Draco Malfoy, Seeker Of Souls

Chapter Thirteen

The Hall Of Lost Souls

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I told only Harry about the trip that I was going to be making with Ginny. I knew Tom didn't want Harry along, but I figured he ought to know. "But you mustn't tell the others. I like them dearly, but this is something I have to do myself. Besides, I want to surprise Ron with his sister all better again."

"Won't you let me help?" Harry asked. "I don't trust Tom Riddle at all. He could kill you any time he wanted to."

I had considered this. "But Harry, if he wanted me dead, he could have killed me any of the times I went down to see him. Or when we were alone in the Chamber of Secrets. But he didn't. I don't think he wants to kill me. I think he really wants Ginny to get her Soul back."

Harry seemed a bit miffed about the whole Tom Riddle situation. "Fine enough…"

I turned to go. "But Harry…I want you to have something." I dug in my pocket. "This is the Snitch from the Quidditch game I lost you. I want you to have it. I've been carrying it for a long time now, and, well…I want you to keep it more than anyone else."

He looked down at the Snitch in his hand, which fluttered its wings lazily. "Draco…I…"

"Just keep it." I pursed my lips together. I hated a lot of sentimentality.

"And you're sure I can't help somehow?"

"We'll see."

********

On the very afternoon that Tom and I had decided on, I dressed Ginny in a sundress, pulled her hair into braids, and took her down to the dungeons. Once we were down there, I used my wand to spring open the bars. Tom stepped out into the dank air of the dungeons and breathed deeply of his freedom. "You have no idea how boring it can get inside of that cell! I wish they would just decide what to do about me."

I pushed Ginny's arms into a sweater. "Snape isn't sure what to make of you, and I don't think Dumbledore is either. They don't want to ship you right off to Azkaban since you've done good things recently, but they certainly don't trust you, and neither do I, really."

Tom swiped his hand through the air impatiently. "Don't worry about that. I want to get Ginny's Soul back as much as you do. I miss her chatter."

Ginny gazed at him with her dead eyes. This seemed to make Tom rather uncomfortable. "Well, let's get moving, shall we?"

I took Ginny's hand. "Come on."

We tramped up through the castle, Tom dressed in one of my extra robes. It was too small for him, but at least he fit in with the rest of the students. I didn't have an invisibility cloak with me, which made me jumpy, but no one even gave us a second glance. There were a lot of seventh years who actually looked like he did.

Once out on the grounds, I hoisted Ginny up onto my back in hopes of moving faster. I grunted slightly. I think she was growing faster than I was! "Are we taking brooms? How do we get to this magical place?"

Tom was leading us towards the Forbidden Forest. I wished with all my might that we didn't have to go in there. "We have no need for brooms. They will be supplied for you when you get there." He looked at me, his eyes gleaming. "Do you have your key?"

"Well, yes."

"Get it out."

I shrugged and looked to the empty space to my left. I was very skeptical about this whole thing. However, I set Ginny down and fished around in my jeans for the key. Finding it, I handed it to Tom and waited. "What are you going to do with it? What can you do with no magic?"

He smiled. "I may not have much magic, but Salazar Slytherin has a great deal. You and Harry saw what the key could do in the Black School. You told me it led you right to Ginny. Well, Salazar has informed me of the instructions and your key here will take care of everything. Stand still now, right where you are."

I pressed close to the air next to me and pulled Ginny against my chest. "What are we doing?" This all seemed so silly.

"The Hall of the Lost Souls is located underground."

My heart jumped a bit with excitement and fright. "We have to go under the earth?"

"It won't be that bad. Do hold onto Ginny tightly, won't you?" Tom took the key and started to trace a circle in the grass around us with it. To my delight, the line in the grass began to glow golden, even more brilliant than the bright sunlight that streamed through the trees. I clutched Ginny tighter, as she seemed drawn to the glow. Her hands reached for the golden line, but something seemed to hold her arms back.

