Chapter 5- The storm
Ginny laid awake in her bed, listening to the sounds of the coming morning.
The birds were singing a happy tune, the sun was creeping through the window, and Hermione was snoring gently on her bed.
For someone so worried, Ginny had slept very well. As if she hadn't slept for weeks. Her head that had been so full last night, was now mercifully empty. Her thoughts were finding excuses for last nights events -Just a coincidence-she thought- or maybe a wrong delivery.
The sound of running water startled her for a moment, but she let herself relax. It was probably Percy in the shower. He had taken the habit of getting up before everyone else, so that the twins wouldn't get to the bathroom before him.
Her thoughts went to the dreams she been having. It seemed that the more strange her dreams would get, the stranger reality would be. So, since tonight she had nothing but normal dreams, reality should be normal to.
For the first time in weeks, she had a normal dream. Not the garden, not the strange darkness, not even a nightmare about the Chamber. Just a normal dream.
The sound of running water stopped, and Ginny got out of the bed, and headed for the bathroom hoping that a shower would clear her mind.
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'I know it was here somewhere!'-said Ron, has he was digging through the practicing Quidditch kit.
Ginny was standing in a clearing, with Hermione, Harry and Ron waiting, with a broomstick on her hand, for Ron to find the self returning snitch.
The boys had come to her room with the kit on their hands, ready to play some Quidditch. And since the girls were the only other players available, they were 'recruited' for a Quidditch practice session.
So there they were, standing in the forest clearing near her house, with broomsticks on their hands, waiting.
'Are you sure you placed the snitch there?'-asked Hermione. She sounded bored. Ginny knew that she would much rather be reading a book, than playing Quidditch.
'Well of course I put the snitch back in here! As a matter of fact, I think that we didn't take it out yet.'-answered Ron looking up from the kit.
'Did you guys use it to play yesterday?'-Ginny asked. She had no will to play Quidditch whatsoever.
'No, we didn't use the kit yet. Actually I thing that the last one to use the snitch was Mr. Weasley. I forgot to ask it back.'-said Harry.
'Well maybe dad forgot it in his robes. Lest go inside and check it
out.'-said Ron hopefully.
The four of them made their way to the Burrow, and looked for Mrs. Weasley, only to find out that Mr. Weasley had taken the same robes for work.
'Ho great! Now we have to play without the snitch!'.- stated Ron. Ginny noticed that he and Harry did not look to happy.
But Ginny could see an idea coming in Hermione's face.
'Hey! Why don't we go meet your father at work, and ask him for the snitch?'-Said Hermione. Ron's and Harry's faces light up with identical wide smiles.
'That's a great idea. We never saw the Ministry of Magic before. Maybe you can give us tour?'-asked Harry.
Ginny and Ron looked at each other. They had been to the Ministry a thousand times already. They knew the place by heart.
It wasn't a visit that they thought would be amusing, but this way the boys would get the snitch, and the girls would stay away from Quidditch for a while. And Ginny could bet that, that was Hermione's intention in the first place.
So they went to the fire place and Ginny took a little Floo powder from the vase, and through it in the fire place.
'The Ministry of magic!'-she said to the green fire as she stepped in the fireplace.
In the Weasleys living room, four handles in the grandfathers clock went to the twelve position. Mortal peril.
*******************************************************
They steep out in to a great marble hall, with a huge fireplace. A guard came to meet them, and as soon as he saw Ron and Ginny, he greeted them and told them that their father was in his office.
They directed themselves to Mr. Weasley office, while explaining the running of the ministry to Harry and Hermione.
'It's a little bit like Hogwarts'-Ron said-'You cannot apparate unless you work here. If someone wants to come here to take care of something, they have to floo.'
At the end of the corridor, they came across a large hall, with two
staircases, in which the steps moved alone.
'Were is your fathers office?'-Hermione asked.
'Its on the second floor. The more important your job is, the higher you get. Fudges office in on the top floor.'-Ginny answered
They took the staircase up, turned left on a bright corridor, and walked all the way down. At the end of the corridor they turned to a door.
Improper use of muggle artifacts office
Ginny knocked, and behind the door came the voice of her father.
'Come in!'
She opened the door and took a peek inside. Her father's office was small. It had two desks, turned against the wall, a big window across the room, and, in some parts, it was full with papers from
the floor to the ceiling.
It was a monument to disorder.
'Hi dad! Are you busy?'-she asked politely.
'Well I'm always busy, but I can spare a minute. Came in!'
Her father, as usual was standing over some strange muggle object, half torn apart. He had his wand in his hand, and it seemed that he was trying to find out charms in the thing.
They steeped in the office, and Mr. Weasley smiled as he saw Harry and Hermione.
'Harry! Hermione! This must be my lucky day!'-as he said that he began to search for something in a box that lay in a corner.
'There is something that came in for investigation last week that has been puzzling us here in the office.'-he said, while digging through the box.
'It was in and old witch house that went to auction. We found that she was collecting muggle artifacts and charming them, so we had to bring them in.'- her father was talking excitedly, as if he couldn't wait to show them what they found.
'And I must admit, that this little object as been difficult to understand! HAHA! Here it his!'
He took a small pink object from the box that looked like a pig. Except that it had a cut on its back, big enough for a galleon.
And for some strange reason Harry and Hermione started to laugh.
'Mr. Weasley, That's a piggy bank!'-Hermione said between laughs.
