DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTER IN THIS STORY!
Pairing: GinxTom
Warning and Summary: Meets Dark Lord? Isn't that the point?
A/N: I hope its okay so far! Err... I changed a little of the previous chapter, so you might want to read it again...?
Previously...
And the ancient tiles beneath it began to shift and shift and shake, like an earthquake occurring just below the Lion, till it formed an entire previously concealed passage- overwhelmed with multitudes of darkness.
Chapter 8-Threats, Charms and Awesome Half-vampires
The Heir of Gryffindor? The Gryffindor Sword? Ginny's mind raced, her incoherent thoughts attempting to re-join with one another.
The sanguine red ruby, embedded purposefully on the hilt of the sword gleamed menacingly, its metallic surface reflecting off the illuminated light from Ginny's wand, projecting… Projecting-
Pandemonium, lifeless bodies strewn everywhere, mysterious figures clad in black going on a rampage. And amid all that mess, a boy. Neville, with the very same stannic razor sharp edge protruding from his anxious grip, his stance poised in attack, jaw line resolute yet in a manner of speaking, timorous. An abrupt burst of fiery emerald flames erupted from behind him, and without a second thought or hesitation, he lunged forward towards his opponent, the sword in his hand consumed in wondrous effulgence, glimmering crimson-ivory with brilliant radiance…
"Avada Kedavra."
Another flash of engulfing emerald rays. And just like that, the boy stumbled backwards uttering a cry of defeat, before his limp body was strewn aside by the impact. Just like that.
The sword. The sword evaporated from his grip. Disappearing as though it had never once appeared.
The last bearer of the sword, Neville.
Ginny screamed.
The cowardly spirit of Slytherin magically took possession of her entire being; bewitching her, body and soul. Neville, why did he, of all people, a true Gryffindor with the soul of a ferocious Lion, have to suffer at the hands of Voldermort? Why did everyone and anyone ever have to? Why?
Tears clouded her vision, and sorrow severed her logical train of reasoning. Ginny raised the chromed blade up to her eyes once more as though to inspect it, before tossing it down, hearing its metallic clatter reverberate about the chamber.
And similar to the 'vision', the sword hit the cold floor, shattering into nothingness, co-joining with the essence of darkness in the chamber.
What a loyal sword.
Without looking back at the empty area where the sword had once been, the odd passage, or the majestic statue, Ginny ran as fast as her legs would enable her to. Out of the appearing door and back to her Slytherin common room – internally elated to be back.
Ginny had screwed trying to impersonate a Gryffindor for once, and focused on preserving her life a day longer. The smartest thing was to stay as far away from Riddle as possible – after what happened last night, and she didn't need to be a Ravenclaw to figure that out.
To avoid any sort of contact with Riddle, Ginny had preferred going raving mad with starvation, and cowered in the Slytherin girls dormitory all throughout breakfast. Ginny would have camped out there all day in fact, if not for the lessons. She had even considered gobbling down some unknown backyard weeds which grew near the edge of the Ember (forbidden) forest to get herself sent to the Hospital wing, but didn't really fancy her chances of survival.
Well… But Ginny wasn't exactly that worried about her own well being, but more of Olive's. If Ginny was going to die soon, Olive already looked very much dead. She was literally death on two feet, and at the moment, a zombie trying to haul Ginny out of her frenzied thoughts.
"We… We… need… to… go. for lessons," Olive's words were barely audible, but from the terrified look on her face, she appeared equally as reluctant as Ginny to head out for lessons. And as Ginny peered closer, she realized, with a sinking feeling, that Olive had returned to that unstable state of mind- when Ginny had first met her. No, much much worse. She's absolutely shell shocked – as though someone just fired the killing curse in her direction or something.
Ginny had a feeling that Myrtle's annoying haunting had nothing to do with this, and she began to smell a rat. Something for certain was occurring without her knowledge…
"Olive, you didn't get enough sleep last night, did you?" Ginny was more of trying to reassure herself than to actually get a reply to her so-called 'question'.
"Mmmm…" Olive mumbled, and Ginny couldn't help but noticed Olive's lower lip quivering ever so frequently. Was it… fear? Could it be?
A silence fell over the pair once more, allowing Ginny to study Olive's abrupt change carefully. And as though sensing Ginny's worried gaze upon her, Olive shattered the silence by murmuring, "Let's… Let's go…"
Shooting another anxious look at Olive, Ginny, not needing to be prompted twice, gathered her books and swept out of the girls dormitory and into the Slytherin common room without another word.
