Chapter Eight Hints

"Did you know of this?" Snape demanded of Dumbledore. He stood in the headmaster's office, his breath coming quickly, his body tense and his manner sharp.

Dumbledore, seated behind his grand desk, spoke wearily "Ah…if you are referring to Ginny Weasley…then no. I had my suspicions but they were just that. I suppose my mind began turning just after her first year, over five years ago. The reason why Voldemort selected her was ever a mystery to me. I put it down to mere chance at first, a chance meeting in a bookshop where Mr.Malfoy spied his opportunity. But over the years…"

Dumbledore trailed off, his voice lost under the great, snowy beard. What he had told Severus was not entirely true- his doubting, his wonder and even his fears concerning the girl stretched far back – but such truths could not be told at such a time, such secrets could only be revealed when need called them.

"This was how it began with Sarah" Snape said shakily, the name he had tried so hard to forget, causing his throat to tighten.

"Yes" Dumbledore agreed heavily. The memory of the young woman's fate lay heavily on his heart; a burden of guilt which only grew over the years.

"We can not be sure of anything, but we must remain vigilant. If Miss Weasley does have the gift, then we must help her in anyway we can." Dumbledore peered through his spectacles, wise blue eyes carefully scrutinizing the younger man.

"Discreetly of course" he added in a no-nonsense tone "I have no wish to scare her off"

Snape's nostrils flared in anger but her held back any outburst and nodded, keeping his thoughts private.

Gesturing for Snape to leave, Dumbledore absently twirled around his quill, moving it to hover over a certain letter he had yet to sign; the letter which could either prevent the dark future or provoke it. The address on the empty envelope belonged to a widow. The letter told of her only daughter's explosion from the school.

"Perhaps if you were away from here, away from influence, then you would be safe" The headmaster mused out loud, his voice tired and conflicted.

"Or would he come looking for you? Maybe if you could control the powers then you could resist him; be stronger than the many who have failed in the past."

He looked down at the letter, making his decision. A blue flash of light sprang from his pointed wand and within a blink of an eye, the letter was destroyed.

Moving towards the window, Dumbledore looked out over the grounds, where only a minute ago he had seen the girl racing towards the heart of the forest. He let out a bone weary sigh, which fell heavily in the circular room and clung tightly in the air. He seemed all of a sudden like an old man; an old man who carried with him a world of regret and remorse.

"I hope you know what you're doing" he confessed aloud "Don't let this be an old man's mistake"

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"Fainne?" Ginny hissed, her eyes scanning the circular space of forest, the place she had last seem the winged creature.

"Are you here?" she asked out loud. An impatient bubble of curiosity had ballooned inside her, one which demanded answers, wanted to know the breadth of her new power and most importantly wanted to use that power…now

She was just about to yell out when a small form flew out of the thick trees that surrounded the circle and gracefully landed in front of her. Fainne's tiny face was flustered and pink, her body movements slightly agitated.

"Oh it's you, Hello" Fainne said distantly whilst her eyes nervously shifted around the forest. Seeing nothing, she settled down, the flush fading from her face.

She looked up at the girl and smiled, saying more intently "Ah, I thought I'd be seeing you soon"

"Hmm…"Ginny responded indistinctly before a question tumbled from her mouth "What can I do?"

"What can you do?" Fainne repeated slowly, sure of what the girl meant but delaying all the same.

"Yeah" Ginny confirmed impatiently "What powers have I got? The strangest thing just happened I was inside somebody's head; I could see their memories as if they belonged to me. And later with Harry I felt…him in me. I know it probably makes no sense but I felt like I owned his power" She smiled an eerie little smile, the memory replaying in her mind. It had felt weird…but good…really good.

"That's got to be it? Hasn't it?" Ginny said eagerly, eyes bright.

A small frown creased Fainne's face before she schooled her expression to appear neutral.

"Partly" she agreed hesitantly "What happened today was just the beginning"

"You mean there's going to be more?" Ginny responded, her voice excited "Cool"

When she spoke, Fainne's voice was serious "This is not a game Ginny. You remember what I told you about Voldemort, your power is to be used to protect yourself and others. It is not a toy"

"Yes Miss!" Ginny groaned, dismissing the name, which only hours ago, would have left her terrified. The threat of Voldemort now seemed a long way off, a distant danger which no longer seemed so daunting. Whereas her powers were simmering inside her, right there, right then.

"What else can I do?" The girl asked, possibilities running through her mind. Oh invisibility would be good or maybe shape shifting? Hmm…or perhaps flying…oh yeah flying without broomsticks sores…very nice!

