Chapter 2: Without a Trace

The young witch had no idea what she was getting into when she visited the Burrow that morning. She had not been invited to Harry's 17th birthday for security reasons, and she had not been planning on going. Sure she had written a rather lovely letter to Harry, but it felt hollow. So she tried writing another letter where she tried to pour all her knowledge and wisdom to help guide Harry through his most perilous journey, but she got distracted and wrote about Holly Whoppers. It was strange, as she didn't know what a Holly Whopper was and spent the rest of her day doing research.

The lack of letters is not what brought Luna Lovegood to the Burrow on that dreary summer day. No, it was a feeling that Luna felt in the pit of her gut. Luna was no seer. She had a hard enough time focusing on the present, thank you very much, but even she could feel the ripple that shook the very foundation of magic. She wasn't the only one to notice. There wasn't a witch or wizard alive who had not felt it. Yet Luna was the only one to pay it any mind. Wizards, Luna mused, were much like Muggles. They were too quick to dismiss odd occurrences as a trick of the mind. The fact that Nargles were still believed to be extinct only proved Luna's point.

So Luna decided to investigate, and with a Spectrespecs adorning her face, she knocked on the door to the Burrow. Luna hummed merrily, even as the door opened and a wand was pressed against her throat.

"What did you confide in me on the train back from Hogwarts," Ginny uttered coldly, though Luna could sense the warmth behind her cold front.

Luna, however, blanched at the question and frowned. "It was a long ride home, Ginny. I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."

Ginny stared at Luna blandly for a second, and then Luna's eyes widened further. "Oh...that secret. That's a rather personal question, and how am I to know your Ginny. You could be a Death Eater or an Albino Nargle, or maybe the ghoul in your attic has kidnapped you and is wearing a red wig...though you are far too pretty to be a ghoul, and ghouls are rather friendly creatures."

Ginny rolled her eyes and pulled Luna into the house. "Never mind, you're definitely, Luna."

"It's not definite. There is a slim possibility that I'm not Luna at all." Luna declared as she skipped inside. "When I was 5, I was certain my real name was Woolfrick. Sure my parents showed me my birth certificate, but I still could have been confounded. Congratulations, by the way, Love is a wonderful thing. I could feel the ripple from my house."

Ginny, who was usually used to Luna's keen observations, froze. "How the bloody hell did you know?"

"Did you not feel it, the ripple?" Luna asked as she stared at the clock on the wall. All the hands were pointed at Mortal Peril, except for Percy Weasley's, which was pointed at tea time.

Ginny shook her head. "Your scary, you know that. Brilliant, but scary."

"I believe Ronald said the same thing to Hermione," Luna uttered, sounding more nonchalant than usual. "How are they, by the way. Not fighting, I hope."

Ginny grimaced. "They haven't snogged yet, but it feels like a matter of time."

"Oh, how lovely," Luna uttered as she stared at the clock, even as Ginny gave her a short hug. "I missed you too, Ginny."

Ginny looked like she was going to say something, but Luna briefly met her gaze. Then, she thought better of it. "Listen, we need to talk, now."

"Is this about Harry Potter?" Luna asked as Ginny dragged her up the stair towards her room. As she nearly reached the door, they ran straight into two bodies heading down the stairs. Luna looked up and saw a startled Hermione looking down at her. "Luna? What are you doing here?"

"Investigating," Luna uttered as she looked to her left and saw a blushing Ginny and Harry looking anywhere but each over, but Luna noticed their hands were touching. "Where's Ronald."

"On the cross." Harry groaned. "It'll be fine, just rather tossed with me at the moment."

"He means well, but you know how Ron is..." Hermione muttered, a faint blush filling her cheeks. "Anyway, he's helping Miss Weasley with the laundry, without magic. It's busy work."

Luna frowned. "Pity, love should be celebrated, don't you think, Hermione."

Hermione sighed, not noticing the way Harry and Ginny blanched. "Believe me, Luna, I could not agree more, but I've found that the world is rather close-minded about such things."

"Well, from my point of view, you're also closed-minded, as brilliant as you are," Luna stated with a shrug. "I suspect you're even smarter than me."

Hermione did not reply, frowning as her cheeks turned red, unsure whether she should be flattered or insulted.

Luna looked to Ginny. "We can't let the world decide our actions for us. Otherwise, Voldemort's return would still be a mystery. Sometimes we have to take the initiative, no matter how painful it may seem."

Luna then turned to Harry. "Happy Birthday Harry. Though I doubt my present can compare to Ginny's, I have some rather sage wisdom for you. It's something my mom once said that I feel you should take to heart. "Fear is the wedge that drives us apart. Love is the bond that mends our heart."

Luna gave a pointed look to the three and uttered. "Please take my words to heart. The path ahead is covered in shadows. It will be easy to get lost if we don't stand together. Don't forget to tell Ron for me. I would very much like to see him."