Her dad stared at in with a dubious look.
'This is a bank? It's a little small to be bank. And were are the
workers?'-he asked staring through the hole.
Hermione sighed and began to explain the purposes of a piggy bank. It seemed to Ginny that the thing was in fact pretty useless. But her father was eagerly listening.
After a very complicated explanation, complicated due to her father's questions of course, her dad suggested a visit through the Ministry, witch Hermione and Harry quickly accepted. Ginny sighed. She already knew the place by heart, but if it would keep her away from Quidditch.
Mr. Weasley walked to the door, and turned the handle. Or he tried to turn the handle.
'This is odd.'-her dad whispered. Ginny had the feeling that that word was appearing in her life to often lately.
Her dad kept trying to turn the handle but it wouldn't budge.
'This is very odd!'-he said, this time more clearly.
'What's wrong dad?'-her brother asked.
Her dad wasn't listening. He took out his wand, and did an alohamora on the lock. It still wouldn't open.
'The door won't open. But the doors aren't supposed to be looked
unless.'-her dad wondered.
'Unless what?'-the four of them asked at the same time.
'Well, unless an attack occurs. It's a precaution from the Goblin rebellions time. Something must have triggered the spell.'
Ginny began to feel that this was not going to be a normal day after all. Her mind immediately jumped to strange dreams she been having. Could there be a connection? No, she thought. She was just being paranoid. She watch as her father light the small fireplace, and threw some powder in toit.
'Cuthbert!?'-he called-' Cuthbert, are you there?'
Cuthbert Mockridge's head appeared in the flames, looking bewildered.
'What the matter Arthur?'-he asked politely.
'My office door won't open. I was wondering if you were in the Wards room.'
'No, I'm not. That is strange. Wait a minute!'
Cuthbert's head disappeared for a moment and then it came back.
'My office door won't open either! Do you think something triggered the wards?'-he asked
'Don't know! Maybe someone's in the ward room! We better ask if anyone else is trapped, or if someone can go upstairs and cheek it out.'-her father reasoned.
Her dad flooed almost every office in the building, and it seemed like everyone was trapped. There was no way to get to the ward room, and open the doors.
He flooed back Mockridge, and now the two of them were trying to find a way to get to the ward room.
Meanwhile, Ron had his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.
'Hey dad!'-he almost shouted.
'Not now Ron I'm thinking!'
'But dad.'-Ron persisted.
'Ron I'm trying to find a way out of here!'
'But dad! I got a way of here!'-
Mr. Weasley looked up at Ron, and then in the direction he was pointing, and Ginny followed his look.
'Good thinking Ron!'-said her dad, as he walked in the direction of an air opening.
He climbed his desk, and with his wand, he took out the protection grid. After one good look at the hole he sighed.
'It's too small for me.'
'Maybe one of us can fit.'-said Harry.
Mr. Weasley looked at the air hole, and then back at them.
'I don't think that you could fit also.'-her dad sighed.
Ginny looked at the hole, and back at her friends. The were all to big for it. Even Harry, how was the smallest of the three. But she was even smaller the him, so maybe she could fit.
'Dad, maybe I can fit!'
She climbed the desk, and stared at the opening. It seemed big enough for her.
'Do you know how to get to the ward room?'-her dad asked.
'Yes, its on the third floor on the left, I mean right.'-she said with just about every bit of determination that she could manage.
'Are you sure you want to do this?'-her dad asked with a concerned look.
'Sure dad! Its not like I'm going to war is it? I'll be fine!'
'Well then, when you get to the room, you'll see a big golden machine. Remember the machine? I showed it to you when you were ten.'
'Yes I remember.'
There is a big lever with a ruby top. Push that lever all the way down, and the doors should open. Do you have you wand with you?'
'Yes dad.'
Her dad gave her a hug that made her go: 'Daaaaaaaad! I'm not going to war you know?!'
He other wished her good luck, and with a little help from her father, she climbed in to the hole.
Not only did she fit, as she had enough space to crawl too.
After a wile she hit a curve that didn't allow her to see her dad anymore.
Hermione was staring out of the window, and in to the muggle London below. Something was going on outside that had catch her attention. The muggles were running frightened, and looking up.
She looked up too, and gasped.
'Mr. Weasley! Mr. Weasley!'-she yelled.
'What is it Hermione?'-he asked, surprised by her shouts.
'Look!'-she said, pointing at the window.
Outside muggles were running and the ground was being covered by a shadow. He looked up and gasped too. Big dark clouds were swirling in the sky, like a huge whirlpool, spreading more and more.
'The wards weren't triggered by accident! This is an attack!'-he whispered. And then he hit himself in the forehead.
'Ginny!'
He ran to the air opening and shouted at the top of his lungs:
'GINNY! GINNY CAME BACK HERE!'
Then he tried every single spell and charm that could bring his daughter back, or in some way expand the hole. Nothing worked.
Ginny was on her one.
*******************************************************
This did not seem like a good idea anymore.
Ginny's knees were starting to hurt from crawling, and now that she was alone, she was starting to feel afraid.
Thoughts like -Stupid Gryffindor bravery!- and- Why did I have to show off?- were jumping in her mind.
And then she came across an unexpected problem. She vent came to an end, and the only way possible now was up.
Well, why didn't she figure this before she got in the stupid vent?
Of course the only way was up. The room was on the third floor!
