The Unbreakable Vow

by

Ash Darklighter

It all belongs to JK Rowling and I thank her for her inspiration – There are no galleons to be made from me. This little story is my first Harry Potter fic. It is AU and of course comments are welcome. My thanks to Tad and Mona for their help.

Part 8

"Ginny," Harry called softly as he pushed open the kitchen door.

"I have a month," she said, trying to scrub away the tears on her cheeks. "Just a month and then I'm to be fed to the Malfoys. I told you he was watching me. I just didn't realise why."

"And I believed you," Harry said sincerely, handing her a large dry dishtowel to wipe her eyes. "You can't marry him, Ginny, you just can't." He glanced at the kitchen door and then lowered his voice to a whisper. "We'll see what Dumbledore and the Order have to say about this and if that doesn't work…I may have an idea to get you out of this."

She stopped sniffing. "You do?"

"Yes," he looked at her steadily. "But you might not like it – that's if it works. It would be as a last resort."

Ginny's chin tilted proudly. "I cannot marry Malfoy, Harry. I heard what you said and I think that it's true that I'll be dead within months of bearing Malfoy a child. They'll use me for the succession and then…"

Harry bit his lip. "I'm sorry. I was trying to get through to Percy. I didn't mean to be so harsh."

"It's the truth, Harry. That's what will happen. I don't even want to be near to Malfoy and certainly not close enough to have to…" her face crumpled. "I wanted to have your children."

Harry pulled her to him and let her sob out her distress on his chest. Children with him were unlikely; he still had to survive Voldemort. "Ginny…" a few moments later he tipped up her chin with a gentle finger. "We have to decide on this right away – as quickly as possible. We don't have the luxury of a couple of months any more. They'll be watching your every move from now on and they'll be watching mine. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm escorted off this property very soon. As an unmarried male with an interest in you I'm a threat to their plans."

Ginny took a deep breath and Harry could see her attempting to recapture her Gryffindor spirit. "What's your strategy?" she asked.

"If all else fails. When I leave the wizarding world – you come with me," he murmured into her ear.

"But you said…"

"I know what I said," Harry muttered with a grimace. "Things have changed since this afternoon but there's a catch. We can't tell anyone where we're going – including your family and we're going to have to disappear quickly. The longer we wait around there is a chance that the marriage contract spell will start to affect you."

"Not tell anyone but…" If she told her family where she was going then they would get into trouble, perhaps even imprisonment and Ron could never keep a secret. The Malfoys would insist on having Snape brew Veritaserum or something worse and their secrets would spill all over the place. The Order would be at risk as well. Then there were Harry's problems with his fading magic to consider. They would then know to look for them both in the Muggle world and if they found them… "Yes, I can see why. Merlin!" she swore.

Harry nodded. "And Ginny, to really throw them off the scent you're going to leave first. You're going to disappear off the magical radar."

"The what!"

Harry waved a hand in the air. "Radar – it's a Muggle thing. Aeroplanes have it so they don't bump into things like towers and mountains. You're going to run away. Leave a note for your brothers and disappear."

"I can see I've got a lot to learn," Ginny said dryly. "If that's what I have to do then I'll do it. I'll grab my Muggle Studies notes and start packing." She put her arms around Harry and hugged him. "What about the contract. Isn't there's a spell on it that will make me want to go to Malfoy?"

"Hermione says there is. It's supposed to aid with the…er…wedding night. Did you feel any compulsion at all to pick up the parchment?" Harry's green eyes bored into her. "Any at all?"

She stared up at him. "No. You said not to touch it."

"You haven't touched it at all?"

She shook her head. "I want nothing to do with it or Malfoy."

""Good girl," Harry said. "Continue to avoid it. However that might be difficult when Hermione starts waving it around in your face."

"Yes, it would be just like her to make me examine it just in case I spot something she might have missed." She sighed.

"Touching a magical parchment can sometimes mean that the proposal held within has been agreed upon." Harry turned to the sink and began filling the kettle. "It completes the charm."

Ginny started setting out mugs. "Where did you learn these things?"

