Year Six, Part One
Her toes curled as her hips began to shake and buckle, the orgasm starting to burn through like an all-consuming fire.
"Don't stop," she moaned, "Fuck, Bella, fuck, don't stop!"
In answer, the tongue continued its work between her legs, the hands still roaming over her hips and rubbing on her clit.
The skin around her groin felt sensitive almost beyond words, every touch on it seeming to pull on her nerves and twist them through a furnace of ecstasy.
Thought vanished in the wake of the all-encompassing bliss.
Shuddering, she arched her back and half-rose from the bed. Then, with another moaning cry, she fell back down, the mind-blowing sensation already slipping from her.
She lay there for a few minutes, just coming back to normal, her breath slowly changing from gasped pants into its normal rhythm, her heartbeat slowing.
Then, without warning, she pulled her leg back and released it forward in a powerful kick, hitting Draco in the face and propelling him halfway across the room.
Her laughter drowned out his pained gasp, the shocked expression on his face only serving to increase her amusement.
She'd done the same thing to him almost every time she'd made him pleasure her, and he still was surprised.
Her juices glistened on his chin. Unlike the first few times she'd had him eat her out, there was no erection making a tent in his toga.
She'd taught him better than to allow that to happen.
"Did you enjoy that?"
"Draco lives to serve his mistress," he said listlessly, his voice dead and empty. "All Draco wants is to serve his mistress however she desires."
Ginny chuckled, beckoning him to come closer.
He did, without a moment's hesitation.
She snapped her hand forward, picking up the dagger as she went and slicing it across Draco's chest.
It cut right through his toga, leaving a thin bloody line over his pale skin.
"You don't sound like you mean it. Are you growing tired of your life? Do you want me to set you free?"
Some unreadable emotion flashed across his face, there and gone in a second.
"Draco just wants to make his mistress happy."
The dagger cut into his cheek, slicing right through the mark her foot had left.
"Come on, Draco," she said, dropping the playful tone. "Be honest. I won't punish you for telling the truth. I promise. Answer me, Draco. Do you want me to stop ordering you around? Do you want to stop being my slave?"
"Draco only-"
"I'm being serious," she hissed. "Tell me the truth!"
He stared at her for a long moment, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Yes," he whispered. "Please, I've done everything you wanted, you don't have to do this to me! Please! I'm sorry for what I did wrong, but please, just let me go!"
The dagger whistled through the air, tearing his other cheek open and leaving a flap of skin waving.
With a squeal, he dropped to his knees, hands flying up to his face.
"You call yourself Draco," she giggled. "Not I or me. And I already told you, I'll let you go when you can say that you live to serve me and sound like you mean it."
Draco began to sob, pitiful whimpers that made him sound like a kicked puppy.
"You're disgusting," she told him. "You really are. You're just so pathetic. Now, fuck off and make me breakfast. And what will happen if you get the elf, sorry, the other elf to do it?"
"You-you'll punish Draco."
"That's right. Go on, shoo."
Blood trailing from his cuts, Draco fled the room.
Her mirth still shaking her, Ginny sat up, idly running her fingers over the letters engraved in her thigh.
With a sigh, she got up and pulled some clothes on, taking a few moments to check her appearance in the mirror, smooth down her robes, and run a brush through her hair.
That done, she drew the curtains and looked out the window, sighing again.
It was another dreary day. A consistent, weak drizzle fell over the grounds, the wind blowing through the trees and making their empty branches wave like skeletal arms.
At Hogwarts, she knew, the Quidditch season was probably just starting again.
She glanced back at the door, making sure that it was closed and that no-one else was present in her room.
Only then did she allow the sob to wrench itself from her throat.
It had been two months since Bellatrix had vanished, and Ginny still instinctively cried out her name in bed.
Merlin, Ginny missed her.
The last two months had been bizarre almost beyond words, full of bewildering, conflicting emotions.
When she'd first woken up, with her belly still aching from whatever curse Bella had used, she'd been more than enraged. She'd been ready, in fact, to hunt Bellatrix down and kill her.
Then she'd been told that she'd been unconscious for days and that nobody had seen or heard from Bellatrix in that time.