What an obscene sight to behold!
The moment Olive and Ginny stepped into the Slytherin Common Room, the sight of Riddle, along with about five of his minions, seated patiently in a couple of armchairs around a circular glass table shook her up so much, that, instantly, her trained reflexes as a result of the Second Wizarding War, caused her to whip out her wand immediately and point it straight at the illegal congregation (possibly consisting of future Death Eaters).
Olive, on the other hand, shrieked in sheer horror – the terror on the face intensifying every second. Blo-ody hell! Her screams are as high as the Fat Lady's if she really puts her heart to it!
Riddle's stupid followers, in reaction to Ginny's threatening pose, looked so bewildered – as though Ginny had tried to kiss their great lord instead. It was only after a moments hesitation, did they realize her threat to their master, before springing off the couches at once, wands at the ready.
Riddle, their apparent leader, remained seated inept, resembling a beautiful angelic statue carved from granite, not a single lock of hair out of place. (Apparently, the Sectumsempra spell had been effectively parried from him.) His unusually composed expression again rendered Ginny with the bugging urge to just punch him across his face. But she restrained herself, and concentrated on the number of guys she might have to duel if all else failed.
Surprisingly, it was not Riddle who shattered the silence first, but one of his 'supporters' – an unfamiliar face, possibly the same age as Ginny. He would have been considered handsome, if not for his outrightly ugly sneer. "You arse of a witch- Put down your damned wand."
"No thank you," Ginny replied coldly, having no intention of being hexed across the Slytherin Common Room unprotected. Then, gingerly, she side-glanced Olive, noticing that her friend was trembling with uncontrolled fear, her hands shaking so violently that she was unable to even draw out her wand.
Wait, I thought Olive actually found Riddle 'handsome and kind'? What happened to that warped view point of hers?
Finally, Riddle stood, and playing the role of 'peace-loving-Riddle' as he usually did, he said smoothly, "Now, my dear Black, it's not wise to start a duel here, is it?" Then, brushing his dark hair back, he turned composedly to Ginny and fear stricken Olive, and said sweetly, "Young ladies, you kept the gentlemen here waiting. Please do be grateful and lower your wands, now."
Black, along with the rest, heeded his advice at once, and hurriedly lowered their wands, their head bowed respectfully to Riddle.
"No." Ginny's voice came out firmer than intended, drawing genuinely agape expressions from his followers. Frankly speaking, her hearts sole desire was to dash back into the girls' dormitory and curl up into a ball.
Turn and fight Ginny, turn and fight. You have to face him eventually anyway.
"So," Ginny continued through gritted teeth, attempting to sound as amiable as possible, "what in Merlin's name do you want now? Revenge? Or, got-nothing-better-to-do?"
Riddle raised his slender eyebrow once more, and fixated her with a somewhat amused look. "How accurate, Fridwarn. I do want something."
Ginny's insides turned to liquid. Merlin's pants! ...
He then turned to a tiny boy approximately two index fingers shorter than he was. "Lestrange, the bag." Before smirking, and advancing upon Ginny unafraid, twirling his yew wand in a completely relaxed manner. "Fridwarn, Hornby, do have a look at this."
Ginny watched as Lestrange opened an exceedingly large plastic bag, feeling her organs freezing over, as her mind mentally prepared for the worst of the worst. The boy then went on to cast a levitating spell on the object, before grinning as he lifted it out of the bag effortlessly with his wand arm raised.
Really, Ginny had expected a man-eating dragon, a killer boggart, or even soul-sucking horcrux. But never did she expect her bathing stuff (yea, all covered in smelly green goo because of her unlucky encounter)...!
Is this some sort of prank?
"My clothes!" Ginny gasped, making an attempt to grab at it, but failing epically as Lestrange magically zipped it forward. "My used clothes. I must have dropped it yesterday night…-"
"Too engrossed in running away?" Riddle questioned, a bemused expression crossing his features – and Ginny had a bad feeling that he was not going to return it without something in return.
Well, what did she expect? He was the damn Heir of Slytherin after all, and had a reputation to live up to.
"Give. It. Back!" Ginny screeched, sending a boogie-bat-jinx towards Lestrange, whom ducked at the last minute, a perturbed expression written all over his face.
