Dear girl, you are forgetting the most important thing.
She clutched the Core Lantern, knowing that the god was talking to her through this gift.
Yes, what did I forget Apollo?
The reason why Soulmates exist is because the love they share us unlike any other love other lovers share on earth or in Reality's sense. Even if you say that you don't love him anymore, it wouldn't matter because no matter how much you deny it, there would be that little endless flicker inside you that would be drawn to him. You will always be connected.
You cannot fall out of love nor can you be separated forever.
One cannot exist without the other.
If one is gone, the other will cease to exist…though I've never seen this happen before. The only time when one is permanently gone is when it is out of my hands. I cannot tell you how this happens it will only add more burden to your soul.
Remember my dear, even if you try to forget him, he would always be there. The harder you try to forget, the faster and stronger he clings on to you. It would be futile to.
Soulmates are forever, lasting throughout time. It is the only thing constant besides Death and Life.
Consider yourself lucky to have found your Soulmate, not all people have found their own and not all will have one. People who have Soulmates are special from all others…
Ginny didn't understand. Special how? By the pain?
You think too lowly of the whole Soulmate Principles and Laws. Soulmates are special because of the love they share. When your earthly lives are over, over in a way that you would never be reborn, you would still continue to live in the Soulmate Realm. Other just die and fade away. But the love between your souls will keep you alive.
It's better than just disappearing.
She knew he was done talking to her. She felt slightly renewed. She knew what she had to do. She couldn't give up. Not now just when she had gotten so far. She'd have to push through. There's no turning back for her, the only way she can go was forward.
Forward to find true happiness.
Her eyes widened as she saw a looming shadow appear on the ceiling.
What the!
She felt arms grab her from behind and a cloth was put over her mouth and nose.
Oh no! She knew this potion all too well from Professor Snape's class: Draught of the Living Death.
She could feel her eyes closing heavily as she heard the Professor's voice teach them about the potion
…Draught of the Living Death causes someone to fall into a deep sleep….If you have read your manuals then your tiny brains would know that you need asphodel in an infusion of wormwood to brew this potion…
Ginny yawned and heard other voices surround her. The faces before her were all a blur. Then she heard a familiar female voice. It was so familiar, where has she heard it before? But at the moment she was too tired to care. She just wanted to sleep…
* * *
Harry Potter adjusted his glasses on his nose, glancing up at the façade of the all to familiar house. He shivered, not just because of the cold but because he could feel something amidst, something menacing. Why was it radiating from this place? Why couldn't it have been somewhere else?
Harry squared his shoulders as he made his way to the door and knocked.
There was no answer.
He felt a chill in the air as he continued to wait.
He raised his hand to knock again.
Still there was no answer.
Anxiety started to creep into his nerves.
He had to act now, he couldn't just wait for an answer.
He gripped the doorknob, the chill in his bones became a freezing jolt when he realized that the door was open. Something was wrong. Ginny never left the door open. She never left the house open…
Oh gods! Someone broke into the house!
Harry pushed the door open forcefully, standing in the hallway, his eyes darting around the place, trying to search for something…anything!
He listened in vain. The house was so still. He could only hear his own breathing and the shrill whistle of the wind outside.
He took cautious, tentative steps forward. He found himself in the living room.
Nothing.
His heart racing, he raced up the stairs, throwing doors open, searching for her.
Nothing.
He jumped the last few steps while going back down and searched through the main floor.
Nothing.
He was back in the living room. The room seemed to revolve around him as he continued to look around for any trace of her. Any trace at all! What could have happened to her?
"Ginny! Where are you!" He cried out to no one in particular. His voice echoed of the walls and bounced back to him, his voice sounding louder that usual hurt his ears.
He couldn't wait here. He ran back outside the house and looked around.
First
Valerie was gone. Now Ginny was gone!
What was the world coming to?
Wait! Valerie and Ginny are friends…Curious. When one is missing so is the other. Strange things started happening since Valerie arrived at the Ministry. Why did Valerie take such an interest in being an Auror? Why did she become fast friends with Ginny? It just seemed all too connected…like this whole thing had an ulterior motive. But why would someone like Valerie do it?
