AN : I told you it would be out quickly...this is dedicated to Hype who is always such a great reviewer.
Anthend
Chapter Ten : Confrontation
"So how are they going to look for the person who put the Imperius Curse on you?" Colin asked Hannah as they walked together. They were headed towards the Forbidden Forest, away from the raucous sounds on the Quidditch pitch in preparation for the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor.
Hannah shrugged, already back to her ordinary extraordinary self. Her black hair bounced saucily as she moved, the green eyes flashed with eagerness and anticipation.
She looked exactly as she had before being accused of putting the curses on them.
But she wasn't, Ginny realized, flashing a quick glance at the girl. She wasn't. None of them were the same. A bond had sprung up between Colin and Hannah - they were closer now than they had been before. And outwardly, although everything was the same between Ginny and Hannah, there was a queer constraint in Ginny's behaviour towards the brunette.
She couldn't forget the way she had immediately believed that Hannah was the guilty party.
She couldn't forgive herself for that.
She should have known. Hannah was her friend. She couldn't have known, but she should have, and that was the unending paradox that gave her guilt.
"Dumbledore didn't want to say."
They were walking close to the Forbidden Forest. Hannah stopped at the edge and peered curiously through the thick, stifling leaves that blocked out any sunlight.
Ginny gave a sudden shiver. "I hate this place." She said, looking uneasily around her. "It's so dead."
Colin glanced at the forest. "I've always wanted to photograph this place."
"Have you?" Hannah asked.
Colin nodded.
"Strange things have been happening lately - " Hannah mused. "But nothing quite as strange as you, Colin."
Colin laughed, then turned suddenly serious. "Strange things have happened lately." He agreed. "That thing attacking Ginny in the Gryffindor common room and then in the stairwell - Ginny and Ron being attacked - Gryffindor losing a Quidditch match..."
"Figures you would include that in a list of strange happenings." Hannah gibed. She seemed so carefree that Ginny wondered if she wasn't acting.
"Hey, I think I saw a Two-Headed Bolbosaur -" Hannah said suddenly, peering in through the leaves again.
Colin came alert. "Really? Let's go take a look at it -"
"No thanks." Ginny muttered. "Not on my list of top ten things to do today -"
Colin threw her a laughing look. "Hannah and I will go take a look. We'll be back out in a minute -"
"Unless Colin decides to start taking pictures of it -"
Ginny grinned and moved slightly away from the edge of the forest. She frowned. Something was bothering her -
A slight rustle of the leaves five minutes later, and Colin emerged. She smiled. "Hey - Colin - I want to ask you something."
"Ask away." Colin replied, fiddling with the black camera that was hanging around his neck so much it was practically a limb.
"How did you know about the thing attacking me in the stairwell? I'm pretty sure I never told anybody."
Colin looked taken aback, and then vaguely indifferent. "Of course you did -" he mumbled, still fiddling with his camera. "I can't remember who told me, though -"
"No, I'm almost sure that I never told anybody - and Malfoy is the only one who knew -" Ginny frowned. "What's taking Hannah so long?"
Colin glanced up. "I don't know. She was right behind me."
Unease was beginning to uncurl through Ginny. "Maybe she got lost." She moved swiftly to the forest edge. "I think we should go in and look for her - the forest is pretty easy to get lost in -"
"Extremely." Colin agreed, his voice suddenly different. He was behind her. "Lots of dangerous animals -"
Ginny whirled around sharply. Colin stared at her. "What?"
Ginny shook her head instantly. "Nothing - I thought you were laughing, that's all -"
They were moving through the forest. Ginny looked around. "Hannah!"
She stopped. Colin was looking at her measuringly, as if studying a specimen he wanted to photograph. She glared at him. "Colin! We have to find Hannah -"
Colin shrugged, and she was suddenly aware of a languid grace in him that had never been present before. He stood there, a few feet away from her, that infernal camera in his hands, that appraising look. "There's an easier way to do that than traipsing through this primitive forest." He gave a graceful motion. His white teeth suddenly flashed in a disarming grin she'd never seen before. "I can tell you where she is."
Ginny glared at him. "Are you two playing a joke on me? Cause, I can tell you that it's not funny."
"Well, you said I was laughing." Colin was moving suddenly, through the forest, to a clearing three feet to their left. "You almost found her -"
Hannah lay on the ground, bloody and bruised.
And dead.
"Full of dangerous animals."
Ginny turned on him swiftly. Her heart was already pounding with grief and fear. "What is this, Colin?"
"This didn't have to happen, Ginny." Colin narrowed his eyes at her - pale blue-gray eyes she'd always liked looking at. "You shouldn't have asked about how I knew about your being attacked in the stairwell -"
Realization was coming, swift and painful. "It was you, wasn't it -"
Colin shrugged and smiled, looking pleased with himself. "I always heard that a murderer's downfall is usually his vanity." He added, "I shouldn't have talked so much. Hercule Poirot, you know, believed that if you talk too much, you eventually reveal the truth no matter how much you're on your guard ..."
