Hey guys! Bet you all didn't think I'd spit one out this quickly considering it usually takes me for like, ever to get another chapter. However I'm stuck in the middle of the fifth book and now I'm like on writing mania. I've also started posting a Sirius/OC (it involves the characters Skylar and Zoë that have appeared in the last chapter and also in this one.) so yea, I'm also having a lot of fun writing it too =)
Anyways this chapter is going to write itself as how most of my chapters do. I know where the story is going to go but I'm going to sort of let it steer itself to get there =) Plenty of action, it might be a little (haha) longer than the usual standard I've got a lot to get in this one so bear with me. Since this chapter is also a big plot muncher, it does have D/G, some more with Draco, Jackson, and then Tyranny at the ministry (sort of to boost the plot along), very pregnant Hermione getting some advice from Molly and Skylar (filler to lead up to another important thing), Ginny/Tristian mess in the recording studio, mysterious disappearances by Aidan, we find out who our death eaters are and Voldie makes an appearance!!! Not telling who our death eater is (though you probably know by now) and yea, leaving with you with more mystery and I'm trying to work in the humor….its gonna be a looong chapter guys!
Sorry for the ramble here's the disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, places, settings or plot lines that do indeed belong to J.K. Rowling's novels. Yes I do own Aidan, Seth, Tristian, Jackson, Tracy, Lana, the actual plot of the story, and Zoë and Skylar if they get mentioned in here…well I know Zoë will be =) Also: the lyrics that Ginny sings in the recording room are mine….you like them thank you! If you want to use them ask me.
***This chapter goes to Candy 14710 along with Aidan wrapped up in New Years paper complete with a champagne bottle and two flutes. Your reviews really brightened my day up. Much thanks to everyone who also reviewed, literary cookies coming your way!***
(The opener is an idea I stole from 40 days and 40 nights..enjoy!)
Chapter Eight:
He ran a flower over it, in all of its ivory smoothness, the way it nicely contrasted with the green of his sheets. The long calve leading up the gentle bend of the knee and the slim thigh before running into green sheets. Her laugher was music to his ears as she bent her head back and spilled the notes of it out, the petals of the purple orchid running over it. In feeble attempt to push the offending object away her fingers pushed at it, only to be caught in another hand, brining it to warm lips, kissing and sucking on them.
"You are truly awful." Ginny told Draco as she reclined in his bed one evening. Smirking from where he was Draco wrapped the sheet around his midsection tighter, before leaning down to kiss her. Shrugging he pushed her dark auburn hair from her face, his fingers catching and mingling in it. They were mere inches apart from each other.
"You are truly a twit sometimes." Was the reply as he turned and laid his head across the green sheet that was over her stomach. Her fingers raked through his hair, enjoying the fine blonde strands between her fingers. Her brandy colored eyes searched the ceiling and smiled as she thought about the past month.
Since her return home to London, after a teary and quite frankly comical leave from the Burrow, Ginny returned to the life she remembered and to the world she loved. It was easy to see that her band mates were quite happy to see the muggle life again too. Tristian had gone to chasing her without shame again, wondering why she was being so elusive. It was a game of cat and mouse with him, Tristian being the cat and Ginny being the mouse. All he wanted was a good catch, all she wanted was to get away. Pushing the thought from her mind she absently twined her fingers with Draco's.
"I have to go into work for a few days plus I've got to go retrieve some things from the manor, don't have much time to fulfill the will out. That means I'll be gone for a while." He muttered to her. Ginny hid a smile, it was like a married couple, in a sort of backwards way.
Squeezing his hand she laughed as he nestled into her stomach, pushing against her breasts. "I think I'll survive, we've got some studio mixing we've got to do, plus make a decision over the Tristian situation." With a sigh she sat up, the sheet firmly pulled around her. He shifted so his head lay in her lap. Draco's usual expression of passiveness darkened.
"Behead the boy for all I care. I don't like the way he looks at you." Rolling her eyes she leaned down and pressed her lips to his, earning his reply. Arms went around her neck pulling her down to him and keeping her there.
"Draco whether you like it or not Tristian is my boyfriend, and I can't just ignore that." She murmured in reply pushing her tousled hair from her face and watched as he sat up and looked at her sharply. His gaze bore into her, piercing the very soul of her eyes, seeing deeper than simply that layer of her.
Sighing he nodded and then swung out of bed, reaching for his boxers which lay on the floor beside him. He pulled them on and then tossed Ginny her underwear which she was quick to put on, allowing Draco to hook the back of her black bra. She shivered slightly as he knuckles grazed over her smooth skin. "I don't understand why you won't leave him. You have stronger character than this Gin." He murmured.
Turning she smiled softly as he slid his finger through the string on the side of her panties, fingering the bright pink material. "I can't don't you understand that? If I dump him we lose the band. And that is more important to me than any stupid relationship with Tristian any day of the week." She replied trying to not start a fight with him, not now. His hands left her and he stepped away, shaking his blonde locks from his face angrily.
"You would put anything above your own happiness. Why? Ginny this isn't just some silly little school girl thing, this is your life. You're an adult and so is he, make decisions for yourself, not for just everyone else." He muttered and then turned away again, not sure what to make of it. For all Ginny Weasley had grown up she sometimes reminded him of the little school girl he used to torture in the halls, tripping her, hexing her and generally giving her hell. He would never forget the first time he'd laid eyes on the little child, ten years ago, and thought she was a horrid sight to see.
Now he took in the curves, the long hair, the bright brandy eyes and her lips that quivered between a frown and the edge of a smile. Leave it to her to break him, the one girl he hadn't thought twice of in school, he'd thought of Granger more than he'd thought about the Weasley girl. However she now dominated his thoughts, and took over his senses. But right now she was showing flashes of a Weasley mind and this upset him, he did not fall for stubbornness, he fell for the ingenuity and for the bright, keen sense of life the girl had. Draco said no words as she gathered the rest of her things and bid him farewell with a soft kiss. "I'll see you when you get back." She murmured in his ear before disapparating to her flat.
Draco sighed and looked around the now seeming empty room. Cocking his head to the side he groaned. "Well I'll just go drown myself in the shower."
****
Voldemort was all hell let loose, the rages of it blazing in his eyes. The wine glass shattered under his grip as even the skin on his knuckles was a few shades whiter and his impulses were almost undeniable. A hooded figure stood before him and groaned, he knew his time up. The pieces of the glass skittered at his feet. "Tell me, how you had the girl and you let her go!" He screeched finally.
Behind his hood the man winced. "I am sorry my Lord, I did not think there would be such strong opposition." He said, still retaining his strong voice, it was useless he was to die and he knew it.
"It was not hard! All you had to do was knock out the boy and take her! What happened so foul that you could not take her?"
He grimaced, that damned dog. "The boy hexed one of us, knocking him out, the werewolf getting another and then that fucking dog tried to take me out. Largest dog I'd ever seen, almost like the grim, attacked me and I shot a hex back, he dodged giving me enough time to apparate. By that time there were too many of the people there."
Suddenly the Dark Lord's lips curled back in a smile. While the mission was a complete failure there was one facet of success. Sirius Black was still an active animagi and the werewolf Lupin was still in contact with all of his sources. If he could get his hands one either of them, or Black's pretty little wife, he could extract all the information he needed, the order assuredly still together. But the Weasley girl, she was who he needed. "For what little information you have given me I have decided to spare your life. Unfortunately, despite your failure, you are too important for this operation to waste." Voldemort said, accepting the fresh glass his servant gave him.
The boy dropped to his knees, careful not to let his hood slip. "Thank you master."
"You are to make contact with your other post, do not let the Malfoy boy in your way, kill him if you have to. I want that girl, and I want her alive, unspoiled and I want it done as soon as you can get her!" He ordered sharply and smirked as the hooded figure bowed low before sweeping out, confident among him. "Foolish boy, does not realize once I am through with him I will dispose of him." Voldemort muttered.
Drinking deep of his wine the lights dimmed to black, leaving his eyes glowing in the dim. The black obsidian drinking up the darkness, leaving the skull implanted in the floor aglow with an eerie essence. "You will be mine Weasley, you will be mine." He muttered in his high pitched drawl.
****
It was raining, and hard as Tyranny ran along the alley, headed towards an apparation portal. She finally made it, sopping wet but still in spirits. Apparating she ended up in the designated apparation port in the ministry building. Without thought or mind she hastily tore through the building up the stairs as fast as she could. Up and up the many stairs.
Finally she made it to the door and burst through to find Draco and Jackson bent over some old papers and each having a cold Hell Krane, the wizard equivalent to a brew. Jackson tipped the bottle back and took a third of it in one go. He could hold his alcohol that was for sure. However when Tyranny wrenched open the door they both looked up.
"Tyranny what are you doing here?" Draco hissed. "You know you shouldn't be coming in at this time, anyone could see you. We don't know what spies Voldemort has in his service here."
Arching an eyebrow she smirked, so much like him it was frightening. "Well I just thought you'd like to see who they've just given me to research, and who they've just assigned for me to kill, on a hefty bounty no less." She snapped dropping a thick set of files on his desk. Draco arched a golden brow. Motioning with her hands she told him to open it. Leaning against the fine cherry of his desk she reached over and took a swift gulp of his drink. "Looks like our death eater friends from the other night, the younger Goyle and the elder Tell. This is what confuses me and why I came to talk to you, I thought Voldemort killed the Goyle family and the Tell family."
Jackson nodded and stood next to her, running his fingers over the pictures. Ron's blinding hex had certainly done the damage to Goyle, his eyes were black and puffy, dried blood cracked all around him. Draco looked at the picture and shuddered, to think he was friends with that 'thing' during his school years. However he knew well who Goyle was, even with the impressive mess Weasley had made of his sight. "He did or at least that's what it appeared to be. Which is why we've been going in circles to figure it out."
