Title: To Live Forever
Author: Wyld Rose
Rating: R Definitely
Disclaimer: I only own the plot...JK Rowling owns the rest!
Chapter 7: Romance and Rituals
The week went by slower than any week had before, and by Friday, the doldrums of midterm exam week were made up by the winter’s first snowfall. The students poured out of Hogwarts after the last exam of the day so that they could enjoy the swiftly forming blanket of white. Ron, Harry, Neville, and other Gryffindors commenced a snowball battle with the humble Hufflepuffs. Ravenclaws went on walks through the flurries searching for inspiration and intrigue in the wintery landscape. The Slytherins hung back in the courtyard of Hogwarts, plotting of how they could ruin the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff snowball fight.
There was one soul who decided to remain in the warm confines of Hogwarts walls. In the Gryffindor common room, Hermione drowned herself in the mysterious book that she was able to confiscate after Tatheryn left it laying on the chair earlier in the week. So far, nothing she had learned from the massive hardback made any connection with what was going on. Hermione was just about to close the book and assume it was one of Tatheryn’s bizarre interests when she turned the page to reveal a detailed drawing of a mirror inside of what looked like the threshold of a doorway. Along side the drawing were a series of pictures with the Latin translation, obviously incantations. Runes and other ancient symbols were scripted in an arc over the drawing, and Hermione had no idea what they meant. The most interesting aspect of the drawing was what appeared to be an Egyptian-style eye gazing out from the mirror. She turned the page to see if there was anything written about the drawing, and sure enough there was a lengthy insert labeled, The Slytherin Looking Glass, Hermione read on, eyes wide with anticipation of the information she would find.
The Slytherin Looking Glass (a mirror) belonged to Salazar Slytherin and was supposedly passed down through generations of the Slytherin bloodline. The mirror originated in the possession of a wizard in the court of a New Kingdom Egyptian Pharaoh, and allowed the wizard to see far off places and attain information about the Pharaoh’s adversaries. Legend says that the glass of the mirror is made from the tears of Osiris, and the frame made from the throne of Isis. The hieroglyphics that are carved along the frame of the mirror have been translated to the following:
Top: Gather a thousand souls beneath a starless sky,
Left: burn the summit of knowledge,
Right: drink the essence of purity,
Bottom: and forever life, forever breath, shall be thine.
Without a doubt, the hieroglyphics read a set of directions, possibly for a large-scale ritual. Legend says that the ritual has only been performed once, and the result was catastrophic. Supposedly, the wizard, Sethnakhte, became so corrupt with power every time he used the mirror that his soul was forever bound to it, and because he could not travel to the afterlife with Anubis as he should have, he suffered dire consequences. Anubis cursed his soul to forever wander restlessly as long as the mirror exists—even if it is in pieces and scattered across the earth.
In 1497, a terrible incident occurred involving the mirror. Several deaths took place and around December, it was discovered that someone had invoked the spirit of Sethnakhte using the incantations found around the picture in this book. The portal had allowed an entity to pass into this world and inhabit the student’s body. It was as if the student was under the Imperius Curse, his mind out of control of the rest of his body. The boy was a Slytherin, and many wizard scholars believe he was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. This would explain how he knew the ritual. Apparently, the boy was under the impression that the incantation would grant him eternal life, however, to feed his immortality, he had to drain the souls of other people. Then, just as mysteriously as it had come, the entity disappeared, leaving the boy’s cold, lifeless body behind. Many feel that the entity was only allowed to feed for a restricted amount of time, and fortunately, it has not needed to feed since.
Hermione’s mind was dizzy with all of the connections it was trying to make between the deaths, the visions, the dreams, and the book. Marking the page with a shred of parchment, she stood and hurried outside to inform Harry and Ron about the mystery of the mirror.
~*~*~*~*~
Donning a set of warm sky blue winter robes along with a silver embroidered indigo cloak, Ginny set off towards the forbidden hallway where she was supposed to meet Draco. Her hair was tied partially back with a pale blue ribbon, a few fiery wisps falling in her face, and she decided to wear a pair of silver earrings her grandmother had given her when she passed away the year before. Ginny made it a point to appear at least somewhat decent for Draco, even though she continuously told herself that this was not a date.
