Regret and Betrayal

Chapter Seven

I'm Searching For a Heartbeat.

I searched for your heartbeat, but you were dead inside, rotten... Trust me to fall for a dead guy.

~*~~*~~*~

"Now, why are you here?" Ginny looked up from her sofa. She must've fallen asleep crying because there was dust stuck to her face from the plush cushions she had been lying on. Last night she didn't even have the strength to make it to her own bed. After peeling herself off she rose ignoring the stiff pain in her neck and made her way over to the kitchen trying to find something to eat.

Lesley watched her friend as she moved zombie-like from the sofa to the cupboards, something must have gone wrong, it was evident from the dried tears on her cheeks and the silence - though that wasn't exactly an alien experience for her - that followed her around the room.

"What happened yesterday? You came home late and didn't even say good night and when did you get in anyway I never heard you come in."

Ginny didn't answer; she just kept on searching through her cupboards for something - anything edible. Nothing in storage was pre-made and she almost gave up when she suddenly began sobbing uncontrollably, it was a wonder she had anything left. She was so tired and she just felt so worthless and stupid at the time.

Lesley followed her down to the ground; she had something in her hand. After wrestling it out away from her she read the label to see what is was that could make Ginny act so miserable. It was a jar of Chocolate spread, half eaten with a small tea spoon inside; she placed it back on the counter and looked down at her friend in concern. "Ginny? Um, I'm not even going to ask but you know that if you want to talk I'm here right." In response all she got was a detached nod. She got up to leave. Suddenly the sobs stopped.

"He used me," she heard. Upon turning she saw that Ginny had stood up again, jar in hand. The look of defeat had left her now and it became filled - slowly, but scarily - with fury. Her grip on the jar tightened, clear from the colour of her knuckles and fingers that were now white from the lack of blood circulating. "He just wanted to get back at my family, at Ron. He wanted to embarrass me in front of everyone. Did you know he knew about it from the beginning? Apparently he's been calling me by my name and I didn't even notice. Know why?" Lesley just shook her head, it was clear conversation was not to be offered here. "Because I was too stuck in my own little world of at least getting him to notice me or debating whether or not he could actually like me to realise anything two feet from my own fucking nose!" She began to yell now, her voice breaking where she knew she would break down had she not been so angry at herself. "I cannot believe I am so stupid!" She threw the jar at the nearest window, shattering both glasses into pieces. Then she broke down.

Lesley could only imagine what this kind of emotional imbalance was doing to her. "I can't even trust myself to make logical decisions anymore. I wanted to tell him so that I wouldn't hate myself for not finding out. Turns out I hate myself for much more now different reasons I could never fathom." In between hyperventilated sobs she curled herself up. "I just don't want to hate myself anymore," she repeated quietly in hushed sobs until Lesley finally managed to calm her down.

"Ginny, you are not stupid. Believe me I know this from personal experience, if there is anyone to blame it's him, but he seemed so -."

"Different, that's just what they want you to believe before they shoot out your heart and strap it to the hood of the Hogwarts train." They sat in a calm silence for a while, Ginny sighed. "I told him you know." Lesley looked at her with confusion. "About who I was, I told him." A comprehending 'Oh' showed Ginny she understood and she continued. "He just took me to his office and gave me his papers. Don't look at me that way I don't even know how it happened, it was like a god send. I was about to end the investigation - mainly because of how I felt, obviously - but it also has something to do with the fact that there wasn't any circumstantial evidence that could prove him guilty anyway. Then, when I tell him he just gives over everything, and every piece of it could convict hi..." Without warning she stood up and made a beeline for the living room table. If Lesley didn't know her better she would say that the smile on her face was less than innocent.

"Ginny, what are you doing?" Lesley said, following her slowly.

"I'm following his example." She apparated before Lesley had chance to say anything. She turned and headed back to her room to finish the painting. She wanted it done so that she could get the man out of their lives for good, Ginny was her friend and any communicative ties with him would hurt her. Lesley didn't want that, Ginny had been through enough in her lifetime without her adding to the pressure.

