Disclaimer: Not mine!
A/N: I'm really sorry about all the grammar mistakes in the last chapters, I tried to do better in this one. :o) Please Please Please Review!!! Do I sound desperate? That's because I am! I have to know that some people appreciate my writing to keep at it! I hope you all like this chapter!
Piercing the Darkness
Chapter 5 Controlled by Evil
******
Draco threw the unopened letter onto his bed. He couldn't bring himself to read it. His father rarely sent him letters, and when he did, it was never good news, or happy greetings. His mother on the other hand wasn't as cold-hearted. She would send him sweets and things from home. 'If you can call where I live a home.' Draco thought. He sighed and rubbed his hand through his wind-blown hair. Draco stared at the letter lying on his bed. It stared back at him, warning Draco that if he didn't open it his father would be very put out. Draco strode to the bed and angrily picked up the letter. His father could somehow control him, even if he wasn't in his presence. Maybe it had something to do with Lucius Malfoy's evil blood that ran through Draco's veins. He ripped through the wax seal that bore his family's mark, - a black snake poised to strike, and read:
Meet me near the edge of the forest on the far side of the lake at eleven tonight. Do not be late.
-Father
Draco's thoughts flew, trying desperately to think of what he had done, or what was so important that his father would come personally to see him. He was in no mood to see his father. Draco would rather spend time with Potter, than with his father today. Take that back- never Potter. Maybe, just maybe, he would rather spend time with Ginny.
******
The rain came down heavily right as Ginny and everyone else left the pitch. Ginny laughed as she saw Harry take Hermione by the hand and twirl her around, her already soaked hair flying out of her bun. Ginny longed for someone to hold her like that, someone to dance with her in the rain. Briefly her mind flew back to Malfoy, and the kiss they shared that had sent sparks through her body. But she quickly pushed it away. She didn't want someone like Malfoy to hold her. Ginny continued trudging up the lawn towards the castle, biting her lip and holding back tears every time she saw a couple holding hands.
Filch was standing at the doorway, yelling at all the students as they came in, demanding that they dry off first. Ginny ignored him and went up the staircase towards Gryffindor Tower, water dripping from her robes and hair, and leaving muddy footprints behind her. She ran for the showers when she got there. She knew that at any moment wet, cranky girls would be pushing in line trying to get a turn at the showers. Luckily only a few girls had made it there before Ginny and she spent a good thirty minutes under the hot downpour of the shower before a couple of girls started beating on the door, demanding that she get out. Ginny reluctantly obliged, dried off, dressed and left, leaving the girls to grapple over whose turn it was.
It had finally stopped raining, but Ginny decided that she would spend the rest of the afternoon in front of the fire in the Common Room, wrapped up in a book. It would help to keep her mind off Malfoy.
******
Around nine o' clock that evening, Draco took his newest broomstick- a Nimbus 2002, and went down to the quidditch pitch, just for some well- needed practice. His team, oh yeah and his whole freakin house was pretty ticked with him right now, so he had to leave the Common Room before someone finally got up the nerve to murder him. Not that anyone would ever have the courage to approach him about it, especially since he was in such a bad mood.
As he flew through the cool night sky, Draco let his thoughts flow carelessly and freely. For the first time that day, he finally felt at peace, so much in peace in fact, that he completely forgot about his father, and that he was supposed to meet him at eleven. He glanced at his watch. It was already eleven fifteen! He threw his broom into a storage shed, and sprinted off towards the far side of the lake. 'Why am I even bothering to go?' Draco asked himself as he broke into a run. Maybe it was partly out of fear of what his father would do to him if he didn't, and maybe it was even partly out of curiosity. Draco had finally reached the far side of the lake and he skidded to a stop. He looked around, his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness the forest spread over him. It was totally quiet, not even a whot of an owl could be heard. It was if all the creatures of the forest could sense this evil presence that Draco was beginning to feel.
"You're late." A cold voice broke that eerie silence of the woods.
Draco looked up, startled. His father was standing at the edge of the trees, completely dressed in black.
"I'm sorry father, I didn't reali-"
"Enough excuses. Follow me."
Draco hesitantly followed his father into the forest, a place he wasn't to fond of. But thankfully they only walked several paces before his father turned to him.
"We don't have time to go any further."
"What is this all about- I want to know." Draco inquired.
"Silence!" Lucius hissed.
Draco fell silent, although he didn't know why. This was all beginning to be very obnoxious and stupid. But he barely had time to wonder before he heard the sound of someone approaching, very slowly. He heard the swish of a cloak, and his father pulled out his wand and lit it. Lucius seemed perfectly calm, like he had been expecting someone all along. As the wand lit up the trees and brush around them, Draco finally saw the person approaching. This unidentified person was also wearing robes of black, and a hood covered his head, but as he looked up, Draco realized with a jolt to his stomach who it was.