Hermione frowned. "You want to see Ron."

Luna smiled. "Well, he is my friend, as are you all. We are friends, Hermione, Aren't we?"

Harry shared a look with Ginny before frowning at the pair. Something seemed to change. Hermione's smile no longer reached her eyes. "Of course we are. Why would you even ask."

"Wrackspurts can cloud our judgment, leave us confused," Luna uttered, and even Harry could notice her voice wasn't as airy as it usually was. "I see a lot of wrackspurts around you."

"There's no such thing as Wrackspurts." Hermione practically growled, and Harry had half a mind to ask Ginny what the hell was going on.

"Think what you will, but the symptoms remain the same. They are not solely to blame. Maybe with time, you'll understand that you are not who others wish you to be."

"You don't know me." Hermione was practically fuming. "You have no idea..."

"I don't know the details, but I am not blind," Luna uttered with a shrug. "I don't know for certain that Ginny and Harry recently had a rather intense kiss, but if you look closely, it's rather obvious."

Harry and Ginny blushed intensely, while Hermione turned to leave with a huff, only for Luna to grab her by the shoulder. Hermione looked over her shoulder through thin eyes.

"You are brilliant, Hermione, but you need to learn to think for yourself." Luna sighed with a smile. "When the time comes when you find clarity, listen to your heart and not your mind. You'll be much happier. The mind lies, but the heart is always true."

Luna then turned to Harry. "Happy Birthday, I can't wait to celebrate, but Ginny and I have much to discuss. Oh, and I would like to speak with Ron."

Luna began to pull Ginny into her room but not before uttering. "I just remembered an old riddle. I was asked to enter the Raven claw common room. What is a Riddle without an answer?"

Luna shut the door, leaving Harry alone with a red-faced Hermione. "What the bloody hell was that about."

"Nothing. It was about absolutely nothing." Hermione snapped as she stomped up the stairs.

"Are you ok, Hermione?" Harry asked, suddenly very concerned.

"I'm just fine. Why would you ask?" Hermione insisted hotly when the door to the washroom shattered into a thousand pieces. Hermione continued undeterred while Harry hastily cast a reparo to mend the door. Harry noticed that Charlie Weasley was in his knickers, a toothbrush in his mouth.

"You sure don't seem fine." Harry ventured carefully, only to have Hermione glare at him. "On second thought, you seem fine. Must've been a trick of the light."

"Luna is trying to pressure me into asking...Oh, Never mind." Hermione groaned as she passed by Ron, who was pressing himself against the side of the stairs, trying to go unnoticed. Harry and Ron shared a glance, and Harry seemed to understand.

"Oh... I'm still rather confused." Harry exclaimed as Hermione spun around like a lioness waiting to pounce.

"Then you're just like the riddle without an answer, Confused," Hermione shouted, causing the ghoul to make a racket in the attic.

Harry watched her leave concern written across his brow. when a hand clasped onto his shoulder, reminding him of Ron's presence. "Girl's, they're bloody mad, the lot of them."

"That wasn't very nice." Ginny declared as she shut the door behind them.

"I'm afraid it wasn't, but sometimes being nice is selfish, and being mean can be nice in the long run. Harry isn't going to defeat You-Know-Who by being nice." Luna sighed as she looked out the window. "You'll see, Ginny, it will work out in the long run. I may not be a seer, but the present dictates the future."

"You probably right," Ginny answered as she sat on her bed. "But what happens if, by meddling, you end up making things worse."

"That is the risk we all must take, Ginny." Luna sighed in a surprisingly sombre voice. "The alternative is to do nothing, and then we lose without even trying. Some people prefer this, they fear failure more than their failings, but that is no way to live."

Ginny pondered her words for a moment and found her courage returning to her. Luna was right. Some risks were worth taking. "They're leaving after the wedding."

"I know," Luna whispered, sadly knowing what would come next.

Ginny stood and met Luna's gaze, who for once did not look away, as if even she could recognize how serious the situation.. "I'm going with them."

Ginny shuddered as the truth hit for the first time. The room grew cold as Ginny reckoned with the gravity of her undertaking. This wasn't some rescue mission into the Department of Mysteries. They were at war, and Ginny was going to follow Harry into the very heart of the storm. There would be pain, suffering, and death, lots of it. The weight of this task was enough to make Ginny feint, but she gritted her teeth and fixed her heart on the task at hand. She would not be swayed by cowardice.

Luna nodded before warning. "You won't be welcome."

"The man I love is going out there to fight, suffer and die! Am I supposed to just sit back and do nothing!? Do you want to know what changed Luna? I found something worth fighting for! My Friend, my Brother, and my...My Harry is going to face the greatest evil, the Wizarding world as seen in a millennium. I prepared to die if it means saving Harry or stopping Voldemort! Do you think I give two bullocks whether I'm welcome or not?"

Luna tilted her head to the side. "You really love him, don't you."

