Chapter 6: Getting to Work and…Surprise!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, just my own creative thoughts.

A/N: Just a warning for the future, from now on I'm going to stray very much from cannon even though it won't be too apparent until a few more chapters at least! Don't forget to REVIEW! Cheers!

The Weasley family noticed some subtle changes in their youngest female member during the two weeks of Christmas. She seemed so much more enigmatic in the sense that she talked less and seemed introverted than usual. Years past she would have pert quips ready at a moment's notice of anything ridiculous, but now she barely kept up with the conversation. Molly decided that her daughter was going through a stage. She was on the brink of adulthood, not to mention she was looking more and more womanly everyday. Perhaps there is a boy in Ginny's life, the mother mused one evening watching her daughter clean the Christmas left-over dinner from the table. It was about time she got over Harry Potter, although they would have made quite a lovely couple. The mother found it hard to know that a boy she had accepted almost as one of her own was on such a secretive mission, no doubt dangerous too. They tried to keep it so secret over the summer, but mothers' had their ways. And now Ginny and Harry were no longer together and Ginny had very likely found someone new. Maybe she'd talk of him soon, maybe over the summer the family would meet him. Molly Weasley was very curious, indeed.

But, Ginny had no intentions of appeasing anyone's whims but her own. Her thoughts were far from what her families were. She was planning. Fred and George were seldom home from their business affairs, but when they did visit she made sure to bring up their past mischievous efforts in Hogwarts. She needed what they knew. The twins eventually brought up the subject of her conspicuous interest.

"Well," she decided it was safe to confide her and Neville's plans; they were the Kings of all tricks to be played after-all, "you are aware that the Ministry placed Death Eaters at Hogwarts in the disguise of being teachers right? They extend their powers too far too often for many active students, you understand. So…"

"So you want some advice from the pros?" Fred beamed at his sister.

"We always knew you had such mischievous tendencies, Ginny. I'm happy to see you act upon them." George beamed as well.

"And Neville too? Really, the bloke didn't seem impressive as I remember him," Fred commented.

"Rather stupid, wasn't he Fred?" George added.

"He's changed quite a lot since the fifth year and all that." Ginny defended him, "He still has his clumsy moments, but he's become quite a leader, really."

Fred leaned back on his bed scratching his little, red goatee, "In terms of helping you Gins, we don't have the map anymore."

"We gave it to Harry years back," George finished the thought, "but we can still tell you about the secret passageways anyway."

"Yeah, and there's always Filch's office. He's got quite a collection of useful tools." Fred said grinning.

Ginny smiled as she got out her quill and parchment, ready to take notes. She really did love the twins.

Upon her return to Hogwarts in the late afternoon on Sunday, Ginny immediately went to the library. She had been looking forward to the Restricted Section all the holiday and finally she could get her hands on real magic and knowledge. After Pince unlocked the dark wood and glass door separating the accessible section of the library and the forbidden one she stalked off muttering something angrily under her breath about messy shelves. Ginny was left to herself. The air in the little room was stuffy and smelled of dust and old books. Old they definitely were. Normally, Ginny would have walked between the shelves stroking the spins of the books, but it she did not want her fingers bitten off. They were an odd collection, to be sure.

She came to the Magical Creatures section and started taking books as she progressed. The hours passed and she was immersed in the excitement of new ideas. The following weeks she devoured all the books on Magical Creatures, finding out dark secrets of wizarding-kind.

Did Hermione ever get this far into the library? Ginny asked herself one late night in mid-January in the library. Closing the book she realized that it would be useless to have read and learnt so much without having the opportunity to practice it. Neville's recent invitation to join the ranks of the rebellion was always in her mind, but was it really worth getting involved? She had gotten some interesting ideas from all those books. If the Carrows were real dark wizards and witches then they should be able to handle it right? A smirk appeared on her lips. Yes, it would be a worthy endeavour, this continuation of Dumbledor's Army. Luna had joined it too, she had learnt the other day. Well, if Luna was in, I might as well be too. She started to pack up.