The thing was, how was she supposed to get up there?
She looked back to were she came from. Going back to dad, and ask for advice was out of the question. She couldn't go all the way back.
She got up on the vent, and looked at the wall. The marble was too smooth to climb. And, as the rest of the ministry it was probably spell prove too.
The silence in the vent was staring to unsettle her. She couldn't even hear her dad anymore.
And then an idea came to her mind. Witches can't fly, but they can levitate. Maybe that was enough.
She pointed her wand to herself and murmured a spell. And slowly she began to levitate. The top was coming closer and closer, but she stopped in mid air just a few fingers below the ledge. She stretched out her arms and barely grabbed the ledge. And with considerable effort she pulled herself up.
After more crawling and levitating, she finally reached the opening that led in to the wards room.
She took a peek inside. There was no one there. She took out her wand and blasted the protection away. After dropping in to the room she checked the door. It was looked like the others.
Then she turned her attention to the machine behind her. It was a huge golden machine, full of knobs, buttons and handles.
The handles were all spinning like mad, and overall, it didn't seem like the machine was working very well. -Someone's going to get fired!- she though.
She located the golden leaver with the ruby top, and push it down.
It seemed for a moment that nothing had happen, but a second later all the doors on the outside corridor open, and she ran out in to the corridor, hoping to find it full of chattering people.
But the corridor was empty.
She looked at the offices in the corridor. They were all empty as well.
Ginny ran through the empty corridor. Were did everyone go?
She checked room after room, but they were all empty. She couldn't help but to fell desperately alone.-Better go meet dad.-she thought. She went down the stairs, but there was no one there either.
After a small run she ended up in front of her dad's office.
'Dad I did it!'-she let out with a bit of pride.
But the office was empty too.
OK, this was not normal.
She looked back at the corridor with a sense of dejá-vu.
Everything empty. A big labyrinth not of mirrors, but of marble walls. Now all she needed was Tom Riddle, for the nightmare to start all over again.
-No! Don't think about him! The last thing I need is for him to show up now!-she tried to calm herself for a moment- Maybe they headed upstairs to Fudge's office.-she said as the window got catch her eye.
She looked outside, at the stormy sky and sighed. It must have started raining while she was in the vent. But it wasn't just rain. It was a whole storm, complete with lighting bolts and everything.
-Well, no more Quidditch today.-she thought. And she made her way upstairs.
The silence inside the building, along with an occasional bright light from a thunder, gave the place a scaring atmosphere.
And then, as if things couldn't get any worse, all the candles went out. There wasn't any light at all, except for the one that came from outside.
'Lumus!'-she said, and the tip of her wand lit up.
Ginny went slowly down the corridor in the direction of the staircase that
led to Fudge's office. Not even a soul was to be seen.
She was now in the Office for Experimental Charms corridor. It was usually a
full office even in the summer, so Ginny took a peek inside.
There were people in there. -Thank goodness!- she thought with relieve.
She walked in, with an expression of relief. The expression quickly turned
to one of disbelieve.
The people she saw inside were standing still. So still that they didn't
even seemed to be breathing.
They looked like colored statues.
She waved a hand in front of fat looking wizard she didn't know, but he
didn't even blink.
She looked around at the room. Everyone was staring at the small wizard the
seemed to be jammed in the air hole. In fact there were two other wizards
pulling his legs.
It was like a moment frozen in time.
She got out of the room and looked in to the other rooms as well.
There were people in a few of them. They all seemed to be caught in time.
Some were walking towards the door; others were trying to get out by the air
holes.
But not a single moving person.
She walked slowly down the corridor in the direction of the staircase that
led in to Fudges office.
The halls looked spooky and scary. If there was at least one person there
with her, she wouldn't feel so lonely. She hated to be alone. Her
imagination would jump at every strange sound, at every dancing shadow.
But just as she reached the foot of the stairs, something behind her was moving.
She could hear footsteps, and someone talking. With a racing heart she
walked in the direction of the sound.
Could it be her father?
The sound came from the bottom of the stairs, on the other side of the
corridor. She took a peek down the stairs, hoping to see who it was.
Her heart nearly stopped.
Down the stairs were six cloaked figures, walking and talking low amongst
themselves. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but then again, she
didn't want to find out.
Closed doors! Time stooping! Cloaked figures! It all added up in her mind to
one conclusion.
Death Eaters!
This is an attack!-her mind screamed-And I'm in the middle of it!
Her mind raced for an exit out of that corridor. She could go in to one of
those vents. But removing the grid would make some noise, and she didn't
want to be found. There was no way out from the corridor but into one of the rooms, or up.
Not feeling like hiding, she chose to run upstairs. Maybe there was a way
out in the Ministers office.
She ran as fast as she could run without making a noise.
She ran upstairs, and down the hall, trying to listen to any sounds behind
her.
The hall led to, not doors, but a directly in to large circular room, made
of marble.
Fudges office!
But just as Ginny approached the large entrance, she noticed that some
sounds were coming from the office too.
Laughter!
Still running, she saw one figure frozen behind a desk. And another figure
walking in front of it, with a wand in hand. A young man with black hair.
At the sound of her footsteps the man turned around, to see who was coming,
and his mouth opened in a surprised smile.
Ginny stooped running so abruptly, that she slide on the floor a few inches.
She couldn't believe what she what she was seeing! It couldn't be real!
Tom Riddle was smiling at her!