***

Pete watched as the empty desk opposite his stood without an owner. He couldn't remember much of yesterday, with good reason - he wasn't exactly in a proper state of mind to have recalled anything he might have said or done. He had a fuzzy memory of the previous day but nothing to fix any permanent grounding in his mind. Ginny's desk stood empty, he had been staring at it for so long he was beginning to have strange thoughts about it. It may have just been him but it also had some of her qualities, the rich mahogany wood was almost red - just like her hair, it was elegant and beautiful. However the strange thoughts didn't just stop there and he was sure he was going mad when he felt it was angry at him.

Just then, from around the corner Ginny emerged looking as angry as ever, but with a cunning smile. It was obvious she had been crying because her eyes were damp and her nose was matching her rosy cheeks, they stood out more now with her dark hair, tied in a messy ponytail. She stormed right past him in her sweatshirt, pants and trainers without even a second glance. Either she didn't see him there, or she did but just didn't want to talk to him. He saw she had papers in her hand; perhaps it was her notice of resignation. He suddenly felt extremely responsible as she entered Manning office, this time closing the door.

Chief Manning sat at his desk contemplating the effects of Ginny's words the day before. She had wanted to end the investigation because there wasn't any evidence to convict the suspect. But there had to be, even if it was all just some scheme to get the two of them together Mr. Black must have made some sort of arrangements or at least planted something in case she got suspicious. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't even see Ginny enter his office. He remained oblivious to her presence until some pieces of paper were slammed down on his desk. His whole body jumped out of his skin when the thud of her hand struck the wood.

"You can go and arrest him now," she said with a satisfied smile.

"Pardon?" he said picking up the papers on the desk. He turned them around trying to fathom what all the numbers were for. What the hell is Barclays? he thought.

"I found it, all the evidence we need is right here so you can go and arrest him now." She stood up straight and crossed her arms wondering what was taking so long. It came to the point where she started tapping her feet. "Well?" she asked frustrated, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ears.

"Well what? What would you like for me to do Weasley?" he asked bemused. When he looked up at her he saw her face, all redness and damp eyes. "Oh, Ginny-."

"I want you to arrest him!" she yelled. She was vaguely aware that most of the rest of the office had stopped what they were doing and were watching the door. It was rare that Ginny would yell, especially at her employer but other than that she wasn't even meant to be there.

"Ginny, what's happened?"

"I want this to be..." She held her ground, but it was obvious she was about to break down, again. "I just want this to be over, I want my life back and I don't ever want to see Draco Malfoy again. Now are you going to arrest him or do I have to go back to that place and do it for you? I would love to, but I cannot promise for him to arrive here in one piece - or alive, whichever comes first." She wiped the tears that managed to get past her and glared at him.

"Um, Ginny I -."

"Sir." Pete came crashing through the door. "Sir, it's all my fault I shouldn't have told her that..." He stopped at the looks he was getting from the two of them and stood in silence.

Chief Manning just watched him and then asked a question that had been bugging him since he saw the papers Ginny had brought in. "Pete, where have you heard of Barclays? I know I've heard it before but I cannot for the life of me remember."

"Barclays, Barclays, Barclays..." he repeated softly. "Oh, it's a muggle bank. We dealt with it a few years ago."

"Of course, thank you." Then, he paused. "Oh, well that makes things a little difficult."

'What's difficult?" Ginny asked.

"Well, if these are indeed what you say they are and they can convict him - well there really isn't anything we can do about it."

"What are they?" Pete picked up the papers on Manning's desk.

"They are the evidence we needed to actually be able to arrest this Mr. Malfoy. It proves that he did, in fact take that money."

"Why can't you do anything about it?" Ginny asked, getting angry again.

After a moments silence Pete answered her question, catching on to what Manning was saying. "Gin, it's a muggle bank, this sort of thing goes to muggle authorities. We can't do anything with this unless he used magic to transfer the money, which he clearly didn't because that's what all these codes are for. Ginny? Ginny! Where are you going?" he said to her retreating back as she sped angrily out of the door.

"To kill him."

***

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Draco turned around; Ginny stood with dark hair and dark eyes watching him in contempt. "I am going to kill you," she said, running at him. She pushed him hard on his chest and he fell backwards over a foot stool banging his head on the ground. She pinning him down on the floor to make sure he couldn't move.