"What are you doing here so late at night, Weasel?" hissed the all-too-familiar voice of Malfoy Jr.

She sighed condescendingly, "Your father actually risked sending you back to school after what you did last year? He really must not care for you at all, Draco dear."

Crabbe and Goyle puffed up their chests as Draco pointed his wand at her throat. "You know nothing of my family, Weasel, only that we could buy yours into slavery a trillion times over. But, then again you're so damn worthless so why would we bother?"

Ginny didn't feel it was yet necessary to get her wand out and smiled at him serenely instead, "Glad to see you're getting better with the come-backs, Draco dear. But, I really must be going, because, as you said, it really has gotten rather late." She tried to pass the trio but Goyle got in the way.

"Stop calling my Draco dear Weasel." He warned.

"What? Does it remind you of your mother? Homesick are you?"

"We have jurisdiction to take you to the Carrows for detention tomorrow, Weasley, and I think we shall have to do it just to teach you the lesson of keeping your stupid mouth shut."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Really? Can't be authoritative on your own Draco dear? Need back-up? What do they teach in Death Eater School these days? Or maybe the new generation's just not up to pare." She now held her wand in her hand calmly.

"Densuageo!" Draco yelled, but Ginny called out the protective charm before hand.

"I suggest we move this outside, Draco dear, I don't think Pince will be happy to see you trashed her library."

"I'd be happy to take it outside, Weasel." And they made their way out the library doors pointing wands steadily at each other.

The second she stepped onto the hall, Ginny shouted, "Expelliramus totallus!" and all three boys' wands flew out of their hands. Instantly she summoned them to her and they gently settled into hers. Her recent dabbling in spells had been worth it. She smiled pleasantly at their gaping expressions, "Well? What should I do now Draco dear? Tell me?"

"Tell you what, Miss Weasley?" the unmistakable slimy voice of Serveus Snape sounded behind her.

She swore internally, No wonder Malfoy had been so obliging to get out of the library. He must have known Snape would be on hall duty. She turned to face the new comer, "Professor Snape, how lovely to see you."

"I would quit the pleasantries, Miss Weasley. You have gotten yourself into quite the predicament, reminiscent of you're older brother's. Following in his footsteps are you?"

"Which brother do you speak of Professor, for I have six to choose from?"

His mouth twisted in displeasure, "That cheek is costing you 10 points from Gryffindor. Give Draco, Goyle and Crabbe their wands back."

Ginny sighed and complied, but switched the wands around in retaliation; they wouldn't notice just yet in such little light.

"Now apologize."

"I'm sorry Draco and company. Sorry, I just don't remember your names." She added innocently.

"Miss Weasley." Warned Snape.

She sighed again, "OK! I'm sorry Draco, Crabbe, Goyle."

"Good. You may leave," he addressed the boys, but his firm glare held Ginny back.

She raised an inquisitive brow, "Yes Professor? You seem to have more to say."

"What were you doing in the library so late Miss Weasley?"

"I was reading books."

"What books?"

Ginny grew restless, why did he care? "Just some fascinating books, Professor. Why, may I ask, are you interested?"

"That project you had of investigating vampires, how is it coming along?"

"Well enough."

He did not seem satisfied with her answers at all. "Miss Weasley, when I ask you a question I expect all disclosure."

"I don't see why you deem it so necessary to know what my personal interests are, Professor. They hardly seem pertinent to a oh-so-important life of a Professor." Her temper rose to a simmer.

"So vampires are you personal interests now, are they?"

She glared at him; she had not intended to give him that piece of information. Slimy git, she thought unhappily and crossed her arms. Ever since she found out he was in the Order of the Phoenix, he lost much of his intimidation over her. He knew she knew and that gave her the upper hand. But, he had the power over her marks, which was rather annoying. Then again, what would it matter if she got merely a Satisfactory in potions when all her other N.E.W.T. grades were perfect? "Professor, do you have anything further to ask me or can I finally return to my dormitory?"

