CHAPTER5:A DARK SECRET
Diclaimer: I'm tired of this bloody disclaimers! I keep forgetting to add them. Okay *(deep breath)* from now on all my fanfic characters belong to JKR she owns everything except the plot.
A.N. this chapter has a lot of strong situations if you can't digest that don't bother to read, just wait for the next chapter. I wasn't really thinking while I wrote this. I let my feelings take over, my fear, this chapter has a piece of me in it.
After Harry and Ginny finished telling their account of what happened on the train, Dumbledore looked at them keenly. Harry waited patiently for Dumbledore's explaination. But instead of adressing them both Dumbledore turned to Ginny. "I think we need to know what actually happened if I am to provide an explaination. Did you remember?"
Harry was surprised to see Ginny pale further. She shook her head, "Yes I did," she said, "but I didn't put it in, do I really have to," she asked almost pleadingly.
"Ginny I know it's hard but what happened on the Express, I think I can provide a clearer explaination if I knew."
Ginny swallowed but Harry saw a look of determination on her face, "Alright," she said getting up, "I'll be back." With that she left the room.
Harry turned to Dumbledore, with a very confused expression. Dumbledore sighed. "Harry," he began, "Ginny has had a terrible experience in the Chamber of Secrets, I'm sure you understand that." Harry nodded Dumbledore continued.
"When she was in my office a few days after the ordeal I tried to get her to tell me. She told me all that she could in her state. Then seeing it was difficult for her I gave her a Pensive."
Harry's head jerked up in surprise. Now he understood why Ginny had given him a Pensive for his birthday. She had been able to identify with him and had been able to figure out that a Pensive would help him most as it had her.
"Ginny," Dumbledore said, "let me go through all the memories she put in the Pensive. Her first encounter with the diary, all that riddle made her do, her first encounter with Riddle, and what she remembered of you saving her, but unfortunately there was one important memory she couldn't access, that is what transpired between her and Riddle after she went down to the Chamber and before you found her."
Harry's eyes narrowed, "Riddle performed the Memory Charm?"
Dumbledore shook his white head, "No Harry," he said sadly, Harry was amazed at how old he looked, "sometimes certain memories are so traumatic that your brain doesn't even allow you to remember. It pains you so much that you supress it deep down that even when you want to remember you can't for a variable period of time. It can range from days to years, Harry. What happened must have been worse than what Riddle had ever done to her, and considering how bad that was I can't imagine what she must have gone through."
Harry felt hate course through his body as he listened to Dumbledore. "Has Ginny remembered?" he asked.
"I believe so Harry," Dumbledore said, "If I am right I think she has gone to get her Pensive."
As if on cue Ginny entered carrying a large box similar to the one she had given Harry. She placed it on the table and took out the Pensive.
Ginny placed her wand to her forehead, her face controting in mental anguish as she remembered, she transferred the silver thread of thought to the Pensive.
"There," she said tears in her eyes, "It's done."
Harry could see the cold stone walls of the chamber in the pensive. Dumbledore looked at him, "Ready Harry?" He nodded and soon felt himself being sucked into The Pensive hurtling through space.
Harry hit the cold ground of the chamber. As he pulled himself up he looked around, no one was there except him and Dumbledore. Before he could say anything he heard the sound of footsteps.
An eleven year old Ginny, pale and drawn stood before them clutching a diary. Laying it before her she reached out to open the book.
Harry couid see a dark shadow that was forcing it's way out of the book, slowly taking human form, Harry hardly had to think to know it was Tom Riddle. The shadow condensed into a solid image smiling cruelly at the weak figure of the little red haired girl in front of it.
"Well, well, well if it isn't Virginia Weasley," Tom Riddle sneered, he reached out to touch her face. She flinched backwards avoiding it. Riddle looked momentarily furious that she had dared move away.
"Don't touch me," she whispered with venom, Harry knew Riddle had already tapped out a lot of her core energy, "don't you dare touch me I hate you,"
He grasped her by her arm, he was solid enough for that, Harry realised, almost human. "Don't you dare tell me what not to do, Virginia, don't you dare!"
Ginny looked completely repulsed at such close contact, her face turned a sickly green pallor. Realising what was going to happen Riddle disgustedly released her. Ginny kneeled on the floor and was sick.
"Virginia, you are a disgusting, filthy creature, do you know that," he snarled, "In the presence of the greatest wizard…"
"Dumbledore was the greatest wizard," Ginny cut him off looking up from the ground, Harry knew it must have cost her every ounce of energy that was left in her body to say that. Riddle shook with fury at these words.
"You'll pay for…." He suddenly stopped a wicked smile spreading over his features, he lunged for her. Ginny's eyes widened as she was knocked backwards flat with Riddle on top of her and despite her condition she screamed. Hary nearly ran to her but reminded himself just in time that he was useless right now.