"So I'm guessing you believe me now?" Fainne said dryly as she watched the eager expression on the girl's face. Fainne had known that the girl would return, as sure as night follows day, but what she didn't expect was her attitude. Ginny seemed beyond excited; there was a fresh hunger in her coffee coloured eyes which worried Fainne. It was similar to a craving she had once seen in another face; a face she wished to forget.

Nodding, Ginny questioned "Can I read minds? Is that part of this 'gift'"

"Yes and no. What I presume you saw was the past, this you will be able to see but the future and even the present will evade you. Minds are precious things, it would be wrong for you to pry into thoughts which do not belong to you"

"But I could" Ginny said furtively, picking up on Fainne's unspoken words. It would be wrong but I could do it…Ginny mused darkly.

"Anyway" Fainne continued, ignoring Ginny "The power you felt from Harry" she avoided using the word she truly thought…stole.

"Works on the same principle, it needs bodily contact. In time you should be able to control this, choose who you borrow power off. It can be a useful tool, dangerous, but useful"

Ginny moved closer to the winged creature, bending down she outstretched her hands, making ready to touch Fainne's exposed arm.

"No!" Fainne burst out loudly, spreading her wings she flew back a few paces. Ginny's eyes widened in surprise but her mouth had already formed into a thin line of displeasure.

"What's your problem?" Ginny said shortly "I'm not contagious"

Fainne forced a smiled and said in a strained tone "I'm a faerie, I'll admit it. I'm from a long line of under-the-toadstool-giggly-idiots ok? Mind reading doesn't work on magical creatures. It's a proven fact"

"Aren't wizards magical?" Ginny argued angrily. She felt an odd feeling rising within her, a voice which half murmured she can't disobey you, not you…

"It's different" Fainne responded soberly and then added in a lighter tone "Besides I don't like pratical lessons, too messy"

"Whatever" Ginny said sullenly.

"So what are you going to teach me?"

"First off I should outline the basics of your powers" Fainne said in a brisk, businesslike voice. She moved over to perch on one of the mounds of earth, which rose from the ground like an organic armchair. Ginny, once again intrigued by the promise of power, sat on the opposite mound, her legs curled beneath her and her eyes watching Fainne intently.

"Besides the mind reading" the faerie stressed the word, as if she felt Ginny's description far too juvenile. "And the power…sharing" Fainne continued, once again, carefully choosing her words.

"There is or will be your ability to manipulate the weather, bend nature at your will." A cold bead of sweat ran down Fainne's forehead as she observed the look on her charge's face. Weather magic was considered one of the most dangerous and intrusive stands of the craft, it meant changing the very fabric of the natural world. Even great wizards were loathed to mess with such matters; few had the power and even less partook in experimenting with things which no human had the right to.

Yet this girl, this sixteen year old girl, showed no sign of disbelief or fear, there were no traces of awestruck fright in her wide, brown eyes. Instead a smile tugged at her lips and her whole face was lit with the new knowledge. It seemed to Fainne that the girl who sat before her was subtly changed from the one she had met only a day before. The girl of yesterday had been scared, she had been heavy with grief and sadness, Fainne had looked upon her and grieved that her path would be so hard. Fainne had pitied that girl but now…as she looked across at the smirking being, her heart recoiled in fear. She sensed something different about the girl, a hint of darkness…

How have you changed? She mentally anguished how so quickly? I know the Dark lord had nothing to do with this, I would know if he had. This is all you…Oh Ginny in one day? How? Don't you see it? She wanted to ask don't you feel the darkness creeping in your heart. Why can't you feel it? The hard thing is no one else will notice! They will just see Ginny Weasley, they can't see what I can…they can't see you for what you're becoming, what you will be…a creature of darkness…

"Anything else?" Ginny asked, her tongue flicking over her lips.

Smothering a shudder, Fainne said shakily "Isn't that enough?"

A little laugh, harmless but to Fainne's ears horribly chilling, rang from Ginny as she responded "If there's more I want to know. I need to know"

"Ok" Fainne breathed out, heart hammering "There is one more thing. You have a fire inside you – a living flame buried deep beneath the surface. It shall not be woken for many a year, it is too difficult to control and too dangerous too unleash. Of all your powers it shall come last. Before you can handle flame you must master your other gifts, beginning with seeing into the past" Fainne halted, wondering the reception her next words would receive.

"Perhaps you could find out about your father's death" she said quietly, fey green eyes fixed on Ginny.

The girl seemed to stop breathing, her body caught in unexpected shock.

Yes my father Ginny thought Of course, of course.

