Chapter 50:

After the first moment of claustrophobia passed, Ginny willed herself to calm down. She was just...in something, that was all. Nothing to get worked up over. Or so she told herself. Her hands were bound, but still movable and they strayed to the necklace around her neck. When they came up empty the panic started to swell inside of her again. Pushing it down, Ginny tried to move, to see if she could at least get in a better position. The most she was able to do was tilt her head back, so that it was no longer at such an awkward angle. The ropes tightened around the rest of her.

She racked her memory for what had happened and as she did so, she noticed her leg was throbbing. Moving her hands down, her fingers found a bandage wrapped around the top part of her ankle, and the pain flared as she touched the skin around it. She had a vague memory of something shining at her and then a tight feeling across her skin. She wasn�t sure, but she thought that perhaps he had tried to cut her. Obviously from the size of the bandage and the tenderness of her skin, he had succeeded.

There was something else that floated around the edges of her memory but it was too faint to come into focus. Ginny�s hands again flew to her neck, once more coming up empty. She didn�t want to think about the fact that she had lost her stone; she didn�t want to think about losing the thing that had been keeping her sane. She tried to focus her energy on where she was instead. She knew she was moving, she could feel the forward motion. But where was he taking her?

Ginny reckoned that someone must have been getting close to her captor, to make him flee like he had. There could only be one person; it had to be Harry. Warmth flowed through her at the thought. Even the ropes seemed to loosen for a moment. Ginny pictured Harry�s face in her mind and all the love she felt for him. She knew then that no matter what happened, she was going to get out of this because she had too many things to do; she had too many ways still to show Harry how much she loved him.

Her mind settling into the warmth still touching her, she let her mind wander. As long as she kept thinking about Harry, she was fine. The panic, the soreness of her body, it all melted away. She didn�t realize the train had stopped moving, so she was unprepared for the opening of the trunk. She blinked upwards, dazed at the harsh light. When her eyes finally focused, Ginny felt her panic come back in full force.

Louis Fagan was looking at her with something close to pure joy on his face and for the first time since she�d been taken, Ginny felt scared and truly lost.

After hearing Dex�s startling news and seeing the Weasleys come back down visibly shaken at the state of the room they�d just seen, Harry dazedly went through the motions of doing what he thought he should do. He listened, he nodded, he spoke when he needed to, but inside he felt a dull pain that was threatening to swallow him whole. Remus gave him strange looks, but Harry went about his business. He made sure the medi-witch took care of Dex. He sent Bill out to fetch Donald Fagan from where Dex had hidden him. Now since Dex had told the truth about Louis, it seemed no one could get him to shut-up; he talked about the poison used to knock the girls out, the rope that Louis had that was laced with belladonna....

It was almost too much for Harry. He stared miserably out one of the darkened windows of the house and let his mind wander. He wondered where Louis had taken Ginny. He was hoping once they spoke to Donald Fagan, they would have some idea, but Dex had already said that Louis and his father didn�t exactly get along. But still, perhaps the man knew something...he�d been out heading toward the house, right?

Harry closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly warm inside. Ginny. It was as though someone had spoken her name in his head. Harry sighed and suddenly felt utterly exhausted. All the days of searching and frustration had finally caught up with him, it seemed. He just wanted to sleep....

�Harry?� Remus said softly beside him, causing him to jump. Harry opened his eyes and looked at his friend.

�Sorry,� Remus continued, �Didn�t mean to startle you. Why don�t you go home and get some rest. I�ll talk with Donald when they bring him in. I�ll make sure that if he knows anything, we�ll come get you immediately.�

Harry started to shake his head no, but stopped. Maybe it was because he had finally reached his limit of energy or maybe because he didn�t trust himself to look at the father of the man who had taken Ginny, but he knew that Remus was right. He needed rest.

�Fine. I�ll go,� he said softly, turning away from the window. He didn�t miss the raised eyebrow that Remus gave him. �And see, I�m not even arguing.� Harry tried to flash the other man a smile, but his face hurt with the effort. Remus suddenly did something very out of character, he hugged him.

