HARRY POTTER AND THE SEERS' TRUTH
By Lady Lestrange
Blood and Magic Mingled
Chapter 45
(A/N: School's started. Sorry I'm late with this chapter. I will try to get the chapter up as soon as you have 10 reviews.)
10 REVIEWS. Here's the new chapter—I really hate blackmailing you into reviewing, but hey, I'm a Slytherin. It's in my nature, so when there are 10 reviews for this chapter, the next one will magically appear. Love my readers and reviewers. Answers to reviews follow the story.
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter characters and previous situations belong to JK Rowlings. No infringement is meant or implied. No money is made from this Fanfic. THANKS JK.
--LADY LESTRANGE
***
(A/N: I've been reading a number of fanfics in installments like this one myself, and find it is sometimes hard to remember exactly what has happened before-In a fic as complex as this one is, I thought having a reminder may be helpful for you. If you want to skip it, just page down FIVE times. --Lady Lestrange)
UP TO THIS POINT: Parvati has been having dreams and visions about the Dark Lord, Harry and a Prophecy Child. So far, they are not sure who the prophecy child is, and it is important for them to find him/her. The Sorting Hat is not sorting, so the students have "little brothers and sisters" to show around. The dream team thinks that The Sorting Hat failing is a plot to hide the Prophecy child from the teachers and anyone who can help insure that he/she stays on the side of light. No one is sure that the brothers and sisters actually belong to the house they are currently in.
The Hogwarts Express has been attacked. Dark Marks have been in the sky. The floo network is compromised. The Minister of Magic has been turned. Snape is now teaching both Defense and Advanced Defense, but it looks like Advanced Defense is just an excuse to let the Slytherins and Ginny and Edward visit the Dark Lord. Mrs. Figg is teaching potions and we know very little about her so far, except that she was against Dumbledore's suggestion to make Poly Juice Potion.
Beatrice is an animagus, a bunny. Edward's granny looks like she could have given the Dursleys a few pointers on cruelty. Slytherin is a house at war according to Snape, divided between Death Eaters and those who want to stay on the side of light. Harry uses his Invisibility Cloak and finds out when it is ripped, the Invisibility spell ceases. There is an unwelcome addition to Myrtle's bathroom, Olive Hornby. Peeves is his usual annoying self, but the Baron seems to have a little less control over him.
Samara, for some reason, lofts some wicked, powerful curses. She doesn't look like she has total control over them, which isn't really surprising since she's learned magic on her own from a book, that Harry is sure is a dark book. She seems to like Draco, but don't assume this is a romance. It is not. Ginny is still hearing voices in her head. Harry's scar is hurting more, and neither he nor Ginny know what this means. Ginny is closer with Harry this year, but again, not romantically. There is Edward, the new Gryffindor, who seems interested in Ginny, but Ginny really hasn't gotten over Tom.
We find out about Neville's powerful auror parents. We learn that Neville has a memory charm that was put on him as a baby. He's a more powerful wizard than anyone ever thought as evidenced by his yew wand and the way he reacts to Snape's ministrations in trying to remove the memory charm. We might wonder why Snape is trying to do this himself, instead of enlisting the help of Madam Pomfrey. Sirius and Lupin are on "fieldtrips" with the sixth and seventh years.
Of course we can also wonder why Snape is so determined to teach his classes advanced spells like the Patronus, or we can just chalk it up to Snape, being mean. The Fifth year class starts apparition classes and we meet Professor Sinistra. We also visit Hufflepuff, where we see The Wall, and Slytherin house, where we discover, to our amazement, a magic room that Draco shares with Samara, but Samara has a very unslytherin use for the room. Ravenclaw to come next weekend.
The chapter, CHAINED AND CHARMED, takes place at the same time as DANCING IS AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE-when Samara was in Slytherin, dancing. It is Saturday afternoon. Harry and the Gryffindors examine Samara's Dark Book, after they come back from lunch. They find an extreme potion, and decide they need to make a trip to the Chamber of Secrets. Ghastly Ghostly Dinner is when Gryffindor's meet with Samara after her little trip to Slytherin. Samara and Beatrice are persuaded by Edward to help him steal his snake back from his brother Ethan. Things get a little out of hand, and Samara learns more about Slytherin than she ever wanted to know.
Now the Gryffindors are mad at her. Samara wants to make up and be friends with them, but is it possible to befriend both Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy? How far will she go to make up, or will she just find some valuable information to store away for future use? (So, don't you want one of those Tee shirts?)
LIONS AND TIGERS: We see a very stressed out Snap both in Harry's memory of what happened with Snap and Neville and in the actual DADA class. We find out Trelawney doesn't want Samara in her class and Samara decides to take Ancient Runes instead. McGonagall assures Samara that Trelawney has done her a favor. McGonagall further talks to Samara about her experiences in Gryffindor, opening the door to give Samara someone to talk to, if she so chooses. We also learned lots more about animagi in McGonagall's class. Snape dismisses the Gryffifndors and keeps the Slytherins after class. We find out it's because Snape wants them to practice their patronus because the Slytherins are so lousy at the spell. Could it be because there are so few happy memories to chose from?
In DRAGON BREATH AND BLUDGER BATS, Ginny and Edward set the Slytherins up with fire mints, and Samara gets extremely angry at them both because they hurt her friends. In an effort to contain her anger, she goes to the Quiddich pitch where she meets Fred and George. After lobbing a few quaffles at them in her anger, they decide to ask her to be a Beater for Gryffindor. She refuses, but later when she talks to Draco, he is not very nice to her, (hey, who said Draco was a nice guy?) so she wonders whether or not she should take the Beater job.
In WISH IT REAL; WISH IT NOT we see into one of Ginny's dreams. If you don't remember this dream, go and re-read chapter 28. In Chapter 29, THE SPELLING BEE, Samara is feeling homesick and friendless until Draco invites Samara back to Slytherin. Also, includes a short intro into what's coming up in potions class.
