HE was gone.
The morning light hit her eyes like a splash of cold water. Ginny meant to stay up until Riddle fell asleep to find his flask of Polyjuice or see him Transfigure back into his original self, but clearly her sleep cycle was not on board.
Hand grazing the banister, she bolted downstairs to find Riddle enjoying a morning coffee with her Dad. He raised a hot mug to her and when he wasn't looking, Ginny flashed him a middle finger behind her back. Clearly there were things far worse than being attacked en-plein air by the Dark Lord himself.
"Morning," her Mum said tersely, sliding eggs and steaming bacon under Stasis on the empty spot by Riddle.
Dad exchanged glances with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Harry and continued reading the Daily Prophet with yet another article from a so-called sighting of Death Eaters just off of London.
"Ginny, you didn't tell us your friend from the Floo had come to stay," said Mum, flashing her a suggestive and all-knowing glance. "Come to think of it, I didn't hear you going to your room young lady."
Ginny shoved in a mouthful of eggs and chugged down the orange juice. "I didn't."
Mum Summoned the coffee pot and poured herself another hot mug, adding cream and sugar. "Arthur?"
"Yes dear?"
"Arthur."
"Must we have this conversation now?" Molly Weasley's scowl suggested 'yes'. Dad lowered the paper, brows up. "Molly, they are adults."
"And they are living under my roof. In the dead of night, coming unannounced and doing as they please like street Kneazles. What do you think of that? Don't give me that look."
"Our roof."
"Some sense of proprietary needs to be kept," Mum said, gesturing Riddle with the spatula. "Is that understood?"
Riddle smiled sweetly. "Yes Mum-"
"It's Mrs Weasley to you until I see a ring on a finger and I don't care whose."
Ginny bit into a piece of toast, avoiding the Dark Lord's clearly deflated posture. If no one else, her Mum did not discriminate whose tush the witch's broom smacked. There was some pleasure from seeing the wizard who'd driven most of the Wizarding World to their knees look like a small dog before the Weasley matron herself.
Riddle clearly reminded her of her place later in the afternoon when Dad sent the two of them to fetch additional coal and firewood from the shed. Ginny had Levitated a bag of coal out of the dark corner when she felt a hot, looming presence of Dark Magic slithering around her.
"I can do it," she muttered, but Riddle's magic grazed over hers, tugging the bag out of her power.
"Do let me help."
"Thank you." And when Riddle had turned his back, Ginny resisted the urge to hit him with a Crucio or a Revelio. The second of course, being pointless with no one to see them. The first would likely be as futile as her malfunctioning Avada Kedavra. Maybe a Bat-Bogey Hex , uncomfortable as it was, would shatter the composed figure of the Dark Lord…but she couldn't keep casting it indefinitely.
She tugged the door of the shed, muttering Alohamora. Fuck. Ginny turned around, heart beating hard against her ribcage.
"Open up," she said, banging her fist on the door.
Suddenly the handle released and Ginny tripped into the freshly fallen snow banks, elbow deep in the white fluff.
"Oh dear," Riddle mused, a trail of logs and coal floating before him. He knelt down to offer her his hand.
Ginny curled her fingers around his and found them frozen shut in his grasp. He pulled her hand towards him and looked at the trail of red oozing from the wood cuts on her wrist. Riddle leaned in, his breath leaving not a single cloud of heat as he spoke. "Careful. We wouldn't want blood before the Christmas feast."
Ginny tensed her stomach as he muttered a spell she'd never heard before and the marks of red disappeared from her skin.
"All better," he said, smiling. "Nothing a spell can't patch up, Ginny."
"If only I had the power to say the same, Harry ," Ginny said steadily.
"Let's not keep the family waiting. Shall we?"
Ginny stomped in the snow as Riddle followed her with the floating items. Her feet left deep prints in the snow. She hated feeling like living bait. If he wanted her dead, she'd already be gone.
