MAY 23rd, 1997
Rookwood was running out of ideas, Ginny was pretty sure. He had seemed increasingly frustrated during their last few "visits," hardly commenting at all as he usually did. He had tried every spell he could think of- many Ginny had heard of and many she hadn't- not only to test the limits of the gem's revivification abilities but to locate it within her body in order to remove it. He had tried Muggle techniques too- the knife had made a regular appearance, and she had a nasty scar right between her breasts from when Rookwood had decided to take a leaf out of the Muggle doctors' book and cut her open to look for the gem. Luckily, that hadn't lasted long- the gem's power had blasted him away and sealed the wound after only a minute or two. Still, that minute or two had been absolute agony, so shocking that Ginny had temporarily lost the ability to form coherent thoughts. There was only the pain.
What would it mean for her if he couldn't remove the gem? Would Rookwood be punished? Would she be given to someone else to try a different method? Although, truth be told, she couldn't think of a different method to try... Rookwood had been quite creative.
I suppose he hasn't let me starve yet, she thought. I've still been getting my meals. What if one day he just doesn't come back?
Ginny whimpered at the thought of being left to starve forever, but Rookwood, on the other side of the room, didn't seem to notice.
"This makes no sense," he muttered. "Magic doesn't work this way."
Ginny ignored him. She had long since stopped trying to make sense of Rookwood's scientific ramblings.
What would the gem do if her body was dying due to neglect rather than an outright attack? It only healed her when it was absolutely necessary to prevent death- Rookwood had had to heal a number of knife wounds and spell effects since she had been here, claiming he didn't want past attempts to interfere with future results. Would it conjure food? Would it remove the need to eat? She still felt hungry, so she knew she needed to eat, just like she needed to sleep. What if the gem conjured food but she couldn't reach it because of the straps on the table? Would the gem remove the straps? Float the food to her mouth?
I guess there's more variables to be tested after all, she thought, and despite everything, or perhaps because of it, she started laughing at the absurdity of it all.
"Quiet, girl!" Rookwood snapped. "You're distracting me from my report for the Dark Lord."
Ginny stopped laughing, though she had to bite her lip to control it. It really was quite funny, all the ways she could almost die and the increasingly laughable things the gem would have to do to circumvent it. If it conjured food, would it take her preferences into account? What if it only fed her turnips, or blue cheese, or boiled cabbage? Would it know she was allergic to walnuts?
"I said quiet! Silencio!"
Ginny's giggles ceased to make a sound, which suited Ginny just fine- now she could laugh with abandon at the ridiculous image of the gem conjuring a great bucket of prunes for her.
Her laughter died in her throat as soon as the word bucket crossed her mind. Memories of her detention in the dungeons filled her vision- a barrel overflowing with dead horned toads, a toad splayed out in front of her and shooting across the desk before landing on the floor, Malfoy's eyes on hers as they discussed hypotheticals.
He had to have known, somehow, that she would end up here. He had strung her along since Valentine's Day, leading her right to the Deathstick- actually called the Elder Wand, according to Rookwood- and into Voldemort's waiting hands. She couldn't quite figure out how he had done it, but he had known exactly when she would finish translating Loxias's journal; he had been waiting to send her on her merry way, right into the pits of hell.
Unbidden, memories of Malfoy forced their way to the surface. Not Death Eater Malfoy, not Regular Malfoy. Other Malfoy. The way his eyes lit up when he laughed at the party. He had a dimple on his right cheek but not his left. The faint piney scent of his cologne, crisp and sharp. How with just one simple question, he had turned her breakup with Harry on its head and made her question everything.
Potter didn't realize how lucky he was, did he?
Tears welled in Ginny's eyes. Who was he to make her feel valuable and then toss her into this never-ending torment? How could she have let her guard down?
The memory of his breath tickling her face as he leaned down to whisper in her ear washed through her; she could swear she could feel it against her cheek once again, could hear his husky voice as it vibrated against her skin.
I had thought you could be good, she thought miserably.
But he wasn't. Voldemort might rule this place, but Malfoy was the devil- he had condemned her to this fate, and she deserved it. A tear rolled down her cheek.
This is my punishment.
"Blast it all," Rookwood cursed, slamming something down where Ginny couldn't see before storming to the door.
He was leaving already? That was unusual.
"Ah, Severus. I'm glad you're here, have a look at this."