In Chapter 30, CHILD OF GRYFFINDOR, Neville and Snape break the Imperio part of the Memory Charm. The trio discusses the Founders' spells, which put their gifts in the Sorting Hat; however they do not have the original parseltongue version of Salazar's spell. Ginny also sees Edward painting and the reader sees a bit of Ginny and Tom's relationship. In SLYTHERIN GAMES—Well, if you don't remember it, you better re-read. Voldemort is finally out and angry—burning and pillaging and we see a little-known inside version of Slytherin through Ginny's eyes. In STICKY SITUATIONS, Samara uses her adhere charm on the Weasley twins, Neville sticks Beatrice's wand to his with bubble gum, and Edward is sticking in Gryffindor.
In OW POST the Slytherins get even for the Dragon Breath Mints, among other things—
In the Ravenclaw chapter—I'm still trying to think of a good name for it—Help me please—we meet a number of Ravenclaws and find out a little more about the characters, in Ravenclaw as well as Edward and Samara. So do you think either of them are really Ravenclaws? Hmmmm? In chapter 35 we meet Sirius again who plans to have a talk with Dumbledore about his keeping Harry safe and of course what that nasty Snape is doing to poor Neville. The Quiddich Game and then more of Neville's awesome Auror parents.
The war is heating up and touching the lives of the children. This story is rapidly approaching –nasty things. Not for the faint of heart. Last chapter, we had a relaxing time at Hogsmeade. Samara bounces from friend to friend and Harry has some nasty dreams, and Harry is shocked to find out that Ron and Hermione are a couple. We knew that already though, right?
In THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS the trio did some exploring, but failed to find the basilisk eggs. They found other things though. Obviously, they have to go back, but first Ginny gives them some instructions.
In THE CHAMBER, THE WALL, THE WAND AND THE WINDOW, Ginny gives the trio some instructions about the Chamber, the Gryffindor boys are having trouble sleeping and Harry's talking to the Snake, Kauket. Parvati has yet another vision, about a muggle and the earlier one about the wand is explored. Trelawney tells Ginny she will open a window to the past—Didn't she already do that? Is Trelawney a little late with this prediction, or does it mean something else?
In NO MORE GAMES we return to ADADA class and Ginny finds out by using the Quick Quotes Quill that the class is more than she planned, but the notes are stolen, so she has no proof to go to Dumbledore with—So she takes matters into her own hands. In PERVIGILO ARMARO, we see part of Ginny's awesome ward. Doors are opened and Tom is out, but he isn't everything we thought he would be. Could it be that he's keeping secrets from us? Puppy Puffs and the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw Quiddich game offer a little comic relief. Chapter 44, MORS MORDRE. Ginny gets a dark mark. 'nouf said.
Be warned, the upcoming chapters are the reason this fic is rated PG-13.
Blood and Magic Mingled
Chapter 45
The group of Slytherins arrived back at Hogwarts by using the portkey three separate times, because Millicent Bullstrode took it into her head to chase Wormtail into a knot in a tree instead of grabbing the bird's nest.
Snape had to go back to get her and he was currently berating her for her lack of tact, while the excess wind elemental, escaping from her fingertips whipped his robes around his ankles. "Do you really think it is wise to make an enemy of a wizard who is so close to the Dark Lord?" he asked her. "It's no wonder so many of the Slytherins end up dead before the graduate. Even Goyle has more brains."
Goyle, meanwhile was digging in his robe pocket for a snack. He pulled out a handful of sticky Bott's Beans. "Didn't want to eat it while we were doing the crucio on your Dad," he explained to Draco. "Vincent said it would make him sick. Eww! Vomit!" He spat the bean out on the ground and popped another into his mouth. That's better."
"What flavor?" asked Vince.
"Cherry--or it could be dirt, I think, or it could just be the Earth Elemental—He pulled the remainder out of his pocket and proceeded to wipe the dirt off of them. He handed a few to Vincent.
"Ah—they all taste like dirt." Vincent complained. "They're ruined."
"No, they're alright," said Greg, popping another into his mouth. "I like dirt."
"Edward, you just melted when the Dark Lord let go of you. You were so—a puddle," said Ethan, pushing his hair back with a hand that was still trailing sparks of wandless magic. "For a while there, I thought I might get to be an only child."
"I wasn't a puddle," said Edward loftily.
"Maybe you just pissed your pants, then," said Draco.
Edward lifted a threatening hand and a blast of wind followed it, but Ethan gave Draco a hard shove, knocking him off balance, and spreading sparks.
"Oh, like you wouldn't, Draco!" said Ethan. "I thought Edward thought pretty quick on his feet. Ethan cleared his throat. "If only I could know if she really was the Prophecy child, I'll die happy," Ethan intoned laughing.
"Well, I would like to know—" said Edward, releasing the wind and harmlessly ruffling their hair.
"Wonder what Carman is going to say, when she finds out she missed your prophecy child," said Draco, pulling his wand and blasting several small trees as he walked. "She's not going to be happy."
"Yeah," said Ethan. "knowing Carman, she'll crucio first and ask questions later. Better be ready to duck, baby brother." He threw a handful of sparks playfully at his twin.
Edward blew them back to him in a shower of fireworks. "I couldn't help it," said Edward. "You saw what happened. I mean, I thought I had her after the Quiddich game and then that stupid poltergeist flew through her head. Who knew she was going to waltz in here today and say, I'm going with you to the Dark Lord?"
"See what happens when you write women poetry," said Ethan, and they all sniggered.
"Yeah, you damned near get yourself killed," said Draco, absently levitating a leaf in front of him. "So does McGonagall still think you're the prophecy child, Edward?"
"Oh, yeah, ever since I've painted my wall."
"I want to see that wall," said Draco allowing the leaf to drift to the ground.
"Don't need to, cousin," said Ethan. "Just go out to the Forbidden Forest about midnight."
"Been there," said Draco boredly. "First year."
"Liar!" said Ethan.
"You know, sometimes, you really get on my nerves," said Draco turning his wand on Ethan.
"Do you still need a wand?" joked Ethan, lifting his hand, causing sparks to crackle in the air several feet away. "I feel like I'm still holding enough magic to curse half of Gryffindor house. You should be easy, Draco."
"That is exactly why you have no control, Lestrange," said Draco coldly.
Snape's hand on the back of Ethan's neck, stopped the spell. "Release," he said. "I can't have you going to McGonagall drunk on magic. All of it," Snape warned, shaking Ethan slightly, sparks showering the ground.
