The Seers' Truth: Beyond the Darkness
By Lady Lestrange
Chapter 15
Voldemort's Instruction and Dumbledore's Inquisition
Thank you to my faithful and hardworking beta, ennui deMorte
15 REVIEWS: I really hate blackmailing you into reviewing, but hey, I'm a Slytherin. It's in my nature, so when there are 15 reviews, for this chapter, the next one will magically appear. Love my readers and reviewers. Answers to the reviews follow the story.
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter characters and previous situations belong to JK Rowlings. No infringement is meant or implied. No money is made from this fanfic. Thanks JK.
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Chapter 15
Voldemort's Instruction and Dumbledore's Inquisition
Voldemort hesitated outside of Valeriana's bedchamber. The door was closed, but not warded. There were no silencing spells and he realized that Severus Snape was still with her. He smiled, certain that things would turn out as he planned, and apparated to the corridor to take over Severus' abandoned class.
He believed these students were the ones who needed remediation in apparition. He was really beginning to like teaching. He decided it was something he missed from his old life as Salazar. "(I should have begun the work with children much sooner,)" he told Nagini. "(Perhaps one of these will show himself worthy of my plan.)"
"(You are still missing several for key roles,)" Nagini reminded him.
"(Yes, yes, I know,)" said Voldemort. "(It will come together. With Severus' wards down and Dumbledore dead, everything will come to pass as Helga foresaw.)"
"(But you don't know what she saw, do you?)" Nagini asked.
"(No.)"
"Because she would rather die than tell you," Tom reminded him.
I know enough to defeat the old fart. He's becoming senile. Thought Salazar and Tom didn't answer. Agree with me for once, do you Tom? Wondered Salazar.
Voldemort entered the classroom enjoying the immediate fear that welled up in the children. "You regular teacher is—indisposed," he said with a small smile as he deposited Nagini and his basilisks on the floor. "I will be teaching you today. All of you, that side of the room." He gestured and there was an immediate scramble to obey. He sighed. If only your parents obeyed so readily, he thought. "Severus tells me you have gone through all of the theory, and he hasn't had a major splinch in weeks. I expect you will do as well for me as Severus, and I won't quibble over a few lost fingers as long as it's for a good cause. You're all acquainted with Mr. Pettigrew, I presume."
There were nods and affirmatives all around, but also some confusion. He realized that the children were too young to remember that Peter had lost his finger in service to the Dark before he lost his hand."
"The price of living too long," Tom surmised.
Salazar ignored him.
"When I call your name," Voldemort continued, "you will Apparate to the other side of the room".
There was a movement and the beginnings of an interruption from Gregory Goyle.
"Yes, Gregory?" said Voldemort, turning his red eyes on the boy.
He felt the fear boil over in him. The boy could barely speak. Voldemort wondered what he had done to him to elicit such fear. He couldn't remember anything specific. He didn't remember saying more than half dozen words to the boy in his lifetime. Oh, perhaps he crucioed him at Beaubaxtons. He tried to remember if he had been one of the boys drooling over the Veelas.
"N-nothing," the boy stuttered.. "I'm sorry. I didn't want anything."
"Yes, you did," said Voldemort. "Don't lie to me."
P-p-please," he stuttered. "I haven't been able to do it yet."
"Not a problem," said Voldemort pleasantly. "You'll do it today. In fact, you can be first. In parseltongue, he said, "(Nagini, Come here. I require your assistance.)"
The snake hissed her unhappiness with Voldemort's proposition, but complied nonetheless. "(I hate when my food disappears half way down my throat. I should get to actually eat one of them--)" she said petulantly. "(and he's too big.)"
"(You don't have to swallow more than his head,)"Voldemort soothed in parseltongue..
In English he explained to Gregory, "Lie on the ground so that Nagini doesn't have to struggle to reach you, and hold your wand ready. Why are you so nervous? I promise you this method has never failed. You can Apparate at any time. Now, Nagini, will begin to swallow your head—"
Gregory shot to his feet and Voldemort slammed him back to the ground. Tears came to Gregory's eyes.. "You may Apparate," said Voldemort crossly, "You may not run." Voldemort placed his hand on Gregory's shoulder and realized that Gregory was suffering a sharp pain along his neck and shoulder. He may have dislocated the boy's shoulder when he slammed into the ground. Rather than enjoying the little foray into pain, Voldemort healed him, pushing the shoulder back into joint with a sharp pop. Gregory cried out once and stared as Voldemort asked, "Is the pain gone, now."
Gregory nodded mutely.
"Yes, Master," Voldemort coached.
"Yes, Master," Gregory repeated, not daring to move.
"Good, then you can concentrate on the Apparition. Nagini has gotten as far as the shoulders several times with this method, but generally, no further," Voldemort explained to the class, his hand still on Gregory, reveling in his mounting panic as Nagini wrapped her coils around him and stretched her jaws over his face. "I think it has to do with the feeling of suffocation," Voldemort surmised.
Gregory apparated.