Shaking her blonde head softly Tyranny sighed. "Doesn't make sense, unless, do we still have the bodies from the houses he attacked?" She asked suddenly, a feeling of dread washing over her. Draco nodded and watched her hands go to her mouth, in a mix of shock and annoyance. "Did our thick friends in identification think to run an aura test on them? Because even now there should be enough aura on them to know." She muttered. All of them shared a look, it was obvious that the idiots in identification hadn't.
"I'm on it." Jackson said and handed his Hell Krane to Tyranny who tipped it back and finished it off. The DJ was out the door when Draco cursed loudly.
"Dammit! Every corner we turn is a dead end. He wants something from Ginny, but nobody knows what it is." Draco muttered, sinking into his chair. He pressed his fingers together in an annoyed manner and blew out a breath of air, ruffling the silvery blonde streaks that hung in his face.
Tyranny shrugged, and sat down. "I thought it was to get to her family, after all her dad's up for the minister, and she's got a lot of inside information that Voldemort can extract from her."
Looking up he arched an inquisitive eyebrow. Smirking he reached his hands behind his head and had a pleasant moment's revelation. "Since when did you call him by name?"
Laughing a little Tyranny shrugged and thumbed through her other file. It wasn't as thick as the others but held an ominous threat in it. "Living with Harry Potter teaches you a few things." She murmured and sighed tossing the file on the desk. "I take it you'll have to do something about this."
Draco had stopped listening to her. Instead his eyes were fixed on the picture tagged to the first page. Well, he gave himself a small mental pat on the back, at least he and Jackson had been right. However his worst fears had been confirmed. "Fucking great. I had really hoped all of us were wrong." He muttered as he looked on up to Tyranny finally.
Nodding with a sigh she shrugged. "I can't do this alone, I'm likely to fuck everything up if we don't work together on this one. The last thing we need is to have everything ruined by me." She said and stood. "Do we have a deal?"
Draco shook her hand firmly before settling back. "He hasn't made a move yet, Voldemort is bidding his time, waiting for the perfect moment. When is the problem, Jackson has been on this case for three years and nothing, almost nothing. I have been on it a few months and things are coming together, though slower than I expected. Voldemort wants us to move on the board, he wants us to turn over into his pawns. It's what he's playing at."
Tyranny cursed and fidgeted with her engagement ring, playing with the beautiful band. "So how do we avoid that? I mean Ginny's close to this kid. You can't leave now and you can't stay too close."
"Your right, she's too close to him. But how to handle it. We have to wait, and lure him into his own trap. Nobody knows about Jackson and certainly not about Tracy." Draco dropped off and watched the ceiling fan, something he had taken to doing a lot lately. He finished off his bottle of Hell Krane. Cyprus Krane, brilliant man for brewing it, at that moment Draco's head felt more clear than it had in days.
However the woman in front of him did not look happy at all. "So we wait then? I don't kill until," she paused.
"Until Voldemort moves first." Draco replied and scowled at the photo on the desk.
****
Hermione tottered down the stairs careful not to fall or knock herself silly. Ridiculous really, having an upstairs room while six months pregnant. Pushing her hair from her face she finally managed into the kitchen to where Skylar and Molly were, the caramel haired woman drinking a cup of coffee while watching Molly play with baby James. "He's a beautiful baby Skylar." Hermione said softly, sitting down.
The sound of heels across the floor sounded Skylar getting up. Moving across the kitchen Hermione saw the Express jeans and the black button down shirt she wore, looking quite comfortable. "Skylar its going on September, will you do anything for James' six months?" She wondered out loud. The thirty nine year old woman stopped and shrugged with a smile, before turning back. She poured warm tea into a cup before tapping it with her wand.
"Drink that, it will help with your mobility, my dear Sirius may be useless but occasionally he finds something useful in that library he keeps with Lupin. Saved me numerous times when battling the stairs at our loft." Skylar murmured and smiled as Molly choked on her tea. It was no secret that Sirius and Mrs. Weasley were beginning to get along a little better, however their arguments were still common. Picking up James, Sky smoothed his dark hair from his face. "He looks like his father." She murmured kissing the boy's forehead.
Molly smiled and let him grab her finger. "He looks like you."
Hermione drank her tea in silence, reveling in it's wonderful taste. She felt at ease and at peace with herself as she sat with her friend and mother in law. It was hard to believe that Skylar Kelley had given birth to a baby at thirty nine. Hermione was barely twenty two and scared witless. "How did you get through it?" She asked to the two women. "I mean through having a baby?"
Shrugging Molly smiled. "Patience and a lot of pain reducing potions." She muttered. Next to her the caramel haired woman nodded with a chuckle. "I remember when Ron was born he was an absolute pain, not even the twins were as bad as he was." Skylar held a laugh into her coffee cup.
"I can see that happening." Hermione said crossing her arms, looking over at the picture of the two of them on the wall. It was a lovely picture from their engagement party, both looking ecstatic, quite in love and nervous.
Mrs. Weasley laughed aloud and folding her hands on the table. "It was three in the morning, when we got to St. Mungo's having to take muggle transport, I was in no condition to apparate, fly or take a portkey. So there we are in the muggle underground and we get out, Arthur rushes me in there, Charlie behind us, Bill babysitting the rest of them. It took me ten hours to get him out. Utter hell, the potions stopped working and they couldn't up the dose or it would have hurt Ron. Awful, but then when I had Ginny, she was a breeze." Hermione looked to Skylar with a little light in her eyes. She was looking for encouragement. The one thing Hermione could read about all she wanted but would never understand until experience was definitely parenthood.
"Tell me about James or Zoë. Either one." She said hoping for a good story to come out of it. It was humorous to hear about Ron but it didn't offer much encouragement. Skylar tipped her head back and then laughed delightfully.
"Zoë, it was definitely when Zoë was born is the funniest moment. James was easier mind you, the second child is always easier, but oh I was barely twenty when I had Zoë. She was conceived on stupid part of Sirius and I, but I think we both wanted to have a child desperately by then, we'd wanted one when we graduated from Hogwarts. The pregnancy itself was awful, ugh I don't even want to recount it all the being sick and idiocy on my part, it's a wonder Zoë doesn't have brain damage or something. But when I was at St. Mungo's Ashley was there with me, you know getting me through it, Remus had taken Sirius out for a little while to calm his nerves."
Molly suddenly laughed. "Oh I remember this one. Go on, go on!" She said and held back tears of mirth. Hermione looked around confused.
"You have to remember Sirius was young back then," A shadow of guilt passed through her eyes. "We all were, I remember Lily crashing through the doors, falling over her own feet crying out that she was engaged and then she sat with me along with Ashley. To cool me down they made cracks about pregnancy and how the worst was over." She drew in a breath, remembering the good moment with her two best friends. A smile took over thought, coming upon the most unforgettable moment of that night. "Remus, James and Sirius come in right? They'd been a few blocks away at the Cauldron and had one shot each. So they're sober they're fine. The alcohol calmed Sirius down and when he came in I'm mid contraction, the worst set of them all."
Both Molly and Skylar started laughing. "Molly was a nurse there back then, when there wasn't so much to do, what with her children and all. She walks in just in time to see me explode. I'm in this hospital bed nine months pregnant, the fires of hell in my eyes and suddenly I scream 'Sirius Black I hate you! Fuck you for ever getting me pregnant!' and throw a pitcher of water at him."
Hermione couldn't help it she started laughing at the image of Sirius coming in, oblivious to everything only to have water dumped all over him. Looking on at the two mothers she thought about how wonderful they raised and were raising their children. She averted her gaze to her stomach, if only she could be half the mother they were. "But you've had a relatively easy pregnancy Herm, I don't think you'll have a problem getting this baby out." Mrs. Weasley said.
"What about James Sky? I've heard the birth stories about the boys, Molly told me ages ago." Shrugging Skylar looked down at the baby and laughed as it took a hold of her caramel hair.
"Piece of cake actually. For a while I thought my age would make things worse, but since I had more peace of mind things were easier to get through. But James was also a tiny baby, I don't know how big the one you're carrying is." Skylar murmured. Suddenly the door burst open and Ron and Harry ran in, out of breath.
"Honey what's wrong?" Hermione asked as Ron came up and hugged his wife tightly kissing her gently. He then went to his mother while Harry embraced his godmother.
"Harry what happened?" Skylar asked, holding the baby close to her breast as it began to cry. Running his fingers along James head he let out a breath of air, trying to catch everything.
Ron finally had gained his senses, and began tugging his wife and mother to the door. "We've got to get to Grimmauld, Dumbledore has called a meeting." He then looked his mother and Skylar in the eyes. "There's been an attack at Remus' place."
****
Ginny was in the studio. A pair of headphones were on her ears as she leaned back and made another pass on the guitar. Her fingers strummed gently and easily as she worked. Music flowed easily and smooth as she worked out the kinks in it.
Long Blue
Before the afterglow
And prism shade haze
I couldn't let go
The feeling of doubt
As the day began to slow
Stuck in the headlights
I cry feeling frayed
In the present
Because you haven't stayed
The issues between you and me
Those dues haven't been paid
You can't leave now
All isn't said and right
City lights still
Shine me bright
But the day still hasn't gone
It came out clear in her mind, and the words flowed well. She and Aidan had written that song together a long time ago. Suddenly her mood darkened. Where was that good for nothing shaggy haired twit? That was her only question as the door swung open and Tristian walked in, a pair of drumsticks in hand. A lazy smirk drawled over his face.
"Seth told me you'd be here." He murmured running his fingers through his short hair, spiked to a t. Inwardly Ginny groaned, she mentally cursed Seth for passing along that information. As if her past two days hadn't been going great already. She'd broken two strings, setting her back on recording, there was no word from the family, Aidan had disappeared, Jackson had up and gone somewhere and she'd just had a semi fight with Draco. The last thing she really needed was for the handsome Tristian Bark to waltz in the door.