When he pulled away, Remus had an odd look on his face. �You�re going to find her. Your father would have searched to the end of the earth for Lily, and I know you will do the same for Ginny. The two of you are....� Remus paused as though trying to find the right words.

�We�re meant to be, right?� Harry said sadly, his mind suddenly recalling a conversation with Remus from years ago; a conversation in which he�d ranted against the very thing that now meant more to him than anything.

Remus shook his head. �No. Well, I mean, yes, obviously, but...that�s not what I was going to say. You�re both very strong. Ginny is a fighter. She�ll survive out of sheer stubbornness, just to make sure you have something to find. And I know you will find her, it�s in your eyes. Just hold on to what you have together.�

Harry felt the small burn of tears behind his eyes and thanked the other man by way of another hug. He turned away and looked over at where the twins and Arthur Weasley talking. The three of them turned and met his gaze. He walked over to them, suddenly unable to be cross at them for letting their anger out earlier.

�I�m going to go home for a quick nap, Remus says he�ll let me know if Donald has anything to say.�

Arthur pulled him aside and looked at him kindly, but also quite sadly. �Yes, Harry, get some rest. Leave Donald to us. I have a few choice words to say to him, myself. I should have said them awhile ago, but I didn�t want to cause any trouble at the Ministry. This whole thing has proven that I�ve grown far too complacent as Minister.�

Harry knew Arthur was referring to the fact that he had found out about Louis being the one that had sold Neville the herb for Hermione. Harry shook his head.

�Don�t second-guess yourself, Mr. Weasley, there�s no way you could have known. You were doing what you thought was right.�

�But it may have cost me my daughter,� Arthur said softly, his expression haunted.

�Not with me around.� Harry said simply.

Arthur looked at him and nodded. �Yes, perhaps you�re right. I�ve thanked Merlin many times that you and Ginny have each other. Harry, no matter what happens...I...want you to know that you will always be like another son to me. There is no other person I would want out there looking for her than you.�

Harry was touched at his words and again felt the small start of tears behind his eyes. He nodded his head and couldn�t say anything. Arthur seemed to understand and went back to talk to the twins. Shaking his head, Harry apparated back home to get some rest.

Ron and Hermione left a very relieved and happy Neville watching over Susan. It did Ron�s heart good to see Neville smile for some reason; maybe it was because he had watched the man sit at the brink of despair all night, but in reality he was just glad that Neville and Susan could be with each other and that she was unharmed.

He glanced at Hermione as they made their way home to their flat and didn�t like the circles under her eyes. She�d been pushing herself too hard and what she needed was rest. Even her Healer had admonished her. Ron realized with a start that the start of their engagement had been anything but joyful. He took her hand into his and she smiled briefly at him as the walked through Diagon Alley, which was still mostly empty in the early hour.

�I wonder how your brothers are fairing,� Hermione muttered absentmindedly, and Ron knew her mind was really on Harry.

�Harry�s fine, Remus is with him, he won�t push let him push himself too hard,� Ron said softly. Hermione stopped in front of the flat building and gave him a sad smile.

�Was it that obvious I was worried?�

�No,� Ron said as he kissed her gently, � But I just know you that well.�

Hermione laughed softly in his ear and Ron suddenly pulled her to him, wanting to hold on to her for dear life. After a moment she pulled away and gave him an odd look.

�Honestly, Ron, you act as though I�m going to disappear too,� she scolded him lightly, but her face was searching his for the meaning of his sudden despair.

�I love you,� he said simply, meaning it with every inch of his being. Hermione bit her lip and he saw tears form in her eyes. He shook his head as they entered the building.

�Honestly,� Ron said mimicking her voice from before, � You act as though me saying I love you is a bad thing, Hermione.�

�You just seem very emotional lately Ron, I hardly know what to do about it,� Hermione said, her voice returning to normal. Ron glanced at her and gave her a smirk. As they entered their flat, he felt the exhaustion hit him. He could only begin to imagine how tired Harry was.

