Fire Forgotten

FIRE FORGOTTEN

Fire and Ice

By V. A. Weasley

Some say the world will end in fire;

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To know that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

CHAPTER 1: Year 6, Part 4, Revenged

Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to the more ought law to weed it out.

- Sir Francis Bacon

(A/N: This is the ALTERNATE ENDING of the Unforgettable Fire. It will be shorter than UF, but I think just as good. Before you get you're panties in a twist, this will not be about character death, but that doesn't mean it will be happy per se. If you have major problems with Ginny being rather evil then I suggest you stick with the original ending. Thank you!)

I can see the future when I put on Morgana and Nysilia's ring. However, they don't know this, they think it is innate, something I'm born with. A little white lie can go a long way, if you let people come to their own conclusions. You'll see what I mean.

~~~

"I don't think we should," Ginny said desperately. "It doesn't feel right. It isn't supposed to happen like that."

"You've seen this, felt it in the future?" Dumbledore asked. Ginny nodded her head. Lying was easy when you were too cold to have a heartbeat.

"Then when?" Black asked impatiently. "If you are all knowing, when?!"

"I never said I was all knowing!" Ginny cried. "I never said that! I'll I'm saying is it's a mistake. If you go through with it, you will fail. That is that. As to when you should...I guess I could look...later."

Dumbledore nodded. "Send it by way of Hermione Granger."

"She hasn't told anyone, has she?" Ginny asked carefully. "It is dangerous for me to be doing this. I just want to make sure it isn't top priority news in Gryffindor common room."

"She hasn't told anyone," Dumbledore reassured her. "Now there was that issue of your paper, 'The Loadstone House.' Really quite good, but a punishable offence, or so Filch informs me."

"You are going to punish me for exercising my right to freedom of press?" Ginny coughed out, trying not to laugh.

"It keeps Filch happy," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I'll get you an easy, two hour detention with Professor Lupin, straightening up after a third year DADA lesson or something. Besides, you need an excuse to be in here."

Ginny snorted at this. "All right. Was there anything else? Draco is probably suspicious by now."

"There was one other thing," Dumbledore said. "I believe you know what I'm talking about, when I say I've found your secret."

Ginny re-crossed her legs and smirked lightly. "Is that so?"

"Harry's just told me of his latest dream," Dumbledore continued. "He said the man told him about a prophesy made by an Egyptian woman by the name of Reonet. He says he suspects you are the third wheel of the prophesy, a Virgin Of Light."

Ginny raised an eyebrow casually. "Well, I don't know what Harry thinks he knows, but if he thinks I'm this 'Virgin Of Light' character, he's wrong. I can't be her, it is impossible."

"Maybe you are and you don't know it," Black suggested.

Ginny looked at him pointedly and said, "Do you really want to delve that deeply into the sex-life of a sixteen-year-old girl Mr. Black?" To her surprise and delight, he managed a light blush and looked away. "I thought not."

"Be that as it may," the headmaster said, "Harry believes you carry the many traits of this woman, whoever she is. The clairvoyance, the ability to learn quickly and efficiently -"

"All traits anyone could have," Ginny finished. "I think I'd know if I were this 'Virgin' woman you are speaking of. And hypothetically, if I were, why would I want any of you to know? It's preposterous. Now, if you don't mind, it is late, and I have a curfew."

Dumbledore hesitated a moment then nodded. As Ginny was leaving, she managed to catch the last scraps of their conversation.

"Her heartbeat didn't increase at all," Black said. "She didn't think she was lying...I think."

"Maybe not," Snape said languidly, "But she knows something, I can feel it."

"Is she really on our side?" Black asked.

"Who knows," Snape said with a sigh.

"I haven't quite lost faith in her yet," she heard Dumbledore say as she got out of hearing range.

~~~

Damn straight! Give me a little credit here people! I'm doing this to save the world, not to mention I'm doing the right thing. It is unheard of for a Slytherin to act like this. It is basically a law that Slytherins follow the dark powers. Some people (people not in Slytherin) say that we aren't all like that. They say that we must have good left in us. "Look at Snape!" they say. Well, I'll let you in on a little secret; Snape was a Death Eater for close to ten years. Is that an act of an innocent man? No. That is the act of a Slytherin. He is a quitter. The first thing he does if Tom gets back in power is submit to him, watch it happen...if it does...and it won't...but if it did...yeah. Truthfully, everyone in Slytherin knows their place in the grand scheme of things and knows that they will serve Tom at some point, no matter how insignificant their role is. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying, stoopid, or talking out of their ass.