Ginny's head whipped to the door. Severus Snape stood there, dressed the same as he always was, looking for all the world like he was getting ready to teach class. She made eye contact with him briefly, but his eyes didn't linger on her.
Maybe he's here to rescue me!
"Don't get excited, girl," Rookwood said as he ushered Snape into the room, some of his normally polite mannerisms disappearing in his haste. "Severus is no Order hero- he's the one who killed Dumbledore. I believe I forgot to mention that little detail." Ginny's eyes widened in horror.
No. It can't be possible.
She moved her head as much as she was able, her eyes staying on Snape's face. He was completely expressionless. He said nothing to correct Rookwood. His eyes skimmed over her face before turning back to Rookwood, bored.
"I don't have all day, Rookwood," he said. "What problem did you want to show me?"
Snape betrayed the Order… Unless maybe Rookwood is lying? He must be lying.
He and Rookwood moved out of Ginny's line of sight.
"Look at these results," Rookwood said. "It's diffuse, Severus. Every drop of blood, every piece of flesh- all of it. How can an object do that?"
Severus said nothing, though she thought she could hear the faint rustle of parchment.
"That is a problem," he said finally. "When did you figure this out?"
"Well, I suspected it the day after she arrived. But it just doesn't make any sense! Even if we assume that the gem has inherent transfigurative properties, none of the principal exceptions to Gamp's Law account for-"
"How have you been testing this?"
Even without seeing his face, Ginny knew Rookwood was not accustomed to being interrupted.
He must not know Snape very well.
"Watch," Rookwood said. "Avada Kedavra."
Ginny didn't even flinch as green light filled the room, green light swallowed by gold.
"Look at the readings!" Rookwood exclaimed. "Diffuse, and then not! Not there, and then there! And gone again. How is it possible, Severus?"
Ginny surreptitiously tried to crane her neck in their direction. She had assumed that Rookwood just kept torture devices in that part of the room, but it sounded like he had some kind of magical equipment there as well. What were they looking at?
"Considering this item is a gift from an apparently divine source, perhaps its magic does not follow our laws," Snape said. "You know what those readings mean, don't you Rookwood?"
Rookwood was silent. Ginny held her breath. What did Snape know that Rookwood didn't want to say?
"My my," Snape said, his voice silky soft. "I do wonder what the Dark Lord will make of these reports. Perhaps that you've been avoiding giving him bad news? Seeing as you should reasonably have made this conclusion no later than day three, based on this note here."
No later than day three. Ginny's blood ran cold before she was filled with an absolutely white hot rage. Had this all been for nothing? She began to thrash against the bindings holding her to the table, harder than she had since she had first arrived here.
"What are you accusing me of, Severus?" Rookwood demanded, his tone the picture of defensiveness. "I aim to give the Dark Lord the most complete, most accurate information-"
"Did you forget the part where he said do be gentle with her, I don't want her permanently damaged?" Snape said with a snarl. There was a clatter behind her and a gasp from Rookwood.
"She's not permanently damaged!" Rookwood choked out. Ginny twisted her neck and saw that Snape had Rookwood pinned up against the wall. "She just has a Silencing Charm on, she was distracting me-"
"Oh, I can imagine her screams were very distracting," Snape growled, pressing his wand into Rookwood's neck. "This girl is precious to the Dark Lord, Rookwood, irreplaceable in fact, and you've been treating her like some Ministry project you can just fiddle around with."
"Severus, please, see reason-"
"All I see reason for is to take these notes-" Ginny heard a shuffling of parchment "-and make a report to the Dark Lord in your stead."
"Severus- no- wait-"
"I outrank you Rookwood, or did you forget? My loyalty is to the Dark Lord, not your silly schemes. We'll see what he thinks about this. Do feel free to come along, that's a show I'd like to see-"
Without looking back at her, Snape stormed out of the room, Rookwood hot on his heels. He slammed the door behind him, making Ginny grimace.
Damn. I was hoping he would leave it open. Not that I can get these blasted straps off me anyway.
Ginny struggled a bit more against the straps before taking a deep breath and looking back at the ceiling. She didn't know what Rookwood's report meant, but she felt certain that things were about to change. Whether that was for better or worse remained to be seen.
MAY 23rd, 1997
Severus strode toward the manor's ballroom, Rookwood cursing him and pleading with him in equal turns, stumbling along behind him. Severus ignored him- he didn't matter now. Severus had what he needed.