Once Tom was finished with the line, he stepped close to me and drove the key into the earth. "Oh great Salazar Slytherin! Take us down below to the beautiful Hall of Lost Souls!" I almost laughed. For as magical as the whole experience was, it also had the tendency to be very showy and a bit corny.

I stopped snorting when the earth under us gave a great jolt, and we sat down hard on our rumps. Ginny opened her mouth in a silent yelp, and her hands clutched the grass under her. As we sat, the ground inside the glowing circle started to vibrate and soon we were sinking down into the earth on our little grassy platform. I had the feeling we were being pulled into a massive open grave. I felt the air near me shiver, as if in agreement. I pulled Ginny closer to me to keep her from touching the dirt. Dirt. Graves had dirt. Brrrr. Dirt all around us. Brrrr. I felt something touch my hand and I jumped, but then I relaxed a bit

Tom looked at me. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. I just don't like the feeling of sinking into the earth very much." I looked up. The sky was nothing but a tiny blue dot now, almost drowned out by the massive walls of dirt.

"I don't either, really, but it's the way Salazar told me to go about this."

Ginny kept reaching out to touch the dirt, but her arms were still being held back. I was grateful. I felt too spooked myself to fully look after her. She seemed to be a bit agitated. Maybe she knew what was coming up and she was looking forward to being back to normal. With Ginny, I could really only guess.

Tom Riddle spoke. "Don't be frightened, Ginny. It won't be long now." Ginny snapped her head around to look at him with those eyes of hers, and he nearly jumped a mile. "I hate it when she does that!" Admittedly, Ginny did have a very spooky quality.

At that moment, the earth beneath us jolted, and we stopped moving. We were surrounded by dirt now – I couldn't even see the sky anymore. There was infinite darkness off to our right. "What's over there?"

Tom took Ginny into his arms and hopped off our grassy elevator, pulling out the key and handing it to me. "The entrance should be down this tunnel. We'll need you to perform the lumos spell."

I pulled out my wand and followed along next to Tom, eyeing the walls of earth. At least the ceiling was high so I wouldn't be so claustrophobic. I also wished that Ginny were closer to me, rather than being carried by Tom. But I knew we needed to move fast, and Ginny had a knack of wanting to go slowly and touch things.

We traveled for miles under the ground. I had stopped being nervous and had grown quite bored. I looked to my left and rolled my eyes. I was ready to get there. "Did Salazar tell you how far it would be? We must have walked for miles."

Tom had Ginny draped over his back. She was fast asleep. "Don't complain, Draco."

I crossed my arms and pouted. Malfoys were good at complaining. I thought I heard silent snickers. "Oh, shut up," I muttered.

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

I had let my wand hand drop to my side, so I almost banged right into the large golden door before the light of my wand caught it. How very dignified, Malfoy.

Tom looked delighted and took my wand from me. He held it up and studied the door, which loomed up into the darkness. "I think we're here."

"It's about time!" I reached up and lifted Ginny from off Tom's back. "Wake up, little sprite. We're here. We're going to get your Soul back now."

She opened her eyes blearily and slipped her hand into mine. I felt warm all over. I missed this simple gesture that she used to do all the time and now rarely did on her own.

Tom looked at me. "Only you can work the key. It was given to you. You're the Seeker."

I smirked at him. "You don't have to be a parseltongue?" It seemed that if you weren't a parseltongue you couldn't do anything. I elbowed the air. "Shut up!" Always laughing at me!

Tom shook his head. "What are you doing? You're such a quirky kid."

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't used to be, believe me. How quickly things change, huh?"

"Just put the key in the lock. Then we can get on with this."

I was starting to get a bit sick of Tom's constant bossing. "Yes, Sir." I brought out the key again and stuck it in the large lock. As I turned, the door creaked open and we were surrounded by strong golden light that flooded out into the earthy passage. As I stepped into the room, a large golden ball took a dive-bomb at my head. I ducked, pulling Ginny with me. It was a Soul, just as I had seen in the channeling sessions with Slytherin.

