ACT II

"Valeas…Percara haec …"

………

It was the last day of summer, and Ginny couldn't be happier. She had spent the entire holiday with her family, and, with much more interest, Harry. It was bliss, she did not worry about a voice calling her name at night, or fear being taken by those strong arms into a darkness she could not fight. No, Ginny thought of only Harry, and as her family and Harry walked her to the train, they separated from the group for a moment. Ginny smiled, playing with the golden ring hanging on the golden chain around her neck. "Think of it! A secret engagement!"

She twirled out of Harry's arms and smiled at the sunlight around them. "Me! Your future bride! Just think of it!"

Harry stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "I wish it wasn't secret, why are we hiding?"

He bent down to kiss, but Ginny noticed her brothers glancing at them. "Please, Harry, they'll see!"

"So let them see! They aren't blind, they must know about us. Besides, it's an engagement, not a crime!"

Ginny stepped back, looking at Harry with fear in her eyes. Harry's gaze softened. "Ginny, what are you afraid of?"

"Let's not argue…" she said, turning and taking a few steps away from him.

"Let's not argue," he mimicked, following her.-

"Please trust me, you will…" Ginny looked back at him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"I only hope I'll understand in time." Harry pulled Ginny into a hug, "Everything will be alright. I'm working with Fred and George for a few more months, I'll be right there in Hogsmeade. Enjoy your last year, alright?"

Ginny smiled and kissed Harry on the cheek. "I love you, Harry."

"I know you do."

As Ginny walked past Harry and finished her farewells with her family, she could not help but feel as though she was doing something dangerous. She knew Draco had graduated, that he had left Hogwarts. But she had not seen him anywhere, not that she really wanted to, she shivered at the thought of facing him once more. She knew better than to be afraid, but what her mind knew and what her heart believed were two different things. Ginny shivered once more, then shook to completely rid herself of these thoughts. Finding her friends and roommates, she hurried and found a compartment.

………

Ginny spent several pleasant hours talking with her friends, until Luna finally dropped her father's magazine and spoke up. "Did you hear," she asked in an unconcerned voice, "about the problems at the school over the summer?"

The other girls shook their heads, Ginny couldn't move. "What did you hear about Luna?"

"Oh, not much really, but apparently there have been a lot of strange accidents for the past several months. It all started about the time Dean Thomas was hospitalized actually."

There were murmurs of interest from the other three girls in the compartment, but Ginny still couldn't move. Surely, surely Draco wasn't still at the school. But he had been the one to attack Dean. Dean had not regained consciousness since the night after Draco had kidnapped her, but Ginny had heard from his mother that his health was slowly returning. They still didn't know what kind of curse he had been hit with. Ginny shuddered. "What sort of accidents?"

Ginny looked up, why didn't her friend simply dismiss Luna like they usually did? "Oh, missing books from the restricted section of the library, mysterious notes by floo, and I heard that a whole bunch of stuff was stolen from the green houses, and Professor Snape's private stores. That's what really got the news. Professor Snape has loads of dangerous ingredients in his stores."

The girls gasped as a whole, but slowly the gossip turned to the frustrations of potions' classes. Ginny simply sat there, unable to join in. No…he couldn't be there. He just couldn't.

………

That night, Ginny couldn't sleep, so she slipped down to the common room and sat in a chair beside the warm fire. As the comfort of the light and heat lulled her to sleep, Ginny began to play with the ring and the chain around her neck. Then the fireplace crackled more loudly than usual. Ginny looked from her half closed eyes and saw a thin figure step out of the now emerald fire. Her horror rose, only to be muffled by her sleepiness. Then, the figure spoke, and Ginny recognized the voice as soft as velvet. "Did you think that I had left you?"

She looked up at his face. It was her angel, she could see his mask, just as she saw it the first time she saw him. Ginny smiled, and let the hand holding her ring fall to her side. Her angel did not move for a moment, then, with a voice that shook her from her reverie, her reached towards her and snatched the ring and the chain off her neck. "YOUR CHAINS ARE STILL MINE! YOU BELONG TO ME!"

Ginny gasped and sat bolt upright, but he had stepped back through a fire of emeralds. There was a sound of footsteps on the stairs from both dorms. "What's going on?"

"Who's down there? It's past midnight!"

"Ginny!"

Ginny looked up and saw people rushing at her, but before she could explain anything, she fainted.

