(A/N: OK, I know you guys have been haranguing me about my multiple
spelling errors, but I'm not claiming to be a walking dictionary.
Microsoft Word underlines words that are misspelled, and I don't see any
that are underlined besides proper names and spells. I go through and read
it over but I never find anything wrong. I'm sorry if my spelling isn't up
to scratch with your standards, you don't have to read it if it bugs you
that much. And just a reminder, this is fanfiction, stuff that's NEVER
going to be published, so it doesn't matter either way. I'm sorry if this
seems harsh, but I already know my spelling is crap, and I don't need
everyone and their dog to remind me! But I love constructive criticism,
just know that the spelling will always be crap.
On a lighter note, thanks for all your wonderful reviews, and about Draco being the wolf.hmm.wouldn't you like to know for sure? .
::puts on princess hat Adela got from Disneyland:: "I'm a princess, I can do whatever I want.hmpf!")
Chapter Fourteen: Strength Beyond Her Own
A loud crack of thunder and the heavens opened up and poured down on the earth. Torrents of rain soaked everything in site, including the two young girls and the white wolf. The day had turned into night, dark bellowing clouds blocking out any trace of sun.
After the two men had left, and the rain began, the wolf immediately led them back to the cavern, but by that time they were drenched anyway, and any shelter would have been appreciated. Once they were safely in the second cavern, Ginny began wringing her hair out and taking off her outer garments, leaving herself in a white undershirt, and her school skirt.
"What are you doing?" Lisbeth asked.
"I'm going to let these dry." Ginny placed the clothes on a nearby rock.
A small portion of food was passed out, and even the wolf took a few bites. They sat in silence, listening to the rain and thunder echo throughout the cave. The small stream had turned into a raging highway of water.
"Are we going to get out of here?" Lisbeth asked quietly.
Ginny looked up at the trembling girl, feeling the deepest pity. "Of course we will."
"What if they catch you?" Lisbeth asked.
"I suppose they'll take us back to the dungeon."
Lisbeth looked as if she were trying to phrase her next sentence just right, "But-Ginny.they said to take Weasley-you-directly to that bad man."
"I'm sure I'll be alright," But Ginny didn't think she'd survive a confrontation with Lucius Malfoy.
Ginny suddenly thought back to the moment when this all began. Why did she have to follow Draco out of the castle and to the edge of the forest? Why did she have to be so gullible? He'd been working for his Father, this whole time, just playing with her. But did it begin with that moment? Seeing her past lives led her to that moment.but what had led her to the mirror?
Before Ginny could think any further, she was interrupted.
"Ginny, I don't like it here any more."
"I don't either." She said rather irritated.
The white wolf suddenly stood up and began to bark and growl. Ginny looked around and noticed that the stream was now growing very rapidly and faster than ever. Lisbeth began to scream and cry, but nothing could be heard over the next clap of thunder. Ginny felt her body shake and almost as if the very sound and entered into her soul, shaking down all the strength and courage she had stored up.
Turning around, Ginny noticed that the small opening in the wall that led to the first cavern was being flooded, which no longer became an escape. The wolf began to bite on Ginny's skirt, forcing her to follow it to the rock wall. The wolf slowly began to climb the wall, scrambling up the shallow slope until it was on a landing near the top. Ginny yelled for Lisbeth to climb the rock wall. With a little help from Ginny, Lisbeth made it to the landing.
The water was rising faster and faster, finally hitting Ginny's feet, soaking her socks threw. She grabbed hold of a protruding rock and pulled herself up. Lisbeth stuck her hand out for Ginny to grab, and eventually made it. Once Ginny was safely on the ledge the wolf began to climb again, and this time Ginny could see a small opening not too far away from where they were. The wolf made it to the hole and barked twice. Lisbeth then began to climb and once she was outside of the cave Ginny began.
Pain screamed throughout Ginny's body, caused by the cuts and scrapes from the rocks. She slipped twice because of the water on the rocks, and tears formed in her eyes as she pictured herself falling. She couldn't go any further, the opening was a few feet away, but if she moved she'd fall.
"Come on Ginny!" Lisbeth yelled through the barks of the wolf.
"I can't! It's too slippery!" Ginny yelled up.