I looked around at the room in awe. It was all just as I had seen. Thousands of Souls were flying around the large circular golden room, and the jeweled throne sat in the middle. Part of me had been expecting to see Salazar Slytherin seated in it, but it was empty. I had the sudden desire to run and sit in it myself.

"Wow!" The voice came from beside me.

Tom turned his head glaring at me. "Who's there?"

I nudged the air again. "Take off the cloak."

With a swish, Harry appeared beside me, holding his invisibility cloak. Tom's eyes remained wide for a moment, but he was soon frothing with anger. "What is he doing here? I specifically told you that we would be coming here alone!"

"Well, you don't call all the shots! I've told you that I don't trust you, and I wanted Harry to come along."

Tom glared heatedly at us for a minute, before letting his face relax. "Well, no matter. Since you're here, you may as well make yourself useful. You stay here and look after Ginny. Draco and I have work to do.

Harry quirked an eyebrow, while I gazed up at the flying Souls. "But can't Harry help me catch Ginny's Soul? He's a very good Seeker. Better than me." I hated to admit it, but this was no time to be high and mighty. The most important thing was that someone caught Ginny's Soul so we could get it back in her body.

Tom closed his eyes. "I can feel Salazar Slytherin. He's calling me, trying to take me inside him." He started to rise off the floor and drift towards the throne. Harry and I watched him, waiting to see what would happen next. Ginny had her dull brown eyes focused on the Souls. They seemed to want to hover around her head, as if they were as interested in her as she was in them. I wondered which one hers could be, and I knew Harry was thinking the same thing.

After drifting across the room, Tom was settled in the throne, his dark hair blowing as if there were a breeze. He suddenly jerked his head up and gazed down at us, his eyes gleaming green slits. "Welcome, Seeker."

I didn't really know what to say. "Er…Slytherin?"

"Yes," was the reply, the voice deep. "Are you ready to search for the Soul of the Lost?"

I was determined. "Yes. I'm ready. How should I do it? They all look alike."

Tom/Slytherin settled himself more comfortably in his throne. "Take the broom. I will direct you to the correct Soul and you will Seek for it. Once you catch it, you must take it over to the Lost. She will be restored."

Harry squeezed my arm. "Good luck, Draco. I hope this is really the way to do it."

I looked up at Slytherin and nodded slightly. "I'm ready." I headed over to the corner of the room where a golden broom sat waiting. How convenient, if I do say so myself. I stuck my hand out and commanded, "Up!" The broom jumped into my grip and I mounted it quickly, zooming off into the air in the midst of the Souls.

Harry stood on the ground, his hands behind his back, watching me. "It's so confusing! It's like the magic key room that was hidden in Hogwarts when the Philosopher's Stone was being kept there. How will you ever tell which one hers is?"

I looked down, trying not to be hit by the Souls, who all seemed to want to be chosen. "I suppose that's where he comes in!"

Slytherin was looking up at me, a funny little grin on his face. "Do you see the large one there?"

I brushed aside one that couldn't seem to leave me alone. It had already bonked me in the nose twice. "Er…yes, I see it."

"That is the one. That one is Ginny's Soul. Seek that one."

I looked down at Harry hopelessly. "What else can you do besides try it?" he called up to me. He shrugged helplessly. "Maybe if it's not the right one, she won't accept it."

I gritted my teeth and took off after the Soul. After all, it could have been the right one, and Slytherin would know better than I would. And why would Slytherin want to lead me wrong? I had never even met him. Tom wanted Ginny to have her Soul back too. I could tell. This had to be the right one.

The Soul certainly was playful enough to be Ginny's. It dodged me left and right and tried to nudge me off the broom. I could practically hear Ginny's giggle radiating off it. "Well, let me catch you, silly girl!" I muttered. "We can play once I get you back into your body." Meanwhile, the other Souls were in hot pursuit of me, the small persistent one in the lead. I had to knock it away again as it ricocheted off my head. "I'm…oof…sorry, but you Souls are just not the ones I'm looking for!" Meanwhile, Ginny's Soul took another sharp turn and I had to execute a spin in midair to take up the chase again.