Detention was interesting. I learned a lot of things that night, some things I'd rather not know, other things that were vital...and something else too. You see, I was - stop right there. Fast forward to that Wednesday, three days from Yule Ball. Play.

~~~

Ginny strode casually into Lupin's room, not surprised to see him grading papers and generally looking tired and worn. Thinking back to her astronomy class, it was full moon a few days from then, so it made sense.

"Ah, Miss Weasley," Lupin said kindly. He always had been nice to Ginny, no matter what house she was in or what she was supposed to be. He never judged her, or anyone for that matter. He was kind and understanding. Ginny thought he should have been a Hufflepuff. "How nice to see you. I read your paper, it was very insightful to the mind of both Slytherin and Gryffindor; I commend you."

"Thank you, Professor Lupin." Ginny smiled. "What would you like me to do?"

Lupin grinned. "Would you like to restock my supplies? It's easy really, just put the items in those boxes onto their labeled spots on the shelf."

"All right," Ginny agreed. Lupin went back to grading his papers and Ginny began to shuffle through the boxes and organize his things. It must have been forty-five minutes later when the door burst open and Snape walked in like he owned the place. Ginny would have jumped and screamed had she any less control over her nerves.

"We have a problem Remus," Snape said sharply.

"Oh?" Lupin said mildly.

"I don't have enough wolfsbane to complete the potion. I need some by midnightor the potion will be useless. Do you have any? Hogsmeade doesn't have any in stock."

"Oh, dear," Lupin said, looking grayer than usual. Ginny stopped working and turned to look at the two men, one of them towering and the other only slightly intimidating with his tattered robes and tired eyes. "This is a problem. There's no way..."

"No," Snape answered shortly.

Ginny chose this point to cough lightly, trying to draw some attention to herself.

"Yes, Miss Weasley?" Snape practically growled.

Ginny scowled. "I just wanted to let you know, I know where some grows wild in the forest. During Care of Magical Creatures, we were doing tracking, and Professor Hagrid pointed it out, though he called it Damian's Brush."

"Do you know where to find it again?" Lupin asked steadily.

Ginny nodded.

"Would you be opposed to going out there and finding it again?" Lupin asked.

"No."

Lupin sighed heavily and turned back to Snape. "There, all solved. I'll bring it to you in time."

Snape nodded quickly and left. "Miss Weasley?" Lupin said once Snape was gone. "Do you think you could find it yourself? I have rather a lot of work, and as I'll be gone for the next few days, I'd appreciate if you could help me."

Gathering her cloak, Ginny said, "I'll be back. I don't know how long it will take me, but I'll find it."

Lupin seemingly sighed in relief as Ginny left. Ginny threw the hood over her head as she left for the forest. It wasn't an ideal night to be traipsing about campus in your school skirt and blouse, but she couldn't just say no. Besides, he was a werewolf. They kill people. She couldn't just watch people die, she just couldn't.

Ginny shivered and pulled her cloak tighter to her. Entering the forest, she suddenly became aware of how dark it was despite the waxing Gibbous in the sky, and lit her way with a simple charm. It was chill, yet comfortable in the forest. Sounds and smell that were foreign to the light came alive at night, and Ginny found peace in the relatively chaotic world for a moment. Unfortunately, she couldn't find the patch of wolfsbane she'd been so sure was on the trail.

Then, making an even more stupid decision than getting back on the trail and going deeper in the forest, she left the trail and went deeper into the forest. Soon it became apparent to Ginny that she was completely, utterly, and miserably lost. Exhaling sharply, she looked around her for the path. There wasn't one in sight, of course.

"Point me!" she said, holding the wand out in her palm. The wands point automatically turned north. The castle was to the South of the Forbidden Forest. So Ginny started South. That was until she heard something. Stiffening, she gripped her wand and reached out with Morgana and Nysilia's rings. Nothing. She could have sworn she'd felt something.

"Hello?" she called out tentatively. "Is there anyone out there? I'm a student at Hogwarts, I've lost my way."

There was a deep silence, and then a tall, shadowy form appeared in the dark trees. It stood forward, and Ginny saw that it was a centaur. She brought her fingers to her lips and stifled a gasp. It was magnificent, wreathed in silvery moonlight, shimmering ethereal glows coming from its blue, gray hide. He was powerful looking, tall, and slightly intimidating. The centaur spoke with an impassioned, deep voice. "Virgin From Light. What are you doing in the forest?"

"Ah...ah...I was sent to collect wolfsbane...for my professor..." she managed to choke out.

The blue centaur regarded her with caution then nodded. "I see. My name is Firenze. What is your name Virgin From Light?"

"Virginia Weasley," Ginny answered, gaining a bit of her control back.

Firenze frowned. "A serpent I see in you, Virginia Weasley. Fire and ice as well."

Ginny brought her eyes to that of the centaur. "Well, we can't all be pure and good, can we Firenze?"

He nodded. "You will come with me Virgin From Light Virginia Weasley. You will meet Lord Saiph."

Ginny searched the face of the magnificent beast. He didn't seem to want to harm her, why would a centaur? So she followed closely. Ginny noticed, every now and then, Firenzelooked towards the sky, as if expectant to see some sign in the heavens.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"The Alignment," Firenzeanswered. "It comes closer with each year. It is very close now."

