A/N: Ooh, sorry it's taken so long for this

A/N: Ooh, sorry it's taken so long for this. See, spring sports have started and I'm a lot busier than before. Add a big case of writer's block into the take, and you can see why I've been so long. Thank you to my sole reviewer, Pinky! (I know more of you read this; I have statistics! C'mon peops, review!) Well, without further ado I bring you…

Part 6: The Paths of Light

"So, what did my father want you to tell me?" drawled Draco.

The girl gave him a swift piercing look. "You're not a happy person, are you Draco?"

"What?" sputtered Draco, considerably shocked, taken aback, and irritated. He drew himself up to his full height and glared at her. Beautiful she might have been, but no mere staff member was going to make any assumptions about him. "Servant, I am Draco Malfoy, bearer of the Rod and right-hand man to Voldemort himself! I have fame, riches and power that you cannot even comprehend!" Although, I'm not that happy, he thought bitterly to himself. "And you will address me as Lord Malfoy, understood?"

She glared right back at him. "Well, my lord, that wasn't exactly what I meant. Anyone can see you have power and material comfort. Yet in my experience that has, in reality, very little to do with one's happiness. And you will not address me as servant."

"And why not?" said Draco, feeling very angry, both at her insolence and how she read him so easily.

"Because I am no servant of yours. Draco Malfoy, you do not have to be what you are now." She edged closer to him. "The Rod you possess can be used for both evil and good. I can see how unhappy you are both with your power and your master-"

"He is NOT my master!" yelled Draco. "You, whoever you are, get out of my sight before I kill you or have someone else do it for me!" He pointed the Rod at her.

She grabbed hold of it as well. With a loud whoosh, bright white flames the color of starlight leapt up along the rod and rose high into the air. With simultaneous gasps of shock, Draco and Fae both dropped the Rod and leapt back. After they let go, the flames disappeared, and they were left staring at the Rod and at each other.

"What-? How-? What was that?" stuttered Draco.

"I don't know," said Fae quietly, still staring fixatedly at the Rod.

Draco was staring at her. I've been trying to make the fire part work for two days. I've used every bit of concentration and energy I have, and she just touches it and it works. "I've changed my mind, servant. You will come with me to see Lord Voldemort."

"I told you before, I'm not your servant. And I won't go and see Voldemort!"

"Oh, yes you will," said a voice from the doorway. There stood Lucius Malfoy, wand pointed at Fae. "Well done, Draco. And, in my youth, you would get Cruciatus for your insolence, wench. Now come!"

With a look of fear but determination, and a glance around the room, Fae walked out the door, followed by the elder and younger Malfoys. She kept her hands clenched tight so that they wouldn't start shaking.

"We're done for," mouthed Ron at Harry and Hermione.

"Not yet," Harry mouthed back. The three quickly, but quietly followed Fae and her captors. Unfortunately, once Lucius, Draco, and Fae were out in the hall, Lucius rolled up his sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark. He pressed it and muttered something inaudible, and they all disappeared.

"All right, now we're done for," said Ron, coming out from under the cloak and punching the wall.

"Now is not the time for pessimism, Ron. We can still find her!" said Hermione reproachfully. "And please get back under the cloak!"

"Now is the perfect time for pessimism!" said Ron, flinging his hands into the air. "Yes, so we know who they're taking her to, but how are we supposed to figure out where Voldemort is? And next they're probably going to put her in the dungeons, and we all know what'll happen there! 'This is the south-south-west dungeons, the girl you're looking for is in the west-south-west dungeons!'"

"Quiet, you two!" said Harry someone will hear-"

"What's going on here?" said a thick-looking, but brawny guard, coming around the corner.

"I-um," stammered Ron.

"What is your number?" asked the guard menacingly.

"My number?" repeated Ron. The guard moved towards him threateningly. "Oh, my number! It's, uh, 793865012?"

"Ha! That's my number! Come with me, spy."