Voldemort.
He spoke in a voice that made Draco cringe. A voice that echoed through Draco's brain.
"Ah, the young Malfoy. Finally we meet."
Draco stared in bewilderment from Voldemort to his father. What was going on here?
******
Ginny stared blankly at the words on the page of the book. She was reading, but nothing was being processed. Her thoughts were a continuous circle of confusion. Finally, she gave up trying to read, it wasn't doing her any good, and she looked around the room. It looked like there was about to be a party, to celebrate the defeat of Slytherin. Ron and Harry came through the Portrait Hole, both carrying large amounts of food in their arms. Ginny watched as Hermione went over to meet them.
"Not again! Those poor elves! They never get a moments peace, with people like you two barging in and demanding food!" she said.
"Hermione! They love it when we come and visit them. They don't want a moment's peace, they want us to order them around!" Ron retorted.
Ginny noticed that Harry wasn't paying attention to Ron and Hermione. For some reason he was staring straight at her. His eyes didn't move off her as he went and set his armful of food down onto a table. Ginny was starting to feel uneasy. What was wrong with Harry? Hermione and Ron were still bickering, and hadn't noticed. Harry came over to where Ginny was sitting.
"Hey Ginny." He said with little emotion in his voice.
"Hi Harry." Ginny replied, thoroughly confused.
Harry stood in silence for a moment, seemingly contemplating what he was about to say.
"Look I'll get right to the point." He said. "As we were leaving the kitchen, Dobby stopped me as Ron left, to congratulate me on beating Slytherin in the match. Then he said something about he was glad that Malfoy didn't win, 'especially after he was so mean to Weazey's sister.'"
Ginny could feel the blood drain out of her face.
"Now why would Dobby say something like that Ginny? I couldn't get any more out of him, the elves had started shooing me out of the kitchen. So I would like to know what is going on. Did something happen that you didn't tell us?"
Ginny could tell by the look on Harry's face that he knew more than he was telling. He probably had most everything figured out. Had he told Ron anything? Ginny supposed he hadn't, since Ron wasn't the one over here questioning her. Well Ron wouldn't be questioning, he would be ranting.
Harry was still standing over her, waiting patiently for her answer. 'Why shouldn't I tell him?' Ginny thought. 'He could probably get Malfoy kicked out of school now that I think about it. I'm sure Dumbledore would believe Harry Potter.'
"Oh, I- I don't know what you're talking about Harry. I went down to the kitchen for a snack one night, and Malfoy was down there too. Dobby must have heard him taunting me, like Malfoy always does."
'Why am I not telling Harry the truth!?' Ginny asked herself. 'What's the matter with me?'
Ginny looked up. Harry looked her straight in the eye.
"Ginny, if there's ever anything, anything at all that you need to talk about, we're always here." He said while indicating himself and Ron and Hermione, whose voices were steadily rising, Hermione's face turning from red to purple.
"I can't force information out of you Ginny, but I can tell you that I don't think that Malfoy is a good person to get involved with. In fact, I know he's not." Harry said in a serious tone.
At this Ginny angrily stood up. How dare Harry try to interfere in her personal life! He made it sound as though she and Malfoy were in some sort of relationship!
"I'm not a baby Harry! I can deal with people myself!" Ginny said.
Why was she doing this? Harry was only trying to help her. But she stormed away anyway. Past Ron and Hermione, who stopped fighting for a moment to give her and Harry quizzical looks, and out through the Portrait Hole. She had no idea where she was going. She just knew she had to get away from Harry, from the questions, from the thoughts in her head.
Finally, after walking a ways down the corridor, Ginny realized that Filch or Mrs. Norris could catch her at any time. After all, it had to be past eleven. She came to the stairs that lead to the front doors, and decided she would go out and walk around the lake. She loved looking at the stars. Maybe it would help her to relax.
******
Harry knew that Ginny had been lying. It would have been obvious by the guilty expression on her face, even if he hadn't known the truth. Dobby had told him more than Harry had let on.
Harry had collapsed in the chair that Ginny had previously been sitting in. Ron and Hermione came over to find out why Ginny had angrily left so quickly. Harry decided that it was time to tell Ron everything he knew about Ginny and Malfoy.
"What's going on Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, why did my sister just leave so suddenly?" Ron said.
"Ron I think you better sit down." Harry said. "This is going to be a bit of a shocker."
******
Draco couldn't believe it. Voldemort was on Hogwarts grounds. But why? Dumbledore was supposed to be the one wizard that Voldemort was afraid of. 'So why is he taking such a big chance just to see me?'
Draco looked at Voldemort, who was studying him closely. Draco still hadn't said anything. He couldn't get his mind to work right, too many thoughts and questions were flying through it.
"Draco please acknowledge your master." His father said.