"The Alignment?" Ginny asked.

"Of the planets. All nine. It happens every so often. I am both cursed and gifted to see it."

"Why?"

"It's the opening of the Nine Portals of Power. Surely they teach you this at Hogwarts."

Ginny had never heard of the Nine Portals of Power...but that didn't stop her from not liking the sound of it. "I'm only in sixth year," Ginny answered diplomatically. "But tell me."

Firenze looked at the sky again. He was silent for a long while. "Virginia, have you ever heard of the Intihuatana stone."

Ginny's insides froze. "Yes."

"Good. So you know on the solstices the sun strikes the Intihuatana in such a way that magic is derived from the stone. Well, when angled with all the planets excluding Earth behind it, the solstice creates the power a thousand fold. What is even more amazing, it can be captured." Firenzestopped and looked skyward again. "One years time..."

Ginny looked up at the sky, but wasn't practiced enough to point out all the planets, or at least half of them. Firenze was silent as he led her through the deep forest. Soon, they came to two twin pillars of pure white marble. They shone brighter and more pure than the moon, and Ginny gasped at the sight of them. Through the pillars, there were gardens, fountains, green, fertile valleys; a regular Elysian Fields. There were nearly twenty centaurs centered around a great, silver-black rock, all with one hand on the rock and their eyes to the heavens. Every so once in a while, they would speak in a mysteriously beautiful language and a scribe would record it on a piece of long parchment.

"Oracles?" Ginny questioned Firenze.

Firenze nodded. "Our most experienced and most far seeing oracles or 'lesoras' in our language.

Ginny looked over at the black-silver rock again then at Morgana's ring. They appeared to be made of the same thing. Funny, Ginny thought, I always figured it was obsidian. I should have known; obsidian doesn't have this silver of a glow in moonlight.

Soon, Ginny was standing in the middle of a group of ten centaurs, none looking too happy.

"Firenze," a tall, reddish palomino growled, "What is the meaning of this? A human, in our sacred realm? What drove you to this madness?"

"Cyghus," Firenze said calmly, "This is no ordinary human; this is the Virgin From Light. Can you not see it in her aura? She is the third in prophesy."

Cyghus paused then seemed to look deep into Ginny's soul. His brown eyes widened; then he looked at the heavens. "The Alignment."

"Yes," a coal colored centaur spoke. He was long and elegant with striking features and night colored coat. "She has the knife in her. It's apparent now. You were right Firenze; Lord Saiph will want to talk with her."

Firenze locked his eyes with Ginny's and she followed him through the throng of staring centaurs. Not too far into the first silver stained valley, a single centaur stood, gazing up at the stars with a determined and serious face. Ginny's jaw dropped when she saw the face of the centaur. It was a female. Her beautiful, silver-blue hair and tail were contrasted with her midnight blue coat. She had the same dark blue eyes that seemed to reflect everything on their teary surface. She wore a modest black cloth over her chest, and she had the elegant body of an Arabian mare. She smiled lightly at Ginny as she approached. The centaur woman swept back her silver-blue hair and beaconed for Ginny to step forward.

"We've been a long time in waiting for your arrival Virgin From Light," the beautiful centaur woman said with an ageless voice. "I am Lord Saiph, and you are Virginia Weasley, the lion in the snake's layer, if I'm not mistaken."

"With all do respect, Lord Saiph, it's been a long time since I've been a lion," Ginny replied stonily.

Lord Saiph's liquid midnighteyes regarded her closely for a while. Her tail swished lightly and turned to the stars before answering. "I see changes on your path Virgin From Light. I see pain...betrayal...suffering...revenge...sorrow...and maybe redemption. Does this comfort you?"

"I've become accustomed to these things, Lord Saiph."

Lord Saiph turned her eyes to Ginny again. "You are tainted. Blind, frozen, lost...but you will find your way. Innocent you were, but never again. No, your innocence can't return."

Tears stung in Ginny's eyes at these words. She'd long known she'd never get her innocence back, her happiness. But to hear it from a centaur, a beautiful, ethereal, creature of light...it was almost too much.

"Don't despair, Virgin From Light," the powerful centaur woman said. "Help always finds those in need. You can only fall so far before the only direction is up."

"I've been falling a long time, Lord Saiph," Ginny quavered, her breaths becoming ragged and shuddering.

"The only bottomless pits are time and space, and really they are the same thing. I don't see you falling through either. The fall from innocence is always a long way down, for some people it is farther than others."

"I know."

"Don't worry, Virgin From Light. I see the fates spinning something for you along the road. You must be strong, continue on your path, for if you don't, we are all doomed, most of all The Green Knight. You must not let him despair yet, he has things to do before the Final Conflict." Ginny nodded solemnly. "Come to me, Virgin From Light," Lord Saiph said kindly. Ginny did, and Lord Saiph bent down gracefully and placed a single, cooling kiss on Ginny's forehead. A since of calm and control passed over Ginny, a since of clarity as well. "Go now, Virgin From Light. You and I will never meet again."