"Damn it!" muttered Ron under his breath. He thought about making a run for it, but as this was a place where people were accustomed to killing, he decided it was in his best interest to cooperate. The guard marched him off down the hall.

Harry and Hermione shot each other quick looks and then began following them.

* * *

"Master, I believe we have found the key to success for the Rod," murmured Lucius Malfoy smugly.

They were in a large, echoing room, made of some kind of black stone. Fae shuddered. In addition to the carved stone snakes that adorned the pillars and walls of the room there were also a large quantity of live snakes slithering about. She was kneeling, with her arms forced behind her, in front of a large, ornate, silver and jet
throne, in the same serpentine motif as the rest of the room. The person on the throne was visible in the shadows due to his pale skin and faintly glowing red eyes.

"Excellent, bring her closer," hissed a voice like chilled blood.

Fae found herself being roughly brought to her feet and then slammed down into a kneeling position again, not more than two feet from those red eyes.

"Girl, you and Master Malfoy will make me once again the most powerful wizard in the world. Your hands will wield the tool for the destruction of all the filth of that world," he said slowly and terribly, leaning closer to her. His breath was like rotten flesh.

Feeling very tempted to either throw up or spit in his face, Fae forced herself to look Voldemort right in his snake-like face and stay silent.

"What, she does not talk?" he asked Lucius with mild amusement.

Lucius stared icily at Fae. "Oh, she talks, Master. In fact, she was talking rather rudely to my son when I found them."

"Indeed." He swung his gaze back to Fae. "She doesn't dare even speak to me at all, wise girl. The tongues of women are utterly inferior."

At this moment the doors of the throne room swung open and in walked the guard and Ron. Fae gave a small gasp. The guard shoved Ron forward until he was kneeling in front of the throne as Fae was.

"Found him sneaking around the East Wing, Master," mumbled the guard, keeping his eyes on the floor.

"Did you? I know you, young man, don't I?" sneered Voldemort with a slow, cruel smile. Ron just stared at Voldemort, half defiant, half terrified. "Yes, you're Potter's little friend aren't you?" He leaned back and pressed his fingertips together methodically. "If one of Potter's little stooges is running about, Potter must be close by. Have your people do a thorough search of the castle," he said to the guard.

"Yes, Master," mumbled the guard, turning for the door.

"Oh, and have her taken down to the dungeons." He indicated Fae with a sweep of his pale, bony hands.

"Yes, Master," the guard said, grabbing Fae by the arm and dragging her out of the room.

"You two are excused. I wish to talk to the spy alone." He eyed Ron like a cat eyes a plump, lame mouse. The two Malfoys left, leaving Ron and Voldemort alone together.

"So, spy, where is Potter?" asked Voldemort.

"Why should I tell you? You have your guards searching the castle they'll find him," Ron replied.

"Well, it does something to pass the time between now and when I either kill you or enslave you," Voldemort replied with an evil smirk.

"Well, I don't know, so don't bother asking me," he muttered, carefully avoiding looking Voldemort in the eye.

"Don't you? I believe I'd like to test that," said Voldemort slowly, still giving Ron a cool, predatory stare.

"With what?" Ron's voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "Imperio, Cruciatus?"

"No, I think I'll go for a more interesting method." He waved his wand and, in front and slightly to the right of his shoulder, appeared a mirror, framed in the same silver and jet as the throne. It was engraved with strange runes and symbols. "Care to take a look into my mirror, spy?"

Ron tried to look away, but something about the mirror drew his gaze to it. His eyes grew larger and seemed to be looking inward.

Voldemort leered and laughed at him. "Oh, but this is interesting. You, the best friend of the great Potter, resent him for his greatness. All your life you were pushed aside by your siblings, finally you got to go to Hogwarts and try and make a name for yourself. And you did. 'Potter's sidekick.'" Voldemort laughed again. "Well, young Ronald, I know a way for you to shine with a light will blind all to their glories."

"How?" muttered Ron in a hollow, dead voice. His eyes seemed to be clouding over with smoke or mist. He stared into the mirror as if his life depended on it.