She stood there in the hall not knowing what to think.
Was she dreaming? Was this a joke? This surely couldn't be reality! Tom
Riddle was dead! But then again, how many times had she told herself that,
the past few weeks. All the things that were happening to her, involved Tom.
And now he was standing in front of her, smiling and everything.
His eyes were locked with hers for what seemed like an eternity. Her head
was feeling empty, and he was looking pleasantly surprised at her.
Then he raised his eyes at something behind her, and nodded his head in her
direction.
She suddenly felt panic. She had completely forgotten the Death Eaters
downstairs.
She had no time to react. Before she could turn around, a pair of strong
hands grabbed her by the arms and dragged her inside the office.
Ginny looked up, trying to see who was grabbing her, but a mask made of
mirror was covering her abductors face. She could only see her own
reflection.
One by one, every Death Eater entered the room. Tom walked up to Ginny,
and grabbed her chin, turning his smile in to an evil grin.
'I didn't expect to see you here! This must be my lucky day...'-he said as
his face came closer to hers.
'If you'll excuse me, I have other things to take care of, before you.'-he
said has he turned his attention to Fudge.
He waved his wand and pronounced some words that Ginny didn't understand.
All the lights went back up, and it seemed that time had resumed itself.
Fudge was still quiet in his chair, but his eyes were moving while reading
the papers in front of him. He seemed totally indifferent to the cloaked
crowd in his office.
None of the Death Eaters were making noise. The room remained totally
silent, as if they were waiting for something to happen.
'Good afternoon.'-Tom let out, in a most amused voice.
Fudge immediately looked up, and with a small shout, back away from his desk
so fast, that he fell from his chair.
All the Death Eaters roared with laughter.
Ginny watched as Tom steeped closer to Fudge, and has Fudge back away from
him, and tried to get up. But a Death Eater came from behind him and forced
him on his knees.
Fudge looked just like what Ginny was feeling. Absolutely terrified.
'I have a message from Lord Voldemort. He would like to thank you for being
so stupid, and allowing him to come back to power.'-he said in a still in an
amused voice.
The sound of hurried footsteps came from the corridor. The Death Eater
holding Ginny turned around, and she was able to see who was coming.
Her father, along with her brother Percy and a lot of other people that
looked like the Ministries Aurous, were running down the hall.
'Dad!'-she couldn't help screaming.
At the sound of her voice her father began to run even faster.
For one moment Ginny heart jumped at the prospect of being saved. But before
she could be happy at the idea, Tom waved his wand and bright light shot
from his wand, completely covering the entrance to the office.
Then he turned his attention back at Fudge.
Outside, her father and the aurous were shooting spells at the barrier. But
inside the office, all the Death Eaters were ignoring them, and had their
attention on their master.
As the Death Eater holding Ginny turned his attention on Tom, Ginny could no
longer see what was going on outside.
'I have something for you, from my master.'-Tom said lazily.
'Oh yes!? And what might that be?'-Fudge respond, with a little more courage
that Ginny thought he was feeling.
'Death!'-Tom replied raising his eyebrows, as if the answer was obvious.
Ginny froze as Tom raised his wand and whispered 'Avadra Kedrava'.
She saw a jet of green light, and Fudges body on the floor.
Another Death Eater came near Tom and took what looked like an old bluger
from his pocket. Tom touched it with his wand, and the bluger stated to
glow.
The Death Eater droop it, and the ball of light stood in the middle of the
air. A few seconds later, a dark light came from it, as if a whirlpool was
forming in mid air. When the light reached the height of a man, it
stabilized.
'Bring her!'-Tom ordered to the Death Eater holding her. Then he past by the
light and disappeared.
She immediately thought of fighting the person who was holding her, but the
image of Fudges death was still on her head, and she was to scared to do
anything.
The Death Eater dragged her in the direction of the light, which Ginny was
now assuming was a portal. She could hear her father and brother's voice
behind her.
They stepped in to the dark light, and suddenly she couldn't see anything.
She could feel the world spinning around her, and it seemed for a moment
that she was traveling by floo powder. But everything was spinning to fast,
and it was to dark.
She was feeling very dizzy, and slowly felt herself slip in to
unconsciousness.
******************************************************* First of all I would like to thanks everyone who reviewed. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Second I would like to apologize for this taken so long, but I'm a college student and I'm flooded with work. The name I chose for Ginny bird is Caelum by midnight lover, but I'm giving five points to anyone who suggested a name! To bad no one guessed were Voldie was going to attack.
Anyone who would like to see a drawing I made for Ginny and Tom, (what Ginny sees in the mirror, in chapter 2), please go to:
- rWlAZoewQCz5oXEATnTlpHMB2xwIMhdXjq2Fc9C3QAInIgGnXY6pD36vJHzngOMAGZIuYA01hJE/ Fan%20Art/Ginny%20and%20Tom.gif
And if you would like to see Voldemorts mirror go here:
- wayXYvSyuAVCJJCvml4DXyw4JtsTuniFvrb7cZsMWmSZpa- EERNxciJWo0ObsOkX2Ivi8AeNSkw/Fan%20Art/Fanart1.gif
And finally I would like to ask everyone who likes my fics, to vote for them at Harry Potter fanfiction.com:
And last but not leats, I would like to thank my two Beta Readers Princess Rachel and Patricia van Nispen.
Please review. Hugs and kisses for everyone!!!!
