Disclaimer: Not mine
Dedications: To my Beta, Dom
"I'm afraid..." he began but Harry cut him off.
"Don't lie to us." He snapped, "We're trying to save his life here."
"And what was your name again?" He asked, his eyes narrowed.
"Harry." He answered, and then for good measure lifted his fringe and added, "Harry Potter."
"Oh." He looked at his drink, which he swirled in his hand, and then sighed, "Could you stay behind after the others leave?"
"I don't think so." Hermione confessed, "We're sort of on a school trip. They might be keeping an eye on us, trying to make sure we weren't just using the money to go gallivanting around."
"If they ask, you could say you persuaded me to take part in a private interview." He told her, "I'll make you get home safe. I can't talk about it now. After lunch, you can ask me whatever questions you have. Now go, sit, eat."
They left Noginski's side and found a place to sit. After a while Ron got into a conversation with a wizard sitting opposite them about Quidditch and Blaise began talking to a fashion designer. He kept on telling her she could be a model, and she was turning pinker and pinker. Harry was looking more and more annoyed.
"Harry." Hermione whispered, "I need to talk to you."
"In a minute." He said, glaring at the fashion designer, "I just want to-"
"Harry, I need to talk to you now." He finally picked up on the urgency in her voice, and nodded. They excused themselves, saying that they were going to compare notes on Noginski. Ron and Blaise sighed, and then turned back to their conversations.
"Shouldn't she be a little more jealous?" Harry asked as they walked away.
"Harry, listen, this is important." She whispered.
"What is it Hermione?" He asked finally.
"I think I know who the Vessel is." She told him.
"Why are you just telling me?" He sounded bemused.
"I don't want to get Ron's hopes up, in case I'm wrong." She explained, "I can't make him go through all that again."
"Hermione, who is it?" But suspicion was already dawning.
"I think its Ginny." Fawkes was almost certain now that he knew where they were. He had talked to hundreds of animals, most of who knew nothing and those who did knew very little. But he was getting closer. More and more animals knew what he was looking for. But getting there would be hard. There were a lot of things on the way that had a taste for Phoenix's.
Dumbledore had read Hagrid's report over several times. Nothing in it gave his cause for hope, and his suspicions had almost certainly been proved true.
He could act. He could intervene. But if he did, it could mean revealing to the Death Eaters the locations of the children. But abstaining from helping them could mean that they fell into Death Eater hands anyway.
He stood up from his desk and walked over to the one photo in the room that was not of an Old Headteacher. A smiling brown haired woman sat in a garden swing, waving at him in a photo frame on a low shelf.
"Salena, I need you." He whispered, "I don't know what to do."
But Salena Dumbledore just sat and smiled on the swings, forever young, forever happy, never knowing that death was just around the corner for her.
"No Hermione, don't say that." He shook his head, "It's impossible, she's dead. It kills me to say it, but she's dead."
"This is why I didn't want to tell Ron." She shook her head, "Harry, I don't know for sure, I have no real proof to back it up, but it works! It could so easily be her. Listen to me Harry-"
"No." He backed away, "I can't hear this, I can't. I thought for a moment...but if I let myself believe and she's not...she was like a sister to me Hermione! I loved her like she was my little sister. Don't make me loose her again."
"Harry Potter!" She snapped, "Do you think I don't know? She was one of my best friends Harry, my only real girl friend. You and Ron were great, but it was always Ginny I went to with my secrets. She was the one I told about Victor. And she used to come to me with hers. So I know, Harry, I know. But if she's alive? If she's...Please just listen to what I have to say."
"I...go on." He was shaking, and his bottle green eyes looked close to tears.
"We know Lucius Malfoy was involved in the attack on Diagon Alley, nearly every one does." Hermione practically spat Lucius's name, "We also know he's involved with the vessel. Ginny's body is the only body they couldn't find. Just a few clumps of her hair." At that point her voice choked a bit but she continued regardless, "The vessel is someone who was once possessed by someone, and their body is being used to channel that person's spirit. Ginny was possessed by Tom Riddle! Blaise's father always referred to the Vessel as a she, and now we know that he actually meant a female."
"Hermione..." Harry was shaking his head, "Don't you understand?"
