Chapter Sixteen
The Sword
Ginny touched down lightly just inside the walls. She pulled out the Marauders Map again and referenced it. Her name appeared on the map. She took in Draco's position.
The quickest route would be through Dumbledore's study and down the secret chamber in the
Library. She tucked the map back into her belt and took off, wand in hand. She easily accessed Dumbledore's office.
She was almost out, but something on the table caught her attention as she left.
A silver and ruby sword lay on the table. Ginny reached out and took the sword. The balance was perfect. She swished it through the air, testing it further. Perfect. She tested the edge against her thumb, wincing as the honed weapon sliced through her skin. Blood welled and she licked it away before healing it.
Ginny bit her lip. Did she dare take it? Did she have a choice. She slid it into her belt.
The sword bumped gently against her hip as she strode quickly to the library. She paused as she passed a familiar section. She glanced around, biting her lip. She really didn't have the time but still her head was telling her to research the sword. It seemed to her that the silver and ruby inlaid pattern across the hilt and the clearly Celtic runes on the blade were familiar.
Something fell, glittering from the roof to her hands. She caught it even as the world spun quickly. She looked up. Dobby smiled at her then disappeared, leaving her to hold the second Time Turner.
She stared at it for a moment then checked her watch. Time had gone back an hour. She smiled then returned her attention to the books. After a moment she pulled out a volume on runes and another on famous swords. She flipped open the Rune book first. She flipped through the book, finding the runes with relative ease.
After about ten minutes, she had deciphered the runes to read "Live for Love, Love with Life, Die for Love."
Ginny frowned at the ceremonious and some how precognitive words. She turned her attention to the book on famous swords. She flipped to the table of contents. After several wrong turns that took up another thirty minutes of her hour, she lighted on a sword called the Love of Death.
She flipped to the page, not surprised to see the exact likeness of the sword she had found.
On the next page was a picture of a pretty red head who looked exactly like Ginny. The caption read: Alorna Westlen, an Irish noble, forged the Love of Death to stop the invading Anglo Saxon hordes prior to Arthur's supposed rise to power. Alorna and her sword disappeared shortly after Uther Pendragon arrived on the scene.
Ginny stared at the red head. Her hair was a shade or two darker and the skin was devoid of freckles. She was dressed in a dark green kilt and white loose shirt, much like the ones Ginny saw in Braveheart. Ginny ran a hand through her hair, absently noticing that part of the painting had been removed, but it seemed that Alorna was holding a man's hand and the half smile on her pretty face seemed to enhanced the idea.
She thought for a few minutes, her mind racing with possibilities. She shook her head and glanced at her watch. Just enough time. She tucked the sword and the map back into her belt and set the books back, disappearing into the secret passageway.
(A/N: Aha! The plot grows thicker! Only one more chapter then I'll start work on the sequel. Oh, and you might be wondering how relavant this chapter is, but it is. Just not yet.