"Yes, sir," said Ethan meekly releasing, and Draco smirked at him.
"Suck up," Ethan mouthed. "Watch yourself in transfig."
"Well don't do anymore wandless magic in her class, Ethan," said Goyle nastily. "If you lose us any more points, I may strangle you with my bare hands."
Edward had finally fell back to walk with Ginny, who seemed to be in a trance. She didn't say one word to him the entire walk back to the classroom.
Nott was walking alone several paces behind everyone. "So how long do you suppose it will take her to assimilate the foreign magic?" he asked following Draco's example and taking out his wand to channel the remainder of the wandless magic.
"A lot longer than you," Vincent joked and Nott blushed and looked away.
"The length of time really doesn't always determine what kind of wizard you are," said Draco. "It really depends on how much of his magic you took in, in the first place. Obviously, if you only take in a little it isn't going to take you long to assimilate."
"Are we going to go through that again," complained Edward. "Ethan and I took just as much magic as you. You just puked longer—"
"Personally, I'd be amazed if she made it under 20 hours," said Ethan. "In fact, I'll bet you 5 sickles, Draco—"
Make it a galleon, drawled Draco, Sixteen or seventeen hours at most, or will that break you?
"Done," said Ethan.
"I have to agree with Draco," said Edward.
"What!" said Ethan.
"Well, she held out a hell of a long time. I thought we were going to actually get to see someone spontaneously combust.
"That's a myth," said Ethan.
"No the Ravenclaws believe it," said Edward. "That's why they don't do wandless magic."
"You're kidding," said Nott.
"Hey. Alvin, back to the land of the living, I see," said Draco.
"I'm not sure, actually," said Nott, examining his Dark Mark.
"Oh, cheer up," said Vincent, clapping him on the back. "You're part of the group now."
"I know," said Nott, "But now my Fridays are ruined. You know, I used to get up in the morning and think about you guys, off to the Dark Lord—I actually felt sorry for you. You've got this ugly little tattoo that burns like hell, not my idea of a pleasant wake up call. Then, you go to Him and have a good chance of getting crucioed at least, maybe even killed, for what? So you can go kill some muggles that you don't even care whether they live or die? Me, on the other hand, I had a pleasant Friday morning with Lauren, and Pansy, and Blaise and Millicent all to myself. We could practice a little wandless magic, play Quit, or play–other things, and then Ginny joined our little group, and we lost Millicent. Personally I thought it was a good trade, Millicent for Ginny—but now—"Alvin sighed. "The girls have no one to protect them."
Ethan sputtered and sparked, laughing "Protect them?"
Alvin shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a lover not a fighter."
"Yeah, he's certainly not a fighter," Millicent purred, sounding rather cat-like.
"Hey Millicent—" began Goyle.
"No!" she snapped.
Goyle sighed. "How about you Alvin, do you have your transfig homework done?"
"Yeah," said Nott.
"Can I copy it?"
"You don't have time now, you stupid git! Are you out of your mind?"
"No, that's Weasley over there," said Draco. "She's got loony all monopolized."
"Are you alright, Ginny?" Edward asked worriedly. "Do you think I should take her to the infirmary?"
"And tell Madam Pomfrey what?" shrieked Draco. "Oh, she just came back from the Dark Lord. She was comatose before she got her Dark Mark, but she seems to be a little worse now."
"I've never seen anyone get so dizzy that fast," said Ethan, "but she did take a major dose of His magic. Why did he have her pull the Elementals, anyway. He didn't do that for any of us. She practically put on her own Dark Mark."
"The Dark Lord was just being cautious," said Draco while painstakingly levitating a dozen leaves at various levels in front of him. "The Prophecy child would have to make the choice. Haven't you read the prophecies, yourself, Ethan? Oh, I forgot. Your house-elf isn't here to read it to you, is she?"
"Actually—"began Ethan, showering sparks, but Edward interrupted him. "So, Draco, you finally admit that she is the prophecy child."
"No." Draco said. He dropped one of the leaves, and stopped to levitate it again. "She's not."
Edward sighed. "You're such a prat, Draco."
"And you're such a—Gryffindor!" Draco replied smirking.
"Professor Snape?" Edward turned toward his instructor. "Ginny hasn't said a word since we portkeyed. Do you think she's alright?"
Snape walked over and looked carefully at Ginny's eyes. "Go to Transfiguration," he commanded the rest of the class. Edward, keep a watch on her today. She's just exhausted, but I'd like to see her get through a few more classes before she goes to her room. You know what's coming," Snape said.
Edward nodded, as Snape searched his shelves for a potion.
"What is that?" Edward asked.
"Pepper up," said Snape.
"That's it?"
Snape nodded. "The effects of the foreign magic just have to be endured. Did your grandmother do anything else for you?"
"No, Carman said that—" Edward shook his head. "Never mind."
Snape nodded and continued to force the potion drop by drop down Ginny's throat, and then did a drying spell on Ginny's soaking wet hair. "You can tell Professor Sprout she took Pepper up because she wasn't sleeping well. We don't want anyone to think that the smoke coming out of her ears is a symptom—"
"Thank you, Sir."
"Keep talking to her as long as she is awake. That will help her to focus. We don't want her breaking down and confessing to getting the Dark Mark in one of her classes." Said Snape. "And give her this potion later today. It will help her to sleep tonight."
"She can't do that—Confess I mean, can she?" said Edward. "Wouldn't the Dark Mark itself prevent her—"
"Yes," said Snape, "But you don't want her to go through that, do you?"
"No."
And Edward, your hair is still blowing. Release the rest of the Air Elemental."
"Oh Professor Sprout won't mind," said Edward. "She said she likes a little breeze blowing through the greenhouse. It's good for the plants."
"Mr. Lestrange," Snape said sternly. "That was not a request."
"Yes, sir," said Edward, and reluctantly released.
==
Portkeys never made Ginny sick, and yet she felt nauseous as she clung to the bird's nest. The jerk behind her navel, pulled at her guts and if she had eaten anything for breakfast, she was sure it would have been on the forest floor.
"I don't feel well at all," she thought, licking her lips and tasting the salt and wetness of sweat and tears and magic on her own face.