"Very good," said Voldemort pleased. "Another thing that you should have learned from this, Gregory, is a more effective crucio. When done slowly, suffocation can evoke the most fear. Clean the slime from your face, boy," snapped Voldemort, "and stand up straight. Quit your shivering. You are unhurt."
Yes, m-master. Pergo!" said Gregory.
"Gloria Snood," said Voldemort.
"I can do it," said Gloria immediately.
++
It was a rather subdued trio that rode back to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express. Hermione was insisting that Ron study for his OWLs, a task he had not yet begun, and Harry was finally reading his new book himself. He wasn't reading it so much as sitting with it open on his lap. He had already searched the train for Draco. The Slytherin wasn't on the Hogwarts Express. That fact worried him.
Harry's mind was working overtime, deep in thought about the last few days. He had sent Hedwig to Sirius about Beatrice, and that had immediately brought Sirius, Dumbledore and half of the Order to examine her and take her off to St. Mungos making Harry and company feel rather useless.
At least Hermione managed to give her a bath and some crisp lettuce before she was taken away. Harry had sat before the fire, smoothing back Beatrice's damp hair until the Order came, and after they took her, he felt strangely empty. Then they spent the rest of the day trying to calm Hermione's parents because Dumbledore wouldn't do another obliviate spell on them.
Harry was concerned about sending Beatrice to St. Mungos. He knew it was the best place for her, but he also knew St. Mungos didn't do a good job with Ginny's memory problems. Ginny was terrified of going back there. He remembered Ron's conspiracy with her earlier this year to keep the news of her nightmares from her parents, but considering where Ginny was now, perhaps that wasn't such a good idea. It had been four days since his visit to the Snow Castle, and he wondered if they had any news of Beatrice's condition. He had sent Hedwig with a message to St. Mungos.
"I wish I knew how Beatrice was doing," Harry murmured to no one in particular.
"Haven't you had any word from St. Mungos?" asked Hermione.
Harry shook his head no. "They said I wasn't family and therefore they couldn't divulge any information."
"That sucks," said Ron and Hermione didn't even correct his language. They all felt pretty much the same way.
Hermione sighed and buried herself in her book. Every now and then, Ron grunted an answer to her quizzing him. Harry lapsed back into thought.
"Fine job, Harry" Dumbledore had congratulated him. "I'm just surprised this whole business isn't over by now. Voldemort didn't try to engage you?" Why did he have to be the one to kill Voldemort. He didn't even know if he believed in the stupid prophecy. No. He corrected himself. He believed in it. He just didn't want it to be so.
"No," Harry answered tightly, neglecting to tell Dumbledore that he had spent the entire hour and a half cowering in a cupboard. What a fine Gryffindor I am! Harry admonished himself, defeated by my own basilisk.
"And the prophecy said that Beatrice would—" Dumbledore frowned. "What did she do to change 'the moment of doom' I wonder?" he said aloud. "If anything?"
"Nothing," spat Harry. "She was a bunny almost the whole time. What could she do? She was locked in a closet and starved! I don't think that changed anything in the grand scheme of things!"
"Alas, the prophecy isn't clear. I wonder—perhaps she wasn't meant to come back yet" Albus said, biting his lip, and Harry never was so close to hexing him. He grasped his wand and felt his scar burn and realized that somehow, all the anger he felt, might not have been his. Voldemort might have found out his bunny was missing. A moment later, one of the Order members excused himself, and apparated from the premises. Harry released the wand, gaining control of his anger and then thinking, on the other hand, it might have been his anger—
The Order, or rather Dumbledore, had insisted on interrogating Harry to find out how he got into the Snow Castle. Harry was determined not to tell them about Draco. Hermione thought he should tell, "After all," she said. "The way his family is steeped in the Dark Arts, it might do him a world of good to have the aurors know he helped us. They would consider that good behavior if they catch him with his Dark Mark later."
Harry, remembering Voldemort's tortures, didn't think that the aurors would be Draco's immediate problem. He remembered Dumbledore saying there was a spy in the Order and that's why the Dursley's were attacked. Harry frowned trying to remember who had Apparated away after his scar burned.
He couldn't remember, and his mind wandered back to re-assess all that Voldemort said and did while he was hiding in the cupboard. As much as he couldn't stand the little ferret, he didn't want Draco's death on his conscience and after what he had heard from his cupboard hiding place, he was quite sure that if Voldemort even suspected that Draco helped Beatrice escape, Draco would be dead. There had already been too many deaths Harry still wasn't quite sure how Draco had managed to trick the veritaserium. The only possibility that he could think of, was that Draco was a legilimens and occlumens too. That was certainly an unwelcome thought. "Would occlumency even work against veritaserium? He hadn't thought so—so it must be something different."
Harry rubbed his head, remembering Dumbledore's interrogation.
"So how did you get into the Snow Castle?" Dumbledore insisted.
"Portkey," said Harry, expecting them to leave it at that, but they didn't.
"That seems reasonable," Dumbledore said. "Where is it? Did you get it from Ginny Weasley? Let us see it. Will we be able to use it?"