Dad's loud laugh carried across the field. Ginny walked slower, trailing her feet behind her. Her heart sank slowly when she saw George and Ron in the parlor hugging Mum and Dad. She shoved her boots to the side and tossed her over-robes onto the cat hanger. Riddle followed close behind, setting the logs down by the door.
"Little sis," George said, pulling her into a tight hug. "Harry!"
Riddle shook his hand and offered to shake Ron's too, but Ron was likely still not over the betrayal at the Ministry to offer any sort of greeting, instead choosing to stick his hands in both pockets and stomp into the kitchen to 'help Angelina set out the food."
"Still mad about the promotion?" George whispered to Ginny, nodding in Ron's direction.
"Mhm."
That and Harry's the Dark Lord who showed everyone up, but not that this little detail matters.
"Ron and Harry'll patch things up. It's Christmas. Let bygones be bygones," Dad said, leading both her and George into the living room. He already smelled of spiked eggnog and was wearing last year's knitted jumper with a giant 'A' stitched on the front. "So glad you and Angelina could join us."
"Could've been the real Christmas," Mum whistled from the kitchen.
Dad waved his hand. "Don't mind her George. You spend the 25th with your lady's old folks."
George grinned, plopping down on the sofa. "Whatever the witch wants, she gets. Had to compromise."
"My school!" Dad clapped George on the back. "Always compromise in her favor. So, you're going to ask the big question?"
"Probably at the end of the year."
Ginny inched closer to George and Dad as Riddle's brought the logs in and began arranging them by the fireplace, stacking them in a precise manner.
"Everyone proposes on New Year's Eve. She'll be expecting it," Ginny said, watching as the light of the first flames that flickered from Riddle's wand crawled around his silhouette.
"She'll expect it either way. Knows I bought the ring." George leaned back, accepting a mug of the spiked nog on a floating tray. "What's wrong with the expected?"
"Some witches like to know what's coming for them." Ginny's eyes briefly met Riddle's. He sauntered over, picked up the eggnog and slipped into the armchair. His brows played over the rim as he took a deep gulp.
"I'm not much for surprises either," that son of a witch said, wiping his mouth of foam. "Merlin knows the comfort of the past and familiar."
"But time," Ginny said. "And distance changes-"
"-that which is not truly important at its core," Riddle finished softly.
"That is, if we know what's in someone's core. Cores can be quite rotten."
"Some say good Aurors are like arborists."
"Easier to see a log in someone else's eye than a twig in your own-"
"Dad, think Mum needs us in the kitchen," George said, finishing off his eggnog. He placed his hand on Harry's shoulder in passing. "See you at the table."
As soon as the two had left, Riddle took Dad's empty seat on the sofa. "The hols seem to be going swimmingly, don't you agree?"
"Keep it up and Mum will have you sleeping in the shed," Ginny said.
"I don't plan on proposing or doing any sudden moves. You needn't worry."
Ginny leaned in, brushing her hand along Riddle's jawline. "How do you keep your Transfiguration on for so long?" He remained as he were, his face unflinching at her touch.
Riddle swirled the liquid in his hand. "The Soviets produced many useful spells during the Cold War. A pity the British Ministry lets only highly trusted Aurors access their archives."
"One of the many benefits of a new body."
"Fast learner."
Ginny pushed away the floating tray with one remaining eggnog mug. "Hungry?'
Riddle finished his drink. "Roast smells delicious."
-xxx-
Ginny refused any drink and ate deliberately slowly at the table, keeping watch on Riddle. Mum kept watching the door in hopes that Percy would Apparate in or Floo. Charlie's Portkey from Romania got switched over to the 28th of December, but Percy who had no excuse on being late was in her opinion "taking his sweet time at work." Still an empty spot for Percy waited loyally at the table. Ginny hoped he wouldn't come alone.
Riddle ate as though he was not starved for anything, making pleasant small talk with all.
Once the devilled eggs and the canape had been finished, Dad stood up, wine glass in hand.
"Attention Weasleys," he began, clinking his glass with the edge of a spoon. "Settle down, settle down…I said!"