"Goodbye, Lord Saiph," Ginny said forlornly. The Arabian-bodied Lord Saiph turned her face to the heavens and Ginny walked over to Firenze, who was waiting patiently.

"I will lead you to the wolfsbane Virgin From Light," he said firmly. Ginny followed, pondering the deep words of Lord Saiph. She had lost her innocence, there was no reclaiming it. But she had said something of redemption. Surely redemption was better than staying damned you whole life, even though you were safe when you were damned. It came to how much she wanted to sacrifice. Sacrifice, self sacrifice especially, wasn't high on any Slytherin to do list. What was the point, you lost something you had gained? She would never sacrifice her life for another, there just wasn't the motivation. The point was to live. This was the reason, Ginny thought, that most Slytherin weren't suicidal. It just didn't make sense. But still...but still...redemption...that sounded good. Lord Saiph was right, you could only fall so far.

"Here it is," Firenze said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "It was nice to meet you, Virgin From Light. May you fulfill your part in the prophesy."

"Thank you, Firenze." Ginny watched as Firenzeblended in with the forest then disappeared from sight. She sighed heavily, the placed her icy sheet around her heart and put on Nysilia's ring. Leaning against the tree, she stayed in sweet oblivion for a while; she needed to forget, to not care, she couldn't go anywhere that weak, unless she was with Draco. Then Ginny turned to the wolfsbane and just as she was about to bend down to collect some, she heard a breaking of a twig and saw two, great yellow eyes disappear. Great, more visitors, Ginny thought.

"Hello?" she called out. She was fairly sure this wasn't a centaur, but they lived here, so it could be. "I know that there is some one out here, show yourself."

Not three moments later, the bushes shook, and out stepped a great, shaggy wolf...no, dog. It was black with big yellow eyes and rows of sharp teeth. Ginny sighed in relief. "Merlin, Black! What are you doing out here?"

"One could ask you the same thing," Black said hoarsely, changing back into his pale human form. He leaned against the nearest tree and crossed his arms, succeeding in looking handsome, in Ginny's opinion. His obsidian eyes landed on her and he set a slight frown on his thin lips.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm here collecting wolfsbane for Snape. Happy?"

Black grunted. "Why?"

"He performs sexual favors for me," Ginny answered sarcastically, but succeeding in making Black look a bit uncomfortable. "Calm down. His stores are running low and it is my detention. Hasn't anyone ever said, 'Hey man, chill...' to you? If not, they should, you are way uptight."

"I don't get out much," Black answered snidely. "Having to live as a dog will do that to you."

"I guess," Ginny said under her breath. She looked Black up and down, taking in his full form. He was tall and lean with broad shoulders and a slim waist. His arms were well muscled for his wiry frame. It became evident to Ginny that he must have been very handsome in his youth, though the years at Azkaban had all but erased those vague memories of former glory. "You look horrible."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically. "Your wolfsbane."

Ginny rolled her eyes, stooping down to the wolfsbane. "Still don't believe me, Black?"

"I only trust three people on this earth...you aren't one of them," he replied plainly.

Ginny stood and propped a hand on her hip. "I didn't ask if you trusted me. Quite frankly I don't care, I can't trust anyone. What I asked you was if you believed I was sincere to the cause."

"No. I don't know why Dumbledore puts to much faith in you either." He walked closer to her and leered over her, his dark eyes penetrating her brown ones, but only finding ice. "Personally, I think all traitors should be killed, or sent to Azkaban."

"You would," Ginny spat. "But think this one over, if Snape hadn't become a traitor, then where would we be?" She sneered up at him curving her lips sinuously. "Where would you be without me?"

He hesitated for a minute. "I can't say. But I can say we could do worse than turning you over to the aurors, or better yet, your parents."

Ginny snorted. "You think you intimidate me? I've seen fear and poison in its purest form, Black, I've looked on the face of terror and pain, and it isn't yours. You are so far from it that it's scary. Hell, you're a Gryffindor; you don't see evil like everyone else does."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Black growled.

Juicing the atmosphere with the powers of Hina's ring, she pushed her chest out slightly and looked up at Black through her eye lashes. "What do you see before you?" Ginny asked in a breathy voice.

Black's breath held in his throat and his eyes bugged out.

Ginny licked her lips and looked him up and down then winked at him. "Come on Black, tell me what you see." Biting her lip lightly she said, "I don't bite...hard."

"Ah...ah..." he stumbled.

"Exactly," Ginny said sharply, dispelling the magic in the air. "You couldn't turn away from me, couldn't even speak. Admit it, you couldn't see the evil, you only saw the beauty. It's a powerful thing, beauty."

Black rubbed his eyes and stared blankly at Ginny for a while. Ginny had bent down and was collecting the wolfsbane, putting it in her cloak pockets. When she had collected enough, she stood and said, "See you around Black!"

He grunted. Ginny looked at him and smiled ruthlessly. "Need at bit of help with that?" she asked about his aroused state.

He sneered and said, "No, thanks, I'll take care of it myself. Besides, haven't you done enough tonight?"

"I suppose," she said with a sigh. Then she headed off to the castle under the waxing moon.