Harry started to be concerned that they would find the portkey he had made at the Snow Castle and take if from him, so he had said, "I'll get it," and went to the room he shared with Ron. He was back in less than three minutes with the remains of the wrinkled carrot in his hand. "I don't believe it will work for you," he said. "Beatrice was eating it."
"Oh dear," said Dumbledore. "It's perishable."
Sirius examined the vegetable and shook his head. "I wouldn't trust this portkey to carry a flea back to him.
"A flea," said Tonks. "A flea on the back of a dog?"
"No, Sirius," said Harry worriedly.
"Oh, I'm not going," said Sirius "It would be suicide. He knows I'm an animagus."
"but if you're a dog—" Started Tonks.
"Well, you could be a chair—" interrupted Sirius snidely.
"And have that snake sit on me?" said Tonks. "Forget it. Anyway, He's a legilimens. Chairs don't think—"
"And dogs do?" said Sirius, handing the carrot to Dumbledore. "Well, they do, but not like wizards. I'm guessing, He would notice a difference."
"We can tell you're not a Gryffindor," said Tonks in a superior tone.*
"It looks half finished—" Sirius said coming back to the subject of the portkey. His eyes met Harry's and Harry looked away. . "And if I'm not mistaken," Sirius continued, "The key word is in parseltongue."
"You're not mistaken," Harry said.
"Albus," Sirius continued. "We may be able to narrow down the location with this, but we certainly can't use it as a portkey.'
"Very good, Sirius," said Dumbledore putting the piece of carrot into his pocket. "It's a start."
Wait a minute, thought Harry. Didn't Dumbledore say he knew the location of the Snow Castle? Was he lying to Snape when he told him that he did or was he telling Snape to lie to Voldemort? Telling him to lie to a known legilimens? Was he crazy?
Dumbledore turned back to Harry. "You are a true Gryffindor," he said to Harry, "Putting Beatrice's life ahead of your own. I have no doubt that this will all work out for the best. It always has, hasn't it?"
"Sir?" Harry asked, "Where's Snape?"
"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected absently.
"Perhaps I should call him Father," Harry sneered. "Where is he?"
"He had some urgent business to attend to," said Dumbledore, but the worried look in Sirius' eyes said something else. Harry wondered if Snape had come back from the Snow Castle two days ago.
And now, Draco wasn't on the train.
++
Draco's kisses were hot and insistent, his magic surrounding Samara like a warm blanket. She summoned all the willpower she had and pushed him away. "Draco," she whispered. "You have to go. You are going to miss your train."
"Don't care," he whispered between kisses.
"I'll see you on Friday."
"Advanced defense doesn't count," he muttered.
"Draco!"
"I'll apparate to the Forbidden Forest and walk up," he said while nibbling her neck and dissolving the buttons off of her robe. "It's not a big deal. No one will miss me except Gregory and Vincent and I can tell them to cover for me. They'll lie"
"Draco, if Dumbledore realizes you've been at the Snow Castle, he might put you in the Chamber of Chains."
"Nah—" said Draco, still kissing her and now slipping his hands beneath her robe to touch her skin and her magic, basilisks hissing as he gently moved them out of his way. "Dumbledore doesn't scare me." His smoky gray eyes were dark with passion and his aura a deep misty rose. He sucked on her earlobe for a moment and then whispered, "I wish we were in the Chamber of Forever."
"Me too," she agreed kissing him and finally losing herself in his touch, his taste, his magic. She was surprised he hadn't admonished her for holding back and not sharing her magic with him earlier. She remembered the first time they had kissed and he had told her she kissed like a Muggle—no magic—well, no longer. An idea came from somewhere deep within her. Let him mistake this for Muggle, she thought and she decided that she would surprise him with the control she had over the new power of her magic. She wouldn't tell him how it had grown within her since she returned from the Elementals. She wouldn't tell him, that now, the Elementals seemed only a breath away from her at any time. Yes, she smiled as he kissed her, she wouldn't tell him. She would show him.
Air, she decided. They both loved air, for her it was free and pure and fresh. For him it was the speed of flying and the fierce power of the wind. She pulled deeply on the Air Elemental, surrounding herself with it, like she did in the Chamber of Forever and then she kissed him with it, wind blowing through them both with a wild abandon. She felt him shiver in excitement and pure joy, his hands tightening on her.
A tap on the door brought her back to reality.
"Ignore it," Draco suggested. "They'll go away."
He looked at her, his breath coming in short gasps, and she realized his sharp mind was analyzing.. "What did you just do?" he muttered, attempting to release her magic, and failing. He tried to release again, but Samara could still feel her magic in him. She laid her hands across his chest and began to gently and steadily pull her magic from him, but in doing so, she realized that some of the magic still stayed with him, binding itself to his and enhancing his power. She suddenly realized why Voldemort was so interested in the Prophecy Child. Her mouth went dry.
"The knock came again.". "Who is it?" she called.
"Ginny."
"Tell her to go away," muttered Draco, his lips hot and wet against her shoulder.
"No," Samara whispered back.
