Chapter 8: Tainted

Ginny hadn't uttered a word since leaving what Hermione was already calling the dark room. Nor had Harry left Ginny's side. Harry kept a calm front, something he had gotten rather good at, but inside he was full of turmoil. Ginny was still as pale as a ghost, even as she sipped down hot chocolate from a mug. At least the trembling had stopped as Harry vanished hot chocolate spilled on the table.

Harry was startled by the hand on his shoulder, looking but to meet Hermione's gaze, telling him it was time to talk. Harry took Ginny's hands in his and whispered. "I'll be right back, Ginny. Will you be ok?"

Ginny nodded silently, and Hermione had to drag Harry away. Harry closed his eyes as he left the room and shook his head. Harry rubbed his eyes, not seeing Hermione shake her head sympathetically. It was only a matter of time before his eyes turned red from the constant abuse. It killed him to see Ginny in such a state. He wondered if even Ginny had recognized how much pain and trauma she had held at bay deep within herself. He should have seen it, but he was blinded by Ginny's passion and strong-willed front, which he was beginning to realize was just that, a front. Harry felt helpless to help her.

"She's not ready," Hermione uttered softly, and Harry noticed she was avoiding his gaze. Behind her, Ron was leaning back against the wall, trying to give off a stern demeanor, but Harry knew him too; well, he was afraid, and Harry didn't blame him.

"What is this, an intervention?" Harry snapped testily, causing Hermione to flinch. "Need I remind you that without Ginny's help, we'd all be dead by now or in the hands of Death Eaters."

"It's not the Death Eaters I'm worried about." Hermione countered, meeting his gaze, and Harry wilted under her compassion like water dousing a fire.

"Speak for yourself!" Ron exclaimed in a biting tone of voice. "Have you not heard the stories? The Death Eaters don't kill you unless you get in their way. No, they torture until your just a shell, and they do..."

Ron swallowed, his face as pale as Ginny's, shivering at the thought. "They do unspeakable things, especially to the women and children. Of course, it depends on the Death Eater and how sick and depraved they are."

"We know the risks, and so does Ginny." Hermione countered sharply, even as she trembled with fear. Harry wasn't much better. He suddenly felt a great weight in his throat. It took all his strength to keep from throwing up. "Ginny can handle Death Eaters. She's proven that countless times. It's Tom I'm worried about."

"I'm not sending her away." Harry declared, suddenly looking between his two friends. "Ginny can leave anytime, but I won't abandon her again!"

"You didn't abandon Ginny, Harry. Ginny forced herself into this without our permission! "Ron snapped, pushing off the wall.

"You mean like you two did?" Harry yelled, unable to control his simmering temper as it came to a boil. "I didn't ask for either of you to come. You insisted upon it. Well, so is Ginny!"

"A Horcrux possessed Ginny for a year, and she was only eleven. We can't even begin to imagine the trauma she must've suffered through, is still suffering through." Hermione countered in a harsh whisper, sending glares at Ron. "We're hunting another 6 Horcruxes, including Voldemort himself. What happens if she freezes again? What happens if she faces something she is not ready for."

"If you think Ginny's the only one dealing with trauma, then you two can find the Horcrux's all by yourself, and I'll stay here with Ginny. How's that for an idea!" Harry roared so loud he shook the walls. "You think I don't want her to leave!? Well, you're right and wrong. I'm torn between being thrilled to see her and terrified that if anything happened to her, I'd...She gives me the strength to do what needs to be done. Without her, I'm nothing. When she's with me, this whole suicide mission doesn't feel impossible. But if I could send her somewhere far away to keep her safe, I would."

"Therein lies the problem. The last time I tried that, she lost her FUCKING FINGER!" Harry howled, shattering all the china in the room.

Harry gasped for breath, shocked by the magical outburst. He had previously lost his temper with his friends, but not like this. They were staring at him, terrified. Then, taking a deep breath, he uttered. "I'm sorry, really I am. I...I have a lot on my plate, but you didn't deserve that."

"Look at what he's doing to you, mate. What she's doing to us." Ron whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can't function like this."

