Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any other characters, apart from a few unfamiliar ones.
Object of attention – Flight of Darkness"Blaise, stop being such a nuisance!" Draco said irritably. His dark-haired friend stopped his pacing, instead glaring daggers at his best friend.
"A nuisance? Is that what you think of me?" Blaise demanded, his temper raising.
"No, and you know it." Draco snapped, losing his patience.
"Draco. I'm sorry, mate, I'm just really stressed, you know?"
"I know. That's why we're going to find your little girlfriend." Draco smirked, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"What do you mean?" Blaise asked, wary of his friends' plans.
"I suggest you get some rest. We'll be going on a long journey tomorrow."
"What? Draco, I know you're renowned for wild plans, but this one is concerning my girlfriend. You mightn't care for her, but I do, with all my heart." Blaise said softly. Draco halted. "You're not going to like it…" the pale boy trailed off.
"I need to know, Draco, you yourself said you knew what I was going through."
"Yeah, mate, I do. But Riddle's strong. It's not going to be easy, in fact, it might cause damage to Miss Weasly…"
"I know that, I gathered by the hesitancy to tell me." Blaise smirked.
"Okay, okay. I'll tell you… And as much as I hate to say it, we're going to need a little help from some life-long enemies."
O0O0O0O0O0O
In her room, Ginny was sitting glumly. There was a tap on her door. "Go AWAY!" the redhead shouted. Ginny looked terrible, her long red hair matted and knotted, her pale ivory skin as white as snow. "Ginny, Ginny. Why must you oppose me so?" A gentle voice called from outside her door.
"Because I don't care about you! I care for one guy and one guy only! I would die for him!" Ginny screeched.
The door opened. "Is this what you would die for?" Tom Riddle smirked, dragging a beaten male. Recognition dawned on Ginny's face. "Blaise?" she whispered.
"Indeed, Ginny. It's me. And your little friend here, Blaise, is that his name?" Tom Riddle smirked, looking at his pretty, petite captive.
"Leave him out of this!" Ginny hissed, her brown eyes glinting dangerously.
"I will, if you promise to be my Queen. To stand by my side and not leave me for Potter and his meaningless sidekicks?" Tom said, still wearing that irksome smirk.
"Ginny. Don't do it! Don't trust him!" croaked Blaise. At this, Tom pressed a dagger to Blaise's pale flesh, letting a few drops of scarlet blood flow down his neck.
"I'm sorry Blaise. But I can't loose you. I just can't" Ginny whispered.
"Your answer, Ginny?" Tom demanded.
"I promise." She said, after a moments' thought.
"Good." Tom smirked, getting ready to leave. When he was out the door, Tom turned to Blaise… or the man pretending to be Blaise. "Avery! What was that about? You weren't meant to make a sound!" Tom scolded angrily.
"She fell for it, didn't she? Blaise, or Avery, replied sullenly.
"That's beside the point!" Tom hissed at his companion. "What of she hadn't? What if she knew it wasn't Blaise Zabini?"
"The girl is practically going insane. I doubt she would be able to tell the difference between a Thestral and her little lover." Sneered Avery, his shoulders growing bolder and his flesh turning a deep tan. He rubbed his neck, wincing at the blood on his neck. "What did you have to cut my neck for?"
"To shut you up, you could've jeopardized to whole situation!"
"Tom, sir, you got what you wanted, let's just leave it at that?" Avery asked, rubbing his neck, trying to stop the flow of blood. "Is that dagger cursed or something? My neck won't stop bleeding!" Avery complained.
"Stop your whining. We have work to be done!" Tom ordered. Inside the small cell, Ginny had no idea what she had just signed herself up for, all she knew was that her boyfriend wasn't going to be harmed, and that someday she would get even with a certain Tom Riddle!
O0O0O0O0O0O
"Mister Potter, I think it's time you left." Madam Pomfrey said quietly. Harry shook his head, refusing to leave his girlfriend's side. "Harry, GO!" The Matron said, this time with a forceful shove towards the door. Harry nodded, letting the momentum carry him out the door. Outside, Harry rammed into two boys, "Malfoy, Zabini" Harry spat.
"Yes, Potter, it's us" Draco said dryly. Blaise simply nodded in recognition. "We need a favor." Draco continued.
"What type of a favor, Malfoy?" Harry asked, curiosity aroused.
"A favor, Potter, and that's all you need to know about." Blaise snapped, losing his patience.
"We need you to help us rescue Ginny" Draco translated.
"Only if you help me with something." Harry replied, with a significant glance at the Hospital Wing.
"Quid Pro Quo, isn't Potter?" Blaise snapped. Upon seeing Harry's uncomprehending look, the boy quickly translated. "Something for something," Blaise smirked. Harry jerked his head in answer.
"What is it that you need, Potter?" Draco said, not liking where the conversation was heading.
"A cure." Said Harry simply.
"For?"
"The 'Ever-living Wraith'" Harry replied.
Draco let out a low whistle. "Hard luck, I'm fresh out," he said sarcastically.
"Your father dapples in the Dark Arts, does he not? Get it or no deal" Harry said. Draco's face hardened at the mention of his father. Harry smirked, pleased that he had struck a nerve. Draco darted forward, pushing Harry against the wall and pinning his neck back with his hand. Slowly Draco pushed his hand towards the wall, cutting of Harry's windpipe. "You don't know my father, if you did, you wouldn't talk about him so lightly!" Draco hissed darkly. Harry started to choke, gagging for breath. Blaise darted forward too, but he put his hand on Draco's arm and pushed it down, freeing Potter's neck. Draco glared at Blaise, as he would've liked to put an end to Potters miserable existence. "Do we have an accord?" Harry asked. Draco nodded and stuck his hand out, hesitantly, Harry shook it. Grasping Harry's hand, Draco pulled him forward. "We need you, so don't go into 'Hero' mode and get yourself killed? Got it?" Draco hissed.