She can come back later when I'm at Hogwarts," Draco said.
"No." Samara started to get up, but Draco pulled her back beside him, nuzzling her neck and pushing her robe apart.
"Well," he commented, "If you're going to invite her in, you really should put some buttons on your robe."
"Draco," Samara admonished. "When did you do that?" Instead of conjuring new buttons, Samara just made a quick seam up the front of her robe, with adhere, and pulled down the wards, calling, 'come in.'"
Ginny came in and glanced at their flushed cheeks and Draco lying in her lap.
"Um, am I interrupting something?" she asked.
"Yes," said Draco his aura flashing orange. "So why don't you leave?"
"Draco," said Samara in exasperation. "Draco was just leaving. He has to catch the Hogwart's Express back to school anyway."
"Too late," Draco intoned, his aura slowly returning to its normal murky red. "I've already missed it. I'll just have to apparate now. I have a good six hours before I have to leave, now, so I guess we can spare a few minutes with you Weasel. What's on your mind?"
Ginny looked from Draco to Samara and muttered, "I don't suppose you could ask him to leave so we could have a private conversation, could you?"
Samara frowned and Draco snuggled closer to Samara, smirking at Ginny. "You're stuck with me, Weasel," he said.
"Not me," Ginny commented and then continued. "I just wanted to know what happened in the Circle," she said..
"Aside from my getting crucioed you mean?" questioned Draco. "You probably enjoyed that didn't you, Weasel?"
"I did not," spat Ginny. "I'm a Gryffindor."
"Oh right, Holy Gryffindors. I forgot," smirked Draco.
"Did you—do something to deserve that--crucio?" asked Ginny.
"Deserve?" said Samara. "You of all people should know that no one deserves his crucios."
"Yes, I know," apologized Ginny. "It's just, well?" she waited expectantly.
"Me?" asked Draco, the picture of innocence. "I didn't do a thing, at least not that I can remember." He looked at Samara.
"He's hiding something," said Tom.
"I don't have to be a legilimens to sense that," Ginny replied to Tom, but she didn't want to share the information she had with Draco, especially not when he was being such a prat.
"Parseltongue," suggested Tom, and Ginny positively smirked.
++
"(Did your basilisks know a bitemate was here?)" Ginny asked Samara switching to parseltongue. Her aura was its normal soft blue, filled with curiosity, as she worked on this puzzle.
"(Yes,)" Samara replied also in parseltongue.
"(So why didn't His basilisks know a bitemate was there?)" asked Ginny, and bits of pale yellow shot through her aura as she considered this.
He doesn't talk to them, Ginny Love. They are mindless killing machines remember? Of course that's what he thinks of all of his Death Eaters and I'm not sure he's too far off.
"(They probably did know, but he didn't ask them,)" said Samara. "(Have you ever seen him talk to them?)"
"(Only to give orders,)" said Tse one of Samara's basilisks who had been with Voldemort several times.
"(But there's only one person who could have taken the other basilisk from the Chamber,)" said Samara. "(Only one other person who speaks parseltongue,)"
"(That's what I thought.)" replied Ginny, the yellow again streaking her aura.
Well don't think of it too long, added Tom, or Salazar will probably figure it out from one of your thoughts.
"Will you two stop that?" said Draco annoyed that they were talking in parseltongue and he couldn't understand.
"We're just trying to keep you safe," said Samara, and Ginny grinned, the blue of her aura darkening somewhat.
"I could stupefy you instead," said Ginny, her soft grin turning into a definite smirk.
"You could try, Weasel," retorted Draco, his aura immediately pulled in close and dark and defensive.
"I could do it, Ginny Love. Let me do it." Tom coaxed.
You know, for just a moment, Tom, I was actually tempted, thought Ginny.
++
After Draco had left for school, Samara sat on Ginny's bed and discussed possibilities with her. "He scares me," Samara admitted. "Even with the new power from the Elementals, I can't protect myself—"
"Well, no one really can," said Ginny, "But you're a more powerful witch than most."
"No," said Samara shaking her head. "You don't understand the nature of my power. It's healing. It's reflective. It's protection. It's not offensive. Every time I've done a really powerful spell, another wizard was involved. I couldn't have taken down Hogwarts Wards myself. I enhanced Professor Snape's power. I couldn't even hold that ward against Dumbledore. I was so tired. You did most of it. I just enhanced your power."
"No Samara," said Ginny.
"Yes," said Samara. "Anyway, that ward was mostly show. As soon as a spell hit it, down it went and we already know my ward won't hold back dementors."
"Alvin wouldn't—" began Ginny, and Samara interrupted. "Yes, he would. If the Dark Lord ordered it, Alvin would set those things on Lauren."
"I don't believe it," said Ginny, shivering.
Samara just shook her head. "Then you are awfully naïve, Ginny. There's something else. I know why He wanted the Prophecy Child."
"You do," said Ginny. "Why?"