"Hi!" She said trying to sound cheery about it. However she knew that look in his eyes. It was the one he carried often these days. With no word at all he took her guitar from her and the headphones off her ears, straddling easily over her legs. She inched away, not wanting to deal with him. Good looking yes, repulsive at the same time, very much so. He leaned down and captured her lips. Her insides writhed and she pulled away. "I have work to do Tristian, we can't finish this album if that's what we're going to be doing all the time."
His fingers had another plan as they inched up her shirt. "Work can wait." Immediately she pushed back in her chair and stood to face him defiantly.
"No it can't and I don't feel like messing around with you right now." She snapped, her air icy. Shaking her pony tail over her shoulder she glared at him. "If you came to get work done then I suggest you sit down and do it. If not then leave."
Suddenly she was pinned against the wall. His lips were on her in full force and she couldn't move. When he finally parted he looked at her right in the eyes. "You can't even kiss me back when I kiss you? What's going on Ginny? A few months ago you acted like there was nothing in the world but me. Now you just don't even know I'm here?" He growled.
"Two things Tristian, there was never a time or a place where I acted like you were the only thing on the planet, I've got a lot of other things to look out for and secondly stop squeezing my wrists your hurting me." She said wincing as he wrenched them a little tighter before letting go.
Her eyes met his and in an instant there was apology in his face. It was all in the lines of it and in his smile as he hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry Gin, I'm just on edge. You know what? I'll leave you to your work and I'll just head out." He said and with that turned and walked out. The minute the door shut she gagged and just as he was walked away a small smirk crawled up on his lips again.
Ginny leaned back in her chair when suddenly there was a pop. Zoë was there looking clearly distressed. Standing she embraced the girl and then stepped back as to inquire the occasion. Pushing her raven strands from her face she took a deep breath. "Order meeting, Dumbledore is there, Remus was attacked." Zoë cried. "You've got to come, please I know you're here and all but we need you there."
Nodding, Ginny carefully slid her wand out of a small holster inside her jeans where she kept it. Draco had asked her to keep it handy at all times. "Alright, lets go." She muttered, shouldering her backpack she was carrying and then with cracks both of them were gone in a flash.
****
Draco sat with Jackson and Tracy, looking infuriated with the two people tied up in front of him. One was panicked, unable to see due to the blackness across his eyes. The other sat tall and proud his once shiny strawberry hair tangled and matted from not having been washed in a few days. "Explain to me what you were doing there that night when you attempted attack on your two victims."
The unharmed one looked up. "You used to be one of us. Why have you turned?" He asked. Draco knew the tone of a Tell when he heard one. Particularly high pitched and smirking, as if there was something disgusting riding along on their shoe. Ah the old line of the Tell family. No child in his year but a few years ahead.
Jackson scowled unhappily. Now was not the time nor the place to bring up Draco's past. "I believe it is this fine gentleman and I who are asking the questions not you." He sneered. The comment earned him a poisonous gesture from the two death eaters and a pleasant one from Draco who obviously did not have the patience to answer the question he had heard time and time again. "Now then, tell me why were you there the night you attempted kidnap on Ginny Weasley." He stated firmly, rotating his wand peacefully in his hands.
"I think you've answered your own question mate." The Tell man muttered. Standing Draco moved for the door. Walking out into the hallway the harsh light was sickening to his eyes. However he found four guard wizards out there.
"Run down to the questioner's room and get me a bottle of Veritaserum these assholes know a lot and if they won't share willingly then dammit I'll make them." He clenched his fists, seeing them again, all of them made him sick to his stomach. It was a wonder he'd lived to see these days after the actions they took in his seventh year, so many, so much. At night his dreams were still haunted by what he had seen, even four years after his graduation. Sometimes he had the almost undeniable urge to just go up to Potter give him a crushing hug and thank him for his life, although he of course would never do that. Draco was so consumed in his thought that he almost failed to see the guard press the phial into his hands. Two guards followed him in.
Jackson looked over where he smiled grimly at Draco seeing the phial of clear liquid. "Tasteless, colorless and quite a useful weapon, you won't speak then we'll make you." He snapped as the guards held each man back. Even for a boy as big as Goyle it was useless, the guards had them easily done over. Draco opened their mouths and placed a drop down the throat.
Then he stood back to where he had been sitting. It took a few moments for the potion to take effect. However they both suddenly slumped over in submissiveness. "Alright lets try again, why were you all at the Burrow on the evening of Ginny Weasley's attempted capture?" Draco asked sharply.
Immediately Goyle began talking. "We were given orders by the Dark Lord, to take the girl and return him to her alive and unspoiled. Seems to think she's got a great deal of importance." He muttered against his will clearly, but the potion was too strong for him. The large boy sat back in defeat, it was over he had betrayed his Lord and Master, now even Azkaban sounded pleasant.
"Alright, where were you supposed to take her?" Jackson asked with a hint of annoyance. He had heard this answer several times before already from previous reports and questioning of other caught death eaters.
Tell looked at him sharply before the words spilled out of him mouth. "To a black cave, in which there is a tower and the black guard." He murmured. Draco groaned and leaned back in his chair. Every time the same thing, the same old answer. Lucius had had told him that no death eater knows the exact pinpoint. They mutter the words 'black tower' before apparating and then they were there at the cave. But only those that carry the dark mark can get there, unless they have knowledge of the pinpoints.
"Right, what were your plans with Miss Weasley after you'd captured her?" Draco finally managed to ask, not wanting to hear the answer. His throat constricted and he pushed his fingers through his silky hair. Of all days this was not a pleasant one. Not only did they have to wrap up this questioning they also had to get to an order meeting that Dumbledore had called. Earlier an intern had given him the message. Arthur Weasley had also dropped by to inform them that he had sent Zoë Black to retrieve Ginny. Draco sighed, back to twelve Grimmauld Place for the seemingly thousandth time.
"We was planning to keep her in the caves at Hogsmeade for a night to lay low before apparating her to Master." Goyle murmured in his usual poor dialect and bumbling demeanor . Draco watched the scene unfold and felt his fists clench and unclench visibly on the table.
Leaning his head back to search the ceiling Jackson sighed impatiently. "Why does Voldemort want Miss Weasley in his service? Who does she have connections to that will reveal great information, who is she blackmail for?"
Tell looked up with a snide face. "Who said anything about being leverage? Did you ever think it was Ginny herself who had the information the Dark Lord needs?" Shock reverberated through the room. Automatically Draco was flipping through his brain like a mad man thinking about what information Ginny would have about this that he wouldn't. What could she possibly know or have seen that nobody else did? It was usually Potter with that problem.
"Alright, there was a third member of the party that night was there not?" Jackson questioned. His eyes were sharp and he watched the two men share a look.
"Yes." Tell answered grudgingly.
"Care to give us his name?" Draco asked, hoping for the moment of truth and for the moment he had been waiting to seize, it was time for Draco Malfoy to take charge and change the plot of everything.
Tell leaned up and smiled nastily. "Well I reckon he's a bit off but this bloke tells us his name is Aidan Foster."
Draco and Jackson looked at each other in mirrored shock. Waving his wand Draco called for the guards. Trooping in they looked to the questioners. "Take these two gentlemen to our maximum security cells, isolation and give them each a ministry special." The guards smiled in acknowledgement of the quite vile potion that caused deep sleep and left the taker awake to see the nightmares of those he killed. Goyle and Tell were hauled up and out of their seats.
Jackson looked at Draco before he hissed. "You didn't ask them about their supposed deaths? What kind of fool are you?"
They walked out of the other door and up the flights of stairs to his office. "The kind that knows when and when not to ask a question. You finished with a good one. Now we have something to really look into and even more of a mystery. We start with what shit pile we've made and then go from there." Draco said and then they walked into his office. He charmed the doors to lock and to prevent eavesdroppers and the likes.
They both crashed into chairs and looked sullenly about the room. The light was bright to their eyes as Draco muttered a summoning spell and tossed Jackson a bottle of butterbeer he wasn't in the mood for real alcohol. "That doesn't make any sense. It couldn't have been Aidan. He was with us that whole night through the entire attack." Jackson finally said heaving in annoyance.
Nodding, Draco let off an annoyed sigh. "Well its got to be one of two things. Aidan is our man and we're all backwards he's got a double or something that acted in his place. Or our little suspect is using false identity."
Pushing his dreads from his face the other man tugged at his blue robes over his stonewashed jeans and Puma shirt. "Wouldn't Voldemort know though."
Leaning back Draco tried to pull the information he knew in his head. "No, he would know. But that doesn't mean that our little friend has to give Goyle or Tell his real name. Just as I'm sure Goyle and Tell didn't give him his. You know we do the same thing with our code names in the order. It's for safety and to convict innocent people." He glance up at the clock and finished off his bottle. "Come on I've got to go pick up Arthur before we go to the meeting."
"Why am I not going to this one?" Jackson questioned.
"Because I got a note that Ginny would be there. She doesn't know that you're a wizard does she?" Was the sharp reply. Jackson shook his head no.
"Then it's best that she doesn't find out." Draco muttered before grabbing his cloak and stepped out of the room.
"I'll just go down to the identifiers and see what they've found out from those tests." He muttered and followed his friend out before they headed in different directions.
****
Ginny dropped her head back and relaxed as she sank into one of the armchairs at Twelve Grimmauld Place. Her eyes flashed over the sparse occupants of the room, her family was yet to arrive. However she was there with Zoë who was quietly drinking a cup of coffee waiting for Lupin to arrive. The young woman had a few healing skills and knew the most about it of anyone. Bill and Charlie were there just as Tyranny walked through the door with Snape, the two of them looking anxious about the upcoming meeting.