"Hercule Poirot." Ginny repeated, her hand going to her wand slowly, hoping to draw it - Grief for Hannah and Colin -
"Muggle detective. Fictitious, of course." Colin glanced at her. "I wouldn't touch your wand if I were you."
"How could it have been you? It wasn't human -"
Colin tsked tsked her playfully, cocking his blond head on one side. Ginny wanted to cry. Her best friend.
"You should have paid more attention to McGonagall, Ginny." Colin said, mildly reproving. "Animagi, you know. I was always quite good at Transfiguration. It was challenging, no more, to learn how to transfigure myself. Of course, I had quite a good tutor in the Dark Lord."
Ginny froze. "You're working for him?"
Colin frowned. "Well, I prefer to think of it as an apprenticeship. A necessary step while acquiring my own power."
Ginny felt nothing. She was numb. Numb. "What did you transfigure yourself into?"
He was pleased. "I'm glad you asked. It's quite unusual to have this ability, you know." He paused dramatically. "Nothing."
Ginny gaped. "What?"
Colin smiled widely. "Nothing. Zilch, zip, nada. Nothing at all."
"What are you talking about?"
Colin's smile disappeared. "You should be more respectful. But since you want to know, I'll explain. I transfigured myself into nothing. Emptiness. Open air. I simply wasn't there." He frowned. "Well, not in a physical sense, anyway. In that state I'm able to impress thoughts and feelings on people." He smiled again. "I impressed fear on you."
"How is that possible?" Ginny asked. A part of her was stalling for time, another part of her was curious. "If you're - nothing - then how do you have the ability to do anything?"
"I know you're stalling for time, for someone to rescue you." Colin remarked. "Harry Potter? Or possibly Draco Malfoy - although your feelings about him are a bit confused. You might as well give up hope now, because I will kill you soon." He paused. "But your questions are interesting and I do enjoy your company." He added, "Enough to prolong its' existence for a while longer." He gestured at the ground. "Sit."
She sat. She had to think of something. "So explain."
"It's like transfiguring into an animal." Colin said, leaning against a tree. "If you transfigure into a cat like McGonagall, you take on its' abilities, like learning to see in the dark, or having better hearing. Being nothing you take on nothing's proportions." He paused again. "'In infinite nothing there is infinite everything.' George Reme, you know. Another Muggle writer. When nothing is there, imagination runs freely. So when you are nothing, you can be everything. In a phantom sense, of course - you can't actually materialize into everything. But I find that unnecessary. The power of imagination is very strong. If strong enough, wizards have a very convenient ability to convince themselves that what isn't there actually exists."
"I see."
"I assume you understand that I am the one who put the Imperius Curse on Hannah by now." Colin rubbed his hand absently down the tree trunk. "Being able to transfigure yourself into nothing is extremely helpful in curses of the like. I was able to insinuate myself into her mind quite easily. Poor Hannah - it was very sad for her when even you didn't believe she hadn't done it ..."
Ginny clenched her hands. "You won't make me feel guilty."
Colin studied her. "No, I don't believe I will." He stood up from the tree trunk. "But it's of no consequence. Your death will satisfy me sufficiently."
"Why?" The question was torn from her - she couldn't stop loving this boy, this friend of hers so quickly. Pain, but she had to know if she could have done something to prevent it.
Colin seemed surprised, then amused. "Don't get maudlin, Ginny, I will find that painfully embarassing." He paused. "There is no why. I always knew I would be a great wizard, greater even than Lord Voldemort. That's why I studied Harry in first year, you know. I wanted to know this boy who had defeated the greatest wizard before me...doing as the Dark Lord bids now ensures me a step forward to my own destiny..."
"So all of it was a pretense." Ginny said bitterly. "All six years of friendship -"
Colin smiled. "Of course. I did enjoy your childish devotion to Harry Potter, though, and then your confused emotions for Malfoy - You're very passionate, you know, if not exactly wise ..." He added thoughtfully, "I enjoyed your companionship. But it was always expendable." He lifted his wand. "You would have died long ago if I hadn’t wanted to show Voldemort not to play with me. I hope you die with dignity."
"She won't die at all."
Dumbledore's strong, gentle voice.
Ginny was full of conflicting emotions - emotions she didn't want to analyze.
Colin whipped around, and his face broke into a smile. "Dumbledore!"
"Put your wand down, Colin."
Colin nodded obligingly. "I thought it strange you didn't have a sort of tag on the Weasleys." He dropped his wand and laughed. "But it's too late, you know. I made Potter's Firebolt into a Portkey."
