Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours, either, unless you are JK Rowling in which case, hi! You rock my socks;)
The Curse-breaker's Sister
Chapter 15
Ginny stood on a giant rock and surveyed her surroundings. She was on a plateau, high in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria. They had Disapparated in Timgad early that morning and hiked up to the plateau in the afternoon. They were in a giant, green valley encircled by mountains. A break in the mountains contained a path that led to Thamugadi.
Draco raised his hand and Ginny took it, hopping off her the stone.
"It's beautiful up here, Draco. I wish we were here under different circumstances."
"Me too." And Draco meant it. "Once we've found Bill, we'll come back and enjoy the view."
They walked hand in hand towards Thamugadi. Draco chatting pleasantly about Thamugadi along the way.
"It was founded by the emperor Trajan in AD 100. An ancient Roman wizard, Quintianus Rogatianus paid for it."
Ginny smiled and said nothing. It was obvious to her that Draco felt very passionately about this place, so she let him talk. She liked listening to him, his voice was very pleasant, and it no longer had the condescending tones he'd used while at Hogwarts.
"Quintianus believed in the perpetuation of knowledge, he left enough money behind that it's still funding the library, 1900 years later."
They walked up a sandy path between two columns of white limestone. A horseshoe shaped portico formed the entry into a semicircular central room. A large, mahogany desk took up most of the space. Ginny peered beyond it – and the witch that sat behind it – into a large room bustling with witches and wizards.
One of the bustling witches turned and looked towards the entranceway. Ginny watched as her eyes lit up at the site of Draco. She started walking towards them. Draco obviously recognized her as he smiled and waved her over.
"Thérèse, darling! Lovely to see you." Draco embraced her lightly and gave her two chaste kisses, on one each cheek.
Ginny's eyes narrowed at this Thérèse woman with the long legs and the slow grin but she said nothing.
"Ahh, Draco! Eet has been so long since you came here! I vuz beginning to wonder eef I would ever see you again!" Thérèse kissed Draco's cheeks in return, her mouth lingering there a little too long for Ginny's liking. "Thérèse, this is Ginny, we're on a bit of a mission together, and I'm hoping you can help us out."
"Anything for you, darling."
Ginny was certain that Thérèse winked at Draco after saying that. She didn't like this French witch or her too short skirt, her too tight shirt, or the sassy red beret perched on her head. Why, she hadn't even acknowledged Ginny's presence! The famous Weasley temper plucked at the edges of Ginny's mind. She pushed it back into hiding, though. If she wanted to rescue Bill, she couldn't very well hex the librarian helping her into oblivion.
Lost in thought, Ginny didn't realize that Draco and Thérèse and walked off without her. Ginny looked around, but couldn't see them. She wandered into the main library, scanning the aisles for a familiar silver-blonde head.
"Ginny, there you are!" Draco said, smiling down at her. He took her hand in his and led her down an aisle. "Thérèse is going to find us a private study room and help us look for the books we need."
"Brilliantl," Ginny said in a clipped voice.
"You okay?" Draco asked, puzzled.
"I'm fine," Ginny lied. "Just a bit tired from that long walk."
Draco smiled at her and caressed her cheek with his free hand. "It was a long walk, but it was worth it for the view, wasn't it?"
He looked so happy, so caring, that Ginny couldn't help but smile back at him. The moment was ruined, however, when Thérèse called out to them that she'd found a room. From the look on her face, she had had to call several times. She was staring impatiently at Draco with piercing green eyes. Ginny was given an appraising once-over, short, but thorough. The look on Thérèse' face plainly stated that she did not view Ginny as competition.
Thérèse led them into a study room, all the while prattling away at Draco in her French accent. Ginny followed behind them a few paces, wondering what a combination of the Bat Bogey Hex and the Jelly Legs Jinx would do a certain flirty, French woman.
Once she was certain Draco was comfortable, Thérèse left to find the books they needed. Draco unpacked his duffel bag, unrolling scrolls they'd made earlier. Ginny placed the bag with the tablet in it on the chair beside her. She was reluctant to bring it out in the open unless absolutely necessary. For now they would work from the sketches she had made.
"Did you know that this is the only wizarding library in the Roman Empire west of Italy?" Draco asked her.
"No, I didn't," Ginny answered, bemused. "You really do like this place."
"Yes, I do. It's truly amazing. I'd stay here for weeks, just reading the ancient scrolls, if I could."
"And he has before," Thérèse said laughing. "I vood come in early in ze mornings and find him here, asleep over a pile of books. So dedicated to his work." Thérèse placed a beautifully manicured hand on Draco's shoulder. "Here are some of ze books you are looking for. Is there anything else I can get for you?"
"No thank you, Thérèse. This should do. You've been a tremendous help."
"Are you sure?" she asked, arching an elegant eyebrow. "For old times sake?"
Draco was already engrossed in the first book. He barely looked up at her when he said, "No, but thanks! We'll call if we need anything."
Thérèse lingered for a moment more. Before she turned to go, she fixed Ginny with a purely jealous glare and then spun around on her boot heels and sashayed out of the room. Her dramatic exit was lost on Draco, who was now pointing excitedly at something in his book.