Ginny laid awake in her bed, listening to the sounds of the coming morning.
The birds were singing a happy tune, the sun was creeping through the window, and Hermione was snoring gently on her bed.
For someone so worried, Ginny had slept very well. As if she hadn't slept for weeks. Her head that had been so full last night, was now mercifully empty. Her thoughts were finding excuses for last nights events -Just a coincidence-she thought- or maybe a wrong delivery.
The sound of running water startled her for a moment, but she let herself relax. It was probably Percy in the shower. He had taken the habit of getting up before everyone else, so that the twins wouldn't get to the bathroom before him.
Her thoughts went to the dreams she been having. It seemed that the more strange her dreams would get, the stranger reality would be. So, since tonight she had nothing but normal dreams, reality should be normal to.
For the first time in weeks, she had a normal dream. Not the garden, not the strange darkness, not even a nightmare about the Chamber. Just a normal dream.
The sound of running water stopped, and Ginny got out of the bed, and headed for the bathroom hoping that a shower would clear her mind.
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'I know it was here somewhere!'-said Ron, has he was digging through the practicing Quidditch kit.
Ginny was standing in a clearing, with Hermione, Harry and Ron waiting, with a broomstick on her hand, for Ron to find the self returning snitch.
The boys had come to her room with the kit on their hands, ready to play some Quidditch. And since the girls were the only other players available, they were 'recruited' for a Quidditch practice session.
So there they were, standing in the forest clearing near her house, with broomsticks on their hands, waiting.
'Are you sure you placed the snitch there?'-asked Hermione. She sounded bored. Ginny knew that she would much rather be reading a book, than playing Quidditch.
'Well of course I put the snitch back in here! As a matter of fact, I think that we didn't take it out yet.'-answered Ron looking up from the kit.
'Did you guys use it to play yesterday?'-Ginny asked. She had no will to play Quidditch whatsoever.
'No, we didn't use the kit yet. Actually I thing that the last one to use the snitch was Mr. Weasley. I forgot to ask it back.'-said Harry.
'Well maybe dad forgot it in his robes. Lest go inside and check it
out.'-said Ron hopefully.
The four of them made their way to the Burrow, and looked for Mrs. Weasley, only to find out that Mr. Weasley had taken the same robes for work.
'Ho great! Now we have to play without the snitch!'.- stated Ron. Ginny noticed that he and Harry did not look to happy.
But Ginny could see an idea coming in Hermione's face.
'Hey! Why don't we go meet your father at work, and ask him for the snitch?'-Said Hermione. Ron's and Harry's faces light up with identical wide smiles.
'That's a great idea. We never saw the Ministry of Magic before. Maybe you can give us tour?'-asked Harry.
Ginny and Ron looked at each other. They had been to the Ministry a thousand times already. They knew the place by heart.
It wasn't a visit that they thought would be amusing, but this way the boys would get the snitch, and the girls would stay away from Quidditch for a while. And Ginny could bet that, that was Hermione's intention in the first place.
So they went to the fire place and Ginny took a little Floo powder from the vase, and through it in the fire place.
'The Ministry of magic!'-she said to the green fire as she stepped in the fireplace.
In the Weasleys living room, four handles in the grandfathers clock went to the twelve position. Mortal peril.
*******************************************************
They steep out in to a great marble hall, with a huge fireplace. A guard came to meet them, and as soon as he saw Ron and Ginny, he greeted them and told them that their father was in his office.
They directed themselves to Mr. Weasley office, while explaining the running of the ministry to Harry and Hermione.
'It's a little bit like Hogwarts'-Ron said-'You cannot apparate unless you work here. If someone wants to come here to take care of something, they have to floo.'
At the end of the corridor, they came across a large hall, with two
staircases, in which the steps moved alone.
'Were is your fathers office?'-Hermione asked.
'Its on the second floor. The more important your job is, the higher you get. Fudges office in on the top floor.'-Ginny answered
They took the staircase up, turned left on a bright corridor, and walked all the way down. At the end of the corridor they turned to a door.
Improper use of muggle artifacts office
Ginny knocked, and behind the door came the voice of her father.
'Come in!'
She opened the door and took a peek inside. Her father's office was small. It had two desks, turned against the wall, a big window across the room, and, in some parts, it was full with papers from
the floor to the ceiling.
It was a monument to disorder.
'Hi dad! Are you busy?'-she asked politely.
'Well I'm always busy, but I can spare a minute. Came in!'
Her father, as usual was standing over some strange muggle object, half torn apart. He had his wand in his hand, and it seemed that he was trying to find out charms in the thing.
They steeped in the office, and Mr. Weasley smiled as he saw Harry and Hermione.
'Harry! Hermione! This must be my lucky day!'-as he said that he began to search for something in a box that lay in a corner.
'There is something that came in for investigation last week that has been puzzling us here in the office.'-he said, while digging through the box.
'It was in and old witch house that went to auction. We found that she was collecting muggle artifacts and charming them, so we had to bring them in.'- her father was talking excitedly, as if he couldn't wait to show them what they found.
'And I must admit, that this little object as been difficult to understand! HAHA! Here it his!'
He took a small pink object from the box that looked like a pig. Except that it had a cut on its back, big enough for a galleon.
And for some strange reason Harry and Hermione started to laugh.
'Mr. Weasley, That's a piggy bank!'-Hermione said between laughs.
