Chosen 5:

Woohoo! I keep getting reviews! Yay!

Aliesha: I know. Aren't I a stinker? I promise this new chapter will make up for it.

Danii: I know! It's a sickness! But we don't want the cure, do we?

dancetdplc: Thanks! And never fear: the Xandrew got removed from the story in the re-editing process. However, I do intend to put slash of a different variety in the next chapter that will play a part in the main story. I hope you like it. I put Dawn in Ravenclaw because Gryffindors come across to me as fighters and Dawn's more down with the book-learning. Look for her and Cho Chang to get close (not like that, though)

FireSpryte1423: Your review made my day. :D I was raised by Frasier and Niles, the Grammer Nazis. I'm glad to see it's paying off. Sadly, I don't see a way to include Angel or Spike, but did you see the second episode of Angel? "Where's Buffy? Europe." Dude! That is so a shout-out. Or I'm delusional. Whatever....

Cattt: Your wish is my command.

And now I present to you the new chapter, featuring He-Who-Has-A-Way-With-The-Ladies!, Angry!Ginny, Bellylaughing!Snape, DarkWillow!, and mildlykinky!sex.

            "CRUCIO!!"

            Ginny stiffened and screwed her eyes shut, anticipating the worst.

            Seconds passed...and passed...

            But she felt nothing, other than the terror that had lodged itself inside her stomach since she had awakened. Slowly, Ginny opened her eyes to find Tom still pointing his wand at her chest but with significantly more rage.   

            Roaring, Tom whirled around and flung a curse at Hermoine's bed, causing it to crack and groan as it collapsed to the floor. He turned back to Ginny. "Your new powers may protect you from Unforgivable Curses, but it won't protect your precious Potter." he spat, eyes dark and maniacal. Smirking as Ginny stiffened, he continued. "Now let me make something clear, as I would have before you so rudely interrupted me: if you don't join my cause, I will torture to death every single person you hold dear." His face, formerly a grotesque mask of hatred, now softened into a seductive stare. "You may be immune but are your family members? I wonder how Fred and George would look as their bodies contort with pain. Or Percy. Imagine the helpless look on his face as I command him to climb out of the Tower window and jump." Ginny swallowed hard, trying to keep her fearful tears in check. "Yes. That's it, my darling. Never forget: you hold their lives in the balance. Adieu, my love." he whispered silkily into her ear as he disappeared.

            Ginny stood frozen to the spot. She tried to calm herself but nothing seemed to work. Groping blindly behind her for support, she sank her back into the wall as her mind pulsated with abject terror. 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named just came to me personally.' she thought wildly. 'The Dark Lord just popped into my bedroom like he belonged here and threatened to kill my family. And I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.' Ginny made a fist and punched the floor in frustration, barely registering the pain that shot up her arm. 'What the hell good is Slayer power if I can't even keep him away from me? Merlin, I couldn't even think of a spell to block him! What kind of witch am I?' she wondered sullenly. 'I. Can't. Beat. Vol...demort' she forced herself to think his name. 'I was stupid for thinking I could. I can't do anything with any power that I have, so what's the point?' Ginny sighed and curled her knees under her chin. 'I don't even know why he wants me so badly. Can't he see what a squib I am? Or maybe he just needs to use me as a power source again.' Ginny smiled bitterly. 'The only thing that ever got me attention was being his and it nearly killed me.'

            The sound of the door opening and the accompanying shouts forced Ginny out of her reverie. "OH MY LORD!!!!" Hermoine screamed. "WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME HAPPENED TO MY BED?????" She ran over to it, and with an emphatic "Nocturnus Repairus" returned the bed to its former state. It was from this angle that she noticed Ginny huddled against the wall. "Ginny, are you alright?" she asked, then tentatively: "Did you do this?"

            The younger girl sprang to her feet. "Of course I didn't!" she yelled. "Why is it that the only time anyone notices me is when things fall apart?" she snapped as she turned and fled the room.