He looked up at Ginny, expecting her to be thrilled. His face fell a little when he realized she didn't' share his excitement. "What's wrong, Gin?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's nothing. What's got you so excited?"
Draco closed the book and pushed it away from him. "Really, Ginny. What's wrong? You've been acting odd since we walked in here. What is it?" His voice was concerned and slightly hurt sounding, too.
Ginny sighed loudly and tried her best not to cross her arms over her chest and huff like she was a little girl. "Thérèse spent more time looking at you then she did for the books we were looking for."
"Why Ginny Weasley, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous!"
Ginny fixed him with a stare that put Thérèse' earlier glares to shame.
"I was kidding, Ginny."
"Good." Ginny reached for a scroll and unraveled it, effectively putting an end to any conversation they might have had.
Draco shrugged and went back to his book, though something was tickling the back of his mind. He thought back to what Ginny had said about Thérèse, that she'd spent more time looking at him then at books. Thérèse had been flirting with him, as usual, and Draco ignored her subtle attempts at getting him alone with her, as usual. He didn't realized it had bothered Ginny so much.
That thought made him grin. He was getting somewhere with Ginny after all!
"What are you smiling about?" she asked him, her voice curt. "Solved the mystery, have we?"
Draco was too happy to let her sarcasm get to him. He flipped the book around so she'd be able to read it and pushed it towards her.
"Check this out," he pointed to a group of cuneiform symbols written on the page. "It's the exact same symbols used on our tablet. We can finally interpret the bloody thing! If you look at the bottom here, there is a guide to the different accents and even proper pronunciation."
Tears of joy, and relief, filled Ginny's eyes. She reached across the table and threw her arms around Draco.
"Hey, don't cry. This is a good thing!"
"I know!" Ginny's voice was muffled, her face pressed into his neck. "I'm happy!"
"Funny way of showing it," Draco said smiling.
Ginny broke away from him and looked at him across the table. "Thank you," she said in a heart felt voice.
"We've not translated it yet," Draco said gruffly. "Where's the sketch?"
Ginny wiped a few rogue tears from her eyes before passing Draco the sketch of the tablet.
"Here," he said, pushing a cracked, red leather book towards her. "I'll translate while you look up the location of the Eyes of Ningal."
Fifteen scrolls and five hours later Draco and Ginny had successfully translated the incantation on the tablet as well as mapped out the location of the Eyes of Ningal. From there, they had extrapolated where they needed to go next.
They were going to Atlantis.
Author Notes: What I said before. :)
The Curse-breaker's Sister
Chapter 15
Ginny stood on a giant rock and surveyed her surroundings. She was on a plateau, high in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria. They had Disapparated in Timgad early that morning and hiked up to the plateau in the afternoon. They were in a giant, green valley encircled by mountains. A break in the mountains contained a path that led to Thamugadi.
Draco raised his hand and Ginny took it, hopping off her the stone.
"It's beautiful up here, Draco. I wish we were here under different circumstances."
"Me too." And Draco meant it. "Once we've found Bill, we'll come back and enjoy the view."
They walked hand in hand towards Thamugadi. Draco chatting pleasantly about Thamugadi along the way.
"It was founded by the emperor Trajan in AD 100. An ancient Roman wizard, Quintianus Rogatianus paid for it."
Ginny smiled and said nothing. It was obvious to her that Draco felt very passionately about this place, so she let him talk. She liked listening to him, his voice was very pleasant, and it no longer had the condescending tones he'd used while at Hogwarts.
"Quintianus believed in the perpetuation of knowledge, he left enough money behind that it's still funding the library, 1900 years later."
They walked up a sandy path between two columns of white limestone. A horseshoe shaped portico formed the entry into a semicircular central room. A large, mahogany desk took up most of the space. Ginny peered beyond it – and the witch that sat behind it – into a large room bustling with witches and wizards.
One of the bustling witches turned and looked towards the entranceway. Ginny watched as her eyes lit up at the site of Draco. She started walking towards them. Draco obviously recognized her as he smiled and waved her over.
"Thérèse, darling! Lovely to see you." Draco embraced her lightly and gave her two chaste kisses, on one each cheek.
Ginny's eyes narrowed at this Thérèse woman with the long legs and the slow grin but she said nothing.
"Ahh, Draco! Eet has been so long since you came here! I vuz beginning to wonder eef I would ever see you again!" Thérèse kissed Draco's cheeks in return, her mouth lingering there a little too long for Ginny's liking. "Thérèse, this is Ginny, we're on a bit of a mission together, and I'm hoping you can help us out."
"Anything for you, darling."
Ginny was certain that Thérèse winked at Draco after saying that. She didn't like this French witch or her too short skirt, her too tight shirt, or the sassy red beret perched on her head. Why, she hadn't even acknowledged Ginny's presence! The famous Weasley temper plucked at the edges of Ginny's mind. She pushed it back into hiding, though. If she wanted to rescue Bill, she couldn't very well hex the librarian helping her into oblivion.