"That's our problem, Ron, not her's." Harry sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"She's hiding something, Harry." Hermione broke the sudden silence, and Harry felt this had long been on her mind. "Her story doesn't make any sense, and little things she says and does. For example, her reaction to Snape's promotion felt wrong."

"What, you think she's a Death Eater?" Ron scoffed, matching Harry's raised eyebrow. "She's in over her bloody head, not a traitor."

"You don't trust Ginny?" Harry scowled, on the verge of losing respect for Hermione until her response brought them back down to earth.

"I don't trust anybody," Hermione exclaimed, a wild look in her eyes. "Did you forget about the imperious or possession? How about Polyjuice? I trust Ginny with my life, but for all we know, that's not even Ginny!"

"I made sure it was Ginny when we brought her here, Hermione." Harry reminded with a frown. "I even cast finite on her in case she was imperioed. Maybe it's you Ginny doesn't trust."

"Lay off her, Harry," Ron growled darkly.

"Maybe lay off Ginny!" Harry yelled before calming himself enough not to shatter more glass. "Why should Ginny trust any of you when you don't trust her."

"She doesn't belong here, Harry..." Ron uttered, even as he found his shoes remarkably interesting. "I love her. She's my sister. You may be dating her, but she's not one of us."

"Who's fault is that, Ron." Harry snapped, losing his patience. "Your right. Ginny doesn't belong here, doesn't fit in, and never will as long as you treat her like that. Maybe if we treated her like one of the groups instead of the other, she wouldn't have run into that Bogart. If we had supported her during her first year, Ginny would never have wound up in the Chamber of Secrets! Instead, you make it painfully clear that she is unwelcome and unwanted. I'm used to this from Ron, but I expected better from you, Hermione!"

Hermione lowered her head, her mane of hair covering her eyes. Ron was left gapping like a fish as he tried to find the right words, but they never came. Finally, Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know you mean well, I know you're worried for Ginny, we all are, but this is her fight as much as ours. What's done is done. Ginny is one of us now; we can fight it or come together. She can help us, Merlin. She already has. She's brilliant, smart, powerful, and whether we like it or not, she knows Voldemort in ways we never will."

"Dumbledore once said, "We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided." Harry declared, looking between his two friends. "So will we be divided, or shall we unite?"

Ron and Hermione glanced at one another before looking past Harry. Harry turned to follow their gaze and found Ginny standing their, looking very uncomfortable even as her eyes shined with tears. Yet Harry saw warmth in her eyes when she looked upon them, but they soon gave way to something else. "I...there's someone you need to talk to."

Harry frowned, about to ask Ginny to elaborate, when a small, disheveled figure revealed himself from behind Ginny's legs, all the while muttering under his breath. "They have Master's Locket. Oh, poor Regulus, if he knew poor, Kreacher failed him. He'd give Kreacher clothes. The thief! The Theif! Curse the thief for a thousand years for taking Master Regulus's Locket!"

Harry made towards Kreacher with a startling intensity; only Ginny stopped him as Kreacher cowered behind her. "We're not the thieves, Harry. He's not talking about our Locket, but the other Locket."

The room froze at this as they all stared at Kreacher, who poked his head out from behind Ginny's legs. "The blood traitor says you wish to destroy Master's Locket? Kreacher failed Master Regulus. Poor Kreacher shall never join his ancestor's on the wall."

"This locket, did Regulus give it to you," Harry whispered, and Kreacher croaked at him as if compelled.

"We...We took it from the cave. Kreacher took Locket to the cave with...the Dark Lord. Kreacher drank from the Dark Lord cup, poor Kreacher, poor Mother, poor...The Dark Lord abandons Kreacher to the dead. Master save Kreacher. Kreacher took Master back, Master drank the Dark Lord's cup, Gave Kreacher Locket, made Kreacher swear to destroy Locket, and ordered Kreacher to leave Master to Die! Kreacher, fail, Master!"

Kreacher began howling as he blew his nose in his rags, and Harry suddenly felt a great deal of pity for the elf, though it would take further questioning to get the whole story. Ginny was the one to speak. "Remember the Locket the Order found cleaning this place? The Locket was full of dark magic, but no one could open it."