Ginny nodded as her eyes shined with tears of passion. "I can't imagine my life without him. It's not one worth living."

"Life is always worth living, but I understand more than you know," Luna whispered as she met Ginny's gaze. "I know what your thinking, that if it came down to it, you would die for him. There is nothing wrong with having someone you would die for, but the real question is would you live for him?"

Ginny's retort was interrupted by Luna's musical voice. "Don't answer now. You do not fully comprehend what I ask. Just remember what I said...at the close."

Luna looked down, and for the first time in years, Ginny watched as Luna began to cry. Ginny grabbed her hand and looked deep into Luna's wide eyes. "Come with me."

Luna sighed sombrely as she shook her head. "I want to, really I do, but my place is at Hogwarts. The students will need me and what little help I can offer. Besides, I can' leave my father behind. He needs me, now more than ever. Just promise you'll stay as safe as you can, when you can, and don't let fear drive you apart."

A single tear ran down Luna's cheek as she whispered. "I'll miss you."

They sat on the bed, silence descending on them, and finally, Ginny spoke. "How do you break the trace?"

Luna smiled mysteriously and whispered. "By breaking it, of course."

"You love her?" Ron repeated, torn between anger, sadness, and confusion. The party was in full swing. Hermione and Luna were bickering about something, giving Harry and Ron a chance to sneak away from the party to talk. Ginny was speaking with Lupin though her eyes were constantly drawn to Harry, something that didn't go noticed by Ron. "Bloody Hell, you didn't tell her, did you?"

Harry felt the urge to shrug bashfully but fixed his heart and nodded gravely. "She had to know."

"Why the in Merlin name would you do that for?" Ron exclaimed, looking older than he ever had before.

"I couldn't leave her thinking I dumped her for Voldemort." Harry declared as he scratched his scar. "She had to know, in case..."

"In case you don't come back." Ron hissed bitterly. "Great idea, now when we die, she's going to be really distraught."

"It's not like that," Harry exclaimed, only for Ron to look away. "You don't understand."

"I know my sister, better than you, I reckon." Ron countered, frowning when Harry opened his mouth to object. "I love her too, Harry, I grew up with her, and I say this with all the love in the world. She's mental!"

"Don't you call my girlfriend mental!" Harry snapped, fuming.

"Oh, so it's girlfriend now. I thought you broke up." Ron bit back snarkily. "I'm not insulting her. She's brilliant. But you know how she gets. She's reckless and impulsive, like you. Now tell me, what would you do if you were in her position. What would you do if Ginny was going off to die on some suicide mission and told you she loved you."

Harry pondered these words as he looked at Ginny, who was looking back at him. For the first time, Harry noticed that something was off about Ginny's look, though he couldn't put his finger on it. "I know what I would do...but..."

"That's not taking into account that she's been in love with you for six years." Ron declares, following Harry's gaze just in time to catch Ginny turn away. "Not that I blame her. I mean, you did save her from a Horcrux by killing a Basilisk with a sword at the tender age of 12. Blimey Fleur would've fallen for you after that?"

"There's more to our relationship than blind, hero worship!" Harry countered, his temper rising.

"Doesn't mean it didn't help. It's not a bad thing, really, except..." Ron paused before uttering. "She owes you her life. Come on, your impulsive. What would you do in her situation."

Harry met Ron's eyes, and the ginger boy nodded. "Exactly, and trust me when I say compared to her, you look like Hermione...the old Hermione, before we corrupted her."

Harry tried to smile at this, but Ron was making a very good point. Ron sighed before putting his hand on Harry's should and whispering intently. "I know being your friend is dangerous, has been for years, but I never had a problem with that...until now."

Harry frowned as Ron continued. "I was happy for you when you two started dating, I felt it would do you both some good, but I never imagined it would get this serious. I want to give you my blessing, really I do...but it's too dangerous. If they find out..."

"We're not together, Ron," Harry repeated, feeling the sickness in his stomach return. "Not until the wars over...maybe not even then. That doesn't mean I don't love her. It doesn't mean she shouldn't know the truth."

"The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing and should therefore be treated with great caution." Ron declared as he looked over to his sister, who was now staring longingly at Harry, oblivious to all else. "You told me Dumbledore said that a long time ago. I reckon he was right."

Harry looked uneasy before turning to Ron. "I won't let Voldemort hurt her again, Ron, I swear to you."

"It's not just You-Know-Who that concerns me," Ron whispered, suddenly pale. "The Diary, it changed her Harry. In ways, we don't fully understand. She doesn't talk about it, but...She still has nightmares, and she had a really bad one after we got back from Hogwarts."

Harry was staring at Ginny, who was no longer meeting his gaze. She was listening to Luna, or at least she was. Now she seemed oblivious to the world, her eyes staring vacantly. Harry felt a chill run down his spine as he remembered where he had seen that look before, remembering a younger Ginny, shellshocked as they left the Chamber of secrets.