Her dad stared at in with a dubious look.
'This is a bank? It's a little small to be bank. And were are the
workers?'-he asked staring through the hole.
Hermione sighed and began to explain the purposes of a piggy bank. It seemed to Ginny that the thing was in fact pretty useless. But her father was eagerly listening.
After a very complicated explanation, complicated due to her father's questions of course, her dad suggested a visit through the Ministry, witch Hermione and Harry quickly accepted. Ginny sighed. She already knew the place by heart, but if it would keep her away from Quidditch.
Mr. Weasley walked to the door, and turned the handle. Or he tried to turn the handle.
'This is odd.'-her dad whispered. Ginny had the feeling that that word was appearing in her life to often lately.
Her dad kept trying to turn the handle but it wouldn't budge.
'This is very odd!'-he said, this time more clearly.
'What's wrong dad?'-her brother asked.
Her dad wasn't listening. He took out his wand, and did an alohamora on the lock. It still wouldn't open.
'The door won't open. But the doors aren't supposed to be looked
unless.'-her dad wondered.
'Unless what?'-the four of them asked at the same time.
'Well, unless an attack occurs. It's a precaution from the Goblin rebellions time. Something must have triggered the spell.'
Ginny began to feel that this was not going to be a normal day after all. Her mind immediately jumped to strange dreams she been having. Could there be a connection? No, she thought. She was just being paranoid. She watch as her father light the small fireplace, and threw some powder in toit.
'Cuthbert!?'-he called-' Cuthbert, are you there?'
Cuthbert Mockridge's head appeared in the flames, looking bewildered.
'What the matter Arthur?'-he asked politely.
'My office door won't open. I was wondering if you were in the Wards room.'
'No, I'm not. That is strange. Wait a minute!'
Cuthbert's head disappeared for a moment and then it came back.
'My office door won't open either! Do you think something triggered the wards?'-he asked
'Don't know! Maybe someone's in the ward room! We better ask if anyone else is trapped, or if someone can go upstairs and cheek it out.'-her father reasoned.
Her dad flooed almost every office in the building, and it seemed like everyone was trapped. There was no way to get to the ward room, and open the doors.
He flooed back Mockridge, and now the two of them were trying to find a way to get to the ward room.
Meanwhile, Ron had his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.
'Hey dad!'-he almost shouted.
'Not now Ron I'm thinking!'
'But dad.'-Ron persisted.
'Ron I'm trying to find a way out of here!'
'But dad! I got a way of here!'-
Mr. Weasley looked up at Ron, and then in the direction he was pointing, and Ginny followed his look.
'Good thinking Ron!'-said her dad, as he walked in the direction of an air opening.
He climbed his desk, and with his wand, he took out the protection grid. After one good look at the hole he sighed.
'It's too small for me.'
'Maybe one of us can fit.'-said Harry.
Mr. Weasley looked at the air hole, and then back at them.
'I don't think that you could fit also.'-her dad sighed.
Ginny looked at the hole, and back at her friends. The were all to big for it. Even Harry, how was the smallest of the three. But she was even smaller the him, so maybe she could fit.
'Dad, maybe I can fit!'
She climbed the desk, and stared at the opening. It seemed big enough for her.
'Do you know how to get to the ward room?'-her dad asked.
'Yes, its on the third floor on the left, I mean right.'-she said with just about every bit of determination that she could manage.
'Are you sure you want to do this?'-her dad asked with a concerned look.
'Sure dad! Its not like I'm going to war is it? I'll be fine!'
'Well then, when you get to the room, you'll see a big golden machine. Remember the machine? I showed it to you when you were ten.'
'Yes I remember.'
There is a big lever with a ruby top. Push that lever all the way down, and the doors should open. Do you have you wand with you?'
'Yes dad.'
Her dad gave her a hug that made her go: 'Daaaaaaaad! I'm not going to war you know?!'
He other wished her good luck, and with a little help from her father, she climbed in to the hole.
Not only did she fit, as she had enough space to crawl too.
After a wile she hit a curve that didn't allow her to see her dad anymore.
Hermione was staring out of the window, and in to the muggle London below. Something was going on outside that had catch her attention. The muggles were running frightened, and looking up.
She looked up too, and gasped.
'Mr. Weasley! Mr. Weasley!'-she yelled.
'What is it Hermione?'-he asked, surprised by her shouts.
'Look!'-she said, pointing at the window.
Outside muggles were running and the ground was being covered by a shadow. He looked up and gasped too. Big dark clouds were swirling in the sky, like a huge whirlpool, spreading more and more.
'The wards weren't triggered by accident! This is an attack!'-he whispered. And then he hit himself in the forehead.
'Ginny!'
He ran to the air opening and shouted at the top of his lungs:
'GINNY! GINNY CAME BACK HERE!'
Then he tried every single spell and charm that could bring his daughter back, or in some way expand the hole. Nothing worked.
Ginny was on her one.
*******************************************************
This did not seem like a good idea anymore.
Ginny's knees were starting to hurt from crawling, and now that she was alone, she was starting to feel afraid.
Thoughts like -Stupid Gryffindor bravery!- and- Why did I have to show off?- were jumping in her mind.
And then she came across an unexpected problem. She vent came to an end, and the only way possible now was up.
Well, why didn't she figure this before she got in the stupid vent?
Of course the only way was up. The room was on the third floor!