Hermione moved into the kitchen to put the kettle on, and Ron sank into the to living room sofa, remembering how he, Ginny, and Hermione had just been sitting here a few days ago, talking. He felt overwhelmed all of sudden. Hermione was right, what was his problem lately? She always teased him because she had thought that he had the emotional range of a teaspoon when they were younger and maybe she had been right then. But now Ron felt as though his emotions had moved on to bigger and grander things; he had at least worked his way up to a measuring cup.

�Now that is a serious expression on a serious face,� Hermione said from the kitchen doorway and smiled at him. He held his hands out to her and she immediately went to him, her brow worried.

�What is it Ron? Is it worry about Ginny? You know Harry is going to find her,� she said as she settled onto his lap.

�You sound very sure of that,� he said quietly.

Hermione looked at him, her hand smoothing back his hair. �How can you not be sure? He loves her more than...well, more than anything I�ve ever seen him love before. He�ll never stop until she�s safe. You know Harry. And Ginny is so strong, Ron. She�ll fight with every breathe in her body. Why else do you think the twins fear her temper?�

Ron knew Hermione was trying to make him smile, but he just buried his head in her hair, wanting to lose himself. He didn�t want to think about Ginny hurting, he didn�t want to think about anything for a moment. He heard the kettle begin to boil and Hermione shifted on top of him, to get up to take it off the flames. He held onto her and pulled his face up, suddenly no longer in the mood for tea.

Hermione looked at him, a question on her face. She smiled and moved her hand to his face, kissing him deeply. She pulled away finally and rested her head against his. After a moment, she spoke.

�Let me get the tea and you go turn on the shower. Let me see if I can put a smile on that face of yours.�

Ron frowned. They couldn�t indulge themselves, not when other people were hurting. �I don�t think we have the right to -�

�Oh, we have the right. I spent my engagement night in a musty old hospital bed. I spent my engagement party worried sick over Harry and Ginny. I�ve got serious payback coming to me for both of those,� she said lightly and pulled herself out of his arms. She nodded towards the bedroom and went into the kitchen.

Ron sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Merlin forgive him, but he was going to be selfish this morning - this morning that felt as though it had come after a long day�s journey. He would try to forget everything. Just for a little while.

Harry apparated into his flat and immediately fell down upon his bed. His entire body ached. It was as though his body had dropped the pretense of being okay with the way he�d been pushing it as soon as he had admitted he needed rest. He didn�t even want to remove his clothes; he just wanted to sleep. Moving his head to the left he saw the package the Phoenix had brought and sat up suddenly, remembering. He reckoned that he should probably open the thing. Sighing, he got up and forced himself to pull it to his lap. It hadn�t grown any lighter since the last time he�d touched it, he found. The feather and parchment he�d sat on top of it fell to the floor as he dragged it across the bed. He used his wand along the seams of the paper covering it, and the package magically opened itself for him.

Harry stared at the long purple box and had no idea who would send him something from Egypt. A note card had been sealed to the top of the box, and Harry pulled it open and started to read.

Mr. Potter -

You are, perhaps, wondering why you are currently holding a long purple box in your hands. Or perhaps, (and more importantly) you are wondering who in the world is responsible for putting it there. Let me introduce myself; my name is Laura Miracroix and I am a close friend of Ginny Weasley�s. She studied under me during her time at Hogwarts, and I am proud to say that not only is she a former student, but a friend as well. She is a remarkable young woman, but I suspect you already know that. I�m not sure how much you know of Ginny�s time with me in Italy, but we grew very close, and I feel as though she is like a daughter to me. Which is why I was compelled to mail this package to you.

I am not Seer myself, but I have close associations with those people who are. About 2 weeks ago a dear friend of mine told me someone I care for was in danger. When further pressed on the matter I was told that it was someone with hair the colour of fire. Seeing as I know only one redhead that matches that description I immediately thought of our Miss Weasley. My friend also told me that her heart was being vied for by two who could not see without help; one raven, one fair. Knowing of Ginny�s former feelings for you, I put two and two together. I do hope you have enjoyed falling love; it is the rarest and truest of gifts, and in my mind�s eye I see you and Ginny together. I hope you will not forget what it took to get you there.

