Disclaimer: It's the same old story, with added spice to cover the aging lines. (Raven-Alexa: She doesn't receive any profits either, just ignore her flowery language. She's using it just to confuse you all.)
Author Note: It has been months since I last updated this fic, but have no fear; this will not be the last. I finally planned out the plot line and it is firmly rooted into my mind so there is no worries. (RA: Actually, she does worry about the process of getting it from her imagination onto the hard drive, but I don't tell her those kinds of things.) I hope you all enjoy and please do review, it makes an author's day. (RA: She just deleted a rather colourful threat to those who read and don't review, but I reminded her that that was just a wee bit hypocritical. That sentence disappeared faster than alcohol in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.) Oh yes, please tell me in a review or email which of the stories I am currently working on you would like to see updated. Thanks a bunch.
Death…Or Something Like It
Power - Chapter Four
She swallowed thickly around the lump in her throat as she stared blankly at her appearance, bringing her hands up to smooth hair the colour she always desired out of her face. Glimmering violet eyes watched her, glinting with barely controlled emotions. Ever since she was a small child and had been discriminated against for her orangey hair and freckled skin, she had wanted to be different.
At one point she had indeed loved her family and had begun to loose her desire to loose the physical attributes commonly associated with the Weasley family. A sneer tugged at her now darkened lips as her hands clenched into tight fists. At least people would no longer watch her with guarded eyes and whisper scathing rumors, often made up on the spot, as she went by.
A jolt of pain when through her as she thought about the disownment from her family and her lashes began threatening to let salty tears stream down her cheeks when she angrily brushed them away. She might be a failure to her family, but within her deepest soul she knew that she was the wronged one. It had not been her fault.
"It wasn't my fault." She whispered as if solidifying the idea.
She grew cold as her gaze drifted to the locked door on the other side of the room, fury blowing through her. She would not be locked up again for something she had not done, unknown or not. A soft growl erupted from her mouth as she strode towards the heavy oak slab. Her arms were raised before her in an ancient spell casting gesture from when magic wielders scoffed at the idea of using tools to channel their powers and worshiped the Mother Goddess, giving praise where it was due.
Her palms were facing the door and she narrowed her concentration on the wood, feeling strange energy pooling in her abdomen as she focused. A cry of wrath erupted from her as she threw her hands apart, flying to her sides. With that violent gesture, the door was utterly destroyed. Splinters and fragments of once solid oak flew around her in a storm of deep brown, leaving her completely unscathed.
Her eyes flashed momentarily as she surveyed the destruction around her as a sensation of rightness wrapped around her like a favoured cloak. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she gracefully stepped through the shattered door frame, unknown to the multitude of spells that had kept the door from being obliterated or unlocked that were shrieking in the particular wizard who cast them.
Absently she brushed some of her hair away from her face and was slightly surprised to notice the painfully bright red in it had faded so it was mere shades lighter than the beautiful bloody colour that the rest of the locks clung to. The last of her Weasley traits had disappeared leaving her a changed woman. A rich chuckle of laughter rolled down the hallway as she came upon that thought, realizing how very pleased her 'family' would be when they found out.
That is, if she ever got out of there alive. Oh she was going to make them wish they had never broken her trust and hope in them right when she needed it the most. They had sided with their beloved, rising Ministry son, the boy who was rapidly becoming one of the most famous, and wealthy, Ministry officials in the span of recorded history. Dear little Ginevra Weasley, only girl in the family for three generations, accomplished Auror, paled in comparison.
She had always been a little off ever since her encounter with Voldemort, it's only logical that this is her own fault! Dear little R…She shook her head quickly, cutting that train of thought of. It made her blood boil when she stopped upon all the cruel injustices served to her during the two years since she became a literal outcast in the Wizarding World. She wandered absently down the cold hallway; eyes flitting across the fire scorched stone and dark corners.
It was not a place one whished to raise their children, she knew that, but she could not help but feel a sense of familiarity and belonging as she felt the shining granite almost pulsate below as she walked. Somebody grabbed her arm tightly and a hiss of displeasure escaped her, sounding none to dissimilar from that of snake. Disgustingly perfect golden blond hair was the first thing she saw when she turned her head and she roughly ripped herself out of his grip.
"Do not touch me, Malfoy." She snapped.
He scowled at her and took a menacing step closer. "How did you get past those wards?"
"What wards?"
"The ones keeping you from escaping the room, you pathetic mortal."
"Nothing even remotely bothersome was netted around that door. I had no trouble 'escaping' as you charmingly put it, although that makes me sound like a prisoner and trust me, you do not want an irate Weasley…" She trailed off once she realized she had been letting her mouth run free without the careful guidance of her mind; she was not going to go blaring all of her secrets to the world, especially not to Draco Malfoy.
"I think I can handle one measly Weasley."
"While your astounding rhyming skills stun me, I am not a Weasley, at least not any more." One of his brows lifted. "As if I would tell someone like you. You'll just ridicule me, tell me to stop lying and act like the mentally ill girl that I supposedly am." The last part of said more to herself as her eyes drifted down to the floor.