~~~

What can I say, I had to test him some how. Plus, the bastard deserved that for what he did to me during my third year, what he tried to do I mean.

Anyway, school progressed until the dance, which ended up being quite fun. Evan was the intellectual type, a smart ass and from a marginally influential family. His parents had been killed by aurors, but he lived with his equally manic uncle and aunt and their two sons, third years that year. At any rate, he was my most likely partner, as I couldn't get too close to Jonathan for his and my safety.

~~~

Ginny had just sent her latest message to Dumbledore through the ever studious Hermione Granger. There were tons of people in the library earlier, but they had all gone to bed figuring they'd need a good night's sleep for the last day of exams. Ginny watched Hermione read the message, then tried to gage her reaction. As always, it was minimal. But she did jump particularly high when the door creaked open loudly, letting in a boy from Ginny's year, Evan Rosier.

He walked purposefully towards Ginny and sat in the chair opposite her. "Hello, Virginia."

Ginny looked at him pleasantly and placed her quill on the table. "Evan, how are you?"

"A hop, skip, and a jump from complete bliss, you?" he said sarcastically. "I don't flatter myself, but I know you have no one to go with to the Yule Ball and Wilkes said you wanted to go with me. Why?"

"I felt like it," Ginny answered neutrally. "I couldn't go with Wilkes you understand. I wouldn't go with Parkinson, Nott, Dolohov, or Flintunless I felt like I needed to be raped, and I don't go with people younger than myself or out of my house."

"Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini?" he questioned.

"Please, give yourself more credit, Evan. What if I just want to go and have fun, maybe an enlightening conversation or two and casual sex afterwards? What is so repulsive about that?"

"Nothing," Rosier said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I just want to make it clear I don't want to get the living shit kicked out of my by Potter or your brother or Malfoy...especially Malfoy."

"I can take care of Potter and my brother. As for Malfoy...he doesn't like sharing, but he's got problems of his own." Ginny looked at Rosier from the corner of her eye. "Besides, you might be refreshing. I don't have enough biting sarcasm in my life."

"Ah, but what to say to the smartest girl in my year...I'll spend the next few days thinking of things to say...oh, and what will I wear?" Rosier said mockingly. Then he stood and winked at Ginny before leaving.

That Saturday was the Yule Ball and Ginny was dutifully brushing her thick auburn hair. On Draco's suggestion, she had gone with a red dress for a change, something different to shock the Hogwarts population. The dress was made of Chinese silk, the finest of quality. It had no back to speak of didn't scoop in the front, rather mimicked her chest bones and spun tightly to her arms and chest before flowing out gracefully around her. She wore the rubies Draco gave her and Nysilia, Nefertiti, and Hina's rings. Pulling her hair up into a tight bun at the top of her head, she left several curly strands loose at the nape of her neck. Looking back in the mirror, she applied her ruby red lipstick and golden eye shadow. The reds in her dress and lipstick matched her hair perfectly, and for extra measure, she lightly sprinkled her back, neck, and hair, with reddish tinted glitter.

"Very nice," Draco commented from the doorway. "Are you going with Rosier?"

Ginny nodded and turned away from her mirror. "My, don't we look sharp?"

"Yes, well, we'll be the best dressed Miss Weasley. Now are you going to make me wait, we are already what my mother would call 'fashionably late.'"

"No, no. I know you are in a hurry to get in Pansy Parkinson's skirts. Let's go," Ginny said chidingly. Draco merely rolled his eyes and took her arm.

Ginny walked down to the common room gracefully, looking no one in the eye and trying to ignore the stares from her fellow classmen. She was, after all, wearing red. She could hear the whispers; they were none to flattering...well, not in the way one would want at least. Pansy sneered at her before plastering a fake smile on for Draco. Rosier looked stunned, at least he didn't move or speak for several moments. Really, it could have been an improvement, but it was too weird for him not to be saying something snide.

"Struck speechless?" Ginny asked coyly, fluttering her eye lashes up at Rosier. He nodded dumbly and escorted her to the dance.

~~~

And Merlin aren't you sick of this? I mean, it is the same every year. Harry gets mad, I flirt like crazy with every man that breathes, and I sleep with a different Slytherin. Then I go into my rooms and brood. Yes. I'm sure you all saw this coming so I won't talk about it any more.

Good Lord, let's move on.

School passed the same as always. I finished my Animagi training. I was officially a full fledged panther Animagus. McGonagall didn't seem too pleased. Well, she was pleased I accomplished it and everything, but she wasn't pleased that it was me that did it. I bet in her eyes it should have been Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger is a prettier, younger, and perhaps smarter Professor McGonagall. Everyone knows it. Everyone who says otherwise is lying. Anyway, I was an Animagus, paperwork and all, and that meant virtually free to go anywhere on campus I liked. Not that I did, but I could, that is the point.

As I was saying however. School moved on. After Draco took his customary vacation in the South of France, he returned to Hogwarts as a fully trusted and reliable Death Eater. Anyone who says Draco had a chance of redeeming himself was blind. You should have gone with your first impression of him. He is evil, always will be and nothing can change this.

As you know, I'd been communicating with Malfoy about the Incan Project, the name for the harnessing of the Intihuatana stone's power. Well a few weeks after the break ended, I broke the news to him about the power of the winter solstice and The Alignment. You never can tell, but he sounded like he could have kissed me by his next letter. Thrilled that he would be able to give this information to his master, he told me to go home during the spring break and he would see that I was rewarded properly for my work. Rewarded my ass! He wanted to pressure me into joining the Death Eaters.

But boy, when I broke the news to Dumbledore his happiness could have smothered a small Korean village. Sometimes I wonder about that man, not like he's not on the side of good or not, but if something is seriously impairing his judgment. Immediately he made an excuse to pull me into his office to talk strategy with me. I felt obligated to tell him about my trip to wherever the hell Malfoy was taking me and he was reluctant to let me go. But he, of course, gave in at last because, duh, if it is for good of the most people, it is worth one life, especially if they are only a Slytherin. Black and Snape didn't like it either, but what are they going to do, intimidate me? I think no. Dumbledore has them whipped so bad they won't speak unless he tells them to. It's kind of sad that two full grown men have to have daddy think, act, and talk for them, but I wouldn't know.

My situation with Harry was getting worse by the day. Every time I went into that library he was there reading something. I could never see what though. I know that there aren't any books on what I am in that library, but every time he looked at me it was like he knew something about me that I didn't. Pissed me off really. Then he would smile sadly and look down at the book.

