Disclaimer: I don't own Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Minerva McGonagall, Slytherins, Gryffindors, Order of the Phoenix, Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Forbidden Forest, Floo Network, Voldemort, Remus Lupin, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Auror, Death Eaters, Cruciatus curse, Madam Pomfrey, Muggles, Albus Dumbledore, or Lord Voldemort. They all belong to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers, Inc.
Author's Note: Aw…no one could seem to figure out who that mystery person was. Sorry Susan, it isn't Ron…does he even have blue eyes, yet alone gray-blue ones? And Harry with GREEN eyes? What were you thinking Susan?! ::giggles at her friend, who just shrugs:: And guess what, you may not find out in this chapter. I haven't decided yet. ::hears many a sighs and sees many a frowns:: We'll just have to see what my fingers decide to type.
Ginny woke up the next morning. She looked at her alarm clock and then jumped up. It was 9:08 and she was late! She ran around and in about two minutes she was dashing down to the Potions room. She stood outside the door and knocked twice fast and once slow. She waited. And waited. And waited. And then finally, about five minutes later, Professor Snape opened the door. He let her in and locked the door behind her.
"I'm so sorry," Ginny began to jump into an explanation, "I'm late. I really never meant to be late. I thought I had set my alarm clock, but I guess I slept through the alarm, which is my entire fault. I'm so very sorry."
Professor Snape just raised a hand and the flow of apologizes stopped.
"It's really quite all right. I just arrived here from a meeting with Voldemort, so it wouldn't have mattered if you were on time or not. I have to speak to Dumbledore for a few minutes, so wait here."
"No need to Severus."
Both of them looked up as Dumbledore shut the door behind him.
"How did the meeting go?"
"Okay. Better than last time, sir."
"I dare say you'll give me a full report right now."
"Yes sir."
Ginny sat and watched as the two older men, Dumbledore sitting at Snape's desk and Snape himself sitting in a nearby chair, discussed matters for a few minutes. She again went over the two choices of either becoming an undercover Death Eater or working on potions. Potions sounded like fun and seemed to be something easy, but wouldn't a spy be a much more use to the Order at the moment? After about a half an hour of discussion between Snape and Dumbledore, they turned their attention to Ginny. She looked at them, afraid of what was to happen now. Dumbledore was the first to speak up.
"Have you made a decision yet Ginny?"
She thought for a moment and nodded.
"I've decided to," she paused and made sure she that this is what she wanted to do. Draco's voice came into her head and she took a deep breath. "I've decided to be an undercover Death Eater."
Professor Snape looked at Ginny and then at Dumbledore. He had been hoping that she would do potions, but Dumbledore had suggested the spy position. He had reluctantly agreed. He ran a hand through his hair and looked back at his apprentice, who was watching him thoughtfully.
"Very well then Ginny. Your training will begin today. I've gotten special permission by Dumbledore to take you out into the Forbidden Forest to train you. I assure you that nothing will bother us and that it will be totally private and safe. I made sure of it with a few spells. I suggest you go grab a few things to eat and then meet me down here again when you are done. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Very well," he waved a hand to the door. "You may leave."
Ginny got up and walked back up to the Great Hall. She was starving, so she got there as quickly as she could. She plopped down at the Gryffindor table and looked around. There were only a few students around. She didn't see Draco. She frowned, sighed, and the revived some toast and cereal. A few minutes later, Neville came running into the Hall, closely followed by some seventh year Slytherins. She sighed as they chased him around the Hall for a few minutes and then back into the Hall, where Professor McGonagall's voice could be heard yelling at the Slytherins.
After she was done, she went back downstairs to the Potions room. She knocked, but Professor Snape didn't answer, it was Draco. She looked at him and then he invited her in. Severus and Remus were talking at a table, and the two teenagers just stood, whispering amongst themselves.
"What's up?"