Snape's upper lip curled in distaste at being treated so, "Another 10 points for being out after curfew-"

"But the Carrows made the curfew at eight, sir! That's hardly enough-"

"Silence!" he hissed, "Another 5 points for disrespect. Go to bed Miss Weasley before you become responsible for your house points falling into the negatives."

With a despicable glare, Ginny turned and left, with a bitter taste in her mouth.

The next morning at breakfast she started at Neville with surprising determination, "We need to hit Snape!" she hissed across the table with such a piercing glare his eyes went wide.

"Snape? Well, if we have to, I guess."

"I thought the DA was purely anti-Carrow?" Colin Creevey chirped in as he buttered his toast.

Ginny ignored him, "I've managed to sneak a few interesting books out of the library. They'd be perfect."

Neville searched her carefully, "What books?"

"Restricted ones."

"Ginny! How'd you get your hands on those, let alone get them out of the library?"

"Well, you can thank Draco and his goonies for that. They distracted Snape from the fact I was stealing the books. They started a duel with me in the library that carried into the hall last night. Now that I think about it, why were they in the library at such an hour?"

"They're hardly the studious types," Neville replied looked behind him in the Slytherin table's direction. Almost all the Slytherins were gone; their families either refused to let them back to school or left the country all together. Ginny shot the table an icy glare, even if no one noticed she felt a little better.

"Anyways, we need to get to work, Neville."

Ginny's all of a sudden determination was a little unsettling, but Neville felt it just might be the boost the DA needed.

The rest of the evenings that week, Ginny was obliged to spend in detention with one of two Carrow's. They seemed to switch as if to share the annoyance and to think they should enjoy punishing students since they were Death Eaters. This had gotten in the way of Ginny's plans but only fuelled her motivation. She returned to her dormitory usually past eleven o'clock and then concentrated on mastering her list of "fascinating spells to learn" in the requirement room. Amadeus found it charming she had such rebellious plans and sometimes added some knowledge of his own to compile into her growing inventory.

The months after, the DA-lead rebellion was almost an every-day thing. From simple student walk-outs for Carrow-lead classes or on propaganda filled subject matter to school sabotage that inhibited classes to take place for a couple days. This particular event had been inspired and slightly stolen from Fred and George and in their honour put into motion on their birthday – April Fool's Day. They had sent her a few parchments filled with past hexes and charms they used to cause havoc during their school years, and their last gift to Umbridge had been a favourite in the DA. So, they set out to try it, however adding their own ingenious addition to the messy, immovable bog. They cursed the sludge in and surrounding the Carrow offices and teacher residences with the Gemino Curse and an extra dosage of Glisseo for good measure. So each time they attempted to get it out the slime would merely duplicate. It was quite a memorable event when their patience cracked days after the bog striked, Alecto Carrow lost her temper and started obliterating it so much that it just multiplied to past her knees before she realized what was happening. Ginny did not forget to sneak the same treatment for Snape's office, storage closets and the dungeon hallways where she suspected his residence may be. It caused a massive problem for the entire school, affecting mostly the dungeons though. But, it was historical nonetheless – a high moment of pride for all the members of the DA for it had been a collective effort.

A week later, Ginny strolled along the Hogsmade store fronts, window shopping as usual when it came to anything pertaining to finances. Neville and Luna were with her for they were, in fact, going to discuss future DA plans. They passed the last building of the village entering the country-side path that eventually led to the Shrieking Shack to have the privacy they needed.

"Well, April Fool's day was, on almost all accounts, a success," Neville began in an almost stately manner he had acquired after the months of leadership of the DA.

"Yes quite," Ginny replied mockingly making Neville groan.

"Was I doing it again?"

"Yes." Luna joined in simultaneously but added in her dreamy way, "But it seems to fit you Neville."