"I don't know if I should tell you," Samara said miserably. She was silent for a moment than shrugged. "Oh, what the hell. I might as well tell you, she said. "You know enough other things you've managed to keep from Him." She hesitated. "Is there something you wanted to tell me Ginny? About how you've managed to keep things from him?"
"No," Ginny said carefully.
"Let me guess," said Samara. "Something you learned in first year?"
Ginny didn't answer. Tom? She thought.
"She's guessing. She doesn't know anything, Ginny Love, and it's better that way,"Ok, Just be careful with this," said Samara. "You can't let Him know. When Draco and I shared magic, it enhanced Draco's power in some way: maybe, more capacity to use the Elementals or a greater power than he had before. I don't know how many times I can do that, but I'm pretty sure, that's what Voldemort wants from His Prophecy Child."
Ginny shuddered.
"I didn't go back to the Circle," said Samara. "I—I couldn't. I've been trying to avoid Him. It's not going to last for long. He's been pretty patient, but his aura—is—is not." Samara blew out her breath. "I wish I knew what to do."
"I think He's knows you are the Prophecy Child, too," said Ginny, "No matter what I tell him. He just keeps telling me I need to find His emerald but I don't know what to do. Once I find it, what's His reason to keep me alive?"
"Oh, Ginn," said Samara worried.
"I could tell Him that you helped me emerge from the Elementals," said Samara. "Healing, that's a gift of the Prophecy Child. That might confuse Him."
"You can't outright lie to him," said Tom.
"You can't lie to him." Said Ginny.
"I could try."
"No," said Ginny. "It's too dangerous."
"Draco managed to," said Samara.
"Only because you obliviated him," said Ginny, but Samara shook her head, "I don't think Draco would have gotten away with it without Snape's crucio clouding his mind." Samara shivered. "I can't believe I'm even saying this! Being thankful for Snape's crucio! I must be crazy!"
"Hey! I'm the crazy one, remember?" laughed Ginny.
"I want to go home," said Samara softly. "I don't even want to be a witch anymore, Ginny. I just, want to go home. I don't want to be here, but I don't want to go back to Dumbledore either. I just want to go home to my nasty muggle brothers and my ready for divorce court parents, and talk to Grandma Lori, and just let her hold me. I wish I had never come to Hogwarts. I miss home, so much." She bit her lip, tears threatening.
"Me too. I mean I want to go home." Ginny reached out and hugged her friend and for a long moment neither spoke, fighting tears.
"Alright, enough with the mutual pity," said Tom. "It's not solving anything. Concentrate on what we talked about, Ginny. The Dark Mark."
"I can't believe I miss my moron brothers," Samara laughed, but her heart wasn't in it and it was a rather sad sound.
"He'll kill your Muggle family to get to you," said Ginny.
"I know. I could sense it in his aura. Killing means nothing to him--especially killing Muggles. It's not fair," Samara burst out. "I never asked to be the one to make this decision. I shouldn't have to. Until a few months ago, I didn't even live in the wizarding world."
"Sh-h-h," warned Tom. "Tell her to keep her emotions in check, Ginny. We don't know how close He is."
"Calm down, Samara. He might hear your thoughts."
"You're right," she breathed. "Damn it, I should be able to think what I want to."
"He won't let you go without a Dark Mark," said Ginny. "He told me He wanted me to do something for Him, and then I could go back to Hogwarts to look for His emerald, but I don't want to leave you here alone," said Ginny. "I also hate to see you get the Mark. It changes. You agree to one thing, and He does another with it."
"If you can leave, you go," Samara said seriously.
"I'm not going without you. What kind of friend do you think I am?"
"Oh, Ginny Love, don't make promises like that."
"What kind of friend would I be if I just left her, Tom?" Ginny thought , angered that he would even think she would desert Samara like that.
Ginny felt Tom's confusion, but ignored him.
"What does He want you to do?" asked Samara.
"Who?" asked Ginny.
"Voldemort," said Samara. "Hello Ginny! Who were we talking about?"
"I have no idea what He wants me to do. He said He would tell me when the time was right." Ginny bit her lip, worrying.
"Draco said, he requires all of his Death Eaters to perform an unforgivable with their wand.. Then if they are caught by aurors, they go straight to Azkaban, so it ensures their loyalty to him," said Samara. "Incentive for me to make a new wand—"
"I can't do it," said Ginny. "I can't kill anyone or curcio them. I know I can't. Maybe imperio—"
"Ginny Love, it's not going to be imperio to wear a different color robes. It will be imperio to do something nasty, for sure."
"You're right," Ginny thought.
"Ginny?" Samara had laid her hand on Ginny's shoulder, concerned. "Your aura is doing its little switch thing—blue, yellow, blue—Are you with me today?"
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking."
"OK," said Samara hesitantly. "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"
"No," said Ginny. "I don't know. I'm scared, Samara. I'm—I'm afraid to go to the Circle. Some Gryffindor I am, huh? All I can think of is avoiding His crucio, and how can I? What can I do to stop it? Oh Samara, it hurts so bad—"
"I can see that," said Samara. "Your aura is changing just thinking about it."