His hand tightened around the sheaf of parchment containing Rookwood's notes, his heart beating a little fast. As with everything where the Dark Lord was concerned, Severus had to play the long game- he couldn't break Ginny out of the manor, nor could he murder Rookwood, much as he would like to. He needed a reason for her to be moved to a less secure location, and Rookwood had inadvertently given him exactly that.
It was blind luck that the old fool had decided to consult with Severus, really. He had been annoyingly tight-lipped about his "work" up until today, promising results "soon." Severus knew why now. Rookwood had desperately been looking for a loophole, anything possible to tell the Dark Lord other than the truth.
Well, it was about to blow up in his face now. Severus just hoped he could manage to avoid the fallout. If he played his cards right, he could convince the Dark Lord to let him monitor Ginny instead, and then it would just be a matter of staging an Order break-in.
The Order must have established new safe houses since learning of his supposed betrayal. He could get Ginny to the Burrow, and then they could move her somewhere else, somewhere even Severus didn't know. She couldn't stay at home- the Dark Lord would never stop hunting her. Just as Harry Potter was an existential threat to the Dark Lord's life, Ginny Weasley had become a threat to the Dark Lord's claims of power. How could he claim to be Master of Death when his enemy had a true immortal on their side?
You know the Dark Lord, he reminded himself as he reached the ballroom doors. You know what to say.
"Severus, please, you've misunderstood me-"
"Save it for the Dark Lord," Severus said before pulling open the ballroom doors.
The Dark Lord was not alone. Bellatrix Lestrange stood at the base of the dais, her back turned to Severus. Giving some report, probably, though she stood oddly close.
"Severus, what is the meaning of this?" the Dark Lord asked, his voice sharp.
"My Lord, please forgive this intrusion," Severus said, dropping to one knee and bowing his head, "but it could not wait. It concerns the Weasley girl."
"My Lord, I can explain-" Rookwood started, dropping to his knee beside Severus.
"Rookwood has been lying to you, my Lord," Severus interrupted, focusing all of his energy on keeping his heart rate even. "Lying to save his own skin."
"That's not true, I was merely being thorough-"
"Rookwood," the Dark Lord said quietly, and the two men stopped speaking at once. "Close the door." Rookwood stumbled to his feet and shut the double doors with a loud click.
"Approach, the both of you," the Dark Lord continued. Bellatrix made to leave, but the Dark Lord waved a hand at her. "Stay, Bella."
Snape pursed his lips. There was no love lost between him and Bellatrix Lestrange- she was one of the last people he would have chosen to sit in on this audience. Perhaps it would be best just to ignore her.
He and Rookwood stopped a respectful distance away from the Dark Lord's throne. Snape put his arms behind his back and widened his stance, a soldier waiting for orders. Rookwood quickly followed suit.
The Dark Lord let the silence linger, letting the tension build. Severus kept his mind blank.
"Severus," the Dark Lord said after a long moment. "You have my leave to speak."
"My Lord, you tasked Rookwood with extracting the gem from Ginny Weasley's body, in order to return it to its rightful place with you," Severus said, keeping his tone clipped and matter of fact. "I've heard him myself promising you results soon, that the work is going very well. But in fact, Rookwood had results to show you as early as May the 4th."
"Nineteen days ago," the Dark Lord said, his cold voice sharper than a blade. "Am I to understand that Rookwood was successful in his endeavor nineteen days ago, and neglected to tell me?"
"No, my Lord, I swear-" Rookwood moaned before letting out a yelp and going flying maybe ten feet back.
"I didn't ask you to speak, Rookwood. Continue, Severus."
"Rookwood was unsuccessful, my Lord, but he knew that he would never be successful in extracting the gem, and he learned that very early on in his testing. If I may, I have his notes here. May I show you?"
The Dark Lord waved his hand in assent. Severus unfurled the parchment and levitated it. The parchment laid flat in the air in between the men.
"As you well know, all magical objects have a magical signature," Severus said. "Magic inherent to the object. As we understand it, a witch or wizard uses their own magic to interact with the magic of the object in order for it to function, a wand being the primary example." He nodded in the Dark Lord's direction, who held the Elder Wand between his fingers. "If I were to run these tests on myself, you would see my energy and my wand's energy, separately. That's not what's happening here. Observe these results."