"Ginny, you can make it.just try!" Lisbeth shouted back.
Ginny took a deep breath and began looking for a crevice in the rock wall. There was one just above her head, and she let go of her left hand to grab hold of it. As soon as she did her feet slipped out from under her, and she fell against the wall, her head hitting a jagged rock. Ginny felt very dizzy and disoriented. She couldn't remember what exactly she was trying to do, and why it was so wet. A small voice in her head told her to not let go, to keep holding on. But it hurts.if I let go it will stop. She said.
No, The small voice urged, hold on! Don't let go!
Ginny held on with every ounce of strength she had and then instantly she felt her wrist being grabbed by someone else. She was being pulled up towards the opening. She could feel the rain hit her head, and a strong wind tear at her clothes and hair. She was laid down on her side, but she was coughing and the pain in her head was unbearable. A crack of thunder echoed in the sky, and Ginny felt herself drifting off.
~*~*~
The storm clouds had blown away leaving an eerie silence in the dark afternoon sky. A chill had settled over the wood, but there was no wind to run through the tree boughs or reassure the small girl that life was going on.
Lisbeth had been instructed what to do, but she was afraid it wasn't good enough. Ginny was still asleep and it looked as if she were dead. Lisbeth curled up in a ball next to Ginny, silently shedding tears of sorrow.
The first thing Ginny saw was Lisbeth. What was she doing? Crying? What happened? Ginny lifted her hand to her head to brush away a few stray locks but felt something on her head. She put pressure on it, but cried out in pain as her dormant headache erupted over again.
"Ginny?" Lisbeth sat up, inching closer to her.
"Owe.I have a headache." Ginny groggily said sitting up as well.
"I thought you were dead!" Lisbeth cried, "I thought you were dead and that I was going to die too."
"Just calm down and tell me what happened. I remember climbing the wall, but that's it."
Lisbeth explained the whole episode of climbing the wall and how Ginny slipped and nearly fell. "But then an angel came, Ginny, and he saved you!"
"An angel?" Ginny questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, a real angel! He was so handsome and he appeared out of nowhere and he started climbing down after you and he brought you back up and laid you down. He told me how to bandage your cut on your head, and then said that he would have to go. Before he left he told me that we should follow the stream east until we come to a building and that we should wait until after the sun has set and then go inside and there'd be a fireplace and that you would know what to do." Lisbeth took a deep breath. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Hmm," Ginny thought. "This 'angel' sure knows a lot."
"Oh, Ginny, he was so nice and he whispered to you when he thought I wasn't looking, but I was." Lisbeth smiled, causing Ginny to blush.
"Well, I think we should first find a way off this cliff." Ginny began looking around. "Where's the wolf?"
"I left too."
Ginny salvaged what she could. She had lost her school shirt and cloak and Lucius' wand and one of the pillowcase of food. She still had the other pillowcase and dungeon keys. On the other side of the cliff was a much easier way down, taking no more the five minutes. They retraced their steps back to the stream and took the advice and followed it east. Ginny noticed that the sense of calm of reassurance she had felt earlier that day was gone. The wolf had given her that, and now that it was gone Ginny realized how much of a help it had been.
The journey was silent except for the sound of their feet on the leaf swept moist earth. A few branches had broken off trees, presenting barriers that the girls had to either climb over or crawl under. It unnerved Ginny again that there seemed to be no other wild life; not bird, nor even an ant! What force was in these woods to drive off all wildlife?
Just as the sun was setting the promised building appeared in a clearing. It looked more like a fortress, rather than just a building. It was made of a dark gray stone that blended with the iron gray sky. There was a light flickering out from one of the windows, but no one else was in site. Ginny was hesitant to go near the building for fear someone would see her and take her to Malfoy. That was one meeting Ginny would go to any length to avoid.
"The sun is setting." Lisbeth stated.
Looking up into the sky Ginny noticed that indeed, the sun was setting, and in a few more moments the sun was completely gone. A million doubts were running through her head about entering the building, but Lisbeth was already half way there. Ginny quietly ran to catch up.
"Look!" Lisbeth inhaled the word as she pointed at a dark figure just feet away from the door.