"I just wish I knew where His damned emerald was," snapped Ginny. "I'm shaking every time I go to the Circle thinking He's going to ask me, and I don't know and there's nothing I can say that will stop the crucio—I'm not even the one who has to find it!" snapped Ginny. "The prophecy says it's supposed to be given to me."
"Hmmm," said Samara frowning. "What's the prophecy? Do you remember it?"
"What do you mean?" said Ginny. "It was in your book!"
"Ginny," Tom reminded her. "You were riffling through Samara's book. You revealed the prophecy with Hermione's revealer. Samara wasn't there. She never saw it."
"Oh right," Ginny remembered with a frown.
"My book?"
"Yes, I was looking at it—" Ginny hesitated.
"It's OK," Samara said. "I don't mind. Where was this written? I read the whole book. I don't remember any prophecy."
"On one of the blank pages, left for notes. I used a revealer," said Ginny.
"I never thought of that," said Samara. "Good idea."
"Thanks," said Tom.
"Thanks," Ginny echoed.
"I don't suppose you remember the prophecy, do you?" asked Samara.
"Tom, help," thought Ginny.
Tom sighed. "Did your mother do a memory charm on you as a baby?" he asked. "Your memory is abysmal, Ginny. How could you forget something as important as this?"
"Just tell me the prophecy again," urged Ginny, and she repeated it to Samara.
You of auburn hair and parseltongue,
You've never painted, danced or sung.
You read a book, now dead and worn
Its pages lost, soiled, marred and torn.
For twins you're not, yet appear to be
"Twins?" said Samara. "What twins?"
"I don't know," said Ginny. "I don't think it really means twins." She couldn't say she thought it might refer to her and Tom or to her before and after the Dark Mark or even before and after Tom took up residence inside of her..
"It can't be a person, unless it's talking about you, Ginny. You don't have a twin stashed somewhere do you?"
"No," Ginny laughed uneasily.
"Twin prophecies?" wondered Samara. "Parvati's and Trelawney's."
"Yes, but what about Helga's," asked Ginny. "That makes three prophecies."
"I don't know," said Samara. "What's the rest of the prophecy?"
Ginny had to repeat and wait for Tom to think of it before she could continue, but at last, she did.
For twins you're not, yet appear to be
But you are not what others see
You see that little time will be allotted
Unless the Snake can be out-plotted.
Find the treasure long neglected
Of my house that you rejected.
In his picture, locked and warded
"I know what it is," said Samara suddenly. "It's Salazar's picture, in Slytherin common room. He tried to give me the ring off of his finger. I didn't take it."
"A ring?" asked Ginny. "An emerald?"
"Yes," said Samara, hugging her friend. "We've got it!" After a few minutes, Samara asked, what does the rest of the prophecy say?
There the twins dire quest rewarded.
"Twins again," said Samara. "I don't understand." She hesitated and then said, "Go on. What else do you remember?"
You must seek a sighted friend
Or let your toil in time end.
For if you do not take the jewel
You will lack the vital tool.
You cannot have what you cannot see.
So find a friend to let Snakes see.
Let time reveal what you do not know.
All must be clear before you go.
"Go where?" said Samara.
"I don't know," said Ginny.
"At least, we've figured out where the emerald is," said Samara, "but I don't think we should give it to Voldemort, at least not right away. It doesn't say you are supposed to give it to Voldemort. It seems like you are supposed to keep it—to take it somewhere."
"I don't have a choice," said Ginny. "I'm under imperious to give it to him. I'd probably give it to him even if I weren't under imperio. You aren't the one he's crucioing. Oh, Merlin, I don't know what to do now. I want the emerald so that he won't crucio me, but we can't just give it to Him—"
"True," said Samara. "But I hate to just give him the emerald until we know what it does. Maybe I can ask Salazar--"
"Salazar?" said Ginny.
"Yes. In the picture," said Samara.
"So the only problem now, is getting to Hogwarts," said Ginny.
"Well, I'm not going to let him keep crucioing you, Ginny if I have the means to stop it."
"What do you mean?"
"If my getting the Dark Mark means that He'll trust me enough to allow me to return to Hogwarts to get the emerald--"
"No," said Tom.
"No!" shouted Ginny.
"But—" said Samara.
"No," said Ginny more gently. "And what about Dumbledore?"
"I don't know," said Samara.
"If we could convince Dumbledore that you aren't a threat to the side of Light, Samara, he would help us. I know he would," said Ginny.
"Even with the Dark Mark on your arm?" asked Samara.
"He helped Snape," said Ginny. "We just have to convince him that we aren't Dark witches."
"What is a Dark Witch?" muttered Samara.
++
When the Hogwarts Express finally pulled into the station, Harry was never so ready to get off of it. He rode up the hill, hoping against hope that Snape was there. As he entered the Great Hall, someone grabbed the back of his robe. He wheeled around, wand out, a curse on his lips.
"Whoa!" said Draco, putting his hands up in front of him, magic crackling, and Harry lowered his wand. "Did you get it?" Draco asked.
