Father's Minion

Chapter 3

Ginny followed the rest of Gryffindor up to the tower. People were laughing and joking, as they had done since Malfoy received his "gift", but no one seemed to see what it was. Malfoy looked extremely shaken though. All Ginny knew, was that it couldn't be good. Not good at all.

"Hey love, best be careful...you could get lost in this big castle." Ginny turned to see who was speaking to her. It was the first year who had pinched her bum before...she had almost forgotten.

"Beg parodon?" Ginny asked, she prayed she had heard the little boy wrong.

"You got a bloke?"

"Huh?"

"You know, someone to keep you safe from all the scary monsters that might lurk in the corridors?" Ginny stared at the little boy open mouthed. This cannot be happening to me! The boy had backed her into a corner of the hall. She could see all the other Gryffindors walking ahead of them. The scary thing was that the boy was as tall as she was. Curse my Mother for her short genes. This little bugger is too confident for his own good. Ginny stood there suffocating from the closeness, when suddenly she felt someone tugging her hand and pulled her away from her awckward prison.

"Actually, she's mine," Harry was glaring openly at the boy now, but the boy sneered in kind.

"Kinda geeky aint ya? She needs a real man." The boys eyes were racking her body now. Ginny shivered. Ugh, she thought, ithis is just too gross.

"Are you really eleven?" Harry asked incredulously. The boy only smirked and strode away toward the Gryffindor tower. Ginny couldn't shake the feeling...something's wrong with that boy. He doesn't belong in Gryffindor. I'll have to see him everyday in the common room.

"Ginny are you okay?" Harry looked down at her, concern present in his eyes. Ginny realized that she was still attached to Harry's middle.

"Oh, yes Harry I'm sorry. Thank you so much. I don't know what his issue is," Ginny said detaching herself reluctantly from Harry. She looked up and brown gaze met green.

"He probably just fancies you Ginny. He wouldn't be the first bloke at Hogwarts to be caught by your spell," he gave her a lopsided grin. Ginny's stomach plummeted and her knees buckled causing Harry to put his arms around her again.

"Are you insinuating that I've got you under my spell Mr. Potter?" she whispered into his chest.

"No. I just said he wouldn't be the first bloke to fall for you." Harry stated matter of fact, Ginny's stomach fell even farther and it was sickening. She straightened herself out and brushed herself off. She wouldn't allow herself to be hurt by him, she was over him anyway.

"Good." And with that Ginny started walking away head held high. She heard hurried footsteps behind her and heard Harry's voice, "Ginny...wait."

"Yes?" she tried to put on her most uninterested expression on.

"The password is 'butterbeer'," he smirked and walked through the portrait.

*****

It was only the second week of school and Draco was already having troubles keeping his mind on his school work. It seemed everywhere he went the Weasley girl was always there. Everywhere he went...the only safe place was the Slytherin common room and his dorm. Draco looked around the common room and scoffed.

There were four first years sitting in a corner of the common room, they seemed to have delegated that spot the outcast spot when they arrived and no one questioned their judgment. Draco didn't think that they were going to last at all. The Sorting Hat was definitely batty this year. The little red-haired girl kept throwing Draco shy looks then blushing furiously before joining in her friends' conversation.

Draco growled in frustration...he was never going to get any work done. The little red-head reminded him of the Weasley girl it was frustrating. I can't even escape her in the Slytherin common room! What is the world coming to? A lot of the Slytherins had been harsh to the newcomers...putting poisonous plants in their beds to give them rashes and playing nasty little tricks. Often times Draco found that he had to take points from his own house...though some times he did join in and make some of the firsties cry.

The red-head was different though. Draco rose from his chair near the fire and walked over to the first years...they all hushed when he came near. The only boy, the smallest, the one Draco had nominated as his personal humiliation task flinched at the sight of him. Draco's mouth curved upward seeing the power he held over them. He averted his attention back to the red-head who was trying very hard not to look him in the eyes.

"What's your name?" The little girl shuffled her feet and looked around for a while. Suddenly realization dawned on her and she pointed a finger at herself and looked at Draco uncertainly before mouthing. Me?

Draco arched his eyebrow and put on his best bored expression before commenting, "Yes you. Are you mute or just plain ignorant?" The girl's mouth twitched as if she were going to cry and Draco found that he thought the gesture was quite humorous.