On closer inspection, Ginny saw that the dark figure was the body of a man. She drew closer to it and noticed that he was still breathing. It looked like someone knocked him out!
The girls entered the building and found two more knocked out bodies laying on the floor. There was a small wooden table with a few chairs around it. A small meal was placed on the table and in the center was a candelabra with four burning candles. The instant Ginny saw the food on the table she ran towards it and crammed as much as she could of it into her mouth. It was still warm! She hadn't eaten warm food in a very long time. Lisbeth was doing the same, never noticing the flicker of two small pinpricks of light shining from a dark doorway.
Once Ginny's appetite was satisfied she looked around the rest of the room. A longer table was set against the furthest wall and next to that was a fireplace with a clay jar on top of the mantle.
"Come on!" Ginny took Lisbeth's hand and ushered her to the fireplace. "Ok, you need to listen very carefully. Take the stuff from this jar, throw it into the fire and say 'The Burrow!' You got that?"
Lisbeth looked more confused than she ever had. "Put that stuff in there and shout 'The Barrel?'"
"No, the 'Burrow!" Ginny said it slower this time until Lisbeth could repeat it flawlessly.
"What's going to happen?"
"You're going to be taken to my home and I'll tell my Dad what happened. You'll be safe!"
Lisbeth's eyes lit up at the last word, and was ready to do anything, no matter how crazy, as long as she'd finally be safe. Ginny took her to the fireplace, but turned her head towards the table, something catching her eye. Next to a silver goblet that reflected the light from the candle, was a container holding a dozen wands. Ginny's heartbeat quickened as she realized her wand was probably in there somewhere.
"Here, you go first and I'll be there in a few seconds."
Lisbeth nodded her head and took some of the Floo Powder, threw it into the fire and shouted "The Burrow!" Instantly she disappeared in flame and smoke. Ginny walked towards the table and emptied the container with the wands. She was going through each one, trying to find her own, when she heard the door slam shut. She quickly turned around, a few wands flying off the table and onto the floor, and looked into the menacing eyes of Lucius Malfoy.
"Where is he?" Lucius snarled.
Ginny was too scared to take in what he was saying or that he asked her a question. She couldn't take her eyes off him, he was livid with rage, his nostrils flared, his chest heaving. Ginny felt sick to her stomach as the bile entered her mouth.
"I said, where is he?" He swept closer to her in a swish of black cloak. "Where's my son?"
Ginny blinked her eyes, "D-D-Draco?"
"Yes, Draco, my son."
Ginny had a hard time processing this information. How was she supposed to know where Draco was? He was probably at Hogwarts seeking out new students for his Father to take away and keep in dungeons.
"Answer me!" Lucius slapped Ginny hard across the face, causing her to swing around and fall onto the table, knocking the wind out of her. But that wasn't all.
It wasn't enough that he slapped her, he then grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to face him, wanting her to see reflected in his eyes all the pain he would put her through before the night was out. He flung her at the table, this time nearly all it's contents fell to the floor along with her beaten body.
She first heard the growl and then out of the corner of her eye saw something jump out of the shadows and land on top of Lucius. He fell to the floor as well, trying to fight off the beast that had begun attacking him. He managed to throw it across the room, and Ginny heard it yelp in pain. But it attacked again and again. Lucius and the beast rounded the room, knocking over chairs and breaking the small table. Ginny began scrambling along the floor, trying to find her wand. She'd be able to stun Lucius if only she could find the blasted thing! Her hand swept over a large piece of paper that caught her eye. Looking at it she noticed it was a map.of the wood! Up and down the map were strange markings, like long rectangular shapes marked in red. She wondered if they were walls, or buildings, or.Ginny gasped! They were dungeons! The whole wood was covered in underground dungeons, just like the one she had been in. How many more people did Lucius have locked up in them?
"Now you'll die." Ginny heard Lucius say.
She turned around and saw Lucius had the beast pinned on the floor, a knife at its throat. She now recognized it to be the wolf that had helped her. Ginny found her wand, which had rolled to her feet, and stood up.
"Lucius!" She shouted, taking his attention away from the wolf. "Say goodnight!" She pointed her wand at him and shouted the most powerful stunning charm she could remember, and Lucius crumpled in a heap on the floor.