"Why… why does he have your clothes?" Olive whispered to Ginny, eyes wide as she stared in disbelief at their current plight.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Olive!" Ginny snapped, glaring in full force at Riddle, who looked completely indifferent at this.
"Goo?" Riddle smirked as he gestured towards her soiled clothes. "Someone as thick as yourself- Perhaps you fidgeted with the wrong button?"
His followers made a pathetic attempt to laugh.
Out of impulse, Ginny sent another non-verbal hex soaring through the air at Lestrange, but instead, it went off target and collided into another of Riddle's best friends, causing him to be flung back into the walls of the common room with a moan of pain.
Black, who surprisingly had some heart in that chest of his, strolled over to help him up.
"My dear Fridwarn," Riddle said silkily. "Has anyone taught you to bargain? I suggest you hold in your temper while you're at it, considering you're at my mercy."
"Exactly," Black shot back ferociously, his wand hand twitching with restrained ferocity. "I was thinking- As we have discussed-" He glanced at Riddle nervously, as though unsure whether to continue, "Hanging your underwear up in the Slytherin common room would be interesting. So shut up if you don't wish to be embarrassed to death."
"WHAT?" Olive and Ginny shrieked. "You guys are… Perverts!" Ginny spluttered, not knowing what to say at this, completely at a loss of words. "You what? Hang up my what-?"
"Precisely my point," Riddle said with finality, another smirk forming on his lips. "So Fridwarn, the conversation which I happened to overhear yesterday… I would be contented enough to return this if you were to explain it yourself. And… as for Hornby, for the sake of your friend's dignity, do consider my offer. And Fridwarn, a parting word: Hornby's fate… It lies in the truthfulness of your answer." Riddle contemplated awhile more, a deadly calculating look on his features. "I wouldn't like to resort to... any worse means, would I?"
Threatening? Is he threatening us?
It began to strike Ginny that Riddle was not only harassing herself, but he, behind her back, had also gone further to harass poor Olive. Did that perhaps explain Olive's traumatized look on her face? What did he do exactly? Cruciate her? Please… no! Not an unforgivable curse!
Ginny's wand directed itself to Riddle unconsciously, and anger coursed through her veins. Extortion, harassing, torture, threats- these were the ways of the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord who had mercilessly separated her from everything she had. And now... harming Olive, probably the only person she actually cared for here. She hated him. Hated him with all her heart.
I hate him. I'll never forgive him. Never.
"Leave. Olive. Alone!" Ginny yelled, sending another surprisingly powerful non-verbal spell towards Riddle, whose wand was drawn in a blur of the moment incinerating it with a flick of his wand.
Absolutely shocked expressions reappeared on the faces of the death eaters, as though they had just witnessed a troll count to ten. Black for instance, couldn't understand how anyone could muster so much courage as to do even say a word against someone like Riddle. Lestrange, however, had just dropped her levitated belongings out of awe at her audacity.
She hadn't thought retrieving her belongings could have been such a crude and simple task. Seizing the opportunity, she lunged for it, her wand arm instinctively aiming itself directly at it. Her belongings, bolted upright, and jumped into her grasp. She glanced up to Riddle and smirked the 'Slytherin-trademark-annoying-smirk' back at him just to let him receive a taste of his own medicine.
The victories sensation didn't manage to last very long though, for the Common Room door burst open at that very intense moment.
"My Lor- Riddle. Professor Merrythought sent me to ask Slughorn to err… stop talking already," a wizard with outstanding spiky hair called out meekly from the door. "She's not too happy because it's been half her period already…"
Ooops… Defense Against the Dark Arts. We've practically missed half her period dueling down here…
Everyone in Hogwarts knew from small talk and gossip, that Professor Merrythought was a most gorgeous half-vampire, whose age was thrice of that of Dumbledore. She was literally as old as the hills.
"My mother said that Vampires age ten times slower than a normal wizard does. See Professor Merrythought? She's a half breed. Seems in her thirties, but really, she's three hundred!"
"A half-vampire? Merlin's teeth! She won't be sucking our blood, will she?"
"Sucking our blood? You're worst than a troll! She's a vegetarian one- or why would Dippet let her in the first place? Ah, anyway she's the greatest professor at Hogwarts. That's all that matters."
Even Olive had mentioned that the Slytherins even had a rather high degree of respect for her, a half-breed like Hagrid, and, certainly, that must be hard to earn.
