The Soul Keeper

Chapter 20:

"Good..."

Slytherins mind voice echoed through Draco's mind, and he cringed in apprehension. He had agreed, now Slytherin would just take over his body and use it wouldn't he?

Apparently not. Several minutes passed, and Draco was still Draco, able to move his own body. This had to be a trick. Why else would he still have control?

Draco didn't even realize that he'd voiced those last two thoughts out loud until he felt the sensation of someone rolling their eyes and Salazar spoke again.

No, I will not expend my strength by taking over your body now. The necklace will guide you.

The presence faded from his mind again and Draco knew that he was alone. If only he could figure out exactly how Salazar did that, maybe he could stop him...

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a sharp tug on his neck. Looking down, he noticed that the Soul Keeper was stretched out in front of him, pulling slightly to the right. When Draco still didn't move, it gave a tug that almost knocked him off his feet.

So now an impatient necklace would guide him. Great.

"Alright, alright," he muttered starting forwards in the direction indicated and picking up the pace as he realized that he was getting closer to Ginny.

The rest of the world and all it's problems seemed to fade into the background as he pictured her smiling face before him, teasing him gently about something he couldn't even recall now. It all seemed such a long time ago.

What might have been just a few minutes passed in what seemed like days as he trudged doggedly onward, broomstick clutched reflexively in one hand while he used the other to push away low hanging limbs and clinging vegetation. Once or twice he found himself caught in a thicket of thorns and had to pause and carefully extract himself, cursing loudly the entire time.

The march did accomplish one thing though. It gave him time to think. And with the millions of thoughts racing through his head came a surge of determination. He go along, pretending to play Slytherin's game. For now. Then he would find a way out, with Ginny. If there was a way out.

He glanced up then, expecting to see more of the dark forest stretching away in front of him. Instead, he realized that the necklace had suddenly stopped it's relentless tugging, and that the forest had ended abruptly. Amazed, he stared up at the solid cliff wall stretching so far above him that it's top was lost in mist. Surely this couldn't be natural?

That was when he saw the small opening in the rock a little to his left and about ten feet up. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it wasn't just an opening, but was more like a tunnel of some sort.

Hovering on his broomstick in the air beside it, he felt the Soul Keeper give another sharp tug towards the hole. This was it then. Without allowing himself to think about the possible dangers, he slowly and carefully maneuvered himself forwards and began to crawl through.

************************************

When Ginny awoke, it was only to find herself imprisoned again, hidden away in another small room under lock and key. The only difference was that this time she was lying on a bed; a welcome change from the hard floor. But there was another difference too, something she couldn't quite place.

It was cold here as well, like they were farther underground. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. And stopped, looking at her arms in amazement. Slowly, she stood up from the bed, her gaze sliding away from her arms and over the rest of her body. The old, ragged cloak that she had been wearing the night before was gone, replaced by a beautiful white silk dress that must have cost more than her entire house. Gone were the smudges of dirt and streaks of sweat too. She was clean. That was the difference she had felt.

She stared back at the dress again, trying to discover what it must mean. She felt as though she were being made ready for some kind of special event, but what it was she had no idea. Looking at the dress and the pearl necklace she suddenly realized was hanging around her neck, it could have been a royal ball.

Well, whatever it was it was obvious that she was wanted there. So she simply wouldn't go. Maybe that would put a damper on Pansy's plans.

"Then again, maybe not," she just had time to think as the door was swung open and she was hauled out by the same two men who had kidnapped her before. This time, their faces were clearly visible.

"Crabbe? Goyle?" she croaked in disbelief. How on earth...

The two in question remained silent and continued carrying her down a long corridor.

"Where are we going?" she tried again. Still no answer. "Fine."

After that, the only sound was the heavy thud of footsteps as they walked.

It wasn't too long before Ginny noticed that they must have been approaching their destination. For one thing, Crabbe and Goyle kept glancing at each other nervously, and for another, she could feel a change in the air. Subtle at first, but it was growing stronger as they entered a great hall and started towards a distant pair of doors. It wasn't a nice change either, it was oppressive, menacing even. It made you feel as though once you entered that room, you would never come out.

By the time they had reached the doors, Ginny was as feeling as uneasy as Crabbe and Goyle were acting, and another sheen of nervous sweat had broken out on her body. She was walking on her own by that time, having resisted to being carried so much that the two boys had put her down eventually, though they kept a tight hold on her arms. Now, as they reached the doors, she hesitated, the fear of entering that room rising within her.