"That was just one Horcrux, Harry," Ron uttered wearily. "Imagine what the others will be like. If anyone's going to hurt Ginny, it will be herself."

Harry felt his stomach churn as he remembered Mrs. Weasleys Bogart and saw the still lifeless body of Ginny. She looked as she had in the Chamber. Harry felt himself sink into a black abyss when a ray of light shined through the darkness, granting Harry clarity. "It doesn't matter, Ron. She has the trace. As long as she's under the trace, she's stuck here. As long as she's under the trace, She'll be safe."

Harry felt the anxiety fade as he repeated to himself. "As long as she's under the trace, everything will be alright."

Ginny looked at Harry and smiled sadly, and Harry smiled back, though neither seemed to mean it. Harry felt an uneasy twinge in his stomach. He couldn't help but feel he had forgotten something.

"Blimey." Ron gasped, and Harry turned to see his friend was looking out the window. "Percy's here, with the Minister of Magic!?"

The meeting between the Golden Trio and the Minister of Magic was ending when a hidden figure slipped out of the room. The obscure figure rushed up the stairs before entering Harry's room. Then Ginny's head appeared from thin air, followed by the rest of her. She hastily folded Harry's cloak before returning it to his brief case. Then she bolted from the room and tried to process what she had learned.

Ginny was in deep thought, in such deep thought that she walked right into a large body and nearly fell to the floor, but a tight grip halted her fall.

Ginny looked up and gulped as she found herself face to face with the Minister of Magic himself. "Hello...Miss Weasley, I presume."

Ginny was sure she had been caught, but if there was one thing she learned from her brothers, it was to never confess to your crimes, even when you've been caught redhanded. "Hello, Minister."

"May I have a word with you." Rufus Scrimgeour spoke regally. Ginny shrugged and stepped into her room, the Minister following behind, looking somewhat apprehensive.

"It's not appropriate to meet with a girl in her room without an escort." The Minister uttered uneasily.

"Here's my escort." Ginny drew her wand and aimed it at the Minister. "Now tell me what you wish to tell, then leave."

Rufus Scrimgeour glared at the wand before pulling a briefcase from his pocket. "I'm sure you thought you were rather well hidden as I bequeathed Potter and his friends Dumbledore's will. However, there are ways of detecting those unseen."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ginny uttered, her wand still fixed on the Minister.

"Nor do I care about your indiscretion whether you admit to it or not." The Minister declared formally. "What does matter is that Dumbledore left something in his will...for you."

Ginny failed to hide her surprise at this but shook herself as she hissed. "Fine, give it to me."

Rufus Scrimgeour opened his mouth, closed it then reached into the suitcase. "I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, being of sound mind and body, bequeath this heirloom to Ginny Weasley. May it serve you better than its previous owner."

Without another word, Rufus pulled out Dumbledore's final gift and slammed it down on the desk in front of Ginny.

Ginny stared as if petrified. She could not breathe and could not think. Ginny could only stare at the thing which had rotted her mind and brought her to the precipice of madness. She stared as if entranced as she had once before, but now fear, not black magic, was what held her mind captive. Suddenly Ginny felt her lungs burn as if she were on fire, and she exhaled violently, yet her eyes remained fixed on the book, covered in black ink, with a hole punctured through it. Written upon the cover was the name that still haunted Ginny every day and every night.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Ginny remembered her wand, and for a moment, she considered setting the book ablaze. No...not yet. Dumbledore would not send her this book just to torture her.

"Very curious," Rufus murmured, breaking Ginny from her stupor, yet to her anger and shame, she was still shaking violently, as if she were standing amid a blizzard. "Dumbledore also writes that. "To speak with the dead, remember what your Father taught you." Do you have any idea what this means?"

Ginny shook her head, too shaken to be dishonest. "Why would he give me...that thing."

"To be honest, Miss Wesley, I was hoping you would tell me." The Minister declared as he peered down at Ginny. "What meaning does this...book hold for you."

Ginny looked down at the book, then back at Rufus, the answer to the question scaring her back to a cognizant state. "I don't know."

"Don't Bullshit a Politician!" Rufus sneered, pointing to the book. "I've seen victims of the Cruciatus curse in better shape than you. So tell me the truth, or stay silent but don't lie to me!"

Ginny's eyes darkened as she uttered.. "I'm used to lying. It's what I'm good at. Your right; it was rude of me to lie to you. So I'll stick to the truth."

Ginny rose to her feet and spoke with a trembling voice. "This book has a great meaning to me, but it is not all that weighs on my mind. My friends, family, and the people I love will soon walk into Hellfire to destroy the Wizard that has the Ministry shaking in their boots. Wile, your precious Ministry, tried to stifle us at every turn, we, as children, were fighting a war against evil forces beyond your wildest dreams. You ask for Harry's help when you're why his Godfather's dead. While you hunted him down like a dog, Sirius saved our lives, fought beside us, and died. We watched him die while you slept in soft beds and buried your head in the sand."