"Albus will be here soon I expect. Ah Miss Weasley interesting to see you here." He remarked, voice lacking the usual snide tone it had carried through all of her school years. Instead it was calm and civil, yet anything but friendly. She nodded in greetings before turning back to Zoë who was pulling her hair up in a ponytail.
"Miss Black, I've brought the potion you requested of me, also a potion for Mr. Lupin's condition." Snape handed two bottles to Zoë who took them with a quiet thanks and set them down by her coffee cup. Quiet settled over the room until Skylar, and Molly helped in Hermione while Ron and Harry greeted the members of the room. Tonks arrived through the door looking clearly distressed.
All attention was on her as she ran her fingers through her hair looking upset. "Nymphadora." Snape said curtly, "What happened?"
Taking another breath of air she finally sunk into a chair accepting the cup of tea Molly pushed into her hands. "He was in the Library at the Kelley manor, Sky's old home, his home now. Apparently looking through a book on just curses and simple things, looking for something no doubt knowing him. The windows crash and five death eaters crash in and try to jump him you know kill him whatever. Lupin fired a few curses but to no avail. They beat him up pretty bad and then tried to extract information. He wouldn't say anything and then they put him under the Crutacious before leaving after they heard me come in." She explained in a hurry. Her patience was draining. Hermione looked quite alarmed as Ron came beside her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He squeezed them softly and kissed the top of her head attempting to cool her down.
Tonks closed her eyes and rocked her head back. "Dumbledore came with Sirius and Kingsley and tried to get him to wake up, and sent me to the ministry to tell them that Lupin would be out for a few days before coming here." With a sigh and a shudder she finally drained her cup of tea. "Should be here with him momentarily. Oh Skylar you've got a piece of work, I've never seen Sirius so angry, ever."
"Albus must be in a fit state as well, attacking the manor what were those idiots thinking?" Harry asked out loud with a sigh as Tyranny sat next to him, twining her fingers with his. Ginny watched around the room in slight jealousy as she realized how many married and close people there were in the room. It made her long for something, long for something she couldn't understand. She wanted someone, she needed someone. Looking up in horror she realized it. She wanted Draco Malfoy more than anything.
Tonks however interrupted the revelation. "Mad as a hornet he is. But apparently those death eaters had something in mind. Asked him weird questions about the order, you know and about Sirius and then about Ginny." All attention was on her. "Wanted to know if she was scared when they attacked at the Weasley's last month."
With a smirk Ginny shrugged. She'd all but forgotten that attack considering everything that came right after it. All she really remembered was Ron performing a spectacular blinding hex and then her ankle. "Not a whole lot, I mean I guess when they did but I don't know. It's no big deal is it?"
"It's always a big deal if death eater tries to kidnap you Ginny." Charlie muttered from where he was putting his head in his hands. She smiled as his shaggy red lock fell through his fingers. Of the oldest Weasley brothers, Charlie was her favorite. "Honestly, didn't you learn anything."
She threw a pillow at him. Then the door opened and Albus came in with Sirius levitating Lupin who was in a fit state. Zoë was up and on her feet, leading Albus upstairs who was talking to her in a quiet voice. Ginny sunk back further in her chair as Sirius suddenly let out a bright string of curses. Skylar quietly took his arm and led him out into the kitchen.
"Well it looks like the whole gang is here." Draco drawled coming into the room. He followed everyone around the room taking note of them. Kingsley had just walked in carrying his wand as Moody followed looking alert and paranoid as usual. Ginny sat up suddenly and noticed him arch a brow in her direction before making his way over. Sitting on the arm of her chair he casually stroked her hair, his hand falling gently on her neck. "I'm not apologizing." He muttered.
Letting out a small noise she shook her head. "You may have changed a lot but your still Malfoy, I didn't expect an apology." Was the quick follow up from her. Looking down he smirked at her and then tugged her hair gently, chuckling as she jumped a bit.
"You're still a Weasley and your stubbornness is a streak you should learn to break yourself of." Looking up she held that tone in her eyes that he loved to see.
"Then break me of it." Was the soft reply in his ear as she leaned up to seeming push away a lock of long blonde hair from his face. That was one thing Ginny had noticed, he hadn't cut it in a while and now hung almost to his shirt collar and over his eyes in a manner that made him seem less distant and cold. She rather liked it, the look was quite becoming on him, giving his eyes some character that they desperately needed.
A hand fell to her shoulder and it tightened but she felt him push at her bra strap in a playful manner with his middle finger. Softly a laugh rose from her lips but died the moment her parents came in together with the twins. All of them looked at her oddly but then waved it off. It was common knowledge that Draco and Ginny had become friends. Her mother arched a careful eyebrow and then went back out into the hall again up the stairs no doubt to help Zoë and Dumbledore with Remus.
"Ginny darling absolutely smashing to see you." George said approaching. He held out a reproachful hand to Draco who took it and shook it firmly showing no aversion the less than friendly greeting.
"Hello." Draco said calmly and then greeted Fred in the same manner. The two twins looked at him slack jawed for a moment before kissing Ginny's cheek and then leaving to go chat with Tonks whom was finally cooling off from her quite traumatic experience. "Your family doesn't seem to like me much." He murmured to her as she leaned against him closing her eyes.
"They aren't so forgiving as I am. Come on with me to the kitchen I want a cup of coffee." She murmured. He nodded and helped her out of the chair. They entered the kitchen and passed just as Skylar and Sirius left nodding to them in greeting. Once the door shut he took her hips and pulled her to him, his lips crashing down on hers. Arms wound tightly around his neck and laughed as he backed her into a counter. Catching her leg at her knee he lifted it up and stepped in closer to her.
"Of all places to be doing this we make out in a kitchen a few steps away from a room that is full of my family and friends, our former teacher and headmaster included." She muttered against his lips as he pulled away giving them a chance to breathe. However it was too late they had both come alive with each other and she had the undeniable urge to allow him to kiss her deeply again.
"You worry too much, its like anyone here doesn't already know." He growled in her ear nibbling gently on her earlobe. Ginny giggled as his hand traced up her side the other still holding her slim thigh against him. "It isn't like we're having sex on the kitchen table."
"Might as well be." Sirius said casually entering the kitchen and grabbing an apple from the bowl on the counter on the other side of the room. They both looked at him shocked, even to move. Looking innocent he just smiled before jumping a little and looking around. "Oh, ignore me." Was all he said before ambling back out, laughing softly himself.
Ginny blushed bright red before allowing Draco to kiss her again. "That went well."
"It could have been worse." He murmured before stepping away from her and allowed her fix a cup of coffee. They quickly went back in and she reclaimed her arm chair and he his seat on the arm. From across the room Sirius held in a laugh before suddenly Molly came downstairs with Zoë, supporting Remus who looked very much altered but better than he had at first. His usually handsome face was bruised and he was having trouble walking.
"Remus you should not be down here, you should be upstairs resting." Hermione scolded as he smiled weakly at her. Looking at her stomach he held a weak laugh in.
"I could say the same to you darling." She turned bright red as Ron burst into laughter with the rest of the room. Finally she smiled and then helped him into an arm chair where he sat. Dumbledore swept in and surveyed the room quietly. Ginny did the same and realized that there many people that had come in that she did not know. So many from the restart in her fourth year were gone. It was hard to believe it, that the order was still going strong. There was an absence at Remus' side where Ashley Kingsford should have been. Fleur should have been with Bill, and a few others Ginny had known were gone. A miracle sat with Skylar holding his son, having come back from beyond the veil thanks to Zoë who had used a very special gift to go after him. And Ginny's own miracle, turned from the dark side sat on her arm chair, absently running his fingers through her hair.
"I'm sure all of you know about Remus' attack, and then the attack a month ago on Miss Weasley. It has come to our attention that Voldemort is on the move, and has begun to kill at will again. I advise you all to take certain care in the people around you." Albus finally said before them.
Draco took in a breath, he had to be wary, of both Aidan and the real suspect, and that kooky manager of the band. It was going to be a real challenge but with Tyranny on the case to crack part of it, hopefully things would be alright. "Mrs. Hermione Weasley has done a little extra curse research in her spare time and Mr. Harry Potter will be checking up on everyone from time to time giving what information we know." Dumbledore explained. Suddenly his eye was locked with Ginny's. She felt very small as he took in a deep breath. "It has also come to our attention that Voldemort has his attention focused on finding the Eye of Regalius."
Gasps went around the room, Mrs. Weasley took a sharp breathe in. Hermione looked up with wide eyes, she knew what that was. Ron and Harry exchanged confused looks and Draco looked down at Ginny. She sunk low into her chair. It couldn't be, no it wasn't possible.
"We have decided for a course of passiveness, we must wait until Voldemort makes the first move, we cannot be his puppets." Tyranny caught Draco's eye and smirked. "I think that will be all, Draco I'd like to speak with you for a moment after the meeting."
Ginny filed out with everyone else, white faced and feeling very weak indeed. She stood in the entry way, ignoring the wailing coming from the portrait of Sirius' mother upstairs. Draco came out five minutes later and then saw her. "Gin?" She said nothing just walked to him and rest her head on his chest.
"It's nothing, just, hold me." And so he did.