After much researching and continued probing of my friend�s visions, I decided I had to send you this package. Inside it you will find a stone basin used for water scrying called a Ewerahn. It is something that Ginny used quite a few times in her studying with me, and so it is something that holds a touch of her magic still. Ginny never knew it, but this old stone is more magical then I led her to believe. You will find carved on its side the image of four different items: a leaf, moon, centaur and heart.

Each image stands for a different aspect; no doubt you can ascertain their simple meanings here. The one I want you to focus on when you scry is the heart. It would be too long for me to go into here, but rest assured I am aware of the connection that has finally made itself known between you and Miss Weasley, and it is this connection that will allow you to save her life, so please heed these words carefully.

No doubt, you yourself have pushed the idea of being a soul mate out of your mind. Like prophecy and destiny, it is something you do not get to choose. But for all the mumbo-jumbo our world ascribes to the idea, there is a very practical aspect to it that I�m sure you will begin to understand. You have within your ability Mr. Potter, to open yourself up to Ginny. In a way you have yet to do so; although I have no doubt that the link between you is strong, it is only the tip of the iceberg, as they say in Greenland. I have to warn you that once you do this, once you allow your mind to open, you cannot go back. I understand that you are gifted at Occlumency. So much so in fact, that it is probably something you do now without thinking about it. That is about to change.

I applaud your efforts because it shows you have strength of mind, and this will serve you well. And I know you are familiar with the feeling of another person being inside your head; but Tom Riddle never owned a piece of your soul dear boy, and for that you should be very thankful. There is only one other person who can claim such a thing, and that person is the woman you love. I want you to understand this Harry, when you allow yourself to open up to her you will be getting everything. Her love, her strength and yes, most assuredly, her pain. Right now you are probably reading this and not understanding, but you will soon realize the answer to your questions....

The letter trailed off into instructions of how to �water scry� and Harry�s eyes strained at having to focus for so long. Blinking to keep them open, he placed the strange letter aside and opened the box. Inside was a long, ancient looking stone basin. It was smooth and naturally worn in the middle, as though it had been kept underwater for a long time, like a pebble in a stream. Harry found the carvings she had mentioned and ran his hands over the leaf and moon. When his fingers touched the centaur he felt the stone grow warm suddenly, and hesitated before touching the heart. A sharp jolt of...something made him pull his hand away as though burned. He stared at the basin, expecting it to glow red, but it just sat innocuous in his lap. Shaking his head, he knew he really must be tired if he�d allowed a strange letter to make him think a stone was reacting to his touch....

Harry folded the letter, placing it and the stone back on the table. He used his wand to make the box disappear and lay back against his pillow, his mind turning over what he had read. It didn�t make much sense. He didn�t see how some water and an old basin could help him find Ginny, for one thing, let alone the rest of what the letter had said. His head hurt from the effort of thinking. Again his exhaustion washed over him and he knew when he was this tired it was pointless to keep thinking. His mind always seemed to shut down. Sighing, Harry removed his glasses and turned over to sleep. After a moment, he cursed and pulled the pillow away from his face. It still smelled like Ginny - days later and it was still as though she had just left. With something close to despair Harry pulled the pillow back towards him, half-torn between wanting to cry and wanting to tear the pillow to pieces. He settled on sleeping and crushing the pillow under his fingers as his mind slipped into unconsciousness.

Ron lay awake in bed as Hermione slept next to him, a gentle smile on her face. He watched her for a moment and then went back to staring at the ceiling. He knew he should be sleeping; he�d been exhausted before, but there was no word for how drained he felt now. But something was keeping the thoughts moving in his head and for him, that was a major thing.