Don't be
daft! Of course someone as sweet and caring like Valerie wouldn't seem like
they are. It's all a front! But what is she hoping to gain by doing this?
Ginny and Valerie?
…
Valerie…ominous presence…Ginny disappearing…
What did it all lead to?
His head was starting to hurt as he was thinking in the middle of a gathering storm.
What proof did he have that Valerie was behind everything? A part of him was in disbelief. He found it hard to believe that Valerie would do it. What could Valerie gain in all this?
For some reason, he started glimpsing just the recent events. The Annual at the Ministry. We were all there; Ginny, Valerie, Ron and himself. Somehow he was forgetting someone. It was nagging at him. Valerie had been staring at that person as if she knew the person. She had looked almost cold and heartless.
It scared him.
She was capable of looking like that, surely she must be capable of performing such a dastardly deed?
He shook his head. No.
His other self was battling with him. He wanted so much to believe that Valerie had nothing to do with this, but wherever he looked, he would remember Valerie…it would all point to Valerie.
* * *
Draco Malfoy was wallowing in his misery.
He had no one else to blame. He had brought this upon himself.
Pathetic.
He fingered the Core Lantern at his chest, lifting it up by the crystal like thread and holding it just at eye level. The blue core blazed hotly, the fire colored thread encasing the core.
It was she who held them together. It was he who she rested upon.
When he arrived at the manor, he nearly fainted by the anguish he could feel radiating from her that was transmitted by the Core Lantern. He could see her lying on the carpet, looking like a lifeless doll. He could feel her clearly too much that it hurt. It was like a knife thrust through his chest and an invisible hand was jarring it there.
It hurt deeply.
He could decipher her thoughts, he could just hear them, but they had no meaning to him. The force contained within the thought and the fluidity of them escaped him. All he could rely on to translate these words was the anguish that he was receiving through the Core Lantern.
Yes, he was still wallowing in his misery.
He didn't understand why he had to do this to himself.
Why he had to be so stubborn.
She was right in a way that sometimes all he ever cared about was himself.
All he ever thought was prioritizing himself above all others.
She couldn't fathom why all he ever cared about was himself.
It was very selfish.
Yes, he was selfish. Though he wasn't always this selfish.
In a way, he was selfish when it came to his mother, when it came to things that he truly treasured. But it all changed. His way of being selfish intensified to the point that people started berating him.
When he had lost Callysta, he had lost all hope. He felt that he could never mend. He felt that whatever he possessed would be lost. That's why he was so selfish.
Besides being possessive, it would seem ironic that at times he would deprive himself of things because he knew that by owning them, eventually he would lose them.
He wondered if she would understand is he explained this to her.
Of course you prat! She would understand! Hasn't she proven herself capable of almost anything? She has stuck by and insists on staying by your side even though she knew of her past and what kind of person you are. She has withstood the agony you have given her back in Hogwarts and now. What more is there for you understand?
Maybe it's you that needs to understand!
He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose by both thumbs, slightly pressing them to his closed eyes in deep consternation. He was sitting in his favorite chair before the fire in the library. His body was taut with agitation. He was slowly rocking back and forth, muttering to himself as the minutes passed.
To anyone who might've seem him, they would think he had lost it and immediately ship him to St. Mungo's.
So let them do it! At the moment, he didn't really care. He didn't think if he lost all his money, he'd be moved out of this state of depression.
Lose all his money?
Was he going
crazy?
But then, there were some
things that were more important than all the riches in the world. There were
some things that money couldn't buy.
Like what? He didn't dare say it.
He stared blankly at the wall before him.
He was starting to get used to the pain already.
The feeling was like a fresh hurt that would remain for quite some time until you start to get muddled in it that you just let it take over you. It was almost as if it was running through his veins…the pain replaced the blood. The pain was sustaining him, which was quite ironic if you think about it. It's more likely that someone would die out of pain rather than live on it.