………

"I came as soon as I got your letter, Professor, what happened to Ginny?"

Harry came bursting into Dumbledore's office, the letter still in his hand. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, looking at an odd device of his. "Oh, Harry, I'm glad you've come. Please, sit down."

"I'd rather stand sir, please, what about Ginny?"

"Ginny seems to have become what she was several months ago at the end of term."

Harry sat down and put his face in his hands. "I never should have left her."

"Harry, you are no longer a student at Hogwarts, nor is it your home. You cannot be here."

"Professor…"

"Please, Harry, don't call me 'Professor', I am no longer your headmaster."

"Dumbledore, then. Dumbledore, what happened to Ginny?"

Dumbledore pushed the small shining device to the side of his desk and looked at Harry. "According to the other girls in her dorm, she was down in the common room all by herself. Then, they heard a voice, a loud angry voice yelling something…they weren't very clear."

"Oh no…Profess…Dumbledore. I know who it was that scared Ginny."

"Do you now, Harry?"

"Yes…I don't know exactly who, but it is the person who haunted her last year. Ginny calls him her angel."

"This angel must be the same one that has been stealing things from around the school and causing general confusion for my staff…"

Harry leaned towards Dumbledore. "I no longer have the Marauder's map, Dumbledore, I can no longer see who is following Ginny."

"That, my dear young man, is because I have hidden it."

"Will you help me find out who this angel is?"

Dumbledore stood up and gave Harry a very serious look, "And that, Harry, I have every intention of doing."

………

Ginny woke up in the hospital wing. She looked around and saw she was alone, but she heard some one breathing quietly near by. Frightened, Ginny got out of her bed and tip toed to the entrance of the hospital wing. There she found Harry, asleep by the door. Terrified of putting him in danger, Ginny walked as quietly as she could past him and then she walked through corridor after corridor until she was at the huge doors that led to the grounds of Hogwarts. Slipping outside, Ginny made her way as silently as she could, to the lake. Sitting on the cool grass next to the water, Ginny began to speak to herself, "You were once the person I completely trusted. All I cared about was seeing you, being with you. You were more than a friend, you were everything, and now look what's happened.

"How I wish things could be how they were! How I wish you were here! Sometimes I believed that it could happen and everything would be fine…but dreaming about it won't make anything happen."

Ginny stood and looked at the school, "I've spent too long crying about you!"

Falling to her knees, Ginny started sobbing, "How I wish, I really wish things could be as they were, but I know I have to let it go! Please forgive me, but I must fight you! I must let go! I can't spend my days remembering and not living! I cannot keep crying! I can not think about all the time I've spent on you!

"Let me say good bye…please let me say good bye…"

Through her sobbing, Ginny heard a voice, the one from her dreams, the one that always brought calm and happiness. Through her tear-blinded eyes, Ginny saw her angel once more, standing across the lake. "My love, you are freezing, you need me to warm you."

Ginny could no longer hold back the passion of her loneliness, "Angel! My angel! You have not left me!"

"No, I have not, even though you denied me."

"Even though I denied you, you are still here!"

Ginny stood up and started walking around the lake, towards her precious angel. He was not a demon, he was her safety. "Ginny, no!"

She could hear Harry running up behind her, but her angel was calling her. "Come to me, my love, come to your angel of magic…"

"Ginny, stop, don't listen to him! Whoever he is, he is no angel!"

Harry had finally caught up to Ginny, and had grabbed her arms. His touch snapped whatever hold was on Ginny and she looked behind her, "Harry!"

Her angel then called out, "The famous Harry Potter! Come, come and see who I really am!"

Harry pushed Ginny behind him and started towards the figure across the lake. Ginny realized her angel was laughing and she remembered. Her angel could kill. "Harry! Harry, no!"

Throwing herself at Harry, she caught him around the chest and held him. "Harry, don't do this, please, let's go back!"

"No! Let him! Let him come!"

Her angel was mocking Harry, taunting him to his death.

Ginny felt herself weakening against Harry, but he would die if he went too close. "No! No, Harry, please, let's go back!"

Harry turned and looked at Ginny, his eyes showing his anger, but once he saw the fear in her eyes, he softened. Ginny begged once more, seeing her angel move his hand into the shadow of his cloak. "Please, Harry, we must go back."

Harry did not smile, but he picked Ginny up and started moving as fast as he could towards the castle. Ginny buried her face in his shoulder as she heard Draco call out, "No! Don't go!"

