Hey Everyone,
Sorry for the very long delay in chapters. I've been so busy over the last year the story completely slipped my mind, then I went through writers block, but after three term papers due within a two week period and persistent questioning on when my next chapter would come out, I've decided to get back onto task. This will be a shorter teaser chapter, since I should be concentrating on finals next week, and since I left the background notes for this story at home and didn't bring them with me to school. I'll try to follow along with the story line as much as I can remember I wanted it, if for some reason I mess something up, just let me know. Thanks a lot, I look forward to the reviews!!!
~Kandimoon
Chapter 16
"To rid ourselves of our shadows-who we are-we must step into either total light or total darkness."
~Jeremy Preston Johnson
"Power, complete and absolute power, comes not from followers or how many people one can kill or manipulate, but from a spark deep within one's core at the moment that they let go of emotion and concentrate on their task. Let your mind go blank, do not think, do not feel, forget, forget everyone and everything that has happened in your past, they no longer matter. Close your eyes, tell me what you see," the voice hissed from across the room.
"I see Water and Air, tied to two poles in the middle of a great fire." The Dark Goddess exclaimed with an evil toothy grin.
"And Earth?" He asked patiently.
"Why she is with you, my lord. I see her green cloak thrown to the floor in surrender, her pendant torn from her neck haphazardly, she begs for you to have mercy."
Voldemort smiled delightfully; the side of Light would never stand a chance with the Goddess Fire on his side. She would be their ultimate downfall. It was nearing the holiday season, he has kept his followers in low profile, giving the Headmaster time to plan his counterattack, and giving himself time to train and teach the young witch how to fine tune her powers. She was as intelligent as she was stunning, with the power to start fire with only a simple thought, to read and invade the minds of anyone within a twenty foot diameter, and the ability to do magic without her wand, and sometimes without her ritual staff. He glanced over at her small frame now, dressed in a velvet black and red dress fit for a dark enchantress, hair a riot of red curls, skin as pale as a vampire; she was perfect, dark and beautiful, his younger self from the diary did well by choosing her as his target, for in truth if he was a young man again he would court her for himself. But she was no longer meant to be his, she was the soul mate of the very being that she would have to destroy, Fire and Water are drawn between hatred and love, it almost pained him to force her to kill him, but there was no other choice, he abandoned his duties to his family and to Him, he could not live without penance for his crime.
She was in a deep trance, her body felt like it was miles away as she extended her mind as far as possible. She felt herself gliding through the air, rushing by mountain, stream, and clouds far away from the deep confines of the Dark Lord's home. The rush was starting to lighten up as she came to a sudden stop at her cliffs. It has been weeks since she's been able to see the beautiful contrast of sky and water and earth. It was magnificent; so much so it almost made her feel again, almost made her mortal again.
"It's magical isn't it? How you can come back here and everything makes sense, like nothing's changed…" A quiet voice called from behind her. Ginny turned around slowly; ready to destroy any intruder that could be the enemy, she must always be prepared.
"You could never understand." She replied to the voice of her once best friend, Hermione Granger, dressed as the Goddess she was in a green silk medieval dress, half hidden in the shadows of the trees beside her.
"You're not evil, you were never meant to be, how can you join the dark after fighting so hard against it?"
"I was betrayed, I seek revenge, to do so I must have power, the Dark one has taught me well."
"Who betrayed you?"
"My best friend, and my lover, my soul. You told me to turn him to the side of light, you promised I could do it, but I couldn't, he killed my brother, he killed your parents, Hermione! He must be punished, and the Dark Lord can help me do so, he has shown me my true path in life, to become the Goddess that my ancestor was, to become immortal."
"Yes, I know he killed my family, but I can forgive him, I still have hope, he was never completely evil Virginia! He was torn between his parents, he struggled to please both, but it became his undoing, he has suffered too, for me that is penance enough."
"He will die."
"No Ginny, he will not be the one to die, not by your hand anyway. I can end this all right now, I can destroy the both of you."
"You do not have the heart."
"No, but sometimes we have to put our emotions behind us to do what's right for others, I could give up my life, I can destroy you all, even if that means destroying myself and eliminating the goddesses powers forever."
"To destroy us all, it would destroy the four of us too, not just the Dark Lord and I. Could you kill your love?"
"Can you?"
"Because I'm a murderer."
