Crystal Power

Chapter 4: - Parting Is Such Sorrow

"Ron!!!!" Vir screamed, her eyes wide and panicked. A red haired body was curled up on the floor. She dashed towards it and crouched down. Timidly she extended her hand towards its neck region. "He's dead."

"What?" Draco strode across the room. She pulled her fingers away and examined them; blood stained her nails.

"You said he'd be all right." She slowly stood and stared between the man and the body. A tear rolled down her cheek and she paled, her hair even appeared to lose some of its vibrant colour. The blonde joined her stood up and reached out to touch her. "NO! You did this; you killed him. I HATE YOU!" She balled up her hands and thrust her right fist into his jaw. He reeled backwards and she fled from him. She tore down the corridor, tears streaming down her face. She turned down various paths and didn't stop until she ran straight into a solid stonewall. She thumped it and then slumped against it, sliding to the floor.

He recovered from the punch she'd administered to him and began his pursuit. He was livid; he could hear her sobs and footsteps. He was gaining on her and then the sounds he was trailing stopped. He slowed and listened carefully; he could detect her stifled sobs. He closed in on her, becoming aware of the fact he was getting lost in the depths of the dungeons under his own home. He saw her curled up in the foetal position on the floor shivering and crying. His anger mounted and he longed to comfort her, he approached her and sat by her.

"Vir?" he asked. She tilted her head up to him, her hair stuck to her tear stained skin.

"What do you want?" Her voice wasn't above a whisper; he reached out and brushed her hair away. She flinched at his touch and looked away.

"I... How did life hurt you so much?" he asked, removing his hand.

"That's the wrong question. How could you hurt me so much? What have I done to you?"

"I was always taught let nothing and no-one get in your way and never feel anything for the casualties and victims along the way. I'm not responsible for this but I'll find who did this and act accordingly." Her brown orbs glistened up at him.

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"If we don't start to get out of here I may never find the way out, it's a maze down here." He stood and extended a hand to her, which she took and together they began to find the way out. "I'm sorry. I've not been a gracious host to you. I'll allow you to send a letter to whomever you choose. I really had nothing to do with the Weas... Rons death but this is my fault." They reached the entrance and Draco exited the dungeon but Vir stood still.

"What?"

"I order that your family were the victims of the attack. See I told you I was just like my father, I'll orchestrate plans but not perform them myself unless I can get away with it. Azkaban just isn't a Malfoys style."

"That's not true, I refuse to believe that." A smile touched her lips slightly and she followed him. "I was close to my family and I just need to get over their deaths. Did you mean that about the letter?"

"Of course, I'm going to that meeting there is an owlery in the east tower and parchment in the desk." He apperated away, leaving her alone in the drawing room.

*****

She sniffed and a fresh onslaught of tears spilled from her eyes. Her family was gone with the exception of her eldest brothers who were never home and Fred and George who were busy with W.W.W. (Weasley Wizard Wheezes). But she longed to be with them now or at least with Harry, Hermione or her school friends Cliona and Talia. She walked up to the desk and sat down in the leather chair. She easily located parchment, a quill and ink. She dipped the quill in the ink and then placed it to the parchment.

'Harry,' She began, the ink was a dark emerald green.

'How are you? I'm fine. I have bad news; I don't know if you've heard about what happened. The Burrow was attacked by dark wizards they killed Mum, Dad and Percy. Ron and I were kidnapped, I got to see Ron this morning and he's dead too.' A tear slid from her cheek and splashed on to the paper smudging the ink. 'I'm all right, Draco's been good to me. Don't get the wrong impression I'm not here voluntarily but he's let me write this letter. Something isn't right it's got something to do with a crystal wand. Don't come for me; just tell my brothers I'm okay.

Love

Gin' She frowned and crossed her name out. 'Vir.' She amended wiping her eyes she tied up the parchment with a ribbon that she'd worn in her hair at the ball. She ran through the house to the owlery, which she found easily. He attached the letter to the leg of a huge eagle owl and set it off. She then went to explore the huge manor.

*****

Draco stood at the centre of the circle his hair reflecting the sunlight. His 'followers' stood around him. He stood silently knowing that a man in the circle had committed the act of brutal murder on Ron. His eyes passed over each person, scrutinising them. He mentally came up with five suspects. Zabini, Nott, Avery, Parkinson and Malfoy, each former Death Eaters. Each capable of vicious attacks. Draco decided to play along with the 'Dark Lord' idea.

"If you are undeniably loyal to me step forward," he commanded. Each man stepped forward not looking at him. "Very well, who killed the prisoner?" The group were still silent. "All right, I wish to honour that person, please step forward." It was no surprise to him when Lucius stepped forward. "You shall be honoured at a ceremony soon." He then disapperated back to the manor.

*****

"Vir, are you in here?" Draco called out from the balcony of the library.

"I'm down here," a feminine voice called back. He smiled and went in search of her. Her red hair fell around her face in a halo; she was sat on the floor surrounded by books.

"What are you doing?" he queried.

"Research," she replied turning the page of an old leather bound book. "Interesting collection of literature you have here."

"Hmph, the majority of these book would be banned from the restricted section. They're mostly of the Dark Arts."

"Mmm, I know. Anyway, I had a thought about your wand, you said something about you not understanding it, so I decided to look in some books." He sat next to her and examined the titles.

'Symbols of Power', 'Dark Materials and Their Creators', 'Dark Prophecies', and there were several more in the pile.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked.

"If I keep occupied I don't think about it." She shut the book she was reading and started on another.

"You're almost as bad as that Mud blood, Granger."

"Don't say that about Hermione, she beat you in the N.E.W.T.'s."

"Yeah well, what have you found?"

"Not a lot, basically the wand exists in legend, but nobody has ever seen it." She looked at him and her mouth fell open. "Did I do that?"

