[...]
Don't even think about it, Ginny.
[::smirks:: Why not? We all know it.]
No. You just say we all know it.
[What? You don't think this story sucks. I mean, c'mon! You've gotten one review for the past three chapters. One!]
That's probably because people haven't realised I'm writing again.
[You've written emails to them all, Ash. That excuse ain't gonna wash.]
[Ash? You aren't...crying, are you?]
::muffled sob:: No.
[::smug:: Liar.]
Chapter 9
"The Founders tried to 'elp me, I'll give 'em tha'. 'Owever, they dinna do a good job o' it. They could na take the curse off. I jus' 'ad to give up, live with it. Spent the rest o' my years travellin'. Spent a bit o' time in Salem when the Witch Trials were goin' on, tryin' to get myself killed. Got burnt 'bout twenty-two different times, but it never worked."
"You were Wendelin the Weird?" Luna asked, her silver eyes shining with amusement.
Aine nodded. "Aye, that I was.
"Spent most o' my time lately in Egypt. It's got so much mystery an' magic about it that it's almost like bein' 'ome again." She grinned. "If 'ome was 'ot and populated by bugs instead magical creatures." Rubbing a hand through her curly black hair, she sighed. "I came 'ere because I read tha' may'ap Professor Dumbledore could 'elp me. An' now I ken wha' I need te do te become mortal again."
"Commit a selfless act?"
Aine shot Luna a startled look. "'Ow'd you ken tha'?"
Luna shrugged. "It always ends up like that." She said carelessly.
Aine shook her head, chuckling softly, then looked at her empty cup in disappointment. "Wha' say you we get some more 'ot chocolate?" She said.
Tom sighed, studying his nails with apparent casualness. He was bored out of his bloody mind.
He chuckled at that thought. Out of his mind was right in some respects. "Wormtail!" He called.
The door opened and the sniveling rat-man came in. "Yes, my lord?" He asked, kneeling before Tom's throne.
"Any news on the ministry?"
"Yes, my lord. There is."
Tom raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What is it?" He asked, twirling his wand between long pale fingers.
"Cornelius Fudge has admitted you are back, my lord."
"Really?" Tom said pleasantly, though he was seething with rage. "When did you find this out?"
"Yesterday, my lord." Wormtail was smiling, obviously believing Tom was happy with him.
"And why am I only finding out now?"
Wormtail's eyes widened. Oops, his mind seemed to say.
Tom sat back in his throne, getting comfortable. "I want to know things when they happen, Wormtail. Understand?" His voice was still deceptively mild.
Wormtail nodded hastily. "Yes, my lord. Of course."
"Good. You may leave."
Wormtail nodded, hurrying towards the door.
"Oh, and Wormtail?"
"Yes my lord?"
Tom pointed his wand at the incompetent fool. "Crucio."
"So?" Ginny asked impatiently, "can we borrow the map or not?"
Harry frowned. "Run this by me again."
"Harry!" Hermione exploded, "we've already run it by you three times!"
"And I'm asking you to run it by me again." Harry said stubbornly.
Ginny's eye twitched, and she counted to ten, very slowly. "Ok," she said, "listen closely. I'm only going to say this once more.
"Through research we have divulged that Aine Fey is none other than the sixteen year old Aine Fey who disappeared over 2,000 years ago. She's a Changeling, exchanged by the Faeries for a child of their own; who would be exactly identical…except the child was obviously found out to be immortal. But anyway, she's been cursed by the Gods and Fair Folk themselves, and has immortality and invincibility on her side. She'd be a great asset to our side…and Voldemort's."
Harry's eyes widened, and Ginny grinned. She had him hooked. She hadn't mentioned that little titbit of information before now. "So we want to find her, become her friend, make sure she doesn't join the wrong side. Can we use the map?"
Even after that tantalising little piece of info Ginny had delivered him, Harry still wasn't sure. But…Hermione and Ginny had wanted to be friends with Aine before all this. "Ok." He said, taking the Marauder's Map he'd inherited off Ginny's older twin brothers out of his pocket and handing it to his friends.
"Yay!" Ginny bounced up and down, and practically pounced on him. "Thank you, Harry!"
Harry patted the tiny redhead on the back hesitantly, uncertain of how to react, but loving the feel of her in his arms. He didn't get many hugs, that was why he liked it so much.
At least, that's what he told himself.
"She's in the Kitchens." Hermione said finally, hating to break the moment between her two closest friends. They seemed so happy.
Gently, Ginny disengaged herself. "Let's go!" She said, beaming.
"Miss Ginny Weasley!" A delighted voice said. Male, by the slightly lower tone.
Aine raised an eyebrow. What were the odds that Ginny would be here while she was?
"Hello, Dobby." Ginny said warmly. "You wouldn't happen to know where Aine Fey is, would you? She's in Gryffindor too, black hair, silver eyes, 'bout this high."
Luna raised one of her own blonde brows. "How strange that she'd be looking for you here, where you actually are." She said mildly.
"Yeah." Aine agreed.
"Aine!" Ginny's cheery voice said. "And Luna! Hey, girls! I was just looking for you, Aine. We were gonna look for Luna afterwards." Ginny gestured to Hermione, who was still by the doorway, talking to Winkie. "We were wondering if you wanted to come to Hogsmeade with us this weekend after the Quidditch Match."
Aine looked at Luna. "Whaddya think, Luna?" She asked.
Luna nodded. "Sure, Ginny. Sounds like fun."
Ginny's smile brightened. "Great! We can all meet at the front of the school after the match if you want, after Aine and I are all clean, of course."
"Ok." Aine said.
"Right." Ginny nodded to herself. "Well I'd best be going. Gotta tell Harry and Ron we won't be going back to the Common Room with them after the game."
"If ye wanted te do tha' instead-" Aine began awkwardly.
"No!" Ginny shook her head wildly. "No, 'course not. It'll be way more fun to go out with you guys. Girl's afternoon out kind of thing. We can go shopping, drink butterbeer, eat sweets, see the sights, and…and…" Ginny paused, screwing up her face. "And go shopping!" She finished cheerfully.
Aine laughed. "Alrigh' then, Ginny. See ye later."
"Yup! Bye!" The vibrant redhead turned around and walked out, dragging Hermione along behind her.
Well, we get a little bit more of an insight into Aine's character here. And we get to see more of Voldemort. Do you like my portrayal of him? ::anxious:: Coz that's how I've always seen him. Intelligent, yes, but not really one to think things through. Otherwise he would have thought about Lily and Harry's relationship a bit more thoroughly. And Wormtail bashing! ::grins:: Who doesn't like a spot of Wormtail bashing?