Contrary to what he thought, Riddle simply got up but now he carried her wand. Ginny looked at him in horror.
"No…"
"Scared you didn't I Virginia," he mocked, "brace yourself there will be more." Ginny's looked terrified at the thought of his implications. "So," Riddle continued, "you hate me, you despise me with your whole being, I could see that," he was slowly circling the drained figure as a vulture would its prey, "you want to take it all back, wished you'd never met me, but it's too late."
"Leave me alone," Ginny pleaded, "let me be."
"You liked me a lot in the beginning Virginia," he mocked, "I must say I was drawn to you though I must say for my own personal reasons."
Ginny watched him warily, "What do you really want Tom?"
"What I want?" Riddle laughed, "foolish girl you've almost got me what I want."
Ginny felt fear creep into her senses, what had she been made to do?
"In a matter of time, Harry Potter will be here," he said, "unfortunately you won't be there to see him for the last time."
"You're going to kill me," she whispered.
"Don't be foolish Virginia, why would I waste energy on something like that when you're going to die anyway, I need something to use on Potter."
"Leave Harry alone," she said vehemently, "leave him out, he has nothing to do with this."
"Oh but he does Virginia, he does," Riddle said, "you see you still don't know who I am, I am the past, the memory of the most feared wizard of all time. You see I am Lord Voldemort."
Ginny gasped in shock. That's why he wanted to Harry.
"You…,"she said in a very low voice, so low that Harry could barely hear her, but that single word was loaded with hate and recognition.
"Little Ginny, doesn't want her Harry Potter to get hurt," Riddle leered, "there's no point in trying anything Virginia, I know everything,"
"Why did I ever trust you?"
"My dear girl you had no choice, and being the naïve fool you are you trusted."
Ginny clutched her head, "Go away Tom, I curse the day you came to me."
"You told me everything," Tom went on, "about your family, your brothers, your friends, Your feelings, about Harry…"
"Leave Harry out of this," Ginny sobbed, "It's all my fault."
"I know your every feeling Virginia," Riddle went on moving closer to the crouching figure of the young girl, "I know every single inch of you, I am you."
"YOU'RE NOT ME!"
He reached out and touched her bare skin of her neck, Ginny tried to move away but his grip was firm.
"Yes I am," he said a glint of satisfaction in his eyes as tears rolled down her eyes, "and I want you…" Riddle tried pulling the neck of her robes, a few fingers slid lower down her neck.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
Ginny wrenched herself away from him, backing away, "What do you think you're doing Tom?" she asked, true fear of what he might do to her showed in her eyes as he moved even closer, a strange kind of light in his eyes.
"Don't touch me!" she said as she backed into a corner, "Don't…"
But Riddle just kept coming, "It's been a long time for me Virginia, too long…"
"Don't touch me!"
He tried to pull her to him, tried to run his hands along the length of her small body.
"I won't make a difference you're going to die––"
Using all her strength Ginny kicked him hard in the stomach. He doubled over. Seizing this moment Ginny tried to run for it.
But at that moment Tom turned. His eyes ablaze with fury, his face controted in rage.
"Crucio!"
The fleeing figure of the young girl, suddenly collapsed on the ground as her screams rent the air.
All the time Harry had been watching with shock and seeing the Cruciatus curse performed Harry ran forewars forgetting where he was, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. One look at the old wizard told Harry that he felt the same as himself.
Fear, fury, hatred, helplessness.
Ginny's screams had stopped, she was at breaking point as she lay gasping for air, her eyes livid with pain anf fear.
"You see Ginny this is what happens if you dishonor me."
Ginny felt the dull ache in her bones.
"You care so much for ypur stupid Potter in your insensible brain, don't you…"
Ginny groaned as she started to lose her grasp of the real world.
"Here's something that you'll carry forever."
A bright light shot out of her wand hitting her on her shoulder. Ginny gave a scream as blood soaked her robes seeping through it.
She could hardly focus her mind, memories were reeling. Harry looked around as the dungeon began to shimmer, he realised that Ginny was losing conciousness unable to keep proper track of the events. Everything around him and Dumbledore was a swirling mass of pictures. But he could still hear Riddle's voice.
"Even noble Potter won't care for you, filth, not after what he realises what you've done…"
Harry could also hear Ginny's voice now, probably the last things she thought before blacking out.
"No please, not Harry…"
"He'll hate you for what you did…"
"No please, Harry…"
"Everyone will hate you…"
"No…"
"You almost killed his friends… almost killed him…"
"I didn't mean t…"
"It's your fault…"
"God, help…"
"He'll hate you Ginny, he'll hate you."
Total blackness.
Harry found himself back in Dumbledore's office with a jolt. He hated Voldemort with every fibre of his being. What had happened to Ginny was inhumane. She was only eleven and had already experienced the Cruciatus. Turing his head he looked to where she was sitting.
She was gone.