"My- my master?! What are you tal-"
"Do not talk back to me!" his father shouted. "Now bow and acknowledge your master!"
Draco looked angrily over at Voldemort. He was still staring at him, a faint smile of amusement on his lips. Draco decided it was best to keep them both happy, so he bowed ever so slightly.
"Master." Draco muttered in a barely audible voice.
Voldemort looked over at Lucius.
"I like your son already. Stubborn but obedient."
Draco couldn't stand it anymore. He had to know what was going on.
"Father, would you kindly tell me please, why you brought me out here?" he said in a forced calm voice.
"Ah yes, I can answer that." Voldermort said. "We have a little task for you, but first, you must receive my mark."
Draco silently cursed. The Dark Mark? He had known it was coming one day, but he was only sixteen, still to young to be of any help to Voldemort. He didn't want the Mark. He wanted to enjoy his younger years, not have someone controlling his life with a stupid tattoo on his arm. Curse his father! Why did he have to go and ruin everything?
"I'm not taking it." He said with determination.
"You don't have a choice." His father said. "You are the son of Lucius Malfoy. And when I say it's time to become ever faithful to you master, then you will take the mark. Now is that time!"
"Lucius! We don't have to get so worked up," Voldemrot said. " I'm sure that your son realizes that this is a great honor! He will be entering into our realm of evil and pleasure, he will help us achieve what I have been trying to do for sixteen years!"
It had finally clicked. Draco now understood what was going on.
"This has something to do with Potter doesn't it?" Draco asked.
Voldemort scowled.
"We will get to that in a moment, let's go ahead and perform the mark."
"I'll have nothing to do with it" Draco said angrily. "Come back when I'm older." He began to turn and walk away.
"COME BACK!" Lucius Malfoy yelled.
Instantly Draco felt an invisible force dragging him backwards. He tugged hard against it, but to no success. The force threw him up against a tree, and Draco saw that his father had his wand pointed at him. Then rope appeared out of nowhere, and tightly bound Draco to the tree. The only part of his body that was free was his right arm.
"Yes very stubborn indeed." Voldemort said. "We hate to do it this way, but you give us no choice. You will see that this in no joke soon enough. You will obey or you will die."
Draco stared at him. These people were out of their minds. Controlled by evil, by their own desires. Images flashed through his head. A lot of them focused on Ginny. He didn't want to die. But then again, what was the point of living anymore? But take the Dark Mark? Did he really want someone controlling his life, more than his father did already? Sure it could be fun, being a Death Eater, torturing muggles, finally having revenge on Harry. But Draco didn't really want to kill anyone, or let things get so out of hand. He wouldn't be able to trust himself, wouldn't be able to finish a normal life, and probably wouldn't be able to finish school. Draco argued with himself, but in the end, he wouldn't have a choice.
"Hold out you arm." His father commanded.
Draco didn't move. He hated this whole situation.
"Now now Draco, don't be troublesome, hold out your arm for me." Voldermort said.
But before Draco had decided if he was going to relent, Voldemort had taken out his wand and pointed it at him. Draco felt his right arm being torn from his side, with immense pain. It felt as if it had practically been ripped out of his socket. His arm was frozen midair. Draco had no way of moving it.
"Roll up his sleeve." Voldemort demanded of Lucius.
He did, revealing the inside of Draco's arm, and Voldemort came over. He too rolled up his sleeves, and grabbed Draco with his left arm at the wrist. Draco flinched, he couldn't stand to have Voldemort touching him. His hand was ice cold, as if he were dead. Voldemort brought his index and middle fingers up to the skin on Draco's arm that was halfway between his wrist and his elbow. Voldemort pressed hard against Draco's skin. Immediately he felt terrible pain, like thousands of knives being driven into that one spot on his arm. He screamed out, piercing the darkness. Lucius quickly clamped his hand down over Draco's mouth to muffle the cry. But unknowingly to him, one had already heard.
******
Ginny stopped dead in her tracks, chills running up and down her body. Had that haunting sound been a scream? 'No,' she told herself, 'It was just some creature in the forest.' But it had sounded so- human. Too human. Ginny's curiosity got the better of her, and she moved toward the far side of the lake, where she thought the sound had come from. As she got closer, she noticed a funny sort of glow, coming from a patch of woods. She moved towards that glow, her curiosity still dragging her forward.
She stooped at the foot of the patch of woods and listened. She could hear voices! Also the sound of someone breathing hard and raggedly. She quietly stepped into the woods, dodging back in forth behind trees. The voices were getting louder and more distinguished. She froze at the sight before her as she came around a bend. Through a clump of trees, she recognized Malfoy, who seemed to be tied to a tree, his father, and her heart froze, it just couldn't be! But she felt it. Felt it in the air, saw it on the face of Malfoy. The person standing in front of him was Voldemort!