As she approached the room, she could hear voices coming from within. Startled, she hid in a nearby study, not recognizing the voice as belonging to Draco. Straining to hear what the voice was saying, she leaned closer to the doorway of the room in which she was hiding. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest and she was deathly afraid that the person would discover her in this hallway and she would get in heaps of trouble.
The voice died down, and she heard the rustling of robes and footsteps as someone walked down the hall towards the stairwell. Ginny peered around the corner in an attempt to discover the identity of the individual, and raised an eyebrow. The slender silhouette of a woman with long hair left the hallway and turned to ascend the stairwell. Ginny could not recognize this woman, and waited for a while until she was certain the way to the study was clear.
Another, taller figure rounded the corner and entered the hallway, face obscured by shadows. Gasping silently, Ginny ducked quickly back into the room as she heard his footsteps approaching. The figure passed by, moving in the direction of Salazar’s study, and Ginny wiped her brow with relief as she caught a glimpse of silver-blonde hair. Draco...Relieved, Ginny left her hiding place and went to the study, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
Draco stood by the window, gazing out to the blanket of ice crystals that smothered the landscape below. A lock of hair fell in his face, and he made no move to slick it back. He felt as if he was drowning in his thoughts, as if the world around him no longer existed. At the end of this year, he would be initiated. He would receive the mark, and he would follow in the footsteps of his father by becoming a Death Eater. To refuse would bring shame and insult to the Malfoy family name. Perhaps this was his destiny, his fate, arranged by the gods long before he was even conceived. He felt it was futile to resist fate now. There was no going back on this one...he had no choice in the matter. Or did he? He never felt as if he had a choice. His family always dictating how his life would unfold, putting him in Hogwarts instead of Durmstrang where he had wanted to go, forcing him to marry Morrigan Nott, forcing him to become a Death Eater. Sure, his mother had spoiled him senseless as a child, and his father had taught him all about how to conceal emotion and walk about with an air of cool detachment. After six and a half years of being surrounded by peers in need of a status boost and who could care less about him as a person, in addition to how his family treated him, he felt all in all rather empty. He might as well give himself over to Lord Voldemort, life any other way was impossible for him to even imagine.
Feeling a presence behind him, Draco shifted his gaze down, however chose not to turn around. He knew who it was, there was no need to appear as if he anticipated her arrival by whirling around and greeting her with words.
Ginny had watched him for a long while before she approached him, resting a small hand lightly on his shoulder. Draco continued to stare out of the window, his face expressionless as always.
"I came as you asked," she whispered softly, removing her hand.
"I see," Draco responded simply.
"Didn’t you want to talk?"
"I did."
"Do you still want to?"
There was a long silence. Draco finally slid his fingers through his hair, moving the stray strand of silver from his face. He felt reluctant to face her, knowing that just by looking at her the same bizarre feelings he felt in the library would return. Other people would describe them as positive feelings, feelings denoting adoration, and...hope. He had no hope. He saw the feelings as sick, feelings he should never feel in the presence of his foreboding fate. Draco wanted to find comfort in Ginny, and the realization of that made him feel extremely miserable. Even though she may comfort him, it would be in vain. He knew she would if he asked, he could see it in the way she looked at him. It would be a comfort that would not last for long. He would be ripped from the solace of her embrace and tossed into his tumultuous fate as soon as the year was over. At this moment, he found comfort in her presence, and that was all the temptation of happiness he could take without it driving him mad.
"Draco, is everything all right?" Ginny murmured quietly, sensing that something must be bothering him. Draco closed his eyes at the sound of her voice, feeling his stoic façade begin to crumble. Of course nothing was all right. Everything was wrong... How would he have ever guessed that Ginny Weasley of all people would be the one to ask him such a question?
"No," Draco answered, forcing his voice to sound as void of emotion as possible. The present began to weigh on his mind as he thought about the visions and the deaths. He knew exactly what was going on, and he knew that Ginny would never look at him the same way again if he explained it to her. The warm, adoring gaze in her eyes was a vision he wanted keep with him always.
"What do the voices say when you are here? The ghostly voices...not the realistic ones." Draco asked with the air of someone who was pretending to be interested in a conversation, but would rather be dissecting bubotubers.
