Ashes to Ashes

Ginny woke up suddenly, with the realization that the basilisk had to have come from somewhere that was behind the statue. Perhaps there was another Chamber there - she pushed the thought out of her head, too used to doing that every morning, and got up.

Feeling oddly depressed, she got ready for class in a haze before remembering that it was the first Hogsmeade weekend of her sixth year. Washing her face woke her up quickly enough, and she slouched downstairs and into the Great Hall.

Sitting next to Hermione, she had chewed breakfast for a moment before jumping when somebody asked her a question. "Sorry, what?" she said, quickly swallowing.

"Coming to Hogsmeade today?" asked Hermione again.

"Uh... yeah, sure," she said absently.

"Good! There's this really interesting new book about house-elves that I want to buy-"

Ginny tuned her out, not wanting to hear about house-elf rights again, and looked around the Hall. The head table wasn't as crowded as it had been the first few days, as the disillusioned firsties and some others quickly realized that despite having killed the Dark Lord, Snape was still his snarky self. Ginny thought it was all very entertaining - the greasy bat really was a traitor.

Tagging along half-heartedly with the others after finishing eating, she followed Hermione into Flourish & Botts and wandered around for a bit. She liked reading and sometimes learning, but was terrible at studying and taking exams. I'll never amount to anything, she thought bitterly. I'll just end up a housewife like Mum, how boring.

She picked a book off the shelf at random and opened it in the middle. The phrase that caught her eye said, Follow your star - do what you're good at. She slammed it shut nervously and looked at the cover. It was The Magical Book of Answers. "No wonder," she muttered, and put it back.

Without really meaning to, she wandered over to the section that had information on the Dark Arts and decided to look up necromany - not because I'm interested, just because I want to know, she told herself.

Twenty minutes later, she came out of the store with a used but cheap book about necromancy and was about to hide it in her bookbag when Malfoy slid into her view, smirking as usual. She tried to pass him, but he wouldn't let her get by.

"What, Malfoy?" she snapped.

"Has he told you yet?" asked Malfoy.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He glanced down at the book in her hand and grinned. "Really. Well, let me know when you're ready." And he moved off.

She stared after him for a moment before deciding, I really don't want to think about this right now, and stuffed the book in her bag.

***

It was odd, Ginny thought, how everything continued as normal, and no one had a clue as to what was going on. Except, of course, Malfoy and likely Snape. Which was the problem. They were watching her closely without being obvious about it.

She hadn't opened the diary since the time Tom had told her that she had necromantic talent a few days ago. She had considered it, staring at the cover for a long time, but put it away soon. But now, considering the dream of last night, the longing to open it and write was growing overwhelming. This was the second dream since Tom had come, and she was determined to end them.

Walking slowly back to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny felt dazed, like she was in a dream. She took her time getting the diary out from its hiding place, and sat on her bed, pulling the curtains closed. The diary lay there innocently, and after looking at it nervously for a bit she finally opened it and wrote, Voldemort.

His reply came swiftly. Hello, Virginia.

But she lost her nerve and slammed the book shut, glancing wildly around. No one was there. Ginny shook her head to clear it, and decided to start reading her new book.

After a bit, she had learned that necromancers use rituals, and that the book didn't have anything about the ritual she was looking for, one to raise memories. But she did read one graphic description of a ritual requiring her to sacrifice herself. Shuddering, she closed the book and lay back with a thump on her bed, not knowing what to do.

As much as she didn't want to unleash another Voldemort on the world, the desire to see Tom, now that she had the real diary, was growing stronger. She needed him to keep the dreams away, but agreeing to do the ritual would give many others nightmares. Ginny sighed. I hate moral dilemmas.

She was still confused by his kiss, too, and neither had mentioned it yet when they had talked. She had been kissed before a few times, but it was nothing special. The brush of his lips had left her shivering in a strange new way, one that she wasn't sure how to respond to. It scared her, this newness with Tom. Maybe it was just her perception of him, but he seemed more sensual, still gentle to her (which, she realized, was at least partly an act), but with darker overtones.

"Ginny!"

She jumped, and hurriedly hid the books under her pillow, pulling back the curtains. "Come in!"

Ron entered, grinning stupidly. "Guess what."

"What?" She raised her eyebrows.

"I asked Hermione out and she said yes!" He bounced up and down a bit.