-- Sorry about the hasty ending. It was sixteen pages long and I had to stop! Of all chapters this has been the most difficult to write and the hardest. Well there you have it…the Eye of Regalius, what is it? Well you'll find out, and why is Ginny so suddenly scared…yeah you'll figure that out too. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and have never put one out so long! I can't promise the others will be this but there was so much and I didn't want to break it off into separate chapters. Once again the chapter wrote itself in and I've found myself with a pleasant way to commence the story. I really like the last few lines, they wrapped it up well I think. Next chapter will include more on our mystery death eater, the Aidan confusion (is he evil? Is he not?) Some stuff for the filler, and more humor I promise!!! Anyway hope you enjoyed this one, review me please! I'll love you forever if you do! Huggles, Brose
Anyways this chapter is going to write itself as how most of my chapters do. I know where the story is going to go but I'm going to sort of let it steer itself to get there =) Plenty of action, it might be a little (haha) longer than the usual standard I've got a lot to get in this one so bear with me. Since this chapter is also a big plot muncher, it does have D/G, some more with Draco, Jackson, and then Tyranny at the ministry (sort of to boost the plot along), very pregnant Hermione getting some advice from Molly and Skylar (filler to lead up to another important thing), Ginny/Tristian mess in the recording studio, mysterious disappearances by Aidan, we find out who our death eaters are and Voldie makes an appearance!!! Not telling who our death eater is (though you probably know by now) and yea, leaving with you with more mystery and I'm trying to work in the humor….its gonna be a looong chapter guys!
Sorry for the ramble here's the disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, places, settings or plot lines that do indeed belong to J.K. Rowling's novels. Yes I do own Aidan, Seth, Tristian, Jackson, Tracy, Lana, the actual plot of the story, and Zoë and Skylar if they get mentioned in here…well I know Zoë will be =) Also: the lyrics that Ginny sings in the recording room are mine….you like them thank you! If you want to use them ask me.
***This chapter goes to Candy 14710 along with Aidan wrapped up in New Years paper complete with a champagne bottle and two flutes. Your reviews really brightened my day up. Much thanks to everyone who also reviewed, literary cookies coming your way!***
(The opener is an idea I stole from 40 days and 40 nights..enjoy!)
Chapter Eight:
He ran a flower over it, in all of its ivory smoothness, the way it nicely contrasted with the green of his sheets. The long calve leading up the gentle bend of the knee and the slim thigh before running into green sheets. Her laugher was music to his ears as she bent her head back and spilled the notes of it out, the petals of the purple orchid running over it. In feeble attempt to push the offending object away her fingers pushed at it, only to be caught in another hand, brining it to warm lips, kissing and sucking on them.
"You are truly awful." Ginny told Draco as she reclined in his bed one evening. Smirking from where he was Draco wrapped the sheet around his midsection tighter, before leaning down to kiss her. Shrugging he pushed her dark auburn hair from her face, his fingers catching and mingling in it. They were mere inches apart from each other.
"You are truly a twit sometimes." Was the reply as he turned and laid his head across the green sheet that was over her stomach. Her fingers raked through his hair, enjoying the fine blonde strands between her fingers. Her brandy colored eyes searched the ceiling and smiled as she thought about the past month.
Since her return home to London, after a teary and quite frankly comical leave from the Burrow, Ginny returned to the life she remembered and to the world she loved. It was easy to see that her band mates were quite happy to see the muggle life again too. Tristian had gone to chasing her without shame again, wondering why she was being so elusive. It was a game of cat and mouse with him, Tristian being the cat and Ginny being the mouse. All he wanted was a good catch, all she wanted was to get away. Pushing the thought from her mind she absently twined her fingers with Draco's.
"I have to go into work for a few days plus I've got to go retrieve some things from the manor, don't have much time to fulfill the will out. That means I'll be gone for a while." He muttered to her. Ginny hid a smile, it was like a married couple, in a sort of backwards way.
Squeezing his hand she laughed as he nestled into her stomach, pushing against her breasts. "I think I'll survive, we've got some studio mixing we've got to do, plus make a decision over the Tristian situation." With a sigh she sat up, the sheet firmly pulled around her. He shifted so his head lay in her lap. Draco's usual expression of passiveness darkened.
"Behead the boy for all I care. I don't like the way he looks at you." Rolling her eyes she leaned down and pressed her lips to his, earning his reply. Arms went around her neck pulling her down to him and keeping her there.
"Draco whether you like it or not Tristian is my boyfriend, and I can't just ignore that." She murmured in reply pushing her tousled hair from her face and watched as he sat up and looked at her sharply. His gaze bore into her, piercing the very soul of her eyes, seeing deeper than simply that layer of her.
Sighing he nodded and then swung out of bed, reaching for his boxers which lay on the floor beside him. He pulled them on and then tossed Ginny her underwear which she was quick to put on, allowing Draco to hook the back of her black bra. She shivered slightly as he knuckles grazed over her smooth skin. "I don't understand why you won't leave him. You have stronger character than this Gin." He murmured.
Turning she smiled softly as he slid his finger through the string on the side of her panties, fingering the bright pink material. "I can't don't you understand that? If I dump him we lose the band. And that is more important to me than any stupid relationship with Tristian any day of the week." She replied trying to not start a fight with him, not now. His hands left her and he stepped away, shaking his blonde locks from his face angrily.
"You would put anything above your own happiness. Why? Ginny this isn't just some silly little school girl thing, this is your life. You're an adult and so is he, make decisions for yourself, not for just everyone else." He muttered and then turned away again, not sure what to make of it. For all Ginny Weasley had grown up she sometimes reminded him of the little school girl he used to torture in the halls, tripping her, hexing her and generally giving her hell. He would never forget the first time he'd laid eyes on the little child, ten years ago, and thought she was a horrid sight to see.
Now he took in the curves, the long hair, the bright brandy eyes and her lips that quivered between a frown and the edge of a smile. Leave it to her to break him, the one girl he hadn't thought twice of in school, he'd thought of Granger more than he'd thought about the Weasley girl. However she now dominated his thoughts, and took over his senses. But right now she was showing flashes of a Weasley mind and this upset him, he did not fall for stubbornness, he fell for the ingenuity and for the bright, keen sense of life the girl had. Draco said no words as she gathered the rest of her things and bid him farewell with a soft kiss. "I'll see you when you get back." She murmured in his ear before disapparating to her flat.
Draco sighed and looked around the now seeming empty room. Cocking his head to the side he groaned. "Well I'll just go drown myself in the shower."
****
Voldemort was all hell let loose, the rages of it blazing in his eyes. The wine glass shattered under his grip as even the skin on his knuckles was a few shades whiter and his impulses were almost undeniable. A hooded figure stood before him and groaned, he knew his time up. The pieces of the glass skittered at his feet. "Tell me, how you had the girl and you let her go!" He screeched finally.
Behind his hood the man winced. "I am sorry my Lord, I did not think there would be such strong opposition." He said, still retaining his strong voice, it was useless he was to die and he knew it.
"It was not hard! All you had to do was knock out the boy and take her! What happened so foul that you could not take her?"
He grimaced, that damned dog. "The boy hexed one of us, knocking him out, the werewolf getting another and then that fucking dog tried to take me out. Largest dog I'd ever seen, almost like the grim, attacked me and I shot a hex back, he dodged giving me enough time to apparate. By that time there were too many of the people there."
Suddenly the Dark Lord's lips curled back in a smile. While the mission was a complete failure there was one facet of success. Sirius Black was still an active animagi and the werewolf Lupin was still in contact with all of his sources. If he could get his hands one either of them, or Black's pretty little wife, he could extract all the information he needed, the order assuredly still together. But the Weasley girl, she was who he needed. "For what little information you have given me I have decided to spare your life. Unfortunately, despite your failure, you are too important for this operation to waste." Voldemort said, accepting the fresh glass his servant gave him.
The boy dropped to his knees, careful not to let his hood slip. "Thank you master."
"You are to make contact with your other post, do not let the Malfoy boy in your way, kill him if you have to. I want that girl, and I want her alive, unspoiled and I want it done as soon as you can get her!" He ordered sharply and smirked as the hooded figure bowed low before sweeping out, confident among him. "Foolish boy, does not realize once I am through with him I will dispose of him." Voldemort muttered.
Drinking deep of his wine the lights dimmed to black, leaving his eyes glowing in the dim. The black obsidian drinking up the darkness, leaving the skull implanted in the floor aglow with an eerie essence. "You will be mine Weasley, you will be mine." He muttered in his high pitched drawl.
****
It was raining, and hard as Tyranny ran along the alley, headed towards an apparation portal. She finally made it, sopping wet but still in spirits. Apparating she ended up in the designated apparation port in the ministry building. Without thought or mind she hastily tore through the building up the stairs as fast as she could. Up and up the many stairs.
Finally she made it to the door and burst through to find Draco and Jackson bent over some old papers and each having a cold Hell Krane, the wizard equivalent to a brew. Jackson tipped the bottle back and took a third of it in one go. He could hold his alcohol that was for sure. However when Tyranny wrenched open the door they both looked up.
"Tyranny what are you doing here?" Draco hissed. "You know you shouldn't be coming in at this time, anyone could see you. We don't know what spies Voldemort has in his service here."
Arching an eyebrow she smirked, so much like him it was frightening. "Well I just thought you'd like to see who they've just given me to research, and who they've just assigned for me to kill, on a hefty bounty no less." She snapped dropping a thick set of files on his desk. Draco arched a golden brow. Motioning with her hands she told him to open it. Leaning against the fine cherry of his desk she reached over and took a swift gulp of his drink. "Looks like our death eater friends from the other night, the younger Goyle and the elder Tell. This is what confuses me and why I came to talk to you, I thought Voldemort killed the Goyle family and the Tell family."
Jackson nodded and stood next to her, running his fingers over the pictures. Ron's blinding hex had certainly done the damage to Goyle, his eyes were black and puffy, dried blood cracked all around him. Draco looked at the picture and shuddered, to think he was friends with that 'thing' during his school years. However he knew well who Goyle was, even with the impressive mess Weasley had made of his sight. "He did or at least that's what it appeared to be. Which is why we've been going in circles to figure it out."