The thing was, how was she supposed to get up there?
She looked back to were she came from. Going back to dad, and ask for advice was out of the question. She couldn't go all the way back.
She got up on the vent, and looked at the wall. The marble was too smooth to climb. And, as the rest of the ministry it was probably spell prove too.
The silence in the vent was staring to unsettle her. She couldn't even hear her dad anymore.
And then an idea came to her mind. Witches can't fly, but they can levitate. Maybe that was enough.
She pointed her wand to herself and murmured a spell. And slowly she began to levitate. The top was coming closer and closer, but she stopped in mid air just a few fingers below the ledge. She stretched out her arms and barely grabbed the ledge. And with considerable effort she pulled herself up.
After more crawling and levitating, she finally reached the opening that led in to the wards room.
She took a peek inside. There was no one there. She took out her wand and blasted the protection away. After dropping in to the room she checked the door. It was looked like the others.
Then she turned her attention to the machine behind her. It was a huge golden machine, full of knobs, buttons and handles.
The handles were all spinning like mad, and overall, it didn't seem like the machine was working very well. -Someone's going to get fired!- she though.
She located the golden leaver with the ruby top, and push it down.
It seemed for a moment that nothing had happen, but a second later all the doors on the outside corridor open, and she ran out in to the corridor, hoping to find it full of chattering people.
But the corridor was empty.
She looked at the offices in the corridor. They were all empty as well.
Ginny ran through the empty corridor. Were did everyone go?
She checked room after room, but they were all empty. She couldn't help but to fell desperately alone.-Better go meet dad.-she thought. She went down the stairs, but there was no one there either.
After a small run she ended up in front of her dad's office.
'Dad I did it!'-she let out with a bit of pride.
But the office was empty too.
OK, this was not normal.
She looked back at the corridor with a sense of dejá-vu.
Everything empty. A big labyrinth not of mirrors, but of marble walls. Now all she needed was Tom Riddle, for the nightmare to start all over again.
-No! Don't think about him! The last thing I need is for him to show up now!-she tried to calm herself for a moment- Maybe they headed upstairs to Fudge's office.-she said as the window got catch her eye.
She looked outside, at the stormy sky and sighed. It must have started raining while she was in the vent. But it wasn't just rain. It was a whole storm, complete with lighting bolts and everything.
-Well, no more Quidditch today.-she thought. And she made her way upstairs.
The silence inside the building, along with an occasional bright light from a thunder, gave the place a scaring atmosphere.
And then, as if things couldn't get any worse, all the candles went out. There wasn't any light at all, except for the one that came from outside.
'Lumus!'-she said, and the tip of her wand lit up.
Ginny went slowly down the corridor in the direction of the staircase that
led to Fudge's office. Not even a soul was to be seen.
She was now in the Office for Experimental Charms corridor. It was usually a
full office even in the summer, so Ginny took a peek inside.
There were people in there. -Thank goodness!- she thought with relieve.
She walked in, with an expression of relief. The expression quickly turned
to one of disbelieve.
The people she saw inside were standing still. So still that they didn't
even seemed to be breathing.
They looked like colored statues.
She waved a hand in front of fat looking wizard she didn't know, but he
didn't even blink.
She looked around at the room. Everyone was staring at the small wizard the
seemed to be jammed in the air hole. In fact there were two other wizards
pulling his legs.
It was like a moment frozen in time.
She got out of the room and looked in to the other rooms as well.
There were people in a few of them. They all seemed to be caught in time.
Some were walking towards the door; others were trying to get out by the air
holes.
But not a single moving person.
She walked slowly down the corridor in the direction of the staircase that
led in to Fudges office.
The halls looked spooky and scary. If there was at least one person there
with her, she wouldn't feel so lonely. She hated to be alone. Her
imagination would jump at every strange sound, at every dancing shadow.
But just as she reached the foot of the stairs, something behind her was moving.
She could hear footsteps, and someone talking. With a racing heart she
walked in the direction of the sound.
Could it be her father?
The sound came from the bottom of the stairs, on the other side of the
corridor. She took a peek down the stairs, hoping to see who it was.
Her heart nearly stopped.
Down the stairs were six cloaked figures, walking and talking low amongst
themselves. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but then again, she
didn't want to find out.
Closed doors! Time stooping! Cloaked figures! It all added up in her mind to
one conclusion.
Death Eaters!
This is an attack!-her mind screamed-And I'm in the middle of it!
Her mind raced for an exit out of that corridor. She could go in to one of
those vents. But removing the grid would make some noise, and she didn't
want to be found. There was no way out from the corridor but into one of the rooms, or up.
Not feeling like hiding, she chose to run upstairs. Maybe there was a way
out in the Ministers office.
She ran as fast as she could run without making a noise.
She ran upstairs, and down the hall, trying to listen to any sounds behind
her.
The hall led to, not doors, but a directly in to large circular room, made
of marble.
Fudges office!
But just as Ginny approached the large entrance, she noticed that some
sounds were coming from the office too.
Laughter!
Still running, she saw one figure frozen behind a desk. And another figure
walking in front of it, with a wand in hand. A young man with black hair.
At the sound of her footsteps the man turned around, to see who was coming,
and his mouth opened in a surprised smile.
Ginny stooped running so abruptly, that she slide on the floor a few inches.
She couldn't believe what she what she was seeing! It couldn't be real!
Tom Riddle was smiling at her!