"Remus, Tonks and Moody started drilling things into my head last summer and at various times throughout this year. I'm not as lazy about my schoolwork as Hermione makes me out to be – not these days. I've learned that many things can be disguised as a portkey, for instance." The Tri-Wizard cup, in which Harry had been unwillingly entered, had been disguised as a portkey, transporting Harry and another pupil, Cedric, Diggory, to a graveyard in Little Hangleton where Voldemort had been reborn using Harry's blood. Cedric Diggory had not been so lucky and had died there, murdered by Peter Pettigrew, the man who had betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort.

Ginny filled milk into the mugs. "Cedric," she said softly with understanding.

"Yes. I had no choice but to compete in the Tri-Wizard competition and you had no choice in this marriage arrangement either." He lifted the boiling kettle from the stove and poured the water into the teapot. "With any luck I've hopefully done something that will interfere with the effects of the marriage parchment. We want our right to choose what we do returned to us."

"The blood magic," Ginny said in comprehension.

"Blood magic is strong and I think I've tied you to me in some fashion…although," he frowned. "I'm not entirely sure how or what I've done and whether it's enough to free you from a marriage contract to Malfoy. I know that you don't want to marry him but if you continue to refuse, you will be forced to do it. The Malfoys are powerful wizards and despite the rise of Voldemort, they still find favour with the Ministry. They could break our link if they knew about it – it's too new."

"They would force me?" Ginny whispered. "Percy would…"

"Yes, I think he would. He's like Fudge and can't see what's really happening in the real world. Plus, his pride is now involved. In Percy's opinion, none of the family treated him with the awe a senior member of the Ministry should deserve. Your brother thinks that the backing of the Malfoy family will eventually see him into the top job in the Ministry." Harry had clearly seen the bitter frustration that Percy felt and then something the other wizard had said came into his mind. "Ginny, there's point here that Percy may have missed. You're not an underage witch. You may have been one when the contract was drawn up but it was presented to you on your seventeenth birthday."

For the first time Ginny smiled. "I'm not, am I?" She placed her head on Harry's shoulder. "How did you guess what Malfoy was up to?" Her eyes moved to his face. "Because you did guess."

"It was something that you said – 'blood traitors' and I just had this feeling I'm so used to imagining the worst scenario that I was lucky and guessed rightfor once. Why else would Draco and Lucius turn up here? They've never hidden their disregard for your family. They consider you beneath them. You guessed it, too."

"It was just a feeling. Perhaps Dumbledore will have a solution," Ginny said hopefully.

"I doubt it." Harry muttered shaking his head. "But I'm willing to give him a chance. However, called me a cynic but I expect them to decide that you would be a useful spy for the Order of the Phoenix."

"That would be something."

"It wouldn't work. The Malfoys would expect that of you and would be using you for the same thing to spy on us. You would still have to marry Draco, sleep with him and all that entails." There was a rumble of sound from next door as the floo activated and the kitchen door creaked. "Go outside and pretend you've not been in the kitchen with me for long. I don't want anyone to think that we've been plotting."

xxxxxxx

There was a sudden whoosh of sound, the flames in the fireplace turned green and Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room. He held up his hands as four anxious faces turned to look at him. "I heard the news already from one of the Order members at the ministry. I fear there is nothing to be done."

"No," said Fred and George, their faces darkening with anger. "There has to be something we can do. Ginny cannot marry Draco Malfoy. She knows too much about the Order."

Dumbledore brushed the soot from his purple robes and surveyed the concerned and angry wizards around him before saying gravely. "Where is the actual document?"

Hermione handed him the parchment, the bright colours standing out on the cream background. "I've been studying it since Percy and the Malfoys left, Professor and I can't see anyway out of this for Ginny." She glanced up at the ancient wizard. "I'm not just worried for Ginny. I'm also concerned about Harry, Professor."

"I though he and Miss Weasley were no longer 'an item', I believe is the correct expression?" Dumbledore stared at the document. The amount of magic coming from such a small piece of parchment was astonishing but not surprising. Lucius Malfoy would ensure that it was done properly with no loose ends. The document was a work of calligraphic art and under different circumstances it would have been framed and hung in pride of place in the family home. Dumbledore couldn't help thinking that the former school governor was up to something more than arranging a pureblood bride for his son. Ginny Weasley gave the Malfoy's access to the Order of the Phoenix and ultimately to Harry Potter.