Ginny wanted to run. Run as far away as her feet would carry her. Away from the unbelievable sight laid out before her. But she couldn't. It was as if she were glued to the spot, frozen with fear. Fear of being heard and discovered, or fear for Malfoy. He was breathing hard, his face contorted in a grimace of pain, and his arm seemed to be glowing black. She squinted her eyes and focused on his arm, and gasped when she realized what it was. The Dark Mark! Lucius Malfoy was standing next to Draco, and Voldemort was speaking to him.
"- you see Draco, we have a bit of a problem. The spies we have posted in Hogwarts, aren't exactly taking their job seriously enough."
'Spies!?' Ginny thought. 'Voldemort has spies in Hogwarts!?' Ginny looked at Malfoy, apparently from the bewildered expression on his face, he hadn't known that either. Ginny shouldn't be listening, it was putting her life in danger. But she just couldn't move.
"Yes, Pansy Parkinson in one, but she's a bit to stupid to help me with anything. Don't know why I even bothered with her in the first place." Voldemort went on. "Then there's Buck Synder. I'm going to have to deal with him soon, he has his head in the clouds. Only thinking about quidditch these days, he hasn't been completely thorough with the orders I've been sending him."
Draco had finally stopped breathing so hard and was now listening with a contortion of anger on his face.
" I needed a new spy. I brought it up before the Death Eaters, and your father here, volunteered you. Told us all that he knew you were ready to serve me. Well with this little unfortunate incident with us having to tie you up to get cooperation out of you, doesn't completely convince me that you're ready. So how about a reminder eh?"
He pointed his wand at a startled Draco.
"Crucio!" he shouted, while green sparks shot out at Draco. He doubled over as the curse hit, wrenching himself against the rope, and crying out in pain. Ginny covered her eyes. What was she going to do? Finally Voldemort let up, and Draco tried righting himself. Ginny could see his body shaking, and couldn't imagine what he must have gone through. Lucius Malfoy just stood there, no emotion at all on his face.
"And this all comes down to Potter in the end doesn't it?" Draco asked feebly, but with fury in his voice.
"What a brilliant boy." Voldemort replied. "I need someone in there to tell me every move he makes, every place he goes, and maybe even help me kill him, all right under Dumbledore's nose."
"I won't do it!" Draco screamed. "I'm not gonna spend my life following Potter around!"
"I thought you had learned your lesson before!" Voldemort yelled. "Maybe you need another one!"
"Cruc-"
But this time Ginny was ready, a plan already formed in the back of her mind. She ran forward with her wand out.
"NO!" she screamed. "Relisheo!" her spell hit Malfoy's bindings, and they fell to the ground.
Voldemort both looked at her, temporarily thrown off guard. Ginny knew she only had seconds.
"Run!" Malfoy yelled as he reached into his robes and grabbed out his wand.
"Get them!" Voldemort yelled at Lucius.
Draco shouted "Stupify!" just as his father yelled the same thing. Their spells hit and rebounded off each other, but Draco's quidittich reflexes were quicker than his father's, and he threw himself to the ground as the spell whizzed by, but Lucius was hit, and fell over stunned.
By this point both Ginny and Draco had started running, as they heard Voldemort cry out and yell spells at their backs. They kept running, ignoring the sparks that shot through the trees at them. As they came out of the woods, Ginny grabbed Malfoy's arm.
"We've got to go get Dumbledore!" she shouted at him.
"No it's to late! There's nothing he can do!" Malfoy replied.
"What do you mean!?"
"Just keep running!"
Ginny ran, but she ran toward the castle, she was going to get Dumbledore no matter what. But as she went up a slope, she slipped on the wet grass, and fell. She could feel her ankle give way, as she landed in the mud. She tried to stand up but her ankle hurt to bad. She saw Draco come towards her in the moonlight, and heard him shout.
"Accio Nimbus!"
He leaned down and grabbed Ginny around the waist as his broomstick came speeding towards him.
"Why did you have to get involved?" he asked her, his voice quavering with anger.
"Me!? I'm not the one with the Dark Mark on my arm here!"
Draco didn't reply he just roughly sat her down on his broomstick that had come to a halt next to them, and climbed on in front of her. Ginny had to throw her arms around Malfoy's waist as he shot up into the night sky. She had thought that maybe he had called the broom to get them to the castle faster, but as she looked down, she saw that they were flying over it. Actually they were getting farther away from it!
"Where are we going? I thought you were taking us to Dumbledore!"
"Well you thought wrong!" he said.
"No Malfoy! We have to! You're going the wrong way!" she cried out desperately. "We've got to go see Dumbledore! I demand that you take me to him!"
"Sorry Gin, I can't do that."
To Be Continued
A/N: Whew! that was longer than I thought it was going to be! I thought about making it two chapters, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it! Anyway, I promise more G/D action in the next chapter! (you know what kind of action I mean) ;o) Review Review Review!