Draco stepped into the freezing water of the lake as he watched Harry carry Ginny off towards the castle. "Very well, let it be war upon you both."

………

Harry was pacing in Dumbledore's office, Fudge was there as well. Harry spoke curtly as he circled, "We have all been blind, and yet the answer is staring us in the face. It appears there is a way to ensnare our clever friend."

Fudge interrupted, "We're listening!"

Dumbledore held a hand up to silence the impatient Minister. "Go on," he said to Harry.

"We shall play his game, but remember that we hold the ace! For if he thinks he can reach Ginny alone, he is certain to appear."

"We'll be certain there are guards," said Fudge, clapping his hands together.

"We'll be certain they are armed," said Harry, lifting his own wand.

"We will be well prepared," said Dumbledore, and he pulled the Marauder's Map out of nowhere.

Harry spoke with venom as took the map from his old headmaster, "His mask shall fall, his reign over Ginny will end!"

………

Ginny had returned to the hospital wing after that night by the lake. She was completely healthy according to Madame Pomfrey, but Ginny was broken in spirit after hearing Harry's plan. "Harry, I'm frightened…don't make me do this."

Harry reached his hand towards Ginny's, which lay in her lap. "Harry, he scares me, don't put me through this, this whole ordeal!"

Before Harry could touch her, Ginny turned and let her feet hang off the bed. "He'll take me again, he'll keep you away."

She turned back to Harry with tears in her eyes. "He'll part us forever! He won't let me go!"

Harry put a hand on Ginny's cheek, which was wet from her tears. "You said yourself he was nothing but a man, and you know if something doesn't happen he'll haunt us til we're dead."

Ginny stepped onto the cold floor and moved towards a window. "Twisted every way, what answer can I give? Must I risk my life at the chance everything will work out?"

As she stood in the light from streaming in from the window, her voice grew soft, "Can I really betray the man who once inspired my heart? Can I put myself as his bait?"

She looked over her shoulder, but not directly at Harry, "Do I have any choice?"
Harry stood, but Ginny continued, looking back at the cold light of the cloudy day, "He doesn't even think of hurting anyone, he murders all that's pure. I know I can't refuse this plan…and yet…I wish I could."

Ginny pressed her hands on the window, and the cold outside turned her hands white, "Oh God if I agree, what nightmares will be there, in this, this plan of darkness…"

Pushing the window open and feeling the cold against her, Ginny spoke with a voice that revealed her sorrow, "But his voice filled my spirit with a strange sweet sound, that night there was magic everywhere, and with his magic my soul began to soar…and I felt as I'd never been alone, or ever be alone again."

Harry was right behind her now, "What you felt was a dream and nothing more."

Ginny felt Harry's hands on her shoulder and she knew he was kneeling beside her. Pulling her into a warm embrace, Harry spoke softly, "Ginny, Ginny, don't think that I don't care, but every hope for this to end rests with you now…"

Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry and he pulled her closer, the wind blowing around them, as cold as ever.

………

It was the next night that Ginny sat alone in the prefect's study. She was shaking, but not from cold. The room was well lit with warm fires, and she had a candle nearby, so she could pretend she was studying for charms. Harry was positioned under his invisibility cloak right outside the secret entrance. Ginny had sworn her angel would know if he was in the room. So they waited, Harry, with another wizard from the ministry-a portly man who looked like he might could out run a cow if he ever moved. According to Fudge he was the best shot in the ministry, but Harry didn't take his chances, he stood close to the door, ready to say the password if anything appeared on the map he was looking at. All he saw was Ginny.

Ginny was still trying to pretend to read when she heard him, and turning in her seat, she saw him standing in the shadows like before, his mask covering his face, like before, and her heart began to race, like before. "You have come here, hardly knowing the reason why. You know the place you desire is darkness…my darkness. You have passed the point of no return, there's no going back now, not even backward glances past this moment. You've passed the point of 'if' and 'when', there's no use resisting me. You long to join me once again."

Ginny knew her part, and though Harry believed she was only acting, she knew she wasn't. "I have come here, I don't really know why. I know where I wish to be, in the darkness…your darkness. I chose to pass this point of no return. Our magic has now, at last, been cast. One final question though…"

She stood up and walked towards her angel, who seemed frozen in his place. As Ginny drew closer, her passion started bubbling within her, she knew how much she wanted to say these words. "How long must we wait? When will our blood begin to race, the sleeping bud burst into bloom, when the darkness finally consume us?"