Ron wasn�t as clever as Hermione, Merlin knew, and he wasn�t as strong as Harry. He wasn�t even as strong as his own sister, but he knew he had a good heart and a good soul. He cared about the people he loved and he would do anything for them. He let his heart rule him, true, but on the flipside of that, he let his heart rule him. A lot of people couldn�t even comprehend that. But Ron did it with a sense of pride; Hermione had told him once that it was a rare thing, and he had believed her. Although right now, he didn�t see what good it did anyone.

Sighing, he pulled himself out of bed and grabbed his robe from the door on the loo. He shuffled out into the kitchen to see what he could get into. Baking helped soothe his mind, and he could have definitely used the distraction during the war against Voldemort. But of course, back when he was in school, he didn�t think he would have been too keen to let other people know he liked to cook.

He pulled down the ingredients to make a batch of butterbeer biscuits. It was his speciality and he rarely made them. Mostly because he could never keep enough butterbeer on hand to supply the recipe. But this morning he was in luck. Having been out searching for Ginny, and being at the hospital with Neville the last few days, he and Hermione still had a cupboard full.

Ron started to mix the ingredients and loved the feeling of the dough underneath his fingers. His mind wandered as he rolled out a bit of the the dough to be shaped. The thought of Harry and the last time he�d seen his friend made him pause as he added a fourth bottle of butterbeer to his batter. Maybe he�d take the biscuits over to Harry�s for him to find. He didn�t know if Harry had even been home, but he knew his friend would appreciate the gesture. Maybe the sweetness of the biscuits would bring Harry a bit of comfort, even. With renewed energy, Ron began to bake in earnest.

Harry was dreaming of stones. Small round ones, long and shiny ones...even ones that stood out of the ground. These were the ones he kept coming back to - they were gigantic slabs of earth that surrounded him, earthy and red in tone. They towered over him but he didn�t feel fear; in fact, he felt inspired by them. He couldn�t say why the stones filled him with peace, but they did, and he tried to linger around them but the dream kept him moving forward...into places he didn�t think he wanted to go.

Harry wondered what he was looking for and as soon as the thought entered his mind he remembered: Ginny. He even thought he saw her somewhere up ahead in his path, but it was always nothing. He tried to reach out when he thought he was close enough to see her, but his hand only grasped at air.

His dream changed; he was no longer dreaming of stones, but he was in a clearing and it was deathly quiet. Harry thought it odd that a clearing in the middle of a forest would be so still. He didn�t hear any birds or anything else that was alive. It left him feeling hollow. He had a feeling that something important had happened and that he had missed it. He walked around the clearing and it changed from night into day back to night again. Everything seemed to be moving past him now, and Harry struggled to make the images that floated past him turn into to something solid. He thought he saw Ginny or Ron once or twice, but before he could speak out to them, the blurry shapes would speed past him again....

Eventually Harry began to pick out more spots of red in all of the blurriness. He tried to move after each speck, to grab hold of it, certain that when he did so he would be able to slow it down enough to make certain it was Ginny. When he finally made contact with something he screamed out in pain as his hand crashed through stone; it hadn�t been Ginny or Ron at all that he�d been seeing. It had just been the same tall stones from before. Harry�s hand throbbed, and when he looked down at it he was surprised to see blood everywhere that he looked. Certainly that wasn�t all from him, was it? His hand flopped strangely at the end of his arm, as though his body was no longer controlling it. Pain went shooting through him but behind that there was something else...behind it there was...happiness? There were strange words being said too and Harry couldn�t quite understand them. He heard someone saying his name, suddenly. He felt himself being jerked awake....

�Harry!�

Harry shook his head and tried to go back to the dream, but already it was fading in his mind. He felt hands on him and felt his body move forward. Cursing, he opened his eyes to see a blurry patch of red hair floating in front of him. It was so much like his dream that Harry pulled out of Ron�s touch in surprise and hit his head on the headboard in his hurry.