Severus waved his wand and a small holographic image of Ginny Weasley appeared above the parchment. Her body was transparent, and all throughout it, little flecks of golden light permeated the image.
"This is what Ginny Weasley looks like when she is undisturbed," Severus said. "This is what she looks like under the effects of the Killing Curse." Severus waved his wand again and the flecks of golden light shone brightly before coalescing in Ginny's chest- clearly in the shape of the gem.
The Dark Lord leaned forward in his seat.
"It lasts only for a second, but the gem reforms in that moment. It is, however, impossible to remove- the shield it generates is impenetrable, as Rookwood has so thoroughly tested. Outside of the moment of impending death, the gem seems to... disappear. Not cease to exist, as we can see by the energy it leaves behind, but the gem itself is not physically in her body. Rookwood has checked, haven't you, Rookwood?"
Rookwood wisely said nothing.
"So the girl and the gem are inherently linked," the Dark Lord said. Severus nodded.
"The magic of the gem appears to be diffuse, to use Rookwood's word, in her body up until the moment it's needed. It only becomes a physical object in the face of lethal danger, and dissipates immediately afterward. It functions like no other magical object that he or I have ever observed, perhaps due to its source. It has fully integrated itself into the girl's magic."
The Dark Lord barked a laugh. "A gift from a god, indeed. Rookwood, explain yourself. Why did you not come to me immediately with these findings?"
Rookwood dropped to a knee again. "My Lord, please forgive me for my error in judgment. I sought only to give you the most complete information possible- as Severus says, this is unprecedented magic-"
"And the Department of Mysteries' wet dream," Bellatrix said with a sneer. "The Dark Lord doesn't care about your academic interests, you fool. He wants the results he asked for."
"And I'm trying to give them to him!" Rookwood exclaimed. "I've been trying everything-"
"And you will try no longer," the Dark Lord said coldly. "I'm removing you from this assignment, Rookwood. Consider yourself lucky that you're difficult to replace. Get out of my sight."
"My Lord, please, I beg you-"
Rookwood's voice was cut off by screams as he collapsed, writhing on the ground.
"Don't test my mercy, Rookwood," the Dark Lord said. "I'm letting you live because you're useful to me, but do not think that I will forget this betrayal. Get out."
Rookwood shot a look of pure loathing at Severus before stumbling out of the room.
"So, Severus. Am I to understand that this gem and its powers will remain beyond my grasp?"
Here it goes.
"Yes, my Lord, I'm afraid so," he said.
Come on, ask me what to do with her.
Bellatrix was staring at him, her hooded eyes squinted.
"How very noble of you, Snape, to rush to the Dark Lord with this information," she said. "With no benefit at all to yourself, no less."
Wretched woman.
"What benefits the Dark Lord benefits me," he said coldly. "I need no further incentive, unlike others among our ranks."
Bellatrix bristled, but stilled as the Dark Lord waved his hand, already tired of the brewing argument.
"You have done well, Severus. Of all the problems I expected to run into, this was not one of them."
"My Lord, I believe we-"
"I did not ask you to speak."
Severus closed his mouth, tension running through his body. The Dark Lord's moods could be mercurial, changing from magnanimous to wrathful in the blink of an eye. Staying on the right side of that temper was like trying to ride a bicycle across a tightrope.
"The hand of a god reached into our world," the Dark Lord said quietly, "and gave me all that I need in order to rule. I've been doing some genealogical research of my own, Severus. Did you know that Harry Potter and I are the only living descendants of the Peverell brothers, the original owners of the Deathly Hallows? The first brother, Antioch, the first master of the Elder Wand, died before siring children, but I descend from Cadmus, owner of the Resurrection Stone, and Harry from Ignotus, who owned this." He pulled the Invisibility Cloak seemingly from nowhere, running his fingers over the fabric. "They were meant for me, Severus. Only the Master of Death may triumph over the Boy Who Lived. Why then, would Death see fit to give this fourth object of power to a little girl?"
The Dark Lord's voice had risen as he spoke, so loud now that it was echoing off the walls. Severus said nothing and neither did Bellatrix.
"What is the world to make of a little girl- blood traitor, Gryffindor, Order of the Phoenix spawn- being given the gift of immortality? She represents everything that opposes me, and she cannot die. Even my Death Eaters know of the gem's existence, thanks to what happened in Godric's Hollow. What will they think, when they learn I am unable to take the gem for myself? That I am unable to kill Ginny Weasley?"