Something strange happened then, the frigid air around the man before me dissipated and he gently brought his hand up to touch my cheek. Instinctively I recoiled, the last time a man touched me in any way but brutal it had been him. He immediately hardened once again and stepped back, several feet separating us.
"It is good that you left the room, the Elders wish to speak with you."
"I am not talking with a bunch of ancient Vampyre bastards who kidnapped me out of a freaking forest and then tried to kill me. I completely refuse to and there is not a bloody thing you can do about it, Ferret."
"You do not have a choice."
"I'll have you…" Pain exploded in her cheek as his fist solidly connected with her flesh and blinding darkness hungrily sucked her conscious state up.
A cottony fuzziness clung to her tongue as she came to, moaning softly. Her head ached fiercely and slowly she pushed herself into a sitting position, coming off of her side. Copper liquid lingered in her mouth and she made a face, turning her head and spitting the blood onto the floor. She wiped the remaining crimson fluid from where it was trickling down her chin.
"Bloody git…He didn't have to punch me so hard." She muttered darkly to herself, feeling rather light headed and decided to remain on the decidedly cold stone.
A throat cleared above her and she slowly lifted her gaze from the muted grays around her, to the group of middle age men sitting on carved throne like chairs on a raised dais.
"Yes?" She barked.
"Do not address…"
"I was knocked out so you could talk to me; do not delude yourself into thinking that I will obey you. None of you are my Lord."
"Vladimir, vergett u niet wie zij is. Het is ons die haar met respect zouden moeten behandelen!" (Vladimir, do not forget who she is. It is us who should be treating her with respect!)
"Zij is sterfelijk." (She is mortal.)
"Aarde Moeder is noch stervelinge noch Vampyre. Dit is juist wat Zij zei, moest shance, is zo discriminerend niet." (Earth Mother is neither mortal nor Vampyre. This is exactly what She said had to change, do not be so discriminatory!)
"You know, I can understand you." She called, surprise laced in her tones. "Just ask me your questions and then sequester me back in that room so I can sleep off this headache."
The one who had reprimanded the man who growled at her slipped from his throne and walked towards her, he appearing to be younger than the rest. She remained in a sitting position, unable to see well past the throbbing webs in front of her eyes. She wanted nothing more than the curl up in the fetal position, cast the strongest pain relieving spell, and pass out.
It had always struck her as strange that there was neither a charm nor potion that could rid a person of a migraine and was especially relevant to her considering hers were so horrible she had to drop everything and lie down. He leaned forward to brush his fingers against her forehead and she reeled away, almost loosing her balance and flopping onto her back.
"Please, do not touch me." She felt as if she should at least have some semblance of respect for him due to his earlier actions.
"As you wish, Lady."
She could not help it. "Lady?"
"Yes, has young Malfoy not explained anything to you yet? He was told to…Ah, it is unimportant. Mother Earth, the Great Goddess, Goddess Kali, Holy Mother, what ever you wish to call Her, favours you."
Her eyes widened slightly before a soft snort of disbelief slipped from her. "And why would She desire me of all creatures? My own kind has forsaken me and I am nothing but fodder for another, utterly worthless in the universe's eyes."
"She sees value in you. Haven't your people taught you that She cares not who you are, low or high, poor or rich, immortal or fly, She will take all that your wrong doings unto Herself? Her eternal purity will never tarnish and She will love Her children long after She has embraced us and sent us to our next life."
"My parents did teach me all of that, all purebloods believe in the Goddess and Her Consort, the Horned God. It goes without spoken that we believe in Her, yet after what I have been accused of, it is hard for me to believe that She would favour me."
He merely smiled at her in a twinkly way that reminded her distinctly of a particularly old, senile wizard and her heart momentarily seized up.
"We cannot decide for ourselves whom She will choose, but be filled with the knowledge that She will never leave you, Lady Weasley."
"I am not a Weasley." The conversation quickly veered to a careening, screeching halt as she looked up at him with icy eyes.
"But Draco…"
"Is an egotistical, chauvinistic bastard. He knows little to nothing factual about my once family, history, and life. The new 'name' I was given is Esther Malady, although I have never thought of myself as an Esther or a malady." Her expression grew distant as the magic the Vampyre was using on her loosened her tongue. "Always thought of myself as a raven…You know, I always wanted my name to Raven-Alexa Fiona Grey..."
"What happened that made your family turn you away?" He asked softly, crouching down so that their eyes were at the same level.
Her face was dreamy as she clasped her hands in her lap. "Mum and Dad were away at a Ministry party, they went to a lot of those once Dad became Minister, and I was watching Esme with Ron. Did I mention that she is Percy's daughter? Penelope died in childbirth, rather tragic…" She began to drift off when he cleared his throat, starting her up again. "I had just put her to bed when I sensed a something behind me, I knew instantly it was Ron and turned around to tell him to bugger off when he pressed me against the wall…" She blinked slowly, intelligence and understanding flooding her countenance. "How dare you use your magic on me? That is the vilest thing a creature can do to another, especially when it is to reveal information as private as that." She rose, rather shakily, to her feet and clenched her hands into fists at her sides.