Well, Ginny, Olive, and Riddle and his cronies had stepped into class (escorted by that boy) and there seemed to be no sign of Professor Merrythought in sight. Their classmates, consisting of the familiar faces of both Slytherins and Gryffindors were unusual silent, which was funny because if there was no professor in sight, shouldn't they be killing each other or trying to mull one another's head off already? Strange.
"Err, Olive. There's no professor in class… - OFFF! EEEEEK! –" Ginny suddenly felt a soft slender hand on her shoulder, succeeding in identifying the exceedingly pale hand (even paler than that of Riddle's) at once, "Err, sorry Professor, um, where'd you come from? You just appeared…"
Great Godric! I didn't even hear or see her approach me… That's… freaky!
"Is that so, Ginny?" A flawless goddess-like lady, whose eye-catchingly sharp features could not have better suited her, flashed a dazzling smile at Ginny. "It's great assurance that my hunting skills have not completely gone to waste."
She was just… beautiful. Ginny wasn't even trying to be biased or anything. It was- a typical fact. And according to Olive, once again, as long as you were male, and below thirty, you had very very very high chance of developing a crush on her. Well, now, staring straight at her professor's perfection, Ginny had to agree.
"Hunting… Hunting skills, professor?" Ginny stuttered, at a loss for words.
"Yes," the Professor's eyes then swept through the eight latecomers, as though inspecting them one by one. "But that's not the point. Care to explain why all of you late?"
"Well…" Ginny began, but Riddle interrupted her before she could even think of a proper excuse which did not go along the lines of 'oh, I was throwing hexes at Riddle because he and his gang wanted to hang my underwear up in the Slytherin common room'.
"Professor," Riddle replied, his voice velvety- and laced with charm, obviously trying to kiss up to her ass. "We do enjoy this period immensely, but unfortunately, we were called out by Professor Slughorn regarding the Slug Club."
"Every single one of you, Tom? I thought only seven of you." Merrythought questioned shrewdly and sharply, obviously doubting his answer, and Ginny was completely blown over in amazement! Professor Merrythought was not even affected one bit by Riddle's charm! Ginny decided that besides Dumbledore, Professor Merrythought was currently her favourite teacher in the entire Hogwarts.
"I'm afraid so, Professor," Riddle bowed his head in false regret before gesturing to the boy who had led them to class. "But I did request for Blaise to inform you of our late arrival."
The boy, Blaise, quickly nodded in agreement with his 'lord-and-master', so as to avoid getting him into trouble.
The Slytherins waited in bated breath for their verdict, while the Gryffindors waited in glee. The atmosphere in the class couldn't have been more mixed up.
"Very well, Tom. At least you took the initiative." -the half vampire wrung her arms, still frowning- "But Horace has eaten into half my lesson- I must have a word with him." And Ginny swore she saw Riddle tense slightly at this, but relax again in a split second as though nothing had ever happened.
"Thank you, Madam," Riddle nodded once gracefully instead, before filing after his followers into the empty seats reserved just for them on the 'Slytherin side'. There was a girl seated behind him (apparently, she had taken the intiative to reserve their seats), notably with startling orange hair styled in an old fashioned manner, a fair complexion, and would've been average looking if not for her overuse of make-up on every aspect of her face which made her out to seem like Professor Mcgonagell's Cat Animagus. Ginny watched in disgust as she leaned forward to flirt with Riddle on goodness-knows-what sort of rubbish, batting her eyes every five seconds. Riddle, on the other hand, didn't even seem disgusted for that matter. In fact, anyone who hadn't any contextual knowledge on the Dark Lord could've mistaken him for enjoying the conversation.
He really did have a high tolerance level when he tried.
"Ginny," Merrythought (did have an unusual exertion on people's first names) called as Ginny was about to take her seat on the Gryffindor side of the classroom. "Has Tom informed you yet?"
"I apologize, Professor. It must have slipped my mind," Riddle's eyes quickly flickered away from cat-girl, and up to Merrythought earnestly at once, before shooting a poisonous glare at Ginny for some reason that she just couldn't comprehend.
Merrythought accepted his point impartially, and then her beautiful face stiffened as she glanced over sternly at Ginny. She still was a beauty of course- she would always be a beauty no matter how much she tried to scrunch her face up.