A/N: I'm really sorry about all the grammar mistakes in the last chapters, I tried to do better in this one. :o) Please Please Please Review!!! Do I sound desperate? That's because I am! I have to know that some people appreciate my writing to keep at it! I hope you all like this chapter!
Piercing the Darkness
Chapter 5 Controlled by Evil
******
Draco threw the unopened letter onto his bed. He couldn't bring himself to read it. His father rarely sent him letters, and when he did, it was never good news, or happy greetings. His mother on the other hand wasn't as cold-hearted. She would send him sweets and things from home. 'If you can call where I live a home.' Draco thought. He sighed and rubbed his hand through his wind-blown hair. Draco stared at the letter lying on his bed. It stared back at him, warning Draco that if he didn't open it his father would be very put out. Draco strode to the bed and angrily picked up the letter. His father could somehow control him, even if he wasn't in his presence. Maybe it had something to do with Lucius Malfoy's evil blood that ran through Draco's veins. He ripped through the wax seal that bore his family's mark, - a black snake poised to strike, and read:
Meet me near the edge of the forest on the far side of the lake at eleven tonight. Do not be late.
-Father
Draco's thoughts flew, trying desperately to think of what he had done, or what was so important that his father would come personally to see him. He was in no mood to see his father. Draco would rather spend time with Potter, than with his father today. Take that back- never Potter. Maybe, just maybe, he would rather spend time with Ginny.
******
The rain came down heavily right as Ginny and everyone else left the pitch. Ginny laughed as she saw Harry take Hermione by the hand and twirl her around, her already soaked hair flying out of her bun. Ginny longed for someone to hold her like that, someone to dance with her in the rain. Briefly her mind flew back to Malfoy, and the kiss they shared that had sent sparks through her body. But she quickly pushed it away. She didn't want someone like Malfoy to hold her. Ginny continued trudging up the lawn towards the castle, biting her lip and holding back tears every time she saw a couple holding hands.
Filch was standing at the doorway, yelling at all the students as they came in, demanding that they dry off first. Ginny ignored him and went up the staircase towards Gryffindor Tower, water dripping from her robes and hair, and leaving muddy footprints behind her. She ran for the showers when she got there. She knew that at any moment wet, cranky girls would be pushing in line trying to get a turn at the showers. Luckily only a few girls had made it there before Ginny and she spent a good thirty minutes under the hot downpour of the shower before a couple of girls started beating on the door, demanding that she get out. Ginny reluctantly obliged, dried off, dressed and left, leaving the girls to grapple over whose turn it was.
It had finally stopped raining, but Ginny decided that she would spend the rest of the afternoon in front of the fire in the Common Room, wrapped up in a book. It would help to keep her mind off Malfoy.
******
Around nine o' clock that evening, Draco took his newest broomstick- a Nimbus 2002, and went down to the quidditch pitch, just for some well- needed practice. His team, oh yeah and his whole freakin house was pretty ticked with him right now, so he had to leave the Common Room before someone finally got up the nerve to murder him. Not that anyone would ever have the courage to approach him about it, especially since he was in such a bad mood.
As he flew through the cool night sky, Draco let his thoughts flow carelessly and freely. For the first time that day, he finally felt at peace, so much in peace in fact, that he completely forgot about his father, and that he was supposed to meet him at eleven. He glanced at his watch. It was already eleven fifteen! He threw his broom into a storage shed, and sprinted off towards the far side of the lake. 'Why am I even bothering to go?' Draco asked himself as he broke into a run. Maybe it was partly out of fear of what his father would do to him if he didn't, and maybe it was even partly out of curiosity. Draco had finally reached the far side of the lake and he skidded to a stop. He looked around, his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness the forest spread over him. It was totally quiet, not even a whot of an owl could be heard. It was if all the creatures of the forest could sense this evil presence that Draco was beginning to feel.
"You're late." A cold voice broke that eerie silence of the woods.
Draco looked up, startled. His father was standing at the edge of the trees, completely dressed in black.
"I'm sorry father, I didn't reali-"
"Enough excuses. Follow me."
Draco hesitantly followed his father into the forest, a place he wasn't to fond of. But thankfully they only walked several paces before his father turned to him.
"We don't have time to go any further."
"What is this all about- I want to know." Draco inquired.
"Silence!" Lucius hissed.
Draco fell silent, although he didn't know why. This was all beginning to be very obnoxious and stupid. But he barely had time to wonder before he heard the sound of someone approaching, very slowly. He heard the swish of a cloak, and his father pulled out his wand and lit it. Lucius seemed perfectly calm, like he had been expecting someone all along. As the wand lit up the trees and brush around them, Draco finally saw the person approaching. This unidentified person was also wearing robes of black, and a hood covered his head, but as he looked up, Draco realized with a jolt to his stomach who it was.