Shaking her blonde head softly Tyranny sighed. "Doesn't make sense, unless, do we still have the bodies from the houses he attacked?" She asked suddenly, a feeling of dread washing over her. Draco nodded and watched her hands go to her mouth, in a mix of shock and annoyance. "Did our thick friends in identification think to run an aura test on them? Because even now there should be enough aura on them to know." She muttered. All of them shared a look, it was obvious that the idiots in identification hadn't.
"I'm on it." Jackson said and handed his Hell Krane to Tyranny who tipped it back and finished it off. The DJ was out the door when Draco cursed loudly.
"Dammit! Every corner we turn is a dead end. He wants something from Ginny, but nobody knows what it is." Draco muttered, sinking into his chair. He pressed his fingers together in an annoyed manner and blew out a breath of air, ruffling the silvery blonde streaks that hung in his face.
Tyranny shrugged, and sat down. "I thought it was to get to her family, after all her dad's up for the minister, and she's got a lot of inside information that Voldemort can extract from her."
Looking up he arched an inquisitive eyebrow. Smirking he reached his hands behind his head and had a pleasant moment's revelation. "Since when did you call him by name?"
Laughing a little Tyranny shrugged and thumbed through her other file. It wasn't as thick as the others but held an ominous threat in it. "Living with Harry Potter teaches you a few things." She murmured and sighed tossing the file on the desk. "I take it you'll have to do something about this."
Draco had stopped listening to her. Instead his eyes were fixed on the picture tagged to the first page. Well, he gave himself a small mental pat on the back, at least he and Jackson had been right. However his worst fears had been confirmed. "Fucking great. I had really hoped all of us were wrong." He muttered as he looked on up to Tyranny finally.
Nodding with a sigh she shrugged. "I can't do this alone, I'm likely to fuck everything up if we don't work together on this one. The last thing we need is to have everything ruined by me." She said and stood. "Do we have a deal?"
Draco shook her hand firmly before settling back. "He hasn't made a move yet, Voldemort is bidding his time, waiting for the perfect moment. When is the problem, Jackson has been on this case for three years and nothing, almost nothing. I have been on it a few months and things are coming together, though slower than I expected. Voldemort wants us to move on the board, he wants us to turn over into his pawns. It's what he's playing at."
Tyranny cursed and fidgeted with her engagement ring, playing with the beautiful band. "So how do we avoid that? I mean Ginny's close to this kid. You can't leave now and you can't stay too close."
"Your right, she's too close to him. But how to handle it. We have to wait, and lure him into his own trap. Nobody knows about Jackson and certainly not about Tracy." Draco dropped off and watched the ceiling fan, something he had taken to doing a lot lately. He finished off his bottle of Hell Krane. Cyprus Krane, brilliant man for brewing it, at that moment Draco's head felt more clear than it had in days.
However the woman in front of him did not look happy at all. "So we wait then? I don't kill until," she paused.
"Until Voldemort moves first." Draco replied and scowled at the photo on the desk.
****
Hermione tottered down the stairs careful not to fall or knock herself silly. Ridiculous really, having an upstairs room while six months pregnant. Pushing her hair from her face she finally managed into the kitchen to where Skylar and Molly were, the caramel haired woman drinking a cup of coffee while watching Molly play with baby James. "He's a beautiful baby Skylar." Hermione said softly, sitting down.
The sound of heels across the floor sounded Skylar getting up. Moving across the kitchen Hermione saw the Express jeans and the black button down shirt she wore, looking quite comfortable. "Skylar its going on September, will you do anything for James' six months?" She wondered out loud. The thirty nine year old woman stopped and shrugged with a smile, before turning back. She poured warm tea into a cup before tapping it with her wand.
"Drink that, it will help with your mobility, my dear Sirius may be useless but occasionally he finds something useful in that library he keeps with Lupin. Saved me numerous times when battling the stairs at our loft." Skylar murmured and smiled as Molly choked on her tea. It was no secret that Sirius and Mrs. Weasley were beginning to get along a little better, however their arguments were still common. Picking up James, Sky smoothed his dark hair from his face. "He looks like his father." She murmured kissing the boy's forehead.
Molly smiled and let him grab her finger. "He looks like you."
Hermione drank her tea in silence, reveling in it's wonderful taste. She felt at ease and at peace with herself as she sat with her friend and mother in law. It was hard to believe that Skylar Kelley had given birth to a baby at thirty nine. Hermione was barely twenty two and scared witless. "How did you get through it?" She asked to the two women. "I mean through having a baby?"
Shrugging Molly smiled. "Patience and a lot of pain reducing potions." She muttered. Next to her the caramel haired woman nodded with a chuckle. "I remember when Ron was born he was an absolute pain, not even the twins were as bad as he was." Skylar held a laugh into her coffee cup.
"I can see that happening." Hermione said crossing her arms, looking over at the picture of the two of them on the wall. It was a lovely picture from their engagement party, both looking ecstatic, quite in love and nervous.
Mrs. Weasley laughed aloud and folding her hands on the table. "It was three in the morning, when we got to St. Mungo's having to take muggle transport, I was in no condition to apparate, fly or take a portkey. So there we are in the muggle underground and we get out, Arthur rushes me in there, Charlie behind us, Bill babysitting the rest of them. It took me ten hours to get him out. Utter hell, the potions stopped working and they couldn't up the dose or it would have hurt Ron. Awful, but then when I had Ginny, she was a breeze." Hermione looked to Skylar with a little light in her eyes. She was looking for encouragement. The one thing Hermione could read about all she wanted but would never understand until experience was definitely parenthood.
"Tell me about James or Zoë. Either one." She said hoping for a good story to come out of it. It was humorous to hear about Ron but it didn't offer much encouragement. Skylar tipped her head back and then laughed delightfully.
"Zoë, it was definitely when Zoë was born is the funniest moment. James was easier mind you, the second child is always easier, but oh I was barely twenty when I had Zoë. She was conceived on stupid part of Sirius and I, but I think we both wanted to have a child desperately by then, we'd wanted one when we graduated from Hogwarts. The pregnancy itself was awful, ugh I don't even want to recount it all the being sick and idiocy on my part, it's a wonder Zoë doesn't have brain damage or something. But when I was at St. Mungo's Ashley was there with me, you know getting me through it, Remus had taken Sirius out for a little while to calm his nerves."
Molly suddenly laughed. "Oh I remember this one. Go on, go on!" She said and held back tears of mirth. Hermione looked around confused.
"You have to remember Sirius was young back then," A shadow of guilt passed through her eyes. "We all were, I remember Lily crashing through the doors, falling over her own feet crying out that she was engaged and then she sat with me along with Ashley. To cool me down they made cracks about pregnancy and how the worst was over." She drew in a breath, remembering the good moment with her two best friends. A smile took over thought, coming upon the most unforgettable moment of that night. "Remus, James and Sirius come in right? They'd been a few blocks away at the Cauldron and had one shot each. So they're sober they're fine. The alcohol calmed Sirius down and when he came in I'm mid contraction, the worst set of them all."
Both Molly and Skylar started laughing. "Molly was a nurse there back then, when there wasn't so much to do, what with her children and all. She walks in just in time to see me explode. I'm in this hospital bed nine months pregnant, the fires of hell in my eyes and suddenly I scream 'Sirius Black I hate you! Fuck you for ever getting me pregnant!' and throw a pitcher of water at him."
Hermione couldn't help it she started laughing at the image of Sirius coming in, oblivious to everything only to have water dumped all over him. Looking on at the two mothers she thought about how wonderful they raised and were raising their children. She averted her gaze to her stomach, if only she could be half the mother they were. "But you've had a relatively easy pregnancy Herm, I don't think you'll have a problem getting this baby out." Mrs. Weasley said.
"What about James Sky? I've heard the birth stories about the boys, Molly told me ages ago." Shrugging Skylar looked down at the baby and laughed as it took a hold of her caramel hair.
"Piece of cake actually. For a while I thought my age would make things worse, but since I had more peace of mind things were easier to get through. But James was also a tiny baby, I don't know how big the one you're carrying is." Skylar murmured. Suddenly the door burst open and Ron and Harry ran in, out of breath.
"Honey what's wrong?" Hermione asked as Ron came up and hugged his wife tightly kissing her gently. He then went to his mother while Harry embraced his godmother.
"Harry what happened?" Skylar asked, holding the baby close to her breast as it began to cry. Running his fingers along James head he let out a breath of air, trying to catch everything.
Ron finally had gained his senses, and began tugging his wife and mother to the door. "We've got to get to Grimmauld, Dumbledore has called a meeting." He then looked his mother and Skylar in the eyes. "There's been an attack at Remus' place."
****
Ginny was in the studio. A pair of headphones were on her ears as she leaned back and made another pass on the guitar. Her fingers strummed gently and easily as she worked. Music flowed easily and smooth as she worked out the kinks in it.
Long Blue
Before the afterglow
And prism shade haze
I couldn't let go
The feeling of doubt
As the day began to slow
Stuck in the headlights
I cry feeling frayed
In the present
Because you haven't stayed
The issues between you and me
Those dues haven't been paid
You can't leave now
All isn't said and right
City lights still
Shine me bright
But the day still hasn't gone
It came out clear in her mind, and the words flowed well. She and Aidan had written that song together a long time ago. Suddenly her mood darkened. Where was that good for nothing shaggy haired twit? That was her only question as the door swung open and Tristian walked in, a pair of drumsticks in hand. A lazy smirk drawled over his face.
"Seth told me you'd be here." He murmured running his fingers through his short hair, spiked to a t. Inwardly Ginny groaned, she mentally cursed Seth for passing along that information. As if her past two days hadn't been going great already. She'd broken two strings, setting her back on recording, there was no word from the family, Aidan had disappeared, Jackson had up and gone somewhere and she'd just had a semi fight with Draco. The last thing she really needed was for the handsome Tristian Bark to waltz in the door.
