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Face of Death	By : dweek Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Voldemort/Ginny Views: 5282 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
A/N- *wave* Why yes... I am alive. I know it has been... a long long time. But I am not actually posting new stories on this website. BUT since I finally finished a chapter to one that I have already started posting on this website I figured I would at least update it. If you are interested in seeking my newer stuff out you can find me on Ao3 under WildKistune! TA!
Ginny-
Without any bones, in most of my side, I have to be transported on a stretcher. They bound my arms tightly over my chest to keep me secure and hide the worst of my disfigurement. They've removed all of the numbing spells now, and my body just has an odd deflated feeling rather than any pain.
School is still in session, of course, so there are a ton of people to stare and whisper as I'm levitated through the halls of the castle. After only a few feet, I decide it is best to close my eyes and pretend I'm asleep rather than watch people gawk and wonder what happened to me.
I can still hear the whispers, though, so it's a great relief when I hear the doors closing off the rest of the castle.
"Right through here." Daphne directs the guards responsible for me, and I don't think to open my eyes until they are unwrapping my bindings.
The room is more substantial than my last, or maybe it seems that way since it has less furniture and lots of light pouring in from the windows to my left. Turning my head, I see a glass door that opens into an enclosed balcony. I can't imagine how I have a balcony. I'm a bit confused about where these new rooms are in the castle, but it does sort of lift my heart to know I will have such free access to the outside.
"Where do I eat?" I ask, looking around with confusion. I'm used to my old chambers that had everything I needed just steps away. This room is made up of a bed, a chair, a dresser, and a wardrobe. There is no real place to socialize or do anything but sleep and get changed.
"This is the Queen's apartment," Daphne says, dismissing the men as she walks over to sit next to me. "Rooms. You have this, the balcony…" She motions to the glass door. "And a common room where you can entertain and such. I'll show it to you when you're better." She promises with a soft smile. "Or at least, someone will." She adds, and I know she still feels insecure in her place here.
I reach out and take her hand with my good one. "You've done so much, Daphne," I tell her and swallow thickly. I want to say everything is going to be okay now. But I haven't seen Tom since before they vanished my bones, and I just don't know what he's thinking.
"They are moving my things into a fitting room for your companion, which is a positive step. They are also moving Draco to this wing…"
"Wing?" I frown because I try to think of everything she is talking about, and it just doesn't make sense. "Where in the castle are we? You never said." I point out.
"We're near the northern tower, the second floor. The hall was mostly unused classrooms. We converted them into your rooms and rooms for your staff, such as your guard."
"What about the rest of my guard?" I ask because I want to know about my brothers. She sighs and shakes her head.
"Pucey and Warrington have been pulled from the regular guard duty they were assigned in your absence and will be taking up residence nearby tonight."
"And the others?" I ask because I can't help myself, but I also can't mention them by name.
"No news," Daphne tells me softly. "But I'm sure he's waiting to see how things go. At least you won't have his men nearby quite so much with some of your men coming back. Millicent wanted to know if she could see you, but I thought it best to wait until after you're fully healed."
"Do we know how long it's going to take to regrow everything?" I ask because no one has talked about that process except to say I will be put to sleep through a lot of it.
"A few days." She said frowning. "It won't be long before you are as good as new, and we can get back to things." She says, forcing a smile.
"When will the Healers be coming back?" I ask looking around my new home and everything that Daphne did to make me feel comfortable here in the castle. Most would probably have given the room a Gryffindor theme with reds and golds like she had my last place. This room showed how much better she's gotten to know me. Everything felt open and full of space. It was exactly what I needed now, and I'm thankful she's made it possible.
"The Dark Lord wishes to have dinner with you tonight, so they are holding off until after that." She says, and I look at her in surprise, she hadn't mentioned these plans before.
"He wants to see me like this?" I ask, blushing slightly as I look down at the weirdness of my arm and hand.
"I do not presume to know what our Lord wishes." She says, and I nod. "But my Lord did say he didn't wish to impede your healing in any way, so he will be joining you here if you allow." She adds, sounding a bit awkward.
"If I allow?" I ask with a frown. Tom can do whatever he wishes, why would he ever need my permission.
"He explained that for now at least he wishes for you to think of these rooms as your domain, he will not enter uninvited."
"I see. Well, since sitting at a table is sure to be even more humiliating than sitting here. I guess my husband is invited to have dinner here." I say thinking the whole thing made me feel more nervous than I liked. I know I need to see him, I even want to see him, but the idea also scares me in ways I don't understand. I've always feared him, only an idiot wouldn't, but there are new types of fear that I can't explain even to myself.
"I will let him know, my Lady." She says with a nod as she gets to her feet.
That night Daphne helps me dress in a long-sleeved nightgown to look at least a little more presentable with my body's malformations. It is a lovely dress but nothing too fancy, so I don't look like I'm getting dressed up for him, but still showing him respect. When Daphne explains this all to me, I nod along, trusting her judgment in such things.
The food is brought in first, and a tray is placed next to me so I wouldn't have to get out of the bed to eat. A small table was brought in with a chair for Tom's meal, and I find myself playing with my deflated fingers while I wait for him.
It is such a weird but somehow satisfying feeling to move the fingers this way and that. I roll them lightly between my thumb and forefinger, feeling the space where the bone should be.
"Are you supposed to be bothering them?" Tom asks as he stands in the doorway to my room.
"You've never picked at a scab, I suppose?" I ask, looking up at him as I try to arrange my face into something pleasant.
"Not my own." He comments, and I don't even want to know what that means, so I let it go and watch as he moves to the chair intended for him.
"Is everyone out of hostile France?" I ask because I'm not sure what he wants from this dinner or this meeting.
"You don't need to know that." He says as he picks up his glass and takes a slow drink watching me.
"True, I guess," I say awkwardly because I didn't care a moment ago, but it reminds me of when Harry and Hermione kept me in the dark about things. "So, what do I need to know?" I ask, not being able to keep all of the sarcasm out of my voice.
He smirks over his glass before putting it down and watching me for a bit longer. "You must be feeling better." He says instead of answering my question.
"They say growing bones is a nasty business, but for now, I have no pain at all," I say with a sigh as I look down at my dinner. I still don't know why he's here, and I have to admit it hurts to have him in the room but purposefully sitting so far away. It's like I can feel every inch of space between us both physically and mentally.