"We gave you a chance to help us fight, but no. All you have done is badger us to help you. We are children! Or at least we were. You haven't changed. You're still arresting random people to give off the illusion of real action. You want us to publicly support you when You're hardly better than the death eaters you're supposed to be fighting. Maybe if you tried to find the Heir of Slytherin threatening its students, instead of arresting the Horrid Half-Giant who never harmed a soul, I'd still have a childhood!" Ginny roared with tears of rage.

Rufus stepped back, bewildered as Ginny jabbed him with her wand. "So pardon my honesty, forgive my bullshit as you so eloquently called it, but I have enough shit on my plate to be deal to put up with the likes of you. So pretty please, with a cherry on top, leave me alone!"

Suddenly Rufus jumped back as the end of Ginny's wand caught fire. Ginny paid it no notice, and she put it out with a wave. "I promise you, Rufus, that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me, Merlin."

Ginny stared at the Minister, and the Minister stared right back. His frightened look faded from his face, and his mouth curled down into a scowl. "You speak of things you don't understand, girl. It's easy to point and judge from the bottom. What do you know of responsibility when you can't even keep the filthy gnomes out of this sorry excuse for a house."

Rufus snorted as he looked around in disgust. "Do you know what you are? You are what the American Muggles call white trash. Ignorant peasants who have no idea what it means to rule a country on the brink of collapse. It's hard enough holding the forces of evil at bay while maintaining order without having to appease the dirt on your boot."

The Minister bent down so his face hovered over Ginny's, who stared back defiantly. "You may think in your nativity that this is a battle between good and evil, but let me remind you we are at War! Doing the right thing doesn't win wars. Strength, brutality, and sacrifice, win wars. This is a battle between order and chaos. Good as nothing to do with it!"

"You sound just like Voldemort." Ginny hissed. "He said something similar to Harry. There is only power and those too weak to seek it."

"Say what you want about the vile bastard, but he's no fool." The Minister uttered grimly.

"He's the biggest fool there is. He chose power over humanity, death over life, and hate over love." Ginny cocked her head to the side. "I guess that's two things you both have in common."

"Well, you would know!" The Minister snarled, piercing Ginny with black beady eyes.

"Yes, I would!" Ginny said, looking ready to start throwing curses, but instead, she smirked. "Well, I'm glad we can finally be honest with one another."

The Minister sniffed and turned to leave when Ginny spoke. "I'll tell you about the book."

The Ministers hand stilled on the door, and he turned to look at the insolent girl before him, wearing a smug look. "But it will cost you."

Minister turned fully with his arms crossed, waiting impatiently. Ginny's smile faded, and she finally seized her opportunity. "The Trace."

The Minister frowned. "Pity, that you should sell me information so cheap, and alas I can not help you."

"Can't or won't?" Ginny snapped.

"You are too close to the Boy-Who-Lived to be left unmonitored." Rufus sighed tiredly. "But even if I could, it's not so simple. Only the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot can remove the trace, and though Shacklebolt has been a fitting substitute, that is all he remains. I'm afraid we shall remain ignorant until the post of Chief Warlock is officially filled."

"The secrets haven't died with Dumbledore." Ginny scoffed dryly. "You're not that stupid."

"The book of the necessary documents is highly classified and remains under lock." The Minister growled. "To read said book is a breach of national security."

"So? Breach it! Break the Rules! By Merlin, it wouldn't be the first time!" Ginny exclaimed, waving arms about in frustration. "If you want information critical to your war on Voldemort, then be a dam politician and break the bloody rules!"

"You overestimate the value of your information." Rufus snorted turning to leave. "Good day Weasley!"

"I don't think you understand, Minister," Ginny whispered, a cold look on her face. Rufus felt a sliver of fear that he could not explain, except that something about the girl's look seemed...wrong. "I won't take no for an answer."

"Are you threatening me!" The Minister growled, his face turning green.

"Should I be honest, or should I lie." Ginny hissed, feeling as if a Dementor stood behind her, sucking all warmth from the room. "I'm rather good at lying. I could show you if you like. I could rip my dress, scream so loud it would shatter glass, and tell all who will listen about what the big bad Minister tried to do to me?"

The Minister's face turned from a putrid green to a milky white. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Are you sure about that? You said it yourself. It's improper for a man like yourself to be alone in a room with a woman like me." Ginny winked and smirked. "Rather foolish if you ask me."

"You spoiled brat."

"After everything, I told you, and that's what you think." Ginny roared, resembling a lioness. "My Har- Brother is going to fight Tom, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure he comes back! So don't test me!"

"If you started screaming, I'm sure everyone in this house would believe you, but you will find your support lacking outside it." The Minister snarled, his face now as red as a Dursley.