"Well," he said calmly despite the pain in the back of his head, "not that this isn't the worst arrangement I could imagine but care to share why we are now in the missionary position?" He smiled.

"Mission - what?" She raised his head and then smacked it down again. "Stop changing the subject." She pulled out her wand. "I just want to kill you and get this over with. After this I never want to see you again."

"Well it wouldn't be too hard too avoid you, being dead and all. But as a last request, would you care enough to tell me why."

unviable evidence, you knew that it couldn't do anything to you but you still gave it to me. Do you really hate me that much?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me oh so well, you vindictive arsehole. So not only do you embarrass people for their name and dignity but you do it just out of sheer fun now? You know he was right, I am just glad that I got out of it and into my senses before I became just like the rest of them. I can't believe I fell for it, even after everything I went through to stop it from happening..." she ranted, she went on this way for a while. Draco just lay there waiting for it to stop. He was sure that if she was standing she would be pacing again. He had witnessed her do this from time to time but he thought it was just some nervous habit she had picked up because of the situation she was being put in. But it had to stop soon, she was ruining his carpet and he was sure he had seen a track made in the carpet in her room.

She finally stopped and shemed like she had gotten it all off of her chest, not that she was any less perturbed. Far from it.

"Are you quite done? I'm just asking before you chew off my arm with your words, not that I understood a word you just said."

"What, I wasn't speaking English?" she asked sarcastically.

"No the words I got, very clearly in fact but the whole context of it was a little hazy - tell me, who exactly told you that you are meant to become one of them, who are them and what exactly did you fall for? Seeing as you won't listen to me first will you at least clear that up for me so that I can at least appreciate your argument?"

"You, you - what is the matter with you? Are you honestly telling me that you have no idea what I am talking about?"

"Yes I am."

"Yesterday you had a little visit from my soon to be ex-husband -." She took her bodyweight off of his arms and sat back crossing her arms looking down on him; he tried to ignore what her sudden shift was doing to him and was careful not to show it in his face.

"So he really is your husband?" he asked suddenly interested. Of course he knew what she was talking about but that was the least of his priorities right now. That, he would sort that out later.

"Stop interrupting me, I heard what he said and the more I thought of it the more his words made sense - from then and from before."

"So you've talked to other people about me?" opped himself up on his elbows.

"Wouldn't you? I suppose you think falling in love with you is just simple, that everything is roses and sweet nothing's in your ear." She rolled her eyes and glared at him. "Just answer me one thing, why didn't you just turn me in if you knew who I was. Why play it out to make us think we could find something?"

But he wasn't listening to her, his hearing had stopped at 'falling in love with you?' is that what he really heard? Did she even realise that she said it? He looked at her. No I guess she didn't. Well, no better way than to ask her, if she'll even listen. God's knows that has to run in her family, just like those damned to hell cute freckles of hers. Cute? Did I just think that? Urgh. It looked like he would have to approach this from a different angle.

"About our talk yesterday, you never answered my quion." He saw her tense under the sudden change of topic. She was obviously not comfortable as she got up immediately watching him with contempt, her wand at the ready. He smiled a little. "Is there an answer to go with that?" he said smiling at her as he lifted himself off the floor.

Ginny slowly blushed a shade of red and she hated herself for it immediately. Her hand started to shake a she approached her. She kept backing away from him but he would stop. "Malfoy." She tried hard to sound angry, really she did. She had to get out of there.

"Oh, call me Draco please." He smiled again as she went a brighter shade and moved towards her in an almost leisurely fashion and moved her wand away from him. "I have always wanted you to call me that," he said in her ear.

She was suddenly out of breath and began to hyperventilate, but tried very hard to hide it. But the second he began coming closer until she was up against the wall. It was no use and her heart began banging harder and harder, then there was a sudden unbearable heat like she was on fire. She felt light-headed and dizzy as she realized he was actually a lot closer than she had originally estimated. Then, everything went black.

***

"Maleyna what are you talking about? What woman? The only other woman that lives here is my mother. Why don't you start answering my questions-?"

"Stop lying to me, for once just tell me the truth, who is she?" Tears streamed down Ginny's face for the thousandth time in a week.