Her rage had vanished almost instantly, loss and anguish taking its place.
It had only gotten worse when Yaxley told her how disappointed in her the Dark Lord was and that he too had left.
She hadn't left her room for over a week after that, just moping in her bed and watching the sun rise and set.
And then Bellatrix had been seen.
Well, she herself hadn't been seen, but who else would have burned down Andromeda's house?
It had to have been Bellatrix, and if anything, it was a sign that she'd taken what Ginny had said to heart.
But then Bellatrix hadn't come back. As the days stretched into weeks, Ginny's confused hope that everything would just go back to normal slowly shrivelled up and died.
Bellatrix had hurt her deeply, true. But without Bellatrix, Ginny felt nearly as lost as she had in that terrible time after Tom had been taken from her.
It was like she strapped to a tether that had suddenly and bewilderingly come loose and was flapping in the wind, with no clear path ahead of it.
Without Bellatrix, Ginny just felt empty and as alone as ever she had.
Had she forgiven her?
Well, she wasn't quite sure of that. What Bellatrix had said had been hurtful and needlessly cruel, and Ginny was quite sure her lover wouldn't bother to apologize.
But, forgive her or not, hate her or love her, Ginny felt that she needed her.
Slowly, over the past two months, she'd pulled herself almost back together. It seemed like she had spent much of that time in a daze, with her memories of it more fleeting images than true recollections.
She'd used the knife on herself again, crying and moaning for Bellatrix to return and that she was sorry.
She'd raged, coming within an inch of murdering Draco as she'd released curse after curse on his trembling form.
She'd wandered listlessly around the Death Eater hideout, picking up books only to put them down minutes later, always feeling like she was searching for something.
Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if there had been something for her to actually do. With the Ministry having fallen to them and the Dark Lord abroad for whatever reason, however, she had no orders, no missions to carry out.
She had nothing.
It was as if her vision of the future, so clear until then, had just misted over and vanished in a cloud of smoke.
No matter how angry she was with Bellatrix, if she was around at least Ginny wouldn't be so lonely and lost.
'Maybe I should have listened to Dolohov.'
She shook her head, hissing softly.
That would have been even worse.
Dolohov had suggested that she return to Hogwarts. Not only would it make them all look better, given that Hogwarts attendance was now legally required, but it would give her something to do.
Frankly, after everything she'd done, Ginny just couldn't see herself happily going to class, or socializing with all those children. Honestly, she would be more likely to get mad and kill one of them than to have a conversation.
What she really needed was a friend. Bellatrix had been far more than a friend to her, and if it was possible to turn back the clock, Ginny thought she gladly would.
Still, with Bellatrix's absence, Ginny would happily settle for just a friendship.
Dolohov was still around, of course, and he was always good to talk to, but he was busy so often.
There was Draco, but Ginny was quite sure that if she tried to chat to him and just hang out, she'd probably end up poking his eyes or something.
Theo would have been good, but he was in Hogwarts.
'Why don't I go and visit him?'
She paused, her reflection biting her lip at her.
She could. She'd gotten so used, over the past few years, to hiding out in the headquarters, that even now that she hadn't been a wanted fugitive for months, she still hadn't really thought about leaving.
She could. She could go to Diagon or Knockturn, could go shopping and buy whatever she wanted, on the Malfoys' account, of course.
She could go hunting muggles, if she wanted, could carry on searching for the remaining members of the Order.
And she certainly could go and visit Hogwarts, if she wanted.
'That's only one day, though. I need something permanent, something that's keeping me busy all of the time!'
'It's better than nothing,' she told herself angrily. 'What, I should just do nothing unless I've got something permanent?'
Shaking her head, Ginny left her room and made her way down to the kitchen.
A plate of bacon and eggs was waiting at the table for her with a glass of pumpkin juice and a folded copy of the Daily Prophet beside it.
Dolohov barely looked up when she entered, still completely engrossed in Skeeter's book. By the look of it, he'd been in that position for a while; the bowl of porridge in front of him appeared closer to cement in consistency than something actually edible.
Draco was hovering anxiously next to the table, nervously glancing from Ginny to her breakfast.