Cautiously she crossed the room to see if she could help the wolf in any way, but the wolf was nowhere in sight. Something else lay on the ground, broken and bleeding, hanging on to the last threads of life.
(A/N: Yay, I just checked on Barnesandnoble.com and my harry potter book was sent today! YAY, I'm gonna read harry potter, ooh yeah ::does happy dance with princess hat on:(
On a lighter note, thanks for all your wonderful reviews, and about Draco being the wolf.hmm.wouldn't you like to know for sure? .
::puts on princess hat Adela got from Disneyland:: "I'm a princess, I can do whatever I want.hmpf!")
Chapter Fourteen: Strength Beyond Her Own
A loud crack of thunder and the heavens opened up and poured down on the earth. Torrents of rain soaked everything in site, including the two young girls and the white wolf. The day had turned into night, dark bellowing clouds blocking out any trace of sun.
After the two men had left, and the rain began, the wolf immediately led them back to the cavern, but by that time they were drenched anyway, and any shelter would have been appreciated. Once they were safely in the second cavern, Ginny began wringing her hair out and taking off her outer garments, leaving herself in a white undershirt, and her school skirt.
"What are you doing?" Lisbeth asked.
"I'm going to let these dry." Ginny placed the clothes on a nearby rock.
A small portion of food was passed out, and even the wolf took a few bites. They sat in silence, listening to the rain and thunder echo throughout the cave. The small stream had turned into a raging highway of water.
"Are we going to get out of here?" Lisbeth asked quietly.
Ginny looked up at the trembling girl, feeling the deepest pity. "Of course we will."
"What if they catch you?" Lisbeth asked.
"I suppose they'll take us back to the dungeon."
Lisbeth looked as if she were trying to phrase her next sentence just right, "But-Ginny.they said to take Weasley-you-directly to that bad man."
"I'm sure I'll be alright," But Ginny didn't think she'd survive a confrontation with Lucius Malfoy.
Ginny suddenly thought back to the moment when this all began. Why did she have to follow Draco out of the castle and to the edge of the forest? Why did she have to be so gullible? He'd been working for his Father, this whole time, just playing with her. But did it begin with that moment? Seeing her past lives led her to that moment.but what had led her to the mirror?
Before Ginny could think any further, she was interrupted.
"Ginny, I don't like it here any more."
"I don't either." She said rather irritated.
The white wolf suddenly stood up and began to bark and growl. Ginny looked around and noticed that the stream was now growing very rapidly and faster than ever. Lisbeth began to scream and cry, but nothing could be heard over the next clap of thunder. Ginny felt her body shake and almost as if the very sound and entered into her soul, shaking down all the strength and courage she had stored up.
Turning around, Ginny noticed that the small opening in the wall that led to the first cavern was being flooded, which no longer became an escape. The wolf began to bite on Ginny's skirt, forcing her to follow it to the rock wall. The wolf slowly began to climb the wall, scrambling up the shallow slope until it was on a landing near the top. Ginny yelled for Lisbeth to climb the rock wall. With a little help from Ginny, Lisbeth made it to the landing.
The water was rising faster and faster, finally hitting Ginny's feet, soaking her socks threw. She grabbed hold of a protruding rock and pulled herself up. Lisbeth stuck her hand out for Ginny to grab, and eventually made it. Once Ginny was safely on the ledge the wolf began to climb again, and this time Ginny could see a small opening not too far away from where they were. The wolf made it to the hole and barked twice. Lisbeth then began to climb and once she was outside of the cave Ginny began.
Pain screamed throughout Ginny's body, caused by the cuts and scrapes from the rocks. She slipped twice because of the water on the rocks, and tears formed in her eyes as she pictured herself falling. She couldn't go any further, the opening was a few feet away, but if she moved she'd fall.
"Come on Ginny!" Lisbeth yelled through the barks of the wolf.
"I can't! It's too slippery!" Ginny yelled up.
"Ginny, you can make it.just try!" Lisbeth shouted back.
Ginny took a deep breath and began looking for a crevice in the rock wall. There was one just above her head, and she let go of her left hand to grab hold of it. As soon as she did her feet slipped out from under her, and she fell against the wall, her head hitting a jagged rock. Ginny felt very dizzy and disoriented. She couldn't remember what exactly she was trying to do, and why it was so wet. A small voice in her head told her to not let go, to keep holding on. But it hurts.if I let go it will stop. She said.