He looked as if he was trying hard to search for an answer. "I don't know what you're talking about." She screamed.

Ginny picked up the blade, practically ran across the room and drove it into his ribs, remembering how she had given up everything just to be with him. The pain of her power being drained from her by her brother, how he had warned her but she hadn't listened. She suddenly heard a ludicrous thought. Pain, there's something I haven't known in a while.

Only for him to stop loving her. To betray her heart.

The heart that was now laden with stone cold jealousy, regret and hatred. Hatred that now pushed the dagger, delving it deeper into his chest as she felt the bone scraping against the steel. The life in his eyes slowly ebbed away and he fell to the floor pleading for an explanation to this lunacy. The man stared deep into Ginny's eyes; she was watching the dagger stealing him away to death. When she did look up she saw his eyes locked on hers entreating for an end to this madness, asking her... why? He looked innocent, truly innocent. She stared at him long and hard and suddenly a great remorse flooded her head and... her heart. She could feel the stone beating and scraping alongside her organs. What had she done? She had just killed the only man she had ever loved. She sat there looking over his body, mourning what they had. He touched her hand, holding it as if he understood. How could he? But he always understood and that was one of the reasons she loved him. Right there and then she knew that he loved her. She placed her head by his heart right next to the hilt of the blade.

She could hear it, every beat in unison with her own. A pulse of stone, a kick in the gut. It slowed and slowed, and then it stopped. His grip on her hand tightened for a while causing her eyes to squeeze shut in pain. Pain, something she hadn't felt for a long time, something she had no right to judge. Her hand was released completely. She opened her eyes and looked up to see his, but they were already closed shutting her out.

The wind blew through the window, causing the laced curtains that hung to the ground to sweep up at the rings. All the windows were open and the breeze blew through her dark hair to the sweat on her scalp, her face and her arms causing a cooling sensation.

She pulled out the knife once again feeling the bone grinding against the steel of the blade. It felt sickening and her hands shook as the blood slid off the tip crashing into a pool unto the cold, hard lifeless ground.

Without him, how could she live? Without love. She couldn't.

She looked at the dagger and touched the blade but his blood was no longer warm. No longer did it run with life but with death. And now she could not follow him there as he had always promised she could. The spell was cast by a very powerful wizard.

As long as the rock is intact you will remain immortal

But that was just what he was, a wizard. Any spell that they cast on objects must be cast with a wand. It's the way of the wizarding world. And most spells cast by wands can be rectified with two simple words. Without thought she plunged the dagger into her heart.

Ginny's eyes fluttered open as she bolted up into a sitting position. What the hell was that about?

***

Her blurred vision swam into focus as she looked around trying to come to relations with the room she was in. The colours by themselves told her where she was, it was like a trademark. It was dark outside and she could see the moon just outside her window. If the lights hadn't come on when she woke up the trees would have made patterns on the wall. The green walls lit up nicely in the light, she had never noticed it before. Hold on, green walls? She gasped, this wasn't her room.

She looked around once more, the black ebony bed and wardrobe; the limitless ceiling. When she looked down at herself she almost screamed. She wasn't wearing the clothes that she had stormed into the house with. Instead she saw a light grey t-shirt and it sure as hell wasn't hers, just like the room. It was his.

She jumped out as quickly as possible searching for her clothes but came up empty. Where the hell are they? He couldn't have put them too far. She stopped at the thought of him having to change her. Please let it have been one of the maids, she thought before making her way to the door.

***

She had never ventured out into his corridors at night, well once but she would not think of that now. She walked along the corridor occasionally peeking over the landing to see if anyone was downstairs. Nothing, just a faint light in the living room. Well I shall avoid there at all costs, she thought. Malfoy is obviously down there and he was the last person she wanted to run into. Her feet went numb to the cold of the polished stone floor and she kept walking not feeling the chill anymore. She was sure sooner or later she would develop frost bite here. Just as she was about to turn right to the stairs a light shone from behind her and she turned to see a bright light tearing itself out of the wall.