"Don't feel well!" shouted Tom. "Sweet Merlin, girl you are lucky you aren't dead! What do you Gryffindors use for brains? Cobwebs? And didn't I tell you to start with Fire? He was expecting you to start with Earth."
With her wet hair trailing down her back, Ginny shivered and swayed dizzily. "He's still there—you—Tom. I felt his magic—in that—that—creature." A cool fall breeze was blowing around them, and she felt chilled, although the Mark on her arm still was emanating heat. It wasn't really painful right now, but a dull ache coursed through her arm. She felt like she was getting the flu or--some other illness."
"Why did he let me go?" she wondered. "He said I was lying—"
"Don't question miracles, girl. Just be thankful for them," spat Tom. "No thanks to you."
"I don't understand what happened. He said, I was lying. He knew. Don't you think he would have sensed your magic? Just like I sensed you--Tom in him?"
"I would have thought so," said Tom. "But if he did, he wouldn't have let us go. We'd be dead. No, maybe not. He'd probably still be torturing us."
"What's going to happen to me now?" asked Ginny softly.
"How should I know? You got yourself into this mess! And me! I can't believe you got ME mixed up in his spell. You have to be the stupidest witch who ever walked the face of the Earth. I might have been better off in Crabbe or Goyle's head."
She shivered again, as the cold wind whipped around her, and she was suddenly aware of Edward's arm around her. She leaned against his shoulder.
"Don't trust Lestrange," Tom yelled at her. "Don't you see, you were just his prize?"
"I chose to go. Edward didn't make me go and Edward nearly died," whispered Ginny.
"Yes, well, better him than us. I told you not to go, Ginny Love."
"How could you have ever become that monster, Tom? Why didn't you fight him? Stop him from becoming--"
"If you are going to continue to be this asinine, Ginny. I'm not even going to speak to you."
"Wait! Tom! Salazar said-- Did you—and he really enchant the diary like a love potion?"
"What?"
"Am I so controlled by the enchantment of the diary? Is that why I went to him?"
"You're asking me why you went to him? This is too ludicrous!"
"What exactly was the diary enchantment, Tom? Tell me."
"It's complicated. I doubt you'd understand."
"Please?"
"It was different for different people—all Gryffindors needed was a person to rescue. The others needed something different. For a Hufflepuff, a strong pity—a need to free—the person in the diary—a promise of power if the writer was a Slytherin, a tantalizing puzzle for a Ravenclaw—There were many enchantments. There had to be variations for different types of people. Why?"
"Because He said I was still controlled by it. That I—love him—you because of it--"
"How could that be? Use your head, Ginny. The diary is destroyed."
"But you're not, Tom"
"WHAT! Don't you dare blame me for your mistake! I didn't do anything! If you remember, I told you NOT to go to him! As a matter of fact, I didn't even enchant the diary to allow a person to be possessed. Salazar did that. If it had been up to me, Salazar would have stayed in it with no doorways out."
"So there was no—love enchantment?"
"Ha! Do you seriously think Salazar would even recognize love? Let alone how to enchant a diary to elicit it? Love. Pity. It's all the same to him. Helga loved him. Pitied him. Feared him. And believe it, she was the only one that ever loved that miserable bastard. No one could love him—He was—He was--" Tom's line of thought suddenly faltered.
"What! What are you thinking, Ginny? Of course, I'm talking about Salazar! I'm nothing like him!"
"Nothing!"
"Do you hear me?"
"It's hard not to. You're shouting in my head, Tom."
"Tom's thoughts were suddenly chaotic. Angry. Impossible to discern. Trying desperately to shut her away. Behind a resounding slamming door—
Ginny was silent. Waiting. After a long while, she asked, "What will this Dark Mark do to me, Tom?"
"How the hell should I know? It was only a theory, and anyway, I never planned to be on this side of it."
==
Someone was ladling potion into her mouth—Snape. She gagged and sputtered, nausea gripping her. Snape paused, but only for a moment. A few more drops of the nasty stuff trickled down her throat. He sinuses started to clear and her eyes watered. In a few minutes, she felt heat and energy coursing through her body. Smoke escaped her ears and nose. Pepper up potion, Ginny recognized. Snape dried her hair with a spell and sent her off to herbology with Edward. She wondered how on earth she was going to make it through classes. She wanted nothing but to lie down, although the effects of the potion was making her feel hyper. She paused for just a moment at the doorway, looking around the classroom, steeling herself to get through herbology class. Ron and Hermione had their heads together, whispering furiously. Harry was conspicuously absent from the little trio.
"Ginny!" shouted Samara. "What the hell did you do?" In seconds, she was at Ginny's side, shaking her.
Ginny couldn't speak. It took all of her effort not to throw up all over Samara.
"Your aura!" began Samara, but Professor Sprout, with her cool efficiency, directed Samara back to her plants, and allowed Ginny to sit down. Although the Pepper Up, made Ginny able to function in class, she felt keyed up and continued to fidget as Professor Sprout spoke to her.
"Are you alright?" Professor Sprout asked frowning at the smoke coming out of Ginny's ears.
"She said she took Pepper up this morning because she wasn't sleeping well," said Edward. "She seemed tired in ADADA."
"That's right," Ginny agreed listlessly.
It must be wearing off," said Edward.
Professor Sprout nodded sympathetically, and patted her back gently. As Ginny began pruning her plants, Harry Potter joined the class. He handed a parchment with Dumbledore's seal on it to Professor Sprout and took his seat. Immediately, Ron and Hermione accosted him with questions.
Ginny nearly made it to lunch time before asking to go to her room. By then, her pale face was flushed and sweating. No one who looked at her could deny that she looked like she was feeling ill. All she wanted to do was go to her room and lie down, but that seemed like an impossibility.
She stood in the Great Hall clutching the bottle of potion that Edward had given her from Snape. She held it for a few minutes uncertain how fast it would work. She couldn't drink it until she was in her room, and she never wanted to be in her room more than she did right now.