"Potter told you that back before the war." He says, and I nod because there isn't much point to lying even though I don't want to talk about the other man. "Ironic you would be quoting him since he is the one that put you in this condition."
"I know, but he's the only person I know that's ever had to regrow a bone," I say, swallowing thickly. "Is that why you're here to check on how I'm feeling?" I ask, forcing myself to look up at him.
I watch as Tom takes a meticulously small bite of his chicken and put it into his mouth to chew with a poise I sometimes forget he has. I find myself mesmerized by how he holds himself and how very different he is from a man who has his exact same body.
Tom is always in control of himself; his every move and action has a purpose and grace. Harry, on the other hand, has never been precisely disciplined. At that moment, I realize that they share the same darkness now, only Tom knows how to use his, where that shade is probably using Harry instead. The thought makes me feel a little sick, so I brush it aside and reach for my water.
"I wish to talk about how you are going to make this last month up to me." He says, setting the fork and knife down. "I want to know what you expect and want from your life now."
I lick my lips and look down at my food as I think about his question. It isn't exactly easy to explain how I'm feeling or know the right thing for us moving forward.
"I don't have any expectations, but I do have hopes," I tell him as I look back into his eyes. "I hope you can forgive me and we can move on from here. I hope not to disappoint myself in how I deal with everything. I hope to keep the people I care about safe, and that I can still please you enough that you don't th-throw me away." I say, sighing because my voice hitched at the end.
Of course, his expression gives nothing away as he examines me like I'm some interesting insect that he hasn't decided what to do with yet.
"I want you to read something." He says, getting to his feet and moving to the bed to hold a small scroll out to me.
I look down at it with a frown as he takes his seat once again, and at first, I blush because I realize it's the letter thing I wrote for Harry, but then I realize something is wrong with it. For one, I signed the letter as both Lady Mercy and the Dark Lord's Whore, but this one only says Lady Mercy.
I go back through the text and find that these are mostly my words; they are also edited to alter the meaning from the original version.
"Someone changed my words," I tell him because I don't know what else I can say. I look at the names that were published, and I have to swallow because I didn't know for sure any of them but Michael.
"Obviously." He says with a tilt of his head. "I wish to know what you said in the last paragraph." He states, making my eyes move to that paragraph on the paper.
"I said that I love two men and that they both love me in their way," I say because that is the main change in the text that I can remember.
"You think I love you?" He asks, sounding curious now. "Do you still think he does?"
"In your ways," I repeat, looking at the paper, so I don't have to see his expression. "I think if you didn't care for me at all, I wouldn't be in this bed. I think when I called you, you would have sent someone else instead of coming yourself. I think…"
"I do have a certain investment in you, Ginevra, and it pleased me when you used your mark to call me." He says, cutting me off. "If you wish to ever return to my good graces, you will start by making a statement telling the world exactly what he did to you, what the resistance let him do to you."
I swallow thickly as I'm not exactly sure if I'm ready to think about everything that happened over the last week, let alone talk about it.
"Once you're recovered physically, you will share my bed. I will not be gentle with you. The longer you stay, the more privileges will be returned to you and those you care about." He says, and I can't help feeling a strange mix of terror and relief at his words.
"Yes, my Lord," I say, keeping my voice calm.
"You will start referring to me as Voldemort. You are my wife and should have some familiarity with me." He points out. "And your public title is Queen Consort Ginevra Slytherin."
I blink at him, not expecting the last, but maybe I should have. I understand why he would grant me Slytherin more readily than his mother's or father's surname.
"What about the taboo?" I ask because the resistance didn't know if it was still active.
"You have been made exempt from the magic. It is not taboo for my wife to call me by name." He explains, and I nod slowly.
Luna-
I have a sneaking suspicion that Ginny is returning to the castle today because I have been put under a kind of house arrest with Blaise as my jailor. At least we use the time productively as we work on finalizing the Quibbler's next issue for most of it.
I can't help thinking about my newest prophecy and what it will mean for the Dark Lord when I have to tell him. Blaise and I have talked about it at length, but we have no idea what it could mean.
After dinner, I let him distract me with pleasure, so I don't have to think. It's one of the things I enjoy about copulation with my husband. He makes it so I can turn off my mind for a while and think only about how things feel at that moment.
We are not exactly gentle with each other tonight. I let myself revel in the hedonistic pleasure of our carnal acts. I know I will be bruised in the morning, and so will he, but somehow that only adds to enjoyment instead of taking anything away.
It isn't a surprise when we fall asleep, twisted up with each other, and still connected in a very intimate way. What is a bit of a surprise is when I wake suddenly in the middle of the night. I glance over at my husband to find him very much, still asleep. It takes me a moment to realize what woke me.
The Dark Lord is sitting at my desk looking through the cards I have finished there. Unsure what to say, I glanced at Blaise again to find that he is still sound asleep, which seems odd.
"I didn't want him interrupting us." The other man says, and I realize he must be under some kind of sleeping spell.
Fear spikes when I realize I'm alone here and very vulnerable with my wand somewhere on the floor with my clothes. I pull the sheet around me to feel as if I have some shield against the Dark Lord, even though I know that thought is silly.
"How may I serve you, my Lord?" I ask as I wipe the sleep from my eyes.
"I have a present for you." He says and holds up whatever card he had been looking for, but I can't tell in the dark which one he has.
"But if you've found Ginny, then I don't need to finish the deck," I say because he tricked me into this whole thing from the start with the promise of helping Ginny.
"We can go more slowly, really choose your victims now that we aren't in any rush to save my wife." He agrees as he gets to his feet and moves towards the bed. "But I see no reason not to complete what promises to be a potent tool for you."
"The reason is that I don't want to hurt anyone else, my Lord," I tell him, looking down at my hands as he moves closer to me.
"You will be up, dressed, and in the main chamber within the next ten minutes." He says before turning to leave. He takes the card with him, and I shake my head at the door.
I glance at Blaise again, wishing I could talk to him about all of this, but then I realize I know what side he would be on. With a sigh on my lips, I go about the chores of getting dressed. I take one of the fastest showers of my life because I don't want to smell like sex when I face the Dark Lord again. I slip into the simplest dress in my wardrobe before brushing out my hair and heading out into the main Chamber.