She watched it entranced by the wisps of light that created patterns of animals and letters. She almost reached out to see if she could feel it. Then a dark, almost black wooden door was in place slowly followed by the light which had now ceased to move. They emanated where they stood on their sketched patterns until they died away. She stood in horror and her eyes went wide. She saw ebony wood with sculptures of dragons surrounding a D. It was his office door. And she was standing right in front of it.

Snapping out of it, she sought a place to hide. After several attempts and failures she conjured her wand quickly and muttered "Mezclarus." The handle to the door turned and she stood in absolute silence as Draco walked past oblivious to her and down the stairs. So I guess he wasn't in the living room after all. As he reached halfway down he stopped. Ginny froze and started to walk backwards. Draco turned and walked slowly back up the stairs looking directly at Ginny. Shit, shit he can see me? How can he see me, it's a perfect camouflage charm! She continued backwards so distracted by Malfoy's approaching form that she did not realise that she was now retreating unto plush carpeting. She completely overlooked his open door that he had forgotten to close and thus became locked into his office when he shut it. She heard his footsteps getting fainter as he went down the stairs once again. She sobered up and sighed. She removed the charm and slouched down on one of his chairs. She was liable to be there for a while.

***

"Pete, mate! Where've you been?" Pete looked up from his desk. Ginny had been gone for hours and if she was really going to do what she said she was then he was beginning to get worried. She hadn't gotten back to him since she left. He wanted to believe that it was because she was mad at him and not the latter but he couldn't help but feel anxious.

Larry looked at him in his withdrawn thoughts and slapped him on the back. "Mate, you need to get out more. We all love Ginny but you can't stay here, we need to get out. All work and no play make Pete a bad agent. And we can't have that now, can we? Not when Ginny would expect you to charge in on that Malfoy guy to save her if she ever gets into trouble."

Pete sighed rubbing his back, Larry hit hard and the other guys' stares weren't helping him feel any less guilty. It was true though; since this thing started eight months ago Pete hadn't been out once. He couldn't even say what London looked like anymore. That was a strange thought, he smiled. It wasn't long ago that he could trace London and all its hotspots - Wizard or Muggle - like the back of his hand. The guys probably felt that he had abandoned them. But he did actually have to work tonight and tomorrow.

"You guys, I have to work to night and for the rest of the week I can't go out with you."

"That's no problem just meet us here after work on Friday, you can find the exit right?" Pete nodded, laughing as he turned back to his desk.

"Alright Friday, I promise." The stares became harder; he had said that before and always ended up breaking it. "I mean it, no unexpected deadlines, no work I promise I will be there ok? What's the worst that could happen?" They all smiled cheerily and left him in peace. Larry stayed behind.

"You know, just because she has fallen for him doesn't mean you have any less than a chance with her." Pete looked up; Larry was staring at him as if he knew something he didn't. He hated that look. Ginny had it on her face half the time and he did not want to be reminded of Ginny right now. She had taken up a permanent residence in his brain and he didn't know why. He had always thought of her as a sister, he loved her. But these past few days with her being in there with Malfoy it was just too much to handle and the jealousy just kicked in. He hated her for it, for not noticing him and yet he longed for her. He didn't understand it. Larry, however, had just cleared it up for him and he felt stupid for not realising it earlier. He loved her, but not just as a sister anymore.

"Thanks Larry." Larry patted him more gently on the back this time and walked off leaving Pete to his thoughts. He had to tell her.

***

"For Merlin's sake, don't you work?" she said to the door for the third time. She didn't understand why Malfoy had not come to his office for over two hours and sincerely hoped that he had not gone out. She had spent the first hour wondering this and the second cursing his maids for not wanting to clean it whenever someone was locked in it. But after giving up on that notion she went back to him, wanting to blame her predicament more on him than anyone else. She got up and paced once more following the track she had made in the plush, dark green carpet. It was just a Godsend that this room out of the numerous others had some form of heating and she welcomed it. All the heat had been lost the second she had vacated her bed - his bed. She covered her face with her hands and sighed loudly. Not that anyone could hear her anyway. Apparently you could scream in here and no one would hear one decibel.