"I've been called to go meet with Lord Voldemort. I need a way to get out of school. My mentor, Remus, is asking if I can use Snape's fireplace since it is hooked up to the Floo Network, private line. Can only go through it if you know the password. I need to get to Hogsmeade, but taking a carriage is way too suspicious."
"Why is Voldemort calling you? How does it work? Doesn't he realize that you are in school? What's it like?"
Draco looked at her. She was a bit too curious for someone who he thought was helping with potions. It then struck him that she had chosen to be an undercover Death Eater.
"You aren't….a undercover….are you?" he stuttered.
She nodded and he just looked at her. Remus and Severus then approached them.
"You may use my fireplace. The password is Hogwarts."
Draco nodded and Remus led him to Severus' room where the fireplace was. Draco waved bye to Ginny, who waved back. She then turned to Severus.
"When does my training begin?"
"Right now. In case you are wondering, you may call me Severus, if you wish, or just Snape. It's your choice, but we better go. Act like you are in trouble and that you are going to detention. We can't arouse any suspicions."
Ginny nodded and followed Snape out to the Forbidden Forest. Ginny watched as he led her deeper and deeper into the forest. She had never been in there before. She had never gotten in trouble, so there was no reason for her to be in there. She looked behind her and Hogwarts was barely visible over the tops of the trees. How far had they been walking? They finally came to a medium opening in the woods. It was small enough not to be too noticeable, but large enough to train in. Snape turned to face her and she just looked at him with curiosity and anxiety in her eyes. She wanted to start and get it all over with. He just smiled.
"This is where you'll be training for the next umpteenth months. The endurance and how anxious they want to train determine the time period in which one trains. It also depends on how much one knows about what they are training for and how the training works. Training to become an Auror, let alone an undercover Death Eater, extends to doing reports also. From what Remus has told me, you and Draco met up in the library the over day. He's still in training, but he has passed the physical part. Now he is working on the mental side of the training, and unfortunately, he is lacking in the area of Muggles. But that is none of our concern. You'll most likely being working on the same topics as Mr. Malfoy. Muggles, potions, dark arts, etc. As soon as I find you capable of going out into the field, you will be taught actual dark arts, such as spells and potions, due to the fact that is what is demanded by Voldemort. But, here's the catch, if you are caught doing a dark arts that doesn't concern the Order, you will automatically be kicked out and have your memory wiped. I suggest you don't do anything foolish. Today we'll just do a few exercises. Dodging spells, mostly. Any questions?"
Ginny just looked at Snape. This was more work then she had ever imagined. How was she ever going to pull off any of this and still pass all of her classes? She mentally shook herself and then nodded.
"Just one. When I'm ready to become a Death Eater, how exactly does it happen?"
Snape's face went a bit white and he cleared his throat.
"You'll have to kill a Muggle. A random Muggle chosen at the point in time in which you are inducted."
Ginny shook herself and a tear fell down her face. Snape ran a hand through his hair as a bitter silence filled the area around them.
"Isn't there a way that you can fool Voldemort so you don't actually have to kill anyone?"
Snape shook his head sadly.
"We've tried, but Voldemort is too precise with the way he inducts a Death Eater. It's too random, too quick, to do anything about it. Most of the Order is against Muggle killing, so it takes even longer to find someone who is willing to throw aside their belief for a day and put the life of millions in their hands by killing off one person. It runs a whole family, but it's for the good of the society. Does this change your decision about your position in the Order?"
Ginny had been quiet and she was thinking. She didn't believe in killing anyone, but wouldn't it be much better to kill one, hurt a few people's emotions, yet save the lives of thousands of millions? She thought for a little bit longer. She placed a fingernail in her mouth and began to bend it back and forth. Finally, she looked at her mentor.
"No, this does not change my decision. It's for the good of millions of people and if one person must be sacrificed, then they must be. If I had a choice, I would rather not, but there is nothing I can do about it. Do I have to kill anyone after that?"