The Dark Lord is sitting on his throne, and there are a few guards around the room, but nothing so dramatic as when I enchanted the first card. In the center of the room, a man in Healer robes lies unconscious.
"I don't want to do this, my Lord. I don't wish to hurt anyone else." I tell him because I'm bound to be honest.
"We will discuss that in a moment. I wish to talk about the Dark Council meeting you attended." He says, and I let myself relax a bit. "I, of course, have a report on it already, but I would like your thoughts."
"I don't have much to report, my Lord," I say, thinking back to the meeting. "Except I don't think any of them care for your wife," I add, remembering my conversation with Lucius.
"They have all made that quite clear." He says, nodding slowly, lost in his thoughts. "But they understand my reasons for choosing her. Did any of them question my decision?"
"No, my Lord," I say, shaking my head as I think about exactly what was said and how their colors shifted while anyone spoke about Ginny. "I think it is more her role they question. They see her as a pawn in your game."
"Good." He says with a smile, and there is a delight in his colors that I don't understand.
"Ginny could be so much more than that. You must see how much potential she has as a witch and a politician?" I ask, worried that he won't give her a chance to be a whole person again, and it will be all my fault.
"Remind me to teach you legilimency, you are a rather talented occlumencer, and with your abilities, you could master legilimency quite quickly."
"My Lord?" I ask frowning as I didn't ever tell him I could use occlumency.
"You kept things from me, Luna. When I went into your mind on my wedding day, I saw no signs of your gifts. Even though it wasn't what I was looking for, most would be thinking of all the things they would wish to hide. Only someone with practice could shift their minds in such a way."
Not knowing what else to say to this observation, I move the conversation in a different direction. I will have to tell the Dark Lord soon if I'm to keep my Unbreakable Vow. "I have a new prophecy for you," I tell him, not looking in his direction or the man on the ground. "But I haven't figured out what it means yet."
"Tell me." He says in a commanding greedy tone.
"As the war between Lord and Hero approaches its final battle, darkness readies itself to strike. The one with the power to banish this evil will know strength from love and faith." I repeat the words that have been running through my head since Blaise told them to me.
He laughs at this, and I look to see him shaking his head. "The fates think they can bring some other fool to strike me down?" He asks the very air. "Love was not powerful enough the first time; I doubt it will do any better this time."
I can't help but blush as he makes fun of my words, or rather the meaning he places upon them. I turn to look at the man on the floor, wondering if there is anything I can do to help him, while the Dark Lord continues in his delight over my words.
When the Dark Lord touches my shoulder, I can't help but jump as my heart makes its way into my throat. His other hand brushes my hair away from my ear so he can speak lowly while invading my personal space.
"He's not worth helping." He says amusement still in his tone. "You will continue to make this deck willingly to expand your power, and I will continue to choose victims that you can stomach."
"So why do you think I would be alright with breaking this healer's mind?" I ask as I think of what is needed for the Death card.
"You see…" He starts as his hands move down my back and come to rest on my hips. "...I found this man torturing Ginevra. He was hired to help her with injuries she received in a battle during her escape from Potter. But this healer chose to prolong her suffering and injure her further in the name of the Light."
"And I'm supposed to take your word on this?" I ask, shaking my head. "Even if I would be willing to take another person's life because they hurt my friends, how could I ever trust your word, my Lord?"
"Would you like me to show you the memory of her?" He asks as his fingers rub odd little circles against my hips. "Laying on that bed screaming in pain and keeping herself awake by sheer force of will?"
"You're not going to trick me like that again," I say, and he pulls me back against him a bit more firmly.
"I didn't trick you; I showed you the truth." He points out as his tongue grazed my ear.
I have to remind myself as I shiver that this is all a show for the guards. He wants the entire castle and maybe the nation to see us as lovers. And I'm expected to play my part.
"What you did with that truth was beautiful." He says breathily as if it aroused him to think on. "Now, you are going to do it again, or I get a young, bright-eyed healer fresh out of their apprenticeship, and I do it myself."
"The card would be useless to my deck," I say, knowing the cards must be enchanted by the same person to work together.
"You'll just have to make another card." He says as if it doesn't matter to him.
I swallow and force myself to turn and look him in the eyes. "Then show me what he did," I say because I have to see for myself if I'm going to do this again.
I see him briefly smile before I'm transported into his memory this time. The Dark Lord is moving down the hall of a manor house, at least as old as my own. Draco is quick on his heels as the man tries the door and finds it locked and warded.
With a sneer on his face his blasts through the wards without issue and crashes into the room
"FUCK YOU!" I hear Ginny scream, and I rush to follow and see what is going on.
Draco goes directly to the bed where Ginny is screaming, and I'm right behind him instinctively wishing to help my friend.
"Calm down my Lady," Draco says, looking at her with such pain and worry on his face as he takes her hand. "You need to quiet down now."
"Numb?" She whimpers, seeming to plead for it.
She looks horrible. Her right side is off somehow, and I can see dark bruises on her skin.
"What is wrong with her?" Lord Voldemort joins us, and I look back to see the healer passed out on the ground.
"Nearly all her bones on her right side have been shattered," Draco explains after casting a few spells on her.
"You came…" Ginny says, and there is such relief in her voice. I look back to see the glow in her eyes. She loves him so much.
"Of course, I came." He says before turning his attention to Draco. "It seems your healer was working for the resistance. We need to get those we can…"
The memory fades then, and I frown because I didn't see much of what the healer had done. It's odd if she was as hurt as Draco described, and she did look that hurt, not to have any numbing spells active.
"Why would he keep her in pain?" I ask because it doesn't seem to make any sense to me.
"He couldn't warn his people that he had her because they made him vow not to tell anyone where they were or what he was doing. He discovered my wife was with child, and I think he was working on getting her to have a miscarriage." He says without emotion.
"I assume you got that from his mind?" I ask, looking back at the man with a deep frown. Ginny's child is innocent; he had no right to make that choice for her.
"Yes, I have done a little digging into his mind to see what he wanted." Voldemort agreed before nudging me towards him. "Put down the card next to him and collect his power as you break his mind."