            She was half way down the hall before she realized where she was. In the distance, she could here Dumbledore murmuring and an unfamiliar voice replying in worried tones. They were coming closer. Thinking quickly, Ginny tucked herself behind a suit of armor and willed her frantic breathing to still.

            "I could definitely feel him here, Albus." Willow said, worry wrinkling her pale brow. "It felt just the way you said it would, like I was going to be sick."

            The Head Master nodded gravely. "Yes, he does have that effect on people." The pair stopped conveniently in front of the suit that concealed Ginny, allowing her a better shot at hearing their conversation. "But please keep in mind that I don't want the students knowing that Voldemort was on school grounds. I don't need a panic disrupting the school year, especially when everyone is already on edge."

            Ginny's eyes widened in fear. 'I guess that means I wasn't dreaming.' she thought pitifully.

            Dumbledore continued. "I know the girls didn't take the news as well as you and Miss Summers had hoped, but we need to start their training right away."
            Willow nodded in agreement. "I'll double back to the tower and get everyone ready." She turned and headed back down the hallway she and Dumbledore had come from.

            "You can come out now, Ms. Weasely." The Head Master said gently. Ginny blushed as she emerged from her hiding place. Dumbledore smiled gently at her, his eyes radiating the kind warmth that endeared him to (most) students and teachers alike. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me, dear? You look quite upset."

            Ginny swallowed and weighed her options. If she lied, she knew the Head Master would not press the issue and she would carry the weight of the encounter on her own. If she told the truth, she would also have to admit her failure in not being able to use her powers to stand up to Tom.  Neither option was appealing. "No, sir." she said quietly.

Dumbledore regarded her for a second and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ms. Weasley but I have already made that mistake twice and both times the consequences were severe. I know that something is bothering you and I have a strong hunch what it is." He seemed taller suddenly, but also several years older.

Ginny sighed as she stared at the ground. "He came to me." she whispered, shame stinging her eyes.

The Head Master nodded understandingly. "And what did he say, my dear?"

Ginny allowed a disdainful chuckle to pass through her before answering. "Other than that he would kill my friends and family if I didn't join the Death Eaters?" she asked sarcastically.

Dumbledore frowned. "I think this should involve Severus, as well as the Americans." he said solemnly. "Please, fetch Miss Granger and come to my office as soon as you can get there."

            Ginny was about to protest as Dumbledore walked away. She felt instantly ashamed of the way she had snapped at her friend and fellow Slayer and seeing her again was the last thing Ginny wanted to do. 'But an order is an order.' she thought to herself as she forced her legs back to Gryffindor tower. 'And I'm so good at following those.'

Hermoine was sitting in the common room when Ginny walked in. The brunette greeted her coolly before returning to her book ("Daemons Most Daemented")

"I'm sorry, Moine." Ginny said plaintively. "I didn't mean to lose my temper like that."

Hermoine put the book down on a table and stood up. "If you don't accept the fact that you're a Slayer, that's your choice." she said slowly. "But I do accept it, and I won't have you breaking things, my things when you lose your temper." She folded her arms and waited for Ginny to speak.

The red head sighed. "I didn't break your bed." she said quietly. "He did."

Hermoine was puzzled. "He who? No boys are allowed in the girls' dorm, you know that." she said, confused. "Gin, what are you playing at?"

"Voldemort broke your bed."

Hermoine was speechless. "The Dark Lord was here?" she asked, fear tightening her voice. "How? Why?"

Ginny put a hand on her friend's arm. "That's why Dumbledore asked me to come and get you. The Americans will explain everything."

*

"Well, I'm stumped." Buffy said simply.

Ginny and Hermoine groaned. After an hour of hypothesizing, the assembled group of Dumbledore, Snape, Ginny, Hermoine, Buffy, Willow and Giles had yet to come up with a possible explanation as to how Tom Riddle had appeared at the foot of Ginny's bed. Even the portraits of past Head Masters were silent in their confusion.