* * *
Ginny moaned as she felt the concrete beneath her. She couldn't see well enough. There was something rough against her mouth when she tried to speak. Her hands were bound behind her and her wrists were hurting her. Her fingers were numb due to the lack of blood circulation in that area.
She took quite some effort to lift her head and take note of her surroundings. Her heart sank as she realized that she wasn't in her home. She quickly tried to assess what happened, how she got here and who brought her here. Sadly, all she could remember was blacking…but not until she saw a shadow on the ceiling…which meant that someone was behind her.
But how did that person get into her house?
She looked around, her hair falling into her face as she twisted and turned in the darkness. She was getting worried. There was no one around. All she had was the darkness.
Calm down, calm down. She breathed evenly as she sat up and straightened herself.
Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she could vaguely see a hazy line of light a few feet away from her.
A door?
Before she could even make a move for the door, someone was already opening it.
Ginny squinted her eyes against the light, she could hear the door being shut and footsteps nearing her. She held her breath as she waited for the person to reach her. She stiffened just in case the person tried to hit her.
"Lumos," she heard the person say. It was a girl to be exact. Where has she heard that voice?
She entered the dark room where her hostage was kept. She could see that her hostage was already awake and sitting up.
Well, this was good.
At least she wouldn't have to go through the trouble of waking a person who has been administered with The Draught of the Living Dead.
She already knew what was going to happen.
There would be questions, and there would be some answers.
And yes, things would be somewhat confusing for her hostage.
She doubted that her hostage would agree to whatever it was she was planning, but she was still going to try. What she was bargaining for was the easier way out, but knowing her hostage…it was still worth a try.
She knew for a fact that none of them would back down.
She smiled to herself as she neared the girl. She pulled her wand out and uttered the spell for both of them to see each other.
"Lumos,"
Ginny's eyes slowly opened, not wanting to be blinded by the light, which emanated from the wand.
The figure before her was a hazy shadow.
"Valerie!" Ginny gasped behind the gag as she saw who was in front of her.
The woman
before her nodded and smiled sweetly, but the smile did not quite reach her
eyes. "Hello Ginny, fancy meeting you here,"
Ginny frowned, worry and
suspicion creasing her brow and forehead. She couldn't talk with the infernal
gag on.
"Dear Ginny, it seems you have not a single clue to what is happening around you." Valerie shook her head as she made a clucking sound with her tongue. "Here, let me help you with that," Valerie untied the gag around Ginny's mouth.
Ginny greedily gulped in air when she was free of one of the constraints. "Valerie, do you have any idea what we're doing here?" she demanded. "How did you get here?" she remembered to ask.
Valerie stood up and uttered another spell "Lumos Solarum" The light from the wand further intensified as Valerie placed her wand in a little handle on the wall.
Her worry was starting to increase as Valerie remained silent. "Valerie?"
Valerie then turned back to look at her, an evil smile on her face, her eyes dancing menacingly as she spoke, her words like daggers. "I'm not Valerie, Ginny dear." Her smile grew wider and more crazed. "I' am Callysta Veridienne Hope"
* * *
Harry was back at the Ministry, gathering all the information he can on the aftermath of the war.
Somehow, everything had to do with the aftermath.
Voldemort had died and so had other Deatheaters, but others still remained. Locating the remaining Deatheaters was the main problem of the Aurors. These surviving Deatheaters were plotting something, the Aurors didn't know exactly what, but they knew that whatever it was, it wasn't going to be pretty.
But where
to find them?
If he only knew where Ginny
was, then maybe he would be able to locate the Deatheaters.
Yes, he had a suspicion that Deatheaters were behind the disappearance of Ginny and Valerie.
Still, finding Ginny was a problem.
He didn't want to tell Ron yet. Knowing Ron, he would go into hysterics and act before thinking, which was a stupid thing to do.
Who else did he know would know where Ginny was?
Think Harry! Think! Maybe there would be people who you haven't thought of because they are the people who wouldn't be really on good terms with her.
Malfoy!
Harry
shook his head and had to keep from laughing despite the situation. What
relationship could Malfoy possible have with Ginny?
He had almost completely
forgotten about the things that Malfoy did to Ginny earlier. Was he making a
play at her?