"Things that made no sense whatsoever. Things like, ‘If you hurt her, I’ll kill you,’ and ‘I hate you!’ Then the voice says my name, and some other things that were hard to understand," Ginny explained in a wavering voice as she stared at the floor and played with a clasp of her cloak nervously, "It was a man’s voice, that’s all I could tell."
Draco finally turned to face her, his eyes unmistakably full of concern. Ginny saw his expression and bit her lip, wanting him to reach out and hold her and tell her everything will be all right. She sighed inwardly, knowing he would never do such a thing. They were so close, she only had to take a step and she would find herself wrapped in his arms, however she was hesitant to make such a bold movement. Glancing up into his eyes, the moonlight illuminated his face just enough so that she could see tiny flecks of blue mixed with the steel gray of his eyes. Draco decided that he would tell her some things, but not everything. He leaned against the windowsill and folded his arms, and Ginny found it difficult to prevent herself from staring at him.
"You know how Voldemort is the heir of Slytherin, correct?" Draco asked in his typical drawling voice. Ginny offered a slight nod and Draco continued, "Tonight is the five hundred year anniversary of the opening of the Portal of Sethnakhte. This allowed the life essence of a Pharaoh’s wizard, Sethnakhte, to pass into this world and feed off of the souls of the living. The portal has been opened again by a Death Eater in training. Not even I know who—," Draco cut off his sentence, fearing that if he went any further he would reveal his sordid destiny. Ginny tilted her head to one side, as if trying to make out what he was saying.
Draco moved to the couch and sat, leaning against the arm in an attempt to appear as calm and collected as he could. After staring at the floor for a few minutes, he continued, this time, his voice less of a drawl. Ginny could detect a hint of repressed sorrow and took a step closer, wishing she could curl up against him soothingly.
"You also know my father is a Death Eater..." Draco stated, not looking at her. Ginny opened her mouth to say something but Draco continued his explanation of how he was going to be a Death Eater and how he was betrothed to Morgan Moon, and Ginny forgot everything she wanted to say. He explained everything. Everything he was thinking about when he gazed out of the window. Ginny just stood there, staring down at him in silence. Never before had he emptied his mind and heart out to anyone. Denethor was his closest friend, and even he hadn’t been the recipient of the knowledge of Draco’s darkest woes. Ginny couldn’t help herself any longer. In one step she was sitting close to him on the couch, her arms wrapped loosely around his shoulders. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, listening to him breathe. Draco froze at her sudden embrace, unsure of how to react. Ginny just did something to him that Draco never thought anyone could do—make him loose his composure.
"I have always believed that we are in control of our own destiny. Would you rather be unhappy for the rest of your life with your cruel family and terrible friends, or happy with..."
"No one. Either way, I would have nothing," Draco finished her sentence. He was sure that his response would draw her away from him, but to his surprise, she clung to him tighter.
"Let’s pretend there’s a happy end..." Ginny whispered soothingly, not realizing that she had begun to stroke the back of his neck gently. Draco looked down at her, trying hard to stifle the delicious shiver she caused by dragging her fingertips lazily up and down his neck, every so often trailing up into his hair. She shifted slightly and nuzzled against his neck, breathing in his scent. Like incense and expensive cologne, Ginny smiled placidly. Draco glanced down at her, the corners of his mouth tugging involuntarily into a genuine smile. She looked up to him, swooning inwardly over how breathtaking he looked when he smiled...the first time she had ever seen him really smile...
Draco ran his fingers through Ginny’s long hair, watching the silken strands as they fell perfectly back in place when he let them go. She stared up at him, and bit her lip as she was claimed by the overwhelming urge to kiss him. Draco’s smile had faded almost as quickly as it appeared, and his eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of her nervous gesture. Charm and confidence returned as he leaned down, tilting her head up with his free hand. He lowered his face closer and pressed his lips softly against hers. She was tentative at first, refraining from parting her lips as she savored the warm feeling his kiss brought. He ran a fingertip around the whorl of her ear and down her jaw line and further still to the nape of her neck. She felt herself being reclined on the couch and made no effort to prevent it. He continued his expert ministrations, brushing soft kisses down her chin, following the trail his fingertip had made just moments before. When he pressed his lips against her neck, the soft moan that was caught in the back of her throat nearly drove him over the edge. She was breathing somewhat erratic and he felt her heart beating two times too fast against his chest. Her arms wrapped gingerly around him, fingers pressed against his back as she rubbed them up and down in a lazy pattern. Draco lifted his head so that he could look down at her, drinking in the sight of the fiery red tresses spilling around her and the passion invoked blush that drowned out her faint ginger freckles. She opened her eyes partially, gazing at him with what he assumed was deep adoration. No lover had ever looked at him that way before, and he felt somewhat less empty as he brushed his thumb over her parted lips.
