Chapter 5: Weasel minds
A snake slid across a dusty floor, nearly soundless as it glided around the chairs and table legs it met. The room was grey and barely lit by the candles flickering on the table. Wormtail, a short and chubby man waddled about the room, blowing out the candles, their light flashing on his silver hand. He let out a scared sound as he nearly stepped on the large snake.
"Nagini!" he gasped but he was silenced by a single hiss from the snake. He shrank away as if commanded to do so and disappeared into the shadows. Nagini had other business to deal with. Moving more quickly now, she slid up to the door and nudged it open. Noise escaped through the crevice as deatheaters joked and plotted together. Bellatrix Lestrange leaned back in her chair, hair askew and wild as always, staring at a target at the other end of the table. With a flick of her wrist she sent a dagger zipping through the air and smack dab into the center of a picture of a pretty red headed Ginny Weasley. None of the Deatheaters seemed to notice Nagini's presence as they continued to cajole around her. She curled into a circle under the table as Bella sent a second dagger, this one rusted at the tip, right into Ginny's forehead.
"Bellatrix, you're ruining a perfectly good time," snapped Greyback with a snarl. "We destroyed a muggle school today- celebrate!"
There was a ruckus cheer in agreement.
"Celebrate," Bellatrix hissed in a mocking tone. She let her chair legs hit the ground with a thunk as she stood. "Celebrate what exactly?"
The noise in the room fell to nearly nothing as everyone turned to see the conversation commence. Lucious Malfoy and Severus Snape sat at the table with goblets in front of them, their eyes following Bellatrix as she moved around the table. They would have seemed uninterested except for the fact that Lucious Malfoy's eyes glinted for a moment- perhaps with hate or perhaps with pleasure. Severus Snape's eyes were blank dark tunnels, and they did not change expression as Bellatrix took her final dagger from the table with a force that wrenched the table up for a moment into the air. Bellatrix look manically at Greyback as she twirled the dagger in between her two hands.
"This pesky ginger," Bellatrix hissed as she began a slow walk across the room, "sits at Hogwarts in her classes whilst you bumbling idiots cajole about killing muggles. CHILDS PLAY!" A few deatheaters winced as the words were screeched. Greyback seemed to tense, but did not react otherwise.
"There is nothing to be done about it tonight," Snarled Greyback, his hairs standing on end- wolf like even in his human form. "I'd like just as much as you to tear into the pretty little thing."
Severeus Snapes eyes snapped back to Bellatrix whose expression had grown more insane. In a flash she had lunged at Greyback and he fell to the floor, the dagger's point gleaming in the candlelight. Severus looked as if he was about to stand, but Lucious' hand shot out and stopped him. The smirk on the blonde man's face steadied Severus. He wasn't sure why, but Lucious was enjoying the scene. Caught in the moment, Severus tried to scan Lucious' face for further explanation, but the man turned away, back to the violence at hand.
"Don't even dare to think of tearing into her," Bellatrix said softly, though her twisted tones reverberated in the room's silence. "She is mine to kill. I am the Dark Lords most faithful follower. I will be the one to finish her." Bellatrix slammed the dagger into the chair leg, just inches from Greybacks face.
"Let us have some fun," cooed Greyback hopefully. "You'll do the final piece but why not have some fun." Severus looked at Lucious again. Lucious' eyes were narrowed and his nose began to scrunch as if disgusted. Now it was Severus' turn to touch the man's arm and give him a warning look.
Bellatrix smiled in her blood chilling way and stood, not bothering to dust herself off as she began to saunter to the seat nearby. She hadn't taken more then two steps when the door was pushed open and Nagendra entered- looking smug and pleased with himself. He plopped down next to Severus and nodded to Greyback who was sitting up and rubbing his head.
"What did I miss," he asked curiously. Severus and Lucious turned to look at Nagendra.
"Nothing that won't be replayed," drawled Lucious. Severus was surprised. He had always thought Lucious had favored the boy much more than most of the other deatheaters. Yet this hostility- though masked by boredom- struck Severus as a new development. It went unnoticed by Nagendra.