"I'm more than happy to test that theory."

"You'd be surprised what people are willing to tolerate and turn a blind eye to when they fear for the safety of their families. Be grateful I am not that kind of Wizard." The Minister's grinned wickedly. "You, on the other hand, would not take it so lightly. Dumbledore put a lot of time to keep your dark secrets under wraps. It would be a shame if the word got out that the one who opened the chamber of secrets walks among us."

Ginny's face turned red as a memory whispered bitter nothings in her head. The Minister all but cackled. "What would your friends think if only they knew. You can say goodbye to legitimate employment? Your hopes and dreams will turn to ashes. I can only imagine the damage the Dark Lord has wrought on your mind."

"Shut up!" Ginny whispered as the Minister continued.

"I have seen firsthand the aftermath of the Dark Lord's insidious power. I have seen the wreckage of minds ravaged by his wrath. To be touched by an evil so great leaves a scar, a stain that no magic can clean. Once a slave to Voldemort's will shall always be so until the light leaves their eyes."

"Shut up!" Ginny spoke louder as an unbearable shame gave fuel to her rage.

"You have been marked by evil, Miss Weasley, and you have let it corrupt and pervert your mind. You threatened me because it's what You-Know-Who would do." The Minister snarled. "You try to hide it. You put up a tough front, but it doesn't fool me. I see your pain. He lives inside of you. Your friends and family may have the faintest understanding of what happened to you, but they will never understand the Truth."

"SHUT UP!" Ginny screamed, and she realized she was trembling. She couldn't breathe as her wand slipped from her hands.

"The truth is that Ginny Weasley died four years ago." The Minister declared with a smirk. "And you are what Tom created."

"Get out!" Ginny hollered, grabbing the candle on her dresser and hurling it at the Minister, who ducked as it hit the door.

"No, I don't think I will," Rufus announced. "We're going to have a little chat about this book unless you wish to make tomorrow's front page. I have quite the story. The tale of Lord Voldemort and his secret harlot. I..."

Suddenly the Minister froze as he felt the end of a wand press against his neck and a voice hiss in his ear. "Leave her alone."

Rufus didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "Harry, my boy. I... it's not what it looks like."

"It looks like you are threatening my friend," Harry growled, and Ginny was taken aback by the hatred in his eyes.

"She started it!" The Minister whined like a petulant child

"Well, I'm finishing it." Harry snapped through gritted teeth. "Get out before I change my mind."

"What do you mean?" The Minister began to ask, only for Harry to jab him with his wand, which was starting to burn. "Ah...I see...Well, it was a pleasure speaking with you, Miss Weasley. I wish you both a lovely evening...and uh...happy birthday, Potter."

Rufus bolted out of the room with his tail between his legs. Under other circumstances, Ginny would have found the sight hilarious, but she was in no laughing mood. Head down, she made for the door, only for it to shut in her face. Slowly she looked up and saw Harry's hand on the door, and he didn't look pleased.

Ginny gulped as she swallowed down her nerves and asked. "How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough," Harry uttered abruptly, and Ginny felt her heart sink. "What kind of game are you playing!"

"I was trying to get information on Tom?" Ginny lied, not meeting Harry's eyes.

Ginny chanced a glance, and her heart sank further as Harry wasn't buying it. "Ginny, do you have any idea how dangerous that was? We don't even know if that is still the Minister. He could have...What the bloody hell were you doing!"

"I was trying to help you!" Ginny shouted, and the picture on her wall cracked.

Ginny kept her eyes fixed on the ground until she felt a hand under her chin, tilting her face up until she stared into dark emerald eyes. Ginny could not help but notice how old and tired Harry looked. Harry spoke softly. "Ginny, please, if you want to help me, just stay out of trouble, ok."

Ginny shook her head. "You know I can't do that."

The smallest smile made its way up the corner of Harry's mouth. "Well, then at least try to be a little careful."

Ginny felt like she would be sick as everything that had transpired hit her like a rampaging hippogriff. As Harry opened his mouth to speak, Ginny swung the door open and ran down the stairs, leaving Harry behind, with a forlorn look on his face.

Ginny collapsed outside of the burrow, dry heaving. She wasn't sure if she was going to faint or throw up, but in the end, neither happened, and soon, she regained her composure. Nevertheless, in her mind, she wreaked of failure and shame.

The Minister's remarks struck too close to home for Ginny's comfort. Ginny knew deep in her heart that she would never have gone as far as she did, had it not been for Tom.

"Pour sweet Ginny, all alone, lost in the dark, never again to see the light."

"Leave me alone"

"But you are alone. We are one. Everything you are is now mine!"

Ginny woke up with a shriek, only to come to her senses. It was just a nightmare, at least that's what she told herself. Ginny looked over to Hermione and sighed with relief that she hadn't wakened her.

