CHAPTER TWO

Ginny's arms were pinned under his, and he had his knees pressing into the back of her legs. She felt like he was a small boulder trapping her there. Already her legs had gone numb, and her back was hurting from the way he held her. Her face was smushed into the carpet, and lack of air was making her dizzy and lightheaded. When she tried to breathe it was like sucking in air through a straw.

"Air…" She wheezed out.

A grunt was her only reply as her head was roughly pulled up out of the carpet.

"Enough air now, Miss Weasley?" came the mocking voice.

Ginny nodded as best she could, the strangers hand was still gripping her hair tightly and any slight movement on her part caused her pain.

"I'm glad." He suddenly changed his tone and gave a deep booming yell. "All bumbling idiots, it's time to go! That means you Rookwood! Leave no traces of who or WHAT you are, Miss Weasley's jumped-up little mudblood Girlfriend is too smart for her own good, we don't want any foolish rescue attempts this early on in the game. It's far too early in the morning for me to be satisfied with a kill."

As he finished yelling to the other men invading her house, Ginny was lifted off the floor, and forced into a standing position. "Let's go."

A sudden rush invaded Ginny's senses and she knew that the man who held her had just apparated with her. She found it amazing that she had retained the feeling of apparition after so long. Wild thoughts of how much she had left behind were buzzing around her head, and so she didn't notice when her bare feet finally touched down on some stone cold marble.

The man holding her gave her a sharp jab in the ribs and she looked up in surprise, her train of thought broken. She had finally noticed they had stopped. The draught from the place she had been transported to chilled her through her thin lace nightie. Her thin lace nightie. The thought rushed through her head and she gasped out loud in shock. Here she was, abducted by someone whom she suspected was a deatheater, and she was half naked. And she knew what sort of things deatheaters did to women such as herself. That in turn reminded her of where she was (or rather where she didn't know she was).

Ginny looked up guiltily to the stony man who held her. But he didn't do anything. In fact, the only thing he'd done since he'd bought her here was to give her that jab in the ribs. He just kept looking straight ahead. She doubted he'd recognize if she made a run for it, he was that focused. So Ginny followed his example, curious to see what had captured his interest.

And what a sight she saw. Filling the vast marble expanse in front of her could have been at least a hundred people. All were dressed in the same robes, wore the same masks, and held the same pose as the man who had taken her from her home. Just from seeing these people, in this way, she knew. But she had thought there would be more of them. A quick glance towards her right proved her theory right. Ginny also guessed that the other side, and behind her would be the same.

Ginny finished her look around, terrified now of what she would find. Of WHOM she would find. Knowing there was only one way to satisfy herself and put herself out of her misery, she cast her eyes forward. And there he was. In all his glory and power, ready to take on the world. The face that had haunted her dreams for years stared right back at her. Daring her to look away, or even blink. She didn't. Ginny had given in once, but she would not do it again.

Then he spoke. In that hatefully familiar voice that she had tried for years to refuse. It demanded the immediate attention of all the deatheaters present.

"Today, my followers, is a very special day. Today has bought us a very special surprise. A surprise in the form of a woman. A present in the form of Ginevra Weasley." Mumbles rang through the hall as each person turned to look at her. Her captor finally seemed to snap back to life, as though the muttering and indiscrete looks had been his cue. He started taking long strides towards the front, pulling a reluctant Ginny along with him. The deatheaters surrounding them moved apart as Ginny's captor neared them, allowing him a clear passage to the front of the large hall. A clear passage to Lord Voldemort.

"Well, Miss Weasley, so glad you could finally join us. I've been waiting so long to see your pretty little face again. When was it last, your first year. Ah yes, I can remember it very clearly. Meek little thing weren't you?"

Ginny didn't answer, only stared at him in fear and in anger.

"What's the matter? Cats got you tongue? Or are you," here, Voldemort turned to his followers, "Could it be that our young Miss Weasley is afraid?" He turned his slitted eyes towards her, looking for a reaction. But he didn't get one. Instead, he received a stony silence from the girl crumpled on the ground in front of him.

"Answer the question!" The man standing next to her gave her a sharp belt across the cheek.

Ginny looked up into the red slits Voldemort called eyes. She could see her own face reflected in there. But that was all. She could tell nothing of what Voldemort was feeling. Saw nothing in his eyes but a desire to hurt and to kill. In a trembling voice she answered his question. "Yes."

A menacing smile spread itself over the Dark Lords lips as he heard her answer. "I'm glad, Miss Weasley. Glad that you are at least smart enough to know how to feel when in the presence of your lord. If that is all you know, I'm glad." The smile disappeared from his lips and a frown creased his brow. "Get her out of my sight, NOW!" Voldemort roared at the man who had taken Ginny from her home, taken her to him.

"Yes, My Lord." A humbled voice emerged from beneath his hood as he gathered Ginny up, before kissing the hem of Voldemorts robes and taking his leave…