Voldemort.
He spoke in a voice that made Draco cringe. A voice that echoed through Draco's brain.
"Ah, the young Malfoy. Finally we meet."
Draco stared in bewilderment from Voldemort to his father. What was going on here?
******
Ginny stared blankly at the words on the page of the book. She was reading, but nothing was being processed. Her thoughts were a continuous circle of confusion. Finally, she gave up trying to read, it wasn't doing her any good, and she looked around the room. It looked like there was about to be a party, to celebrate the defeat of Slytherin. Ron and Harry came through the Portrait Hole, both carrying large amounts of food in their arms. Ginny watched as Hermione went over to meet them.
"Not again! Those poor elves! They never get a moments peace, with people like you two barging in and demanding food!" she said.
"Hermione! They love it when we come and visit them. They don't want a moment's peace, they want us to order them around!" Ron retorted.
Ginny noticed that Harry wasn't paying attention to Ron and Hermione. For some reason he was staring straight at her. His eyes didn't move off her as he went and set his armful of food down onto a table. Ginny was starting to feel uneasy. What was wrong with Harry? Hermione and Ron were still bickering, and hadn't noticed. Harry came over to where Ginny was sitting.
"Hey Ginny." He said with little emotion in his voice.
"Hi Harry." Ginny replied, thoroughly confused.
Harry stood in silence for a moment, seemingly contemplating what he was about to say.
"Look I'll get right to the point." He said. "As we were leaving the kitchen, Dobby stopped me as Ron left, to congratulate me on beating Slytherin in the match. Then he said something about he was glad that Malfoy didn't win, 'especially after he was so mean to Weazey's sister.'"
Ginny could feel the blood drain out of her face.
"Now why would Dobby say something like that Ginny? I couldn't get any more out of him, the elves had started shooing me out of the kitchen. So I would like to know what is going on. Did something happen that you didn't tell us?"
Ginny could tell by the look on Harry's face that he knew more than he was telling. He probably had most everything figured out. Had he told Ron anything? Ginny supposed he hadn't, since Ron wasn't the one over here questioning her. Well Ron wouldn't be questioning, he would be ranting.
Harry was still standing over her, waiting patiently for her answer. 'Why shouldn't I tell him?' Ginny thought. 'He could probably get Malfoy kicked out of school now that I think about it. I'm sure Dumbledore would believe Harry Potter.'
"Oh, I- I don't know what you're talking about Harry. I went down to the kitchen for a snack one night, and Malfoy was down there too. Dobby must have heard him taunting me, like Malfoy always does."
'Why am I not telling Harry the truth!?' Ginny asked herself. 'What's the matter with me?'
Ginny looked up. Harry looked her straight in the eye.
"Ginny, if there's ever anything, anything at all that you need to talk about, we're always here." He said while indicating himself and Ron and Hermione, whose voices were steadily rising, Hermione's face turning from red to purple.
"I can't force information out of you Ginny, but I can tell you that I don't think that Malfoy is a good person to get involved with. In fact, I know he's not." Harry said in a serious tone.
At this Ginny angrily stood up. How dare Harry try to interfere in her personal life! He made it sound as though she and Malfoy were in some sort of relationship!
"I'm not a baby Harry! I can deal with people myself!" Ginny said.
Why was she doing this? Harry was only trying to help her. But she stormed away anyway. Past Ron and Hermione, who stopped fighting for a moment to give her and Harry quizzical looks, and out through the Portrait Hole. She had no idea where she was going. She just knew she had to get away from Harry, from the questions, from the thoughts in her head.
Finally, after walking a ways down the corridor, Ginny realized that Filch or Mrs. Norris could catch her at any time. After all, it had to be past eleven. She came to the stairs that lead to the front doors, and decided she would go out and walk around the lake. She loved looking at the stars. Maybe it would help her to relax.
******
Harry knew that Ginny had been lying. It would have been obvious by the guilty expression on her face, even if he hadn't known the truth. Dobby had told him more than Harry had let on.
Harry had collapsed in the chair that Ginny had previously been sitting in. Ron and Hermione came over to find out why Ginny had angrily left so quickly. Harry decided that it was time to tell Ron everything he knew about Ginny and Malfoy.
"What's going on Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, why did my sister just leave so suddenly?" Ron said.
"Ron I think you better sit down." Harry said. "This is going to be a bit of a shocker."
******
Draco couldn't believe it. Voldemort was on Hogwarts grounds. But why? Dumbledore was supposed to be the one wizard that Voldemort was afraid of. 'So why is he taking such a big chance just to see me?'
Draco looked at Voldemort, who was studying him closely. Draco still hadn't said anything. He couldn't get his mind to work right, too many thoughts and questions were flying through it.
"Draco please acknowledge your master." His father said.
"My- my master?! What are you tal-"
"Do not talk back to me!" his father shouted. "Now bow and acknowledge your master!"