"Leave," she ordered, sending a Stinging Hex at his legs when he was still there a moment later.
Squealing, he left the room.
"You need a hobby," Dolohov announced, putting the book down and turning his attention to her.
"What, like reading about how Dumbledore had Grindelwald fucking him? No thanks."
"You know full well that's not all the book's about, and you're changing the subject."
The bacon crunched in her mouth. Draco really was learning to make it as she liked it.
She'd have to have him cook something else, just to keep him on his toes.
"I know I need something to do. Any suggestions?"
Dolohov shrugged and gave his mug a tap with his wand. A moment later, it began to steam.
"Do something you like. I like reading, and I've always liked studying magical theory. Hell, I'm thinking of actually writing up a treatise on the Unforgivables. There's a reason I was in Ravenclaw. What do you like to do?"
"I don't know. I liked the fighting, I guess, but now...I don't know. Do you think Rookwood would let me visit Hogwarts? On a weekend, I mean."
"I thought you hated the idea of going back there."
"I'd probably kill someone if I had to sit through a class," she agreed, pausing to take a sip of the juice. "But I'd like to see Theo, and I just need to get the fuck out of here. I haven't left this place in months."
"Yeah, you do. Hell, even I get out more than you. Why don't you just go and do something? Go out for lunch, or grab a beer or something?"
"Because it's boring as fuck to do that by myself!"
Dolohov nodded, humming as he tapped his bowl of porridge and stuck a spoon into it.
"Rookwood would probably allow it," he finally said. "If only because you're the Dark Lord's favourite. But only if you promise not to kill any of the kids."
"Not unless I have to."
"At all. The Dark Lord was very clear about that. He doesn't want their parents thinking they've got nothing left to lose. So, if you can convince Augustus you won't leave a pile of bodies, you've probably got a decent chance."
"Yeah. I'll speak to him. Thanks."
She returned to her eating, cognisant of his eyes still focused on her.
After a while, she put down her fork.
"What?"
"I really do think you should spend some time out of this place. It's not good to be cooped up for too long. Trust me on this."
Nodding, Ginny returned to her food, ignoring his watching eyes.
'I'll speak to Rookwood today. Hell, maybe I can even go this Saturday. Maybe it's a Hogsmeade weekend.'
As long as it went better than the last time she'd been in Hogsmeade, it'd be great.
"Some of that spell work was shoddy," Moody said tiredly, finally lowering his wand. "I'm surprised it lasted until now."
"Just be impressed, Mad-Eye. We were teenagers when we made it "
Harry ignored them, eagerly peering at the desk.
Sitting there, beside the original, was another copy of the Marauders Map.
As he watched, he could see the small dot labelled Augustus Rookwood moving around the Headmaster's office. Bile rose in his throat at the sight, the thought of a Death Eater taking Dumbledore's place making him want to be sick.
"If we got everyone sympathetic to the cause, we might be able to do it. We'd need to kick out those Death Eaters and do something about the older Slytherins, but we could pull it off."
Kingsley nudged forward, tapping the Map with his wand.
"We place people here, here, and here, taking them out from above. We'd need to thin out their forces and push You Know Who into the Great Hall with as few of his followers as possible. Then, if we're lucky, we could overwhelm him."
"If I'm in there," Harry offered, "he'd come through. Unless he thinks that he can draw me out."
"And that's exactly what we want. He's good, but if we've got him surrounded and are attacking him from all points-"
"And none of that," Moody growled, "would be worth anything if he's not there. We need confirmation that he wants to be called back if you're seen."
"Katie heard-" Ron started, but Moody quickly interrupted.
"She heard two Snatchers talking in the Leaky Cauldron. I doubt either of them has ever even met You Know Who. No, we need information from a better source."
"You've been arguing against capturing one of them for the last two months!"
Moody shook his head and rapped his wooden leg against the floor several times, making an odd, staccato rhythm.
"I've been arguing against putting your bloodthirst ahead of brains and just running in like an idiot. Granger, how's that Veritaserum coming along?"
"Still another two weeks," Hermione said, not looking up from the leather-bound tome in front of her.
