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Chapter Three

Peanut Butter

Ginny lay unconscious for several hours. Every inch of her body ached like it never had before. She had just spent several hours in "The Room". The Room was basically a parlor, decorated with slightly outdated furniture. However, it had become one of Ginny's least desirable places in the house. Everytime she entered that room she wasn't sure she would come out alive.

The moment she was brought there this time, she knew something was different, she felt it.

A cold high voice answered her thoughts, "Ginevra, do you know why you've been spared so far?"

Ginny really wasn't in the mood to play mind games, she wearily slumped into a nearby sofa. If he killed her this time, what difference would it make?

"Ginevra, answer me. Imperio!" And with a flash of his wand all pain and thought left Ginny's mind. She was free, she was floating, she was dead. Then came the voice again, it seemed kind, alluring if anything, "Ginny, do you know why you've been spared so far?"

Instantly and inner battle raged inside of her, answer and let him leave you alone; you can stay like this forever Ginny. Then the other side of her, the real her answered, "Yes, I know exactly why you've kept me alive Tom." A blinding burst of pain ripped through her body, and she fought to remain in control of herself. She was prepared to die, but she was not in a mood to be a puppet to her executioner.

If he was surprised she answered him, he didn't show it. In fact, all he did was nod, she could just make it out as she looked at him. "Oh, and why is that Ginny?"

Ginny barely heard it because the euphoria of the cure had come back full blast. Somewhere in the back of her mind she thought, I can't believe he's using Unforgivable Curses. Then reality snapped back into clearer focus, this was Voldemort, he was prepared to do anything to get what he wanted. It was in this state that she enjoyed the freedom of speech, no matter how dearly she paid for it later. "So Tom, you want to know why your keeping me alive?"

"I think we've already covered that I've asked you, you've yet to answer. Answer me now!"

"You've spared me because you think that Potter would do anything to come to my aid. In fact, your counting on it. You've realized that there is something missing to the new you, something different from the way you were back in the old days, back before he distroyed you."

"He never distroyed me! I am immortal! I am mission nothing. Crucio!"

The euphoria was gone, and replaced with needles, hot needles, piercing every inch of her skin, making her scream in pain until she wasn't sure she could take it anymore. She prayed for madness to set it, she prayed for a rescuer, she prayed for death. She never pleaded with her torturer.

"I've been thinking, Ginevra, that maybe my torturing sessions with you would be more efficient if I were to bring in one of your brothers, to do it for me."

"My brothers would never, ever harm me, they would die before they did anything to me!"

"I know that, but I could force you to harm them, I could do it Ginny, I have my ways."

"Liar," Ginny muttered.

"What was that?"

Ginny felt all of her strength fleeing from every corner of her body, "I said your a liar," Then some new source of strength appeared, "You would have done it already, your just trying to get me to.. to.." Something in Ginny's mind clicked, "You've kept me here, so long, and always asked me the questions, but why do you want me anyway? I'm not exceptionally smart, talented, or beautiful."

Voldemort laughed, "I keep you here for several reasons, one being my own personal amusement. Secondly, you happen to be quite bright my darling Ginevra, you just won't admit it, and your not to hard on the eyes."

Ginny spit at him as he went to stroke her face, he was revolting.

"You under rate your talent. You know not how talented you really are. That's why Harry Potter is attracted to you, why I am attracted to you. We can smell the talent on you, the ability. We know what your capable with. If you chose him, you may never know what you could become, but with me, you could rise, high, far higher than any of your brothers."

Voldemort had struck a nerve. As much as Ginny honestly loved her brothers, there was an air of competition there, a sense that no matter what she did, it wouldn't be good enough, because they had done it first. Ron knew exactly how she felt, and recently, they had talked about it a great deal.

Voldemort sensed the mental break down and seized his opportunity. "You parents don't really love you, they were shocked they had a girl, after all the children they had already had. Do you really think they know what they are doing? They are used to the way boys live, rough and tumble, and try as they might, they never really know what you need, poor as they are. Come and stay here, you could be rich Ginevra, rich, famous, and taken care of. Accept me as your new family. It's a good idea isn't it?"

The offering as tempting, then the real Ginny awoke. She began to speak. "That could be great-'

Voldemort could smell his victory in the air and then.