Quietly, Ginny lit a candle and looked into the mirror, staring into the face of Tom Riddle. Ginny closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. She opened her eyes again and still saw only Tom. Ginny repeated her exercise, only this time her eyes remained shut.

"I am Ginny Weasley." She repeated the mantra that saved her from many sleepless nights. When the trauma she endured threatened to break her, she would whisper to herself, "I am Ginny Weasley."

Ginny lost track of time as she buried her shame into the deepest and darkest recces of her mind. So it was that when she finally opened her eyes again, she saw only herself in the mirror.

Ginny sighed, suddenly feeling very sleepy. Yet she did not trust herself to sleep, lest the nightmares return. What would she dream about this time? Would it be the horrors of her past or the inevitable desolation that awaited her future? They both ended the same, with Harry lying dead and Tom Riddle laughing. "It's all your fault, Weasley."

"No." Ginny hissed, causing Hermione to groan and tern in her sleep.

"At least Harry will have you to look after him." Ginny thought bitterly before her reprimanding herself. Her heart went to her friend as she pleaded. "Bring him back to me...please don't let him..."

Ginny couldn't finish as she began to cry, even as she cursed herself for her weakness. Ginny never cried. She just bottled up her pain, anger, and distress until they disappeared. Yet now Ginny felt she was reaching the breaking point. Ginny felt sleep descend upon her but shook herself awake. She couldn't fall asleep, not yet.

Ginny had almost forgotten, but Riddle's ghostly face had a way of reminding her. Ginny looked at Hermione carefully, going so far as to give her a poke to make sure she was fast asleep. Instead, Hermione groaned, "Go away, Nargles...not even real..." then drifted back to sleep.

Ginny reached underneath her mattress and pulled out the dreaded Diary that had caused her so much pain. As Ginny stared at the gaping wound through its cover, she remembered the message Dumbledore had left her. "To speak with the dead, remember what your Father taught you ."

Ginny had an uneasy feeling. She knew what Dumbledore was asking of her, but did she have the nerve to do so?

Ginny looked at the picture on her mantle and knew the answer. They sat beneath a great tree. Harry was holding her, whispering and laughing amongst themselves while Colin sniped the picture without them noticing.

"For Harry," Ginny whispered, knowing in her heart she would do anything for him.

Ginny reached into her belongings and pulled out a quill and ink. She felt her heart racing as she opened the Diary and dipped her quill in ink. She held her breath as sweat dripped down her brow and screwed her Gryffindor courage she wrote into the Diary. "Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain?"

The words faded into the parchment, and nothing seemed to happen. Ginny wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. Then the words materialized on the pages, and Ginnys sucked in her breath as she read, "Hello Ginny Weasley, I am the memory of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

Ginny stared a the diary, her knuckled clenched tight, pale and white. The Diary continued. "Do not be alarmed, Miss Weasley. This memory more closely resembles a portrait than the vile magic you once encountered between these pages. My responses have been pre-written, so I can not answer all your questions, but you can answer some of mine. There is no wrong answer to these questions, though they will determine what I shall reveal from within these pages. So I must ask that you answer honestly, or I shall be very cross. So without further adieu, let us begin."

Albus's words faded into the parchment and reappeared as a question. "What does Harry Potter mean to you?"

Ginny started at the question and found herself flummoxed. Sure she knew that she loved the boy, but that wasn't what the Diary asked. How could she possibly explain all the things Harry meant to her? It was simply impossible.

But then Ginny looked at the portrait of the two of them smiling and laughing, and Ginny knew the answer. So Ginny raised her quill and wrote upon the ancient parchment. "Everything."

"What are you willing to do for him?" The Diary asked next.

This time Ginny's response was second nature. "Anything."

For a moment, the Diary was still, as if pondering her answer, then came the third and final question. "Will you stand by his side until the end?"

Ginny frowned at the nature of this question but hastily wrote. "Always."

Ginny waited with bated breath as the Diary did nothing but sit there. Then, finally, just when she was about to write into the Diary, it replied. "You are a fearless, courageous young lady. As strong as any Weasley I've ever had the fortune to know. But I fear that I ask too much of you. What I am about to tell you, must not be revealed to anyone."

Ginny felt goosebumps cover her skin. "Even Harry?"

"Especially Harry." The Diary answered. "If my calculations are correct, by the time you read this, I will have been murdered, betrayed by my colleague and friend, Severus Snape."

Ginny frowned but nodded along as if the book could see her gesture. Then the Diary wrote. "What you may not know, is the curse which has withered my hand shall soon claim my life. Severus shall only hasten the inevitable."

Ginny's eyes widened with a dawning realization, confirmed by Dumbledore's following message. "What Harry Potter can not know under any circumstances is that Severus Snape is loyal to the light. Naturally, our final meeting was prearranged so that Severus may earn Tom Riddle's full support and trust."