"Headmaster, the boy has completely made our cause more difficult than ever before! Lucius and the Dark Lord will be expecting me to hand over the boy to them as soon as they know that I have him within the security of school grounds!" Snape yelled as a small group of Allies gathered in the Headmaster's office after Draco's newly converted ways became known.
"Calm down Severus, we will figure out a plan to keep both the boy safe and your identity safe. Now, Mr. Malfoy, I need to know everything that has happened within the past few months, then we will decide what is to be done with you." The Headmaster spoke calmly but with some hidden stern undertones, beside him Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes guilty on the young boy, Snape continued his earlier glare.
He told them everything that he could remember, that they didn't already know through Professor Snape anyway. He told them about how he tried to make his father proud by bending Ginny's will to him, how he used her love for him to lure her to the dark side. He told them how the Dark Lord wanted Ginny's power to destroy Earth, Hermione, how she was the key power and Voldemort's only true threat. He told them about the raids, and how they targeted Hermione's parents because they wanted to warn her of her future demise, how Ginny's brother was accidentally killed by his power in crossfire.
"He was not meant to die, the Dark Lord strictly forbade anyone from touching one of the Weasley's, but Bill tried to fight back during a raid and I killed him, I didn't even realize I had the power, but suddenly I concentrated on making Bill get out of the way, and my power turned against me and destroyed him instead. Upon our arrival back to the manor it was discovered that my mother threw herself into the ocean and drowned, she tried to discourage me from becoming like my father, I didn't understand then that she meant to protect me. I never knew she was so pure of heart until she was taken from me. I can't go back knowing what I know, I need to make it up to my mother, for her sake." He was so close to breaking down that the Headmaster couldn't help but forgive the young boy for his past mistakes and misdemeanors. No one has a choice into what family he or she are born to, and hatred always breeds further hatred in each generation. The wise old wizard forgave the young Malfoy not for his recent actions in joining the side of light, but for overcoming 18 years of force fed hatred, anger, vengeance and evil.
Dumbledore dismissed the boy so as to speak to his colleagues and the rest of the Order of Phoenix to come up with a plan to protect the boy and their mission. He knew Earth would speak to him, and he to her, he would not have to worry about informing the younger allies.
She found him sitting alone on the balcony where they spoke during the Halloween costume ball. She wanted to hate him, deep down she wanted to make him pay for the pain he caused her all these years. He was a nasty child, who grew up to a devilish young man, but she couldn't destroy him, she could only forgive him. She felt a hand lay gently on her shoulder for support, and smiled forwardly, knowing her love was giving her his strength and courage. She walked slowly forward, ready to confront the new turncoat.
"I can never take back the pain I've caused you all these years." He spoke forlornly, knowing who was beside him.
"I forgive you." Hermione replied quietly, her eyes shut tight so as to keep her courage and strength together within her.
"I never meant to truly hurt her, not after knowing that she was meant to be my other half, my soul mate. I did what I had to for duty, the rest I did for love, but it could not save her or myself in the end. I wanted us to be together, even if it meant joining the Dark Lord together, nothing else mattered."
"You've suffered enough, let go of your guilt. She loves you, but she will kill you, you must be prepared to fight her."
He sat staring straight ahead for a long time, he could think of no reply to tell the girl beside him. All he could see was reruns of his miserable life, all the pain, the evil, the horrible things he did to himself and others for the sake of his family honor, it made him disgusted, it made him sick. Eighteen years of torture now caught up in one solid moment, he couldn't contain it within him any longer, he broke down, it shamed him to do so before another, but he no longer cared about anything anymore.
She watched him fall to pieces before her. Her role as Earth made her nurturing and sensitive to others pain and misery; she wanted to take his pain, his and everyone else who has suffered tremendously over the years: Harry, Ginny, Gavin, and now Draco. She cradled the fallen boy and held on to him, allowing him to cry despairingly into her shoulder. She knew that this final battle would take the lives of many and cause more heartbreak than any that has occurred before. She knew her mission, she knew what had to be done, she could stop it all, end it all, stop the endless pain and suffering, she would have to study and practice and learn her abilities, but it could be done, must be done, she would save the world, but she knew she could not save herself in the end, it was a sacrifice she would have to endure alone.