"My Lord, if you would allow me to take her, hide her away-"
"What would that accomplish?" Bellatrix snapped. "The Dark Lord speaks of knowledge, not your twisted desire to increase your own self-importance."
Severus's expression was murderous.
"If she is hidden away, people will not know-"
"Our side knows," Bellatrix interrupted. "Half a dozen of us saw what happened in Godric's Hollow, and the rest have heard second-hand. Is the Dark Lord to trust that the information will just remain hidden forever? People will talk, Snape. Do you trust fifty people to keep a secret indefinitely? All it would take is one leak, just one, and the Order would rally around her as a symbol as surely as they've rallied around Potter."
"The girl cannot die," Severus snapped. "She has to be kept somewhere."
"Where, in your bed?" Bellatrix sneered. "She does look a bit like that Mudblood, you did always have a thing for redheads-"
Severus saw white, his hand flying instantly to his wand, remembering himself just in time. He was breathing heavy.
I will murder you if it's the last thing I do, you self-righteous bitch.
The Dark Lord smirked, amused. "If you desire her, Severus, speak up- though I'm afraid you'll have to get in line. The Malfoy boy already made his intentions clear, don't you remember?"
Severus said nothing, not trusting himself to give a well-contained answer. The Dark Lord looked down at his wand, twirling it a bit.
"Bella, I would hear your thoughts. You seem to have a lot to say on the matter."
"My Lord, Death may be a god in its realm, but you shall be a god in this one," Bellatrix said fervently. "It is not for the world to decide what the girl means. It is for you to tell us what she means."
The Dark Lord smiled, making Severus's blood run cold. It was clear the idea of apparent godhood appealed to him.
"I see," he said. "You would have me use the girl."
"In whatever way you see fit, yes," Bellatrix said with an incline of her head. "She is only a symbol for the Order if you allow her to be. Her life, mortal or immortal, belongs to you."
Severus's palms were sweating.
The Dark Lord's smile widened. "You always were cleverer than your idiot husband." Bellatrix had the gall to blush like a schoolgirl at the compliment.
"You've done well to bring me this news, Severus," the Dark Lord said, his eyes on his wand. "Bellatrix, see to it that Miss Weasley's needs are attended to, and that Rookwood is not allowed back. Severus, send Macnair to me. You're dismissed."
Severus turned and walked out of the room, his heart racing.
What the fuck does he want with Macnair?
Once he was far enough away, Severus turned to the nearest wall and punched it.
MAY 23rd, 1997
Ginny paced around the room, trying and failing to think of a way out. She had had quite the shock a couple of hours ago when Bellatrix Lestrange had kicked open the door to the room, undoing the straps on the table and demanding to know if Ginny was injured or under any spell effects. She had still been under Rookwood's Silencing Charm, so she had had to point to her throat in order for Bellatrix to remove the spell.
She had half suspected that it was Snape in disguise, the way Bellatrix had checked her all over, looking for any lingering damage. It was odd to see Bellatrix showing any type of care for someone else. The door had been ajar, and Ginny had taken a step toward it, debating on running, but Bellatrix had quickly stunned her, knocking her out. She had woken up shortly afterward, a plate of food on the table and a pile of blankets stacked in one corner.
She had tried the door first, of course. Despite having been here for what felt like weeks, this was the first time Ginny could move around the room without being under the effects of the Imperius Curse, and the first time unsupervised.
Unsurprisingly, the door was locked. She had scoured the room looking for anything she could use to pick it, having learned the skill from Fred and George, but whatever tools Rookwood had been keeping in here were gone now. The small side table where he had shown Snape his notes was empty. That and the large table she had been strapped to were the only pieces of furniture in the room. No closets, no hidden compartments, nothing.
Ginny thought the room must have been a bedroom at one point- she wasn't in a dungeon, and while there were no windows in here, the small bath attached seemed to confirm her suspicions. No windows in there, either- just a shower stall, a toilet, a small pedestal sink, a bar of soap, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. No mirror on the wall. She supposed they would consider that too dangerous; there was nothing in here that she could reasonably use as a weapon. She briefly contented herself with imagining shoving the toothbrush into Bellatrix's eye when- if?- she returned.