"A healer that wished death and pain on his patient would be a powerful alignment with the card." I agree, taking a step towards the man. "But what about the price for me?" I ask, knowing if I take this step, if I do it when I don't have to, I will have given myself entirely to my darkness. Could I ever come back from that?
"What about the rewards?" He pressed. "You must know what you could be, Luna? What you could really be?" He asks, putting his hands on my shoulders. "All I ask is that you accept your power and learn what I have to teach. I will never ask you to harm those you see as innocent, but this man is not innocent. This man would sacrifice my wife and child to his prejudice. He wanted to give her back to the man who had harmed her, a man who would have killed her in the end."
I swallow as everything he says makes sense in its way, but does it make it right? "I don't know if I can do it," I tell him honestly as he moves his hand down my wand arm and takes a gentle hold of my wrist.
"Help me punish the guilty Luna, or watch me punish the innocent. That is your only choice." He pushes as he lifts my hand, obviously guiding it in a wand movement. "Timorus Somnias." He says softly.
"That's a nightmare curse," I tell him to buy myself time to think.
"Yes, as you cast the spell, you should think of a theme for the curse to take. Alternate that and the Cruciatus, which you already know how to cast." He says smugly. "I will wake him while you start the enchantment on the card."
When I look up at him, and he is holding out the card to me with no emotion on his face. I take it and look down at the picture as if it will tell me what I should do. But that figure on the pale horse has nothing to say that I don't already know.
I cast the collection charm on the card and place it at my feet before I look at the stranger in front of me.
When the Dark Lord wakes him from his magical sleep, he looks around confused for a moment before his attention turns to Voldemort, and his eyes go wide.
"My Lord!" He says, getting to his knees, preparing to beg. "I-I-I…"
"Your fate is no longer in my hands." The Dark Lord says coldly. "Luna, you may start." He adds without taking his eyes off the man.
He turns to me, his entire expression filled with fear. "Miss please, I didn't do anything wrong. I was trying to protect her." He seems to have an easier time speaking to me. But Voldemort will always be much more frightening than a short willowy blonde like myself.
"What's your name?" I ask because I refuse to destroy someone without a name. I will not make this easy for myself.
"Healer Nathan Stone." He says, swallowing his fear. "I just wanted to protect your Lady." He says as he pleads with his whole being. "I don't deserve to die!" He is getting more desperate as I let him continue to speak.
"That is up to the Dark Lord," I tell him because I know if I don't do this, Voldemort will make good on his promise. "Maybe one day you will," I tell him, and his expression changes to one of confusion.
"You don't understand what's at stake! His child will bring the END!" The man suddenly screams as he launches himself at me.
"Crucio!" I cast to disable him as my anger rises with his words. "Timorus Somnias," I say, taking a step back from him as I send him from physical pain to mental.
It feels so good to cast the dark magic, and even though I know it is wrong, I start to delight in his whimpers and screams as I move back and forth between the physical and emotional pain I can inflict upon him.
I feel my heart pounding in my chest as I torture this man, keeping him on the edge of sanity for longer than I have to. I take pleasure in his suffering before crushing the last of his sanity. He endangered my friend's life for his ignorance, and he should be punished for it. As his mind breaks, the card pulls the power of the act into itself. I look down at the healer as I exalt in the magic coursing through me.
"That was very good, Luna." The Dark Lord whispers in my ear. "How did it feel?"
I'm still breathless and trembling as I don't know how many times I cast those dark spells, and I try to keep telling myself the feeling is wrong.
"Good." I gasp and swallow. "So good," I admit, and I can feel his smile as he leans in to kiss my cheek.
"Try to get some sleep. You have done well, and I will have someone new for you in a few days once you've recovered." He says in an almost fatherly way.
"Who?" I ask as I want to do it now. I want to make this feeling last. It feels so sweet not to have to think or care about any of it for a little while.
"Justin Finch-Fletchley."
Daphne-
I look around my new room and feel no joy. I have to remind myself that Ginny is home safe, but the tension between the Dark Lord and her is too high for me to feel any comfort.
I take a deep breath and try to push all of the worries out of my mind; there is nothing I can do to make that situation better. It's entirely in my Lady's hands to take the first steps towards regaining her place here. I have faith that she can overcome this as she seems to defeat every obstacle put in her way. She is quite a remarkable woman, and I can't help feeling both pride and shame that I sever her and cannot hope to have a portion of her will.
I glance at the boxes that I packed from my old room and sigh again before moving over to them. I kneel and start to sort through my worldly possessions to keep my mind from worrying about things outside of my control.
Searching my thoughts for more pleasant topics to mill over a smile comes to my lips as I think of Draco. He proposed while we were seeking Ginny, and I think he was serious. We aren't exactly going to do each other any favors or advance either of our positions with the marriage, but maybe we could make each other happy, and that would be enough. I wonder what my Lady will say when we ask for her permission. I think she will approve and be glad about the match. It will strengthen ties within her house, at least, so that is something to consider.
Of course, we will need the Dark Lord's approval as well. Draco's family doesn't seem overly keen on the match, but I shake those worries away. I wonder if he will come to my room tonight? I look at the door willing him to appear. He would be a nice distraction from dark thoughts, at least.
When he doesn't appear, I go back to sorting and pull a picture of me with Pansy's gang of girls from fourth year from the box and brush my fingers over the image. They are all smirking as if they own the world; it is their rightful place to rule it.
I try to imagine being the girl from the picture once more, so sure she knows the secrets to get everything she wants. She was so full of life and determined to make the world hers. I smile as I think about how I played with Draco's attention last year and tricked Pansy into writing that embarrassing letter. It all seems so childish now.
I didn't know what friends were back then; I didn't know how much people were willing to risk and give for those they cared about. I don't know if I feel better or worse with the knowledge I have now. Knowing now how shallow my life was up until recently.
When a knock comes to my door, I smile and think maybe Draco has answered my call. "Coming," I call as I set the photo on my desk and head to the door.
When I open it, I find Astoria looking up at me with tear-filled eyes. "Daddy's sold me!" She cries and wraps her arms around me before I pull her into the room.
"What?" I ask, holding her as she sobs.