She stood there in the hall not knowing what to think.
Was she dreaming? Was this a joke? This surely couldn't be reality! Tom
Riddle was dead! But then again, how many times had she told herself that,
the past few weeks. All the things that were happening to her, involved Tom.
And now he was standing in front of her, smiling and everything.
His eyes were locked with hers for what seemed like an eternity. Her head
was feeling empty, and he was looking pleasantly surprised at her.
Then he raised his eyes at something behind her, and nodded his head in her
direction.
She suddenly felt panic. She had completely forgotten the Death Eaters
downstairs.
She had no time to react. Before she could turn around, a pair of strong
hands grabbed her by the arms and dragged her inside the office.
Ginny looked up, trying to see who was grabbing her, but a mask made of
mirror was covering her abductors face. She could only see her own
reflection.
One by one, every Death Eater entered the room. Tom walked up to Ginny,
and grabbed her chin, turning his smile in to an evil grin.
'I didn't expect to see you here! This must be my lucky day...'-he said as
his face came closer to hers.
'If you'll excuse me, I have other things to take care of, before you.'-he
said has he turned his attention to Fudge.
He waved his wand and pronounced some words that Ginny didn't understand.
All the lights went back up, and it seemed that time had resumed itself.
Fudge was still quiet in his chair, but his eyes were moving while reading
the papers in front of him. He seemed totally indifferent to the cloaked
crowd in his office.
None of the Death Eaters were making noise. The room remained totally
silent, as if they were waiting for something to happen.
'Good afternoon.'-Tom let out, in a most amused voice.
Fudge immediately looked up, and with a small shout, back away from his desk
so fast, that he fell from his chair.
All the Death Eaters roared with laughter.
Ginny watched as Tom steeped closer to Fudge, and has Fudge back away from
him, and tried to get up. But a Death Eater came from behind him and forced
him on his knees.
Fudge looked just like what Ginny was feeling. Absolutely terrified.
'I have a message from Lord Voldemort. He would like to thank you for being
so stupid, and allowing him to come back to power.'-he said in a still in an
amused voice.
The sound of hurried footsteps came from the corridor. The Death Eater
holding Ginny turned around, and she was able to see who was coming.
Her father, along with her brother Percy and a lot of other people that
looked like the Ministries Aurous, were running down the hall.
'Dad!'-she couldn't help screaming.
At the sound of her voice her father began to run even faster.
For one moment Ginny heart jumped at the prospect of being saved. But before
she could be happy at the idea, Tom waved his wand and bright light shot
from his wand, completely covering the entrance to the office.
Then he turned his attention back at Fudge.
Outside, her father and the aurous were shooting spells at the barrier. But
inside the office, all the Death Eaters were ignoring them, and had their
attention on their master.
As the Death Eater holding Ginny turned his attention on Tom, Ginny could no
longer see what was going on outside.
'I have something for you, from my master.'-Tom said lazily.
'Oh yes!? And what might that be?'-Fudge respond, with a little more courage
that Ginny thought he was feeling.
'Death!'-Tom replied raising his eyebrows, as if the answer was obvious.
Ginny froze as Tom raised his wand and whispered 'Avadra Kedrava'.
She saw a jet of green light, and Fudges body on the floor.
Another Death Eater came near Tom and took what looked like an old bluger
from his pocket. Tom touched it with his wand, and the bluger stated to
glow.
The Death Eater droop it, and the ball of light stood in the middle of the
air. A few seconds later, a dark light came from it, as if a whirlpool was
forming in mid air. When the light reached the height of a man, it
stabilized.
'Bring her!'-Tom ordered to the Death Eater holding her. Then he past by the
light and disappeared.
She immediately thought of fighting the person who was holding her, but the
image of Fudges death was still on her head, and she was to scared to do
anything.
The Death Eater dragged her in the direction of the light, which Ginny was
now assuming was a portal. She could hear her father and brother's voice
behind her.
They stepped in to the dark light, and suddenly she couldn't see anything.
She could feel the world spinning around her, and it seemed for a moment
that she was traveling by floo powder. But everything was spinning to fast,
and it was to dark.
She was feeling very dizzy, and slowly felt herself slip in to
unconsciousness.
******************************************************* First of all I would like to thanks everyone who reviewed. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Second I would like to apologize for this taken so long, but I'm a college student and I'm flooded with work. The name I chose for Ginny bird is Caelum by midnight lover, but I'm giving five points to anyone who suggested a name! To bad no one guessed were Voldie was going to attack.
Anyone who would like to see a drawing I made for Ginny and Tom, (what Ginny sees in the mirror, in chapter 2), please go to:
- rWlAZoewQCz5oXEATnTlpHMB2xwIMhdXjq2Fc9C3QAInIgGnXY6pD36vJHzngOMAGZIuYA01hJE/ Fan%20Art/Ginny%20and%20Tom.gif
And if you would like to see Voldemorts mirror go here:
- wayXYvSyuAVCJJCvml4DXyw4JtsTuniFvrb7cZsMWmSZpa- EERNxciJWo0ObsOkX2Ivi8AeNSkw/Fan%20Art/Fanart1.gif
And finally I would like to ask everyone who likes my fics, to vote for them at Harry Potter fanfiction.com:
And last but not leats, I would like to thank my two Beta Readers Princess Rachel and Patricia van Nispen.
Please review. Hugs and kisses for everyone!!!!