Chapter Three

Draco was sitting at the kitchen table inside the Burrow. He had decided to play along for a while, just to find out what exactly was going on. This must either be someone's sick joke, or he was dreaming. Stubbing his toe on a loose floorboard ruled out the dream.

He looked around the table at the many faces. Mrs. Weasley was sitting at one end, her plump face bright and cheery. Mr. Weasley was sitting at the other end. Across from himself there was Fred and George…or George and Fred…or whoever! Draco was beginning to get a headache.

"Pass the syrup." A voice next to him said between bites.

Draco turned to look disgustingly at Ron. He had bits of pancake shooting out his mouth and he was shaking his leg irritably, causing the table to vibrate.

"What do you say?" Draco said in silky tones.

"Never mind, I'll get it myself!" Ron stood up and reached across the table to get the syrup and in the process knocking over Draco's glass of milk over his lap. "Oh, I'm sorry!"

"You idiot!" Draco arose from the table, causing his chair to fall backwards.

"Drake, that's enough." Arthur said.

"This wouldn't have happened if you'd have given me the bloody milk!"

"Well all you had to do was say 'please!'"

"I said I was sorry." Ron shot towards Draco.

"Sorry isn't good enough!" Draco shot back.

"Drake, dear, you can just perform a cleaning spell with your wand." Molly smiled, then gave Ron a look that said don't-argue.

"If I even have that in this crazy place!" Draco stalked away from the table and up the stairs to the room he woke up in. "Father? Is this your doing? Alright, I give up! I realize how easy I have it at home. Now get me out of here!"

Much to Draco's dismay he was still in Ron's room in the Burrow. He couldn't believe the horrible luck he had. Whoever did this to him was very thorough. Around the room were pictures of the Weasley family as the kids grew up. Draco was in each and every one of them, only he stood out like a sore thumb. His hair was still silver/blonde and his skin was paler also.

At once a sudden though hit him. If he was here, at the Burrow, apart of the Weasley family…then who was taking his place?

~*~*~

Ginny was sitting demurely in a hard cushioned chair in an elaborately decorated room on the first floor. After forcing a few bites of food down, the house elf notified Ginny that 'Father' wanted to see her down in the sitting room. Upon entering the room Ginny feared she'd some how ruin it!

It looked like one of those rooms where there was a place for everything and everything in its place. Portraits of people were hanging on the dull wallpapered walls. A cabinet containing glass work was up against a wall and a large rug was on the floor. On the outer rim of the rug there was a couch with two matching chairs and in the center was a coffee table. Ginny tiptoed towards the nearest chair and sat slowly down. She dared not move.

Footsteps were heard nearby, coming closer. Ginny's heartbeat increased and she smoothed out the material of her skirt. She was wearing a white blouse with a gray skirt that she had found in the wardrobe. Suddenly a man appeared in the door way. A man Ginny recognized at Lucius Malfoy.

"Hello Virginia." He greeted, then entered the room fully and sat across from her in the other chair.

"Hello." Ginny barely whispered.

"I've thought about what happened the other day. We were both outside ourselves and said things we wouldn't have said otherwise."

Ginny's forehead crinkled in confusion.

"School will be starting in a week and it will be your final year so I'll make you a deal." Lucius shifted in his seat, leaning towards Ginny. "You be a good girl and when you graduate without putting our family name to shame I'll pay for your to take a year off to wherever you wish."

Ginny's eyes widened. What did he mean? Of course she was a good girl.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm not—" Ginny started, wanting to tell him she was the victim of some spell gone awry.

"Ah, so I see we're playing that game." Lucius leaned back in his chair, sizing Ginny up. "I know what you've been up to, Virginia. Don't you think I follow your every move? I know where you were the past two nights, too drunk to even tell who's company you were in. This is my final offer or I cut you off completely!"

The finality in his voice caused Ginny to say yes without thinking of what exactly he was trying to make her understand.

"Good, now you can go to your room. I'll release you from the house arrest spell." Lucius stood up and exited the room.

Ginny hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath, but once Lucius's presence was out of the room she exhaled deeply. She wondered back up to her room in a daze trying to piece together everything that was happening. But there was something different in the room. A trunk was at the foot of her bed, and it looked as if this trunk had been all over Europe, considering the different postage stamps on them, mostly from the Knight Bus.

Curious, Ginny opened the trunk and was shocked at what was inside. The clothes were mainly leather; leather pants, skirts that were too short, tops, jackets. Some huge boots were shoved into the corner and lingerie in another. In a little bag Ginny found some accessories, ones she wouldn't even think of buying herself, even on a dare! Rummaging through the clothes Ginny found a half a dozen small notebooks. Each one contained her handwriting, but Ginny couldn't remember ever writing in them.

One of the read, "Woke up in Rome. How the bloody heck did I end up here? Must have been that new mix I took last night. I vowed never to step foot in this forsaken city as long as Serge was here."

There was a small break, then it continued. "Met Serge last night. We made up. Forgot how he tasted, like salt water and wine. On my way back to Cairo. They have the best underground Wizarding clubs!"

Ginny was disgusted at what she had supposedly written. She felt dirty and wished she could soak in a hot bath until she woke up in her own room. She shut the trunk and flung herself across the bed.

"I want to be back home!" She moaned into her pillow. But then it came to her. No one at home even missed her. Someone else took her place. Someone who should be here, right now!