Chapter Eight

The Potion.

Ginny lashed out at the bird like creatures as soon as they crested the wall. A few would back off for a moment or so then come back. They carried her swiftly to the Astronomy tower. She was bodily thrown in through the window.

She landed in a roll and was in a crouch in a moment, wand in hand. The room held a bed and a table. On the table was a goblet of potion. Ginny was not surprised to see a small sign by it, reading Drink me.

"Couldn't think of anything original?" Ginny asked as the door swung open. "Must be hard to be cursed with a brain as tiny as your dick, eh Tom?"

Ginny turned around, facing the snake like features of the man that was once Tom Riddle. The years had not been kind to the man. His face was lined and Ginny was sure if he had hair, it would be greying or falling out. He was clearly toward the end of this portion of his life. He needed a new soul to bind.

"You're almost dead, Aren't you?" Ginny asked. "This soul is almost gone and you've lost all the easy ones. Maybe you shouldn't have taken over the world quite so well. Maybe you should have thought. But you never were good at that."

Ginny wasn't surprised a moment later, to find her throat clenched in a vise like grip.

"Yes, Dear Ginevra. As usual, your stunning intellect has peirced to the heart of the matter. Rather confirms my suspicion." He hissed.

"And what suspicion was that?" Ginny growled, letting false bravado take over and banter wits.

"You stole from me, didn't you?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow, even as he set her back down. "Stole what? My soul? Sorry that was just returning what was stolen."

"No." He slithered. "You stole knowledge. Didn't you? You stole everything you could."

Ginny managed, through a fierce show of will, not to stiffen. Instead she merely raised an eyebrow, a trick she had been teaching herself after Bill showed it to her when she was eight.

But this seemed to strengthen Tom's feeling.

He gestured toward the potion. "Drink up."

Ginny actually laughed. "You expect me to drink something you've provided? Please!"

Tom took a step forward and quite against her will, Ginny took one back. "You will drink it, Ginevra. One way or another."

Ginny resisted the urge to swallow. "No."

Tom merely grinned. Before Ginny could so much as blink, her wand was flying across the room and Impervious had her.

-Drink,- suggested a deep voice.

-It's rather silly isn't it?- argued another. -Why does he want you to drink? You're not even thirsty.-

-Drink.- The voice was more insistant.

-I'm quite fine thank you.-

-Drink!- the voice all but snarled.

-No.-

"Fine." Tom hissed. He aimed his wand again and a not so benevolant spell flew out this time. "Crucio!"

Ginny bent double as pain ripped though her abdomen. She panted harshly, trying to keep from passing out. She would not scream. Tears welled in her eyes as Tom repeated the curse. A third time, and Ginny broke. She threw her head back and sceamed.

Warm liquid, sickly sweet, filled her mouth. She tried to spit it out, But a hand covered her mouth and nose. She tried to fight, but she was still in the grips of the spell and she was weak.

"Swallow. Swallow or you will die. You know it as well as I do. You can't fight me. I will win."

-No!- Ginny's mind screamed. -I will not lose! Not to you, you smug bastard!-

But she had to live. She had to live to get home and fix this. She had to.

She swallowed.

Tom and the curse released her at the same time. She fell to the floor, gasping. She avoided looking at him.

"What the hell is this potion going to do to me?" She asked when she got her breath back.

Tom twirled his wand. "It's a very experimental potion, but it goes something like this. In one hour, the potion will take effect. It is a love potion. And it isn't. The first person you see, you will fall madly in love with. But until your conscious mind mirrors that sentiment, you will be in constant pain. And if your feelings ever deviate, you will be in pain. My way to keep my future wife faithful."

Ginny looked up at him through her free red hair. She felt no undying love for him lurking in her mind so the time delay must exsist. "You do realize these 'I will make you my bride for all eternity, we will share the unbridled passion of undying love' things never work. I can deal with pain. I can't deal with loving you."

Tom grinned. "But you will. You will."

"But you still need a soul." Ginny growled.

"That is where Mister Malfoy comes in."

Ginny snarled and leapt at him, but he was already gone. She pounded on the door. Damn. Bastard.

She walked over and picked up her wand, trying a few spells on the door. As she expected, none worked. She went to the window and tried a spell to summon broom, but either none were availible or her spells weren't working. She considered a Wingardium Leviosa, but it was an awfully long way down and she wasn't all that great with charms anyway.

Finally she collapsed on the bed, promising herself she wouldn't cry.

(A/N: Aha! the plot grows thicker! brownie points to who ever got the quote in this!