"What?" She looked puzzled.
"If you're right, and I'm not sure if you are, then it means that Ginny's been possessed by Tom Riddle." He explained, "She's still lost to us."
"I didn't think..." Hermione looked stricken, and then suddenly fierce, "No! If she's been possessed, then we can reverse it. We can bring her back. Death is permanent, possession isn't."
"I don't know..." He still looked like he was about to cry.
"You don't have to believe me." She said finally, "We'll find out from Noginski soon enough. I just wanted to give you some warning. Don't tell Ron, ok? If I'm not right..."
Harry didn't say anything, and together they walked back to the table. A moment later a klaxon sounded, and they were lead back to the Entrance Hall, where most the guests left, all except the four Hogwarts students.
"I can't believe that guy wants to sign me as a model." Blaise was almost singing with joy, "Harry, you'll have a model girlfriend! This is so amazing. My mother was a model when she was really young but she upset a fashion designer and he ruined her career. She'll be so pleased!"
"Blaise, we have slightly more important matters at hand." Hermione snapped, "Come on."
The four of them walked over to Professor Noginski, who looked them all over thoroughly.
"Well, follow me." He said eventually, and led them into a small room, "Now what exactly do you want to ask me about Draco Malfoy?"
"Actually, we want to know more about..." Hermione actually left a dramatic pause, "The Vessel."
His eyes flared open and he backed away, sliding into a chair.
"The Vessel." He repeated, "You want to know about The Vessel."
"We want to know who it is." Ron explained, "And where Draco Malfoy and whoever they are have run off to."
"How did you come to know this much?" He asked.
"I've been eavesdropping on my father a lot." Blaise admitted.
"And Hermione's been using her super brain to find out about things." Ron added, "I provided one source of research, and Harry here just hung around. He's completely useless."
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed.
"I don't think it's even relevant how we know." Hermione said finally, "Just that we know. But we need to know more. We need to find them."
"I am sorry Miss Granger, but I will not tell you." Noginski said finally, "I will not betray them."
"We're trying to help them!" Blaise exclaimed, "We got ourselves all the way to Russia to see you so that you could help us! We know you helped come up with the method of the Vessel, and we'll turn you into the Ministry unless you help us."
"You must believe me when I say that I tried my hardest to prevent the research from being used in practice." He said slowly, "It was supposed to be theoretical. I destroyed all the research I had when I found out what they were planning, but they already had what they needed. I truly did try."
"You can make amends for it now." Hermione said quietly, "By telling us what we need to know."
"I've already helped them." Noginski said after a moment, "They came to me a while ago. I couldn't help them as I wished I could, but I gave them instructions as to where to go. I haven't heard from them since."
"And was the Vessel possessed by...whoever had possessed them?" Blaise asked.
"No." he shook his head, "The process had not been complete when Draco rescued them from the experiment. They are in an in-between state. If I was sure you were here to help you, I would perhaps tell you, but I can't be sure."
"Please sir, you have to tell us who it is." Harry pleaded, "You have to trust us. We need to know."
"One single good reason is all I'd need, but until then." He shook his head.
"One single...? One single good reason?" Harry's eyes were furious, and he stood up from the seat he had taken, "I'll give you a single reason!"
"Harry, no!" Hermione shouted, "I wasn't sure! Don't say anything!"
"Here's your bloody reason!" Harry yelled, "Ron has a right to know!"
There was a confused silence.
"I do?" Ron asked, bewildered.
"Ron?" Noginski said in confusion, looking at the red haired boy.
"Yes, Ron!" Harry shouted, and Hermione burst out crying, "Ron Weasley!"
"Weasley." Noginski's voice was hollow as he turned to look at Ron, seeing him, it seemed for the first time, "You are Ron Weasley."
It was a statement, but Ron answered anyway, "Yeah, that's me..."
"It's true, isn't it." Hermione whispered, wiping her eyes, "I was right."
"So tell us, Professor Noginski," Harry's voice was calm now, but cold, "Is Ginny Weasley alive?"
"What!" Ron shouted.Ginny felt strangely warm. Ok, so she was lying in deep snow, and had one of the coldest people she knew lying next to her, but she felt warm and fuzzy and slightly drunk, even though she hadn't been drinking.