==
Harry, Ron and Hermione all wanted to know what Samara saw in Ginny's aura that upset her so. They seemed to think that it had something to do with Harry's pain in his scar last night and his passing out in Advanced Charms this morning, but Samara didn't see how it could be connected and she didn't take the time to answer them. She needed to talk to Ginny first. Harry, Ron and Hermione all skipped lunch with the intention of following Ginny and finding out if Harry's scar hurting this morning, and Ginny's aura changes had anything to do with each other, but Samara convinced Harry and Ron to wait. "Ginny isn't going to open up to your inquisition," she said, but it was actually Samara who was full of questions, and would not give it up. Hermione followed at a discrete distance, respecting Ginny's request for privacy, but trying to be close enough to be helpful if she were needed. At last, Edward rescued Ginny from Samara's badgering, by saying that one of the Slytherins did a spell they shouldn't have.
Samara looked at him and sudden understanding seemed to dawn. Yes, she thought. One of the unforgivables would probably cause the murkiness that she saw, but when she suggested that Ginny go to Dumbledore, Ginny flatly refused.
"Hermione," Samara said softly. "I think I can help her feel better. Would you tell Ron?"
Hermione nodded and went back to the Great Hall.
Samara followed Ginny back to the room and caught her hand before she had time to set up the privacy ward. "Your hands are wet," she exclaimed.
"Elemental magic," Ginny explained shortly. "I got a little out of control."
"Well, that's the understatement of the century if I ever heard one," thought Tom.
Ginny closed her eyes. "Samara, please go away. I just want to sleep." She was shivering violently now and beads of sweat had broken out on her forehead.
"Ginny, if your hands are wet, you still need to release," said Samara. "Were you using the water elemental?"
"It's not my magic," Ginny whispered sleepily as she drank Snape's potion.
"No. No. No. Don't fall asleep, Ginny Love. You have to put up the ward. Come on you can do it. Just one word. You've done it before when you were exhausted."
"I thought you weren't talking to me, Tom."
"I wouldn't if you didn't have control of the magic in this body."
"In my body," Ginny corrected. "You know, it's ridiculous to try to shut each other out. You're in my head. It's not like I can turn off my brain."
"You seemed to have managed to do it this morning," said Tom.
Ginny was silent for a moment. "I guess I deserved that," she told him. "I'm sorry, Tom."
Humph.
==
"Ginny?" Samara was gripping her shoulders, looking curiously at her.
"Snape gave me something," Ginny told Samara. "He said it would make me sleep, and I'd feel better in the morning."
"Well, that's good," said Samara. "Who—did this to you?"
"I'd rather not say," replied Ginny.
"I'm not Dumbledore," said Samara. "It's not like I'm going to expel them—or send them to Azkaban."
"Samara. Please. Just leave it."
Samara nodded and wrapped her arms around Ginny with her healing magic. She had not been able to heal the murkiness in Ginny's aura, before, but if this was just an excess of Elemental Magic, she should be able to help her to release it. And thought Samara, it should feel good—exceedingly good-- not like—Samara pulled her hands back in shock. Not like Death and Destruction. Ginny's entire aura was teaming with, not just Elemental Magic, but Elemental Dark Magic. "Ginny. What did you do?" Samara whispered pulling her hands away and looking at her shivering form in helplessness. After a moment, Samara pulled the blankets up around Ginny, did a warming spell on them, and headed back to the Great Hall to talk to the trio even though she was not at all certain what she should tell them.
==
"Ginny. Ginny Love. You need to put up the ward before you fall asleep."
"I'm already asleep," Ginny muttered. "Go away."
"I'm not going anywhere, Ginny. Remember someone was in this room before and took the Quick Quotes Quill notes. It's not safe, Ginny Love. You need to put up the ward."
"Maybe they'll come back and kill me," said Ginny shivering violently.
"Ginny Love, I'm sure you'll be alright in a little while. After all, you aren't the first person to get a Dark Mark. The other Slytherins got through it. You'll be OK. Come on. Get up and set the ward."
"I don't want to be OK," said Ginny. "I just want to die. I thought this potion was supposed to help me to sleep."
'Ginny!" Edward's voice called as he knocked on the door. "I need to talk to you."
"OOOH," moaned Ginny. "Go away, Edward. I'm not fit for company."
"Why won't anyone leave me alone," she muttered to Tom.
"Ginny," Edward called again. "I know what you are going through. Please let me in."
"Come in, then" muttered Ginny. "The door's open."
"No wards?" questioned Edward.
"I'm too tired to set them."
"I'll set them before I leave," Edward said. "I wanted to talk to you for a moment before you fell asleep." He took her hand. "I'm sorry Ginny. I don't think this is what you wanted to happen." He pulled his wand and dried her wet hair and bed clothes.
"It's not your fault," said Ginny. "It's mine." She shivered. "I hurt all over," she said leaning back on her bed .
"It won't last forever. It just feels like forever," said Edward. "You should try to eat something."
"I'm not hungry."
"I know, but you would rather throw up something than have dry heaves later."
"I couldn't eat," said Ginny, her hair already becoming damp again. "How long does this usually last?"
"I don't know," said Edward. "It's different for everyone. Right now, your body is fighting the foreign magic. It thinks it's some kind of sickness. After a while, your body will realize that it can't get rid of the magic and instead it will assimilate it. It would be helpful if you release all of your own Elemental Magic and then your body only has to deal with His."
"And then I'll feel better?"
"Not for a while. I'm afraid it will get worse before it gets better."
"Worse," moaned Ginny, closing her eyes. "Do you know Avada Kedavra? Just kill me now, OK. I can't go home like this anyway." Tears escaped her closed eyes.
Edward reached out and wrapped his arms around her, stroking her soft, slightly damp auburn hair. Within moments she was asleep on his shoulder. He lay her back on the bed, tucked the blankets around her and did another drying spell and a warming spell, since Ginny was still shivering. He accioed the ever clean trash can, and set the wards around her bed. No one would bother her now. She would be able to sleep for a while—until the nausea came. Edward shuddered remembering, and then he went down to the kitchen to tell one of the house elves to pop something up for her to eat.
==
Ginny awoke because she had to retch. She held up a hand to accio the trash can, but trying to use wandless magic sent waves of agony through her.
"No, no, no." said Tom. "Use your wand to accio"
Luckily, she realized that the can was right beside her. She stuck her head in it and gagged until she ached with the exertion. It was a little after seven o'clock in the evening and the bedclothes and pillows were wet again. Her dripping hair streamed around her face and she shivered with cold.