"I've begun our plan. I've gotten word that the Weasley girl has gained a teacher- the last of their kind. Spectacular since we can now proactively get rid of them both." Nagendra leaned back in his chair smugly as he spoke, fully aware that all eyes had turned to him now. "Now that the portrait has been taken, Draco can finally be of use to us and redeem-"
"Portrait taken," snapped Lucious. The blonde man seemed slightly paler than usual, his eyes concentrated suspiciously on Nagendra.
"Oh, I suppose we never told you," Nagendra continued cheerfully, looking at a smirking Bellatrix as he spoke. "We jinxed the portrait of our belated Draco to redeem the traitor's memory. What an informer he's been. The room behind him- courtesy of one of our unnamed allies in Hogwarts- was utilized by Weasley and her teacher just last Tuesday for their first lesson. Are you aware the silly girl talks to the thing?"
A few Deatheaters snickered and Lucious seemed tense. But Nagendra continued, seeming to be fueled by the cackles of the other deatheaters.
"Quite useful of you to have put it right by the Gryffindor commonroom. I've found out so many interesting facts. Our Dearest Ginny has taken quite a liking to the piece. Apparently she wants to talk to Draco again but her talisman no longer works. Odd though that she could speak with him at all- seeing as he is dead."
"Silly trifling by a silly girl," commented Lucious lazily. Nagendra's eyes narrowed.
"Yes, I suppose so. Though she seemed fairly sure of his being able to answer. You wouldn't know anything of this, would you Lucious," Nagendra asked. The room's eyes had turned to Lucious now and even Nagini looked up from her ball. Severus kept his face neutral and cool, watching Lucious.
"I do not doubt," Lucious said after taking a sip from his goblet, "that the Dark Lord would have completed his task once he had decided Draco should die."
"I do not question the Dark Lord," snapped Nagendra defensively but Lucious smirked.
"It seems to me you do. How strange of you to think Draco alive. You suspect the Dark Lord cannot kill a boy," Lucious asked. There was a note of taunting in his voice. Nagendra leaned forward and hissed, "know that I will be watching for clues now that I sense this treachery is afoot."
Lucious waved his hand nonchalantly.
Later, as Deatheaters began to stumble off, Bellatrix sat on the table, her bare leg protruding from her tattered dress. Her shoe removed, she sat unusually close to Nagendra- who looked uninterested and distracted.
"Always such a worrier. You still have too much young heart for this job," Bellatrix cooed in what was likely intended to be a flirty tone, but sounded more insane. Nagendra looked up at her, following her leg to get to her heartless eyes.
"I don't doubt the Dark Lord's powers, but there is new trickery afoot. The Dark Lord grows concerned. I see it every day. He did not personally kill the by, though he refuses to reveal the details," Nagendra explained softly, though no one was present in the dying light except Nagendra, Bellatrix, and Nagini still below the table. "There is issues when no body is present," Nagendra hissed.
"What do we have to worry for? That ferret will be extinguished if he has not been already. The dark lord will see to it. Has he not enlisted those faithful followers of olde" Bellatrix said, running the dagger along the table slowly. Nagendra watched as it moved thinking to himself.
"If he were alive though," Nagendra said suddenly. "Think of the bait. It worked before why not again? It works every time with Potter."
Bellatrix let out a sound as if bored. With a toss of her wrist the dagger soared through the air and straight into the eye of Ginny Weasley. "All you do these days," she whined, "is talk about that filthy Weasley scum. When I get her I will destroy her."
"It worked out so well last time," Nagendra taunted, his eyes dancing darkly. Bellatrix' face changed into a menacing look. "I will do it the muggle way this time. No magic will overcome the pain I shall carve onto her."
"I'm sure you and Greyback will have your fun. But, her power will call for a more worthy foe than you. Our poison master will see to her final destruction," Nagendra said, waving his hand as if batting away a pesky fly. Nagendra smirked at Bellatrix' twisted expression before leaning down to see Nagini.
"Nagini," Nagendra said. "Go and visit our four eyed friend, He'll help you do some investigating on this possibility of Draco Malfoy's existence. Try to see if the Dark Lord knows any place the Order would hide him and bring back any suspicious developments." Nagini turned and slithered away.
