My Eternal Curse

Chapter Three

An Unholy Alliance

First period had just started when Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the library. It was empty, except for Madam Pince and several other students. They started searching for the book Hermione had seen Ginny with earlier. An hour had passed, and they still couldn't find the book they were looking for.

"Have you found anything?" Harry asked.

"Nothing," Ron said. "Are you sure you got the title right, Hermione?"

"Of course," Hermione said.

"Maybe we should ask Madam Pince about the book," Harry said. "She'll probably know where we can find it."

"But what if she asks why we're looking for it?" Ron asked.

"Leave that to me," Hermione said. She walked over to Madam Pince's desk where she was reading a book.

"Excuse me Madam Pince," Hermione said. "I've been looking for a book I need for an extra credit assignment, but I can't seem to find it."

"What's the title?" Madam Pince asked.

"Its called 'Psychological Maladies and The Dark Arts'," Hermione said.

"Been studying the effects of the Dark Arts on the mind, have you?" Madam Pince said, checking her records. "It's quite a fascinating subject. The Dark Arts can have such a terrible effect on both the body and the mind... Ah, it looks like that book has already been checked out."

"By whom?" Hermione asked.

"By a Miss Virginia Weasley," Madam Pince said.

"I guess I'll have to ask her if I could borrow it, when I see her later." Hermione said. "One more thing... Has she taken out any other books?"

"Just one," Madam Pince said. "'Battle In the Psyche', another book on the psychological effects of the Dark Arts. Do you need anything else?"

"No," Hermione said. "Thank you for your help, Madam Pince."

Hermione headed out of the library without another word. Harry and Ron ran to catch up.

"You heard?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah..." Ron said. "But why would Ginny be studying the effects the Dark Arts has on people?"

"I don't know," Harry said.

"Do you think this has anything to do with You-Know-Who's diary?" Hermione asked.

"Possibly," Harry said. "We need to get to the bottom of this, and I think I know how."

*~*~*

Ginny strolled near the edge of the forbidden forest, with only the dim moonlight to light her way. She reflected on the past few days. She had been able to get that book from the restricted section, but it had turned out to be a dead end. The other two books she had checked out were proving to be not as useful as she had hoped. She was beginning to wonder if she was on what muggles called a 'wild goose chase'. The harder she tried to think this through, the less likely it seemed she could.

"There has be a way to stop him," Ginny thought. "Or at least warn somebody..."

"Thinking of getting rid of me again," Tom said in a silky voice. A shiver ran down her spine. She quickened her pace slightly. "Be careful... It was that sort of thinking that destroyed the last two wizards with this... condition."

"Shove off Riddle," Ginny said.

"Give it up," Tom said. "You know you can't win... Why not just accept it?"

"Accept it?" Ginny said. "Accept this nightmare I'm trapped in? Accept you taking over my mind? Go to hell!"

"You first," Tom said. "What makes you think you'll be able to stop me any more than Barrowstead did when Neverland infected his mind? It's too late to back out now. Let go..."

"And do what?" Ginny said angrily. "Wink out of existence? Become another monster like you? I'd rather die than ever give up my freedom to you again."

"Don't you see?" Tom said. "I am you..."

"No, you're not!" Ginny said, as she felt fear bubble up inside her. "You're the memory of a monster, and I will get rid of you!"

"Don't count on it," Tom said. "You couldn't get rid of me in your first year. What makes you think now will be any different. The last time you got into trouble your precious Potter bailed you out, but he isn't here to save you this time, is he? No one is here to save you this time. No one..."

"I should go up to Professor Dumbledore's office right now and-"

"And do what?" Tom said. "You won't be able to get two syllables out about this as long as I have a say in it. Even if you could, what are you going to tell him? That the Tom Riddle that was trapped in the diary for fifty years was never really destroyed? That I've survived for all of these years, by hiding inside your mind?"

"What if I did?" Ginny said. "Anything would be better than this!"

"Don't be so sure," Tom said. "Mark my words. He can't protect you from me. No one can. He'll just lock us up and throw away the key. Is that what you want my little Ginny, to be incarcerated in St. Mungo's? Because that what's going to happen to us when you tell him."

"That's not true!" Ginny said, as her feelings of fear made themselves known once more.

"Think about it," Tom said. "He can't destroy me without killing you and he couldn't let us remain free. What if we were dangerous? What if we harmed one of his precious students? What if you choked the life out of your precious Harry Potter?"

"Shut up..." Ginny said, clamping her hands to her ears.

"Dumbledore knows there is a chance I could make you do it," Tom continued mercilessly. "Imagine what it would feel like to clamp your hands around his throat, to feel the life drain out of him, to see the fear in his eyes when he realizes he's about to die."