Draco looked angrily over at Voldemort. He was still staring at him, a faint smile of amusement on his lips. Draco decided it was best to keep them both happy, so he bowed ever so slightly.
"Master." Draco muttered in a barely audible voice.
Voldemort looked over at Lucius.
"I like your son already. Stubborn but obedient."
Draco couldn't stand it anymore. He had to know what was going on.
"Father, would you kindly tell me please, why you brought me out here?" he said in a forced calm voice.
"Ah yes, I can answer that." Voldermort said. "We have a little task for you, but first, you must receive my mark."
Draco silently cursed. The Dark Mark? He had known it was coming one day, but he was only sixteen, still to young to be of any help to Voldemort. He didn't want the Mark. He wanted to enjoy his younger years, not have someone controlling his life with a stupid tattoo on his arm. Curse his father! Why did he have to go and ruin everything?
"I'm not taking it." He said with determination.
"You don't have a choice." His father said. "You are the son of Lucius Malfoy. And when I say it's time to become ever faithful to you master, then you will take the mark. Now is that time!"
"Lucius! We don't have to get so worked up," Voldemrot said. " I'm sure that your son realizes that this is a great honor! He will be entering into our realm of evil and pleasure, he will help us achieve what I have been trying to do for sixteen years!"
It had finally clicked. Draco now understood what was going on.
"This has something to do with Potter doesn't it?" Draco asked.
Voldemort scowled.
"We will get to that in a moment, let's go ahead and perform the mark."
"I'll have nothing to do with it" Draco said angrily. "Come back when I'm older." He began to turn and walk away.
"COME BACK!" Lucius Malfoy yelled.
Instantly Draco felt an invisible force dragging him backwards. He tugged hard against it, but to no success. The force threw him up against a tree, and Draco saw that his father had his wand pointed at him. Then rope appeared out of nowhere, and tightly bound Draco to the tree. The only part of his body that was free was his right arm.
"Yes very stubborn indeed." Voldemort said. "We hate to do it this way, but you give us no choice. You will see that this in no joke soon enough. You will obey or you will die."
Draco stared at him. These people were out of their minds. Controlled by evil, by their own desires. Images flashed through his head. A lot of them focused on Ginny. He didn't want to die. But then again, what was the point of living anymore? But take the Dark Mark? Did he really want someone controlling his life, more than his father did already? Sure it could be fun, being a Death Eater, torturing muggles, finally having revenge on Harry. But Draco didn't really want to kill anyone, or let things get so out of hand. He wouldn't be able to trust himself, wouldn't be able to finish a normal life, and probably wouldn't be able to finish school. Draco argued with himself, but in the end, he wouldn't have a choice.
"Hold out you arm." His father commanded.
Draco didn't move. He hated this whole situation.
"Now now Draco, don't be troublesome, hold out your arm for me." Voldermort said.
But before Draco had decided if he was going to relent, Voldemort had taken out his wand and pointed it at him. Draco felt his right arm being torn from his side, with immense pain. It felt as if it had practically been ripped out of his socket. His arm was frozen midair. Draco had no way of moving it.
"Roll up his sleeve." Voldemort demanded of Lucius.
He did, revealing the inside of Draco's arm, and Voldemort came over. He too rolled up his sleeves, and grabbed Draco with his left arm at the wrist. Draco flinched, he couldn't stand to have Voldemort touching him. His hand was ice cold, as if he were dead. Voldemort brought his index and middle fingers up to the skin on Draco's arm that was halfway between his wrist and his elbow. Voldemort pressed hard against Draco's skin. Immediately he felt terrible pain, like thousands of knives being driven into that one spot on his arm. He screamed out, piercing the darkness. Lucius quickly clamped his hand down over Draco's mouth to muffle the cry. But unknowingly to him, one had already heard.
******
Ginny stopped dead in her tracks, chills running up and down her body. Had that haunting sound been a scream? 'No,' she told herself, 'It was just some creature in the forest.' But it had sounded so- human. Too human. Ginny's curiosity got the better of her, and she moved toward the far side of the lake, where she thought the sound had come from. As she got closer, she noticed a funny sort of glow, coming from a patch of woods. She moved towards that glow, her curiosity still dragging her forward.
She stooped at the foot of the patch of woods and listened. She could hear voices! Also the sound of someone breathing hard and raggedly. She quietly stepped into the woods, dodging back in forth behind trees. The voices were getting louder and more distinguished. She froze at the sight before her as she came around a bend. Through a clump of trees, she recognized Malfoy, who seemed to be tied to a tree, his father, and her heart froze, it just couldn't be! But she felt it. Felt it in the air, saw it on the face of Malfoy. The person standing in front of him was Voldemort!