Hermione gasped behind him. Yes, now that Ginny mentioned it, he did remember the strange Locket. How could he have forgotten?

Kreacher sobbed pitifully. "He stole it from us!"

Harry knelt beside Kreacher and whispered. "Who Stole it, Kreacher? Who stole the Locket?"

"The thief, the thief!" Kreacher screamed with a murderous rage.

"Who's the..." Harry trailed off as the answer came to him. There was only one thief in the Order. "Mundungus Fletcher!"

Kreacher hissed at the name, like a feral Kneazle or a Vampire, when offered garlic bread. Ginny met Harry's gaze before kneeling behind the elf, who quickly spun around. Ginny whispered. "Kreacher, we want to finish what Regulus started and destroy the Locket. Can you help us do that?"

Kreacher looked to Harry and snarled. "If Master gives Kreacher the order, Kreacher will not rest until Master's locket is found!"

Harry nodded and declared, "Start with the thief. If you find him, bring him here. Something tells me the Locket isn't the only thing he stole from my Godfather."

Harry noticed Ginny shiver, but before he could comment, Kreacher bowed before Harry and disappeared with a pop.

Harry didn't notice Ron and Hermione leave the room with a crack. But, in reality, Hermione apparated, bringing along an unsuspecting Ron. Harry only had eyes for Ginny, looking at him like she never had before.

Suddenly they were in each overs arms, snogging with an intensity Harry could scarcely imagine, and Harry could believe he tried to leave this behind. If Dumbledore was right and the-power-Voldemort-knew-not, was love, then Harry was a right fool to turn away an angel like Ginny. Harry felt like he could fight Voldemort's whole army single-handedly. With Ginny by his side, everything was possible.

Ginny felt the same way. Ginny was deleterious with passion as a fire consumed her being. This fire could destroy her, yet she did not fear oblivion. If this were immolation, then she would gladly burn. Yet Ginny had to pull away as her emotion began to overwhelm her.

"How much did you hear?" Harry whispered tenderly.

"Enough," Ginny answered softly. "I felt so alone, so foolish. I heard Ron, and even Hermione, saying I didn't belong, that I wasn't ready, and I thought they were right. I feel so over my head, especially around Hermione."

"Join the club." Harry snickered even as he tightened his hold on her. "She means well, but sometimes she makes you feel like a moron. Of course, I long learned that we shouldn't hold ourselves to such a standard, and Hermione's learned the same. Still, I've found that as brilliant as she is, there are some areas where she remains willfully ignorant."

"You have no idea." Ginny chuckled before shaking her head. "Then Kreacher approached me, he recognized R, A.B's Locket, and we got to talking. I told him I would trade him a locket for a locket. He got very defensive, so I decided to tell him the truth, that we wanted to destroy it. Worst case, you could always order him, but he just started crying. So I brought him to you and...I heard what you said about me, defending me."

Ginny swallowed thickly as she thought the urge to cry. She already sobbed like a baby once today. She would do it twice. "Thank you, Harry. You have no idea how much I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, Gin," Harry whispered as they just held each other, and for the first time since they left the burrow, Harry felt at peace, and Harry wondered if Dumbledore was smiling down upon him. It was this thought that gave him pause, and he uttered softly. "Hermione's right, isn't she?"

Ginny tensed before sighing. There was no mistaking what Harry was referring to. "Yes."

Harry felt his chest lighten. If Ginny was hiding something, at least she was honest about it. "I hate to press you, but I need to know whatever you are hiding."

Ginny did not answer, and Harry's fears were confirmed. "It's Dumbledore, isn't it."

Ginny's grip on him tightened on him, and Harry sighed. "Dumbledore always kept me in the dark. Even in death, he's still keeping secrets from me. That he's doing it through you is even worse."

"I would do anything for you, Harry, even lie and withhold the truth." Ginny pulled away and looked into Harry's eyes. "Dumbledore chose me to keep this secret because I love you. I don't like this any more than you do, but...lives are at stake, and if Riddle peaked into your mind and found out what I know...it could be disastrous."

Harry cursed under his breath, only for Ginny to pull him into another kiss before speaking. "It's my job to tell you when the time is right and to ensure you don't unknowingly do something stupid. You'll understand when the moment comes, Harry, I promise. I wouldn't hide this from you if it weren't essential. Please believe me, Harry."