She couldn't stand still long, and before she knew it she was being pulled through the doors and to the back of the room.

A shadow suddenly came to life in front of her and Pansy's cloaked form materialized in front of them. She didn't even glance at Ginny, focusing on Crabbe and Goyle instead.

"Quick, get her in there and get out. I don't know how long I can hold his door open." The girl was panting, the muscles in her body tensed and straining. One hand was clutching her necklace as though for support and the other was holding a slightly shaking wand towards what looked like empty air.

Ginny's eyes narrowed. Had Pansy lost it?

Crabbe and Goyle apparently didn't think there was anything strange in these orders, because they immediately lifted her from her feet and dragged her forward, promptly dumping her in the corner and racing back a few feet. Ginny jumped up to follow them, but suddenly found that she couldn't. It was like an invisible wall hung directly in front of her, blocking her way.

She glanced in Pansy's direction, realizing that the girl had lowered her wand now and there was a triumphant grin spreading on her face.

"It works," she said softly, almost to herself. "I don't believe it. He said once I reactivated his spell that it would, but I didn't think..." Her voice trailed off as her sparkling eyes came to rest on Ginny and she smiled maliciously.

"The time is almost here. Now, we wait."

***********************************

After a minute or two, the opening began to widen, gradually increasing in size until it ended abruptly at a large stone door. There was no way that was natural, and the intricate symbols engraved in the hard stone proved it. Fingering it lightly as he searched for some kind of handle, or knob, Draco was forced to jerk his hand away at the sudden intense feel of darkness, of evil, that the door contained. The thought made Draco cringe. He really didn't like the way this seemed to be heading.

Reluctantly, he forced his hand back to the stone. He had to find a way in, or else all of his previous efforts had been a waste. He couldn't let that happen.

"Lot of good this does," he muttered to the air in general, glaring pointedly at the necklace. It was pulling him towards the door, but it sure wasn't showing him how to get in.

At least he hadn't thought it was. Now, with the tugging growing more insistent, he followed the way the necklace was trying to go with his eyes, and realized exactly what it wanted.

On the right bottom corner of the door there was another symbol carved, with one major difference: it was the perfect mirror reflection of the Soul Keeper. It had to be a lock of some kind.

Bending down, he gripped the necklace in his hand and positioned it right in front of the design.

"Here goes nothing." Pulling his lower lip between his teeth in a remarkably "Ginny" action, he took a deep breath and moved the necklace forward.

A low rumbling filled the air causing the ground underneath the quiver and shake with the force of it. Slowly, reluctantly, the huge door swung open, and Draco had to jump back out of the way to keep from ending up like mashed potatoes against the wall. Once again, only quick reflexes saved him.

As the door finished moving, the rumbling faded and Draco was left in silence, a thick cloud of freshly churned up dust hanging about his head and making him wish for a good breeze.

Hoping for better air, he stepped forward through the opening and found himself in a large, circular cave. A perfect circle. Off to the left was a small opening, presumably a corridor, with the light of distant torches hovering around the entrance.

What was this, someone's private fortress?

Instantly, the thought rang true and Draco realized that yes, that was probably exactly what it was. Someone's fortress.

But now the fortress had a name, and not a particularly good one.

He got his wish for a breeze just moments later. As he entered the cave, a harsh wind blew in from behind him, filling him with a damp, cold feeling before the force of it shoved the stone door closed with a resounding bang.

Draco glanced back over his shoulder and immediately pushed on the heavy door, but it was stuck fast.

Perfect.

There was nowhere left for him to go but on down the dimly lit corridor, the unevenly spaced torches casting a ghastly light over everything it touched.

Part of the time he walked in absolute darkness, at other times the passageway seemed to be lit with an unnecessary brilliance. Several times, upon going without warning from the utter darkness to the radiant light, Draco had to pause and wipe his eyes on the sleeve of his robe, as his light colored eyes welled up with burning tears at the sudden change.