"Shut up!" Ginny yelled into the empty night as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Dumbledore wouldn't chance that, now would he?" Tom said. "What if you didn't stop there? What if you killed your brother in his sleep? He would never even see it coming. What if you killed every one of his little Gryffindors one by one? No, Dumbledore would never risk that happening. He would rather lock an innocent up than risk losing his favorite students. Oh, of course he'll sugar coat it as much as possible for you first. He'll do his best to give you false hope so that you'll cooperate. He'll even have someone at the Ministry work on a way to separate us. The Ministry couldn't find an answer to a problem if it slapped them in the face, and you know it."

"You're lying!" Ginny said as she fell to her knees, crying. "You have to be. Dumbledore would never do that to me."

"Are you sure?" Tom asked. Ginny didn't answer him. She just sat there with her hands clamped firmly over her ears, crying. She couldn't bear to think about it, afraid that if she did, she might come to believe it.

"The truth hurts doesn't it," Tom continued. "They will lock you up without a second thought. All because you read the wrong book as a child... What will your friends think of you? What will your family say when they find out the truth? When they find out that you've been lying to them, lying to them, about me..."

"I didn't know," Ginny said.

"Didn't you?" Tom said. "Somewhere deep down you've always known. Why didn't you tell them when you discovered that you had changed? Why didn't you tell your mum that you were Parseltongue when you first found out? Why have you been lying to them for all of these years, Ginny?"

"Damn you!" Ginny yelled. "I should tell Professor Dumbledore everything..."

"What's stopping you?" Tom asked. "Unless you see some truth to my words... Why don't you give in, or are you afraid you'll like it?"

"Like hurting people?" Ginny said. "Never!"

"Don't lie to me," Tom said. "I know how much you smiled when you saw Draco Malfoy injured in that Quidditch match last year."

"That was different," Ginny mumbled. "He deserved it..."

"Did he deserve it, because he was your enemy?" Tom asked. "Or because he was in your way?"

"I am not a monster," Ginny thought.

"Of course you aren't," Tom said. "But who's to say what is monstrous and what is not? Harry Potter? Albus Dumbledore? Are you a monster because you're willing to go one step further, or are you a monster because of circumstances beyond your control?"

"Why should I listen to you?" Ginny said. "I know you, you would say anything to get what you want. I am nothing like you! I'm a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin!"

"Are you so sure about that?" Tom said. "I know what the hat said to you during the sorting ceremony. I know what you've been hiding since day one."

"The hat put me in Gryffindor," Ginny said.

"Only after you rejected Slytherin," Tom said. "Out of fear of what the others might think. That's always been your problem. You care too much about what others think of you. They're holding you back, and you know it! You weren't truly Gryffindor then, and you aren't now. That's why you didn't want the others to know you changed, isn't it? You were afraid to be different from them. You were afraid I tainted you!"

"What do you want from me?" Ginny asked, her voice breaking.

"I want you to be honest with yourself for a change," Tom said slowly. "I want you to rid yourself of this pathetic Gryffindor charade of yours, and become the Slytherin you were meant to become, but was too afraid to, until now. I want to help you!"

"I-I don't believe you," Ginny said hesitantly.

"Then go tell Dumbledore everything," Tom said. "I dare you! See how fast he locks you up. 'For your own protection,' of course. Watch your family, and so-called friends desert you. Go right ahead!"

"My family wouldn't do that!" Ginny said. "They love me."

"You, or the person they thought you were?" Tom asked. "Go ahead and find out, I won't stop you."

"You wouldn't let me do that," Ginny said. "You have even more to lose than I do."

"Do I?" Tom asked in a deadly whisper. "Or do you?"

"If what you've said is true I'll lose them either way," Ginny said. "At least they'll be safer if I go to Professor Dumbledore."

"Ginny," Tom said, sounding mildly amused. "Sometimes your naïveté can be astounding."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ginny said.

"It means that you're so hell-bent on destroying both our lives in some ridiculous show of Gryffindor integrity, that you're not looking at the bigger picture," Tom said. "Try looking at things from a different perspective."

"You mean try to see things from a sociopath's point of view?" Ginny said.

"Impertinent child!" Tom said angrily. "Listen to me! You and I are one and the same. We are linked, your denial won't change that. An understanding of that may not save us, but I'm sure a lack of it will put an end to us both."

"What do you suggest I do?" Ginny said. "Stand by, and let you take over my life? Just let you destroy everything I've ever loved?"

