Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and co.
Chapter 16: Strategies.
Ron lay awake in his bed, he could not sleep as all he could think about was Ginny. Then he heard a whirring sound, making him sit up. He groped around for his wand in the darkness, and once he felt the smooth wood, he whispered, "Lumos." Bright light shot out of his wand.
He threw the duvet off himself, and stood, searching for the source of the noise. It sounded like it was getting closer, and it seemed to be coming from outside. He strode over to the window, undoing the latch and pushing it open. He looked to his left; nothing but a stray cat knocking over the bins. He flicked his head up and saw something green heading for him, fast.
"What the hell is that?" he gasped, backing away from the window.
It flew slowly through the open window, and then shot ahead, hitting Ron square in the chest, then falling at his feet. He recognised it; it was that Locater thing that came out of the cauldron. He scooped it up and placed it in an empty mug, covering it with a bit of parchment. He decided to show Harry and Hermione in the morning.
"Nox," he muttered, getting into bed and falling asleep almost instantly.
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Ginny was bored. There was simply nothing to do once more, and she had no materials to draw with this time, and she didn't feel like reading. Tom was sitting at his desk, working on some papers that were splayed out. And it was snowing again, but the wind battering against the windowpanes seemed to brutal. There was no way she could go outside.
She sighed. "What are you doing?"
"Something," he replied, not taking his eyes off the paper. He was ignoring her, that was a first.
"I'm bored," she said.
"What do you want me to do about it?" he said in an aggravated voice.
"Are you going to attack people?" she said quietly, looking at her feet.
"You don't have to worry about that, Ginny," he said pointedly, "you're safe."
Then she though; No I'm not, not from you. Ginny went and sat at her dressing table, playing with the ribbons, until she saw Tom standing behind her. "Come," he said.
"I thought you wanted me to leave you alone," she said staring up at him.
"I decided to take advantage of the situation," he said, "you're not pushing me away, and I'm not forcing you. So, I'm going to let you have something to play with, Ginny."
"I'm not a child, I don't play with toys anymore, and I don't want anything."
"Fine," he said sharply.
"Can't you tell me what you are doing?"
"No!" he hissed, "there is no way I'm going to tell you." Then he smiled. "But, I will tell you that I am planning to invade Russia, because we are going to have to move to be closer."
"Invade?"
"Yes, take over, take control of, you know, invade."
"Why?" she said angrily.
"Because it is one of the leading powers in the Wizarding World and the muggle world, what a nice little asset that would be," he sat back down and continued his work. "Later on, we will do something entertaining…."
"Could you come up with something more original this time, you say sex everytime."
"Oh, don't worry, you'll like this."
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"And it didn't write anything in the air?" Hermione question Ron for the umpteenth time.
"No! It just zoomed straight at me, and nearly knocked me flying, then it fell to the ground," Ron answered impatiently. "How many times are you going to ask me that question?"
"I guess we can use it if you go missing, which we hope doesn't happen," Hermione sighed. "It came to you, so at least it worked right."
"What are we going to do now?" Harry questioned, fixing his glasses on his nose.
"We have to keep trying to find Ginny, I don't care how long it takes, as long as she is safe back here," Ron said in a determined tone, then he looked around unsurely. "Even if we have to use Dark magic."
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"Chess?" she said, in a lacklustre voice.
"You like chess, and you actually have a shot at winning," he said in an amused tone.
"I suppose so…." They started to play and Ginny was beating Tom by a mile, and once she said Checkmate, he was determined to play again and beat her. "As much as I enjoy beating you, this is getting rather boring, Tom."
"I don't care, we're going to play until I beat you," he said firmly, calling out his command to his black chess pieces. Ginny sighed and did the same. Deciding to let him win so she could make up her own entertainment. "You are an ungrateful little girl, you know that," he said, his voice raised.
"I'm not ungrateful," she said, frowning.
"I try to ease your boredom and still you whine," he almost shouted his order that time.
"Well, you're not doing a good job of it!" she returned, shouting her order too.
"Then perhaps you should advise me!"
"No, thank you!" she turned up her nose, as he made his next move, standing, and slamming his hands down on the chessboard.
"And, checkmate!" he shouted.
"No way!" she stood defiantly, "I wasn't even trying to let you win!"
" 'Let me win?'" he laughed, "I don't think so!" He pulled her face closer to his and kissed her hard. "Now, I want you to return my favour, even if you didn't enjoy it. No more whinging, or I'll have to have you locked away forever."
"In a tower? How original…" she muttered.
"No, in my chambers, shackled to the wall, where I shall take my pleasure with you when I wish."
"That's positively disgusting."
"I know, but that is what you love about me," he murmured, pulling her closer to him, and pushing her toward the sofa. "Isn't it? Say it, Ginny, tell me you love me."
"What?" she whispered, too shocked to notice that he had successfully laid her down on the sofa without protest.
"Tell me you love me…" he said, kissing her neck.
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Severus Snape was in his office, amongst the sour smells, and pacing about the room, thinking anxiously. Could he know that I am the traitor? He didn't include me in the last meeting, but then I would be dead already? Snape knew that with the article in the newspaper, he would be the obvious traitor, because of his links to Dumbledore. But he could not understand why he was still alive.
Snape stayed calm, and, instead, began analysing the situation that had befallen Ginny Weasley. The Werewolf suggested it might be something to do with Tom Riddle's diary, it did make sense, even if it had come from that deluded animal. Lord Voldemort suddenly returning to his youthful state, and then Ginny Weasley being taken away.
Snape knew Ginny Weasley's capture was due to the diary incident, but he did not know why Lord Voldemort had decided it would be good to sleep with her on a frequent basis. Snape resolved that perhaps the Dark Lord wanted him for a future task….
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Knock Knock
Just as Ginny was about to say those three words, she was saved. Tom stood up rigidly, leaving her and grasping the doorknob. Ginny sat up, dusting her dress off as he opened the door. It was Lucius Malfoy. She reckoned that he fancied Tom, he was always coming over.
"Oh, Miss Weasley, are you busy, my Lord?"
"She is no longer Miss, she is Mrs, aren't you, Ginny?"
"Mrs, my Lord?"
"She's my wife," he said simply, "oh, and yes, I was busy, but I can squeeze you in, I suppose."
"Your wife!" Lucius said, feeling rather faint, all his work to split them up had resulted in the complete opposite.
"Yes, Lucius, can you now regain your composure and tell me why you came here?" he said impatiently.
"Uh, oh, yes, yes," he eyed Ginny suspiciously, but Tom sat next to her, pulling her closer to him, his hand on her waist.
"Well? Are you going to sit down, Lucius?" he said, smirking. "I'm sure Ginny is big enough to hear what you have to tell me."
"Very well, my Lord," he sat down stoicly, and began. "We have found out that just recently, attempts have been made to Locate Miss Weasley, uh, I mean…anyway, I believe it was the Potter brat and his little friends."
"Locator charms? They'll never work…" Ginny tuned everything out, they were trying to find her, then there was hope after all, and all she had to do was wait. There was no chance of escaping by herself.
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A/N: Thanks for all your reviews, the next chapter will be up soon. I promise.