"Now we shall see," Nagendra smirked, his hand resting on Bellatrix' small waist. "We shall see."
Ginny sat up suddenly, looking around. Emily sat just a few feet away, her foot touching the water's surface lightly. Ginny blinked away the bright sun as she groggily recounted where she was. She and Emily had been talking about their powers when she had drifted to sleep. Ginny rubbed her head. But what was that dream?
As if hearing her thought, Emily's voice answered, "its funny being somewhere you aren't suppose to be, isn't it."
Ginny stood and walked to where she stood, plopping down once more. She paused in speaking as two first year Hufflepuff girls walked by. They gave Ginny and Emily an odd look before continuing on their way, giggling.
"What does that mean," Ginny asked. She wondered if this is how Harry felt when talking to Dumbledore- lost in the cryptic translation.
Emily lifted her long braids away from her neck to reveal three spirals coming together in a triangle- a circle in the middle. "The world is made up of three forces," she said slowly. "I don't mean magic and nonmagic, either. I mean there are what we would call good forces and evil forces. The third is the gray area in between. However, humans are all gray area- they have potential to do both good and evil. We are the last of a kind. An ancient tribe who- for whatever reason- was all "good" force." Ginny frowned.
"How can you possibly be all good, everyone lies and isn't that bad?"
Emily shook her head. "We get our purifying power from our ancient blood. Our ancestors- in their original tribe could do no dark magic. But their magic was so strong otherwise, that no dark magic could effect them. Likewise, there were supposedly those who the opposite was true. Whose heart and minds were so vindictive and cold that their dark magic was the only thing that could affect our purifying powers."
"I don't understand what this has to do with my dream," Ginny began. Then she paused concerned. "Is Voldemort one of the descendants of this dark magic group?"
Emily shook her head, "no they died off years ago. Besides, it's a gene only seen in the double x chromosome. It is recessive in men and wouldn't show anyway."
Ginny frowned, "then I don't understand why you are telling me all this," she said impatiently. Emily raised an eyebrow and Ginny corrected herself quickly, "not that I don't want to know about all this, of course."
Emily smirked and continued, "Because we are the extreme of the "good" energy, we can sometimes tap into the 'good" energy in the minds and bodies of those around us. Much as an experience of occlumpency, we see what this energy sees. No more and no less."
"So Draco is in danger," Ginny gasped standing quickly. Emily looked around hurriedly as she grabbed Ginny's arm, pulling her down once more. Loudly, Emily replied, "Draco Malfoy is dead." Ginny gave Emily a puzzled look and began to open her mouth to question when-
"Rather harsh, Emily, don't you think."
Ginny and Emily turned to see Pansy Parkinson sneering down at them. "Though I suppose if the girl hasn't understood it now she lacks as much brains as her family lacks money. And that is saying something." Ginny felt her face reddening, but Emily gave her a look.
"Pansy, would you like to join us by the lake," Emily asked kindly- her voice guarded under its tone.
Pansy seemed unsure of how to react but decided to puff out her chest. "Emily, darling, you're marvelous and important but I simply cannot degrade myself to sitting with a blood traitor Weasel. So sorry." With that she was gone and Emily turned to Ginny once more.
"Clearly Draco does not need our help being put into danger," Emily reminded her and Ginny grudgingly sat down.
Still, hours and days later, the dream continued to slip out of her mind. Details became fuzzy- had it been Greyback or another werewolf? Perhaps she had imagined the exchange between Lucious and Snape. What had their looks meant? Ginny was deep in thought, trying to remember the details, as she exited the Commonroom, trailing behind Harry and the dream team. They didn't notice as she paused, looking at the Draco portrait as she often did when thinking, and so they continued on their way, leaving her behind.
There was something about this portrait. Something she needed to remember. But what was it? The dream was nearly a week passed and she couldn't recall. She let out a sigh outwardly and leaned against the rail in thought.
