without thinking she marched to her room. Her mind was empty when she switched off light in room and lied on bedclothes. It was patterned with gold and scarlet designs.
She started to think hard to remind herself about Luna's story. It took her about an half of the night to set information in order which would be correct. Maybe she shouldn't take any attention to find sense in prophecy but she couldn't deter herself.
Should she give Zabini serious role of wolf in her interpretation?
Only the time will tell…