"Anyways, besides the fact that the Carrows have decided to disqualify Gryffindor from the house cup and hexed a good number of us – well, yes I should say it was a success. Mind you, Madame Promfey would probably not agree," said Ginny, readjusting her scarf.

"It's the sacrifice we have to make. They know that," replied Neville, shrugging.

"It's just a tad unfair that we were the ones that technically should have been punished since we cast the bog-hex in the first place. Poor Romilda, Michael, Cho and Ernie." Luna chimed in.

Neville turned around looking back towards Hogsmade curiously, "Um, did you guys hear anything?"

As the girls turned around they saw an explosion and distant screams followed. All three of them began in a worried march that as sounds of further explosions and agony, increased; they ran apprehensively into the village once more. It was a Death Eater attack – right at sun set. Hogwarts students and villagers were scurrying about in terror while the hooded and masked perpetrators enjoyed themselves. Ginny could hear them laugh as they preformed forbidden curses all around her. She swore she recognized Bellatrix Lestrange's cackle behind her at some point. Neville whipped out his wand and charged into the fray – Luna close behind though a little more carefully. Ginny ducked to the side of a building from shock. Taking out her wand she knew that she wouldn't be able to get out alive if she didn't fight her way through it. Looking at the bright side, she finally, had the opportunity to practice those Dark Art's curses on real subjects – she got excited and looked up to find her first guinea pig.

Fenrir Greyback did not disguise his rather massive form under the usual garment of Death Eaters; it was all too obvious who he was, or more importantly in moments like this, what he was. He was chasing some hag, giving the perfect opportunity to Ginny; his back was all hers. She stepped forward and raising her hand, knowing exactly which curse she'd use – the dismembering one.

"Desmembrarus!" a steady jet of black light exploded from the tip of her wand and with her single, gentle swish cut his arm straight off. Ginny gaped at the shock of such a brutal spell. She had not anticipated it being so exact to its description.

Fenrir stopped on his heels instantly, almost as if bemused at the idea of having just left behind a part of his body. Then the reality of the situation sank in as his dark blood washed the side of his robes an unhealthy purple crimson. With a crazed roar he started charging towards Ginny who was still somewhat stunned. Oh shit! Her body sprang into motion; he had seen her. She ran for her life chanting a nearly constant string of "Protegio Horribilus!" as she made her way through the Hogsmade main street now made a battlefield. People started to clear away; Greyback's pursuit of a victim was not something easy to ignore even if you were fighting for your life or taking away someone else's. Nevertheless, people gaped at his bloody and terrifying form.

Coming to a decision, Ginny turned around, staring at him head on, "Impedimenta!"

The massive man's form was thrown forcefully back but he got up quickly enough and raised his wand hand.

Damn he's left handed, Ginny thought miserably, I cut off the wrong arm.

"You! You are the bitch that did this to me? A mere girl?" his voice was hoarse and his surprise incredulous.

Ginny rolled her sleeves up; it was time to get to business. She put all panic behind her. "Fuck you Fenrir, one less set of claws to scar people with, eh?" she grimaced.

"You will regret that Red," he readied his wand.

"So, we're at nickname basis already Fen? Alright, I can do that." She replied making his temper and patience run out.

"Cru-"

"Fiendfyre!" she yelled in desperation to attack him before he finished the incantation. A gigantic eruption of fire dragons clawed their way out of the tip of her wand devouring everything in their path. Ginny only hoped to all things she held dear that it would include Fenrir and his curse.

Her hopes were not answered, however. Her body was hit with writhing pain and she toppled onto the ground screaming for her bloody life for the agony to end. In her excruciating pain all she saw through her tears were the blurry forms of her surroundings and a red glowing light from somewhere low on the ground or beneath her. She assumed it was blood. She assumed Fenrir was ripping her apart. Instantly the pain was gone – as if the curse lifted. But, that was impossible – why would Fenrir suddenly feel pity for her? As she pulled herself up she realized maybe the almighty fires had consumed him.