Ginny wanted to run. Run as far away as her feet would carry her. Away from the unbelievable sight laid out before her. But she couldn't. It was as if she were glued to the spot, frozen with fear. Fear of being heard and discovered, or fear for Malfoy. He was breathing hard, his face contorted in a grimace of pain, and his arm seemed to be glowing black. She squinted her eyes and focused on his arm, and gasped when she realized what it was. The Dark Mark! Lucius Malfoy was standing next to Draco, and Voldemort was speaking to him.
"- you see Draco, we have a bit of a problem. The spies we have posted in Hogwarts, aren't exactly taking their job seriously enough."
'Spies!?' Ginny thought. 'Voldemort has spies in Hogwarts!?' Ginny looked at Malfoy, apparently from the bewildered expression on his face, he hadn't known that either. Ginny shouldn't be listening, it was putting her life in danger. But she just couldn't move.
"Yes, Pansy Parkinson in one, but she's a bit to stupid to help me with anything. Don't know why I even bothered with her in the first place." Voldemort went on. "Then there's Buck Synder. I'm going to have to deal with him soon, he has his head in the clouds. Only thinking about quidditch these days, he hasn't been completely thorough with the orders I've been sending him."
Draco had finally stopped breathing so hard and was now listening with a contortion of anger on his face.
" I needed a new spy. I brought it up before the Death Eaters, and your father here, volunteered you. Told us all that he knew you were ready to serve me. Well with this little unfortunate incident with us having to tie you up to get cooperation out of you, doesn't completely convince me that you're ready. So how about a reminder eh?"
He pointed his wand at a startled Draco.
"Crucio!" he shouted, while green sparks shot out at Draco. He doubled over as the curse hit, wrenching himself against the rope, and crying out in pain. Ginny covered her eyes. What was she going to do? Finally Voldemort let up, and Draco tried righting himself. Ginny could see his body shaking, and couldn't imagine what he must have gone through. Lucius Malfoy just stood there, no emotion at all on his face.
"And this all comes down to Potter in the end doesn't it?" Draco asked feebly, but with fury in his voice.
"What a brilliant boy." Voldemort replied. "I need someone in there to tell me every move he makes, every place he goes, and maybe even help me kill him, all right under Dumbledore's nose."
"I won't do it!" Draco screamed. "I'm not gonna spend my life following Potter around!"
"I thought you had learned your lesson before!" Voldemort yelled. "Maybe you need another one!"
"Cruc-"
But this time Ginny was ready, a plan already formed in the back of her mind. She ran forward with her wand out.
"NO!" she screamed. "Relisheo!" her spell hit Malfoy's bindings, and they fell to the ground.
Voldemort both looked at her, temporarily thrown off guard. Ginny knew she only had seconds.
"Run!" Malfoy yelled as he reached into his robes and grabbed out his wand.
"Get them!" Voldemort yelled at Lucius.
Draco shouted "Stupify!" just as his father yelled the same thing. Their spells hit and rebounded off each other, but Draco's quidittich reflexes were quicker than his father's, and he threw himself to the ground as the spell whizzed by, but Lucius was hit, and fell over stunned.
By this point both Ginny and Draco had started running, as they heard Voldemort cry out and yell spells at their backs. They kept running, ignoring the sparks that shot through the trees at them. As they came out of the woods, Ginny grabbed Malfoy's arm.
"We've got to go get Dumbledore!" she shouted at him.
"No it's to late! There's nothing he can do!" Malfoy replied.
"What do you mean!?"
"Just keep running!"
Ginny ran, but she ran toward the castle, she was going to get Dumbledore no matter what. But as she went up a slope, she slipped on the wet grass, and fell. She could feel her ankle give way, as she landed in the mud. She tried to stand up but her ankle hurt to bad. She saw Draco come towards her in the moonlight, and heard him shout.
"Accio Nimbus!"
He leaned down and grabbed Ginny around the waist as his broomstick came speeding towards him.
"Why did you have to get involved?" he asked her, his voice quavering with anger.
"Me!? I'm not the one with the Dark Mark on my arm here!"
Draco didn't reply he just roughly sat her down on his broomstick that had come to a halt next to them, and climbed on in front of her. Ginny had to throw her arms around Malfoy's waist as he shot up into the night sky. She had thought that maybe he had called the broom to get them to the castle faster, but as she looked down, she saw that they were flying over it. Actually they were getting farther away from it!
"Where are we going? I thought you were taking us to Dumbledore!"
"Well you thought wrong!" he said.
"No Malfoy! We have to! You're going the wrong way!" she cried out desperately. "We've got to go see Dumbledore! I demand that you take me to him!"
"Sorry Gin, I can't do that."
To Be Continued
A/N: Whew! that was longer than I thought it was going to be! I thought about making it two chapters, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it! Anyway, I promise more G/D action in the next chapter! (you know what kind of action I mean) ;o) Review Review Review!