"Use your wand," Tom urged. "The Elemental magic is only part of the problem, but at least using your wand will help to siphon it off. Then, maybe some tea will help--"
True to his word, Edward had sent a house elf up to the room with food. The tray was sitting untouched outside of her ward. The very thought of food brought the nausea to her lips again.
She was vaguely aware of Ron and Hermione talking in hushed whispers in the room. Their conversation was punctuated with an occasional kiss. She ignored them. They were talking about animagus and Hermione growing her hair. Ginny didn't care, then she caught a whispered word that brought her face out of the trash can.
"I was hoping we could go to—The Chamber," Hermione whispered. "We need to smash the eggs as soon as possible. We don't know when they are ready to hatch."
"We have to wait for Ginny," said Ron. "Why don't we just let her rest tomorrow. We can go to the Chamber on Sunday."
The conversation ended, and Ginny turned her head toward the wall, her mind ablaze with what she had heard. They were going to hurt the eggs! She had told them she would help them to smash the eggs. The very thought of hurting the basilisks brought another wave of nausea to Ginny. She had to stop them—No, she decided. She would hide the eggs. They would think they were mistaken. They would think there were no eggs. As soon as she felt a little better—but something inside of her demanded. NOW! Do it now!
"Ginny," said Tom. "You're sick. You stay right where you are."
Shakily, Ginny raised her wand, and dried her hair and clothes. There seemed to be no ill effects from using the wand, only wandless magic.
"I told you that," said Tom. "Will you ever listen to me?"
She needed to take down the barrier and go to the Chamber. She swayed dizzily as she moved. Lack of food, she decided, but the thought of food brought another bout of nausea, and she gagged several more times before she got control of herself, and sat up, intending to stun Ron and Hermione and go to the Chamber, but just the act of sitting up in bed taxed her strength.
"Oh sure," Tom said. "You couldn't stun a beetle. What explanation do you have for them when they block and want to know why you tried to stun them?"
"You're right," she had to agree. "She'd never be able to stun Ron and Hermione. She had to wait until they left."
"Very good," said Tom. "Just rest. You don't need to go to the Chamber now. Maybe later or tomorrow or never."
She stared wide eyed at Ron and Hermione as they talked and snuggled on Hermione's bed. She didn't care what they were doing. She only wanted them to leave. She tried closing her eyes again, but something inside of her pried them open again. Watch and wait for your chance it said. Protect the eggs. Protect the eggs. Protect the eggs. She opened her eyes to see Ron and Hermione finally leaving, hand in hand.
She pulled her wand and broke the ward. She took two steps toward the door but the movement seemed to aggravate the nausea. She started gagging again, bringing up some green slime, but she didn't make it to the trashcan this time. Thankfully, her stomach was pretty much empty. She performed "Pergo" with her wand to clean up the floor and taking deep breaths, she started towards the Chamber and the eggs. She hesitated, and turned back toward her bed, resetting the ward and causing the outside to become opaque. Anyone who looked at her bed would think she was still in it. Somehow, resetting the ward, seemed to clear some of the fuzziness away from her brain and her hands felt drier. She reached up, touching her hair. It was damp, but not dripping now.
"See, I told you using your wand would help to siphon off some of the Elemental magic," said Tom. "Don't you feel better?"
"A little."
"You should rest though—"
"I can't," said Ginny. "I have to protect the eggs__"
"Ginny! Tom shouted at her. "Do you realize you are under imperio? You do not want to protect those damned eggs. You want to smash them. The eggs are Salazar's! He's the one who wants them safe."
"Shut up, Tom."
Ginny threw up twice more on the way to Mrytle's bathroom, and once more in Myrtle's toilet. Myrtle, screeching wildly at Ginny, flew up out of her U bend, and through Ginny's face.
"How dare you—do that—that—that in MY TOILET. Don't you have any decency?"
The Baron and Olive Hornby thought the whole thing was particularly funny. They were swirling around the ceiling in gales of laughter.
Ginny sunk to the ground shivering with the combined effect of the Dark Mark and Myrtle flying through her.
"Tell the stupid bitch that it's her own fault," shouted Tom. "She's the one that chose to haunt a toilet, for Merlin's sake. If she doesn't want to deal with what goes into a toilet, she should stop haunting it."
Ginny covered her ears and moaned. After a few minutes she licked her lips, and looking at the snake on the faucet, hissed "Open!"
"No, Ginny Love. You don't want to do this. Fight the Imperio."
Then, she stood, intending to go into the Chamber, but the nausea assaulted her again, and gagging and spitting green slime, she sank to the ground, beside Myrtle's toilet. "I can't," she muttered, and leaning her forehead against the cool bowl of the toilet, she began to cry. Sobs wracked her body, and her muscles trembled.
"Can't what?" asked the Baron.
"Save them," sobbed Ginny. "His babies will die."
"And good riddance," said Tom.
The imperious curse was causing her legs to shake and spasm in an attempt to get Ginny to her feet, but she was too sick to stand.
The Baron hovered close, looking at her for a few minutes. "A New Dark Mark?" he wondered aloud.
"And something else," Olive assessed. "It's tearing her apart. Perhaps imperio—We may have a new ghost soon."
"She can't die in MY BATHROOM!" shouted Mrytle. "She can't. I don't want her here! I'm telling Madam Pomfrey, maybe she can save her."
"NO!" shouted the Baron, flying in front of Myrtle. "Snape. We have to find Severus Snape. He will know what to do. Go! Go! Go!" He hustled Olive and Myrtle out of the bathroom, and after one more look at the pale girl retching weakly in Myrtle's toilet, he dropped through the floor to the dungeon in search of Severus Snape.
==
Half an hour later, Ginny was still lying on the bathroom floor. A frantic Ethan and Edward along with Myrtle arrived in the bathroom.
"She's not even conscious," said Ethan.
"Good thing she doesn't have to swallow it then," replied Edward.
"Wait!" Ethan stopped his brother from opening the flask. What if this doesn't work?" whispered Ethan. "I mean, we could kill her. Snape would--"
"Well, drag her out in the corridor first then," urged Myrtle.