"Ginny, about the illegal duel past curfew you had with Riddle yesterday-"
All sorts of varied noises erupted from the class. Most of horror and shock-Slytherins, some in profound awe and respect-Gryffindors, and others just for the sake of creating some sounds. The noises increased in frequency and volume, until...
"Silence," Merrythought said, the charisma she exuberated equal to that of Dumbledore's in another fifty years time. And the class's commotion died down immediately without another gasp from even the bimbotic girls from Slytherin. Now that was an amazing feat. Merrythought paused, before continuing, "You'll be having detention, this Sunday night, with Tom, in the Ember forest. Are you clear?"
Ginny opened her mouth to deny all charges about the duel, but soon it dawned upon her that the woman who'd caught Riddle that day was none other than the stealthy footed half-vampire. Honestly, there was no point in arguing seeing that she witnessed most of it.
Wait, did she say with Tom? WHAT? He's going to grab this golden opportunity to kill me and stuff my body in a tree!
Everyone right now, seemed to be trying to get a clear view of the 'famous-Fridwarn' who had been so audacious to actually dare to stand up to evil Riddle/ or dared to attack the amazing Riddle, depending on which side of himself he had revealed to you.
Ginny, however, in spite of Olive's reassuring gentle pat and hand squeeze, felt completely overwhelmed by the sudden attention she was receiving. Honestly, it's not like I managed to kill him or anything.
She scanned the classroom, the sea of unfamiliar faces scaring her- Till Sestenal's 'out-of-the-norm' dazzling smile diagonally across caught her attention, and for some reason, she grinned back involuntarily. Sestenal, laughing at her goofy grin, made some complicated hand signs and mouthed some words which Ginny deciphered (hopefully correctly, especially the duck part) as: Did you thrash that duck in dueling?
Almost, Ginny mouthed back, I'll murder him next time I swear.
Sestenal flashed another shimmering 'make-girls-shriek' sort of smile back and Ginny wondered what could've possibly possessed him to be so generous with his smiles on a Slytherin, that day. Unlike Riddle's, they were all genuine. He must be in a particularly good mood- which was strange, considering his best mate Potter hadn't even recovered yet…-
"Professor," Riddle was appealing smoothly, trying desperately to wrap this professor around his little finger as well. That little viper. "I vow that I took no part in the duel-"
"Tom," Merrythought whispered understandingly, walking silently towards Riddle, before placing a hand on his shoulder, causing him to tense slightly. -Ginny couldn't help but notice that Riddle's paleness was equal to that of a half-vampire- "You have to understand, I'm not punishing you because of the duel. But because, you were up past curfew when the schedule showed that it was clearly not the day of your patrol duty." A hesitation before she continued, and Merrythoughts voice grew considerably softer, "And as a prefect, the school has high expectations… of you to set a role model for the rest of the students. But I believe you can meet it, and besides..." -Merrythought turned her head silently, her slender pale fingers gesturing in Ginny's direction- "Ginny is new here, isn't she? She'll need an escort in the Ember forest."
Riddle was up past curfew without a proper reason? Why I am not surprised?
Riddle opened his mouth, before closing it once more, the failure of his charm rendering him wordless. "Very well, Professor," he finally conceded. "Very well."
"Not to worry, Tom. I believe all Hagrid" -Ginny caught Riddle's slight tensing at that name, but no one else seemed to have noticed- "requires you to do is to collect Ember Berries for the Halloween Ball. It won't be too hard." Professor Merrythought smiled reassuringly- her smile, Ginny noticed, caused many of the Slytherin and Gryffindor boys to wiggle in their seats for goodness-knows-what-reason.
"Thank you, Professor. How very kind," Riddle replied politely, his face a mask of its normal practiced composure, before returning to writing.
Ginny couldn't stop an explicitly wide grin from tainting her features. She absolutely loved and respected Professor Merrythought, the most unbiased and unprejudiced Professor in the entire school. Half-vampires definitely made good Professors.
But as Riddle shot his 'you-are-so-dead-girl' death ray glare at Ginny, she knew that there was no wiggling out of this one. She'd always imagined herself of dying a valiant death fighting by the side of the Order of the Phoenix, not by the hand of Lord Voldermorts younger self killing her discreetly in the Forbidden Forest and stuffing her up a tree.
That sort of death, was not cool at all.
A/N: I'm going to strive to complete this story! Maybe around 20 chapters altogether?