Gavin made his way back to his chambers, knowing that Hermione would be consulting with Malfoy for a while yet, and not wanting to be an awkward third party, he decided to head back to his chambers and meditate for a while before catching up on some school work. He lay his golden cloak on the post by his bed, his roommates were thankfully out for the afternoon at Hogsmeade or visiting friends in other towers, either way he sat wearily upon his dark clothed bed and closed his eyes, eager to let his emotions swim out of his system as the numbness took over.
He awoke in a wide-open field, nothing to see for miles but rolling hills with white billowy clouds and a crisp breeze.
"You search for answers my son, but you do not ask the right questions." A soft voice called from behind him. He turned around came face to face with immortal keeper of the wind and air. Her dark mane of hair blew gently with the breeze as her amber eyes shone with light from the sun. She was dressed in a simple white gown with a dark golden cape clasp delicately around her shoulders.
"What questions should I ask then?" He sarcastically replied back to her.
"Like father, like son, you want to help your love, but secretly you still wish to continue to revenge your mothers killer. You are not a killer, it is not your place to seek vengeance, do not loose sight on the upcoming battle ahead, she will need your help."
"You know who killed my mother?" He asked in shocked curiosity.
"It is for you to discover, but heed this my son, do not seek revenge till you understand everything, do not be rash, do not be foolish, everything will come to you in time, be patient and be forgiving."
"I cannot forgive them for what they did to her."
The goddess lowered her gaze and closed her eyes in sadness. She watched the boy fade out slowly as his body called him back to the real world once again. She wept softly for the pain that would become of him; he would not understand the truth once it was faced before him.
"Do not cry sister, all hope is not lost. Only one must turn back now, three to one is not so bad odds." The Goddess Earth reassured her younger sister.
"I fear he will not understand his past once he realizes the truth, it will bring about only more pain. Have our children not suffered enough sister?"
"Yes, but it is their destiny, their lives, we can only lend our wisdom and power, we cannot become involved and we cannot change what is meant to be. All will be well in the end, have hope."
She sat before her vanity, her riot of dark red curls hung delicately about her shoulders, she stared into the mirror, forgetting all traces of humanity that used to be within her, she has become immortal, she has become powerful, she would get her revenge.
He glanced out to the dark forest before him, still seated on the cold balcony bench. Hermione left hours ago, but he couldn't seem to want to move, it was as if his body wouldn't allow him to get up and move to warmer rooms. The cold was his penance for failing in life, for the pain he caused to others. He knew the war was advancing, he knew he should be learning more about his power to help the side of Light win, but suddenly it didn't matter to him anymore. He wished he could be a normal Muggle mortal, he wanted to denounce his magic, his heritage, his legacy, his ancestry, he wanted to forget, to be left alone to die in peace, he hated life.
She curled up beside his taller body and drifted off into a light sleep. So much was racing through her mind, she could barely concentrate on any of her class work; everything revolved around the war and her powers. Voldemort was trying to slowly attack everyone around her to make her give in to him, but she would never allow that to happen, she couldn't give him that satisfaction. She tried to think about happier things, like the love beside her, holding her gently as he slept, but every thought revolved back to her inevitable task, she knew she could end this all, without allowing anyone else to suffer, she would end this bloody war.
He awoke to a tapping late in the night. The slight figure of Hermione continued to rest peacefully beside him, he arose out of bed lightly so as not to disturb her. He opened the window as a large brown hawk flew quietly into the room. In its beak there was a small brown package, which it dropped to Gavin's feet; without waiting for a reply, he flew off into the night. Gavin opened the small package and discovered a burgundy diary with a note attached.
'Dear Gavin,
If you are receiving this package than I am no longer living in this world. I found this left within your mother's possessions, but I wanted to wait until you were old enough to read and understand what is written within. This diary contains memories of your mother from her years in school, as well as those of your father. I'm sorry I could not trust this to you earlier, but I needed to protect you, and train you, to become as strong as you could be. Good luck Gavin, may you finally find the answers you've been searching for.'
Your loving cousin,
Lani
Gavin lit a small candle on his nightstand and crawled gently back into bed. He opened the pages slowly, so as to treasure this startling moment in history, tonight he would uncover the truth, tonight he would find out the secrets of his past…
~Okay, so it's not as long as I wanted to write, but oh well, I needed a break from studying for finals. Hope you enjoy the chapter, I'll try to get another one up once finals are over next week or the week after. Can't wait to read the reviews and see what you guys all thought!!
~Kandimoon