And, just as often, he had to bit his lip to keep the feelings of frustration and anger from overwhelming him. On that long trek through the never changing passageway, his mind could roam freely, and he often wondered what his life would have been like if his father had never given him the pendant that still hung around his neck, guiding his way, or if Salazar hadn't chosen him to be the bearer. It would have been a lot simpler, he supposed. No evil voices, or almost unbearable pain, no terrible choices that no one should have to make. But there would also have been no Ginny. After they had finished serving their detentions together, life would have gone back to the way it was before for both of them, and they would probably have continued to hate each other for the rest of their lives. Draco couldn't bear to think of that happening either. Maybe if there was some kind of in-between.

But there couldn't be. And there could be no reliving the past. Not now, not when the one person, the only person, he would live and die for needed him the most. He had to get to her.

And with this final thought in mind, urging him onwards, it wasn't very much longer that he finally came to the end of the stone passageway and found himself facing an old, crumbled, wooden door.

At one time, it looked as if it could have held off an entire army, but now the wooden planks were rotted and soft.

In the middle of the door on the right side was what might have been some kind of handle, but it too had rusted away, leaving an unidentifiable chunk of metal in it's place.

Almost, Draco started to reach for it to see if it would still open the door when he had to pause and laugh mirthlessly at himself for his stupidity.

Raising a strong leg, he struck out at the door, kicking it open easily.

Not much of a defense anymore.

Before stepping through the shattered remains, he stuck his head through cautiously, wondering what would be revealed. Would he see her? Would Ginny be there, tied up in shackles, and would her eyes light up with happiness when she saw that he had come to rescue her? Or would a ghostly image of Salazar be there instead, if something like that was possible?

To his great disappointment, the sight that greeted his eyes was strangely ordinary. It seemed to be some kind of entrance hall, with a large set of double doors at the far end and several other doorways leading off both sides.

Now where did he go?

As soon as the mental question was asked, the necklace rose up to guide him again, gently tugging him towards the doorway across the hall and a little way down from him. It seemed slightly larger than the other's, and from Draco's experience with large manors and mansions, though not particularly with fortresses, he deduced that it would probably lead to a large dining room, or ballroom.

It turned out to be the latter. As he pushed open the once grand doors, sprinkles of dust fell into his hair already dusty hair, and he shook his head to throw it off. The movement focused his attention on the far side of the room, and a flash of red-hair immediately captured his full attention.

Ginny.

It was her. She was really there.

*******************************

Ginny spotted him at almost the same time, and she immediately jumped up, the last reserves of energy she didn't know she had until then springing up to aid her.

"Draco, don't!"

" Ginny!" he yelled, his voice hoarse with emotion. She was alive, he hadn't hurt her after all... Desperately, he rushed towards her, only to be brought to an abrupt stop by the tone of her voice.

"Stop, Draco, don't come any closer, it's a trap!" Ginny strained against the invisible wall Pansy had activated around her. She had to make Draco understand. In the long minutes she had been held there, Pansy had told her what was really going on, seeming to enjoy watching Ginny cringe and curse in turns. And Ginny had done plenty of both.

Salazar wasn't planning on releasing her, as he'd told Draco. He was going to use her to get to him, to make him a tool in his plans to take over the world. The Draco she knew would be gone forever, replaced by the evil of Salazar Slytherin. Ginny couldn't allow that to happen, even if it meant risking herself.

"What do you mean, it's a trap?" Draco asked uncertainly before he realized what she meant. "Oh, you mean that Salazar's waiting for me," he began walking forward again, brushing her comment off. "I know that, Gin."

Ginny's voice faltered. "You-you know that?" All her earlier doubts rushed back to the surface, no matter how hard she tried to push them away. Was Draco working for them after all?

His next words had her breathing out deeply with her eyes shut in relief, then flying open as the implications of what he said sank in.

"Slytherin," Draco called, addressing his words to the necklace for the most part. "I'm here now, you can let her go."

There was no answer, only that oppressive silence, but suddenly the wall around Ginny dropped and in the back of his mind, Draco felt something stir.

Ginny rushed forward, taking his hands in hers. "No, Draco, you can't do this. Get out of here, now, before it's too late."

Draco smiled slightly, even as he felt the presence of Slytherin taking over his mind, piece by piece. "Sorry Gin, I can't do that." His gray eyes met her brown ones, and in them Ginny could see a rising darkness, like a shadow in the night.

"Please, no...stop" she choked, a tear rolling down her cheeks as she realized what was happening. Draco didn't seem to hear her as he gripped her hands tightly, an intense look in his eyes.

"I love you too much."