Her angel then drew her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. Together they whispered, "Past the point of no return…"

Her angel breathed on her neck, "The final threshold…"

Ginny pulled herself deeper into his arms, "The bridge is crossed…"

"So stand and watch it burn!" He whispered, his lips almost touching Ginny's skin.

Her angel pulled Ginny back from him and looked in her eyes. Ginny put her hands on his face and said softly, "We've passed the point of no return."

Harry could hear some of what was happening in the prefect's study and it was bothering him. Ginny was too good of an actress by his means-far too good.

Her angel smiled softly as Ginny caressed his cheek. "Say you need me with you forever, say the word and I will be with you. Spend each day with me, through night and morning…Ginny, that's all I ask of…"

Ginny pulled off the mask. Harry saw another figure appear. "Draco Malfoy?"

Harry immediately called out the password and saw Draco and Ginny. Draco grabbed Ginny and pulled her through a doorway Harry couldn't see, but using the map, he could follow. He saw Draco pulling Ginny farther and farther down through the castle, and he followed, wand ready.

………

"Down once more the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down to the blackness of my hell!"

Draco was yelling as he pulled Ginny back through the dark pathway to the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny was too stunned to resist completely or cry for help, and when Draco stopped and looked her with pleading eyes, "Why, you ask, did I stay in this cold abysmal place? Not for any mortal sin but because there was no other way to have you!"

Ginny started fighting then. He could not take her, not when Harry was surely following. She had to think of Harry. They were back in the Chamber of Secrets now, and Ginny was fighting exhaustion as well. As she panted, looking at the ground, she heard Draco muttering. She looked up in time to see a flash of light from his wand and feel something strange happening to her. When the light was gone, Ginny looked down and saw she was dressed an elegant white dress-a wedding dress. Fury swelled in Ginny's heart as she looked at Draco, "Have you finished playing now? I am now to be prey to your lust for flesh?"

Draco pulled a veil and Harry's engagement ring off of his desk. "This prejudice that condemns me to hide from everyone is the same prejudice that poisons our love!"

He put the ring on Ginny's finger and spoke softly. "The prejudice took the love from my mother, the mask I wore was not the first. I am not who you thought, I am who I was in shadow! I am your angel!"

Ginny looked away, her face revealing her anger. Draco's voice changed and revealed his own anger, "This regret comes too late for you!"

He put the veil on her head and then roughly turned her face towards him again, "Turn around and face your fate, you'll have nothing for the rest of eternity but me!"

Ginny stepped away from his hand, "I could have forgiven you," she said with out emotion, "I could have forgiven what I knew about you, but I know now that it wasn't you actions that were evil, your soul is where the true distortion lies."

Footsteps echoed in the chamber. Draco's angry face broke into a sadistic smile, "Wait, I think, my love, we have a guest."

Harry stumbled out into the light of Draco's domain, he appeared to have gotten over his shock as he cried, "Ginny!"

"The famous Harry Potter! You have truly made my night."

Harry, still quite far way, was slowly stepping forward, "Free her, Draco, do what you wish to me, but free her!"

Draco looked at Ginny, his smile not fading, "Your lover makes a passionate plea,"

Sitting up on the bed, Ginny shook her head as Harry continued to advance, "Please, Harry, it's useless."

Harry did not stop though, "I love her, Draco, does that mean nothing to you? I love her! Show some compassion!"

"You never showed compassion to me!" spat Draco, stepping in front of the bed to hide Ginny.

"Ginny, Ginny! At least let me see her!" Harry said, stopping where he was, not more than ten meters from the bed.

Draco shrugged and walked to his desk, "Be my guest, Potter."

Ginny saw Draco reach for something on his desk, but did not react fast enough, "Harry!"

There was a flash of light, and Harry was bound and gasping for air. Laughing, Draco held his wand pointed at Harry. "Protect her now! Try your pathetic magic now! Nothing can save you now…except, perhaps… Ginny!"

Draco levitated Harry into the air and then looked at Ginny, "Start a new life with me! Buy his life with your love! Refuse me and I let him die! This is my magic! This is the point of no return!"

Ginny sat on the bed and ripped the veil off her head, "The tears I might have shed, that we could not have been lovers, are cold and turn to tears of hate that we ever met!"