"They're not together as a couple, Professor," Hermione explained earnestly, even though she'd wondered at the clasped hands when they'd entered the house together. "But Harry only broke up with Ginny so that she wasn't such a target for Voldemort. He's suffered at the hands of the Malfoys, he doesn't trust them and he cares for Ginny as a friend. Again, he's losing someone he loves."

"Is that so, Miss Granger? You're right, it's hard for the boy but he has to keep strong and focused on the task ahead." The twinkle in his eyes dimmed. Harry Potter's current task seemed to be insurmountable. "I'll have to have a word with Harry about Miss Weasley. He will have to keep away from her until after she's married but he will not lose her in the way that he lost Sirius."

"After she's married we'll all have to keep away from her," George mumbled under his breath.

"Where are Harry and Ginny, Miss Granger?" asked Dumbledore.

"They're in the kitchen, Professor. I think Harry's making a pot of tea," Ron said.

"Call them, please," instructed the headmaster. "Ginny must be mindful of the marriage parchment's stipulations."

"But she didn't agree to any of this," snapped Ron.

"She didn't but tragically with your father dead, Bill and Charlie out of the country and your mother in St. Mungo's for the foreseeable future. Percy, I'm afraid has the right to arrange a betrothal for his sister. Unfortunately it wasn't something I thought would happen." Dumbledore took out his wand and performed some intricate movements above the parchment. "Mmm," he said. He adjusted his stance and mumbled an incantation. The parchment momentarily glowed a faint green and then returned to its creamy perfection. Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "You were right, Miss Granger. I cannot see any way out of this for Miss Weasley either."

"You're sure there's nothing we can do?" Ron asked.

Dumbledore sighed. "It's been very cleverly constructed. Miss Weasley will have to become a member of the Malfoy family whether she likes it or not." He pointed to a sentence written underneath a glowing silver and green family crest. "I cannot fault its creation. It's been done most thoroughly."

Hermione's eyes narrowed in thought. "Then we must find what may be advantageous for us about the situation and work out a way for Ginny to help the Order of the Phoenix."

Fred and George glared at Hermione as if she had two heads. "What!"

"If there is no way we can break the contract, Ginny will be living in Malfoy mansion," Hermione declared, her enthusiasm rising. "She could spend her time looking for dark arts artefacts and seeing if she can find out what Lucius Malfoy is up to. She could spy for the Order."

"It's dangerous," muttered Ron. "But she did always want to help in the fight against you-know-who. She would be in the right place to help."

"We would have to assume that the spying would work both ways. The Malfoys would want to use Ginny to spy on us," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "As you said," he inclined his head in the direction of the twins, "Miss Weasley is already aware of many things about the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Snape may be able to help us on this."

"Snape!" exclaimed Ron.

"Professor Snape," corrected Dumbledore mildly.

xxxxxxxxx

Fred and George found Harry alone in the kitchen, rummaging through cupboards. "Where's Ginny?"

"I think she went outside," he murmured, putting some plates on the table. "Wanted to be alone, I guess."

"We have to do something to help Ginny," Fred said, glancing anxiously at the door to the living room. "We're going to get no help from the Order on this one. Dumbledore just swished and flicked his wand a couple of times over the parchment and then gave up. Said it was impossible to undo and yes, it would be a good idea if Ginny spied on the Malfoys."

"We can't let this happen," George hissed. "They're going to sacrifice our sister to those…" He couldn't continue. "You-know-who's still out there and she's being…" He threw his hands into the air.

Harry looked at the twins and finalised something in his own mind. "Don't look Dumbledore directly in the eye. He can divine what you're thinking if he wants to. It's called legilimency."

"Okay," George said slowly. "Why would we do that?"

"The less you know about this the better but I have to do something and I will. Remember the occlumency lessons I made you work on after Sirius was killed?"

The twins nodded.

"Start practicing those again. I may have a plan to keep Ginny safe."

"Thank Merlin, Harry. What?"

"I'm not saying any more. You won't like it and it still might not work. They've not left us any time." He looked at them. "I will need access to half a dozen unauthorized emergency portkeys and a way to contact you in an emergency. Can you get this done by tomorrow at the latest?"