Fainne peered hopefully at Ginny. She breathed a silent sigh of relief when tears filled the girl's eyes. It was then that, in Fainne's mind, the darkness seemed to fade away, not disappear entirely rather diminish- finding a place to hide until it could take its true dwelling in its mistress's heart.

"Who could I do it to" Ginny asked, fumbling over the words. Her grief had been tightly hidden in her mind and heart recently; it seemed the only safe place to keep it. Ginny's frightful excitement over her new powers demanded the most attention, yet she knew that she could never, will never, be free of her innermost pain until she faced up to reality.

A flash of warmth lit Fainne's face, her warming ever so slightly. But she knew now that she could never, ever, look at Ginny and see a sixteen year old girl. She wouldn't look at her and see the long, thick red hair which curled in the middle but was straight at the ends, she wouldn't take account of the pale, oval face which was speckled with clusters of light freckles and never again would simply see the coffee coloured eyes as beautiful. Ginny was but her future could never be.

"I'm not sure. But it should be someone who is in the Order" Fainne replied softly. Seeing Ginny's mouth open and knowing the question, Fainne said "Yes I know about The Order of Phoenix, that's the problem with secret societies, they are never secret" she smiled gently and to her surprise Ginny smiled back, a sad smile which nearly washed away Fainne's previous misgiving. Nearly. Not quite.

Feeling suddenly guilty, Ginny muttered an apology, she didn't know what it was for, or why she felt the need to say it now, she just knew it needed to be said.

"I feel like I'm different somehow" Ginny spoke in a quite voice, almost to herself. The thoughts in her head, the new and overwhelming emotions of power and potential felt so good, so very, very good. But there was something, something not quite right, deep under the surface. Like a voice was calling out for help but it was too far away to be heard.

"Fainne?" Ginny began, remembering "When I was in Snape's memory, there was a woman there, her name was Sarah…"

Ginny closed her eyes, recalling back the image of Sarah's face. She did not see Fainne pale nor did she see the faerie's mouth twitch in a motion which could mean anger, displeasure, fear or even sorrow. She wasn't aware that Fainne's fey eyes clouded over, just for a second, before clearing.

"I think she has, had, the same gifts as me. I felt so close to her, there was a connection…if I could find her or at least discover what happened to her, then maybe it would help"

Maybe I could see if she felt the same lust as me, the lust for power. The sudden craving to know more, have more…become more Ginny added in her mind.

"I do not know" Fainne stated in a voice which refused interpretation.

Ginny sighed, feeling tired. The dark burst of energy which had consumed her after hearing of the great powers, was now a dull murmur.

"I should go" she said quietly, her former enthusiasm dying down.

"Yes" Fainne agreed "But you must come back soon. There is so much left to say"

Ginny nodded and said goodbye.

"Have you still got the ring?" Fainne called as an afterthought.

Giving her 'the finger' Ginny smiled, turned and walked slowly out of the circle, her footsteps crunching on the forest floor.

"I don't know whether to feel guilty or not" Fainne said out loud, before her tiny wings spread and she flew in the afternoon sky.

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Draco Malfoy shifted from his hiding place behind a particularly twisted tree. His legs felt cramped and numb – that's what you get for crouching in nature he thought bitterly as he lifted up one expensive shoe, which was covered with something which looked suspiciously like… "Unicorn crap! Fantastic!" he exclaimed out loud.

At least I got something to tell that bastard he thought of Voldemort that's if he doesn't already know. Who would have thought it, Ginny Weasley a force to be reckoned with?! Sounds like far fetched faerie crap to me…like she could ever be a weather witch! If a diary got the best of her…a spot of rain should have no trouble evading her 'charms' he mocked mentally.

After a few minutes, when he was sure that the girl had left the forest, Draco stretched out his long legs and walked leisurely through the forest.

He was still a Malfoy and the talk of power should have intrigued him, but strangely it didn't. He felt no sudden desire to seduce Ginny Weasley, no swooping obsession overtook him; instead he felt oddly calm, revealed even. Perhaps if he believed the words he had overheard then things might have been different, but he didn't. He just couldn't believe them, refused to even acknowledge the possibility. He had come across a lot of strange things in his seventeen years but this was, in his mind, just…ludicrous…completely and utterly ridiculous.

But I'll play along he mentally avowed Whatever game you're playing Voldemort, whatever twisted little game you have running through you're mind, I'll be part of it. If it means getting my father back, I'll do it. She means nothing to me. Cut her, roast her, kill her for all I care. As long as what's mine is returned to me, I don't give a damn.

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You'd be proven wrong young Draco, so very, very wrong.