Harry, who some how could still speak cried out, "Ginny, please forgive me, I did it all for you and all for nothing!"

Ginny glared at Draco and spat, "How can you do this, you fallen angel and false friend. One by one I've watched illusions shattered!"

Draco glared back at her, "If you do not choose me I will let him die!"

Harry could not take his eyes off Ginny, "Say you love him and my life is over anyway!"

Draco kept glaring, "Then it doesn't matter either way you choose!"

Harry now looked at Draco, but his strength was failing him, "Either way you choose he has to win…"

Ginny's gaze never left Draco, the tears falling freely now. "Angel…my angel of magic, why this torment? When will you see reason?"

Harry was about to pass out from the pain, but he did manage a few more words, "I fought so hard to free you…"

Draco did not relent, "You passed the point of no return."

Still with Draco's eyes on her, Ginny could not help her anger, "My precious angel of magic, you deceived me. I gave you my mind blindly!"

Raising his wand, and Harry, higher, Draco rolled his eyes, breaking Ginny's hold, "You try my patience. Make. Your. Choice."

There was silence. Then, rising slowly from the blood colored bed, Ginny walked towards Draco and Harry, with the filth of the Chamber of Secrets, their secrets, clinging to the bottom of the beautiful dress. As she stepped, she breathed slowly, knowing her choice would mean everything. She reached out. "You pitiful creature of darkness. What part of your past could drive you to this? God give me courage, but you will not live your life alone anymore."

Reaching up, Ginny pulled Draco's head down to hers and kissed him. Draco slowly brought Harry down from the air to the floor, where he lay, unable to move or speak, but his eyes revealed his horror.

Draco wrapped his arms around Ginny's waste, but her hands never left his face, their lips were still pressed together and it was as though they were never going to part. Then Draco let go, and by grabbing her arms, pulled her off. Both faces were wet, but Ginny had stopped crying. The tears were Draco's. Pointing his wand behind him, Draco let Harry go from his magic. Draco didn't raise his head as he spoke, "Go."

After a desperate moment, Ginny ran to Harry's side, trying help him to his feet. There were footsteps echoing in the chamber. The wizards from the ministry were coming. Their voices could be heard from the distance.

"Down this way!"

"Too long he's mocked us!"

"This phantom of magic will soon be ours!"

"He's somewhere down below!"

Draco walked slowly, towards the bed. He started speaking to Harry, who was still trying to catch his breath. "Go now, take her, forget all of this."

The voices in the distance grew louder. "There is a pathway behind my desk, it will take you to the lake, don't let them find you! Swear to me you'll never tell!"

And the voices grew louder. "Swear you'll never speak again of this angel in hell!"

Ginny and Harry were staring at Draco as he turned and yelled at them, "GO NOW! GO NOW AND LEAVE ME!"

With that, he fell on the bed, and the couple moved quickly to find the door to safety.

On the bed was Ginny's gift—the little jewelry box that sang a soft tune when touched. Draco touched it and listened to the music until he heard a footstep. Sitting up on the bed, he saw Ginny, who appeared rather breathless, standing nearby. Looking at his toy, Draco said softly, "This music was my lullaby…"

Ginny didn't move, she was still breathing deeply. Draco looked back at Ginny, his eyes full of tears. "Ginny, I love you."

Ginny finally moved, but only her feet. She stepped silently towards Draco. As she reached close enough from him to touch her, she pulled her engagement ring off her finger and held it out to him. Draco held out his hand, and Ginny gently placed the ring in it. Then she backed up, and turned, and followed Harry through Draco's secret passageway to the lake. Draco heard their voices drifting back to him. "Promise to share every day with me?"

Ginny's response was soft and sweet. "Every night and morning,"

Harry's was tired and relieved. "Say the word and I will follow you."

Draco's tears fell silently down his face. "You were the only one who could make my spell's have worth."

Standing, pointing his wand at the high ceiling of the chamber, Draco yelled, "IT'S OVER NOW—THE MAGIC OF THE NIGHT!"

The ministry wizards came running into the chamber to see a flash of brilliant light. When it faded, there was nothing left of Draco Malfoy on the bed except for the silver-spelled mask. Dumbledore walked up to the bed and upon seeing the mask, picked it up in his aging hands.

The Phantom of Hogwarts was never seen again.

………

FINI