Ginny's heart slammed into her stomach. Harry.
_____
Harry jogged out onto the Quidditch pitch, his heart already pounding pleasurably at the thought of another match.
And a chance to redeem himself to his team.
He'd shown up early to warm up and give a proper pep talk. The team had appeared to have forgiven him, but he was well aware that he had to play his best this afternoon.
He jogged towards the broomstick rack, and his lips tightened. Draco Malfoy was already there, checking over his own broomstick. Harry steeled himself and told himself not to get into a confrontation. There would be plenty of time for that on the field later.
He wasn't given a choice. Malfoy looked up as he jogged near and his face automatically twisted into a sneer. "Potter." He said, by way of greeting.
Harry ignored him and looked for his Firebolt.
"The Firebolt is there." Malfoy said with a smirk. He pointed at the end of the rack.
Harry scowled. "I see it."
Malfoy feigned surprise. "So those specs aren't for good looks. Good thing, Potter, because I have to say, they were failing miserably."
Don't let him provoke you. "Shut up, Malferret."
Malfoy just laughed, that awful irritating obnoxious laugh. "Whatever you say, Potter. I just hope those specs work today when you're watching me get the Snitch."
"I just hope you're getting therapy for that alternate reality you're living in."
Malfoy laughed again. "Whatever you say, Potter." He repeated.
Anger boiled through Harry. He grabbed his Firebolt and turned to Malfoy, opening his mouth.
Which widened in shock as he was yanked by his navel with a sudden, vicious tug.
_____
Ginny raced onto the Quidditch pitch just in time to see Harry disappear.
She ran over to Draco, who was gazing at the spot Harry had been, looking mildly surprised, and grabbed him by the shoulders, tugging him strongly. "Let's go." She growled.
Draco quirked an unruffled eyebrow. "Where?"
Ginny was running full speed ahead, having grabbed a broom. "Your mansion. Harry's been Portkeyed to your mansion. You have to show me the way."
"Where’s Dumbledore?"
"He’s telling Fudge. Then he’s going to the mansion. He’s going to be too late!"
"Too late for what?"
Ginny grabbed Draco by his lapels. "Stop asking questions! Voldemort’s going to kill Harry! We’ve got to go!"
Something flashed into his eyes, but he took his broom with agonizing slowness, as if preoccupied with something else. "Why do you care?"
Ginny was mounting her broom, and with surprising strength she managed to fling Draco about two centimeters to his broom. "Get on your broom."
He did, but he didn't allow it to fly. "Why do you care?" he repeated, and his eyes were cold.
Ginny turned and glared at him, tears welling in her eyes, hot, angry tears. "Goddamit, fly!"
He allowed the broom to levitate a few inches. "Why do you care?"
"Because I love Harry!" Ginny burst out.
The broom shot into the air. "That's a switch, Weasley." Draco remarked, as he flew into the air. "Yesterday you were saying you loved me."
She had hurt him. Worry, regret, acid pain ripped through her stomach. She wouldn't soften, not now. She couldn't.
Not if she wanted to help Harry.
All her fault.
She should have known.
"Just fly." Ginny said bitterly, to the figure flying rapidly through the air just ahead of her, who couldn’t hear her and probably didn’t want to anyway.
_____
Harry landed with an undignified thunk! on a cold cement floor. Woozily he got to his feet and looked around unsteadily.
"Harry Potter." A sibilant hiss. "Welcome."
Harry knew that voice. "Voldemort." He turned around and faced him.
Voldemort.
Tall, lean, wrapped in robes that draped his figure like a shroud.
"How kind of you to remember me."
Red eyes that were like cold glass marbles.
"Hardly in a good way."
Strange that there was no fear in him anymore. There was nothing to fear in the figure who stood before him.
"Good enough." Voldemort gestured at the seat in front of him. "Have a seat. Or do you want to die quickly?"
"Only if I bring you with me."
Voldemort smiled. "I fear that that is not going to happen today."
Harry met his eyes squarely. "Then there's always tomorrow."
"Not for you, Harry Potter." Voldemort let the silence hang, then lifted his wand. "I remember how irritating I find you. I think your death will be quick. You've caused me too much trouble already."
"I apologize for the inconvenience."
"Cocky to the end. I like that. Of course, your end is so painfully near ..."
"I guess Malfoy's not the only one living in an alternate reality."
"Time grows short. Any last words?"
"Burn in hell seems so redundant."
"And worthless. Immortality has nothing to fear."
"Ignorance is bliss."
Voldemort smiled again. "Goodbye Harry Potter."
| Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter |
Draco and Ginny belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Warner Bros and various other corporations. They are being used here without permission and/or affiliation with the above. None of the authors listed here make any profit from these stories.