"Yes," Fred and George said in unison. "But wouldn't it be better if you asked Tonks?"

"I'm not involving Tonks or Lupin…or anyone else, for that matter," Harry stated. Fred and George may not have done well on their OWLS but Harry knew they were brilliant when they put their minds to it. "They have their careers to consider. We may need them at a later date."

"Not even…Ron?" Fred asked carefully.

"No. Ron can't keep a secret for long and this plan is dubious at best. Veritaserum, legilimency…" He shrugged. "These can all be used against us."

"And they would use them, wouldn't they?" George's mouth tightened.

"Yes. You two are used to planning pranks and keeping secrets. I need your evil plotting little minds."

"Less of the 'little', Harry," protested Fred.

Harry started pouring the tea. "I'll be at Hogwarts from tonight. Dumbledore will insist that I leave with him and I will reluctantly do what he asks."

George nodded and passed him a small box with a set of extendable ears fixed to the top and a set of luscious lips at the bottom. "We've been testing this for the Order. It's like a long range magic communication device."

"Yeah, like the mobile funs the Muggles have," chipped in Fred.

"Mobile phones," Harry corrected automatically.

"Use this and we'll hear you," George instructed.

"Thank you. I'll meet you in Hogsmeade tomorrow afternoon." Harry lowered his voice. "The underground passage which leads from Honeydukes sweet shop…"

"Got it," the twins said, their voices matching Harry's in volume.

"I'll go and speak to Dumbledore and you get Ginny." Harry sighed. He had to think fast or blood magic or no, Ginny would find herself married to Draco Malfoy and out of his reach. He composed himself ready to speak with Dumbledore. He was now proficient at occlumency but wasn't sure if he could really withstand the headmaster if he was truly determined to find out what Harry thought about this. It would be unusual for Harry to do nothing. He had too much to hide this time to allow his thoughts to be read.

Harry pushed open the kitchen door. "I've made tea," he said.

Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore seated themselves at the kitchen table. A couple of minutes later Fred and George led in a red-nosed, puffy-eyed Ginny, still clutching the dishtowel Harry had given her to wipe her eyes.

"How are you, Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore enquired gently.

Ginny shrugged, sliding onto the seat across from Hermione. "I've been better," she muttered and shot Harry a smile as he pushed a large mug of tea towards her.

"It's got a dash of a calming potion in it, Gin," he said quietly.

"Thanks."

No one wanted to talk. What was there to say? Harry could already tell what Dumbledore's opinion was just by looking at Ron and Hermione.

Harry finished his tea and began to clear away the dishes. "You'll be coming to the party tomorrow, Professor?" he asked the aged wizard.

"Party!" Ginny said stunned. "But…"

"Your party should go ahead," Harry said, glancing at Fred and George for confirmation, hoping they would get the hint.

"If the event of the century is still going ahead we'll need to get back to the shop." The twins pulled out identical pocket watches. "We've…uh…left…"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Something that goes bang and turns everyone at the party into a canary."

Dumbledore chuckled.

"Hermione!" George exclaimed. "You'll spoil the surprise."

"Harry, old chap," Fred said, a wide smile on his face. "Could we presume on you to meet us in Hogsmeade and help us transport the spoils home in readiness for the do tomorrow?"

"Hey! Why not me?" asked Ron.

"Yeah," Harry echoed. "Take Ron." He looked at Ginny and then Dumbledore and frowned. "In fact, why do you need me at all? You can just shrink everything down and carry it yourself."

"I will need to get back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore declared unfolding himself from the chair. "If I could borrow the marriage parchment, I will have Filius Flitwick take a look at it and return it to you tomorrow, Miss Weasley…"

"Take it, Ginny said sullenly. "I don't want anything to do with it."

"As I said," Dumbledore said calmly. "I will return the document tomorrow when Professor McGonagall I attend your celebration of adulthood. Harry, if I may have a word?"

"Of course, Professor." Harry followed the headmaster outside.

"This matter is out of your hands," he said, his blue eyes staring into Harry's own. "You have other things to concentrate on."