It was then that George popped his yearly Elephant on a Bicycle into his mouth and began to roar like a lion, sending Angelina into a fit of giggles. Then Ron came in with an elephant toot and it didn't take long for Ginny and Mum to join in the merriment. Even Riddle, when offered a sweet, had steam and a train choo-choo emerge from his mouth.
When the laughter died down, Dad continued.
"A toast to old friends," he said looking at Riddle, "and to new ones," he said looking at Angelina. "And to those who could not join us tonight."
Everyone looked at the empty place setting beside George. Only a jumper with a giant "F" hung over the back of the chair.
"The Burrow is always open to you. No matter where you are in the world, you are always loved, always welcome and always…"
"...family," said everyone in unison; everyone except for Riddle.
"May there be peace on earth, in our hearts and in our minds!"
"Especially our minds," Ginny agreed.
"Cheers!" responded everyone, clinking their glasses and chattering.
Between talks of how horrid the war was on everyone and Mum's loud protests to not mention death at Christmas, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!"
Ginny sprang up and sprinted to the door, flinging it open. Her mouth curved into a big smile.
"Well who is it? Must be our hardworking son-"
"It's …"
The visitor put a finger to his lips. Ginny nodded.
"Harry, it's for you."
The visitor stepped into the Burrow. Riddle came out of the kitchen and harrumphed. For a moment, time stood still as both examined each other until the silence was broken by a red glimmer in Riddle's eye. "Ah, well this is rather awkward."
"Awkward indeed," replied the guest. "Have we met before?"
Riddle inched closer, taking short deliberate steps towards the door. "I remember faces perfectly well-"
"-as arborist of the Ministry," Ginny finished.
"From one Auror to another, I can safely say that I've never been lost for words when faced with someone I see in the mirror on the daily," the visitor said, removing his cloak to reveal a jumper with a giant 'H' stitched on the front. "I don't think the coincidences could repeat-"
"-no, no…this is unlikely. The very same jumper? But I believe yours is not an original Weasley-"
"As Weasley-made as yours."
"Now, let's be honest," Riddle said. "You first-"
The two wizards circled each other, not breaking contact for even a second, in a captivating waltz across the entryway carpet.
"Won't you shake my hand?" Riddle asked.
"You mean to say, mine?" The visitor said, the tip of his wand instantly slipping out of his jumper sleeve.
"Slave."
"Master."
"Is that the proper way to greet an old friend, Severus ? "
"Your faulty deductions are truly harrowing coming from an Auror."
"You reek of betrayal."
"I'd say the scent suits me well."
"And I taught you that duel stance," Riddle snarled.
"Rabastan taught the footwork, your Lordship only cemented the need to strike at the appropriate time, respectfully-"
"I created you." Riddle's eyes glowed red. "You'd dare strike me as I am unarmed before my dear-" he glanced at Ginny, "-companion?"
"Severus-?" Ginny said, grabbing hold of his hand.
Severus' composition wavered not. He shook Ginny's hand free with a moment of hesitation, keeping his fingers interlaced with hers until the last second. "I have very little interest in your trifles."
"You are as transparent with women as ever."
"Harry?" Mum's voice broke out from the kitchen. She stared at the Transfigured Severus, then at Riddle. "Harry."
Riddle straightened, hands in the air and a most innocent expression on his face. "Who is this-?"
"I'll do the talking here. Ginny step away." Mum already had her wand out and walked over the two Doppelgangers. Dad and George and Ron appeared from the dining room and even Angelina drew her wand as Molly spoke. "I suspected something when Ron and Harry broke contact. Harry would never abandon a friend for career purposes. But now, I am certain one of you is a fraud." She paused. "If not both."
"Will it be you?" She pointed her wand at Transfigured Severus. "Or you." She met Riddle's eyes.
A/N: Severus is BACK. What sorts of shenanigans will our heroes get up to now? I imagined this scene kind of like Lockhart and Snape's duel in the COS. I just LOVE duel scenes...they get me all pumped up. I've changed the chapter count, definately. The story is now fully written and ready to be uploaded (with a few lil tweaks here and there). We're in the home stretch now-act three.