No, The small voice urged, hold on! Don't let go!
Ginny held on with every ounce of strength she had and then instantly she felt her wrist being grabbed by someone else. She was being pulled up towards the opening. She could feel the rain hit her head, and a strong wind tear at her clothes and hair. She was laid down on her side, but she was coughing and the pain in her head was unbearable. A crack of thunder echoed in the sky, and Ginny felt herself drifting off.
~*~*~
The storm clouds had blown away leaving an eerie silence in the dark afternoon sky. A chill had settled over the wood, but there was no wind to run through the tree boughs or reassure the small girl that life was going on.
Lisbeth had been instructed what to do, but she was afraid it wasn't good enough. Ginny was still asleep and it looked as if she were dead. Lisbeth curled up in a ball next to Ginny, silently shedding tears of sorrow.
The first thing Ginny saw was Lisbeth. What was she doing? Crying? What happened? Ginny lifted her hand to her head to brush away a few stray locks but felt something on her head. She put pressure on it, but cried out in pain as her dormant headache erupted over again.
"Ginny?" Lisbeth sat up, inching closer to her.
"Owe.I have a headache." Ginny groggily said sitting up as well.
"I thought you were dead!" Lisbeth cried, "I thought you were dead and that I was going to die too."
"Just calm down and tell me what happened. I remember climbing the wall, but that's it."
Lisbeth explained the whole episode of climbing the wall and how Ginny slipped and nearly fell. "But then an angel came, Ginny, and he saved you!"
"An angel?" Ginny questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, a real angel! He was so handsome and he appeared out of nowhere and he started climbing down after you and he brought you back up and laid you down. He told me how to bandage your cut on your head, and then said that he would have to go. Before he left he told me that we should follow the stream east until we come to a building and that we should wait until after the sun has set and then go inside and there'd be a fireplace and that you would know what to do." Lisbeth took a deep breath. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Hmm," Ginny thought. "This 'angel' sure knows a lot."
"Oh, Ginny, he was so nice and he whispered to you when he thought I wasn't looking, but I was." Lisbeth smiled, causing Ginny to blush.
"Well, I think we should first find a way off this cliff." Ginny began looking around. "Where's the wolf?"
"I left too."
Ginny salvaged what she could. She had lost her school shirt and cloak and Lucius' wand and one of the pillowcase of food. She still had the other pillowcase and dungeon keys. On the other side of the cliff was a much easier way down, taking no more the five minutes. They retraced their steps back to the stream and took the advice and followed it east. Ginny noticed that the sense of calm of reassurance she had felt earlier that day was gone. The wolf had given her that, and now that it was gone Ginny realized how much of a help it had been.
The journey was silent except for the sound of their feet on the leaf swept moist earth. A few branches had broken off trees, presenting barriers that the girls had to either climb over or crawl under. It unnerved Ginny again that there seemed to be no other wild life; not bird, nor even an ant! What force was in these woods to drive off all wildlife?
Just as the sun was setting the promised building appeared in a clearing. It looked more like a fortress, rather than just a building. It was made of a dark gray stone that blended with the iron gray sky. There was a light flickering out from one of the windows, but no one else was in site. Ginny was hesitant to go near the building for fear someone would see her and take her to Malfoy. That was one meeting Ginny would go to any length to avoid.
"The sun is setting." Lisbeth stated.
Looking up into the sky Ginny noticed that indeed, the sun was setting, and in a few more moments the sun was completely gone. A million doubts were running through her head about entering the building, but Lisbeth was already half way there. Ginny quietly ran to catch up.
"Look!" Lisbeth inhaled the word as she pointed at a dark figure just feet away from the door.
On closer inspection, Ginny saw that the dark figure was the body of a man. She drew closer to it and noticed that he was still breathing. It looked like someone knocked him out!
The girls entered the building and found two more knocked out bodies laying on the floor. There was a small wooden table with a few chairs around it. A small meal was placed on the table and in the center was a candelabra with four burning candles. The instant Ginny saw the food on the table she ran towards it and crammed as much as she could of it into her mouth. It was still warm! She hadn't eaten warm food in a very long time. Lisbeth was doing the same, never noticing the flicker of two small pinpricks of light shining from a dark doorway.
