Slytherin Forever! Book Three: The Rising

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Chapter Five: Pawns Of A War.

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And dark is strangling

The world of war

With no fear in his eyes

The one with sight is watching

- Child Of Oblivion, Moonsorrow.

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Ginny heard footsteps come up to them, quickening by the second, but she did not look up. All that mattered now was Natalya's body - not withering away, no, not yet, but close to destruction from the inside out - and the grief of the Slytherins. She felt sadness inside of her, Zeynep's sadness, panic, yes, from Blaise and Emmanuelle, anger, also, from Loki and Jaime, confusion, somewhere, which felt like Gudrun's confusion, defeat, perhaps, from a mind that could be Katarina's, and fear from two people who were now close to her.

"What happened?" Draco's voice asked from behind her. "I heard Lya's screams but I couldn't stop running. That Mark was conjured by the voice we heard..."

"A Death Eater's voice, no doubt," Ginny spoke. Her own voice sounded strange to her ears, thickened with grief and much sorrow, but she continued speaking as if her own pain did not matter. "I guess that you did not find him, though, because even a Death Eater would not be that stupid. But I fear for Lya's life. Her mind is slipping away from us and the only thing I can sense from her is peace."

"She should not be the first to fall," Zeynep whispered. "There are so many things left here for her... some joyous, others painful... She can't die."

"She won't die," Thomas Rivers said. Ginny noticed the unconvinced tone in his voice but did not say anything about it. "We did not find the Death Eater, no, but what does it matter? The Ministry's already investigating the place where the Mark was conjured," he sighed. "But listen... what's that?"

Noises could be heard in the forest. Footsteps, then, at a quick pace. Emmanuelle and Blaise entered the clearing moments later with Loki and Jaime on their heels. Wordlessly, Zeynep put Natalya's body upon the ground and stepped back. Ginny got up too and went to stand next to Draco, who put his arm around her shoulders as a sign of comfort.

"Did the Mark trigger this reaction?" Jaime asked the Slytherins hurriedly. "And what did she say before she fell?"

"I believe that the Mark triggered it, yes," Zeynep said shakily. "She said Voldemort's name, and then that she knew his face and his plans. She also said that she loved us but that we had to let her go."

Loki had turned ghostly pale at Zeynep's words and shouted something at Jaime in Russian. Jaime responded almost instantly and picked Natalya up as if she weighed barely more than a feather.

"We have to move quickly," Loki breathed. "Ginny, your tent is closest, yes?" At the nod of the redhead, he continued: "We'll go there. Gudrun is present already with the few weapons I might have got left for this. Jaime, be careful with her."

"You got it," Jaime murmured and stalked off through the forest with Natalya still limp in his arms. He was muttering to himself and Ginny vaguely caught his words as she half-ran and half-walked after him. "What those idiots were thinking, letting them into the forest while they knew that we would be opposed... They should have gone with them because then none of this would have happened... I don't believe it!"

Draco and Blaise stumbled after them, trying to keep up with their stride but failing miserably at it. Zeynep just walked next to Ginny - having no difficulty with the fast pace at all - while Emmanuelle and Thomas came at the very end of the line, walking quietly but determinedly. Loki, meanwhile, had rushed past them all and was shouting instructions at unseen persons throughout the forest.

"Is she there?" Ginny looked up at the shout of a voice she recognized almost instantly as Katarina's. "Is everything okay with all of you?"

"Everything is fine," Jaime murmured to a worried Katarina as they came out of the forest. "Not thanks to Gudrun and you, though. What in the Devil's name were you thinking?" he hissed and deposited Natalya into Loki's arms. "I strictly told you to keep them away from the other campsites. Have you learned nothing of this, woman?"

"We thought that everything would be fine," Katarina said nervously. "The Weasleys are worried now. What do you want me to tell them?"