"Join with me. I can bring power, fame and glory beyond the dreams of those inferior followers of Dumbledore. Shall we make a deal?" He grinned and extended his hand towards Ron.

Ron turned slowly from the mirror, got to his feet, and after staring at the outstretched hand for a long moment, clasped it.

* * *

Fae sat in a cold, damp cell, leaning against a fungus-covered wall. She stared up out the high, tiny window at the leaden sky outside, thinking to herself. I wonder if it's ever sunny here? Probably not, evil snake-men are not exactly conducive to light and warmth. She stared bitterly around at her surroundings. Well, at least I know I won't die, not yet anyway. As long as I'm able to help work the Rod, I get to live. Great, just great.

A voice off to her left cleared its throat. Turning, she saw Draco standing there. After staring each in silence for some seconds she asked disparagingly, "Can I help you?"

He turned to the guard at her door. "Leave us, I wish to talk to the girl alone."

"Yes, my lord," mumbled the guard, nodding and hurrying off.

"Well, what do you want to talk about," she asked, turning so that she was facing him, "the lovely weather we're having?"

"How do you know I'm unhappy? Why do you think that?"

"I don't think, I know. I grew up around centaurs and other magical creatures. One of the things they taught me to do was how to see inside people, to their true natures. And I can plainly see that you are a depressed, unhappy, bitter person."

"Any ideas how I can make myself happier?" he asked, sitting down in front of the bars with an odd look on his face. He looked almost as if he expected to be hit by something.

He's not used to talking about stuff like this. His father probably taught him that emotions make you weak. "I'm guessing most of your bitterness is centered towards your family. From what I've heard your family has some long-standing traditions. Usually in those types of families someone is born who was not meant to follow those traditions, and so they suffer a life that could have been better lived."

"You're very good. It's really mostly centered around Father."

"Hmm. He wants you to be just like him, but you see what he is and what he's done. You don't want to be anything like him, including indulging in the darker side of yourself. But you have a lot of pride and a temper and are not quite willing to give up the power and prestige that the Dark Arts give you."

"I don't have a temper! And what's wrong with a little pride?"

"What do you call that little episode back before your father found us? And, yes, a little pride never hurt anyone. But you, Draco, err on the side of arrogant."

"I do not!" said Draco pounding his fist onto the floor.

"'I am Draco Malfoy, I have the Rod, I'm chums with Voldemort, you will address me as His All-Powerful Highness Sir Lord Baron Draco Malfoy!' No, no, you're not arrogant at all."

"Alright, maybe I am a little arrogant. But that's just how I was raised, to think of myself and my family as better than everyone else."

"Yes, you've been taught little but evil, arrogance, and hatred all your life. Old habits and old ways of life die hard. What you need is something you deem worth fighting for in order to break free from what you've been taught." She sat back and closed her eyes in thought. "You've probably seen pain as a byproduct of what you've learned, but then again, you were probably taught also to not pay attention to it
or think of it as a necessary evil…"

Draco sat up and stared at her. "I think I do have something worth fighting for. Wait here!" He got up.

"Do I have much choice?" she asked with somber grin.

"Oh, right, sorry about that. I'll see what I can do about that later, right now there's something I need to show you!" With that he dashed off down the corridor, up a flight of stairs, and out of sight.

Fae smiled. "I may just have made a break-through with him."

"Wow, that was weird!" said Harry's voice, soon followed by his body emerging from the cloak. "I never would've thought of Malfoy not wanting to be a rich, snobbish dark wizard."

"You can't always judge someone by their actions, sometimes there's something else lurking deep within." Fae replied. She shifted uncomfortably. "Do either of you have any ideas how to get me out of here, in case Malfoy gets side-tracked doing whatever he needed to do?"

"Well let's see," said Hermione, bringing out her wand. "Aloho-"

"Expelliarmus," grunted a voice from behind them.

Hermione's wand flew out of her hand, backwards into the outstretched palm of Ron's.