�Blimey! You were screaming, Harry, and waving your hand around, shouting something I couldn�t understand. I heard you all the way up the stairs to your door. Next time try a Silencing Spell if you�re going to be having nightmares.�

Harry just squinted at Ron, not comprehending what his friend was doing there. �Ron?� he asked, his voice sounding loud in his own head.

�Yeah, where are your glasses, Harry?� the Ron shape moved out of Harry�s line of sight and suddenly Harry felt his glasses thrust at him from the side. Harry thankfully put them on and his mind seemed to clear, now that he could see. The light outside of his window was just turning pink, and Harry knew it was still early morning.

�I was dreaming....� he said stupidly, and Ron snorted at him.

�No kidding, Harry. You were screaming to wake the dead. Bloody hell, what were you dreaming?�

Harry felt himself frown. What had his dream been about? Stones? Ginny? Blood? �I�m not sure, Ron. It was... very odd.�

Ron sat down at the edge of the bed and gave him a long look. �Was it...you know, was it about what you found at that...house...you know, the blood?�

Harry blinked at Ron in surprise. �You�ve spoken to your family?�

�Dad sent an owl. I was in the kitchen, baking something, and well, he mentioned you had come home to rest and since I was coming over here anyway....� Ron made a shrugging gesture, but his eyes bore into Harry�s. �What were you dreaming about that made you cry out like that, Harry? I haven�t seen you have a dream that bad since...well, since school.�

Harry wasn�t sure what to tell Ron, it didn�t even make any sense to him what he�d been dreaming. It was probably exhaustion. Whatever it was, he didn�t like the look Ron was giving him. It was filled with worry and something worse, fear.

�You and I haven�t shared a room in awhile, Ron, you have no idea if I have bad dreams all the time or not.�

Ron frowned at his tone and shook his head. �I think Ginny would have mentioned it, if you woke her up every night with that.�

Harry put his hand on his face and dragged it down his features in frustration. What exactly had he been screaming about to alarm Ron so terribly? He shook his head. �It was just a dream. It...wasn�t about what I saw at the house.� At least, I don�t think it was, Harry thought silently to himself.

Ron nodded, not pressing him further. Harry released a breath he hadn�t realized he�d been holding. He turned sideways in the bed and rested his head on his hand.

�Why were you up baking so early, Ron?�

Ron startled as though he had been lost in thought. His eyes had been staring at the stone basin Harry had placed on the table. Harry watched as he pulled them away from it now and looked at him.

�Nerves, I reckon. I bake to calm myself down,� Ron shrugged as though embarrassed, and Harry didn�t say anything. Both of them turned to look at the stone basin again.

�That came for me...from Egypt, if you can believe it -� Harry started, but Ron interrupted him.

�It�s from Miracroix, isn�t it?� Ron said quietly and Harry turned sharply to him.

�Yeah, she said she studied with -�

�Her and Ginny are really close. They spent a year and half in Italy together, learning things about Divination, I reckon. Ginny told me about that....� Ron nodded towards the stone basin, �in one of her letters I think, called it a...a ewerahn. She said she used it to have visions about herself. I never understood what she meant by that.�

Harry stared at the stone basin again, more intrigued by it. He and Ginny hadn�t really talked about the time they�d spent apart, and he realized suddenly that he should have been more interested in that part of her life.

�I wonder why Miracroix sent it to you?� Ron said as he got off the bed and stood in front of the table. He ran his hands over the stone.

Harry pointed at the letter that had fallen. �She says I�m supposed to use it to find Ginny. I don�t really understand it. It sounds sort of...well, here, read the letter yourself, I�m going to take a quick shower. I don�t think I�ll be sleeping anymore this morning.�

Harry handed the letter to Ron. He headed towards the loo and saw the plate of food Ron had put on the bedroom dresser. He suddenly realized he was absolutely famished.

�Ron?� he turned and pointed to the plate.

Ron looked up from the letter and gave him a small smile. �Butterbeer biscuits, mate. Thought you might need some nourishment.�

Harry felt like hugging him, but didn�t. He remembered these were Ron�s specialty. He reached out and took a bite of one, his mouth watering at the taste.