*************************

With the last control left to him, Draco watch Ginny's eyes widen, saw the fresh teardrops fall from her cheeks. He felt a moment of satisfaction that he'd at least gotten to say that much before he gave up his will to Slytherin. It wouldn't be easy, but he knew that he could accept his new position as long as Ginny was safe and she knew that he loved her.

Draco was sinking fast. He could feel the dark presence filling his mind, seeking searching, conquering every small corner of resistance. And suddenly, it was over.

He could still think, but his mind was not his own anymore. It was like there were two sets of thoughts inside him, one of them Slytherin's, the other his own. But Slytherin's were more prominent, and Draco found himself being shoved back, locked away into the farthest recesses of his own mind.

He could see things, and hear them, but he could no longer take any action on his own. He tried at first, straining to move an arm, a leg, a toe, a finger. Nothing.

As you see, it is useless. You are mine now completely. There will be no escape for you this time. No Ginny to save you, Salazar sneered.

Draco didn't answer, so Salazar continued.

I've wanted you here a long time, you know. And now that I've got you, I think it's time we went to work.

That was something Draco couldn't ignore. What do you mean?

Salazar didn't answer directly, but Draco suddenly felt their hands-his hands-tighten on Ginny's.

Hey, what are you doing?!! He protested as Ginny grimaced, trying to jerk her hands away with no result. Stop it, you'll hurt her!

No answer.

Do you hear me? I said stop!

His grip loosened, but only a little bit as he began dragging her to the left, towards a long, high stone table Draco hadn't noticed before. He didn't get a good look at it, he could only see what Salazar saw, and the evil wizard's main focus seemed to be on Ginny.

The girl was...resisting...to say the least. Violently. But it made no difference. Slytherin had just taken possession of a strong, capable body, and no matter how much Ginny struggled, she could not get away.

What was Salazar doing? He was supposed to let Ginny go, he'd said he would-.

Draco blinked, once...twice...a third time. Oh no. No, no, no, no, no! Suddenly, vividly, he recalled his conversation with the wizard. Salazar had never actually said that he'd spare Ginny, had he? Draco had only assumed...

Grimly, Draco recalled a saying his father had taught him when he was just a child: assume makes an ass out of you and me.

God, he was such an idiot! What had become of the famous Malfoy ability called thought processes? Not only had he lost himself, or rather his body, to Slytherin, he'd dragged Ginny into this mess as well. He almost wished Potter were there, that boy seemed to have a knack for getting himself out of deep trouble. In his frantic state of mind, he would probably even have taken his archenemies advice if it had been offered. Unfortunately, there was no one to help him and Ginny except himself.

He should never have told her what was going on, never- but it was too late for regrets.

Well, Draco, you've really gotten yourself in for it this time. How was he going to pull this one off? He didn't really think a charming smile or a few nicely phrased words would work, especially when he couldn't use his own mouth. How did you fight this kind of battle?

He didn't have time to think about it.

Salazar's gaze turned from Ginny towards the back of the room where they were headed, and the motion caught his attention. Plainly visible was a long, stone table. At least twelve feet long, Draco calculated, and maybe five feet wide, six at the most.

Ignoring it after his initial glance, Draco surveyed the wall behind it, or what he could see of the wall, looking for some kind of doorway, or exit that would led them out of this room and to another. Maybe he was planning on holding Ginny as a hostage. If that was the case, Draco wanted to be able to find her, just in case by some miracle he actually managed to get out of this predicament.

But there was no doorway in sight, nor was their any other means of coming and going that Draco could spot. Salazar had to be heading for the table. But why?

No sooner had he asked himself the question than he focused his gaze on it and tried to find the answer. He couldn't think of anything.

"Lunch?" was the only thing that came to mind, so when he spotted a dark red stain on it as they came closer, he voiced the comment without thinking.

"You know, if you expect us to eat on this thing Slythy, you might want to clean it first. Someone spilt ketchup all over the place."

When Salazar paused mid-stride, Draco knew he'd been heard, and felt a small swell of triumph. If he could do nothing else, he could at least annoy "Evil Incarnate" to his heart's content. Not that he'd be satisfied with that, he'd have to find some way to get Ginny out eventually...

A chilling laugh as Salazar recovered himself and started forward again slowed his thoughts.

Fool, Salazar mocked him.