"No. The rest of the time you are told ahead of whom you must kill and it is all planned out. The Order knows about it though, and we are able to find look-a-likes and perform spells in order to fool Voldemort. You can't let your loyalty waver though. If it does, he'll find another test to prove your worth. Usually, if you survive and pass, he'll torture you for Merlin knows how long."
Ginny could tell that this had happened to Snape before. He seemed to go into a sweat at the thought of it and she decided to change the subject.
"Shall we begin then?"
He looked up at her, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and agreed. For the next four hours, they worked on dodging and blocking spells. They were easy spells like Jelly Legs and Full Body Bind. At around three, they went back up to Hogwarts. Ginny went up to Gryffindor tower to shower and then down to eat at the Great Hall, while Snape went back down to the dungeons. When Ginny got to the Great Hall, Ron was there and he didn't look too happy.
"Where have you been all day?" he demanded as she approached him.
"I told you," she didn't want to get in an argument with her brother now, "I was working on my potions with Professor Snape."
"No you weren't. I went down there and you weren't there. I waited for at least a half an hour and there was still no sign of you or him. Where were you?"
Ginny opened her mouth to respond, but spotted Dumbledore. Ron turned to see who she was looking at. Dumbledore approached Ginny.
"Miss Weasley. I need to talk to you. Will you please follow me?"
"Yes sir."
Ron frowned and then told her that they would finish talking later. She just nodded and followed Dumbledore. They entered the Infirmary and she looked up at Dumbledore confused. Madam Pomfrey locked the door behind them. She led them into a separate room and Ginny gasped. Draco was lying on the bed, unconscious and beaten up pretty badly. Snape was also there helping, along with Draco's mentor, Remus. The two men looked at her as she entered. Snape's face was pale like when they were in the woods talking about the Death Eater induction and loyalty. He just slowly nodded and then went back to helping Madam Pomfrey. Remus came up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Your mentor suggested that you should see what happens if Voldemort thinks your loyalty is wavering and how he deals with it."
Ginny just stared at Draco. She looked up at her mentor, who was now standing off to the side while Madam Pomfrey talked to Dumbledore.
"This….this is what they do if…." She just couldn't bring herself to say it.
Remus looked at the pale Severus and the panic-stricken Ginny. He spoke up.
"If someone brings reliable information suggesting that a Death Eater isn't loyal and may be a spy for the Order. Draco isn't too bad. Cruciatus curse for about ten minutes. Not too long and it could have been worse. This is a warning punishment."
Ginny looked at Remus, then at Snape, who nodded. She looked back at Draco and without thinking, she gripped his hand in hers. He stirred a bit and his eyes fluttered open. He looked at everyone around him and then tried to get up. Remus gently pressed him back down.
"You aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Get use to the room because you aren't leaving for another three days at the least."
"What?! What about my classes? My classmates? My father? Oh Merlin. My father!"
Draco moved hastily to get up, but instead, he yelped in pain and fell back onto the bed. Ginny placed her hands on her mouth, trying not to allow herself to scream. Draco passed out again and Severus took Ginny into Madam Pomfrey's office.
"I'm sorry for showing you that, but I felt I had better show you sooner rather than later. Do you understand why so many Phoenix members don't take the undercover DE position?"
"Yes, but I still stand by my decision. Who did this?"
"I don't know."
Severus shook his head. He had been pondering the same question. Voldemort had a spy within the building, some one watching over him and those who frequently talk to him. Draco was young and still a rookie in the game, but everything was planned so well that there was barely any room to allow him to be caught. They need to figure out who it is. It was essential that they do because the Order would come to end if they didn't. Severus sighed and Ginny continued to glance at the door leading to Draco.
A small face grinned as he listened in on the conversations amongst the frantic adults. He had done his job and he would be rewarded. He grinned even wider and left to go collect his prize.
Author's Note: Dun dun dun. That was a great chapter and I had loads of fun writing that one. ::giggles:: Now please review it and tell me what you think. Flames are gladly excepted as long as they are helpful and help me make my fic better.