"So, we need to wait," Moody said with a tone of finality. "Which is better, because the more we can plan-"
"We don't need Veritaserum," Ron stubbornly said. "Kingsley can do Legilimency, and we can always make them talk without it. We don't-"
"Have you ever seen someone tortured for information?" Moody asked, his magical eye whirling around like a spinning top. "Have you, boy?"
Glowering, Ron shook his head.
"Well, I have. Many times. You hurt them enough, they'll tell you anything to make it stop. Whatever they think you want to hear. They're not going to be caring about the truth."
"Maybe," Sirius said, "But we-"
"Classical interrogation won't work with the real loyal Death Eaters," Moody cut in. "They're far more afraid of You Know Who than of us. We need an edge. Yes, we could torture them to make it so they can't think clearly enough for Occlumency. It's an option. But Veritaserum is more reliable, if they're not prepared for it. So, I say we wait, and that's that."
"What do you want us to plan for?" Harry asked. "It's not like we know when any of them will be around on their own. We'll only find out once someone actually sees one of them!"
"Valid point. So, we carry on planning how we'll do this Hogwarts thing, once we find a way in. We carry on convincing our allies to join when the time comes, and we carry on smuggling Muggleborns out of the country. And there's another thing you're all forgetting."
"What's that?" Sirius asked.
"The snake. We need to kill it too."
Looking puzzled, Kingsley asked, "What's so important about the snake?"
"I'll explain later," Sirius muttered, frowning at Moody. "Mad-Eye, by all accounts he takes it with for anything important. Remember what the survivors from Azkaban said? He let it go off and kill them while he was doing something else."
"Exactly. He won't have it next to him. So, while we're all going to be focused on taking him down, who's going to deal with the snake?"
"I'm sure we can figure it out then."
"No. We can't. Because whoever it is will need the sword."
"The sword's not the only way to destroy them," Harry pointed out. "Dumbledore said-"
"Basilisk venom and Fiendfyre. Those are the only two others we know for sure. Condensed Nundu breath might do it, but it's never been tested. The Killing Curse would take out the snake, but we can't be sure about the thing inside it."
"What are you-"
"Later," Sirius interrupted, clapping Kingsley on the back.
"Once we're in Hogwarts," Moody said, "We might be able to get more basilisk fangs, if we can get into the Chamber of Secrets. Pity you're not a Parselmouth anymore. But I'm not willing to risk Fiendfyre in a place like that castle, not if there's any other choice. So yes, we need to have someone with the sword going after the snake. A team, preferably."
"First we should focus on how we're getting in. The Map is a help, but there were places we never got on there, like-"
"The Room of Requirement!" Hermione gasped, dropping her book and immediately fumbling in her pocket. "That's it!"
"No way," Ron said, in a hushed tone, "you think it'll give a passageway out?"
"Only one way to find out," Hermione muttered, fiddling with the coin she was now holding.
A moment later, Harry's coin heated up in his pocket.
'Finally,' he thought, 'at least we have an idea.'
"It must be interesting for you," Rookwood said, "to return here as the victor. A pity you elected not to re-join us this year."
"I still think I made the right choice," Ginny said, picking up one of the silver instruments and examining it for a moment.
Rookwood hadn't changed Dumbledore's office too much, as far as she could tell. Dozens of strange silver instruments still dotted the room, some of them buzzing softly.
One of them, which looked like a bowl attached to a pole, was spinning around restlessly, a ringing noise sounding every time it completed a full revolution.
Ginny was quite sure, however, that the bookshelf full of treatises on the Dark Arts had not been there in Dumbledore's day.
Rookwood was sitting before the great mahogany desk. Behind him was the wall adorned with portraits of Headmasters and Headmistresses past.
Dumbledore was staring at her, unspeaking, from his portrait, his piercing eyes filled with immeasurable sadness.
"I mean," she continued, "I don't really think I'd have fit in with any of these kids. Do you?"
"Perhaps not," Rookwood said, bowing his head as if to concede the point.
"So, what's been going on here? Have the kids been behaving themselves?"
"For the most part. There have been a few...incidents, but swift repercussions to any guilty parties have severely limited those."
"What do you do to them?" She asked, picking up another one of the gewgaws, a small metal ball that began vibrating intensely in her hand.