"Get up," someone commanded, pulling her up on her feet.

The fire spread everywhere, in fact, she was surrounded by it all alone-except…She turned to see a hooded Death Eater. She ripped her arm from his grip pointing her wand at him.

He laughed, "Wands are useless against me, remember?"

She lowered her wand, "What?" His voice so familiar and she only knew of one person unaffected by wand magic. Her throat went dry.

He grabbed both her arms this time and pulled her close, "I'm going to pull you in with side-along-apparation. This is your only chance to escape." And he yanked her into the shadow of the engrossing blaze.

For a moment it felt insanely hot, but subsided as light and dark flashes increased and then slowed and stopped, leaving Ginny in the arms of Amadeus right in his bedroom in his flat in Diagon Alley.

She thrashed out of his grip again breathing heavily from the amount of smoke she had inhaled, adrenaline and now confusion. "You-you-" she stammered clenching her fists as she watched him pull off his Death Eater attire nonchalantly.

"Yes, I'm a Death Eater." He approached her again.

His clothes were stained with blood that, she realized, was unlikely to be his, "You're covered in…" she started to hyperventilate. "Don't. Don't come near me."

"You're in shock. Sit down."

"No."

"Ginevra. Sit down. Breathe for Merlin's sake." He attempted to force her down by her shoulders but she retracted further until her back hit the wall.

"Why?" She hissed and then her eyes widened as the dark mark appeared on his left forearm.

Amadeus sighed in a rather annoyed fashion muttering something about inconvenience. Grabbing his cloak and mask, he said to her sternly, "Stay here Ginevra. You will be safe. Stay the night. I'll come back when I can." He watched her slide down the wall trembling and crying. He wished he could remain with her and make sure she stayed in place, but he had to answer the call. He had never intended for her to find out because, obviously, it would complicate things for this precise reason. Sighing, he disappeared into the shadows once more, preoccupied with how he could explain things to her to appease her new disgust with him. Amadeus had known that her trust in him would not continue forever and now it was even more insulting that she disapproved of him so vehemently. He never reacted well to disapproval.

It was quite a surprise that it had lasted this long, when he thought about it. And now, well, he still needed to feed. If she refused to continue things on the amicable and complacent level he'd have to be forceful. The bond's power between them had progressed especially fast with her and stepping back into relying on hunting would no longer clench his craving. Most importantly, Amadeus was beginning to notice a rather potent addiction to her sweet blood. He groaned internally at the realization as he positioned himself in the circle of Death Eaters. The formation of an addiction always created problems and this was a terribly bad time to acquire one of such magnitude. Ginevra was a strong witch and that strength situated in her blood was exceptionally enhancing his own. Times were hard and he couldn't afford to find a new Blood Source; she would have to just deal. His attention went to Voldemort who had finally appeared in the dark courtyard of the Riddle House.

"I undersstand that the attack went unplesssantly ssour, my followerss." He started menacingly.

Amadeus gave him a bored expression in return. These sorts of declarations never made any impact on him, unlike his anxious and fearful comrades.

The werewolf burst out ferociously, "That blasted red-head! She ignited that retched fire!"

"And cut off your arm, I sse." Voldemort reflected and called forth Lucius. The cloaked form of the Malfoy patriarch stepped out of the circle and handed the pale and mangled form of Greyback's lost arm to Voldemort and retreated. "You are lucky, Fenrir, that you have ssuch a thoughtful comrade like Luciuss that has the ssense to keep your departed arm. You must work on keeping your anger from making sstupid misstakess in the future; I will not be ssso inclined to repair it again."

Amadeus imagined the smug expression on Malfoy's face to have finally gotten something right again. After Voldemort reattached Greyback's arm to his body, he returned to the center to address them again.

"Thiss red-head comrade Greyback sspoke of, who iss she?" Voldemort scanned the circle carefully.