"Hi!" She said trying to sound cheery about it. However she knew that look in his eyes. It was the one he carried often these days. With no word at all he took her guitar from her and the headphones off her ears, straddling easily over her legs. She inched away, not wanting to deal with him. Good looking yes, repulsive at the same time, very much so. He leaned down and captured her lips. Her insides writhed and she pulled away. "I have work to do Tristian, we can't finish this album if that's what we're going to be doing all the time."
His fingers had another plan as they inched up her shirt. "Work can wait." Immediately she pushed back in her chair and stood to face him defiantly.
"No it can't and I don't feel like messing around with you right now." She snapped, her air icy. Shaking her pony tail over her shoulder she glared at him. "If you came to get work done then I suggest you sit down and do it. If not then leave."
Suddenly she was pinned against the wall. His lips were on her in full force and she couldn't move. When he finally parted he looked at her right in the eyes. "You can't even kiss me back when I kiss you? What's going on Ginny? A few months ago you acted like there was nothing in the world but me. Now you just don't even know I'm here?" He growled.
"Two things Tristian, there was never a time or a place where I acted like you were the only thing on the planet, I've got a lot of other things to look out for and secondly stop squeezing my wrists your hurting me." She said wincing as he wrenched them a little tighter before letting go.
Her eyes met his and in an instant there was apology in his face. It was all in the lines of it and in his smile as he hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry Gin, I'm just on edge. You know what? I'll leave you to your work and I'll just head out." He said and with that turned and walked out. The minute the door shut she gagged and just as he was walked away a small smirk crawled up on his lips again.
Ginny leaned back in her chair when suddenly there was a pop. Zoë was there looking clearly distressed. Standing she embraced the girl and then stepped back as to inquire the occasion. Pushing her raven strands from her face she took a deep breath. "Order meeting, Dumbledore is there, Remus was attacked." Zoë cried. "You've got to come, please I know you're here and all but we need you there."
Nodding, Ginny carefully slid her wand out of a small holster inside her jeans where she kept it. Draco had asked her to keep it handy at all times. "Alright, lets go." She muttered, shouldering her backpack she was carrying and then with cracks both of them were gone in a flash.
****
Draco sat with Jackson and Tracy, looking infuriated with the two people tied up in front of him. One was panicked, unable to see due to the blackness across his eyes. The other sat tall and proud his once shiny strawberry hair tangled and matted from not having been washed in a few days. "Explain to me what you were doing there that night when you attempted attack on your two victims."
The unharmed one looked up. "You used to be one of us. Why have you turned?" He asked. Draco knew the tone of a Tell when he heard one. Particularly high pitched and smirking, as if there was something disgusting riding along on their shoe. Ah the old line of the Tell family. No child in his year but a few years ahead.
Jackson scowled unhappily. Now was not the time nor the place to bring up Draco's past. "I believe it is this fine gentleman and I who are asking the questions not you." He sneered. The comment earned him a poisonous gesture from the two death eaters and a pleasant one from Draco who obviously did not have the patience to answer the question he had heard time and time again. "Now then, tell me why were you there the night you attempted kidnap on Ginny Weasley." He stated firmly, rotating his wand peacefully in his hands.
"I think you've answered your own question mate." The Tell man muttered. Standing Draco moved for the door. Walking out into the hallway the harsh light was sickening to his eyes. However he found four guard wizards out there.
"Run down to the questioner's room and get me a bottle of Veritaserum these assholes know a lot and if they won't share willingly then dammit I'll make them." He clenched his fists, seeing them again, all of them made him sick to his stomach. It was a wonder he'd lived to see these days after the actions they took in his seventh year, so many, so much. At night his dreams were still haunted by what he had seen, even four years after his graduation. Sometimes he had the almost undeniable urge to just go up to Potter give him a crushing hug and thank him for his life, although he of course would never do that. Draco was so consumed in his thought that he almost failed to see the guard press the phial into his hands. Two guards followed him in.
Jackson looked over where he smiled grimly at Draco seeing the phial of clear liquid. "Tasteless, colorless and quite a useful weapon, you won't speak then we'll make you." He snapped as the guards held each man back. Even for a boy as big as Goyle it was useless, the guards had them easily done over. Draco opened their mouths and placed a drop down the throat.
Then he stood back to where he had been sitting. It took a few moments for the potion to take effect. However they both suddenly slumped over in submissiveness. "Alright lets try again, why were you all at the Burrow on the evening of Ginny Weasley's attempted capture?" Draco asked sharply.
Immediately Goyle began talking. "We were given orders by the Dark Lord, to take the girl and return him to her alive and unspoiled. Seems to think she's got a great deal of importance." He muttered against his will clearly, but the potion was too strong for him. The large boy sat back in defeat, it was over he had betrayed his Lord and Master, now even Azkaban sounded pleasant.
"Alright, where were you supposed to take her?" Jackson asked with a hint of annoyance. He had heard this answer several times before already from previous reports and questioning of other caught death eaters.
Tell looked at him sharply before the words spilled out of him mouth. "To a black cave, in which there is a tower and the black guard." He murmured. Draco groaned and leaned back in his chair. Every time the same thing, the same old answer. Lucius had had told him that no death eater knows the exact pinpoint. They mutter the words 'black tower' before apparating and then they were there at the cave. But only those that carry the dark mark can get there, unless they have knowledge of the pinpoints.
"Right, what were your plans with Miss Weasley after you'd captured her?" Draco finally managed to ask, not wanting to hear the answer. His throat constricted and he pushed his fingers through his silky hair. Of all days this was not a pleasant one. Not only did they have to wrap up this questioning they also had to get to an order meeting that Dumbledore had called. Earlier an intern had given him the message. Arthur Weasley had also dropped by to inform them that he had sent Zoë Black to retrieve Ginny. Draco sighed, back to twelve Grimmauld Place for the seemingly thousandth time.
"We was planning to keep her in the caves at Hogsmeade for a night to lay low before apparating her to Master." Goyle murmured in his usual poor dialect and bumbling demeanor . Draco watched the scene unfold and felt his fists clench and unclench visibly on the table.
Leaning his head back to search the ceiling Jackson sighed impatiently. "Why does Voldemort want Miss Weasley in his service? Who does she have connections to that will reveal great information, who is she blackmail for?"
Tell looked up with a snide face. "Who said anything about being leverage? Did you ever think it was Ginny herself who had the information the Dark Lord needs?" Shock reverberated through the room. Automatically Draco was flipping through his brain like a mad man thinking about what information Ginny would have about this that he wouldn't. What could she possibly know or have seen that nobody else did? It was usually Potter with that problem.
"Alright, there was a third member of the party that night was there not?" Jackson questioned. His eyes were sharp and he watched the two men share a look.
"Yes." Tell answered grudgingly.
"Care to give us his name?" Draco asked, hoping for the moment of truth and for the moment he had been waiting to seize, it was time for Draco Malfoy to take charge and change the plot of everything.
Tell leaned up and smiled nastily. "Well I reckon he's a bit off but this bloke tells us his name is Aidan Foster."
Draco and Jackson looked at each other in mirrored shock. Waving his wand Draco called for the guards. Trooping in they looked to the questioners. "Take these two gentlemen to our maximum security cells, isolation and give them each a ministry special." The guards smiled in acknowledgement of the quite vile potion that caused deep sleep and left the taker awake to see the nightmares of those he killed. Goyle and Tell were hauled up and out of their seats.
Jackson looked at Draco before he hissed. "You didn't ask them about their supposed deaths? What kind of fool are you?"
They walked out of the other door and up the flights of stairs to his office. "The kind that knows when and when not to ask a question. You finished with a good one. Now we have something to really look into and even more of a mystery. We start with what shit pile we've made and then go from there." Draco said and then they walked into his office. He charmed the doors to lock and to prevent eavesdroppers and the likes.
They both crashed into chairs and looked sullenly about the room. The light was bright to their eyes as Draco muttered a summoning spell and tossed Jackson a bottle of butterbeer he wasn't in the mood for real alcohol. "That doesn't make any sense. It couldn't have been Aidan. He was with us that whole night through the entire attack." Jackson finally said heaving in annoyance.
Nodding, Draco let off an annoyed sigh. "Well its got to be one of two things. Aidan is our man and we're all backwards he's got a double or something that acted in his place. Or our little suspect is using false identity."
Pushing his dreads from his face the other man tugged at his blue robes over his stonewashed jeans and Puma shirt. "Wouldn't Voldemort know though."
Leaning back Draco tried to pull the information he knew in his head. "No, he would know. But that doesn't mean that our little friend has to give Goyle or Tell his real name. Just as I'm sure Goyle and Tell didn't give him his. You know we do the same thing with our code names in the order. It's for safety and to convict innocent people." He glance up at the clock and finished off his bottle. "Come on I've got to go pick up Arthur before we go to the meeting."
"Why am I not going to this one?" Jackson questioned.
"Because I got a note that Ginny would be there. She doesn't know that you're a wizard does she?" Was the sharp reply. Jackson shook his head no.
"Then it's best that she doesn't find out." Draco muttered before grabbing his cloak and stepped out of the room.
"I'll just go down to the identifiers and see what they've found out from those tests." He muttered and followed his friend out before they headed in different directions.
****
Ginny dropped her head back and relaxed as she sank into one of the armchairs at Twelve Grimmauld Place. Her eyes flashed over the sparse occupants of the room, her family was yet to arrive. However she was there with Zoë who was quietly drinking a cup of coffee waiting for Lupin to arrive. The young woman had a few healing skills and knew the most about it of anyone. Bill and Charlie were there just as Tyranny walked through the door with Snape, the two of them looking anxious about the upcoming meeting.