�Mate, these are amazing.�

Ron didn�t say anything; he was still gazing at Miracroix�s letter. Harry shrugged and headed into the lavatory to try to wake himself up with some hot water. He grabbed two more biscuits, promising to himself to eat some real food before heading back out again.

Ginny felt cold when she came to again. Louis had stunned her before she could say anything to him, and for once, Ginny was grateful to have been knocked out. She couldn�t wrap her mind around anything. Louis. Louis Fagan had taken her.

The smarmy bastard had laughed when he�d seen the flash of recognition cross her face. Ginny thought of him touching her and felt her stomach heave in revulsion. She was glad now he hadn�t been able to do much of anything else. She�d already been down that road, thank you very much, she wasn�t going to go happily down it again. If Louis thought he was going to break her, he was dead wrong.

Ginny realized he must have been behind everything; the girls disappearing, Hermione getting sick...even what had happened to Harry. She wasn�t sure how she knew this, but it just made sense. She still didn�t understand how Louis had managed to grab her to begin with - her mind was still very blank on this point, but it didn�t really matter.

She was in the same trunk, but knew they were no longer on a train. The motion was different. She wondered if he had moved it onto a carriage. He had made sure the ropes were deathly tight against her; they were pratically cutting off the flow of blood through her veins. If she ever got enough of herself free from them she was going to hit Louis with everything she had. Six brothers had taught her how to throw a punch and she was going to put that education to good use. If Louis expected her to be the girl she�d been at Hogwarts, he had another thing coming.

She felt the motion underneath her stop and strained to hear what was going on outside her tiny cell, but heard nothing. She felt the trunk lurch forward suddenly and gasped as it hit something hard. A moment ticked by and then the lid to the trunk opened. This time Ginny prepared her eyes by keeping them closed. A dim brightness seemed to press in on them. She heard Louis laugh softly.

�Awake again, I see. I tell you, Weasley, you just don�t stay down for long, do you? You know I love that about you. I love how you always come back for more.�

Louis said this last part in a low voice, his tone indicating that he was thinking about something altogether different than just her waking up. Ginny opened her eyes and stared at him defiantly. A sudden memory seemed to bloom in her mind as she looked at thim.

�And I seem to remember that you had the opposite problem, Louis. You couldn�t seem to stay up. Fixed that, have you? Able to show a girl a better time now? Or are you still a one-time wonder?�

When Louis�s hand made contact with her skin, Ginny�s head fell back, the trunk knocking into her. She felt her vision blur and cursed at having provoked him while in a vulnerable position. Louis reached down and roughly dragged her from the trunk. Ginny realized how tall he�d grown, and how small she�d stayed. Perhaps reminding him of his impotency had not been a good thing....

�Listen to me Ginny, and listen well. You�re miles and miles away from home, so that hero lover of yours isn�t going to find you anytime soon. So go ahead and play this little game of yours - make me hurt you, I know you really like it.� Louis�s hand strayed to her hair and she couldn�t stop the wince that crossed her features as he pulled gruffly on it. Louis�s eyes lightened as he noticed.

�Ah yes, there it is...a little flicker of pain and fear. Not as tough as you like to think, are you?�

�Go to hell, Fagan,� Ginny said as she met his eyes. She was not going to let him intimidate her.

Louis laughed suddenly and released her, his eyes taking on a strange zeal. He opened up his arms and turned, and Ginny noticed their surroundings for the first time. Louis turned back around and faced her, pulling her abruptly to him.

�I�m already in hell, Ginny. Didn�t you know that? And this time, I�ve brought you with me. I just know you�ll enjoy it.�

He pulled her to the wall across from them and slipped her hand into a small set of manacles. He closed the iron around her wrists and smiled satisfactorily at her. Ginny just watched as he walked back to the trunk, using his wand to levitate it out of the room. When he was out of sight, Ginny released her breath. She looked around worriedly and knew without a doubt that it would take a miracle to get her out of here alive.