Ginny could not believe what she was reading and had half a mind to run straight to Harry when Dumbledore warned. "I trust Harry Potter with my life. However, his mind is vulnerable to Riddle's gaze. If Tom were but to look and discover the truth, Severus Snape's life shall be forfeit. Therefore I must ask that you not tell Harry until it is time to tell him."

Ginny felt her hands tremble from the gravity of Dumbledore's words, writing. "Why, tell me?"

Ginny wasn't sure if the Diary would answer for a moment, but the words appeared. "Severus has information, and it is critical he passes it on to Harry. However, the information must not be given to Harry until his mission is complete and only Tom remains."

"What do you mean, only Tom remains?" Ginny asked. Her confusion only grew worse with the Diary's reply.

"Sorry, I have no answer to this question. Please ask another."

Ginny gritted her teeth in frustration before writing it down. "Why trust Snape?"

"I can not say, though you are wise to question it. Snape has much to gain by killing me. Of course, he could do so as an agent of good or evil, but trust me when I say Severus desires nothing more or less than for Riddle's demise."

"What information does Snape have?" Ginny wrote.

"Severus holds the most important information of all." The Diary declared. "Severus holds the key to Riddle's doom. Tom can not know this, and in turn, neither can Harry, not until seven become one."

Ginny felt sick as she eyed the Diary hesitantly before writing. "I can't lie to Harry."

"Not even to help him? Not even for his own good? I thought you said you would do anything for Harry?" The Diary seemed to sigh. "I hold no power over you, Ginny. You are free to do as you will, but I must implore you to be strong, for this information can be the making and ruin of all."

"I ask too much of you, Ginevra, and yet not enough, for I know you have the strength and the courage to do what is right and not easy. So now I must ask one more thing, and in turn, I shall offer you one last gift." So Dumbledore wrote before the world around them grew quiet, and Ginny realized she was within a notice-me-not charm, more potent than any she had ever witnessed before. "My gift for you is freedom, but the price is steep."

Ginny stared at the pages as they turned on their own until she looked at the book's centre. Ginny's heart was in her throat as she gaped in horror at the three words already written on the page. "Break your wand."

Ginny felt like she was going to be sick, and she clenched her wand tightly to her chest. It had once been Bill's and she loved her wand almost as much as she loved her oldest Brother. She remembered visiting him in Egypt and crying on his shoulder as she confessed to the horrible things that had happened during her first year of Hogwarts. He had comforted her, whispering that everything would be alright, giving Ginny the strength to carry on.

Ginny had half a mind to go to her Brother, but commonsense returned to her. This decision she had to make alone. She knew what she had to do, but she couldn't! It was her wand, more precious than any possession, even her broom. She loved her wand more than anything...almost anything.

Ginny looked at the picture of Harry holding her and sighed with a grim acceptance. Ginny closed her eyes and found strength in Harry, who she loved more than anything.

There was a sudden snap, and Ginny broke down into tears as she clutched her broken treasure to her chest. These broken bits of wood had made her strong. Her one constant companion when it seemed the world had abandoned her. Even when her Diary had betrayed her, she always had her wand...until now.

Ginny cried but did not lose focus. Instead, she placed the broken stick between the pages of the Diary. The pages began to glow, and Ginny' stared as if possessed. Suddenly, the book caught fire without warning, and Ginny nearly screamed as the flames consumed the pages. Much to Ginny's relief, the fire did not spread, and instead, Ginny swore she heard Dumbledore's voice rise out of the fire. "The last enemy to be destroyed is death."

Then Ginny swore she heard a Phoenix cry and saw something fly from the pages consumed in flames! But then, the fire was out with a blink, and the book was untouched. Ginny reached for the book, withdrew then finally seized hold of it, half expecting to be burned. When nothing happened, she slowly opened to book and found her wand resting on the pages, untouched.

Ginny took the wand in her right hand and held it. It was not her wand, but it felt right. She felt a soft glow illuminate the room around her as a warmth flooded her veins. Ginny stared at the wand that made her feel more fulfilled than any wand before. Then, Ginny saw that there was more writing in the Diary and read.

"11 inches, made of Yew and with the core of a phoenix feather. My phoenix, to be precise. Faux gave one last feather. The wand I made myself, and though I am no Olivander, because it was made outside of Ministry regulations..."

"It is free of the trace." Ginny read aloud, her heart glowing. "Good luck, Ginevra Weasley. Signed Albus Dumbledore. Have courage, for only in darkness do we discover how bright we are."

It was more than the trace, though. It was what it symbolized. Dumbledore had faith in her. Dumbledore trusted her. Dumbledore had known, even before she knew, that she would go to the very ends of the earth for Harry, and that was precisely what she was about to do.

Ginny quickly cast a sleeping charm on Hermione, just in case, and promptly began to pack. She would pack lightly, carrying only what she needed. In her gut, Ginny knew Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be leaving after tomorrow's wedding. Tomorrow her friends and family would go off to warm, and she wanted to be ready.