"Professor Dumbledore, if I may" Professor Snape began. "I don't believe the Americans are familiar enough with our world to be of much use." He ignored the Buffy's glare and continued. "What I mean to say is that we obviously are not going to uncover the Dark Lord's means tonight. We should start preparing for when he actually appears on the school grounds." The blonde Slayer relaxed, but only a bit.

"You may be right Severus." Dumbledore admitted tiredly. "There are only a handful of spells that could have bypassed the anti-Apparation wards but we have no way of pinning one as his mode of transportation. Why don't we get started on what the girls are going to be learning?"

Giles straightened in his seat. "Well, I was thinking it would be informative to see what these two ladies are capable of already before we start their training." he suggested. He turned to Ginny and Hermoine. "Can you two show me how you would throw a punch?" he asked.

Looking at each other and shrugging, the girls rose and stood behind their chairs. Each balled her fists and made kitten-like swipes at the air.

Willow bit her cheeks to suppress her laughter and Buffy had to quickly reminded herself of her abysmal first fight against a vampire back in LA. "What about a kick?" Buffy asked hopefully.

This time, the results were even worse. Hermoine managed a wobbly can-can like maneuver but Ginny went full throttle and landed backwards on the floor. The Head Master's Office was suddenly filled with raucous laughter as the portraits and Professor Snape burst into loud guffaws. Even Giles was having trouble hiding an amused grin.

Ginny glared and hastily got to her feet. "I'd like to see you try any better." she snapped. Dusting off her robes, she sat back in her chair, which, unfortunately, she did with a little too much gusto and landed on her back again. Ginny groaned as Hermoine scooped her and the chair back up to a proper sitting position. 

Willow grinned as she regarded the two Hogwart's Slayers. "I think we'll be starting at the beginning, huh Sensei?" she quipped at Giles and Buffy.

"Hey. It's not a biggie." Buffy said consolingly, patting Ginny on the arm. "The first time I slayed, I got the liver. And that was after I screamed like a six year old and tried to hide behind my Watcher."

Buffy's words would normally have at least made Ginny smile but after her encounter with Tom, she was much too short-tempered. "Look, I don't mean to be snappish but when are we going to learn how to use this power?" she asked crossly. "I've got daemons to fight and vampires to slay. ('And handsome men who want to kill me to stop.' she added silently.) I need to begin, as soon as possible." Ginny folded her arms and leaned slowly back into her chair. "I can't do that by falling over."

"You're quite right." Giles said soothingly. "Your timetable has been changed to reflect your new courses with Buffy and Willow." He took off his glasses and cleaned them. "I believe you have Buffy's course first thing in the morning."

Ginny exhaled sharply and closed her eyes. "I guess that will have to do then." she said. Abruptly, she rose from her chair. "But if that is all, Professor Dumbledore, I'd like to return to my room. Hopefully no one will be waiting for me." Ginny left the room before anyone could respond.

The assembled group looked surprised. "She was such a quiet girl." Severus reflected. "Until you people came along with this ridiculous notion. Honestly, choosing little girl to save the world." The Potions Master crossed his arms and leaned against the back of his chair.

Buffy was instantly on her feet. "Hey! You want to keep your mouth shut about things you don't understand?" she asked threateningly.

Snape stared back, bored. "Temper temper, Miss Summers." he said dryly. "I do not think it wise to be making enemies among faculty members before your first day on the job."

"And I wouldn't be wanting to make an enemy of the Slayer, Sevvie." she snipped.

Snape almost growled as he sprang to his feet, where he towered over the diminuitve blonde. "Do not ever call me 'Sevvie'!" he roared. "I am, at all times, Professor Snape. Do you understand that, child?"

Willow stepped in between them. "Hey, hey, guys." she said nervously. "Why don't we all calm -" but neither party seemed to hear her.