"Draco..." Ginny murmured, wetting her lips quickly in expectation of another kiss. He lowered his mouth on hers instantly after hearing the urgency in her voice. His tongue grazed over her bottom lip as he pressed his lips hard against hers, the need to deepen the kiss causing him to shiver slightly. Her lips parted willingly and she felt his tongue slide against hers hungrily. He slid his hand down her arm, pushing down her robes to expose her shoulder. Ginny arched against him, pressing her body as close to his as possible as his mouth left hers so that he could suckle at the nape of her neck. He responded to her writhing by pushing the robes down further, unfastening a clasp at her chest. Trailing kisses from her neck down to the soft curve of her cleavage, he groaned as he felt her leg slide up and wrap around his, her hands slipping into the folds of his robes and beneath his shirt. Ginny bit her lip to keep herself from moaning too loudly as she felt his erection press against the inside of her thigh. She responded by parting her legs a little, and wished she could cast a spell that would make their clothes disappear. Her fingers entwined in his hair as he pushed down the top of her robes entirely, exposing her lacy white bra. Draco paused, eyes focusing on her almost exposed breasts, and then dragged his gaze up to rest on her face. Ginny’s eyes were closed and she had her head tilted back, the spot where he had been sucking on her neck turning a soft pink color. He realized then that even if he were to become a Death Eater and spend a miserable life killing mudbloods and marrying to that horrible Morgan bitch, this moment with Ginny was enough to bring him solace for the rest of his life.
The sensation of Ginny’s hand fumbling at the buttons of his trousers shocked Draco back to the moment. He groaned again, lowering his head to her lace-clad breasts. Ginny moaned softly as she felt his hand give her breast a slight squeeze. He smirked lustily down at her, enjoying her reaction. Just as he was about to snake his tongue over the soft skin beneath the lace, a chiding voice made both of them freeze in their tangled position.
"Well, well. Resorting to snogging little Gryffindor harlots, I see. Really, Draco, if you were that randy all along I would have been happy to let you take me anytime you wanted." It was Morrigan Nott. Part of Draco felt wickedly satisfied that Morrigan had seen him in such a compromising position with someone other than herself, and the other half felt sickened at the thought of just what she would do with the information of this discovery. Tell his father—was among the worst.
"What the hell are you doing here..." Draco responded bitterly, quickly covering Ginny’s chest with her robes. Ginny glanced from Morrigan to Draco, sliding from beneath Draco as he moved to sit up.
"At least you listened to your father and brought the little weasel chit here. So, they need the life force of a pureblooded witch, a virgin at that, to complete the wretched ritual," Morrigan scoffed, turning to the mirror. Draco tensed at her words, not wanting to see Ginny’s reaction. Ginny stared at Morrigan confusedly, and Morrigan continued with an actual riddle, her luminous blue eyes fixed on a point somewhere beyond the mirror.
"Gather a thousand souls beneath a starless sky... Done, my Lord. Burn the summit of knowledge... Underway, my Lord. Drink the essence of purity... She shall be yours soon enough, my Lord. Forever life, forever breath shall be thine... Yes, my Lord, forever thine..." Morrigan spoke as if someone in the mirror were listening, praising her for all she had done. With a wry smile, she tipped up on her toes and pressed her lips against the mirror, leaving a dark lipstick mark behind. She glanced at the reflection of Draco in the mirror, and spoke matter-of-factly, as if she were talking about the weather.
"I feel somewhat used, you know. I’m the one who allowed Sethnakhte to possess me so that he may feed on those hapless mudbloods! I should be granted the eternal life! Oh...what would I give to drink that elixir," Morrigan trailed off, gazing into the mirror fondly at her reflection. Draco stood deftly, hand on his wand, as he sneered at Morrigan, his glare eating through her like acid.