Annoyed, she walked up to the plate- now empty- and dropped it on the floor. It didn't shatter as she had hoped, but instead disappeared. She covered her face with her hands and let out a scream of frustration. She was closer to freedom than she had been in weeks, and yet still impossibly far. She didn't have her wand. She didn't know where she was, or what lay beyond this door, let alone the world outside. Was Harry alive? Her parents? Her brothers? Had Voldemort taken over Hogwarts? The Ministry? Anything could be going on outside, anything, and she would never know because she couldn't get out of this stupid fucking room.
It was too overwhelming. In a fit of rage, Ginny grabbed the table and flipped it, tossing it away from her. It hit the opposite wall with a loud thwack. It wasn't enough. Her mind blank, she ran at the table and kicked it, again and again and again. She realized she was crying, yelling and crying as she lashed out with all her might against the symbol of her captivity. The table bounced against the wall a bit as she kicked it, unharmed. The only thing she was hurting was herself.
Letting out a sob, Ginny dropped to her knees. She was trapped here. She couldn't get out.
The memory of Alys's triumphant face in the standing stones came to mind, how absolutely in control she had looked in that moment, how timeless and beautiful and powerful. She was connected to the gem somehow, she had to be. But how? Was she a memory, a fantasy, or something more?
The gem had to be good for more than just keeping herself alive. She had begged the youngest brother to stop Voldemort, not just to help her. Don't let them do this! she had pleaded. She hadn't pleaded for her life. She had pleaded for aid, aid in stopping a monster from destroying the world. Maybe Alys was that aid.
Ginny closed her eyes, envisioning Alys's face.
"If you're real," she said in a shaky voice, "I need you to show me now. I need your help. Please."
Nothing happened. Ginny's hands tightened into fists.
"Alys," she said, a little firmer now. "Alys, please. I need your help. Help me get out of here. Alys. Help me, please."
Her knees ached against the hardwood floor, but Ginny stayed where she was, entreating help from someone she wasn't sure existed. Alys was her only connection to what had happened in Godric's Hollow. It had to mean something.
"Alys," she murmured. "Please help me, Alys. I need your help."
...
At some point she must have fallen asleep. Ginny was standing...somewhere. She couldn't see where. The entire area was completely shrouded in a thick mist, entirely featureless.
"Hello?" she said, looking around the area. "Alys?"
"Who are you?" came a voice.
Ginny spun in a circle, looking for the source. "Hello?"
A figure- Alys- stepped through the mist, looking wary. She looked as she had in the forest with Henry- no blood to be seen.
"Who are you?" she repeated.
"Ginny Weasley," Ginny said.
"Ginny Weasley," Alys repeated slowly, rolling the unfamiliar sounds around in her mouth. "What are you doing here, Ginny Weasley?"
"I need your help!" Ginny said. "I'm trapped, and I need to get out to save my family and friends." Ginny didn't think it was worth mentioning that they might very well already be dead.
Alys smiled ruefully. "To save your family and friends," she repeated. "To save them from what?"
"An evil man," Ginny said fiercely. "A monster."
Alys looked her up and down, taking in her modern Muggle clothes. "Aye. As it always has been. Monsters run rampant and the innocent are slaughtered."
"So you understand," Ginny said. "You'll help me?"
Alys was quiet for a moment, taking in her clothes again. "I do not know from where or when you come, Ginny Weasley, but in my time it was well-known that wicked men walked the earth. Those without power are doomed to be victims to them, if they do not yield or get out of the way."
Alys turned to walk away.
"But I'm not without power!" Ginny cried, following Alys. "I have..." The gem. But it wasn't here, any more than it was in the real world.
"If you have some power, I suggest you use it," Alys said. "I cannot help you."
"I don't know how!" Ginny said. "But... but I think you do."
Alys stopped but didn't turn around.
"You were without power once, weren't you?" Ginny asked. "And then you were given a gift."
"Yes," Alys said so quietly that Ginny could barely hear her. "In my moment of greatest despair I pleaded with the gods for aid, and the Great Mother provided a beautiful and terrible gift."
"Terrible? Why was it terrible?"
Alys looked over her shoulder at Ginny. "Terrible in its might. Terrible in what it could do. So much so that it can only be used once."
Ginny wasn't sure she was breathing. She couldn't let something like this fall into Voldemort's hands. "How do I use it?" she asked.
Alys laughed before turning away again. "I will not help you, Ginny Weasley. That power has gone from the world, and I am glad of it." She started walking away again.