"Slimeball!"

"Git!"

"Why don't you wash once and awhile?"

"Why don't you show more respect to you betters?"

"Oh, go brew a love potion. I hear getting laid is great for the complexion."

"Well, why don't you go sniffing around the Forbidden Forrest? I hear giants just love blonde playthings!"

"ENOUGH!!"

Both Willow and Dumbledore were radiating power. The Professor's hair was shock white and the witch's eyes were pitch black. Willow raised her arm, which sent Buffy roughly back into her seat; Dumbledore flicked his wand and Professor Snape stiffened. Having the two restrained, the witch and wizard relaxed and the aura of dangerous power passed from them.

"We do not have time for petty in-fighting." Dumbledore said quietly. "We have two girls here with incredible power and no idea how to use it." He turned to Buffy. "Find Ms. Weasely and tell her everything you know about being a Slayer. Miss Granger, I know, will be much more content to study it formally." Buffy glared at the ground but left quickly.

"Severus." The Head Master said, turning to the Body-Bound Potions professor. "Finite Incantatum. Now, I thought you of all people would have learned by now the price of letting petty grudges cloud your judgment. We are fighting a war and we need only the calmest of minds. Return to your chambers and get a good night's rest; we need our Potions Professor in top form for tomorrow." Dumbledore took a breath. "I daresay this meeting is finished. Everyone may return to their rooms. I expect everyone to be at the top of their game tomorrow, is that understood."

"Yes Professor" and "Of course, Albus." floated to the Head Master as the group left the office. As soon as they were gone, Dumbledore sat wearily down at his desk. He had not wanted to demean his double agent in front of the new company but his childish actions had necessitated it. 'We cannot afford any more losses.' he thought gravely as he reached for his Pensieve. 'We might not be able to continue otherwise.'

*

"Adieu, my love." Voldemort breathed as he opened his eyes.

Dru opened hers at the same time and began tittering madly. "We did it, my lord." she said excitedly, clapping her hands. "Didn't mummy tell you? She's helpless against your charms." Dru giggled again. She got up from her chair and began humming to herself as she waltzed around the room.

Voldemort sat and stared hard at his reflection. The spell to restore his former looks had been quite the success and as a result, mirrors were now everywhere in Riddle House. He ran a hand through his dark hair and smiled appreciatively at himself. If only Virginia could be there to share in his happiness. And reap the rewards...

Suddenly, inspiration struck him. "Yes, Drusilla. You have proven yourself a powerful ally." he said smoothly. He rose from his chair and came up behind her, grabbing her about the waist and moving his hips with hers. "But there is one more favour I must ask of you tonight." he murmured, nuzzling his face into her hair.

Dru turned to him "My lord wants another trick?" she asked, tilting her head to one side, her gaze penetrating. Suddenly, she started cackling. "Oh my. That is a lovely trick, dirty trick, lovely trick." she whispered in his ear. Breaking the embrace, she moved over to Voldemort's desk and sat. Voldemort followed and stood in front of her. Putting one hand behind his head, she maneuvered herself so to look directly in his eyes. "Look at me." she commanded lowly, bringing her fingers up to further the hypnotic effect. "See what you want to see." She held her hand over his eyes. "See with your heart."

Voldemort was amazed at the sight before him when she lowered her hand. "Virginia." he whispered almost reverently. The girl who had haunted his dreams with her bright green eyes and blood-red hair was before him, smiling demurely.

"Yes, Tom." 'Ginny' answered. "I've come back to you, my love." She slid off the desk and snuggled deeply into his waiting arms. "I'll never leave you again."

Voldemort closed his eyes and smiled. "No, you never will." He lifted a hand from the small of her back and cupped her chin, guiding her face close to his. "Kiss me, Virginia."

"I love you, Master." 'Ginny' whispered as Voldemort's mouth descended to claim hers. 

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