"That depends on the crime in question. However, as a general rule, the first two sentences are more...in keeping with Hogwarts' tradition. Loss of house points and detentions or the like. It is from the third offence and onward where we have made real changes."
"Yeah? Such as?"
Rookwood's lips pulled into a thin smile.
"A dose of the Cruciatus has prevented recidivism in all but the most stubborn of students."
"I'll bet. What do the other teachers say about that?"
"The majority of them have taken the view that if they stay quiet, they may be able to protect the students from rightful punishment. Pomfrey threatened to resign."
Rookwood smiled then, his long face gaining a lupine edge.
"I simply explained to her that if she did resign, we would not replace her. It would be a shame if there was no-one to hug the children and heal their aches, but we would have no other choice. She chose to stay."
Ginny chuckled, tossing the ball from hand to hand. Strangely enough, it seemed to stop vibrating the instant it left her hand, starting again a moment after she caught it.
"I'm not surprised. Who'd you say the ringleaders of these kids are?"
"I didn't," Rookwood said, perfectly calm.
"I know. So, who are they?"
With a sigh, Rookwood rose and walked over to the window, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Longbottom is certainly one, as are the other boys in his year. There are several others who have not yet been identified."
"If you want," Ginny offered, glancing over at Dumbledore's portrait for a moment. "I could have a word with them. They'd stop whatever they are doing after that."
Dumbledore looked incredibly pained by her statement.
"Do you know," Rookwood said, turning back to face her. "I almost denied your request to visit. To put it bluntly, you are too uncontrolled."
"Hey, I-"
"The Dark Lord did not merely order that no student be killed. His desire is that life for them should continue as normally as possible. Think, girl. All of them have heard so much about how terrible life will become once the Dark Lord takes control. He wishes for them to see they have been lied to. Not for nought have we kept all of the same teachers, where possible, even retaining that half-giant beast. The Dark Lord wishes for the children to feel comfortable and happy. He does not want a generation who are set on defying him. He does not want them to be punished too harshly if any other possible solution exists. I do not believe you capable of making sound judgements."
"I get that, but I could control-"
"Could you? If one of the children were to insult you or our lord, could you control your bloodlust and apply an appropriate response and nothing more? If they were to shout one of their ridiculous slogans in support of that boy at you, would you maintain your composure? I doubt it."
Ginny took a deep breath and closed her eyes, forcing the sudden fury to recede.
She could understand where he was coming from. After all, she'd made a name for herself among the Death Eaters as one who didn't shy away from violence and who had a hair-trigger temper. Still, it was frustrating as anything to hear him talking to her like that.
'He's not wrong, though. If someone were to start with me, I'd kill them. Simple as that.'
"You've made your point," Ginny said, frowning at him.
"I hope that I have. You must understand, if too much pressure is applied to a person, even a child, they will either break or fight back. The Dark Lord does not want to risk inciting a rebellion under his new sovereignty."
"Fine! I won't teach them the lesson they need! Merlin, it'd only be helping you."
Rookwood snorted, shaking his head lightly.
"I have allowed you to come," he said, "but you are only to visit the Slytherin Common Room."
Ginny gaped at him. Granted, her main reason for wanting to visit had been to see Theo, but she had wanted to go and see her old room while she was there, for nostalgia's sake if nothing else.
"The chances of a student inciting you to violence are too high, elsewhere in the castle. There, at least, I can trust-"
"What the fuck! No, I want to-"
"Listen to me now," Rookwood hissed, leaning across the desk with the whites of his eyes showing. "You hold the Dark Lord's favour, this is true. You have a position of great esteem within our fellowship. But the Dark Lord placed me in charge of this castle. Over here, you obey me! Not only that, but he himself would tell you this is how it must be. If you wish to visit your friend, you may do so in his Common Room, or show me through your actions that I can trust you not to needlessly damage the students here!"
Seething, Ginny met his eyes.
"Fine," Ginny spat. "Headmaster. Want to lead the way?"
Rookwood sat up straight again, taking a deep breath and regaining his composure.
"Very well. I truly hope this day passes without incident. Else you may find yourself no longer seated beside him."
