Here is the next chapter!
Also, a song that could go with this chapter is Birdie from Avril Lavigne. Go check her new album, it is amazing.
The lessons with Tom and the constant mistreatment she was living at the Bungalow had made her numb. It was the cold in Romania that awoke her.
She forced a smile when her brother greeted her. He had not changed, but she could see that satisfying his passion made him livelier than ever. It was something that she knew she was going to struggle with in the following week, as she was feeling the opposite emotions. She was in the worst of her depression and seeing someone so positive made her want to crawl away in a dark corner. Tom was right, he had been telling her for months now that she was different from her family, that they could never reconnect again and that it was better to separate herself totally from them. She understood now.
Anyway, she kept to herself the whole week, each time telling her family she was going to visit the dragons. In truth, she had developed a strange relationship with them. She didn't try to talk or acknowledge them, but she stayed with them for hours on end, sometimes writing to Tom or contemplating the landscape. It calmed her.
The day to come back to England came, and as usual, she was sitting by the dragons. Her brother came to see her, and he sat next to her.
"Hey Gin, how are you doing? I didn't see you much that week. They are fascinating, aren't they?
Yes, they are.
So, how is home, living all alone with mom and dad? I'm sure they are spoiling you rotten while we're not there!"
Hum, that was awkward. She wished she had Tom with her to tell her how to deal with the situation. She had avoided her brother all week but now she could only hope he would leave soon.
"It's fine.
Not very talkative I see. But I see how it is. All gloomy and wearing dark and oversized clothes. By the way, that's my old t-shirt. Stole it from my bedroom, didn't you? You're in this period where you're growing up and in an adolescent crisis. Difficult to believe when I know you're only 10, but even mum told me about it. Say you're staying by yourself, not even seeing that Luna Lovegood."
Great, a lecture. Ginny wanted to leave now. She didn't need an overbearing brother who thought he was right about everything. And she was going to make him understand that.
"That's not your business anyway. Leave me alone!
Outch! Well my not so much dear sister anymore, I'll do just that. I'm a bit sad we haven't had the time to have a deep talk, but we'll try again when you'll have a better attitude. See you!"
Whatever, England was better, and she will never return to Romania.
At that time, Tom was very successful in his indoctrination. Ginny was estranging herself from her family and he was progressively feeding her anti-muggle propaganda. Ginny was still a child, and even with the violence she had lived through, she had never experienced mind games. Tom was totally manipulating her, changing her beliefs and making her become stronger but entirely dependent on him. Something that Crow hadn't succeeded in. And it was in February the same year that he paid the price of his crimes.
Ginny and Tom had trained for this moment for months now and everything was ready. Tom knew that Ginny by herself would never be strong enough to do it. Especially with her aggressors. But he had also done his part. All that time while they had been sharing secrets, it had enabled him to enter her mind as he pleased, and he could possess her anytime he wished. However, he wanted her to trust him to later do his bidding as he pleased, so they had worked on a plan where he would be in her mind but only to give her the strength she needed.
That night, Ginny went to town as usual. Calmly, as Tom had taught her, she gathered her magic in the pit of her stomach during the drive to the Bungalow. She needed to stay calm. Calm anger was better than hot anger, because with hot anger you stop thinking clearly and you leave yourself be controlled by your emotions. Tom was whispering words of encouragement in her mind.
They arrived at the Bungalow. It was time. Ginny felt all kind of emotions at this moment. Joy, fear, anger, hate, guilt. She did not let them win over her, instead mixing them with her magic to make it more powerful. It was her time to shine. Show everything Tom had taught her. She was shivering, shivering about what was about to happen.
Lola opened the door; a quick check confirmed Crow was not there yet. Not important, he will have his turn later. People that where going to jeer at her appearance stopped as she watched them with the most contemptuous gaze.
"What is happening now, girly? Found balls?"
They laughed. Ginny was not going to need encouragement from Tom, she will kill them all. They had humiliated her, abused her, and did other unspeakable things. It was time to pay.
"I'll tell you now. You are all going to die. And that is not a rotten joke."
Someone tried to grab her from behind, but she was prepared. Tom had prepared every possible scenario so that she would be confident enough when the day came. Sensing her magic, she sent the latest cutting spell Tom had taught her behind her. Cries of anguish filled her ears. And how sweet that was. She could see they were taking her seriously now. Lola, the person that started it all, tried to negotiate with her.
"Gin gin, don't do that. I don't know exactly what happened here, nice bit of magic, but I know you're responsible. We taught you better than that. I did teach you better than that, didn't I honey?
Lola, I lost respect for you ages ago, when you sold me to those monsters. In a twisted way, I loved you. But it's too late now, you're all going to pay the price for what I had to live.
"Don't do that to me Ginny! I won't allow you! And whose choice was it at the beginning, huh? Yours, wasn…"
But she had no time to finish, as Ginny unleashed her rage. Cutting spells flew everywhere, and the result was not pretty. Tom was a great teacher, and Ginny an attentive pupil. Lost limbs were scattered around the room, the wall was covered in blood, people were crying for mercy, and in the middle of it all, there was Ginny, breathing heavily after her spent up magic and emotions.