"No," Tom said. "I suggest you sue for peace now, while you still have a chance, but if we are going to get anywhere you have to accept the truth, and let go. Let go of this pitiful charade, that you've created for yourself. You are different from them, you always will be. I will promise you two things on the grave of Salazar Slytherin, my most honored ancestor. One, if you decide to side with me, I promise that I will not bring any harm to you or to those close to you for as long as you wish it. Two, you may go to Dumbledore now if you wish, but if you do I will not rest until I've destroyed you. If I have to face oblivion again, I will not face it alone. Think about it, but do not take too long to decide. Join me Ginny. Together we will be unstoppable!"

Ginny was speechless.

*~*~*

Ginny stared out of her dorm room window at the bleak, stormy landscape below. Throughout the entire school day, all she could think about was Tom's proposal. "Join me Ginny. Together we will be unstoppable!" Those words seemed to follow her like a plague, wherever she went. That's what Tom was to her, a plague. Then why did she keep going back to him? Why couldn't he have just died? He was always there in one form or another to remind her of her one mistake, becoming friends with him in the first place. A part of her would always remember fondly those good days they shared, even if they weren't real. Another part of her would always hate him for it, and for his betrayal! Was any of his kindness ever real? Even after all these years, she still wasn't sure. Ginny was sure of only one thing; she couldn't live in the past any more. Not with Tom, or with anyone else for that matter.

They were trapped in a unique situation. She sighed. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Tom had a point. Dumbledore would probably not let her stay at Hogwarts, not like this. Not while Tom was still a threat to the students, but what if she could learn to control him? Learn to keep him under wraps, without his knowing it? Maybe he would even be useful. At least until she found a way to remove him. He had said that he needed her. Ginny realized that he was as trapped as she was in this. He wanted to use her... but perhaps she could use him instead? Maybe then she could even the playing field. After all, if he fought dirty, why couldn't she? That idea appealed to her more than she liked to admit. Perhaps Tom was right about that... maybe, deep down, she was a Slytherin. Well, I am what I am. Perhaps its time I stop running from myself, find out who I am once and for all. I'll kill myself before I let Tom take complete control of me or hurt anyone else again! I just hope it doesn't come to that...

"Tom?" Ginny thought. "Are you there?"

"You rang?" Tom said.

"I what?" Ginny said.

"Never mind," Tom said. "Have you thought about my offer?"

"Yes," Ginny said. "I... You're right, I can't keep running anymore. I-I accept your offer, but not your conditions. If we are gonna work together we are gonna be equal partners."

"Agreed," Tom said. "Anything else?"

"You said that you promised not to hurt me or the others," Ginny said. "You said that my welfare has become yours... I want you to promise me that you will protect them, no matter what. Their well-being... is mine, and 'for as long as we work together,' it's yours too!"

"Even that damnable Harry Potter?" Tom asked angrily. "Even that hopeless fool Dumbledore?"

"Especially them!" Ginny said. "I know you Tom. You hate them, but if you're going to work with me you're going to protect them. What is more important to you, my snake? You're continued existence, or your petty desire for revenge? Choose; keep in mind that if I find out your lying to me, I will make sure you won't live to regret it. Swear it, or I go straight to Dumbledore right now!"

"Agreed," Tom said after a long pause. "I swear on the grave of Salazar Slytherin that I will bring no harm to you, or to those close to you. Furthermore, I swear to protect you, and those close to you for as long as you wish it."

"So what do we do now?" Ginny said with a yawn.

"We get some sleep," Tom said. "In case you hadn't noticed, you haven't slept in weeks."

"Why should I trust you?" Ginny said.

"If we're going to work together, we have to trust each other sooner or later," Tom said. "Or are you being insincere?"

"Fine," Ginny said. "But if you-"

"I know," Tom said. "Now get some rest."

Ginny didn't bother to change and laid down under the covers. She was afraid of what Tom might do while she slept, but forced herself to close her eyes. She instantly began to drift off to sleep. Just before she fell asleep could have sworn she heard Tom speak.

*~*~*

"Good night my little princess," Tom whispered softly as she drifted off into a deep sleep. He could feel just how tired she was, how tired they were. He was exhausted beyond words. Tom was surprised that they hadn't just collapsed one day from pure exhaustion. The last few weeks he had spent fighting with her had been well spent, but had depleted his own reserves. At least things had worked out in his favor. The information Ginny had found had not been the most encouraging, but he still managed to use it to his advantage. It was like taking candy from a baby. Now to use her to his advantage... That was going to be the tricky part. She had made him swear on the grave of his most honored ancestor to protect those close to her, including that fool Dumbledore. Such bonds weren't easily broken; even he would not do such a thing directly. He would have to find some other way to exact vengeance on them, without breaking his word. Maybe he could turn her against them? That was a thought. For now he would let her rest. When she awakened he could start to put his plans into action. For now he was content to rest, and come up with a plan.

__________

TBC