"How about the truth?" Ginny spat at her. "I am sick of this whole hide-and-seek game. Gudrun and you are going to tell my family what they need to know: the truth as far as it can be told to non-Zeppo members," she hissed. "If you decide to run away from your duties, well, if you're so weak, please do so! But not while I'm in charge. You wanted a leader and an Heir of Taigan? Fine, then I'll give you a perfect example of what that person should be like. You've just managed to piss the only Slytherin by blood who is still alive off... so face the consequences," she shot at all of the elder Slytherins. "You are going to heal Lya. I don't care how long it takes, Loki, Jaime, by all means use a month or two because you are so good at prolonging everything that crosses your path, but heal her. Katarina, get out of my sight and tell my family that we had some problems. Gudrun, talk with the other Slytherins here. All of them. I don't care if they are ancient or still in their mother's stomach. They have to know because, now, we go to war. My father has gone one step ahead of his plans? Great. We'll take ten steps ahead of him then. Are you scared? Are you frightened? Good. Then everything is as it should be. Get to work."

Katarina shot one look at Ginny before scurrying off towards the large tent, where the Weasleys were all standing. Gudrun nodded briskly and ran off, screaming instructions at people close to her. Loki and Jaime shot Ginny awed looks, and a vague murmur could be heard before they entered the smaller tent.

"We'll make a Slytherin out of you yet."

"That was wicked!" Thomas squeaked from behind Ginny. "Way to go, Heiress!"

"Since when am I 'the Heiress' to you?" Ginny asked with a smile.

"Something about the way you talked just now," Draco smirked. "Woman, you scared the hell out of me." Then, as an afterthought, he added, looking for some reason quite ashamed: "I loved it. If Voldemort heard you... he'll be running back to Albania right now, and fast too. Fantastic work."

"You think?" Ginny smirked back, before her face broke out into a huge grin. "Can't believe that I just did that."

"I can," Draco said and hugged her. "Loki's right. We'll make a Slytherin out of you."

"Wasn't I a Slytherin already?" Ginny mumbled into his shoulder. "You know that sometimes I wish that we could all just leave this nightmare and return to our lives? When I talk like I just did... I always have a feeling like there's somebody else inside of me too. The side the Sorting Hat saw when it put me into Slytherin, the side that seems to deal with my heritage easily... that side is coming out now. I can't stop it. I can't fight it. I can only obey it."

"For someone who has recently heard that the greatest Dark Wizard of all time is her father," Draco murmured, "you are dealing well with everything. So to you there are two Ginny's, right? One Ginny's this Ginny, talkative but worried. The other Ginny's that Ginny who just came out to play," he smirked and planted a kiss in her hair. "But I know something you don't: they're both you. I know you both ways and I'm still here. To me you're one and the same."

"It doesn't feel that way to me," Ginny sighed. "That part of me which is worried is the part that's familiar to me, the part that I have known for all of my life. That other part, the respect demanding and orders-giving Ginny, that's the new me. I feel like I'm becoming somebody else, Draco, don't you get it?"

"I get it," he whispered and held her even closer to him. "This war is changing everyone, not just you. You're forced to change because, really, you're the so-called Heiress of Taigan and the one who can bring us peace. I am forced to change because you are forced to change. I'm bound to you, Gin, even though it doesn't always seem that way," he said softly. "You saw how much Lya changed and how much Zeynep still cares for her. That won't be different in our case. No matter which Ginny you become... you'll always be my Ginny."

"Thanks," Ginny smiled. "You're rather sweet, for a Malfoy."

"You too," Draco sighed, "for a Riddle." Then, suddenly, he asked: "Can't we just quit talking?"

"Shutting up," Ginny grinned and snuggled into his chest. "You'll just tell me when I can talk again, okay?"

"All right," Draco sighed.

For now they just held each other close, not just through their bodies but also within their hearts, knowing that the war would change everything. Even they would change soon and become true Slytherins. Their meeting after that change would be like the first kiss of Josselin and Taigan, bittersweet but cherished within their hearts, but they were yet unaware of what road they had to take. All they had now was each other... and that was enough.

***

The Malfoy Residence. Just outside Sliven, Bulgaria.

Shanna woke up and blinked as she realized that she was lying underneath a blanket. She could only guess who had been so kind to cover her with it. And yet... where was he? Where was her son? Sirius mumbled something as she tried to move and she sighed, surrendering herself to the little snug place in his arms once more, knowing that she should not be so worried. But still, it was rather strange that she didn't hear her son move around the house yet.