A distinctly earthy odour began to swirl around her as she focused her gaze on the still kneeling Vampyre Elder. Undiluted rage sloshed through her with all the intensity of ravenous piranhas and an undefined sense of power came with the anger, a malicious smile settling onto her lips. Just as the heavy tingling in her extremities began to grow too much and she was about to set the energy free on the hall, hopefully to utterly destroy it, a sharp command was snarled.
"Stopt u met" (Cease)
"Why?" She growled, violet hues never leaving the one before her. "He intentionally blanketed my mind so its contents could be perused. I demand justice."
"You are not a Vampyre, you hold no power over one of our Elders."
"If what he said was true, then you are incorrect. Technically I should be able to rip his heart out, castrate him, and force him to watch his bits be eaten by a rapacious dragon."
"You will do no such thing, mortal."
She crooked a finger at the Vampyre in front of her and he let out a half gasp of pain as his chest constricted. Dark pleasure began to sparkle in her eyes as she curled the digit closer into her palm, pulling his heart closer against his ribcage.
"I hold no qualms over slaying him."
"Stop and you will be set free."
"Free? What is the point, one of your kind will slay me within the week and there is nothing for me in the outside world. Go ahead, I dare you. Kill me."
"Maybe I will your life is not important in the grand scheme of things. I doubt you have the will or strength to slaughter another creature, you look too…innocent. "
Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she fully retracted the knuckles, the slightly pointy nail pressing against the soft flesh of her palm. The Vampyre choked and several trickles of deep, obsidian blood pooled and flowed from his eyes. The same thick substance trickled from his nose and the corners of his mouth, completely odourless. Her hand rolled into a fist and a shriek of pure agony ripped from him and she watched him with a certain degree of detached sadness hiding in her eyes.
His body began to shake furiously and slumped onto his side, convulsing madly on the unforgiving stone floor. He gave a final twitch before growing still and she turned fiery hues up to the Vampyre, he barely able to contain his horror that the mere chit of a mortal girl had brutally murdered one the strongest and eldest Elder.
"Never again presume things you know nothing about, Vampyre." She spat. "I killed him to prove a point and not to show you that I am worth your respect. You should value all life, regardless of their life span, gender, or kind. It disgusts me that a once prestigious race such as yours could have fallen so low. Innocence is a fleeting thing that is so easily lost that many do not realize it is gone until it is too late. I did not have the choice to give mine up to someone I cared about. No, mine was brutally ripped from me by one of the people I trusted the most." Her clenched hand relaxed and she stood there, raw power rolling from her.
In few words she had revealed why she was so bitter, the reason for her estrangement from the world and the reason she was terrified of any type of physical touch, the need to be completely alone that just barely over rode her desire for intimate, romantic or platonic, contact. As one, the remaining Elders rose from their thrones and knelt before her, silently swearing their eternal allegiance to the trembling maiden fighting to hold in her burning tears.
Review Responses:
SuperHIperChit: Wonderful?
Alcapacien: Hehe, been almost three months since I last updated…Whoopsie…
HpRoXmYnOnExIsTiNtSoX-pats- No dear, you will be spared when the wave of foaming squirrels over takes the earth.
FunnyCatGirl: I'm glad and that quote was really pretty.
Tigoamy: Oh you'll find out what has made our dear Ginevra so angry and bitter. Really, it would make even the most benign of people hateful. (RA: Certainly makes her bitter sometimes, though I didn't tell you that.)
Valentines-hater: Erk, sorry about the long wait…Life got really hectic and horrible. Not like that's an excuse or anything.
Mojo the Rock Chick Munchkin: Hehe, I do too so your secret's safe with me. You might just have to read to find out! (RA: She really wants people to read and review, if you can't tell by her shameless pleas.)
Bleedingheart666: Hehe, luv you too and thanks.
Queen of the Insects: I thought she needed an appearance change, especially when you take in everything that's happened to her. Oh wait, you don't know what's happened to her…You might just have to peruse this chapter to get an idea…Oh blood is what keeps me going in the burning sunlight of the day time.
Dranius: Thanks, they're what I do best.
Charmedone2k5: Hehe, I do seem to confuse people rather often…Ah, guess it is all apart of the gift.
Kristen: Dreadfully sorry about the wait, dear.
Amanda Hughes: Of course I remember you! I remember all of my reviewers, when my memory isn't going into over load (RA: This happens a lot, trust me.)!
Thank you all so much for the reviews, I am extremely pleased. (RA: She continues to deny my existence, even though she knows I'm here…)
Mhh…After long last I have updated. Please review, thanks. (RA: I told you she pleas shamelessly for reviews.)
Your Lord and Master;
Foamy the Squirel