"Wait!" Ginny yelled, chasing after her. "You can't just leave me here. I have to stop him, Alys, or he's going to destroy the world!"
"I suggest you find another way."
"There is no other way," Ginny snapped. "Who the hell even are you, anyway?"
Alys stopped again. "I? I am the last of my kind."
"I bring these blankets for you and you don't even bother to use them! What the hell is wrong with you, girl? Do you like sleeping on the floor?"
Ginny startled awake to see Bellatrix Lestrange standing over her, hands on her hips.
Fuck! Damn it. If she had waited just five more minutes-
"Did Rookwood deafen you too? Speak up!"
"I just... fell asleep," Ginny said, fighting to not let her anger at Alys show through. She couldn't let Bellatrix suspect anything was wrong. "It was an accident."
"Hmph," Bellatrix said. "Well, get up. It's time to eat."
Ginny sat up slowly, her muscles screaming at her from sleeping in such an awkward position. She was just as trapped as ever, and Alys would not help her. Worse yet, the gem held some terrible secret, something more than immortality, and Ginny had no idea how to stop Voldemort from figuring that out and using it for his own ends.
What the hell was she supposed to do now?
MAY 26th, 1997
Kathleen rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck before taking a deep breath.
"Okay," she murmured. "You can do this. You can do this."
She closed her eyes, feeling the discomfort of the worn kitchen chair underneath her. Its cushion was terribly thin, thin enough that the wood underneath it dug into Kathleen's sit-bones. The faint scent of laundry detergent hung in the air; she could hear the machine running, a soft, constant whir that told her she was home. This place was safe. Which meant she could let her mind venture to less safe places.
She focused on the Room of Hidden Things, calling it to view in her mind's eye. There were the stacks of books, the rusty old suits of armor, the damaged paintings, the roaring fireplace... If Kathleen concentrated, she could smell the dust, and something else too, something she couldn't quite place.
That was what so many of her memories of Malfoy were like now. Some were entirely untouched, but there were others that were... distorted. Some elements were as easy to recall as her own name, and others were... well, it wasn't like they weren't there. They were. She could sense them. Like this smell, for instance. She knew it was there, but she couldn't actually remember it.
Why wouldn't he want me to remember a smell? Or is that just a side-effect?
Ever since she had arrived home a little over three weeks ago, she had been trying to remember anything useful, anything at all. It had been impossible at first. Even the name Malfoy had been enough to send her halfway to a full-blown panic attack. Her mother had forbidden her from trying to access these memories, claiming she had been through enough heartache and didn't need to invite more.
Her response made sense for her, Kathleen thought. That was how her mother had handled her own past, whatever that was. Cordelia Barrows was incredibly tight-lipped about why exactly she had run away from the wizarding world when she was barely of age, but Kathleen knew that whatever it was had scared her so badly that she had chosen to spend 99% of her life pretending like magic didn't exist. From her mother's perspective, what she didn't acknowledge couldn't hurt her.
But Kathleen wasn't like her mother. Ever since she was a little girl, her father had joked that she was like a dog with a bone once she got her teeth into something. She never gave up, never. It was part of why she and Ginny had become such good friends- they were alike in that way. They were Gryffindors in the truest sense- fearless. Or tried to be, anyway.
Her mother had never told her what house she had been in at school, but Kathleen felt certain it wasn't Gryffindor. Maybe Hufflepuff- her mom was nothing if not hard-working, and loyal to her family to a fault.
Kathleen was loyal too. Loyal to her family, and her friends.
Ginny.
Kathleen's hands shook and she grabbed the edge of the table, forcing them to still. Ginny still hadn't been found- if she had been, she would have owled Katheen right away, and it would have been in the paper. Was she trapped in a dungeon somewhere? Was she- Merlin forbid- dead? She didn't know what Malfoy intended for her, but she knew it wasn't anything good.
If the Order couldn't find her in three weeks, that meant they had exhausted their leads. And that meant Kathleen was the only one who could help find Ginny.
She focused on the Room of Hidden Things again, the way the sunlight had glinted through the windows, the velvety feeling of a settee underneath her fingers.
"Stand up and walk ten paces to your left," she said, imitating Malfoy's drawl, trying desperately to summon the rest of the memory. Was someone else in the room with them? It felt like it. But who was it?
Another voice came to her, one she couldn't quite recognize, but she imitated it anyway.
"That's perfect, love. You did great."