"Ow!" she cried as she hit her foot on the desk. With the pain that now surged through her toe she leaned on the desk and rubbed it with her hand to cool down the heat of torture she had to endure in this Merlin forsaken place. But as she reached down she brought some papers with her and with them she heard something hard hit the ground. She bent down even further so that she was now sitting on the ground and lifted all the papers, curiosity got the better of her as she gazed across the scripture on the pages. There were rushed sentences and hurried sketches of what looked like - stones and boxes, they were detailed and sketched in a black ink which made them stand out even more on the page. It looked like the same box she had seen him open before. Her hand went to her neck feeling the pendant's warm metal against her skin.

Names that she didn't recognize filled the pages along with one name that had its letters crossed out to form a new name that was truly bizarre. It looked like Paethozar. His uncle? All the letters were crossed out individually to form another name that was written in block capitals A - Z - T - A - R - O - P - H - E. Then ramblings about kings and goddesses and... what is Malfoy on? She picked up the rest of the papers and stood up to put them back on the desk. Then she stepped on something hard, removing her foot immediately she saw what she guessed was the hard thing she had heard drop a few minutes ago. It was her necklace, the one with the charm for her hair that she was warned not to take of. She now had Malfoy to blame for her hair being permanently black. Damn him.

She stood up again and placed the papers down only now realising the disgrace of his desk. She had never seen it this way before. Granted she had only ever seen it three times but even so, she would think that it would never look like this. Books were strewn all over the place. Suddenly there was a noise by the bookcase, quiet, but there anyway. It was then her attention went to the large bookcase at the end of the wall. She went over and looked at the bookshelves from ceiling to ground that were filled with books. As she reached the end of the large bookcase she noticed that there was a narrow passageway, just big enough for one person to walk along, as she ventured in she made out numerous other bookcases behind it, about ten or so. How big is this place? She thought as she moved along the aisles, she had never seen them before. She went back to the front and examined the shelves closer to see just what kind of books he read, when she saw a large space as if a few books had been taken out. Immediately her eyes went back to his desk, there were three thick books sitting opened on her desk. She went over to it and sank into his chair. It was extremely comfortable. He must have put some kind of charm on it; no chair could feel this good. She leaned forward regrettably as she did not want to leave the comfort of the back rest and peered over some of the things he was liable to have read before he left the office so unexpectedly with no cause to come back. She rolled her eyes and told herself to let it go.

The books looked old, the pages were a pale yellow and they smelled faintly of mold. The book was practically coming apart but it was obvious that he had gone through great pains to keep it together. She scanned the page, but her eye went straight to the picture on the opposite side. It was a drawing of a man in a black cloak. He was holding a rock in his hand. She had seen that before, quickly she ruffled through the papers she had just picked up from the ground. Yes, it was the same one. She looked over at the writing, that same name Aztarophe was on the top of the page. She read carefully.

Aztarophe

The wizard who became the closest to being known as a god lived centuries ago when gods of status ruled alongside each other. His achievements include his many victories over mortal kingdoms which expanded his dwelling to that of three countries and most of England. He was a pure blooded wizard of peace, until his family was killed by a Dark Wizard of the name Rayon. He had sought to find and destroy him but never found a chance as he had hid himself well. Rayon is presumed dead.

Known for his powers of transformation and his still used power of rejuvenation, he used many of his abilities to cause pain including a great many mortals that stood in his way of victory.

Defeated by the mortal King Azrael in the battle of Ebininus, where darkness loomed for three days and all that was seen was death. Azrael not been seen since 1493 AD, presumed dead.

His renowned achievement is in the Heart of Stone (in hand) created by him for the Goddess of Nature and Beauty, Maleyna. He plotted to destroy her for not accepting his hand in marriage and used her own happiness to kill her from within. The stone possesses a great magic that enraptures the possessor's feelings to prevent the repercussion of pain, but in doing so the feelings build within the body with no chance of release. As a result the possessor becomes out of touch with reality and the reason for their absence of pain becomes their target. They become extremely dangerous and are liable to kill in a rage of their own suppressed feelings...

