Chapter Eighteen – Trickling Blood
With that phrase, Ginny concentrated and shut Tom Riddle out of her head. By now, the odd connection Tom Riddle's memory had with Voldemort was not doubt informing him of Ginny's intention. Which was exactly what they hoped.
Tom knew that the only place Ginny knew Voldemort stayed at was the Riddle Manor. She just hoped that Voldemort would think Ginny capable of finding the place on her own.
Of course, Ginny had no intention on going to a house full of Death Eaters. Quickly, she consulted the broom compass Harry had lent her. It felt odd, working with Harry after all this time. To think she had spent almost five years plotting against him!
She changed her course; she needed to be flying a little more southwest. Ginny flew for hours. Her entire body was cold.
Ginerva...you are hurting yourself...
"I don't care," Ginny said, her teeth clenched.
They are looking for you...
"Let them look," Ginny said with a laugh.
I do not want to frighten you, Ginerva...but if you were flying from Hogwarts, you should be at the Riddle Mansion by now...
It was time for Ginny to start the act. She looked ahead and saw her destination in front of her. With a flick of her hand, the broom compass fell from the broom.
"I think I'm lost, Tom," Ginny whispered. She tried to sound panicky. But she was terrified that he would see through her act easily.
You should land...
"I don't want to land! They'll find me!" Ginny yelled.
Better that they take you back to Hogwarts were you are safe...
"But without you," Ginny whimpered.
Ginerva...I am with you all the time...
"It's not enough anymore," Ginny said quietly.
You will land! I will not have you hurt yourself...
"Do you love me, Tom?" Ginny said, trying to keep the smile off of her face. She remembered a time when his love meant everything to her. A time before Draco.
I wish you no harm, Ginerva...
"You don't love me?" Ginny cried. She was getting upset; their plan was based on the idea that he still loved Ginny.
Do not put words in my mouth, Ginerva...
Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. He loved her still, just would not admit it, probably out of pride.
"I'm scared, Tom. I don't know where I am!" Ginny said shrilly.
Land or I will have to punish you...
She knew she could not land until she saw the sign. The signal that everything was in place, everyone ready to spring into action. Ginny shut Tom out of her mind and looked for the red flag that should be flying from a tree right around here.
There! She found it. Ginny started her descent. But without any warning, Tom came back into her mind.
Crucio!
"Tom, no!" Ginny cried. The curse was said weakly; fortunately it didn't knock her from her broom. She lowered her body towards the broom handle and held on as tightly as she could.
"I'm landing, Tom! I'm landing. Please stop, I beg of you!" Ginny whimpered.
Then as soon as the curse was cast, he lifted it. Ginny took a deep breath and landed easily. She looked within herself. She would take the pain she just experienced and use it.
"Why did you do that, Tom?" Ginny yelled, sounding angry.
You needed to...you have no right to question me...
"What if I didn't have a good grip? What if I fell? You could have killed me!" Ginny screamed. There was no response. Silently, Ginny thanked whoever was watching over her this night, for surely, someone was.
"That's what you want, isn't it?" Ginny said in a low voice. She closed her eyes, and couldn't believe how liberated she felt. She was going to help bring down the Dark Lord tonight.
I do not want you harmed, Ginerva...
"Bullshit," Ginny said calmly. "You want me dead. I know it. I can tell."
You know not what you speak...
"I thought I was helping you, Tom," Ginny said, sitting herself down on the ground. She leaned against a large tree. "But everything you did, it was for this very moment, wasn't it?"
I do no understand, Ginerva...
"You don't understand your greatest wish? Everything you've ever hoped for since you got a body?" Ginny said in a voice that could cut steel.
You are raving...You must fly back to Hogwarts at once...
"Don't tell me what to do," Ginny said angrily. "You want me dead!"
Stop this, Ginerva...
"Is this what you hoped for Tom?" Ginny whispered. "To turn me against my family, to force me to kill my lover, so that I would finally be willing to sacrifice my life for yours?"
Stop this or I will leave...
Ginny took a deep breath and brought out her wand, which had been in her pocket. "You win, Tom," Ginny said simply.
Ginerva, you are rambling...
"I'm right, aren't I?" Ginny said, sounding sad. "You can't kill me, can you? Because then the memory of Tim Riddle disappears. But if I willingly lay down my life for you, then you'll be whole again."
I cannot kill you, Ginerva. Tom Riddle must not disappear...
"What you promise me if I did it? Right now? Take my life right now?" Ginny asked.
You are willing to do this?
With a smile, Ginny said the severing charm incantation, but made it very weak. She winced as her flesh was torn open. The blood that started to trickle down her arm was beautiful. The way the blood looked on her pale skin almost brought tears to her eyes.
Even thought she knew it would be quite a long time before she lost enough blood to kill her, that didn't keep Ginny from getting nervous.
You will be rewarded for this, Ginerva...
"I'm scared, Tom," Ginny whispered. She curled herself up into a ball, gripping her wand and her satchel tightly. She begged him silently to take the bait. This was her only chance. Her only chance for revenge.
You are weakening...
Gently Ginny wiped off some of the blood that was still trickling from her wrist. She tried to calm herself; the worst thing she could do was panic.
"I don't want to die alone, Tom!" Ginny cried.
You are not alone, Ginerva...I am here...
"It's not enough, Tom," Ginny said. Real tears were falling down her face. She was pushing herself so close to death. But she knew that she had to go on. There was no point to living if she didn't see this through.
"Please Tom," Ginny begged. "I know you have the power to come to me. Please don't let me die alone!"
She felt Tom disappear from her mind. What if he didn't come? Ginny looked down at her wrist. Blood was flowing more freely now.
There was a sudden flash of light, and Ginny said a silent prayer. The Dark Lord had come to find her.
"Tom," Ginny said weakly. The Dark Lord turned quickly, and Ginny watched him take her in, lying on the grass.
"Ginerva," he said in a low voice.
"Thank you, Tom!" Ginny cried, trying to lift herself up. She ignored the fact that her vision was getting blurry. She needed to concentrate harder than she ever had in her life.
With a gentleness she could not believe possible, the Dark Lord lifted her into a sitting up position. "You will become a queen, Ginerva," he said softly.
"Really?" Ginny asked innocently.
"You will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams, my pet," he whispered in her ear.
If Ginny had been fully conscience, she knew she would be repulsed by this wreck of a man that was holding her in his arms. She knew this had to end, and soon. Ginny's life was at stake.
"Just stay with me," Ginny sobbed softly. "I'm scared, Tom."
The Dark Lord stroked her hair. "It will not be long now. I can feel your life fading."
Ginny took a deep breath. Very slowly, she brought her arms behind her. She had to be careful, less the skin on her wrist tear even more, letting more and more blood release.
She mouthed the incantation for the healing charm. Ginny was weak, and barely any light emitted from the tip of her wand. The Dark Lord hadn't noticed anything was amiss.
Repeating the charm, Ginny felt the trickle of blood slow, and the flesh make its way back together. But she had concentrated too hard. A soft yellow light could be seen.
Ginny took a moment to look at her wrist. The flesh wasn't completely healed; she was still bleeding. In order to survive this night, two things had to happen.
First, the Dark Lord must not kill her in his anger. She hoped that his desire for his old body would be enough. Second, she had to place her life in the hands of the ones that were waiting to strike. Ginny prayed to the one watching over her that they would be willing to save her life.
The Dark Lord stood up angrily. "What are you doing Ginerva?"
Ginny looked up and smiled sweetly.
"Changed my mind."