Lost in thought, Ginny didn't realize that Draco and Thérèse and walked off without her. Ginny looked around, but couldn't see them. She wandered into the main library, scanning the aisles for a familiar silver-blonde head.
"Ginny, there you are!" Draco said, smiling down at her. He took her hand in his and led her down an aisle. "Thérèse is going to find us a private study room and help us look for the books we need."
"Brilliantl," Ginny said in a clipped voice.
"You okay?" Draco asked, puzzled.
"I'm fine," Ginny lied. "Just a bit tired from that long walk."
Draco smiled at her and caressed her cheek with his free hand. "It was a long walk, but it was worth it for the view, wasn't it?"
He looked so happy, so caring, that Ginny couldn't help but smile back at him. The moment was ruined, however, when Thérèse called out to them that she'd found a room. From the look on her face, she had had to call several times. She was staring impatiently at Draco with piercing green eyes. Ginny was given an appraising once-over, short, but thorough. The look on Thérèse' face plainly stated that she did not view Ginny as competition.
Thérèse led them into a study room, all the while prattling away at Draco in her French accent. Ginny followed behind them a few paces, wondering what a combination of the Bat Bogey Hex and the Jelly Legs Jinx would do a certain flirty, French woman.
Once she was certain Draco was comfortable, Thérèse left to find the books they needed. Draco unpacked his duffel bag, unrolling scrolls they'd made earlier. Ginny placed the bag with the tablet in it on the chair beside her. She was reluctant to bring it out in the open unless absolutely necessary. For now they would work from the sketches she had made.
"Did you know that this is the only wizarding library in the Roman Empire west of Italy?" Draco asked her.
"No, I didn't," Ginny answered, bemused. "You really do like this place."
"Yes, I do. It's truly amazing. I'd stay here for weeks, just reading the ancient scrolls, if I could."
"And he has before," Thérèse said laughing. "I vood come in early in ze mornings and find him here, asleep over a pile of books. So dedicated to his work." Thérèse placed a beautifully manicured hand on Draco's shoulder. "Here are some of ze books you are looking for. Is there anything else I can get for you?"
"No thank you, Thérèse. This should do. You've been a tremendous help."
"Are you sure?" she asked, arching an elegant eyebrow. "For old times sake?"
Draco was already engrossed in the first book. He barely looked up at her when he said, "No, but thanks! We'll call if we need anything."
Thérèse lingered for a moment more. Before she turned to go, she fixed Ginny with a purely jealous glare and then spun around on her boot heels and sashayed out of the room. Her dramatic exit was lost on Draco, who was now pointing excitedly at something in his book.
He looked up at Ginny, expecting her to be thrilled. His face fell a little when he realized she didn't' share his excitement. "What's wrong, Gin?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's nothing. What's got you so excited?"
Draco closed the book and pushed it away from him. "Really, Ginny. What's wrong? You've been acting odd since we walked in here. What is it?" His voice was concerned and slightly hurt sounding, too.
Ginny sighed loudly and tried her best not to cross her arms over her chest and huff like she was a little girl. "Thérèse spent more time looking at you then she did for the books we were looking for."
"Why Ginny Weasley, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous!"
Ginny fixed him with a stare that put Thérèse' earlier glares to shame.
"I was kidding, Ginny."
"Good." Ginny reached for a scroll and unraveled it, effectively putting an end to any conversation they might have had.
Draco shrugged and went back to his book, though something was tickling the back of his mind. He thought back to what Ginny had said about Thérèse, that she'd spent more time looking at him then at books. Thérèse had been flirting with him, as usual, and Draco ignored her subtle attempts at getting him alone with her, as usual. He didn't realized it had bothered Ginny so much.
That thought made him grin. He was getting somewhere with Ginny after all!
"What are you smiling about?" she asked him, her voice curt. "Solved the mystery, have we?"
Draco was too happy to let her sarcasm get to him. He flipped the book around so she'd be able to read it and pushed it towards her.
"Check this out," he pointed to a group of cuneiform symbols written on the page. "It's the exact same symbols used on our tablet. We can finally interpret the bloody thing! If you look at the bottom here, there is a guide to the different accents and even proper pronunciation."
Tears of joy, and relief, filled Ginny's eyes. She reached across the table and threw her arms around Draco.
"Hey, don't cry. This is a good thing!"
"I know!" Ginny's voice was muffled, her face pressed into his neck. "I'm happy!"
"Funny way of showing it," Draco said smiling.
Ginny broke away from him and looked at him across the table. "Thank you," she said in a heart felt voice.
"We've not translated it yet," Draco said gruffly. "Where's the sketch?"
Ginny wiped a few rogue tears from her eyes before passing Draco the sketch of the tablet.
"Here," he said, pushing a cracked, red leather book towards her. "I'll translate while you look up the location of the Eyes of Ningal."
Fifteen scrolls and five hours later Draco and Ginny had successfully translated the incantation on the tablet as well as mapped out the location of the Eyes of Ningal. From there, they had extrapolated where they needed to go next.
They were going to Atlantis.
Author Notes: What I said before. :)