"Yes Aunt Petunia." Harry said sarcastically.
"Come off it, Potter. We're going to rescue my girlfriend. You mightn't have noticed, but Ginny's been missing for the past three days!" Blaise snapped.
"Ginny? Your girlfriend?" Harry gapped.
"Yes, and she's missing, possibly dead. We need to go!" Blaise stressed.
"Look Potter. Both your girlfriend and Blaise's may be dead within the hour! We need to hurry!" Draco yelled.
"Within the hour?" shouted Harry. "They told me she'd live for at least a few weeks!"
"But they didn't tell you how the curse works, did they?" Draco snapped. Harry shook his head mutely. "Then I'll tell you, shall I? Strong curse hits Granger. Granger spends a few days lying in bed. Curse then takes control of Granger. Granger effectively dies. Wraith takes control and sleeps for a few weeks. When Wraith wakes, it will start to steal lives. Granger, or Wraith, will then be taken care of, in the most effective way. Wraith dies. Everyone is happy. Did that get through your thick head?" Draco shouted, being extremely blunt and harsh.
"Hermione's going to die?" Harry whispered.
"If I'm not mistaken, she's already dead." Draco said, jerking his head towards the Hospital Wing's glass doors. Harry franticly glanced towards them, and did a double take. Madam Pomfrey was resting a white cloth over Hermione's form. Draco's words hit Harry full-force. "No!" he gasped. "She can't be. She can't be dead!"
"But she is, Potter. Don't you understand? Tom Riddle did this to Granger, and we need your help to put an end to his life!" Draco said, laying a hand on his archenemy's shoulder. Harry shrugged it off.
"When do we leave?" Harry asked hollowly.
"In ten minuets, but we'll give you an extra twenty to compose yourself." Blaise said gently.
"I don't need time. We need to go, that's what you said, so let's get on with it." Harry said roughly.
O0O0O0O0O0O0O
Ginny Weasly sat in a richly furnished room this time. The petite girl sat with her back straight and her small hands folded in her lap. Riddle had sent in many handsome dresses for her change into. Apparently, he "couldn't stand looking at her school robes"
Ginny was wearing a deep, navy blue silk gown. It was of a simple, tailored cut, showing some, but not a lot, of cleavage. The skirt was full and it fell to the floor. A silk, thick, ribbon of the same colour was tied around her waist, and was tired in a bow at her back. Her hair, brushed and washed, was piled on her head, but a few stray curls fell about her small face.
"Ginny, dear, you scrub up nicely, don't you?" A soft, gentle voice called. Ginny rested her slightly almond shaped eyes on his handsome features. As beautiful as Ginny was, no amount of pampering could cover the hatred and disgust in her cinnamon coloured eyes. There was no ounce of respect or love in those eyes, and this angered Tom Marvollo Riddle, because he was used to everyone bowing low to the ground whenever he came near. "Yes, Sir." Ginny said stiffly, the words forming from her cherry red lips.
"It is time." Riddle said, holding out his arm. Ginny rose to her feet and walked gracefully over to her… king. Linking her arm with his, the couple walked down the hallway and into a large hall. In that hall stood hundreds of people.
"My loyal subjects." Called Riddle, his deep voice ringing through out the vast hall. "I give you… my Queen." There was a murmur around the hall. "My Queen. Ginerva Weasly." Riddle said loudly. Ginny surveyed the hall, but did not say a word. Riddle took hold of her hand and lightly kissed it. This obviously meant something to the crowd, because everyone, bar Riddle and Ginny, bowed low, murmuring 'My Queen" over and over.
O0O0O0O0O0O
Harry shifted on his broom. Riding in front of him, Blaise and Draco were talking in undertones. Occasionally they looked back at him, but only to check he was following them. "Potter!" Draco called.
"What?" Harry whispered, not caring if Draco heard him or not. In a flash of black material, Blaise Zabini pulled up next to Harry. "Harry." The pale boy said gently. "I know how you're feeling. My girlfriend's gone too, don't forget that. If you need anyone to talk with, I'm here. Okay?" Harry was moderately surprised by Blaise's compassion, but hid it well.
"Yeah." Harry said quietly. Blaise sighed and started to speed up towards Draco. "Blaise…" Harry called, after a moment's thought, "Thanks…" he trailed off, but Blaise caught his meaning.
"Don't think twice about it." Blaise quipped, smiling ever so slightly.
"Hurry it up, you lot!" Draco shouted. "We're almost there!"
Harry and Blaise looked to where Draco was pointing and, simultaneously, a slow smile spread across their faces. An abandoned, run-down mansion stood on the rise. "If you look closely, you can see a slight shimmer around the house. That's a shield and, at a guess, I'd say there was a covering charm over it too." Draco said, having to raise his voice against the howling wind. It made sense. The house could be any size, any shape and it would still look like a mansion that was in shambles.
"It pays to listen to Charms, after all" Harry muttered under his breath. This comment brought a smile to Blaise's face.
"Uh-oh." Said Draco from up front.
"What?" Blaise called.
"Pull out your wands!" Draco shouted, pointing at a number of black shapes. Together, as one, Blaise, Draco and Harry pulled out the wands stashed in their pockets.
"It looks like we've been sent a Welcoming Committee!" Draco hollered.
Okay, sorry about the delay, but I wasn't getting any reviews, so I thought you people didn't love me. I mean, what's the point in posting a story for everyone to read, and you don't get any feedback? My point exactly.
Flowerpot Munchkin. xxx