Harry made certain that his occlumency shields were at their tightest. He had to make a token protest. The headmaster would expect him to. "I just want to help her. She doesn't want to marry Malfoy. She shouldn't have to – not if she doesn't want to. Lucius Malfoy's a death eater. We both know it and you're letting this farce continue. If you wanted to, you could stop this."

"I don't think there's anything to be done, Harry. Unfortunately, we have been outmanoeuvred in this. But I'm taking the contract to Hogwarts with me and will ask some of the staff to have a look at it." Dumbledore sighed, his face tired. He looked every one of his one hundred and fifty years.

Harry's eyes bored into Dumbledore's. "Order members only?"

Dumbledore noted the hostility in Harry's gaze and realized for the first time that it was directed at him and had been since Voldemort's last appearance in Hogsmeade. Was Voldemort possessing the boy again? But there was no gleam of red within the depths of clear green. His eyes were cloudless but antagonistic. Did Harry know about the curse and its effects? "Is there something you would like to tell me, Harry?"

"No."

He stared at the boy. No, he wasn't a boy now; the edges of manhood were stamped in the sharpening of the boy's jaw and in the bitter knowledge of his destiny in his green eyes. No matter how hard Dumbledore had tried, he'd been unable to prevent the lack of a proper childhood for Harry and if he was honest with himself, and the old wizard admitted that where Harry was concerned he'd often blinded himself to the boy's situation, the hostility now colouring their relationship had been growing since the death of Sirius Black. He couldn't tell Harry about the probable loss of his magic – not yet. Not when he was about to lose Ginny Weasley for good. He would do so… soon. Voldemort was being very quiet just now. There was always the possibility that he was planning something big. They would deal with it when it happened. But for now, the Dark Lord was quiet. Harry should have some time to be a normal eighteen year old boy.

"You know I would listen if you wanted to talk."

"I do." Harry turned to go back into the Burrow.

"Harry…"

The boy stopped and turned around, his gaze avoiding the headmaster's. Ah, so the occlumency shields were in force. But he suspected Harry would be trying to deal with what had just happened and he should give the young man some privacy.

"Your scar giving you any bother, Harry?"

Harry shook his messy black head. ""No, he's been strangely quiet of late."

"What about your dreams…any visions?"

A strange quirk tipped up the corner of Harry's mouth. "Nothing. Tom's been very quiet and I'm catching up on my sleep. He must be planning something."

Dumbledore stared at Harry, the boy's words echoing his own conclusions. There was a note in the boy's voice that he hadn't heard before and the old wizard wondered at it. Harry tended to act first and think later. If he thought that Ginny Weasley was in any sort of danger, Harry would try to save her. It would be far too dangerous to meddle with a Ministry approved marriage contract. "Harry," he said kindly. "Because of the Malfoy's offer for Miss Weasley, it might be better if you removed yourself from The Burrow."

"Removed!" Harry's head shot up. "Why?" he growled.

"You are not a relation or a female friend. Your name was also linked with Miss Weasley's. If there is any impropriety, the Ministry of Magic would have the power to punish her and possibly arrest you."

"Arrest me!" Harry echoed. "Merlin's beard!" he swore, not caring that Dumbledore heard him. "So, by wanting to keep my best friend's sister safe from a pack of Death Eaters I could get arrested and thrown into Azkaban. Hell, I could share a cell with some of Lucius' friends. The Ministry would love to do that to me. They still can't decide whether I'm sane or not and there are those, just as deluded as Voldemort, who would like to see me following their twisted political agenda."

"I suggest that you come back to Hogwarts with me for tonight."

"But I was invited to The Burrow. Yes, Ginny is my friend but so are Ron and Hermione."

"Miss Weasley's situation changes everything, Harry. Come and spend a few days at Hogwarts with us. You can floo back for the party tomorrow."

"Sure, why not," Harry muttered. "I've nowhere else to go apart from Grimmauld Place and I don't fancy going there tonight." He didn't look pleased about having to leave The Burrow. "I'll go and get my stuff."

"Harry…"

The green eyes flicked up to the headmaster. "I understand, sir, but I'm not giving up until I'm positive that there's nothing I can do. Ginny has a month and I'm going to use that time to free her." He stared at his hands for a moment and then said, "I'll just be a moment. I'll say my goodbyes to the others and collect my things."