"What?" He felt his bloated jaw and smiled. "It's nothing."

"What do you mean? It's purple and swollen. I might have broken it. May I use your wand?"

"A broken jaw is a battle wound, it adds character to a person."

"If it sets wrong you'll end up looking like Quasimodo. I'm sure you wouldn't want that."

"How do I know I can trust you to just fix my jaw and not place the full body bind on me?"

"You can't, but you trusted me with a letter." He passed her the crystal wand and she extended it, she mumbled several spells and his jaw returned to its usually chiselled appearance. "Better?"

"Much." He worked his jaw from side to side loosening it up.

"You're welcome," she replied irritated by his lack of manners. She returned her concentration to the book giving him the wand back.

"Oh, sorry. Thanks." He twitched his mouth up as if to smile but then frowned. "Vir, why are you being civilized to me?"

"Hmm? Oh, if I'm not going to be nice to you then I'd kill you because I'm so mad with you and.... alone. I don't believe you're bad under that exterior even if you are, who else do I have to talk to?"

"That won't be possible anymore, it's too risky to keep you here so I'm taking you somewhere else." Her mouth formed a small 'o' and she sat silently for several minutes. A door was audibly opened and footsteps followed.

"My Lord?" an icily cold voice queried.

"Yes Father?" he replied automatically.

"Your future wife is waiting in the reception room." Draco rolled his eyes, a gesture Vir saw.

"Coming," The door was heard to close once more. "I'll tell them to take you to your new residence, I must talk to Pansy."

*****

Draco met privately with Lucius before seeing Pansy.

"Father, see that she is taken to The Castle. Provide her with clothing and food, lock her safely in her room and make sure she's unconscious before you take her. She has sent a letter to Potter and I just don't trust her." His eyes glinted evilly and a cold smile twisted on his lips. He then turned to see his future wife.

"Draco, darling." Pansy hurried towards him smiling.

"Hey, is this important?" She kissed his cheek and stood back.

"I just heard, isn't it wonderful. When Daddy told me I knew I had to see you immediately. I just wanted to discuss wedding plans with you, but if you're planning on killing Potter it can wait."

"Yes, I am planning on killing Potter." Her face fell. "But, I'll listen to you."

"Well I was thinking; should I become Pansy Malfoy, or Pansy Malfoy- Parkinson, or Pansy Parkinson-Malfoy?"

"I don't care, if you become Pansy Longbottom. Anything else?" She frowned and pointed an accusing finger at her.

"I would never associate with Longbottom. Now, what about my dress, I was thinking of virginal white. Big and floaty and..."

"White? Virginal white, Pansy come now that isn't quite true is it?"

"Draco Malfoy you infuriate me I don't know why I'm marrying you!" She stormed from the room leaving him with a satisfied grin plastered on his face.

*****

Vir became very aware that she wasn't alone. A shadow hung over her head and she looked up without moving her head. A wand was directed at her: -

"Petrificus totallus." Her body froze and fell solidly backwards to the ground, her legs still crossed.

*****

When Vir awoke she felt warm, beneath her was a soft mattress and incense filled the room. She forced her eyes to open and looked around the room. She was alone in a bedroom smaller than Draco's but still huge. Timidly she sat up and stretched. The decor wasn't to her taste, bottle green velvet drapes, matching bedspread, visibly stonewalls, green rugs covering an equally stone floor and silver. Silver decorations added to the room as entwined serpents. The warmth came from a large log fire, not unlike those which burned in Hogwarts. There was a large window through which she couldn't see the landscape. Standing she walked to the window, the scene was beautiful. Rolling snow-covered mountains in each direction, a crisp blue sky allowed the snow to reflect the sunlight. This wasn't mid summer in England, where was she?

*****

Draco took to spending time alone; he had taken Vir's notes on the wand and was reading them through passively.

'Crystal wand believed to exist among dark wizards. Created by Slytherin allows the holder to....'

TAP TAP TAP. Draco looked at the window. A hand was suspended in mid air, a cruel smile curved his lips as he stood and opened the window. After several moments there was a thud inside the room and he closed the window. He looked expectantly at where the sound had emanated from and his suspicions were confirmed when Harry Potter threw off an invisibility cloak.

"All right Malfoy, where is she?" Potter asked clenching and unclenching his fists.

"Where is whom, Potter?" he sneered back.

"Ginny, I know you've taken her. If you've harmed one hair on her head I'll..."

"You'll what? It's not as if she's your property..." Harry lunged forward and grabbed Draco's collar pushing him into the stonewall.

"I will personally kill you. I'll ask you again, where is she?"

"What makes you think she's here?" Harry eased his grip allowing the other man to stand-alone.

"This." He pulled out a tear stained piece of parchment. "Listen, 'Ron and I were kidnapped, I got to see Ron this morning and he's dead too. I'm all right, Draco's been good to me. Don't get the wrong impression I'm not here voluntarily but he's let me write this letter. Don't come for me, just tell my brothers I'm okay.'"

"Then why are you here if she asked you not to come?"

"I wouldn't let her stay anywhere near you, Malfoy. You're the scum of the earth, Death Eater."

"Ha, hardly. You see Potter, I am not simply a follower, and I am the leader. Give me one reason why I shouldn't allow myself to perform the one task Voldemort couldn't and kill you?" the blonde sneered.

"You wouldn't be able to."

"Or, better yet I could let Vir kill you. After all, the girl must be hurt after all those years worshipping you to find out that you're sleeping with the mud blood." Harry threw a punch at Draco, which was easily blocked.

"Actually, Malfoy I'm marrying Ginny this time next year."

"Ah, so that's it. You 'love' her, how sweet. It's really a shame that you'll not see her again isn't it?"