Theo shook in the armchair, laughing uproariously.
"Fucking hell," he said, wiping tears from his eyes, "I can't believe you do that to him. What'd he do next?"
At the table a few feet away, Pansy Parkinson coughed, looking distraught. Not that Ginny was surprised, of course. She'd made no effort to keep her voice down, and Pansy and her friend, a pretty blonde girl named Daphne something or other, kept turning to look at them.
It had taken a few minutes after Ginny had walked into the room for her to really get comfortable. She'd been quite rankled from the way Rookwood had spoken to her, and walking through Hogwarts had been a strange experience, to say the least.
Then she'd entered the Slytherin Common Room. She'd seen it before, in a memory Tom had shown her, but it was different in person, with the eerie green glow of the lake coming through the windows and throwing her off balance.
Plus, she hadn't quite been prepared for the reception she received. A fair amount of the Slytherins had looked confused and even disgruntled by her presence, but most of them had been... welcoming. More than welcoming, in fact. There'd been more than a few admiring glances aimed at her, and a pair of twins actually asked to see her Dark Mark, oohing and aahing when she acceded.
It was strange, to be so accepted by people who weren't themselves Death Eaters. She wasn't complaining about it, of course, in fact, it was rather gratifying, but it was still a strange experience.
She and Theo had been talking for close to an hour now. Blaise had joined in for a little bit before giving Theo a kiss on the cheek and departing for the library.
Ginny hadn't been prepared for the pang of loneliness that struck her at the sight of that.
For the most part, Ginny had managed to keep the conversation centred around Theo and goings-on at Hogwarts. Much as Theo was her friend and they'd been writing letters, she didn't really want to say that she'd done nothing for the past few months.
Of course, he knew about what had happened with Bellatrix. She'd owled him about it, explaining, if only in bold strokes, about their fight.
So far, he hadn't brought her up, and Ginny was only too happy with that.
"What did he do next?" Theo repeated. Ginny tore herself away from her rambling thoughts, pulling herself back into the conversation.
"Oh, he was just crying. Like he couldn't believe I'd lie to him, and like he really thought I'd meant it. I don't think he used to be this dumb, to be honest."
"You mean torturing him constantly has affected his mental state? Wow, Ginny, you might be onto something there. In fact, I think you deserve an Order of Merlin for-"
"Shut up," she laughed, tossing a pillow at him. "You know what I meant."
"Eh, I guess I do. But tell me, all this time we've been talking about what I've been up to and Draco. What about you? You haven't exactly been informative about what you're doing in your letters either."
'I don't want to talk about that. Fucking hell, he should have noticed that I've been avoiding it. He's not an idiot!'
"I haven't been doing much. Really just relaxing and taking it easy."
Theo rolled his eyes.
"And what does that actually mean? What do you do all day?"
"I told you, not much. I read, and-"
"Oh, bollocks. Don't tell me you've just been staying in that house all this time?"
Something hot and slimy seemed to uncoil in her belly, venom coursing through her blood like fire.
Who did he think he was to talk to her in that mocking, condescending tone?
'He's your friend, idiot. That's how friends talk.'
"I'm here, aren't I?" She said lightly, ignoring that sudden anger as much as possible.
"And before today? Merlin, have you left the hideout at all?"
"No. Not that it's any of your fucking business."
"I'm just trying to help," he said softly. Leaning forward, he continued, "You know, you still have a life without her. I get that you loved her, but she-"
"Shut. Up."
Her words emerged in a hiss through gritted teeth, her hand suddenly clutching her wand in her pocket, images of Theo rolling around with his clothes aflame filling her mind.
How dare he bring her up? How dare he talk about her as if he understood anything when even she didn't?
'Fucking idiot. Coming here was a mistake.'
"Ginny, you-"
"Shut the fuck up, right now. You don't get to talk about her! YOU DON'T GET TO FUCKING TALK ABOUT HER!"
A hush fell over the Common Room. Looking around, Ginny noticed that everyone was staring at her. Most of them looked shocked and confused, but Daphne's lips were curled into a sneer.
Ginny almost did it, at the sight. The incantation for the Killing Curse reverberated through her mind, and she even began to raise her wand.