"Yes," Harry began. "You said I had five minutes!" he snapped, his thoughts running through all that happened that night. He wanted to ask how Draco had avoided the veritaserium and what happened since then and when—
"I said no more than five. Learn to listen, Gryff. I'll be in touch," Draco whispered and then he abruptly shoved Harry away from him, and Harry stumbled, catching himself against the stone wall. "Watch where you're going, Potter," Draco sneered, and then strode past him into the Great Hall. "Vincent! Gregory! Wait!" he said, and his bodyguards turned to wait for him.
"Harry! You of all people, taking to that nasty little snake," said Cho. "You were talking to him, weren't you?"
"Cho—" said Marietta Edgecomb.
"I—ah—well." Harry stammered.
"I saw you," snapped Cho. "Everyone knows his whole family is in league with You-Know-Who, and after Cedric's death I would think he would be the last person you'd want to talk to. What could you possibly have to say to each other?"
"Er—"
"Harry rescued Beatrice," said Hermione in a superior tone.
"Oh, how wonderful!" said Cho wrapping her arms around Harry and hugging him. The abrupt about face, startled Harry into silence. "You'll have to tell me all about it," said Cho. She didn't let go of Harry's hand as they walked into the Great Hall and he wondered how he was going to extricate himself from her, or if he wanted to.
"Harry," she continued, "I know I've been terrible to you, but I was thinking about what Hermione said to me."
"What's that?" asked Harry. "About Beatrice?"
"Oh no, before our holiday. Hermione said if I was brave enough to die for my beliefs I would have been sorted into Gryffindor, but you know, I don't think that's true. I think bravery can be mixed in any of the houses, just like intelligence can. I mean look at Hermione. She's smart, as smart as--some of the Ravenclaws, but she was sorted into Gryffindor."
"Cho—I'm kind of hungry," Harry said, wanting to go to the Gryffindor table while supper was still hot, and avoid anything---Cho might say about Hermione.
"Come and sit at the Ravenclaw table," she invited and Harry wasn't sure how to refuse without hurting her feelings so he went. As they dished out their food, Cho continued. "I've really examined my beliefs and I realized she was right. I've been avoiding you Harry because you reminded me of Cedric."
"I know you really liked Cedric," said Harry. "I'm sorry. It must be hard."
"No. No. You don't understand," said Cho. "I did like Cedric. We were good friends, but we were never really right for each other. After he died and you said, you, liked me, I started to think of all the things that happened to people you liked—I mean Ron and Hemrione are always in the thick of things aren't they?"
"I understand. It's kind of dangerous," said Harry thinking of the Dursleys and the Longbottoms and even Draco.
"But that's all over now," said Cho. "Ravenclaws can be just as brave as Gryffindors. So I decided we should--" a slight blush colored her face, and she continued, "I mean--If you still want to date me, I would say yes."
'Um –er. Sure," said Harry, absolutely uncertain as to how that just happened.
"Sowilo," said one of the Ravenclaws who sat on the other side of Marietta. His red hair reminded Harry of one of the Weasley twins, or maybe Charlie, but there, the resemblence stopped. "It's the rune of disclosure," said the Ravenclaw. "I assume this was an enlightenment to you." His serene face broke into a smile, his blue eyes twinkling rather like Dumbledore's.
"Er—yeah," said Harry.
"Aldwin Oglesby," said the boy holding out his hand, and Harry shook it.
"So Sowilo," interrupted Cho in a perturbed tone of voice. "The symbol of victory The spirit of life. The natural power of the sun. Clear vision. Light triumphs over darkness and the ability to vanquish evil. Did I miss anything, Aldwin?"
"Yes," said Aldwin. "It's the sign of your scar, Harry."
++
Voldemort returned to Valeriana's chamber to find that Snape had left. Valeriana was sitting on the bed staring vacantly into space and muttering the ingredients of the blood boiling potion, infervesco sanguinarius. It was also called the Potion of Fifty Six Tears because it contained fifty six different kinds of tears. Valeriana was currently on dragon tears, the fifty third ingredient. Voldemort touched her and she shrank within herself with a little cry. Looking around wildly, she flung flames randomly onto the floor.
Immediately, Voldemort drowned the flames with Elemental water. "Valeriana!"
Voldemort clasped her hands. Her thoughts hit him like the emptiness of hell. "They aren't here!" he shouted at her. "There are no dementors here. They are gone, Valeriana. You are safe."
Valeriana wrapped her arms around Him like a leech. "Master," she sobbed. "Let me feel your magic!"
"Feel your own magic," he snapped, pulling her arms from around him "Look at you, Valeriana, dripping flames like a child!"
"I'm sorry, Master," she said, her eyes still haunted, but gaining a measure of control over her magic. "I--I know, but sometimes when I am too happy it all comes back. Severus was so—" She was clinging to Him, sobbing wildly. "I can't think that—I can't think that—"
"You can think what you want to, Valeriana!" he shouted at her, shaking her roughly. "The dementors are gone. The nightmare is over!"