"Congratulations," said Ginny warmly, giggling. "I'll go owl Fred and George."

"Don't you dare-" he chased her down the stairs, both of them yelling happily.

***

She was in the Chamber again, lying on the ground. Tom, red eyes glowing, was kneeling next to her, staring into her eyes with undisguised lust. She sat up slowly and kissed him, melting into his warmth. His soft lips sent sparks shooting through her.

They broked apart after a long moment, breathing hard.

"Voldemort?" whispered Ginny.

"I want you, Virginia," he said in a low voice. "I can give you so much, if only you will let me live."

"But how?"

He ran his fingers through her long hair. "Go to Professor Snape, Virginia. He will help. Go to-"

"-Snape," repeated her roommate. "We'll be late for potions!"

"Wha?" mumbled Ginny, not fully awake yet. But Rosie had disappeared downstairs, and then Ginny remembered her dream, and her eyes popped open. Mad at herself for leaving the diary under her pillow, she took it and the book out, crawled over her bed to get a quill and ink, and opened the diary.

Did you do that? she scrawled furiously.

Do what?

Give me that dream!

As I've told you, Virginia, the first diary was merely a test run. This one contains far more power.

She sat back and slammed it shut, quite sure that that translated into a "yes" from him. Then she remembered Potions and jumped up to get ready.

In class, she was fifteen minutes late, prompting Snape to give her a detention. She sat down grumpily, and wondered if she really should ask the Potions master about the ritual to raise Tom. Distracted throughout class, she nearly blew up the room while squirming in her seat, thinking about the dream. She had never known kisses could be that amazing, and despite herself, wanted more.

Ginny deliberated the rest of thed ay, earning herself numerous reprimands from teachers, and questions from some friends who had remembered what she was like in their first year - distracted and jumpy, like she was now.

Finally, when it came time for her detention, she went into Snape's office. They stared at each other for a long moment until he said, "Well?"

"I, um..." hesitated Ginny. "I want to know how it works. Just to know."

"Sit down," said Snape. She sat. "The ritual requires the necromancer - you, an anchor - me, a sacrifice, the ashes, and the diary," he recited in a lecturing tone. "It is complex and draining, but obviously nothing will happen to you unless, as your anchor to this world, something happens to me. And others will be guarding us."

She didn't like the way he made it sound as if it was sure to happen, but asked, "What exactly does an anchor do?" She knew, of course, from the book she had bought, but wanted to see if Malfoy had told Snape that she was talking to Tom.

"Don't-" hissed Snape. "Don't play mind games, girl. Go read that book you bought, and inform me when you are ready. Now start cleaning up the mess you made in class."

Ginny quickly got up and cleaned quietly, resolving not to let anyone else have the diary.

***

After another dream the next day, worse - or better, depending - than the first one, Ginny was going out of her mind. She had brought the diary to breakfast with her, and afterwards, went up to Dumbledore, intending to tell him about it. She had had enough, and now that Tom was making her dream even more, she had to get rid of it.

"Professor, I-" she began, and halted.

"I was wondering if I could go to the lecture on careers with the seventh-years, please," said Tom through her mouth. "I don't really know what I want to do, you see, and I'd like to think about it early, just to be sure..."

"Why, certainly, Miss Weasley," said Dumbledore, smiling. "Many sixth-years often do. I believe any teacher will be able to give you the information. I'm glad to see you're thinking about the future."

"Thanks, sir," said Tom, and moved her legs away. When she was out of sight, he gave her control again, and she ran up to her room in Gryffindor Tower, not caring if she was late to her next class. She opened the diary and furiously wrote, What was that?!

For the third time, Virginia, this diary is more powerful than the first, wrote Tom.

But why did I remember this time?

Just because I wanted you to.

So why don't you just make me raise you?

I could, but if you struggled against me during the ritual, you could die and it would fail, wrote Tom acidly. I prefer to let you decide whether or not you want to live.

She sat back and stared into empty space. Trying to outwit him, she had fallen into the trap. He could make her learn the ritual and do it because if she didn't, she would likely die. And she couldn't go to Dumbledore either, or dispose of the diary - she had tried that her first year, and that had just been the test diary.

Fine. You win, she wrote slowly, and closed the diary, waiting for the rush of guilt and horror. But all she felt was relief and a spark of anticipation.