"That friend of yours." She sniffles, and she looks up at me. "The old one. The Death Eater." She says, and I nod slowly as a cold fills my gut. "He went to Daddy to ask for my hand, and Daddy said yes. They're drawing up a contract, Daph, I don't want to marry an old Death Eater! He was scary!"
She was still so young; I planned to bring her in as one of my Lady's maids after graduation. I thought I had more time to protect her.
"I'll fix this." Dolohov would not treat my sister well after what happened between us. Why would my father agree to such a thing without talking to me? A girl like Astoria would make a good match for any of the pureblood sons. "Stay here," I tell her and head down the hall before I can think my actions through. It needs to be fixed as soon as possible.
I glance at the guards on Ginny's door and then to the door itself before hesitating. "Is he still with her?" I asked because I need to speak with the Dark Lord. I don't know what I will have to give to protect my sister again. But he had promised her protection if I found his wife.
The guard shakes his head, and I nod before heading towards the Chamber and his office. If he's retired for the night, I wonder if I can offer myself to him. He used to delight in my pain. I would gladly let him play whatever game he wished to protect my sister from Dolohov and the men like him.
When I make it down to the main Chamber, he kisses Luna as Healer Stone whimpers at their feet. I frown, wondering what I've missed while I was away, but he soon sends her back to her room, and I take a moment after her door closes to catch up with him.
"My Lord?" I ask softly, keeping my eyes on the marble floor.
"Miss Greengrass." He says, and I take a step closer to him. "Is there something wrong with my wife?" He asks stiffly as if he is worried.
"No, my Lord." I shake my head. "I have come on my own behalf, or rather my sister's," I say as I try not to fidget.
"The sister. Someone was just asking about the younger Greengrass today." He said and turned so he could continue down the hall, expecting me to follow.
"Lord Dolohov?" I ask softly, but it has to be him.
"He wishes my blessing on the match. It seems he had already extended an offer to your father."
"I brought my Lady back to you, my Lord," I say as I clutch my hands together in front of me so they won't shake. "You said you would protect her."
"While you were away." He corrects, and I know he's right.
Without hesitation, I lower myself to my knees as we stop in front of the door to his chambers. "My family hasn't spoken to me since my Lady was taken. My father doesn't understand the kind of husband Lord Dolohov would make."
"It seems like you want a favor from me." He says, taking in my posture.
"My Lord, please grant me parental power over my sister, and I will guide her to become an asset to you and your household."
"What will you give me for such a large favor?" He asks, and I can feel his eyes on me, though I don't risk looking up.
"I would give anything within my power. My sister is one of the most important people in my life." I admit because there is no right way to hold back with the Dark Lord.
"More important than my wife?" He asks in a tone that gives nothing away.
I bite my lip and shake my head. "The Queen is my life, but my sister is the only family I have left. She's scared and upset that she will be forced to marry someone several times her age. Someone who has purposefully frightened her in the past to get to me."
"You are speaking of one of my inner circle." The Dark Lord warns.
"He is cunning and cruel, and that is what you prize in your inner circle, but these are not desirable traits for my sister's future husband."
"You don't want a cunning husband?" He asked, smirking down at me. "Shall I let young Master Malfoy know?"
"One of the many reasons Draco and I have been trying to find other partners, my Lord," I tell him truthfully.
He laughs at this and reaches down to take my chin. He forces me to look up into his eyes. "By your account, my wife did very poorly in her match." He says, daring me to respond.
"You, my Lord, would never be a good match for me or mine." I start as I keep eye contact with him. "But you are a perfect match for my Lady." I continue knowing how much Ginny cares for the Dark Lord.
"So, I am told." He comments but doesn't explain himself further. Instead, he looks down at me, his fingers still grasping my chin. "I will not make you your sister's guardian." He says after a long pause.
"Please, my Lord, I need to protect her. I'll do anything." I tell him, knowing I'm showing too much of my hand, but I can't see any other way.
"I will adopt her into my house, giving myself parental authority over her. This will be an honor for your parents, instead of the shame and insult you propose." I can't argue with that reasoning, though it will bring a whole new set of worries.
"What would you want from me for such a great honor, my Lord, and what would you do with that parental power?" I ask as I try not to fidget under his gaze.
"I don't need anything from you for this favor. You have served me well by retrieving my wife and saving her life. As for what I will do with your sister once she is under my care. I think that will depend completely on how well you and the others in Ginevra's household serve my purposes."
I swallow thickly, wanting to look away as I hear the threat in his words. He is doing me this favor, so he has Astoria to hold over me. But I don't feel like I have many choices in the matter.
"You will keep them all in line. The brothers included." He says as he finally let go of me.
"So then you will allow them to return as her guards?" I ask, knowing this news will please Ginny, at least.
"They did their job well, and when the truth of what their hero did to my wife is known, I am sure they would cut him down themselves if given a chance. You will take my wife to the dungeons to retrieve them once she has finished her treatment. They gave her the potions as I was leaving this evening, but they tell me it will be a few days."
"Yes, my Lord." I agree, nodding my head as he turns to open his door. When I start to rise, he turns back to look at me.
"Oh, and Daphne?" He asks to get my attention.
"Yes, my Lord?" I ask, keeping my eyes cast down even as I rise.
"The Queen and I are the only ones you should ever kneel to. As the head of her maids, you need to show pride in your position." He orders and closes the door before I can respond.
Ginny-
I wake with a groan as my entire side aches. Still feeling as if my head is filled with clouds, I look down at my hand and smile as I move my fingers and lift my wrist.
"Magic is amazing," I say even though I can feel the soreness, there is no way muggles would have been able to repair my injuries fully.
"Sometimes, I too forget what a blessing it is to have in our lives," Daphne says, and I look up to smile at her. I hadn't realized anyone was in the room with me, but I am glad I have a friendly face.
"Have you been watching over me this whole time?" I ask as she takes a seat on the bed next to me.
"No." She shakes her head. "But I knew you would wake soon, and I didn't want you to be alone." She explained, offering me a hand.
I take it with my now healed one and squeeze it.
"Also, the Dark Lord wished for me to take you to retrieve your brothers from the cells." She adds. "Your dinner must have made quite an impression." She compliments.
"Let's see if I can live up to what he wants from me. I promised to speak with the press once I was healed." I say fidgeting a little now that I think about it. "I have to tell them what Harry did to me."