Harry groaned before nodding his head. "When I was eleven, Dumbledore told me that the truth "is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution." But I'm just so bloody tired of secrets."

"That's war, Harry. Secrets are one of our greatest weapons." Ginny answered before declaring. "It's not that you can't handle the truth or that Dumbledore doesn't trust you. It's that bloody connection to two share. I hate it,]! I hate everything about it, but we have to live with it. I promise always to be honest with you, even if I can't always tell the truth. I'm sorry that..."

Harry's lips cut off Ginny, and soon they were snogging once more. Harry couldn't blame Ginny, even if he wanted to, but in the back of his mind, his resentment for Dumbledore grew stronger.

The weeks passed by slowly and uneventfully. It was the calm before the storm. Kreacher, along with a Jealous Dobby, had apprehended Mundungus Fletcher, while Ginny and Harry, according to Hermione, played good Auror/bad Auror. Harry threatened to curse the pathetic vulture and only leave a stain on the wall. Ginny, would have loved to see that but told Mundungus that all they wanted was the locket. The routine went over quite well, and Mundungus squealed like the coward he was. Unfortunately, finding out to whom he sold the locket could have gone better.

"Was that necessary?" Hermione had asked as she looked pitifully at the writhing thief shrieking in terror.

"No, but it sure felt good," Ginny answered with a smirk, twirling her wand around her fingers. "As far as I'm concerned, he's not only a thief but a traitor. as far as I'm concerned, he's getting off lucky."

"It's not enough." Harry interrupted, causing the others to stare at him. "If we let him go, how long before he rats out our location to the Death Eaters? Ron, give him some firewhiskey, and Hermione, you know what to do."

The memory charm was becoming a specialty for Hermione, and Ginny could tell it greatly bothered her. Ginny cast finite, and Fletcher passed out. Ron shook his head as he stared at the mess. "Crikey, I still say that Bat Bogey Hex is dark magic. It should be a bloody unforgivable curse."

Ginny turned her wand on Ron, only to laugh at his shrill shriek. Ginny rolled her eyes and gave to thumps on the arm. "Two for flinching, Ron."

Ginny felt she made great headways with the Golden trio in the laughter. Even Ron joined in.

Soon their meticulous planning had come to a head. They would break into the Ministry any day and steal the locket from Umbridge herself. But, as the days passed, they all became more subdued. For Ginny, coming up with plans admittedly wasn't her strong suit. However, she would offer sound ideas while the Golden Trio plotted their most dangerous adventure.

Ginny remembered when the Daily Prophet came with two familiar faces on the cover. Harry Potter, Undesirable number 1. Hermione Granger, Undesirable number 2. At least Ron's spattergroit ruse worked like a charm as he was not Undesirable at all. But, most disturbing of all was the call for all Muggleborns to report to the Ministry of Magic for questioning and hearings under the old bigoted charge of line theft. The anti-Muggleborn crime hadn't been law since the fall of Grimmauld and Nazism, and it was a tough Bertie Bott bean to swallow.

"It's really happening," Hermione whispered, speaking aloud what everyone had been thinking. "The Ministry has fallen. He's in charge now. Democracy is dead, and he's rounding up Muggleborns. How could this have happened."

"They let it happen," Harry whispered darkly, and Ginny squeezed his hand tight. "When they refused to acknowledge he was back. They let it happen when they let the Blood purists flood the Wizemgot. When they let Malfoy buy his way out of prison and fund the Minister's entire campaign, when Voldemort murdered family after family, no one would dare speak his name. Yet, when he miraculously vanished, nothing changed when they valued blood purity over freedom, democracy, and right and wrong. When the wizarding world submitted to incompetence and corruption, assuming that the Ministry would never fall and freedom was a fundamental truth, not a priceless treasure to be valued. When those who have died for our freedom, like Sirius, Dumbledore, and my parents. When their sacrifice is in vain!"

"How did this happen? They let it happen!" Harry was panting, out of breath, as he looked to the people he loved, who stuck by him through thick and thin. "But we don't have to. Voldemort can only rule as long as we allow him to. If we keep fighting, we will be free again or die trying."