"M-my n-n-na-name i-is...Reda Fanforth." Draco looked the girl over carefully, she definitely looked like a Weasley...maybe distant relative, but he'd never seen her converse with them.

"Are you by any chance related to the Weasleys?" Draco inquired looking at her in a scrutinizing manner. The little girl before him blanched and looked at him as if he were stupid.

"No. They're social outcasts. My father says that Arthur Weasley is a disgrace of a Wizard because he gets paid to do a job that no one else cares about. Look at him...what's the point. I am most definitely not related to any of them, nor would I wish that sort of disgusting fate upon anyone else." The young girl was practically screeching. All the common room had stopped to hear what she was saying.

"Get that question a lot then?" Draco inquired. The girl had the grace to blush furiously, a very Weasley-like mannerism, before she nodded her head in the affirmative.

"There may be hope for you yet Red." Draco smiled at the young girl and she turned an even brighter shade of red.

"Come with me will you?" Draco asked an outstretched hand to the girl. The girl hesitated for a moment before she stood defiantly and said, "Only if my friends can come!" Draco looked at her, puzzled. Never had anyone in Slytherin ever turned down an invitation to be in the higher ranks of the caste system...or stated negotiations. Damn, she's every bit as loyal as those Hufflepuffs and brave, or stupid mind you, as those blasted Gryffindors. Draco nodded to her, "Your choice...come alone or don't come at all, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"Reda are you stupid?! Go with him," piped a young girl with blonde pig-tails. She pushed Reda forward and Reda sighed as she followed Draco over to where the sixth year Slytherins were seated. He took his normal seat and motioned for Reda to pick a spot. The poor girl looked around confusedly, as it was obvious that the sixth years weren't going to move for her.

Daphne Greengrass stood and said, "You can take my seat if you want, I'll sit with Draco." Daphne made her way to where Draco was seated and Draco eyed her suspiciously before she laid herself out to sit across his lap. Pansy and Blaise made indignant noises, but didn't move from their spots. Draco stared at Daphne...he'd never been sat on before...it was a new sensation...different.

Daphne didn't seem to mind Draco's discomfort; on the contrary she looked Reda over and whined, "Oh Draco, she's positively ghastly, and so very Weasley." Reda blushed and glared defiantly at Daphne.

"Actually Greengrass," Daphne stiffened at the informality, "she's far from Weasley. In fact, I think she might be quite useful--"

"Useful?" Pansy snorted, "Draco, have you been searching through your father's liquor cabinets again, because I think you're a bit tipsy."

"Think about it, she looks like the girl weasel enough doesn't she? What would it do to the Gryffindors to see someone who looks, just like one of their own...with us?" They all seemed to ponder his words for a moment. Draco looked around the circle lazily. These people are just too easy to persuade.

"Fine ankle biter, I guess your in," Blaise directed toward Reda. Reda scrunched her nose and stated plainly, "My name is Reda. I'd prefer if you used my proper name, after all that is why I have one." Draco smiled a genuine amused smile and chuckled.

"See, I told you, she's something else entirely." Reda smiled at Draco and lowered her eyes to the carpet, playing with the rug in front of her.

"So let's have it Red, are you in--"

"Wait a tick," Daphne wailed looking at Reda in total disgust, and then back to Draco, "You've already given the child a pet-name? Honestly Draco, if you wanted a dog that badly all you had to do was tell someone." Daphne snorted and looked at Draco's toughened face before she gulped. Draco pushed her off of his lap and onto the floor.

"Red? Do you have any brothers?" Draco asked looking at the girl.

"No." Reda said.

"Good. Consider me your new big brother," Draco said in a business-like manner, "I want you girls to help her, if she needs anything...you make sure she gets it." Draco directed his attention back to Reda, "If anyone questions you in anyway, even the teachers, let me know." She smiled and nodded her head eagerly. Pansy and Blaise actually looked eager about their new task, but Daphne was fuming.

"Oh, tomorrow's the first Hogsmeade weekend!" chirped Blaise.

"We have to take her shopping." Pansy gasped.

"It'll be great."

"You'll love it."

"Come on we have some things to work out." Blaise grabbed Reda's hand and, she, Pansy and Reda all went in the direction of the girls' dormitories.

Soon the area around Draco's chair started to clear, leaving only Draco and Daphne. Daphne heaved a great breath and looked at Draco slyly before sighing, "Finally."