"I think he wants you to tell your brothers first. I'm surprised he didn't march them up here to see it firsthand before you were healed." Daphne says, and I nod slowly.
"My brothers," I say with a smile as I push myself into a sitting position. "I should get dressed, can we go down now?" I ask as I focus on the good news instead of the hard tasks ahead of me.
"If you think you're up to it, my Lady." She says with a nod and gets up so she can pull a dress out for me. "Do you think you can shower on your own, or would you like help?" She asks as if it is no big deal.
"Oh, a shower on my own. That sounds lovely." I tell her as I carefully slip out of bed and stand. It feels uncomfortable to put weight on my hip, but I feel steady enough to make my way to the bathroom.
It tires me more than I expect to take a shower, and it takes longer than I would have liked, but eventually, I find myself standing back in my bedroom, wrapped in a towel. Daphne has set out an emerald green dress made of soft velvet. It is simple to put on but still gives me a striking appearance; it also covers the bruises still left on my skin.
She helps me into the dress without a word and sits me down at a vanity to do my hair.
"No fight about taking so much time dressing my Lady?" She asks as she tries to make me smile.
"This is all armor," I tell her, and she grins outright at me.
"How things change. So much change." She shakes her head as she uses her wand to braid my hair around my head to give it an almost crown-like appearance.
"For you too." I point out with a soft smile. "Thank you for finding me, Daphne. You're my hero now." I tell her and take a breath so I won't tear up.
"It is my duty, and I am glad to serve." She says, trying to brush the emotion aside. "And I will be glad to have three more strapping guards that we can trust. So we best retrieve them."
I smile at her and nod, letting the moment pass I stand carefully and lock my hands in front of me.
"Lead the way," I tell her even though I'm already worn out from dressing.
"Draco and Pucey are waiting to escort us down." She says as she holds out an arm for me. I take it gratefully. Walking like this will look as if we are being social, but it will honestly help support me as we walk down.
"We need an escort?" I ask, trying not to seem nervous. I should know better than to think we are safe within these walls. Or that I would be trusted to be on my own. There are people on both sides of this conflict that will wish to hurt me now.
"It is best if you are seen as having power here. Nothing says power like two strapping men shadowing your every move." She says in earshot of said men. They both grin at us as we enter the room.
"That is my greatest wish to be simple window dressing," Draco says, looking at Daphne with a surprisingly open fondness.
"For us? It is the greatest of honors Master Malfoy." She says, teasingly back at him.
I smile at Adrian and shake my head at how easy they were speaking to one another. "Has this been going on the whole time I was gone?" I ask him, trying to make myself feel as light as they are acting.
"This is new, my Lady." My guard gives me an answering smile. "Milly wished for me to pass on her relief that you are home safe."
"I hope to see her in person soon. Tell her I've missed her." I say as I have weirdly missed having her and Daphne around. Even before the solitude, living with the rebellion was hard, as there were hardly any friendly faces for Tom's wife, even if I was also Harry's prize.
"Do any of you have information on what we will find when we get my brothers?" I ask, hoping everyone is ready to go.
"They were well last time I checked on them." Daphne reminds me as we head for the door with Draco and Pucey in tow. "I don't think he would have done anything to them in my absence.
"They are mainly just bored and worried about you, my Lady," Draco adds, and I smile back at him as he admits to checking in on them as well. "They are my men." He defends as he sees my expression. "I have to keep track of them."
"Of course," I say, clearing the smile off my face before turning forward again and grinning at the thought of a Malfoy feeling responsible for multiple Weasleys.
My good humor doesn't last, though. As we move out into a more public section of the castle, I can't help but notice the stares. Both students and professors alike are stopping just to watch our group pass.
I push my chin up and straighten my back, so I can act as if their opinion is below my notice. But I can't help but wonder what is being said about me now. Do these people see me as someone to pity or hate? I can't imagine any of them have any respect left for me.
I'm lost enough in these dark thoughts that I'm surprised to find we are already to the dungeons. Daphne steps forward, letting go of my arm to speak with the guard. This is a different group of cells from where I'd found Hermione, and I have to wonder if that is a good sign.
"The Queen is here to retrieve her brothers," Daphne says with authority as if our group is doing the guard a great favor by coming down here at all.
I look down at him with what I hope is an impassive expression and wait to see if he plans to give us any trouble. The man looks back at the group of us as if he is weighing his options.
"I received their release orders this morning, so there is no reason to put on this show for my sake." He says in a mocking tone as he starts to stand.
Before I can say anything, Draco steps forward and sneers right back at the man. "Was that disrespect I heard in your tone? You are in the presence of your Queen." He reminded the man.
The guard looks back at my champion, seeming unimpressed. "I'm in the presence of a wandless little girl, and her trumped up…" He starts as he waves to my companions. "...little troop of children."
I step around Draco so I can look directly into this man's eyes. "I may be wandless for now," I say, looking down my nose at him. If I don't act like the Queen, I will never be able to help those I care about. No one will respect me enough for me to influence anything going on in this country. "But I am also the Queen Consort of the House of Slytherin, and you have no right to talk to me with such familiarity. What is your name, peasant?"
He looks back at me with his same smug expression, like my act doesn't fool him. I know that Tom wishes for me to hold power here, and even if I can do nothing to this guard directly, he will relish the chance to make an example out of him.
I can almost feel Draco smirking as he moves up to stand next to me. The guard now looks a little unsure as he takes in my champion's expression. "My Lady, this is Guardsmen Lukas Blight." He says as if he is releasing some grand secret. "I will make sure to note his disrespect in my next report to your husband."
The man's cocky behavior seems much more forced as he looks between the two of us.
"That is only your duty. Voldemort doesn't like it when you are anything but forthcoming in your reports." I say the name I am supposed to use for Tom and enjoy the fact it makes Blight flinch.
"Don't…" He starts but cuts himself off as he looks around as if I have called Tom directly.
"Call him by name? What else would I call my husband?" I ask, trying to sound innocently confused by his worry.
"That name is taboo." Blight points out, and I give him a little laugh.
"Not to me. Now, take me to my brothers." I order firmly and motion towards the cells behind him.