"-wait, no, actually that is probably the worst idea I've heard all day, and I was stuck with Malfoy all morning, he was trying to convince me to marry his son. So you see, you've officially proven yourself as a dumbas-"

"GINEVRA! You sit here before me and are ungrateful for all I could do for you!" The normally pale, sneering face was red with rage and contorted in such a manner that the tall, skinny man looked much like a pig.

Ginny laughed, "Ungrateful? Your holding me here as bait for him, I know it and you do too. You've tortured me for hours on end, your insane, you ugly and your going to fail! He will come for me, you wait and see."

"For such a stubborn realist you seriously should take a look at the facts, he's not coming."

"Harry Potter is coming, and when he does, he'll destroy you!"

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT NAME!" The craziness was back in his eyes, there was no reasoning with him. He raised his wand and the first in the long string of curses he said was "Crucio!" Ginny forgot what it was like not to be in pain, to want to die, and she began trying to think of other things, like apple trees, famous quiditch player names and other odd things that she had learned over the years. At the time she was trying not to move because she was afraid she would break her neck, he hit her. He hit her hard. It wasn't usually his style to strike without a wand in hand, but she was too weak to move herself out of the way. She finally lost consciousness and fell backward for the last time. I'm dead! She thought happily. This was the end of it.

You can imagine how disappointed she was when she awoke in her room several hours later. Someone had clearly tried to look after her, clean her up a little, but it was not use. Ginny went to walk, but found she couldn't; her ankle was severely sprained, if not broken and was swollen the size of a quaffle. She slumped back down onto her bed, where was her hero now? Voldemort's voice kept sliding back into her mind, "He's not coming, he's not coming..." A knock came from the door, she assumed it was a nurse, coming to bandage her up or whater. The voice was still ringing through her ears.He was a liar Ginny thought, Harry, Hermione,and Ron would never abandon me, ever, unless, she gulped, what if they were dead?

The trio was definitely not dead. They were in fact soaring somewhere a little ways away from the house where Ginny was serving her unfair imprisonment. It had begun to thunder and Ron was shaking so bad that Harry feared that he would soon fall off of his thestral. Harry's scar seared white-hot with pain, Voldemort was in a rage about something. Hopefully, thought Harry, that he would be too busy notice the three of them slipping into his house. Harry knew he had no chance of leaving the house alive, but as long as he could see Ginny again, then everything would be worth it. At least Harry would be able to say goodbye to his three closest friends, a gift his parents, and Sirius was never offered. Harry would be able to go and see them soon. He immediately felt guilty for desperately wanting to see them; they died so that he could live. But the prophesy said that he couldn't live while Voldemort did. He wasn't going to set out to die, but if it happened, then so be it. It would be worth it. He would see his family again, and his friends would be able to live full, normal lives.

The Thestrals touched down in the woods, very near the mansion. Harry shakily dismounted his; Ron had fallen off and Hermione was heaving him back up to his feet. The mansion was casting an eerie glow in the shadow of a dark stormy night. Not a single star showed in the night sky. The houses shutters gave accusatory glances as it beckoned the three to come inside.

"Are you read Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, but listen, you guys, this really isn't fair to you-"

Ron put his hands up, "Stop being so bleeding noble for a minute and listen, we have been your friends for too long to worry about trivial things like life and death."

"Exactly" added Hermione. "It doesn't matter anymore, you need us, we are here, we're like family in that way. You wouldn't let us leave you out." Lightning snapped overhead. Ron flinched.

Harry nodded his knew it was true, he gave them both a bear hug, it quickly became a group hug and Hermione started crying, "This may be the last time I talk to either one of you."

Thunder clapped. Ron grabbed onto Hermione's shoulder. He was much to big and he was ignored.

"No, you'll always have Ron," Harry joked, "He's like you peanut butter."

Hermione laughed.

Ron was perplexed, "Am I supposed to be offended here?"

"No," Harry sighed, "no, you two will always have each other. I'll-" Harry wasn't going to choke up now, he needed to say something's before it was too late. "Listen, thank you both so much, you've always been there when I needed you. I know what I need to do, don't try to stop me in there, just get Ginny and get the hell out. I'll be fine, either way." Omen-like the Lightning went through the night sky again.

"Either way?" Ron was always thick when it came to things like this.

Harry wasn't going to elaborate, he just stared and Ron got the idea.

"Well then, are you ready?" Hermoine asked.

Harry nodded and the three of them made their way to the Riddle house.

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