"Honestly-" a familiar voice began but it was cut off almost immediately by the call of Ron Weasley from down the hall of "Blimey, hurry up Ginny!" Ginny rushed off, but continued to look at the portrait. Had it just spoken to her? It had never spoken before- merely smirked and turned slightly pink cheeked when she was around. Yet still looking at smug as Draco always did. But that voice- it had certainly sounded like Draco. What was going on and why couldn't she recall her dream?
Ginny's thoughts were cut short as she hit a hard surface and toppled backwards. As she did, her right hand reached out instinctively and came in contact with another hand, which grabbed a hold of hers. She closed her eyes waiting for impact.
When she opened her eyes, she was looking down at her own body. It lay on the ground, eyes closed as if asleep- scarlet hair spread about in a large halo. Her body blinked and Ginny felt as she had the first time she and Draco had occupied one body. However, this time she could not feel scared. She felt warm and looking around found she stood much taller than usual. Her new hand still grasped her original sleeping body. The body- out of her control- bent down and lifted her body, carrying it through the empty corridor, down the stairs and into the dungeons. Turning the familiar path, it walked into the potions classroom and into the office of Professor Snape.
Now Ginny was concerned. But perhaps this person was not who she suspected. Her new body placed the sleeping teenage girl on a chair. The scarlet haired head lolled to one side, still seeming to sleep peacefully. However, when her new body stood up straight, Ginny could see into the nearby mirror.
Ginny gasped and opened her eyes to find herself sitting in the chair in front of Professor Snape's desk. Professor Snape leaned against the desk facing her, seeming paler than usual. Ginny gulped unintentionally. She wasn't sure what had just happened. As she had fallen, their skin touching had allowed her to be in his mind? Was this what Emily had talked about? Did Professor Snape have some good in him?
Professor Snape narrowed his dark eyes skeptically at her. "Miss. Weasley," he began in his usual cold tone. Ginny braced herself. "It seems to me that you spend an awful amount of time in other people's minds this year."
Ginny wasn't sure what this meant but suddenly Professor Snape looked very tired. Ginny noticed he had bags under his eyes. He ran his hand over his face and walked around his chair and plopped down in an uncharactistic nonchalant style. Apparently sensing Ginny's confusion, Professor Snape smirked and said, "yes well I suppose my sister is rubbing off on me a bit as she babysits Draco. Still, there is a serious matter to discuss."
Ginny's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Draco, but Professor Snape held up his hand to prevent any questions. "I would prefer we not discuss the decision you and Draco have made about practice hormonal teenage stupidity," he snapped. Ginny slumped back in her seat bitterly.
"I want to discuss your power- and approaching danger," professor Snape continued. He seemed a bit uncomfortable, as if he never imagined he would be the one to deliver these sorts of messages. Now that Ginny thought of it, this was something that Dumbledore often did. As if in answer, Professor Snape continued, "obviously we do not favor one another much. You are in Gryffindor and I am the head of Slytherin, however, this does not detract from the fact that we are on the same side. And that Professor Dumbledore asked me to speak with you. Personally I thought it was odd but I do believe he predicted our little exchange would occur and that I would have to explain some things."
Ginny tilted her head with interested but was disappointed when Professor Snape continued, "what these things are I'm suppose to explain I cannot say as I don't know what just happened. However, you are far less obnoxious then Potter, so I will at the very least discuss with you the dangers that are approaching."
"They suspect that Draco is alive."
The words hit Ginny with force of a moving train. Her dream had been right.
"Nagendra has sent Nagini to the Dark Lord. Though there are rumors that old friends are assisting him, these are simply rumors. This said, I urge you not to do anything stupid, though this is obviously asking a lot of a Gryffindor," Professor Snape continued. His face was very serious- it even seemed a tad bit worried.
"It is obvious that you have some strange understanding of your power. Emily has reported that you have progressed to seeing scenes through your energy. Merlin knows what that means, but, " Professor Snape paused again seeming to struggle with something. "I'm to warn you not to attempt to contact Draco. Your powers are still weak and to do so could put you both in danger. Note that your body goes to sleep. This obviously leaves you vulnerable to attacks. Continue with your training. Draco is safe."
As Ginny left the office, she couldn't shake the feeling that Professor Snape didn't believe his own words.