*****

Ginny woke up and gasped, gulping for air. She looked around confused by her surroundings. She looked at her watch, a gift Hermione had bought her for her birthday, it was 1:17 A.M. Same as always, Ginny thought to herself. And it had been the same as always, ever since she'd arrived at Hogwarts she had woken up at 1:17 A.M. always with the same feeling that something bad was going to happen, always gasping for breath, always trying to remember her dream and what had happened, but she never could. The dream was gone within seconds. Ginny sat up in bed, but a little too quickly; the room started spinning and she had to shut her eyes to steady her head.

Normally when this happened she would sit in her bed until she could go to sleep again, but of course, sleep never came easily--if at all. Hermione would look at her worriedly every morning at breakfast, Luna would make odd remarks in class about how maybe she should work on her Astronomy more for it might have something to do with the alignment of the planets. Ron, of course, was oblivious. Harry...well, was Harry. And John Azar kept telling people, in a very suggestive tone that he'd been the reason Ginny had been having troubles sleeping. No one should be that perverted at age eleven, Ginny told herself as she sat in her bed.

"Maybe I should just go sit by the fire," Ginny stated openly, it didn't matter because her roommates wouldn't wake up if Death Eaters were attacking. Ginny pulled on her night robe and made her way slowly down to the common room. The marble floor was cool under her feat and she could hear her soft padding noises. She finally reached the common room and went to sit in the big comfy chair by the fire, only to find that someone had beaten her to it. That someone being Harry Potter.

"Oh," Ginny yelped in surprise, "I didn't realize anyone else was here." Harry gave her a wan smile, but didn't say anything. He was holding a mirror.

"A tad bit conceited are we Mr. Potter?" Ginny joked hoping to lighten the mood. Harry just looked at her dazedly, before he realized that she was talking about the mirror he was holding.

"Oh, no. Just a...you know...present from Sirius. B--before he...you know. I just...you know. I--I mean it's funny how...you know?" Harry addressed to Ginny, but was looking at the mirror intently.

"Er...sure." Ginny offered, unsure of what she was agreeing on.

"It's my fault you know--"

"Oh Harry, not this again, how many times must we tell you it's not your fault?" Ginny groaned.

"It is, this could've saved him; all I had to do was say his name. Sirius. SIRIUS!" Harry shouted at the mirror shaking it furiously. Ginny slowly backed away. Harry's eyes were getting moist and he was staring at the mirror.

"I should've opened it sooner, but did I? No. Good going Potter. I shouldn't have listened to that abominable house elf, but I did. Simply marvelous of you Potter. I should've been stronger, but was I? No, of course not, that would almost make sense now wouldn't it? Bloody hell! LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE POTTER." Harry reprimanded himself. Ginny really wished she had stayed in her room, but someone needed to do something about Harry before he did something drastic. She ran over to him and pulled him into an awkward hug. His breathing slowed and he heaved a great sigh.

"You know, I thought it would work too; after the incident I mean." Ginny knew that Harry was referring to the Department of Mysteries. "I came back and I found it. I thought he'd answer, but he didn't. I even threw it, and it broke into a million pieces, but I didn't lose hope, I repaired it later. It still doesn't work." Harry lifted shining eyes to Ginny.

"Harry...maybe...maybe--"

"What? Maybe he's alive and just not much up to talking now? I don't think so." There was silence, a very uncomfortable silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Stupid thing." Harry threw the mirror and it hit the wall and fell to the floor.

"Harry, you really mustn't do this to yourself. What would Dumbledore think?"

"Who cares, he has the nerve to talk to me now. We can be 'friends' again now that I've mastered my Occlumency. I've also mastered Ligilimens. Did you know Ginny? I could get into your head if I wanted to...do you want me to?"

"No, I'm quite fine with my thoughts in my head thanks. But I would like to know what you're thinking Harry." Harry was staring at Ginny intensely, her heart sped up, fearing what Harry would find if he started reading her mind and breaking into her thoughts. Her most prized possessions.

"Don't worry, I'm not reading your thoughts, you'd be able to feel me, like something prodding in your mind, and memories would flood your vision involuntarily."