Soon enough, spring rolled around. Gryffindor took the Quidditch cup cleanly, Draco was angry, etc. I was one of the few that had stopped caring. Seriously, what is the point? I'd rather work on killing Tom than win a stupid Quidditch House Cup anyway. And I did. I did a lot of research; after all, I'd be actually meeting him that spring break. By the beginning of spring break I held enough information that you could say I was an expert. But I was an expert at a lot of things by then.

But I'm sure that my spring break will prove a thing or two about me, I mean, if you were having doubts...

~~~

Ginny sat next to Draco on the Hogwarts Express. They were going to Malfoy Estate, then off to wherever the hell Malfoy was taking them. The way Draco told it, he and Ginny were the two youngest yet most instrumental people there, at least Ginny was.

"What do they want with you?" Draco asked calmly.

Ginny looked from the window to him. "I don't know. I think your father means to pressure me into becoming a Death Eater though."

Draco shrugged. "If that is all I don't see why it couldn't have waited until summer, it isn't that far away."

"I know," Ginny said, "That is why it bothers me. You realize I might try to kill Tom if I see him, I can't allow him to be in the same world as me, Draco, not after what he did."

"I hope you can run fast," Draco said with a snort. "Come on Virginia, you are smarter than that. Think, you'd die and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would live. You'd throw your life away."

Ginny slumped in her seat. "I know. That was kind of silly, wasn't it?"

Draco nodded, "Get ready, we are almost at Platform 9 ¾."

As soon as Draco and Ginny got off the train they were assaulted with two of Malfoy's bodyguards who told them to follow quietly. They did, and were taken, their bags in tote, to a nice looking building with white pillars and magnificent silver statues. Draco looked bored, whereas Ginny was avidly taking in the scenery. She didn't know exactly what to expect, so she wore all six rings on her fingers. Nervously, her wand hand twitched and Draco grabbed it subtly, looking down on her with his quicksilver eyes. She nodded. She figured she was somewhere in the high offices of the Ministry. On second thought, her brother Percy would probably be there if she cared to look for him.

"Miss Weasley!" Lucius said coolly. "How nice that you could join us, it's good seeing you again."

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy," she said tonelessly, working up Nysilia's ring.

Draco, who had let go of Ginny's hand when he saw his father, looked around and said, "Let's go somewhere else, Virginiahas some things to tell us."

Lucius inclined his head and they traveled up a staircase and down a few halls into a secluded room on the thirteenth floor of the building. "More information?" Lucius asked, sitting in his chair behind his desk.

Ginny, who had changed into a Muggle knee skirt and short sleeved top, crossed her legs. "Yes. Actually, I've translated all but a few passages of the text now, and I've discovered some things about the Intihuatana stone that you might find useful."

"Really? I'd love to hear them, but here isn't the place. In fact, we'll be preparing you to introduce the idea to Him yourself on Saturday."

Ginny frowned, but said nothing.

"If that is all," Lucius said, "You two can meander about the city for a while, at least until seven. We'll meet in front of the Ministry and go to the Estate."

"Agreed," Draco said, taking Ginny's hand to help her up. Ginny held the eyes of Lucius a half second longer than needed, and left with Draco. She could hear him snort as she left. "Were do you want to go?"

Ginny shrugged. "I haven't eaten since this morning, it is nearly one, let's eat."