"Shut up Myrtle. The girl's life at stake." Said Ethan. "I wish Snape were here—"
"It's not just her life at stake," said Edward. "It's mine. What will the Dark Lord do to me if she dies?"
"Well considering he was going to kill you anyway—"
"He wasn't going to kill me. It was just a test—"
"I don't know about that," said Ethan.
"Shut up!"
"All I meant was, it seems like your life is at stake either way, brother dear."
And your life will be at stake if you don't shut up," spat Edward. "Let me think."
"But, I thought you liked this girl," said Ethan.
"I like ME better," said Edward.
"But what if she dies?"
"Well.," said Edward thoughtfully, "That would be a shame, but even if she dies, It'll take her a while to die." Edward shrugged. "How long does starvation take? At least twenty to thirty days and no one will be able to pin it on me. Plus, she'll still be able to do the eggs—for Him." Edward passed a flask of smoking potion under Ginny's nose.
"Hold your breath, Ginny Love."
"Are you telling me not to breathe, Tom?" she thought.
She sniffed and coughed, but did not wake up.
"Come on, Ginny. Wake up," Edward coaxed.
It's something to stop the nausea," said Ethan. "From Snape."
Edward frowned at his twin as he helped Ginny to sit upright and take several more deep breaths. Then Edward took the flask away from her and stoppered it. "That's enough," he said.
"I feel better. Why didn't Snape give me that in the first place," demanded Ginny reaching for the flask.
"It's a new potion," said Edward, and he pulled the flask away from her and handed it to Ethan as she reached for it again.
"It's not to stop nausea," said Ethan. "It shuts down the entire digestive system. Snape hadn't been able to perfect it—until recently--because the potion itself had to be swallowed—"
"Shuts down?" muttered Ginny.
"Yeah, so a person starves to death even though they are eating," said Edward.
"Of course, I don't think they even get hungry, because that's a function of the digestive system too—"
"Shut up," spat Edward.
"It's OK, I never want to see food again anyway," muttered Ginny miserably. "And if it kills me--I don't care—"
"I DO!" shouted Tom.
"But don't worry, it will be alright to use since you haven't eaten since breakfast—"said Edward. "It needs food to activate—"
"I didn't even eat breakfast," said Ginny crawling to her feet with the help of Edward and the toilet seat. "I have to—the eggs—" She started immediately for the open Chamber of Secret passageway, Edward holding her around the waist and Ethan, just a step behind her.
"Ginny don't do this. You have to FIGHT this. It's imperio!"
Edward and Ginny stepped into the passageway and Ginny spoke in parseltongue. Immediately the passageway shut behind them, brushing dangerously against Ethan's face.
"Damn you, Edward!" shouted Ethan. "When's the next time I get to see the Chamber of Secrets—THE WEEK AFTER NEVER!" A loud rumbling traveled down the ramp as he hit the sink with either a kick or a spell.
==
Once they reached the floor of the Chamber, Ginny stood and immediately started to walk to the Chamber door. She stumbled once and Edward put his arm around her again to steady her. The Serpents greeted her.
"Good evening, Mistress."
"Open for us," she hissed. "Hurry."
The basilisks slithered aside, and once they were through, closed behind them. Ginny lit her wand and Edward did likewise. "Do you know where—" Edward began, but Ginny was standing in the middle of the great room with one hand outstretched she hissed several times and a door appeared which opened into a corridor. She hissed again and started forward. "Here," she said as she opened the door into a large sandy room. Heat poured out. There are thirteen eggs," she said, stepping carefully on the sand, and shining her wand toward several small containers half buried in the sand. "Don't step on any." She began gathering the containers, but she swayed, splashing blood on her robe. Edward reached out to steady her, took the container from her, and then nearly dropped it. "Shit! I think it's hatching!"
"It's not," said Ginny blandly.
"I saw its eyes."
"That's just the toad," said Ginny sitting the container on the floor outside of the hatching ground, and staggering back for another one. "They hatch with their eyes closed and if you saw a basilisk's eyes, you wouldn't be talking about it."
"It's alive. The toad's alive." murmured Edward in amazement touching it's sewn lips. Some of the skin of the toad's mouth peeled off as he touched it. "Ouch!' Edward exclaimed. "Rubbing his finger on his robe."
"The potion is pretty caustic," said Ginny "You shouldn't touch it." She staggered again, this time dropping one of the containers.
"Good," muttered Tom. "Let it die."
"Glomerare camella," said Edward, gathering the blood with his wand and putting it back with the toad in the container. "Sit down," said Edward. "I'll get the rest." He raised his wand.
Tom smiled. "Twelve more to go."
"No," shouted Ginny. "No magic." Ginny staggered forward. . "I have to—"
"OK, OK," We'll do it together. Carefully, they moved the rest of the containers out onto the anteroom floor."
"What now?" asked Edward.
"We do a cooling charm on this room and smooth the sand. Then we move the eggs to a safer place. I'm thinking--where? Maybe the potions room. Shelves there are spelled to stay at a specific temperature, but the magic is minimal."
"Is it far?" asked Edward.
"Everything's only as far as a wish in the Chamber," Ginny said enigmatically as she sank down on the floor of the corridor. Wearily, she raised her wand.
"I've got it," Edward said, as he did the cooling spell on the warm hatching ground and spread the sand smoothly.
"Shut the door," Ginny ordered. She spoke in parseltongue, and then in English. "Open the door."
"But you just said—" began Edward.
Ginny pulled herself to her feet and tottered down to the same door that had just closed on the hatching ground. When she opened it, it was the potions room.
Edward stared in wonder. "Did the whole room move? Or did we move?"
"Does it matter? Come on," Ginny urged picking up a container. "Let's get the eggs in."
"Ginny," asked Edward in amazement. "How do you know all this?"
"I thought everyone knew I'd been possessed in first year. Haven't you heard the stories?"
"So—these eggs—"
"Were here, and done. All I had to do was sprinkle the rooster blood on them."
"And we couldn't stop him then either, could we Ginny Love? I suppose it was hopeless thinking you could throw off his Imperious curse—not when it was something he really wanted done."