"No. I can't think that. No happy thoughts. I have to—" She let go of Him completely at this point, muttering to herself, "The twelve uses for dragon's blood—"
"Valeriana?" said Voldemort. "Where's Severus? What happened?" He tried to make sense from the cacophony of thoughts running through her head. Touching Severus, the fine midnight strands of his hair in her fingers, and the warmth of his body and his magic and the joy-- and then the fear of the dementers, wild and disjointed, and Severus again, kind and gentle.
Voldemort had forgotten that Severus had been in Azkaban for a time. Severus knew exactly how the dementors tomented a body. Severus knew and had played to her fear.
Severus speaking to her, calming her, sharing magic and reminding her that she couldn't dare to feel happiness or the dark things would come back and feed on her. Severus, whispering to her about their school days and drawing her into screams and panic and more screams until she was incoherent with fear. Severus, finally letting the terror crecendo and Severus abandoning her, sneering, "Don't ever try to manipulate me, Valeriana. I'm better at it than you"
He had underestimated the man. Again. And Valeriana was a whimpering mass of fear. "Please, Master. Make them go away," she begged, clinging to him, and wanting to be comforted, but he knew that was not the answer. Instead he pried her hands loose from him and backhanded her. She fell against the bed covers a trickle of blood at her mouth. "You needn't be afraid of them," he growled. "You need to be afraid of me. You've failed."
A spark of understanding came into her eyes, and when he clasped her wrist, he could see that her thoughts were only of him.
++
*A/N: I know in OotP, JK made Sirius a Gryffindor, but in The Seers' Truth: The Broken Beginning, I made Sirius a Slytherin because of JK's comment in PoA by Hagrid that all then known to be Dark Wizards, (which included the murderer Sirius Black), were Slytherin. So, JK's Sirius is dead, but mine is alive and well and he and Peter Pettigrew were in Slytherin while James and Remus were in Gryffindor. Lily was in Hufflepuff. Please remember although this book was written later, this story precedes OotP.
Answers to Reviewers:
A/N: I had almost all of the reviewers answered and then my computer decided to close Microsoft Word and I had to do it over. Grr. I probably did a better job the first time, but oh well, here goes. THANKS FOR REVIEWING. REMEMBER 15 REVIEWS GETS THE NEXT CHAPTER.
Fuz: Glad you like the Ginny Tom stuff and there is more Draco Samara to come.
NeoGal: Well that was an articulate review. Lol
Elbereth: Thank you for the compliments. I'm glad you find the endings of my chapters excruciating. That's a good thing, right? I'm a Slyth. I get this stuff mixed up sometime. Grin.
NeoGal: The kids act too old? OK. I'm 14. I even gave Ethan and Edward my birthday, which is coming up soon. And well, I'm not sure where he is lusting over Ginny. Maybe in "the Broken Beginning", but not much in this story. She's a little busy with stuff from the Dark Lord. I know they didn't really "break up" but you know sometimes that happens. It's hard to break up, so you just sort of shy away and let things dwindle. Is that like a 14 year old? I did it for a while so it has basis in fact. As far as you thinking that the characters act too old, I thought JK made Harry ridiculously young in her fifth book. Come on. He wouldn't kiss Cho? No wonder so many fanfics make him gay. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story, and if you have a 14 year old kid that's still telling you they are playing with trucks and Barbie dolls, --um—er. OK. Shuts up now.
Adaneth: Gee I wish I was 40 odd chapters ahead of you. Just to keep you posted. I have this story almost finished in rough draft form. It won't be as long as the Broken Beginning. Then I have to decide if I should go right into the third book, or start on something continuing my short story "Secret Seduction".
The Elemental Sorceress: I understand. Homework gets so in the way doesn't it?
Harpy: Thanks for the kudos.
Christina: Glad you had a good—slightly evil feeling-laugh at Harry's suffering mental and urinary anguish. Maybe I should have a poll. Did Draco charm the bunny to pee on Harry or was it just a scared bunny. Thanks for the house points and the lone review. Basilisks double as walkie talkies. LOL. I love you assessment of Snape's distraction. It was indeed intentional and in no way proves evilness. Perhaps the brute method does suggest slight sadism, but it's not like we didn't already expect that from how he... lives in general. Of course that doesn't mean it's true. Well, Ginny does LISTEN to Tom, albeit she tells him quite often to shut up.
Raven 173: Thanks for the megaprops
Raven173: OK, answering all together here. Glad you liked the game of Tag. I thought we needed a bit of a diversion, but it does have a purpose. And Snape as Harry's guaradian just seemed right. As far as the "three sisters" I guess I've been influenced by too much Shakespeare lately.
Ennui de Morte: Thank you for your tireless betaing. We laughed together about Harry's hero complex, but on the other hand, I think Harry is a wonderfully sweet person. I'd love to meet someone like him. Wouldn't you?
Thanks again to all my reviewers. Please be a responsible reader and review. You don't have to pay for this fic. How hard is it to say, liked it or not? 15 Reviews gets the next chapter. Email your friends, and invite them to the yahoo group. The_Seers_Truth
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