"We should get up, you know," she whispered into Sirius' ear. "It's only an hour before sunrise."

"I'm not a vampire, Shan," her husband murmured. "I can stand the sunlight. Let's just stay here."

"Rakkaus has been here while we were asleep. I cannot help but wonder where he is now."

"He's a teenage boy," mumbled Sirius. "He has been here, true, but what if he left when he saw that you hadn't killed me?"

Shanna smirked, remembering the night they'd had. She hadn't killed him, hadn't shouted at him, but had found comfort in his arms instead. She tried to get up again and this time Sirius let her. She shivered from the cold as she put her clothes on, shivered because she was no longer present within the warm embrace of the man she loved, but moved around the room moments later looking for signs of Rakkaus. She found his note upon the table.

"He has left Bulgaria," she said unsteadily after she had read it. "He says that we should not come after him to Britain or that we should send him back to school. He no longer wishes to be protected," she said, voice trembling slightly, "because he feels that he is doing something right for the first time in his life."

"Oh Shan," Sirius sighed as Shanna started to cry. "Don't shed any tears for him."

He got up as well and took his wife into his arms. Shanna was now crying freely, clutching the note her son had left her. Sirius murmured comforting words into her hair as he rocked her gently back and forth.

"He's left me too. Now what will become of me? You can't always be there, you won't always be able to stay with me, and he's gone to Britain without hesitation."

"Is he alone?" Sirius asked gently. "You're right about everything you say but I know that I'll stay with you for as long as I can. Isn't that enough? We know what we are getting ourselves into with the bond that now exists between The Zeppo and the Order. Yet I promise you that I'll stay."

"I'm being silly," Shanna sniffed. "He isn't alone. He's joined forces with a girl called Regina Ferras."

"But isn't she...?"

"The daughter of Reníen."

***

Field Number One, near the Quidditch Stadium. Britain.

"She's nearly gone," Jaime said to Loki as he removed his hand from Natalya's forehead. "It won't be long, now, but you heard what the Heiress told us."

"She still Sees the future of the world," Loki replied with a heavy heart. "She holds no fear for life or death. But I fear that she has now Seen it all."

"We need to save her," Jaime whispered. "If not for the future, then for ourselves. She is too young for death."

"Prepare for everything," Loki said and swept out of the tent.

He faced not only the young Slytherins and the Weasley family. The Heiress was there as well, searching his face for the truth. Slowly Loki began to realize that this was no longer Ginny Weasley but that she had become Virginia Riddle instead. He wondered when that change had come over her, for when he had left her she had still been the same scared little girl, but shrouded his eyes with shadow. Her eyes narrowed slightly but she did not speak to him, perhaps afraid of the authority that would be reflected within her voice, perhaps afraid of the truth, perhaps also unwilling to reveal her true identity to the people who had raised her. And when she finally spoke Loki noticed in her words the hint of annoyance, the obvious anger, the tremble of grief, the authority of an Heiress to Slytherin, and the distinct pride of her House members, and he marvelled at the shrouded power within her eyes. It was not visible to her family who regarded him warily nor was it noticed by her friends and allies. He alone saw it and he knew that she knew this.

"How is she?" Virginia demanded of him. "And the truth, this time, without any kind of note that you'll tell me everything by the end of this year," she added with anger showing through the power. "I am weary with sorrow and much toil. I cannot deal with pretty words anymore. Tell me the truth. Without a shield from the bad things."

"She is dying," Loki said to her. And now there was fear within Virginia's eyes and her power wavered. Good. "We fear that she will not live through the night. We can delay her death, surely, but it will probably be in vain."

"Good Salazar, if there is a chance then give her the chance!" Zeynep exploded. "She is not suffering anymore but she is slipping away. You say you can delay her death? Get her back to us and we'll see about the 'probably'."

"We are trying the best we can," Loki said calmly. "And if that best isn't good enough I swear that I'll quit my job at the Dark Arts Academy. I didn't become a Necromancer because I could let people die," he whispered, more to himself than to his allies, "but because I could offer them another chance."

