A/N: This is chapter is very short. So don't be mad if it comes to a quick closing. I'm actually a little disappointed with myself due to the fact that I wrote such a pitifully short chapter, but I promise that chapter 3 will be longer.
Chapter 2
When Ginny awoke the room was dark and filled with shadows. Starlight filtered through her open window and a warm breeze gently pushed back her hair from her face as she stood up and looked outside. The grounds were quiet and the clear lake down below her was calm, giving it the strange impression of a huge glass mirror with only the occasional ripple of water to alter the reflection of the night's sky. Shadow woke up from his sleeping spot on Ginny's bed and meowed loudly. Ginny turned around and smiled at him.
"You silly little cat. Why do you always have to be so loud when you should be quiet?" asked Ginny.
Shadow starred at her with blank eyes. He turned his head towards the window and his eyes glowed with the dim light of the night's stars. Ginny walked back towards the bed to pet him, but just as she was to sit down she stopped. She looked curiously down at her bedside table to discover the mysterious rose and envelope. She bent down and looked closer at the envelope surprised to see her name written across it. Shadow meowed loudly again and slinked over to her, plopping himself down on her pillow next to the table.
Ginny reached for the rose, hesitated a moment, and then picked it up. The flower was the darkest red she had ever seen and she was soon entranced by its invisible spell of color. She strained her eyes to look at it in the dim light and then walked over to her open window to see it more clearly. In the defining light of the moon it appeared to be nothing short of a regular rose, but its scarlet blood-like color made her think of a dying sunset. Without thought, she placed it on the windowsill and walked over to her bedside table once more and picked up the envelope. Careful not to tear the contents inside, Ginny gingerly opened her personalized mail to find a small piece of parchment paper waiting for her. Unfolding the paper she read the few words it contained.
Look for me in the starsThat was all it said plain and simple. Ginny stood there confused and then a sudden thrill filled her and she rushed to the window, and looked up at the stars. In seconds she realized what a terrible fool she was and she backed away lowering her eyes to the windowsill.
Her heart skipped a beat as she found to her horror that her rose was gone. Ginny looked down the tower window towards the ground but she saw nothing, her rose had vanished into thin air.
Tears filled her eyes and she brushed them away quickly, becoming furious with herself for having left the flower on the sill.
"Shadow, kitty, do you want to come with me outside?"
He starred at her and then slowly got up onto his feet and waited for her to pick him up.
"Ha… you lazy cat. Can't even walk down some stairs. You're to spoiled, I hope you know that."
She pet him on the head and then regardless of her own words she picked him up in her arms like a baby and walked out of her room and down the lighted stairs into the empty common room. As she looked around the room she saw to her dismay that the fireplace had long since been extinguished of its warm comforting flame, and now all that remained was the dark black ashes of wood that emitted no light for her to see by.
'Hmm…must have slept extra late,' she thought to herself.
"Sorry Shadow, but I think were going to have to pass up dinner tonight. The kitchen is no doubt closed by now."
Quietly she opened the door to the corridors and tip toed outside.
'I'm gonna get into so much trouble. Mum is going to kill me if I get caught sneaking around after hours.'
With stealth like speed she ran soundlessly for the doors leading outside of the castle. Minutes passed and finally with luck she slipped unnoticed out into the starry night. Safely concealed by the darkness, Ginny let go of Shadow as he leapt from her arms and landed gently on the grass. With a deep breath Ginny rushed to the spot beneath her window, which was now barely visible, as it loomed high above her. Searching frantically she scanned the surrounding area.
"Looking for something?" sounded a deep voice behind her.
Ginny jumped and then spun around to face the unexpected noise. Her eyes grew wide and her heart fluttered in her chest. Shadow gave a small disapproving growl as the faceless voice moved slowly towards her, concealed completely in the shadows of the trees the figure continued its advance. Ginny reached into her robes and held her wand at arms length, but suddenly fear swallowed her heart and she clamped her eyes shut and held her breath waiting for the worst. Her senses clouded and all she could hear was the beating of her heart go THUMP THUMP THUMP….and then there was darkness.