Edward continued to silently help her and they were about half finished when Ginny announced, "I'm going to be sick again." She thrust the container in her hands at Edward, splashing the blood and venom potion on both of them and turned aside gagging, but nothing came up.
"You'll be alright now," said Edward. "We're almost done." He continued putting the eggs on the shelf in the potions room while Ginny panted and wiped her mouth on her robe sleeve. Edward did a cleaning spell on the floor and silently handed her his handkerchief.
"Thanks. I didn't think I could conjure one. I feel dizzy. It's all coming back."
"I think we're done," said Edward.
"We need to get out of here, Ginny Love."
"I know," Ginny said. "I just want to fall into bed. We have to go out another way." Ginny spoke in parseltongue and opened the door. The room in front of her was not the passageway out. It was the ornate bedroom. Ginny slammed the door and spoke again in parseltongue.
"What's the matter, Ginny?" asked Edward.
There's another passageway. It's too steep to go through Myrtle's bathroom. The other passageway comes out near Slytherin. I just dread all the steps to the tower. Come on. Please, she whispered to the doorway. Tears threatened and she dashed them angrily away. She took a deep breath, and then spoke in parseltongue. Ginny reached out to open the door.
Once again it was the ornate bedroom.
"I can't concentrate," Ginny said, teeth chattering with cold and exertion. "Help me, Tom."
"I don't have the voice here, Ginny Love. You know you said you were glad I couldn't possess you."
"Damnit," she muttered turning her head and retching onto the floor.
"Pergo!" said Edward. "Ginny? Why don't we just go back the way we came?" asked Edward. "I'll carry you."
"That won't help," said Ginny. "You can't get us out." She spoke again in parseltongue and opened the door to the bedroom once again. "Ah, the hell with it," she said, stripping off her soiled robe, dropping it on the floor and falling into the bed.
Edward stared at her for a moment and then sat on the edge of the bed. "It's ok," he said as he stroked her hair. Her face felt hot again and she whimpered, shivering. "No one will miss us. It's the middle of the night." He thought that under other circumstances, this room with Ginny would be his dream come true. She muttered something unintelligible, and he pulled the covers up around her neck and did a warming spell. At least he knew that she would be all right once her body assimilated the Dark Mark. Obviously, since she was sick again, the potion he and Ethan had stolen from Snape's private stores wore off.
"Potion," he thought. That potions room was awesome. He might as well explore—He wasn't likely to get another chance. He stepped out of the bedroom, carefully leaving the door open and walked down the corridor and across the room to the door where he hoped the potions room still resided. He opened the door into a long passageway. Well, he thought. It may not be the potions room, but it had to be interesting.
It was the Chamber of Secrets.
==
Kemenran
Thanks and here's more
Reiven
Did I say Ginny was the prophesy child? Although it would make sense—Ginny being a Gryffindor with a little Hufflepuff or vice versa, and Tom being a Slytherin/Ravenclaw. There's a reason why it's not her. I keep telling everyone Draco isn't "sweet" but no one believes me. Sigh. Glad you think this is the 'best' chapter and schnoogle only saw the first five chapters, but I think I've seen worse on Schnoodle if I do say so—oh well. better then JK ? Well I don't want to get anyone mad at me—Though I did hate that JK thought Hermione was stupid enough to mix up cat hair and human hair. Obviously, JK doesn't have a cat. More Edward, Ginny, Draco, etc coming including "selling body parts, now, are you, Lestrange?"
Trillium
Glad you couldn't give up reading this story. Goosebumps? Good.
hayes1966
A little explanation of what was going through Snape's mind when Ginny said she wanted to go with them will be coming up shortly. He could have chosen differently, as Dumbledore will be sure to tell him, but then what of this 'double agent' thing Snape is doing? Which of the twins are more evil? Hmmmm.
The Elemental Sorceress A guy on TV with a snake's tongue? Yuck! Did he actually cut it then? And I thought I was weird for thinking of it. Ginny is still the Ginny we all know and love. No new special powers.
Reiven: Glad you regained conscienceness. Nah—She isn't. Yes, the Sorting Hat did know—That's why it said there was something very Slytherin there. We all know Ginny doesn't have a Slytherin bone in her body—except for what Tom brought.
Yep. Ginny's in a whole lot of trouble. The prediction I was talking about was in chapter 41. It isn't a Draco Prediction. It is a reason why the prophecy child can't be Draco.
Crystal Megan
"UH-snake food" Yes, snakes eat little animals like mice—and bunnies. Which is why Edward didn't tell Beatrice what he fed it earlier—UH snake food.
Yes, wandless magic does have that problem attached to it—How many times have Ravenclaws, etc. said it's addictive—changes the wizard, etc. OK about the crucio thing. If you read my long explanation about OOC in my bio, obviously you didn't, but that's OK. I wrote the first 45 chapters of HPST before OotP, so when OotP came out and some of the characters changed in JK's book, I had to clarify that my story is canon up to the end of GOF, with me now adding OotP stuff after chapter 45. However, I need Sirius and won't be killing him off any time soon. As far as a child doing cruico, I think like JK , Lestrange told Harry you have to REALLY WANT TO HURT ME—Intent.
As far as families teaching their children young, the spell was 'Ethan's' It was simply thrust back at him—reflected. So, now doesn't that make sense?
Draco's version of a muggle kiss is without magic.
Thanks for the cookies. Delicious.
Glad you are enjoying reading. Review again.
Eizoku: I almost didn't put the part about Voldie telling Ginny to kiss him, it kinda freaked me out too--but I tried to think of what would make the reader scared—shuddering—Like nightmares--I wanted it to be clear that he was evil, cunning, ruthless, and would allow nothing to stop him. If you're shuddering, you got it, so I guess that means I wrote it the way it was supposed to be. Notice that he doesn't deny it when Ginny says, "You like causing pain." Instead he justifies it—"There is a certain satisfaction in crushing your enemies." Glad you like Tom. I like him too.
Ennui2 The way I see it, Tom's Ravenclaw gets impatient with Ginny's Hufflepuff naivete and Gryffindor spontaneity and his Slytherin side would hex her but all he can do is yell at her.
Trillium: If only all I had to do for school work is write. Sigh. Anyone wanna do my algebra?
Raven173:
The new bet is Hermione? LOL