Chapter Five: Reminisce

 

                          Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Remus all looked around anxiously. Diagon Alley was abuzz with witches and wizards completing their

                      Christmas shopping, and there was a generally festive feeling in the air, but Ginny could see other people looking just as nervous as she felt.

                      There was nowhere safe now, not with Hogwarts destroyed and Dumbledore dead. But then again, had they ever been truly safe in

                      Dumbledore's care? Still seething with the anger she felt over Dumbledore's betrayal, Ginny seized Remus' arm and led them all off down the

                      Alley.

 

                        They spent the hours together, each searching for the perfect presents for Harry, Sirius and Sterling. Ginny found exactly what she was

                      looking for for Harry, and bought it before the others could see. They stayed out until nightfall, and then hurried back to the Leaky Cauldron

                      when it began to downpour. As they went up to their rooms to get ready for dinner, Ginny realized she had left the bag with Harry's present in

                      Flourish and Blotts.

 

                          "Ron, I'll be right back!" she said and dashed out the door before he could protest. She passed through the wall into the Alley and instantly

                      noticed a change since darkness had fallen. The streets were deserted and many shop-keepers were closing up, despite the early hour of

                      five. Feeling anxious and stupid for forgetting such an important parcel, Ginny raced to Flourish and Blotts, which was all the way on the end

                      of the Alley. She dashed inside as the pock-marked clerk tried to lock the door and found the bag where she had put it down, next to books

                      of fertility and healing charms.

 

                           By the time she had ran back out onto the street, almost all the shops had closed and the rain was pouring down in icy torrents. Ginny

                      made her way up the street, holding her wand tightly in one hand, with the bag looped over her arm. She wiped her matted hair out of her

                      eyes and peered ahead. It seemed someone was standing in the road directly in front of her. Ginny looked around and to her horror saw

                      someone step out of the shadows behind her. She stopped where she was, and turned to see who was behind her.

 

                          "Sterling?" she said, squinting in the darkness. It was hard to tell, but she was fairly sure that the figure cloaked in black was Sirius' son.

                      The figure began walking toward her, and Ginny turned back to where she had seen the first figure. Almost instantly, both were only three feet

                      from her on both sides, and they reached her before she could Disapparate.

 

                            "Sterling! What's going on? Are you all right? Is something wrong with Harry and Sirius?" she asked, surprised by how frightened she

                      sounded. Sterling drew closer, and suddenly, Ginny was grabbed from behind and a large hand clapped over her mouth. She struggled

                      against her captor, but it was in vain. Twisting around, she saw Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron. She could tell by the glazed looking in

                      his eye that he was under the Imperius. She turned fear filled eyes back on Sterling, who now stood directly in front of her.

 

                             "Don't be scared, Ginny. I'm going to do you a favor. Would you come with me and forsake Harry if I could convince my father to heal

                      you so you could have children?" Tom's hand fell away from Ginny's mouth.

 

                             "I would never leave Harry! And Sirius can't heal me, you know that as well as I! What are you doing, Sterling?" she repeated. Sterling

                      grinned, and in the half-dark his face appeared gaunt and his eyes empty sockets. Suddenly, Ginny was overcome in a flashback of when

                      she had been tortured by Voldemort. Sterling looked just like how Voldemort had then, what tiny bit of human Voldemort had left in his

                      features.

 

                           "No..it can't be..." she breathed. Sterling laughed wickedly and pulled back his hair off his forehead. An emerald Dark Mark shone as

                      though lit from within.

 

                           "I am Voldemort's son and as his son, I will succeed him. And you Ginny, will rule beside me whether you like it or not. There will be

                      children for you, but they certainly won't be Potter's!" Sterling laughed again. Ginny glared at him and struggled, but Tom held her tight.

                      Sterling chucked her under the chin and lazily pulled out his wand, pointing it at her.

 

                           Sterling muttered an incantation that Ginny recognized as the Imperius Curse and then she knew no more.

 

                         At midnight, Harry sat on his and Ginny's bed, reading a book she had left him. There was a sharp rapping on the window and he looked

                      up, feeling a little foolish when he saw Hedwig outside. He opened the window and she came in, shaking water all over the place. He untied

                      the letter from her leg and opened it, feeling his heart sink as he read the note.

 

                           Harry, Ginny has gone missing. She went out to get something and never came back. Tom the innkeeper went missing, and was found

                      dead in the road. He was killed by the Avada Kedavra. He was holding Ginny's cloak. You and Sterling and Sirius better come right

                      away. The Ministry hasn't got a clue who did it, they think its Voldemort. -Ron

                                                                                                                                                                

                      to be continued....