Then sanity reasserted itself in a tremendous rush.
'Rookwood was right. Fucking hell, if he hadn't spoken to me, I'd probably have attacked her. What is wrong with me? Why can't I just control myself?'
"I'm sorry, Theo," she whispered, suddenly incredibly ashamed.
He simply nodded, looking as if nothing had occurred, though his face was certainly paler than usual.
"You're right, though," she said. "It's not good for me to just be in that house all the time. That's part of the reason I came here today. I need to get out of there and just live."
"You can do it," he said. "There's nothing stopping you, now. Go to a Quidditch match. Get yourself lunch at a restaurant. Yeah, it won't be cool on your own, but it still is something. And if you want to make friends or meet people to do stuff with, you won't be able to if you're just at home. You need to get out there."
"You're sounding like Dolohov now," she muttered.
"He is pretty smart. And pretty sane."
"I know. I know. And I'm planning on doing it. I think I'm going to go to Diagon tomorrow. Maybe see if there's anything at Flourish and Blotts."
She began to laugh, an idea occurring to her.
"And I can see my brothers' store. That should be fun."
"I'm sure it will be," Theo said with a roll of his eyes.
"What makes you think you can trust her? I know her father, and while he's not a Death Eater, he's definitely one of the people applauding them."
"Damnit, we told you already! She's been helping Neville and them since the beginning of the year! If not for her, they'd have been caught dozens of times!"
Moody sneered at Harry, continuing to pace in front of the table.
"I've actually been in the Greengrass' house," he said. "We investigated them more than once. I've seen how they live. You remember Grimmauld Place? They're cut from the same cloth."
"Far more uncouth, though," Sirius said in a nasal tone, clearly impersonating someone.
"You're being an idiot," Ron said bluntly, ignoring Sirius' byplay completely. "We told you, she's been pissed off with them since they put her under the Imperius. She's got enough reason to want to see them burn."
"And a highly convenient way of leading us into a trap!"
"Hannah saw Ginny going into the dungeons with Rookwood," Harry said, "so we know for sure she was there. Katie's working in the Leaky Cauldron, so she can keep watch, and Oliver and Lee said they'd hang around the alley to keep an eye out for her. We'll know for sure if she's there and if she's alone."
"You-"
"Neville confirmed that the Room of Requirement can give access to the castle," Sirius interrupted. "All we need is to confirm that Voldemort wants to be summoned if Harry is seen. Merlin, Mad-Eye, we could get that confirmation tomorrow!"
"The Veritaserum-" Moody began, but Hermione cut him off.
"Will only be ready in another two weeks. But we can make her talk without it. We have a chance, a perfect opportunity. Who knows when or if we'll get another one?"
Looking defeated, Moody grumbled something that sounded like a curse.
"Fine," he said. "We'll do it, if she is alone. But you all will follow my orders, understood?"
As they nodded, Harry caught Ron's eye.
His friend was smiling, a terrifying, bloodthirsty grin.
'It's necessary. We need to do this. And maybe it'll actually be good for Ron and Hermione. Hell, it's possible.'
"If we had more people, I wouldn't let you two come along," Moody said, nodding at Ron and Hermione. "I don't trust you when it comes to her. You're too emotionally invested."
"We'll be fine," Ron snapped. "You don't need to worry about us."
"I think I do. You're all set on doing this, fine. But you better bear in mind what led to Dumbledore's death."
"Please, lady, please-"
Ginny spun around, her wand flashing through the air and sending the disgusting creature hurtling into the wall behind him.
The nooks and crannies of Diagon Alley were filled with them, the dirty and unclean beasts.
Somehow, a fair amount of Muggleborns had managed to avoid being sent to Azkaban. Ginny wasn't quite sure how they'd done that, especially since by all accounts Umbridge was pedantic, but enough of them had.
They crowded around each other, looking more like animals than people. The stench of unwashed bodies pervaded the air, their forlorn, maddened expressions betraying them for what they really were.
The Wandless, Dolohov had called them. It was a good enough name.
She walked over to the one she had banished, dozens of them scrambling and scuttling away in her wake.