"Ron! What do you do that for?" asked Hermione, exasperated. She took a closer look at him. "Ron, are you ok?" she asked more timidly.

"Ron stood there, so rigidly it was like he was carved from stone. His mouth was set in a hard thin line, and his eyes, his eyes were clouded and angry, not just with Ron's irritated temper, but with hatred, malice, emotions none of them had seen on him since he found out Scabbers was a human rat. "Ok?" he replied, slowly grinning and softly chuckling. "I'm better thank ok, I'm better than I have been in years. I'm finally going to get what I want, what I deserve."

"Ron what are you talking about?" asked Harry moving closer to him.

"Ron trained his wand on Harry. "Shut up, you. I've had enough of you stealing the attention from me." He ground his teeth. "Famous Harry Potter, and his faithful side-kick, Unfamous Ron Weasley, well Potter I've found a new person to be side-kick to, one who's going to let me have some of the glory."

"Ron, not Voldemort? Why?" said Hermione, her voice cracking. She slowly edged towards him.

"Don't say his name. Ha, soon wizards everywhere will fear to say my name too. As for why, he," he pointed at Harry, "he has everything: Money, fame, everyone loves him. My own family loves him more than me."

"Now Ron," reproached Hermione, moving up beside him, "you know that isn't true."

"Oh, but it is. Name one thing I have that he doesn't," he said.

Hermione stood there silent for a moment looking like she was close to tears. She looked up at him and said, "Me." Then she reached up and kissed him.

He blinked, and as he did, the cloudiness seemed to drain from his eyes. "Hermione? What-What's happening? I was in the throne room and-"

"Voldemort used some sort of device to control you and make you hate Harry," said Fae coming over to the bars.

"What, what did I do?" asked Ron looking more confused and horrified by the minute.

"Well," said Harry, "I think you were going to kill me, but you mainly just raved on about how I have everything and you have nothing."

"Harry, I-You know I would never-" began Ron.

"Yeah, I know. I don't hold you responsible for any of it, just Voldemort."

"Please, please say You-Know-Who!" pleaded Ron, looking sick to his stomach.

"What we need to do is figure out how this happened," continued Harry. "Ron. What do you remember last?"

"Well," said Ron slowly, seemingly trying very hard to remember, "I was alone with…him in that throne room, and he was trying to get me to tell him where you were. I said I didn't know and he said he was going to 'test' that. I though he meant Cruciatus or something but he brought out this mirror and…it was kind of like the mirror of Erised, I saw things I wanted in there, but I also saw some things I knew didn't really want, but this little voice in the back of my head kept telling me I did and that he would give it all to me, and the voice kept getting more persistent, and I started getting really sleepy and…that's all I remember. How did you guys knock me out of it?"

"Hermione kissed you. Love has powerful effects on dark magic," answered Fae, grinning slightly. Her head swung to the right. "I think I hear someone coming!" she hissed. "Get under the cloak."

Draco came back into sight, coming down the stairs. "I'm back, sorry it took me so long."

Fae smiled at him. "That's alright, what did you want to show me?"

"Not here. That guard'll be back pretty soon. First, you get freed."

"Thank you. But what about the guard, couldn't you just order him to let me out?"

He gave her a small grin. "First you lecture me about abusing my power, then you want me to abuse it so I can get you out of that cell. How hypocritical." He dropped the grin. "The real reason is, Voldemort ordered you put in jail; since he's the supreme authority, if I asked to have you released, the guard would go and tell Voldemort, who would most-likely get suspicious. So it'll be much easier for us if we just break you out, though I haven't got any idea how to do it. Regular charms are spelled against and the bars are nearly indestructible."

"What about using the Rod?" asked Fae.

A/N2: Bwhahahaha! Again, my little chickadess, I leave you hanging. Well, how else am I supposed to draw you back? ::announcer voice:: Has Draco turned good?
What does he want to show Fae? (No, not THAT, you sicko!) And where exactly IS this story headed anyway? (How should I know, I'm just the author, ask the little being perched on my shoulder who yells things in my ear.)
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