Once Ginny's appetite was satisfied she looked around the rest of the room. A longer table was set against the furthest wall and next to that was a fireplace with a clay jar on top of the mantle.
"Come on!" Ginny took Lisbeth's hand and ushered her to the fireplace. "Ok, you need to listen very carefully. Take the stuff from this jar, throw it into the fire and say 'The Burrow!' You got that?"
Lisbeth looked more confused than she ever had. "Put that stuff in there and shout 'The Barrel?'"
"No, the 'Burrow!" Ginny said it slower this time until Lisbeth could repeat it flawlessly.
"What's going to happen?"
"You're going to be taken to my home and I'll tell my Dad what happened. You'll be safe!"
Lisbeth's eyes lit up at the last word, and was ready to do anything, no matter how crazy, as long as she'd finally be safe. Ginny took her to the fireplace, but turned her head towards the table, something catching her eye. Next to a silver goblet that reflected the light from the candle, was a container holding a dozen wands. Ginny's heartbeat quickened as she realized her wand was probably in there somewhere.
"Here, you go first and I'll be there in a few seconds."
Lisbeth nodded her head and took some of the Floo Powder, threw it into the fire and shouted "The Burrow!" Instantly she disappeared in flame and smoke. Ginny walked towards the table and emptied the container with the wands. She was going through each one, trying to find her own, when she heard the door slam shut. She quickly turned around, a few wands flying off the table and onto the floor, and looked into the menacing eyes of Lucius Malfoy.
"Where is he?" Lucius snarled.
Ginny was too scared to take in what he was saying or that he asked her a question. She couldn't take her eyes off him, he was livid with rage, his nostrils flared, his chest heaving. Ginny felt sick to her stomach as the bile entered her mouth.
"I said, where is he?" He swept closer to her in a swish of black cloak. "Where's my son?"
Ginny blinked her eyes, "D-D-Draco?"
"Yes, Draco, my son."
Ginny had a hard time processing this information. How was she supposed to know where Draco was? He was probably at Hogwarts seeking out new students for his Father to take away and keep in dungeons.
"Answer me!" Lucius slapped Ginny hard across the face, causing her to swing around and fall onto the table, knocking the wind out of her. But that wasn't all.
It wasn't enough that he slapped her, he then grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to face him, wanting her to see reflected in his eyes all the pain he would put her through before the night was out. He flung her at the table, this time nearly all it's contents fell to the floor along with her beaten body.
She first heard the growl and then out of the corner of her eye saw something jump out of the shadows and land on top of Lucius. He fell to the floor as well, trying to fight off the beast that had begun attacking him. He managed to throw it across the room, and Ginny heard it yelp in pain. But it attacked again and again. Lucius and the beast rounded the room, knocking over chairs and breaking the small table. Ginny began scrambling along the floor, trying to find her wand. She'd be able to stun Lucius if only she could find the blasted thing! Her hand swept over a large piece of paper that caught her eye. Looking at it she noticed it was a map.of the wood! Up and down the map were strange markings, like long rectangular shapes marked in red. She wondered if they were walls, or buildings, or.Ginny gasped! They were dungeons! The whole wood was covered in underground dungeons, just like the one she had been in. How many more people did Lucius have locked up in them?
"Now you'll die." Ginny heard Lucius say.
She turned around and saw Lucius had the beast pinned on the floor, a knife at its throat. She now recognized it to be the wolf that had helped her. Ginny found her wand, which had rolled to her feet, and stood up.
"Lucius!" She shouted, taking his attention away from the wolf. "Say goodnight!" She pointed her wand at him and shouted the most powerful stunning charm she could remember, and Lucius crumpled in a heap on the floor.
Cautiously she crossed the room to see if she could help the wolf in any way, but the wolf was nowhere in sight. Something else lay on the ground, broken and bleeding, hanging on to the last threads of life.
(A/N: Yay, I just checked on Barnesandnoble.com and my harry potter book was sent today! YAY, I'm gonna read harry potter, ooh yeah ::does happy dance with princess hat on:(