And at the Annual! They were made to perform together. Before they left the party both Ginny and Valerie were with Malfoy.
This was turning out to be pretty weird…
Either way, he didn't have a choice. He'd have to pay a visit to a dear old friend.
He informed his Superiors that he might have a hunch to where the Deatheaters were. He'd notify them immediately by wand if anything came up.
* * *
Draco briefly saw a scene before him, it was if he was watching through Ginny's eyes:
Hazy figure amidst the bright light and darkness. The figure was talking and there was an evilness to the person.
He suddenly felt winded. It was if someone aimed a hundred punches at his chest. He couldn't breathe. He was wheezing.
He clutched at his chest, his fingers brushing against the Core Lantern. He grabbed hold of that before dropping to his knees.
* * *
Harry didn't bother to knock as he reached the Malfoy Manor. He just barged in and started opening doors, looking for where his old school enemy was.
He heard a clatter in the next room and he ran to the source of the noise. He threw the door open. "Malfoy! I-!" he gaped at the wheezing, convulsing man before him. "Damn!" Harry rushed forward to help the man.
Draco at the moment had no idea who was helping him back into the chair. All he knew was the fading pain and the image of the hazy person.
"Geez! What a time for you to get sick on me!" an all to familiar voice penetrated his stupor.
Draco focused on a man with dark hair and green eyes, the legendary scar jolting his memory. "Potter? What are you doing here?"
"Sure, not even a thanks for saving your life!" Harry rolled his eyes at him.
Draco frowned. "What are you doing here?" he asked again.
"Where's Ginny?" Harry demanded of Draco.
Draco glared at him. "I don't know."
The moment the words flew out of his mouth, he felt a burning sensation start where the Core Lantern was.
"Yeah right! As if I would believe that!" Harry snapped. "There's no time for this! She might be in trouble!"
Draco forced himself not to display any emotion, he forced himself to look indifferent. IN the inside, he was raging. Gods! What has he done leaving her alone in her house?
"Quick! Tell me where she is! I know you don't have her, at least do you have a clue to where she might be?" Harry pressed him, shaking him by the shoulders.
Draco grasped the Core Lantern and closed his eyes.
He could feel her. She was scared beyond reasoning and comprehension. She was in a dark room. She could hear other people on the other side of the room. The person before her was mad.
If only he could have a better look of that person!
As if Apollo heard him, he saw the person that held Ginny hostage.
Draco blanched as he realized who it was.
Callysta!
Harry saw Draco turn a sickly pale color, as if he wasn't already too pale to begin with. Harry was getting worried by the minute. It was obvious that Malfoy, Ginny and Valerie had something in common, he just didn't know what.
Harry gritted his teeth and administered a blow to Malfoy's face. It wouldn't hurt, but hurt enough to get him to snap out of it.
Draco
blinked his eyes. "She's alive! Ginny's with the Deatheaters!"
Harry let out a whoosh of air.
"Yes, I had a hunch she's with the Deatheaters! Tell me where I can find them!"
He got this puzzled look on his face. "How did you know that?" Harry caught
sight of Draco constantly fingering a strange jewel. Was that how he knew?
"let's go! We can't waste time! You're the only one who knows how to get
there!"
Draco didn't want to move. The
realization the Callysta was really alive and the Valerie is Callysta…oh gods!
It was just to confusing to think about it!
All this time! She was just
here! Plotting and waiting.
What did she want?
She was behind the entire thing!
"Listen Potter! Do you even know what you're getting into?" his voice was harsh but soft. "I'm sure you're wondering where Valerie is, right?"
Harry wondered how he knew that too, but nodded in agreement.
"I wont tell you much but all you have to know is that Valerie is Callysta. Valerie and Ginny are friends. Valerie has Ginny in some Deatheater underground place…Yes Potter! Don't give me that stupid look! Yes, Valerie is a Deatheater!"
Harry paled. If possible, he was now paler than Draco.
Valerie a Deatheater. She was his protégé, and now she knew of all the Aurors' and Ministry's secrets!