Draco had opened his mouth (in a manner of speaking) to ask how, when he realized his mistake. They were at the edge of the table, and Draco could see the stain better, a perfect circle in the center of the table. Funny, now that he could see from up close, it looked almost like...

Draco's heart took a terrifying plunge to his feet, the sound of it's pounding louder than he would have thought possible. His stomach churned, and he felt bile rise in his throat. That wasn't ketchup.

It was blood.

*************************

Ginny fought and pulled with all her might when Draco- no Slytherin- attempted to pull her across the floor to some unknown doom, but she couldn't stop him. Draco was powerful enough by himself, but now with that monster of a wizard inside him, he was almost unstoppable.

How had it happened? What form of Black magic could allow someone to do what Salazar had done? She knew of the Imperious Curse, and how you could control someone with it, but this was different. Far different.

Was Draco even still alive? Was he there, could he see what was going on? He had to be. Ginny refused to allow herself to think otherwise. If he was still in there somewhere, trapped in his own body, there was still hope for him.

As for her...Ginny shuddered as they approached the table and she spotted the dark stain. She wasn't nearly as optimistic as Draco had been upon his first glance at it. The word "ketchup" had never even entered her head. She recognized it as what it really was instantly.

How many people had been killed there, right there, on that very spot? She had no way of knowing. All she knew was that she did not intend to join them.

She had ceased her struggles in shock when she saw the table, but now she fought in earnest, using all her strength.

If only she had her wand...

But she didn't. She didn't have anything, only desperation. She might have gotten away too, if it weren't for the three shadows that stepped out of the darkness and held her fast, lifting her onto the table and laying her flat on her back. Within seconds, her hands and feet were bound with leather straps that seemed to appear out of thin air (very possible, since all three of them had a wand).

Ginny pulled and yanked and the binds until she was exhausted, but she got nothing but sore, bleeding wrists as a result. Tears leaked unnoticed from the corners of her eyes as she saw Pansy holding out a fierce, deadly looking dagger, and she watched in horror as Salazar took it.

So this was it then. This is how it would end. It was almost ironic really. She'd been training to be a healer, but if that dagger came down as she knew Salazar intended it, she would not even be able to heal herself.

Pansy sneered at her, but Ginny didn't even glance her way. Crabbe and Goyle had already retreated back into the shadows, obviously content to wait things out.

Would anyone ever know what had really happened to her? She thought of her family. Her parents, they had probably been alerted to her disappearance by now. What would they think when she never came back? And her brothers, Ron...

And Draco, she reminded herself. What about him? If he was still there somewhere, trapped in a small corner of his mind, would he know what happened to her? Did he even know what had happened to him?

She was shivering now, but not from cold. Vaguely, as she saw Slytherin raise the deadly weapon above his head, she wondered what death would be like. Would there be pain? Probably. At least at first. But after that?

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, certain she was about to find out.

But the blow never came. Or had it? Was she dead already? She cracked open one eye, then the other in disbelief.

Only an inch above where her heart would be, the dagger had stopped, as if hitting an invisible wall. It hovered there, and as Ginny overcame the first surprise of still being alive, she could see that it was shaking. No, Slytherin was shaking. His whole body strained with the effort to force the dagger downwards into her flesh, but it wouldn't budge.

What was happening?

Ginny could only lay there, hoping-praying- that whatever force was keeping the dagger at bay would continue to do so. She looked up, surprised to find Salazar's eyes locked with hers. But they were different, not so dark...

"Draco!" she cried in surprise, half questioning at first, but as soon as she'd said it she knew it was true. He was still alive! Or a part of him was.

Slowly, oh so slowly, the dagger inched it's way up, away from her chest. He was doing it! Somehow, Draco was fighting Slytherin. And winning.

She could hardly believe it, how was he doing it? She met his eyes and grinned encouragingly. "You're doing it Draco, you're doing it!"

A corner of his mouth twitched, as though he were trying to smile back. Or was it a grimace? Ginny couldn't tell. But if it had been a smile, why did his eyes look so sad?

Her own grin faltered. His lips moved then, and Ginny watched as he struggled to make them move how he wanted them to, to tell her something.

When he finally got them to cooperate, the words came out in a whisper so low she couldn't catch them.

*****************

Draco tried again. "I love you," he finally managed before suddenly plunging the knife into his own heart.

A/N: Yep, that's it for now. I'm so evil! Please review.