~~~

The rest of the time that vacation was spent making sure I knew the procedures by heart. I needed to know when to rise, when to talk, when to bow, how much to say, when to stop talking, when to praise, when to advise, when to look bored, when to look desirable, and what to wear. I couldn't just walk in there without a plan, especially on what to wear. Dress at a Death Eaters meeting is very strict. Death Eaters wear masks, black robes, and a silver neck chain with an emerald serpent head on them. People who are "Death Eaters in training," and there were a few she'd been told, wore all black and a black mask. I, who wasn't either, had somewhat of a dilemma. Draco was the one who came up with the solution.

~~~

"Do you remember what you wore to the Yule Ball in your third year?" Draco asked as Ginny went through her clothes and design sketches.

"Yes...You're a genius! Perfect! I could kiss you, Draco!" Ginny flipped through her design books, made a few adjustments, like tighter sleeves and thicker material. "I could wear my silver lined cloak...and my grandmother's necklace...and my emerald earrings...perfect!" Ginny riffled through her trunk and found what she was looking for. It needed to be adjusted, longer, bigger at the bust and tighter at the waist. It would do though. The high collar and button down back...it would be perfect.

"Help me with the buttons," Ginny commanded as she slipped the dress over hear head after she'd adjusted it properly.

"My pleasure," Draco practically cooed. "Are you sure," he said slowly as he buttoned her dress, "that you want to do this?"

"What do you mean?" she said quietly.

"You can still say no. There isn't anything stopping you from just staying here," he said softly. His knuckles skimmed her bare back and she bit her lip.

"I have to. I'm not afraid."

She heard Draco sigh. He buttoned the last button and slowly turned her around to face him. Ginny searched his face and found fear in it. But it was for her. "I can't stop you, I know that. I don't want you to. You should be by me, Virginia. That is the only place I want you, by me, in me, with me. I need you, you need me."

Ginny smiled a small, sad smile. She'd know this would be coming. He was scared Tom would kill her. Ginny stood on her toes and kissed Draco's neck lightly and wrapped her arms around his neck. Draco buried his face in her long red hair and his arms snaked around her waist, holding her tightly. "I know," Ginny whispered. "I'll live. I'll graduate next year and come back to you, there isn't any other place I'm welcome now."

Draco pulled away a bit to put his forehead on hers. "You'll be all mine then?"

"Yes," she answered. Ginny ran her nose over his lightly and then kissed him softly on the lips. Draco pulled on her tighter however and drew her into a heated, warm kiss.

"Ahem!" a person said sharply from the doorway. Ginny opened her eyes and looked over Draco's shoulder, it was Lucius. Ginny pulled back slightly but Draco kissed her once again, knowing he wouldn't be able to after that point. Then he turned to his frowning father and matched his eyes with his father's.

Ginny straightened her hair, which she was leaving down, and followed after the two, tense looking Malfoys. So different, she thought, but so similar. The Malfoy father and sons have been living parallel lives for centuries, no reason to think Draco and his father should - or could - be any different.

The time between leaving the house and arriving on the cold island off Argentina's coast was a blur to Ginny. She remembered pulling the cloak tightly around her, the silver lining doing its job in keeping her warm. The brisk southern winds of autumn (for on that side of the equator it was autumn) whipped about her head and Draco just nodded at her reassuringly. Ginny listened as the harsh Atlanticcrashed along the cliffs and jagged rocks of the tiny island. As they walked, Ginny noticed scorch marks along the ground and the lack of the trees in the vicinity. Finally, they came to a great stone fortress, something the Spanish Conquistadors might have built long ago. Crumbled statues of Spanish horses guarded the entrance to the cold stone building. They walked through them and into what must have been a ceremonial church type place. Sitting where the Crucifix alter would usually be, was a simple antique chair...and the Dark Lord sitting in it. On his left and right were official Death Eaters, his guards.

Ginny stifled a shiver and walked fearlessly with the Malfoys on either of her sides. She jacked the power she was giving Nysilia, Nefertiti, and Morgana's rings to their maximum. She felt all doubt drain out of her and boosted the power of Chani's ring as well.

"Lucius and Draco," the Dark Lord said; his voice an unpleasant, scratchy, yet high pitched sort of sound. She couldn't see most of him, but his hands and face were an ungodly pale white. His eyes were red and slit like a cat. A snake was coiled about his chair on the floor. Ginny was thoroughly and completely disgusted by him. He wasn't. People are, they can be, but he wasn't. It felt wrong, deep inside her soul, everything he was felt wrong and sick. He was an abomination to all that was human and Ginny knew then more than ever why he needed to be killed. "How nice of you to bring me a visitor."

"Yes, My Lord," Lucius simpered, stepping out from beside Ginny and kneeling on the ground. "She is the one I've been telling you about, Virginia Weasley. She is the one who discovered the effects of the Intihuatana stone and figured out how to use it. She has more news for you, if you'll hear it, My Lord."

Ginny swallowed, her hood masking her face for the most part. The only visible part of her body was her lips and she wanted it that way. She had gloved her hands with green velvet and made sure her hood covered her face.

"This is the Weasley girl then," Voldemort said lightly. "I suppose we could hear from her. Step forward Weasley; let us hear what you have to say."

Lucius stepped back, trying in vain to catch Ginny's eye as she approach Voldemort. Ginny boldly stepped to the three stairs that led to the dais Voldemort's chair was on and kneeled stiffly in front of him.

"Speak," the dark man said.

She did. "As Mr. Malfoy has told you, I was the one who discovered the Intihuatana stone's properties. I have discovered something else about it as well. The Alignment of the Planets will happen on the winter solstice this year. Eight Gates of Power will open on the Ninth and transfer their energy through the sun onto the Intihuatana stone on the winter solstice. This increases the power in the stone a thousand fold and gives the person it is channeled to unlimited power with out any risks. Only by translating the ancient texts of the Incans could I find the exact procedure of this. We need the diamond called Trapezium; it has the light of the four center stars of the Orion Nebula in it and is the only diamond powerful enough for the transfer. We'll need highly talented channelers and of course the right timing to collect the full amount of power."