"Th--then h--how did you know wh--what I was thinking?" Ginny shivered, he really had too much power over her, and she found she hated it. She used to love it, but now she just felt extremely vulnerable. The last time she remembered feeling this way was with--

"Tom Riddle," Harry stated. Ginny stared at him horrified, she was now sitting in his lap and she didn't know how she'd gotten there.

"I thought you said you weren't reading my thoughts?"

"I'm not--"

"Then how--"

"Your body language." He stated simply, "I'll stop talking about it if it makes you uncomfortable, I don't want you to be uncomfortable Ginny. I'm just in one of my moods again. I fall into these depressive moods every once in a while. I'll get over it." He tried to smile, but Ginny knew he was really fighting an internal battle, and the feeling of fear was gone and was replaced with compassion.

"I'll go get your mirror; it's truly very pretty." Ginny got up and walked toward the mirror. Then she felt drawn to it, like a magnet to metal. She reached for it; then drew her back suddenly; she didn't like this, not one bit. She made to turn around, but her hand shot out of its own volition and took the mirror. Ginny sat and stared at it, then pain, everywhere, filling, consuming, poking, prodding, mincing pain. Ginny tried to scream, but she was convulsing and the words weren't coming. She heard Harry shouting something at her, but she couldn't comprehend the words. There were shouts and people, and lights dimming, why were they dimming the lights? Then blessed peace, and Black.

*****

Draco was in the middle of writing a letter to his mother when four girls walked in, all carrying ridiculous amounts of shopping bags. A giggling Reda, Pansy and Blaise looked at Draco and smiled, Daphne followed wearing a devil-may-care look.

"Oh Draco, it was so fun. Pansy knows all the gossip and Blaise is great with fashion, and Daphne...well...umm...anyway it was great I got a whole bunch of new clothes and everything is going to be so fabulous from now on and I have you to thank for all of it. Thanks big brother." Reda exclaimed unsuccessful at hiding her excitement. She moved to hug Draco, and Draco looked at her like she was crazy before he embraced her back. It was awkward; he hadn't hugged anyone in a long time. It was nice, she was a cute midget, he decided.

"So Pansy knew all the gossip huh? Why doesn't that surprise me?" Pansy stuck her tongue out in a childish manner that caused Draco to smile. It seemed that Reda had a way of bringing out the child in them all, it was...refreshing.

"Oh yes, she's dreadfully resourceful," Reda exclaimed sitting next to Draco on the couch, "Did you know that Orla Quirke is half vampire, I thought that was terribly interesting. And Daphne there, was an outcast until this year, she also used to suck her thumb until she was thirteen." Daphne shrieked and glared at Reda then at Pansy, who only smiled wider. Draco chuckled.

"Oh and that new Gryffindor, the one who looks like you actually," Reda started her eyes glossing over in something that Draco couldn't quite place, "he's taken to following the Weasley girl!" Reda spat now.

"And someone's a little jealous," sang Blaise.

"Am not!"

"Of course you are." Pansy said smartly.

"Am NOT!"

"Wait, wait. Let me make sure I've got this correctly. There's a Gryffindor first year who looks like me?"

"Yup," Pansy practically squealed as though she couldn't contain the story for another second without exploding. "The Azars', Draco, he's their youngest son. He's almost the spitting image of you, he reminds me of what you were like when you were in first year. Although the talk in the corridor is that he's a randy little bugger and won't stop pestering the Weaslette. It's horribly funny and ironic if you think about it."

"I don't think it's very funny," sniffed Reda.

"No I don't suppose you would, would you?" Blaise asked eyebrows raised.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know." Daphne spat. Reda rolled her eyes; then she seemed to brighten considerably.

"He didn't follow her around today though did he? Oh no, he told me all about it at Zonkos, said she's got herself put into the Hospital Wing--"

"Is that where you went? We were worried sick," Blaise shouted, in a protective way.

"I wasn't." Daphne offered; the comment warranted glares from Pansy, Blaise and Reda. Draco was still taking in what Reda had said.

"She what?" Draco asked.

"Oh, well, Draco...she was only gone for about ten minutes we found her later." Blaise explained, then turned her attention back to Reda, "So that's why you were all smiles, you really do like that boy don't you."

"He's good looking," Reda mumbled loud enough for the group to hear.

"Not Red. The Weasley." Draco stated, getting stares from his circle of girls.

"John says she's in some sort of coma. She was up early this morning with Potter, so the rumor goes, and soon Potter was screaming for someone to get help waking up half of the Gryffindor tower."