"Albus will be here soon I expect. Ah Miss Weasley interesting to see you here." He remarked, voice lacking the usual snide tone it had carried through all of her school years. Instead it was calm and civil, yet anything but friendly. She nodded in greetings before turning back to Zoë who was pulling her hair up in a ponytail.
"Miss Black, I've brought the potion you requested of me, also a potion for Mr. Lupin's condition." Snape handed two bottles to Zoë who took them with a quiet thanks and set them down by her coffee cup. Quiet settled over the room until Skylar, and Molly helped in Hermione while Ron and Harry greeted the members of the room. Tonks arrived through the door looking clearly distressed.
All attention was on her as she ran her fingers through her hair looking upset. "Nymphadora." Snape said curtly, "What happened?"
Taking another breath of air she finally sunk into a chair accepting the cup of tea Molly pushed into her hands. "He was in the Library at the Kelley manor, Sky's old home, his home now. Apparently looking through a book on just curses and simple things, looking for something no doubt knowing him. The windows crash and five death eaters crash in and try to jump him you know kill him whatever. Lupin fired a few curses but to no avail. They beat him up pretty bad and then tried to extract information. He wouldn't say anything and then they put him under the Crutacious before leaving after they heard me come in." She explained in a hurry. Her patience was draining. Hermione looked quite alarmed as Ron came beside her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He squeezed them softly and kissed the top of her head attempting to cool her down.
Tonks closed her eyes and rocked her head back. "Dumbledore came with Sirius and Kingsley and tried to get him to wake up, and sent me to the ministry to tell them that Lupin would be out for a few days before coming here." With a sigh and a shudder she finally drained her cup of tea. "Should be here with him momentarily. Oh Skylar you've got a piece of work, I've never seen Sirius so angry, ever."
"Albus must be in a fit state as well, attacking the manor what were those idiots thinking?" Harry asked out loud with a sigh as Tyranny sat next to him, twining her fingers with his. Ginny watched around the room in slight jealousy as she realized how many married and close people there were in the room. It made her long for something, long for something she couldn't understand. She wanted someone, she needed someone. Looking up in horror she realized it. She wanted Draco Malfoy more than anything.
Tonks however interrupted the revelation. "Mad as a hornet he is. But apparently those death eaters had something in mind. Asked him weird questions about the order, you know and about Sirius and then about Ginny." All attention was on her. "Wanted to know if she was scared when they attacked at the Weasley's last month."
With a smirk Ginny shrugged. She'd all but forgotten that attack considering everything that came right after it. All she really remembered was Ron performing a spectacular blinding hex and then her ankle. "Not a whole lot, I mean I guess when they did but I don't know. It's no big deal is it?"
"It's always a big deal if death eater tries to kidnap you Ginny." Charlie muttered from where he was putting his head in his hands. She smiled as his shaggy red lock fell through his fingers. Of the oldest Weasley brothers, Charlie was her favorite. "Honestly, didn't you learn anything."
She threw a pillow at him. Then the door opened and Albus came in with Sirius levitating Lupin who was in a fit state. Zoë was up and on her feet, leading Albus upstairs who was talking to her in a quiet voice. Ginny sunk back further in her chair as Sirius suddenly let out a bright string of curses. Skylar quietly took his arm and led him out into the kitchen.
"Well it looks like the whole gang is here." Draco drawled coming into the room. He followed everyone around the room taking note of them. Kingsley had just walked in carrying his wand as Moody followed looking alert and paranoid as usual. Ginny sat up suddenly and noticed him arch a brow in her direction before making his way over. Sitting on the arm of her chair he casually stroked her hair, his hand falling gently on her neck. "I'm not apologizing." He muttered.
Letting out a small noise she shook her head. "You may have changed a lot but your still Malfoy, I didn't expect an apology." Was the quick follow up from her. Looking down he smirked at her and then tugged her hair gently, chuckling as she jumped a bit.
"You're still a Weasley and your stubbornness is a streak you should learn to break yourself of." Looking up she held that tone in her eyes that he loved to see.
"Then break me of it." Was the soft reply in his ear as she leaned up to seeming push away a lock of long blonde hair from his face. That was one thing Ginny had noticed, he hadn't cut it in a while and now hung almost to his shirt collar and over his eyes in a manner that made him seem less distant and cold. She rather liked it, the look was quite becoming on him, giving his eyes some character that they desperately needed.
A hand fell to her shoulder and it tightened but she felt him push at her bra strap in a playful manner with his middle finger. Softly a laugh rose from her lips but died the moment her parents came in together with the twins. All of them looked at her oddly but then waved it off. It was common knowledge that Draco and Ginny had become friends. Her mother arched a careful eyebrow and then went back out into the hall again up the stairs no doubt to help Zoë and Dumbledore with Remus.
"Ginny darling absolutely smashing to see you." George said approaching. He held out a reproachful hand to Draco who took it and shook it firmly showing no aversion the less than friendly greeting.
"Hello." Draco said calmly and then greeted Fred in the same manner. The two twins looked at him slack jawed for a moment before kissing Ginny's cheek and then leaving to go chat with Tonks whom was finally cooling off from her quite traumatic experience. "Your family doesn't seem to like me much." He murmured to her as she leaned against him closing her eyes.
"They aren't so forgiving as I am. Come on with me to the kitchen I want a cup of coffee." She murmured. He nodded and helped her out of the chair. They entered the kitchen and passed just as Skylar and Sirius left nodding to them in greeting. Once the door shut he took her hips and pulled her to him, his lips crashing down on hers. Arms wound tightly around his neck and laughed as he backed her into a counter. Catching her leg at her knee he lifted it up and stepped in closer to her.
"Of all places to be doing this we make out in a kitchen a few steps away from a room that is full of my family and friends, our former teacher and headmaster included." She muttered against his lips as he pulled away giving them a chance to breathe. However it was too late they had both come alive with each other and she had the undeniable urge to allow him to kiss her deeply again.
"You worry too much, its like anyone here doesn't already know." He growled in her ear nibbling gently on her earlobe. Ginny giggled as his hand traced up her side the other still holding her slim thigh against him. "It isn't like we're having sex on the kitchen table."
"Might as well be." Sirius said casually entering the kitchen and grabbing an apple from the bowl on the counter on the other side of the room. They both looked at him shocked, even to move. Looking innocent he just smiled before jumping a little and looking around. "Oh, ignore me." Was all he said before ambling back out, laughing softly himself.
Ginny blushed bright red before allowing Draco to kiss her again. "That went well."
"It could have been worse." He murmured before stepping away from her and allowed her fix a cup of coffee. They quickly went back in and she reclaimed her arm chair and he his seat on the arm. From across the room Sirius held in a laugh before suddenly Molly came downstairs with Zoë, supporting Remus who looked very much altered but better than he had at first. His usually handsome face was bruised and he was having trouble walking.
"Remus you should not be down here, you should be upstairs resting." Hermione scolded as he smiled weakly at her. Looking at her stomach he held a weak laugh in.
"I could say the same to you darling." She turned bright red as Ron burst into laughter with the rest of the room. Finally she smiled and then helped him into an arm chair where he sat. Dumbledore swept in and surveyed the room quietly. Ginny did the same and realized that there many people that had come in that she did not know. So many from the restart in her fourth year were gone. It was hard to believe it, that the order was still going strong. There was an absence at Remus' side where Ashley Kingsford should have been. Fleur should have been with Bill, and a few others Ginny had known were gone. A miracle sat with Skylar holding his son, having come back from beyond the veil thanks to Zoë who had used a very special gift to go after him. And Ginny's own miracle, turned from the dark side sat on her arm chair, absently running his fingers through her hair.
"I'm sure all of you know about Remus' attack, and then the attack a month ago on Miss Weasley. It has come to our attention that Voldemort is on the move, and has begun to kill at will again. I advise you all to take certain care in the people around you." Albus finally said before them.
Draco took in a breath, he had to be wary, of both Aidan and the real suspect, and that kooky manager of the band. It was going to be a real challenge but with Tyranny on the case to crack part of it, hopefully things would be alright. "Mrs. Hermione Weasley has done a little extra curse research in her spare time and Mr. Harry Potter will be checking up on everyone from time to time giving what information we know." Dumbledore explained. Suddenly his eye was locked with Ginny's. She felt very small as he took in a deep breath. "It has also come to our attention that Voldemort has his attention focused on finding the Eye of Regalius."
Gasps went around the room, Mrs. Weasley took a sharp breathe in. Hermione looked up with wide eyes, she knew what that was. Ron and Harry exchanged confused looks and Draco looked down at Ginny. She sunk low into her chair. It couldn't be, no it wasn't possible.
"We have decided for a course of passiveness, we must wait until Voldemort makes the first move, we cannot be his puppets." Tyranny caught Draco's eye and smirked. "I think that will be all, Draco I'd like to speak with you for a moment after the meeting."
Ginny filed out with everyone else, white faced and feeling very weak indeed. She stood in the entry way, ignoring the wailing coming from the portrait of Sirius' mother upstairs. Draco came out five minutes later and then saw her. "Gin?" She said nothing just walked to him and rest her head on his chest.
"It's nothing, just, hold me." And so he did.
-- Sorry about the hasty ending. It was sixteen pages long and I had to stop! Of all chapters this has been the most difficult to write and the hardest. Well there you have it…the Eye of Regalius, what is it? Well you'll find out, and why is Ginny so suddenly scared…yeah you'll figure that out too. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and have never put one out so long! I can't promise the others will be this but there was so much and I didn't want to break it off into separate chapters. Once again the chapter wrote itself in and I've found myself with a pleasant way to commence the story. I really like the last few lines, they wrapped it up well I think. Next chapter will include more on our mystery death eater, the Aidan confusion (is he evil? Is he not?) Some stuff for the filler, and more humor I promise!!! Anyway hope you enjoyed this one, review me please! I'll love you forever if you do! Huggles, Brose