She flipped the book to see the front cover, DARK WIZARDS OF YORE. Figures he would have something like this in his home, she thought before opening it again. She flipped over the page; there were two more people on that side looking at each other seductively. On the other side read:

Zacharin and Rebecca

The diviner Zacharin was a loyal member and Commanding officer of Aztarophe's army. He once served Maleyna, Goddess of Nature and Beauty before she left her divinity to be wed to the mortal King Azrael of Letrenus. Divination was his specialty, but he possessed many other gifts including the art of materialisation and apparition. He fought in both the Wizard and Muggle way therefore extremely valuable for all military actions. He led Aztarophe's men into battle and always came back victorious except for the battle of Ebininus.

Rebecca was the daughter of Aztarophe, used for her gifts of transfiguration on site and wandless. She favoured her father's methods and was present at all wars and captures of enemies. She was often the performer of tortures, preferring to transfigure herself into someone they cared about to attack from the heart.

This means of defeating was used to her father's advantage when she was used as a ploy to seduce Maleyna's husband in order for the Goddess to return for Aztarophe to give her the stone himself. His plans were thwarted when his daughter came to love the King also and his loyal follower turned against him.

Both were present at the period of the Goddess Maleyna's death. Zacharin, foreseeing the entire event was plunged into guilt of foreseeing his best and first friend's death that he planned to take the stone to prevent the other unspeakable effects the stone would have on the world if it stayed in the open. He took Rebecca with him.

As most a diviner of his time, Zacharin was an owner of one of seven boxes of 'The Diviner's Protection' (One Thousand and One Mystical Objects and Sites: Volume IV, page 714). A box that had an opening to no one but the owner and whomever he saw fit, it could house hundreds of undisclosed premonitions and objects of great importance. It is suspected that he kept the stone in his own box; however the box has never been found.

The two have always been together, they were thought to be related in some way but their relationship told other wise. Records do not have the evidence of any marriage having taken place but there was a consummation of sorts on their attachment to one another.

Disappeared in 1403AD. Presumed dead.

They presume a lot of things in this book, Ginny thought, flicking through the pages some more. There was nothing else that was bookmarked like those pages were. So she moved on, this time picking up the newest looking book that lay on a bag that said 'EB Woods' book store' with a black silhouette of a wood behind the words.

Fairy-Tales and Myths. She opened it and flipped to the bookmarked page. It had a title of a king who ruled in the late 15^th century. It said, Azrael of Letrenus. He really does his research doesn't he? She thought. She read on.

King Azrael of Letrenus (1371 AD - 1403 AD, 1403 AD - 1468 AD)

What, he died twice? How the hell is that possible?

Kind Azrael of Letrenus ruled from 1393 AD to 1468 AD. His court was filled by faithful men to whom he ruled fairly and wisely. He wed later than most kings of his time at the age of twenty six to the Goddess of Nature and Beauty, Maleyna. They were married for six years before Maleyna was cursed with a dreaded stone forged in the heat of jealousy by an evil Lord Astarof.

Lord Astarof disliked their marriage to each other because he himself was in love with the beautiful Goddess. She did not love him and he went through great levels of humiliation to prove his love. He even lost a war against Kind King Azrael. But it was when she did not respond to it that caused him to get his revenge. He cursed a stone to fill her with all the seven sins in relation to her life. Some of them she never got to feel. Most, she felt with every pound of the stone in her heart. Pride: to make her care only for herself, greed: to make her hunger for the truth, lust: to make her long for what she couldn't have, anger: to make her resent all that came to pass her and envy the last of the five she got to feel, to make her want the truth so badly that she was willing to kill.

What a load of rubbish, only a fairytale could make these things up to manipulate the poor minds of a child. Why on earth would he buy something like this? The one thing muggles are exceptionally brilliant at is taking an event and turning it into a tragedy of crossed lovers.

But she kept on reading as she had nothing else to do. It was only when she read the next paragraph did she notice the importance of the book, besides the coincidental names.

And kill she did. On the eve of the seventh moon in the year of 1403 she killed King Azrael in a craze of her own envy. It was only after that she realised what she had done that she had reversed the spell with the same weapon she had used to kill him. It was a dagger of silver that was presented to them on their wedding day. She plunged it deep into her heart...

It was her dream. She read it twice trying to understand why her dream would be in a fairytale. Did it actually happen? She didn't have time to answer this as the door handle was turning. Her head snapped up as she watched the door snap out of the frame.