"Should've guessed Potter would have something to do with it," Draco sneered.

"Anyway, they don't know when, or even if she'll wake up." Reda laughed, but it wasn't extremely convincing.

"Draco," grunted Crabbe.

"What?" Crabbe held out the Malfoy Eagle Owl to him. Draco untied the letter from the owl's leg and shooed Crabbe away with his hand.

Draco,
There's something you must see. Be in the clearing in the center of the Forbidden Forest at eleven o'clock tonight.

It wasn't signed, but Draco assumed it was from his father. What was it that he needed to see? What was so important that he needed to go into the center of the Forbidden Forest? Draco shivered, it had been ages since he'd last been in the Forbidden Forest, and he had no inkling to go now, but he had a feeling that if he wasn't there that he would suffer the repercussions.

*****

Ron sat rubbing Ginny's hand, he'd been so scared when he'd heard Harry yelling for help. He knew something bad had happened. What he hadn't expected was to see his sister convulsing on the carpet, bleeding profusely from her nose. He looked at her pale frame now, Madame Pomfrey had said she'd lost a lot of blood and would need to stay to rejuvenate her strength. She also had to some out of her coma.

Sometimes she would twitch, but all the time...you could see the expression in her face. Right now she looked scared. Ron kissed her hand and whispered into her ear, "You'll be okay, I'm here; I'll protect you."

*****

Ginny could hear Ron, but she couldn't see him. She tried calling out to him in earnest, "Ron. RON. Are you there? Can't you hear me? I'm very much alone. Please find me. Ron? Ron!"

And so she had been alone, for what seemed like an hour she had been sitting in complete darkness, when she'd woken from her episode, she thought that maybe everyone had left her in the common room and turned off all the lights. But she didn't find any furniture when she moved around. Then she really started to panic, because where ever she was...it was pitch black...either that...or she was blind. The thought caused her heart to beat even harder in her chest. She could hear her fast breaths above the beating of her heart.

Ginny stood and tried walking again, she was careful to move slowly so she could feel where she was going. Wherever she was, there didn't seem to be any obstacles. She started calling out names...any name she could think of, no one answered her. Then she thought, the mirror...it's has to be around here somewhere. If I've lost it...I don't know what I'd tell Harry. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled back in the direction from which she thought she came. There was no way she was going to find it.
Maybe...maybe...no the thought was too crazy. Sirius, Ginny thought. A small glow shimmered in the distance.

"Sirius?" Ginny whispered trembling.

*****

Ginny was shaking, Ron was scared.

"Madame Pomfrey!" he shouted.

"Madame Pomfrey, she's shaking!" Ron screamed.

*****

The floor beneath Ginny seemed to move and she gasped in shock.

*****

Ginny gasped.

"Ginny, Ginny can you hear me?" Ron screamed. Madame Pomfrey was now with Ron and was examining Ginny. Ginny didn't respond to Ron's voice or Madame Pomfrey's touch.

*****

"Sirius!" Ginny shouted confidently, and the floor was removed from beneath her, and she was falling and screeching.

*****

Ginny's screeches filled the Hospital Wing and both Ron and Madame Pomfrey had to cover there ears. The doors burst open and in ran Harry, Hermione and Dumbledore.

"What happened?" Hermione cried staring at Ginny who was still screeching.

"She's having a fit or something." Ron cried his face pale and worry dripping off his features.

*****

The light was coming fast now, the farther and farther she fell, and soon she landed.

*****

Then Ginny stopped screaming and the whole room stared at her. Her eyes flew open in surprise and she said, "Sirius?" the whole room looked confused.

"Ginny?" Harry asked hesitantly. Then Ginny said, "Ginny?" Harry looked at the others completely baffled, Ginny's eyes rolled into the back of her head, but she was still talking.

"Sirius, oh Merlin, am I dreaming? Sirius is it really you?" Then Ginny answered herself while the room watched in shock, "Oh Ginny, I must be the one dreaming...surely I'm dead right. I mean...I thought I was...I don't know. How'd you get here?"

"I'm not sure. Where is here? And am I really here, wherever here is?" Ginny asked herself.

"I--I don't know," she replied to herself uncertainly. Harry gasped and felt tears coming to his eyes...surely this can't be real...she can't really be talking to Sirius.

"Bloody Hell," Ron said.