Ginny finished and there was a silence in which everyone was processing the information she held. Finally, the rough voice of Voldemort broke the silence. "The Trapezium is in the hands of Dumbledore."

"I could get it," Ginny said confidently.

Voldemort inclined his head and looked down at Ginny. "Could you? You are bold indeed if you think Dumbledore is enough of a fool to believe you, especially now after you've met me."

"I met you long before I entered this godforsaken place," Ginny spat.

Lucius coughed uncomfortably. "My Lord, she was the one who I gave your diary to, the one Potter saved."

"Ah! So you are the soul powerful enough to carry my spirit, interesting. Very interesting indeed." Voldemort's face broke into the most horrid expression Ginny had ever seen. It was a smile. His pale lips curved into a thing like a smile and his eyes gained a malicious undertone more evident than before. Ginny clenched her wand hand instinctually and felt her temper rise unexplainably. She hated his presence, everything about him. He needed to be dead but she couldn't do it, not here, not now, not yet.

Voldemort must have recognized something in her, for his smiled widened and his black tongue came out of his mouth and licked his lips softly. "Beautiful..." he murmured just loud enough to be heard by all. "Absolutely stunning..."

Ginny worked hard not to loose her self completely. "What?" she bit out.

A hungry look came in Voldemort's eyes, like a man that had been trapped in the desert and then come to an oasis. "The hatred I feel from you. Utterly magnificent. All that powerful, powerful hate. I can taste it from here, the power of you, you and your hate. Remove your cloak and let me look on the face of such blind hatred."

Steeling herself solidly and pushing the limits of Nefertiti and Morgana's rings, she unbuttoned her cloak and let it fall to the ground as she stood defiantly. She could feel her wand hidden in under her right sleeve, ready to be used any minute.

Then Voldemort's eyes widened almost unperceptively. They flickered all over her body and Ginny fought revulsion again and again. "Perfect in every way. This is unexpected. No wonder Draco keeps you so close, so hidden. Intelligence, beauty, power, and ambition, the perfect woman. The perfect Slytherin and certainly the perfect Death Eater."

Ginny looked away from him, no longer able to stomach it.

"Do I disgust you Miss Weasley? Does the thought of becoming a Death Eater pull at your insides? Answer honestly now."

Ginny whipped her head over to him. "Yes," she spat. "The very idea."

Voldemort nodded and looked at her with his manic eyes. "Are you sure it's not actually yourself you are sick with? I mean, you came here, to us, to give us information."

"Who says I'm not sick with myself? I know what I've become, and as much as I hate it, I know there is only one place left for me. Here."

This seemed to make the Dark Lord content. His snake was raised to his ear and hissing secretively. Voldemort listened to it mutely and the snake left. "I see that you carry with you a weapon, a dagger."

Ginny face remained expressionless.

"Let's see this weapon of yours," the Dark Lord said eagerly.

"You can't," Ginny answered stiffly.

"Nangi tells me it is a very powerful weapon. I only want to look at it, feel it. Besides, you have no choice."

"No," was all Ginny answered.

"No?" Voldemort asked. "No? Lucius, have you taught her no manners at all? Have you warned her to what happens to the person who defies Voldemort?"

"Master, I never thought -"

"That much is apparent, Lucius," Voldemort said snidely. "Sometimes I wonder why I keep you around..."

"If I may," Ginny interrupted, loosing her temper slightly, a dangerous thing upon reflection. "The reason I won't show you the dagger, is because I can't. Physically, I can't give it to you. It's inside of me in a place it can't be reached until the right time."

"And when is that?" Voldemort asked in an amused voice.

"Have you heard of the Prophesy of Three?" Ginny asked.

The horrible reminder of a grin formed on Voldemort's face. "The Virgin From Light. You are the Virgin From Light." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Ginny nodded.

"Beautiful. Perfect. A member of the Prophesy right in front of me. Tell me, Miss Weasley, why shouldn't I kill you right now? I would ultimately win were the Virgin From Light to die."

"Because," Ginny answered. "You don't have to kill me to win. Draco will contest to my loathing of Dumbledore and Harry Potter. I have just as much reason to want them dead as anyone here, excluding yourself."

"Are you offering your services?" Voldemort asked darkly.

Ginny snorted. "Of course not. I can't be connected with the Death Eaters. If I was found out by Dumbledore or Harry, you'd never get the Trapezium. No, I'm not offering my services; I'm offering something more powerful, my indifference. I won't lie and I won't exaggerate, Harry Potter is in love with me. He thinks I have the power to change from my current state into something different and good. I can't. The way to break him completely (and I assume this is what you want) is to make sure he knows I don't love him and that I don't care whether he dies. If I betray them at the last second, he'll fold and you'll win."

Voldemort's cat-like red eyes regarded her carefully for a while. "Very bold, Miss Weasley. Most people who speak like that in front of me die before five words come out. For some reason I like your presence, it's maddeningly addictive. The hate you radiate is more powerful than I've ever felt. You will make a good addition to the Death Eaters when your time comes, and don't doubt that it will. Yes, I see the reason Draco hoards you so." Then with a snort, "Like a dragon you could say. You will carry on like you always have, not mentioning the true contents of the meeting to anyone. Believe me; I have ways of knowing if you do. You will also spend the next summer with young Draco. Now please, enjoy the rest of your vacation. And Miss Weasley, if you ever speak like that again in front of me, I'll kill you."

~~~

I stand there now, a small, yet satisfied smirk on my lips. I've waited for this moment for a while, the time when I could taste the fall of Tom on my tongue. Yes, I have his "trust," I have his attention. The power I feel is growing as I breathe. It ignites a long gone flame in my heart. I think they call it hope. I hoped he would die. I hoped I could make it so. Not here though, not now. It would happen soon enough however.

It marks a turning point in my life. That simple line, "I will kill you." It marks my passage from good to evil. I am going to betray Dumbledore and Harry and I don't care. If anything, it's refreshing. No more hiding, no more faking. I can live with Draco and not have to worry about a double personality. Soon...soon.

I stand here, looking into those Merlin forsaken eyes and smirk. He doesn't know the truth, he never will, not until the end. I will betray him too, Tom will die and I'll bath in his blood, at least metaphorically.

I stand here and everything fits in place. Something is coming, something strong. I feel it in my veins; I feel it in my hands.

Something is coming, something strong.