"Malfoy." She whispered.
"Yeah." He whispered back.
"We're happy here, aren't we?" She asked.
"I can't remember ever being happier." He confessed, "For too people on the run for our lives, we're doing well for ourselves."
"I miss my family a lot." She admitted, "But if we never got to go home, I think I could live here. You could become a warrior Elf, I could learn more healing magic from the Elves, I think that would suite us."
"I think I miss my mother." Draco said after a moments thought, "She was always very nice to me, I liked her. She's not exactly like I thought she was. And I know she's missing me. I don't want her to be sad."
"Is that the most you can ever feel for anyone?" She asked, "Like? You've never loved anyone?"
"No." He told her, "Well, maybe my father, a little. Or maybe that was just respect. I wouldn't know how to tell if I was in love."
"I don't know how to explain it." Ginny said, "I think loves different every time."
"So how do you know you're in love?" He asked, "If it's different every time, how do you know it's the same thing?"
"I...don't know." She admitted, "You know, that all there is to it."
"How do you know you're in love with Riddle?" He asked, and she thought she could hear some bitterness in his voice.
"I couldn't explain it if I had all the time in the world." She told him, "But it's a very disturbing feeling, being in love with an evil psychopath."
"Well, in your defence, he's a very reasonable evil psychopath." Draco said helpfully.
"Yeah, because that makes a whole world of difference."
"What!" Ron shouted.
"I wonder if it is still counts as betrayal if you do it in the person's best interests." Noginski said quietly, "Yes, Ginny Weasley is alive, and the last time I saw her she was well. She is the Vessel."
"She's alive." Ron whispered, "She's alive, she's alive." Suddenly he looked up at Hermione, "You knew. You knew and you didn't tell me that Ginny was alive."
"I didn't know." Hermione explained, "I suspected. I didn't want to tell you in case I was wrong."
"But you told Harry." He said, glancing over at his best friend, "You told him but you didn't tell me."
"I just..." She shook her head, "I didn't want to get your hopes up, but I needed to tell someone. I knew Harry could take it."
"Don't blame her Ron." Harry said, "I wouldn't want to carry that knowledge alone either."
"She should have told me." Ron snapped.
"Oh for god's sake." Blaise, who had been silent, suddenly spoke out; "She was trying to protect you, trying to stop you from going through all that pain all over again. So what if she told Harry? He's one of her best friends, isn't he? Why shouldn't she tell him? She's smart, don't question her motives."
"Thank you Blaise." Hermione whispered, but the dark haired girl just shrugged.
"Shouldn't we be moving on? Be happy for god's sake. Your friend's alive." She turned to Noginski; "She's with Draco right?"
"Yes, they are together." He nodded, "But it's been weeks since I've heard from them. I sent them to my friend's house in hopes that he could help them but he told me they never turned up."
"And it's definitely Ginny who's in control?" Harry asked, "Not Tom Riddle?"
"It is impossible for Riddle to take over without Ginny's permission." Noginski assured them.
"I don't get it." Ron said quietly, "If she's alive, then why didn't she come home?"
"She was afraid of the Dementors Kiss." The Professor explained, "She believed that, in order to destroy Riddle, the Ministry may have sent her to the Dementors. Draco stayed with her out of fear of his father and a strange sense of obligation to Ginny. He was, after all, the one who rescued her from the experiment Lucius Malfoy and Damien Zabini had her in."
"I can't believe my father was involved in this." Blaise shook her head, "He's such a...idiot!"
"He's a Death Eater." Harry said calmly, "You don't disobey Voldemort's orders." Blaise, Ron and Noginski shuddered, "he'd have probably killed your father and the rest of your family as an example."
"That's the only reason my father joined up." She said sadly, "To keep me, my mother and my sisters safe."
"That was almost commendable of him then." Noginski sighed, "he never struck me as a cruel or evil man. He was just...caught up in a world where casualties happen."
"And Ginny was a casualty?" Ron asked.
"She was one of the lucky ones." The professor told the boy, "She survived."
"Is there anything you can tell us?" Hermione asked, "Anywhere they might have gone?"