The guard seems to decide it is in his best interest not to speak, for which I can't blame him. He nods his head instead and leads the way to one of the cells. He unlocks it with a wave of an odd-looking stone then steps out of my way as he opens the door.
Three sets of eyes look up at me as I step into the doorway, and I can't help but smile brightly as my brothers rush towards me as one.
"Ginnybean!" Bill is the first to pull me into a tight hug, but neither George nor Charlie wait for him to be done before also squeezing me close enough to make my newly healed bones groan.
I must make a sound because they all move back as one and look me over with worried expressions.
"Malfoy said the rebellion took you," Bill says with a grim expression. "You shouldn't have come back for us."
"It's a very long story," I say because I'm not ready to tell it. "But first, I think I need a rest," I explain and grimace as I think about walking all the way back to my rooms.
"Charlie? Could you, by chance, carry the Queen, she is still in recovery." Daphne suggests making me turn and glare at her.
"I'll be fine. I don't need anyone carrying me through this castle."
"Recovery? Did he hurt you?" Bill growls darkly, and the guard steps forward as if he is planning to take action against my brother.
"No one hurt me," I say, and Draco clears his throat, making me turn my glare on him. "No one here hurt me. I'll explain once we get back to my rooms." I promise my brothers as I turn to leave. There is no reason to waste more energy by standing around the dank space.
Luna-
I feel oddly calm as the guard opens a cell for me and moves so I can enter without them. I was sent a message to meet the Dark Lord at Justin's cell, but so far, he has not arrived.
I kneel in front of Justin. He isn't chained, but I'm not afraid; I'm the one with the wand and the power. We knew each other once upon a time. I remember laughing with him in the first days of Dumbledor's Army.
I can see the confusion in his colors; he doesn't know why I'm there. I can see the fear in equal measure. But he doesn't fear me. To him, I am only that silly girl who said odd things once upon a time.
"You're You-Know-Who's mistress." He says because he was never one to be comfortable with silence.
"You are one of the men who raped Ginny," I reply because I can point out uncomfortable truths just as quickly.
He frowned, and a look of disgust flashed across his face as anger brightened his colors.
"And you're not even sorry," I add as I frown more deeply.
"You don't get to judge me." He snaps as he jerks as if he is keeping himself still. He is worried that if he attacks me, he will be punished for it. He wouldn't be wrong; I already plan to punish him for what he did to Ginny. I see no reason not to defend myself. "She betrayed all of us! She betrayed Harry! And he still took her back." He's working himself up now, and he stands as his agitation grows. "You don't seem much better."
"And that gives you the right to hurt her?" I ask I want to know if anyone outside the small group had given the order to attack as brutally as they had. I take responsibility for her violation, but there was no reason for what they did to her.
"What we did saved Harry. It made it so he could be brought back." He says, straightening his back and looking down his nose at me. "I took action while you just cower and allow yourself to be turned into a pureblood whore."
"It's worse than you think," I tell him as I purposefully get to my feet. "I'm not just the Dark Lord's Mistress, I'm his oracle, his advisor, and most regrettably, I guess I am also his apprentice," I explain as I brush my hands down the fancy dress I choose for the day.
All my clothes show more skin than I am honestly comfortable with, but it plays nicely into the image Voldemort wishes for me to cast.
"I've all but killed two members of the rebellion so far, and he has chosen you to be my next victim. We have some time, and I don't believe in making these things easy for myself. Destroying someone should never be easy."
The door opens to allow the Dark Lord to enter before I can say anything else. The way he looks at me and the gleam of his colors make me think that maybe he was listening. He confirms it as he speaks.
"My apprentice?" He asks, sounding as pleased as he looks.
"How long were you listening?" I counter without answering his question. He is in too good of a mood to worry about small infractions.
"Long enough, my little dove." He nearly purrs as the door closes the three of us in the cell alone.
I shake my head at his performance, and I have to wonder if it's for Justin or the guards that may be listening outside. When I look back to the prisoner, I notice he has moved back against the far wall.
"He thinks I am the one to fear." He smiles as he stalks closer to Justin. "But as my little pet was saying, she is the one you should be afraid of." Voldemort looks back at me proudly. "She is the one who is about to torture and break you until you beg for death."
"Luna?" Justin looks between the Dark Lord and me as he works to keep myself away from the Dark wizard. "She doesn't do that kind of magic."
"What part of being my apprentice did you not understand?" Voldemort asks with a sneer. "I thought before we get to the enchantment, we could use him to practice your legitimacy." He says, obviously done speaking directly to Justin. "Someone who has no skill is the best for beginners; once you master diving into heads like his, we will find a Death Eater to practice on."
"What about you?" I ask with a small smile.
"I doubt you will ever grow that skilled, but we shall see. Draw your wand; you know the spell." He says with a motion towards Justin. There are things I would like to know.
When I turn my wand on Justin, I am suddenly struck by the comparison between the two. Physically they are the same age, but the Dark Lord carries himself with the confidence of a much older wizard. I sometimes forget how young his body still is. I find myself wondering what that's like for Ginny.
"When do I get to see Ginny again?" I ask instead of following his instructions. I lower my wand and look back towards Voldemort.
"Ginny's here?" Justin asks with wide eyes.
Voldemort's wand is in his hand before I can see where he drew it from. Justin crumples to the floor, groaning in pain as the Dark Lord casts a wordless spell in his direction.
"She is allowed to speak the name of my wife, scum like you are not." He hisses before lowering his arm and releasing the spell.
Justin is gasping on the floor when the Dark Lord turns back towards me. "She may have visitors once she is recovered to my satisfaction. Now. Read the mudblood's mind." He orders more firmly.
It is not the moment to cross him, so I turn back to Justin and take a slow breath. I raise my wand and follow the movements I've studied. " Legilimens ." I cast and gasp as images from Justin's mind bombard me.
I hold onto the thread and try and find some way to get the information I am looking for. Everything seems so random and unconnected. There is a stream of his voice telling himself that he has nothing to hide from the whore.
"You're holding the spell. Impressive. Most lose the train the first time they are assaulted with another person's mind."
"How do I look for what I want?" I ask as if this is all part of the lesson.
"The easiest way is to give your victim verbal reminders of what not to think about."
"Ginny's attack," I say without hesitation and images of what he did to her start to flash over me.