Finally the greasy voice of Snape was heard, "My Lord, I believe there is a good chance that this red-headed female was one of the Weasleys. In all probability it was the youngest child, Ginevra."

Amadeus tensed and started to realize how stupid of her it was to involve herself in the fight. The stupid, stupid girl got herself much too involved with everything, he thought angrily. Unfortunately, his feelings only made the situation worse.

Voldemort's cold eyes stopped at him. "My, my, doess the vampire have anything to add?"

"No." Amadeus replied coldly. The bastard had read my thoughts, he realized.

"But, I think you do, Amadeusss, the unofficial Vampire King ass they call you. It would not be wisse to lie to me again."

"I have nothing to add that pertains to the werewolf's talent of being a failure and making a mess of himself." Technically, that wasn't a lie. Greyback almost exploded from the opposite side of the circle to attack him, but Voldemort lifted an authoritatively calm, pale hand to stop him.

"You are becoming another sslippery sservant of mine I ssee, Amadeuss." Voldemort hissed, his patience clearly running out. "You will tell me what you know of the Weassley girl!" he pointed his wand right at Amadeus's temple. The circle of Death Eaters swayed in tension. Amadeus had little choice; Voldemort was one of the few wizards, apart from hunters, that realized the benefit of learning enough of the Dark Arts to be able to actually threaten a vampire. And while vampire hunters were to be avoided, Voldemort's knowledge and power was to be feared.

Amadeus resented the situation and showed this unmistakably in his voice, "I feed off her, My Lord. She is my Blood Source."

"Ah, yesss," finally he was satisfied. "How interessting. I will decide what to do with thiss information later." He paused pensively then returned to formal business, "How many did your silly raid manage to kill?" he addressed this question at Nott who had been the leader of the attack.

"Eight, My Lord. 20 tortured, 30 otherwise injured."

"Did I assk for the tortured or injured Nott?" Voldemort inquired a little too softly. Nott braced himself – "Crucio!" As the man's form continued writhing in pain, Voldemort began calmly, "And I sssee none were injured on our ssside exccept for dear Fenrir, Crabbe and Mulciber." Voldemort's pleasantries were more frightening than when he talked seriously. It kept the inner circle and all who interacted with him on a regular basis very on edge. "Sso, if it had not been for the fire, the whole of Hogsmade inhabitantss would have been whipped out, I should think. How disspleassing." A tremor of fear ran through the circle again. He let go of Nott who collapsed on the ground limply. They knew what was to come. Voldemort would punish another few Death Eaters at random to ensure perfection the next time. Fenrir, to Ginevra's misfortune, was one of the punished; this would only increase his fervour to kill her next time he had the chance. Amadeus was not happy with this. Of all people she could have attacked, why she had felt it was necessary to pick the one that kept grudges the longest was beyond him.

Once he returned to the flat a few tortures after, he threw his Death Eater clothes off. Her scent was still in the flat; he quickly located her presence in his bedroom. Relieved she had not tried to make his life immensely tiresome by running off somewhere at night after an attack, he took a shower to wash off the blood and odours of death. When he came back to his bedroom he saw her sleeping form in his bed. He grinned, how would she react to wake up to him beside her especially after today? He mused light-heartedly. Probably not well, with his sensibility returning he thought: but it was his bed and he had every right to sleep in it. It was big enough for the both of them to comfortably sleep and not touch, although it was his very intention to touch her – his senses heightened with the very notion, but he pushed it aside for it was hardly the moment to seduce the girl. Besides, she wasn't even full adult yet and the idea of bedding someone so young was distasteful to him.

Amadeus slipped under the covers rather tired. At such proximity to her the tempting scent of her blood reminded him of his troublesome addiction. He turned on his other side grumbling; he was more in her power than she knew. And now that Fenrir would be out for her, it would be that much more difficult to keep her alive. With an irritated sigh he went to sleep.