He looked dazed, a nasty gash on his head. As she approached, he shook his head and pushed himself into a sitting position.
It really was disgraceful, that something like this was allowed to be in Diagon Alley.
Not only to be there, but to dare and try to plead his case with her.
He hadn't been the first. Just in the twenty minutes she'd spent in Diagon Alley, after getting herself a tea and scones at the Leaky Cauldron, she'd already been accosted by three of them.
Hopefully, this would be the last.
'Something like this should never have been allowed into our world. Merlin, look at it."
His eyes widened in terror as she raised her wand, his hand flying up with a startled gasp leaking from his throat.
'If dad had to die, something like this doesn't deserve to live.'
She began to laugh, wondering what her father would have said if he could see her now.
'He always loved these helpless things, and look where it got him. It's their fault I had to kill him.'
Giggling, she twisted her wand and spoke the incantation.
The electric green light cast strange shadows over him as it collided.
"Anyone else talks to me," she said, aware of the eyes focused on her, "and I'll make them wish I was this kind. Be glad you aren't in Azkaban and leave the real witches and wizards alone. Fucking animals."
Then she turned and walked away, returning to the alley proper.
The place had certainly changed since the Dark Lord gained control. Very few shoppers were present, and most of the stores themselves were boarded up and empty.
Everyone in the street seemed to be giving her a wide berth. They shot their terrified glances at her and hurried their steps away from her, like rats fleeing an oncoming flame.
"They're all so weak," she whispered to herself, another chuckle ripping itself free. "None of them can even bear to look at me."
Well, she was fine with that.
She whistled as she walked, a jaunty tune that perfectly matched her mood.
Honestly, she hadn't realized how much she'd missed this. Just being able to be out in public without worrying that the Aurors or Order would find her.
After a few minutes of walking, she found herself standing before Fred and George's store.
It, like so many others, was boarded up and covered in newspapers and posters.
Enough of the original purple lettering was visible for her to make out LEYS WIZARD WHE.
"It's really not such a bad idea," she muttered, "But his dare they? While I've been doing everything necessary, they open up a joke shop. How dare they?!"
She raised her wand, intent on burning the abomination to the ground, when it happened.
Something, some unknown sixth sense whispered in her ear.
Acting purely on instinct, she dived to the side, her wand whipping and surrounding her with a Shield Charm.
The Stunner went right through the air where, a moment before, she had been standing.
She hadn't even managed to turn and ascertain the source when the ground just before her exploded, throwing her several feet back.
Snarling, she jumped up, scanning the area.
All the shoppers were fleeing, the alley emptying out.
Spells began to fly toward her, impacting against her shield but not destroying it.
"Come on, come on, where are they?"
And then she saw them. Ron and Hermione were standing near the opening to one of the side streets, while Moody, Sirius, and Harry were a little bit to their right.
Screaming, a savage excitement filling her and making her blood boil like it hadn't for months, Ginny ran toward them.
Almost immediately, Moody jumped forward and yelled.
Her shield vanished, gone as if it was never there.
Ginny leapt to the side, twisting and throwing herself into Apparition as she did so.
Nothing happened. Shocked, she began to run away from them down the alley, zigzagging and tossing curses behind her without even bothering to aim.
Her wand spun around like a dowsing rod, Explosive Hexes, Killing Curses, and fire shooting from its tip with no rest.
Spells began to fly at her from the side street ahead. Two shadowy figures came running out of it, her bleary eyes taking a few seconds to register them as Tonks and Shacklebolt.
There were too many of them. She was completely outnumbered, and they'd taken her by surprise and blocked Apparition.
She heard Moody shouting something and an instant later something crashed into her, tossing her into the air like a rag doll.
She landed roughly on the cobbled street, automatically curling into a ball and rolling over, managing to avoid an oncoming spell by less than an inch.
Bits of stone rained down on her as the area around her was pounded with spells.
'Fiendfyre. That's my only option.'
She rolled and pushed herself to her feet, a Cutting Curse hitting her and opening a gash in her side.
Screaming, she spun around and began the incantation.
And saw the Stunning Spell flying toward her, far too quick for her to cast another Shield Charm or even to dodge.
Everything went black.