"You don't have to punish yourself like that," Voldemort says as I feel his hand on the back of my neck.
"I want to know why he brutalized her," I say through gritted teeth. He presses soft circles into my neck as if he is trying to comfort me as I watch Ginny being attacked again and again. I can see he is trying to hide something behind the violence, and when I finally break through, I skip forward and find myself inside a memory.
The four men that attacked Ginny are trudging through the forbidden forest. Michael Corner is in front, and they walk in silence until they get to the edge of Hogwarts' land. They stop as one, and I watch as they wait on the forest's edge to join the crowd that will gather for the auction.
"So who's doing it?" Justin asks, and they all look to Micheal for an answer.
"I don't see why we all can't have a turn with the bitch."
"But Ron said-" Jones started, but Micheal interrupted.
"Ron told us to fuck his baby sister." He pointed out with a sneer. "She's a traitor, and she doesn't deserve our pity. He knows it, or he wouldn't have sent us to do this."
All but Jones were nodding in agreement with twisted smiles on their faces. I pull out of his mind before I have to see any more. I find that I fell to my knees while I was distracted, and Voldemort is kneeling at my side.
"What did you find, little dove?" He asks and turns my face to look at him.
"Don't, please. I'm going to be sick as it is." I ask because I know he was planning to read my mind.
"Tell me then."
"It was just the four of them, but it wasn't a real plan. Ron ordered one of them to have sex with her. But the group that decided how horrible it needed to be. Why would Ron order that?" I ask because a question isn't a lie. "And Jones. Jones didn't seem all that comfortable with the idea of all of them having their way."
"You saw the attack, he held her down just as much as the rest of them, and he took his turn."
"I know."
Daphne-
Once we settle back in Ginny's room, I get her a drink of juice and sit next to her so that none of the boys crowd her. They are all on edge, but it can only forgive it as long as they understand their sister's well being is my priority.
"Maybe this isn't the time. You need to rest, and I can get your brothers set up in their rooms." I say softly as the redheads take turns fidgeting and glaring at Draco and Adrian.
"I'm sorry I abandon you all." She says loud enough for the room to take in. "I didn't mean to, but I wasn't strong enough to make them send me back. But I know that isn't a good excuse."
"Ginny bean you were saf-"
"I wasn't safe." She interrupts Bill and shakes her head. "At first, it was easy to pretend that I hadn't changed that I belonged there. But it quickly became harder." She sighed and closed her eyes. "The only reason I was even tolerated was because of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"What happened?" George finally asks as they all sit on the edge of their seats, trying to be as close to their sister as I will allow. I think they can tell she needs space to tell her story.
"The resistance used a dark potion to bring Harry back, and I helped them," Ginny explains. "From what I understand now, it was the same potion that brought Lord Voldemort back. That's why they attacked the wedding; they needed Harry's soul and Voldemort's blood. When Ron saw the opportunity, he took me as well."
"Good for Ron."
"Charlie, let her finish," Bill says as if he can read something in her posture.
"For my safety, I was sent to live in a cabin alone in the woods. My only contact with the outside was Harry." She says as she looks at her knees. "No one else came to check on me, only Harry." She repeats as if she is stuck on that part of the memory.
I take her hand to remind her she isn't alone now. I know the Dark Lord wants her to tell this story, but it could be too soon.
"He came back wrong, and it didn't take long for him to show his true colors once he had me isolated from everyone." She squeezes my hand back as she takes my offered strength. "He broke my wand and would hurt me as punishment for not doing what he wanted or seeking escape or help. He would have killed me if Daphne and Draco hadn't come when they did. I've just recovered from an injury where he shattered…" Ginny covers her mouth and shakes her head. She can't say it aloud, but I think she's voiced enough that her brothers understand.
"We'll leave you alone," I say finally, trusting that her brothers will understand what she needs.
"Thank you, Daphne, will you return in an hour or so?" She asks, and I give her a nod.
"Yes, my Lady." I bow to her, and the guards do the same. Once we are in the hall, Draco has Adrian stay at her door, and he takes my hand as we head back towards my room.
"He wants her to say all of that in front of the press?" Draco asks under his breath while we walk. I nod thoughtfully.
"No one is going to believe a statement she writes. But I'll help her organize the story more, so she doesn't ramble in front of them." I tell him thoughtfully.
"I just try to keep telling myself we got to her in time." He says thoughtfully as if he needs comfort over what she had to go through. It is odd to think that we have both grown rather attached to the woman. We serve her now because we owe her our loyalty.
"There will still be people that don't believe her; no one wants to see that maybe they made a mistake, and their hero is now a monster." I remind him as we slow near my door.
"True." He sighs and looks up and down the hallway. "Not nearly a far enough walk." He pouts at me playfully. "You know what I was thinking about last night?" Draco asks, and I can tell he is trying to change the somber mood.
"What?" I smile up at him to show him it is working.
"This beautiful girl that had never made it onto my radar until she convinced my ex to write me a dirty letter."
I laugh as he slowly backs me towards the stone wall of the castle so that he can lean over me.
"Well, before I realized you could be of use to me, why would I put in the effort?" I ask him, wondering if he plans to kiss me out in the open like we are.
"You said you'd marry me." He reminds me, with a smile. He seems so much younger than just a moment ago. Are we really only teenagers?
"And yet, I still have no ring." I pout back.
A troubled expression crosses his face for a moment, and he sighs. "My father is being an issue, but I'll have it for you soon." He promises before he starts to lean down once more.
"He doesn't think I'm worthy."
"We'll make beautiful babies, and he will forget about everything else."
"Babies? You want more than one?" I ask as our lips just brush one another.
"Is twelve too many?" He asks curiously. "I was an only child, and my mind has always overcompensated.
"Were you jealous of the Weasleys?" I ask him playfully.
He looks down his nose at me. "I said twelve; I'll beat them." He deadpanned.
I can't help but laugh and lean up to kiss his lips, happy in that moment. "Yes, twelve is too many, unless you're planning to birth a few," I add after a moment.
"I'll just have to change your mind later." He says before taking my lips in another kiss.
My hands settle against his chest, and I let myself just dream of a life with him filled with family, even just for a little while I can block all my other worries away.
- 7
- 8
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Face of Death