"They were going to France when I last saw them." Noginski answered, "But they'll have left by now. I can tell you their aliases though. They are going under the names of Nathaniel and Emily Bowcott, two cousins. They also have disguises. They appear as tall, dark haired older teenagers."
"Thank you." The young girl smiled, "This is so...important."
"It is my fault that they were put in danger in the first place." He replied, "I am doing what I can to make amends. Is that all?"
"Yes, that's all." Hermione nodded, "We need to get back now."
"You can use my special Floo grate; it will take you straight to Diagon Alley." He told them, "it's this way."
Ginny and Draco sat at a table with Mapp, eating dinner. The Elves were strictly vegetarians, and mainly ate plants raw, but were happy to make some sort of vegetable stew for the two humans. Mapp was explaining some of the Elves healing techniques.
"Nectar from a plant that has survived a fire is good for burns." She said, "But not Monkshood. Too volatile. Do humans not know this?"
"Not a lot of it." Ginny admitted, "We use a lot of healing charms. You do have to be good at Herbology and Potions to be a healer though. We use mandrakes a lot."
"Mandrakes good, yes." Mapp nodded, "But very strong. Subtle medicines are better."
"Weasley, if we ever get back to the Wizarding world, you're going to become one hell of a healer with all this knowledge." Draco yawned, "But why do I have to listen to it?"
"This information could save your life one day." Ginny told him, "You'll be really annoyed if you're burning to death, and there's a flower that survived a fire right next to you, and you don't know how to use it."
"I think I'll be slightly more annoyed about the fact that I'm burning to death." He insisted smirking, "It just seems like a higher priority."
"Very funny." She poked out her tongue at him.
"How very witty of you Weasley."
"What I lack in wit I make up for in stubborn immaturity." She said proudly, smiling, "I think it adds to my charm."
"And what charm would that be?" he asked.
"When I get charm, it'll add to it." She assured him. He laughed, and a sort of truce was called.
HOW VERY SWEET. Tom said inside her mind
'Hey there! You haven't been talking very much lately.' She replied.
I'VE BEEN BUILDING UP MY STRENGHT. He told her, LOOK OVER AT THE END OF THE TABLE.
Obeying, she turned to look at the end of the table. The air shimmered for a moment, and then a solid form appeared.
Ginny gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Draco and Mapp looked at her strangely.
"What is it friend Ginni?" Mapp asked.
"Can you see him?" She asked.
"See who?" Draco asked.
"Tom." But she knew they couldn't. He sat at the end of the table, wearing a light green shirt and a small smile on his face.
"You can see him?" The blond boy asked.
"Yes, I can see him sitting at the end of the table." Draco stood up and walked over. He was standing through Tom.
"Well, that's not very nice of him, is it?" Tom asked. It wasn't in that strange voice he used inside her head, slightly too loud. He sounded like he was sitting a few feet away; "They can't see me. But I can now see them through two eyes of my own. This body may be completely insubstantial, but at least it's mine."
"Are you still connected to me?" She asked.
"Yes." He nodded, "I can only exist in this form while I'm in the same room as you." He explained, "If I tried to leave the room, or if you did, I'd end up inside your mind again."
She opened her mouth to ask him what would happen if they were outside, but she never got a chance to ask. There was a great deal of shouting outside and then a large golden bird flew through the door. A phoenix to be specific.
"Fawkes!"
A.N I've had some complaints about not separating my scene changes. Well, I have been, but they haven't been showing up on FF.net. I've been using triple stars but apparently they don't work. This chapter I'm using this sign . I hope it shows up. If not I'll have to try something else. Once I find something that works I'll replace all the chapters without the separating with updated versions.
A.N.2 Still looking for name ideas. If you have any don't hesitate to tell me. Internal Struggle is a really corny name, so...
Thanks to:
Ohepelss Oramtnci: But I love to twist their emotions so! And he is a creep. He's evil. That's what happens.
readingfreak742: Oh Well, thanks for complimenting the original name. Here's the new chapter!
QueenDiablo: Oh! Helpful review! Thank you! I dunno, Internal Struggle is just so...corny!
Moose: Hopefully this solves the separation problem. If it doesn't I'll have to try something else. Thanks for the compliment!