Harry hopped from one foot to the next, his hands aching to catch one of them, to help in some way.

I finally managed to chase the Soul over in Ginny's direction. "Harry!" I shrieked. "Lift her up!"

As I heard Slytherin's triumphant cry, Harry grabbed Ginny's arms from behind and lifted her up as high as he could, and the Soul smacked into her chest. She let out a wrenching cry and her eyes flashed. She gnashed her teeth evilly. "We've done it!" Tom hollered, as he leapt up onto his feet on the throne, coming out of his channeling.

I proceeded to crash into the wall, as I was going so fast, and fall from my broom to roll across the floor. I looked up dizzily to the sight of Ginny thrashing, and trying to strike at Harry. I was positively mortified for a moment, before I heard Tom's angry yell. "NOOOO!" I blinked as I saw many other Souls attack Ginny and start to stick to her like toffee. They were absorbed into her body as Tom screamed in rage. "GET HER OUT OF HERE! RUN, NOW!!"

Harry and I didn't hesitate. Something had gone terribly wrong and we needed to get her out of this cursed room. Harry lugged her out and sprawled in the earthen hallway with her, and I did the same. Tom came running out right behind us and slammed the door shut. "Oh, no! No!" He beat upon the wall with his fist. "Terribly, horribly wrong!"

Harry and I ignored Tom. Ginny was stirring. She had landed face down on the dirt, and now she was trying to pull herself up on arms that appeared to be very weak. "Mm."

Harry and I pulled her over onto her back and looked down at her hopefully. "Ginny?" I asked, tears shimmering in my eyes.

The tired brown eyes that regarded me were puzzled. "Ginny? Who is Ginny? I am not Ginny." Her voice was weak and crackled. She looked down at her arms and legs. "I have lived many years and seen many things. This is not my body." Her eyes filled with tears. "I have lived so very long and been lost for ages and when I return to life, I do not have my own body." Sobs started to wrack her shoulders, but tears refused to fall. "But did we stop it? Did we help at all?"

Harry and I were staring at her in dumb shock. "What are you talking about, Ginny?" I asked.

"The Soul of the Murderer? Did we overpower it?" Ginny looked as if she were going to faint. I realized then that the eyes were not hers. They were the eyes of someone who was very, very old. Not those of a fourteen-year-old girl.

"Oh, God. It's not her."

Harry was eyeing Tom, who seemed to have perked up his ears. Harry put his face right next to Ginny's and whispered, "We mustn't talk here. Keep silent for now. We'll talk later, in private."

Ginny, or what looked like Ginny, nodded and closed her eyes. "I'll carry her," said Harry. "She looks too weak to walk."

I didn't ask questions. I didn't ask a thing the whole way back. Who's Soul did Ginny have in her now? And what was the Soul of the Murderer? Tom had looked so happy, and now he was totally defeated. Something had gone wrong for him, but what was it?

Harry lifted Ginny onto the grassy elevator and helped her to settle herself. I planted the key in the same way as Tom had and sat down for the journey back to the surface. Tom climbed on too, but as soon as the platform started to rise, he slid off again. I cried out and leaned over the side to look down at him. "What are you doing?!"

He laughed. "I'm staying here! Do you think I'm going back to that dungeon? Think again, Draco! I'll see you soon enough! Look out for Ginny for me. And Harry…? Watch your back!" Tom disappeared from view.

I looked at Harry, who was emotionally exhausted. "Well, it seems he may want to kill you again, doesn't it."

Harry rolled his eyes. "What else is new? But he can't do anything immediately without his powers. We have to find out what's happened to Ginny. All I know is that she absorbed way too many Souls for one person. I wonder if hers made it in at all?"

"I caught it. You saw me catch it and shove it towards her chest. But she reacted so violently."

Ginny opened her eyes and lifted her head. "I have lived many years and have seen many things. That was not the Soul of this dear child…it was the Soul of the Murderer."

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