She had made sure to cut every private part that had hurt her, but seeing people bleeding out, while an amazing show to her eyes at the beginning, was now making her sick. She could not believe she had been the one to cause this, but the fact she could sense in her mind that Tom was elated confirmed it.
Making her way outside was difficult, but manageable. She opened the door just as a car pulled up in the parking.
It was Crow. He got out of the car, all the while contemplating her. And what a sight she was making! Covered in blood from head to tows, with a deranged air that only comes over your face when you've just committed mass murder.
"My, my! Do I want to enter this house? I don't think so seeing you in this state! Now come here right now and tell me what happened.
Nothing special, except I went on a killing spree. I don't think you'll find anyone in one piece.
You find that funny, don't you? I knew you'll finally snap one day, but this only serves my purpose. You're so proud to have killed those people who wronged you. I guess you want to kill me too. But guess what? I know you, and you'll regret this the rest of your life. I can read the guilt and shame growing in your eyes as we speak. You're tired of all this effort. Come on Ginny, let's say I forget this, and come with me. We'll do lots as a team together."
Ginny could feel her resolve growing weaker. He was right, she was tired of all this energy spent on her magic, and she had no will left to fight him. It had been easy with the others, but seeing him now, she knew she wasn't able to face him. Crow had been the worst one, he had killed her inside, shaping her into the same monster he was. He was her worst fear, and she wasn't able to face him. Her need to vomit only increased, and she could recognize the feeling of self-hate growing inside her.
However, Tom was here. Sensing Ginny was wavering, he took over. He walked over to Crow, pretending he was obeying him, and when he got close enough, stroke him violently to the neck. He watched him fall to the ground, disbelief carved in his unseeing eyes.
One last disgusted look thrown his way, one last reflexion ("How the mighty have fallen") and Tom was done with him.
Quickly, he found enough material to start a fire, and set fire to the bungalow. He knew most of the people inside were still alive, but the only emotion he showed was a cruel smile, strangely etched on Ginny's face. With the last of her magical reserve, he apparated directly in her bedroom. Then he retreated into the diary.
Ginny slowly got back the control of her body. She couldn't remember what had happened after she saw Crow, but seeing she was in her bedroom, Tom must have taken over. She was feeling very weak and was having a hard time standing. Time to rest. She put on some pyjamas, shoved her bloodied clothes under her bed and crept silently to the bathroom to wash herself. Finally satisfied, she fell under her covers to a well-deserved sleep. Opening her diary, she quickly wrote "thank you Tom", and read with tired eyes the confirmation he had killed Crow.
The next morning when she woke up, the first thing she did was look herself in the mirror. But she could find nothing in her reflection. No peace of mind or solution to any of her issues. Only empty eyes watching her back. Well, there was no use dwelling on it, she told herself. Better talk last night over with Tom.
After this episode, Ginny felt even more grateful for Tom as he had saved her. He was a great mentor, he was teaching her new things she didn't know about, challenging the views her parents had taught her all her life. Her limit between right or wrong was at this point non-existent. She would do anything for Tom. Anything. She was feeling alive again thanks to him. Even if she had to kill and by that destroyed her soul in the transition. She was free.
Any authorities that had been her priority before disappeared. There was only Tom, her saviour, and she would be devoted to him whatever happened. He was the only one she could trust: her family, particularly her father were traitors. They loved the muggle that had almost killed her, they defended them. Her sacrifice had been for nothing, and she had been shattered to pieces by her experience. But Tom had picked up the pieces and made her whole again. He was the whole reason she lived.
Tom Marvolo Riddle. Every night now, she stroked the diary's cover, feeding it her love. Stories of Harry Potter were long since forgotten. Who was that someone she had never met compared to her hero she had the chance to speak to everyday?
It was June. Once again, the house was filled with her brothers. Four months had gone by since she freed herself from those people. Other than developing a strong love for Tom, she had also strengthened her body and magic. She was slowly making progress, leaving behind her baggy clothes. But she had to pretend in front of her family, faking smile and affection when feeling each time dirtier when associating with them.
Ron had come back, telling stories about trolls in the dungeon and making friend with Harry Potter. He had looked at her when he had said that, expecting her to swoon at the mention of her childhood hero. But that name didn't mean anything to her anymore, and yet explaining this to her siblings didn't prevent them mocking her days and nights for her supposed romance with Harry Potter.
One positive thought kept her from murdering her family that summer; she was going to Hogwarts! Tom had told her everything about it, and she secretly hoped she would be a Slytherin like him. She loved finding way to make him proud. Yesterday she had mastered yet another dark art spell and he had been pleased with her efforts. And being a Slytherin would definitively make him proud.
But Tom's only response to her enthusiasm was to say:
"You're definitely ready"
And Ginny wondered what plans he had for that year.
Yup, so Ginny's childhood over. Go Hogwarts! Let's see what will be happening !