"You weren’t the only one you selfish bitch! Don’t you see we’re all being used? He’ll give us the mark, and we’ll become bloodthirsty and merciless," as Draco paused, thinking of more to say, Morrigan wheeled around, her eyes wide and lips curled in a wicked snarl.
"I see what you are doing. You were going to spoil her so that we couldn’t use her for the ritual. Tsk, tsk Draco, my darling. Why did you get involved if you were afraid your precious whore would be killed?"
"I’m daddy’s little dragon, remember," Draco mocked. "Getting involved is my calling. I had no idea it would be her."
"The seventh born of a pureblooded family whose lineage goes back as far as your bloodline, Mr. Malfoy. I also suppose she is a virgin since Voldemort insists on using her. Although one look at her would prove otherwise...She looks to be nothing more than a street wench," Morrigan said derisively. Up until this point, Draco managed to keep his anger suppressed. He flicked the stray strands of silver-blond from his face and glared down his nose at Morrigan, a slight smirk marring his impeccable features.
"Always so dramatic, Miss Nott," Draco chided, mocking Morrigan’s use of his proper name. "You know, I’m sure my father is feeling rather anxious now, considering you are wasting time by driveling at the mouth like a Shakespearean actor."
Ginny stifled laughter at his remark, and stood from the couch slowly. The compulsion to laugh was obscured by the confusion of the situation, and Ginny suddenly grew concerned that trusting Draco could have been a mistake. How was he involved...and involved in what, exactly? Morrigan fixed her eyes on Ginny the moment she moved.
"Imperio!" Morrigan shouted, her wand raised to Ginny with nimble rapidity. Ginny went limp, her arms drooping listlessly. Her head lolled to one side as she stared straight ahead, a vacant haze clouding her eyes. "There, now she’ll be easier to carry."
No matter how hard it was for Draco to resist his fate, the sight of a lifeless Ginny brought visions of what would happen to her if Voldemort’s plans went though. For some unimaginable reason he had developed feelings for the youngest Weasley, and the little moments he had spent with her somehow filled an emptiness that dwelled within his heart. He decided it would be better to ponder about this later, and advanced on Morrigan in one stride. Caught off guard, Morrigan stumbled back, almost loosing her balance. Draco grabbed the collar of her robes and pulled her up to keep her from falling, his face inches from hers. She winced, feeling something pressing painfully against her stomach, and stared up at Draco in bewilderment. His eyes were darkened dangerously as he moved his face even closer, and for a moment, Morrigan’s features softened, assuming he might kiss her.
"Expelliarmus," Draco said, his voice projecting every ounce of disgust he felt for her with each syllable. Morrigan felt a jolt of searing energy as she was thrown backwards to the far corner of the room. Her head slammed excruciatingly against the cedar crown molding and the sickening crunch of breaking ribs followed as her side hit the wall. She slid down to the floor in a heap, her head limp in unconsciousness. Draco’s expression was grim as he slid his wand back into the folds of his robes. He glanced to Ginny who seemed to be gaining control over the Imperius curse. She fidgeted, obviously struggling inwardly to overcome the restraints Morrigan had invoked on her mind. Draco moved to her and shook her gently.
"Ginny?"
"Wh...what happened..." Ginny pressed her hand against her forehead, feeling terribly dizzy. Draco kept his hands on her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. Her memory slowly began to return as she scanned the room, noticing that Morrigan was huddled in the corner, blood trickling down her head.
He was about to elaborate when a sickly green light seeped into the room from somewhere outside of the window. A low resonance vibrated the ancient stone walls, and students were heard shouting from the stairwell in the distance. Draco pulled her closer to him, desperate for her to give him some sign that she still trusted him. Although Ginny allowed him to hold her, she kept her arms limp at her sides, staring concertedly at the green light outside of the window.
"What is happening...?" Ginny whispered.
"Bad things," murmured Draco, his jaw clinched in an attempt to hold back the emotions swirling in his mind.
A/N: I’m still working on the rest of the story. Sorry to leave you off with a cliffhanger! Don’t worry, the next chapter is almost done. Please give me some feedback... Do you think I should rate the story differently? It does get more R rated especially in later chapters. Just wondering what everyone thinks about that. Thanks for reading! -Wyld Rose (Jenna)
| 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.