"Be a Necromancer then," Ginny whispered. He looked up, startled. A hint of a smile played around her lips but she didn't give any other indication that she had heard his words. "Quitting your job won't be necessary," she continued despite the confused looks she received from the others. "I know what you need. And I shall be the one to give it to you because, quite frankly put, I owe Slytherin House something."

"It is too risky and too dangerous!" Loki shouted at her before turning to Arthur. "Take her with you, Weasley. Take her into the tent and forbid her to leave. Do what is in your power to stop her."

"He can't stop me," Ginny laughed. "None of them can." Her eyes sparkled with mirth but also with annoyance. "I know that you need power. Why then won't you take mine?"

"Because it can kill you," Jaime said from behind Loki. Hearing his American accent somewhat calmed Loki down, hearing a close friend speak the words he thought was relieving. "We have no guarantee of power from you but words and the happenings of the past thousand years."

"Bat-Bogeys!" Ginny screamed at him. "Dreams! Prophecies!" Now everyone in close proximity to them was watching. "Vayaen! Death Eaters! Slytherin! Sweet Josselin, if anything is a proof of power it is that!"

"Then come, fitza re seideira," Loki said to her. "I have got faith in you. Arthur, please do not worry about your daughter. She stands a better chance than anyone else right now."

***

Knockturn Alley, London. Britain.

"Have you found anything interesting yet?"

Regina looked up from the old books she was flicking the pages of, regarding Rakkaus with a somewhat vague look in her eyes. Rakkaus, after sighing, closed the book he had been reading in and went over to her.

"So far, not a damn thing," Regina sighed. "Then again... what did you expect? The Vayaen have destroyed almost all of the written language that talks about them. The only thing that's left now is Von Denen Verdammten and what legend tells us."

"We could look into some Necromancy books instead," Rakkaus shrugged. "Salazar was fanatic about that art, did you know that? Perhaps there is some information about the Vayaen in one of those books."

"They will have destroyed that too," Regina sighed. "The Vayaen never did something partly. But maybe, I wonder... yes, perhaps that will work... it is worth a try."

"What on earth are you muttering about?"

"It is said that the Heirs of Slytherin have got a strong bond with Necromancy," Regina explained as she started to look for something fanatically. "Some say it might be the only thing they've inherited from Salazar. Salazar was - like Voldemort - afraid of death. Not in the end, no, not then when Damien killed him... but before Taigan left he feared death beyond anything," she whispered. "Salazar wanted his statue to be placed within the Chamber of Secrets so that at least his Heirs would remember him. Of course, after Damien murdered Salazar that statue was removed. The one that's in the Chamber now is an image of Damien. All pictures of Salazar, in every single damn history book, have been replaced by pictures of the leader of the Vayaen. It's like they are the same person."

"What are you looking for?" Rakkaus asked with an increasing sense of foreboding. "You said it yourself, Regina, the Vayaen never did something partly. It was foolish of me to think that Slytherin's legacy lies within the art he once loved."

"The legacy lies within the Heirs," Regina replied, "but the past and the future lie within the art of death. Salazar and Damien were both killed through a ritual that is quite similar to the Necromancer ritual Zari-Iraz."

"And you are looking for the reversal rite," Rakkaus stated. "But you do not wish to free Salazar from the chains of death. You seek the Book of Tesh-Aran because you wish to speak with Damien. Why?"

"The sooner the Heiress gets in touch with Necromancy, the more dangerous her life will become from that moment on. Her power will one day unleash the angels, Rakkaus, and it will unleash the Vayaen. And they shall go to look for a leader in order to kill the Heiress so that they might destroy the last of the bloodline their greatest enemy left behind. We cannot stop fate, but we can offer it our help. Necromancy cannot be imprisoned by any craft we possess upon the face of this earth... but Necromancy can imprison everything that lives upon the planet including us. If we use a fraction of that power, only a fraction, with Damien's aid, we can imprison not only the Vayaen forever... but also Voldemort."

"That has got to be the most ridiculous plan I have ever heard," Rakkaus sighed. "We have to think this over very carefully. For if Damien breaks free from the chains we put upon him, he will walk the face of this earth once more..."

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