"Give me liberty, or give me death!" Hermione quoted in response, and Ginny later discovered it was a saying from Muggle American history. However, Ginny found strength in her words. She knew what it was like to lose one's liberty and be a slave to another's will.

"Liberty or death," Ginny whispered, and Harry squeezed back. Harry knew her too well, but hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

Of course, the prophet wasn't all, dystopia gloom and doom. Ginny got to read about her funeral. Lightly attended, Ministry Aurors interrupted the proceedings to harass and interrogate Weasley's family members and friends. The others were agitated when Snape invited himself to the proceedings. Ginny played her cards close to her chest but was sure Hermione was onto her. Harry had spoken with Hermione after their conversation, but Hermione did not take well to being kept in the dark. It wasn't in her nature. If she knew what Ginny was hiding, it could help Hermione find the Horcruxes. Ginny would have to talk to her soon, though she didn't know what to say.

Ginny felt guilt in the depths of her heart. Ginny hated keeping things from Harry, even for the war. Snape might be the world's biggest prat, but he was in too deep to risk compromising his position, especially if he held the key to Voldemort's downfall.

But this wasn't the secret eating away her insides. This wasn't the secret that made Ginny sick to her stomach. No, there was something else. Something scared her more than words could say.

She had been in the Kitchen, nursing her hot chocolate while the Golden trio bickered amongst themselves, When Kreacher appeared, muttering to himself from around the table. "Nasty Blood Traitor has Master Regulus's old locket. Pour Kreacher failed again..."

Ginny's ears twitched, and she perked up at hearing this. Indeed it led to a most intriguing conversation with the old elf, who regarded Ginny with trepidation. Slowly, Ginny got Kreacher to tell him his story, and Ginny listened with rapt attention. Things mostly went how she told Harry, except for one moment.

It was during Kreacher's tale that the moment came. "Kreacher tried to destroy the Dark Lord's locket and obey Master Regulus. Kreacher tried everything. Kreacher even through locket in Volcano, but the Dark Lords' magic did not wane. Cursed locket, full of unspeakable evil. Kreacher tainted, hates it, Kreacher loves it, Kreacher scared he would not destroy locket if Kreacher could. Locket whispers to Kreacher, taunt's Kreacerm laughs at Kreacher. Kreacher almost gives the locket to Mistress Black, but Kreacher is strong. Kreacher is a good house elf, but Kreacher is cursed, tainted..."

"Tainted?" Ginny whispered, kneeling in front of the tormented house elf.

"Once the Dark Lord leaves its mark, he never lets us go. So long as Dark Lord lives, we live cursed lives. Our magic, our mind. We still hear the whispers and the madness." Kreacher spoke, suddenly more coherently. "We's our cursed, none here our screams, none feel our pain, they hate us, never understand poor Kreature. We yearn for the Dark Lord, even as we hates him."

"We?" Ginny uttered with bated breath. "Who's we?"

Kreacher's eyes bulged from his head as they suddenly remained fixed on Ginny. "Us, no one else, just us. Kreacher and you."

Ginny gasped as she felt the strangest sensation like she was falling from a great height, even though she had not moved an inch. "M...Me?"

"Kreacher sees it, the blackness, the taint. We's are the same. Dark magic is older, yet younger. Kreacher sees the mark on Weasley's magic. Kreacher sees the mark on Weasley's soul. Doesn't she feel it? Doesn't she hear the whisper? We's our sick and have no cure. Once the Dark Lord taint's our magic, it never lets us go. Weasley, like Kreacher, shall forever be cursed. He Who Must Not Be Named lives in our hearts. Only death free us."

Ginny felt sicker than a terminal patent. No dementor had ever made her feel as cold as she did now. Ginny felt as if she was back in the dark room. Ginny shivered, and before she buried her fears and took the elf to Harry, she swore, though she would long deny it, she heard a voice hissing in the darkness of her mind.

"My Ginevra."

Thank you for reading. Please check out my new story. The Last Temptation of Harry Potter. Also, don't forget to get to Follow, Favourite, and leave a Review Please...pretty please, with a Nargle on top.