A/N: Sorry this took so long, I ended up w/ pneumonia, so writing wasn't on my list of things to do. This chapter will reveal serious plot twists. What is revealed about Ginny is what this entire story was born from. I hope you find it up to par. Oh, and I will explain more once you've read it.
Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling, this is a simple attempt to honor her fantastic abilities.
"Albus, we have been fighting this war for eight years now. Harry is beginning to grow weary; we all are. Something must be done." Remus Lupin pleaded to the Hogwarts Headmaster.
True, the past eight years had ravaged the wizarding world. The war had been perfectly balanced since its beginning. Neither side ever seemed to have the upper hand. For every victory the Order had, Voldemort's Death Eaters matched them. The young were forced to grow up far too quickly. Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, many times had wished he had not. After a life full of struggle, he was ready for it to be all over; or at least see some light at the end of the tunnel.
"Oh, and of course, we should all act according to Potter's will." Severus Snape spat back at the former professor. Years of fighting on the same side had not softened the animosity between Snape and his former student.
"Severus, be reasonable. I am only pointing out that we must take advantage of the information and position we have. You know as well as I do of the potential greatness the two of them can bring. Ginevra is becoming restless. I fear that if we do not move forward, we will lose her affiliation." Remus explained. He was the only wizard Ginny had contact with since she had been forced into hiding. He knew her better than her own family.
While Ginny had become a powerful young witch with a very successful writing career, she was not what one would call happy. She missed her family and friends. She missed the wizarding world. Not magic, but the wizarding world, itself. Remus had made sure that she was always able to practice her magic. Because she was constantly gaining powers, it was pertinent that she learn how to deal with them. It would do neither her nor the Order any good if she did not have control over her own abilities.
"Oh, yes, the little princess has had it horrible, hasn't she?" Snape hissed venomously. "She lives quite comfortably from what I can tell; writing those books as a means to pay homage to the great Boy Wonder! Honestly, it is a wonder Voldemort hasn't found her out yet. She might as well hang a big sign over her head announcing her whereabouts." He scoffed, thoroughly disgusted.
"How dare you!" Remus shouted. "You don't seem to mind all the money those books of hers bring into the Order. She is doing what she can, and receiving very little credit for her efforts. She gets hounded by muggle reporters all the time. Her life is not her own, she" He tried to continue, but was cut off by Dumbledore.
"Now, now, Severus, Remus, calm down. You are acting much as you did when you were at school. I would think that we are beyond such childish behavior." Albus Dumbledore's stern, yet calming voice interrupted. "Now, I agree, Remus, we must begin to act on bringing both Ginevra and Draco back into our world. It will not be easy, though. I cannot come out and reveal their identities to them, as you know; nor can I push them towards ours side versus Voldemort's." Albus, folded his hand in front of him, and looked off into the distance, deep in thought. After a few moments, he asked, "Severus, please contact Narcissa, and arrange for her to come to Headquarters as soon as possible."
"Of course, Headmaster. I am sure that she would be more than happy to meet with you. She was beginning to become worrisome concerning Draco, herself. I will contact her after tonight's meeting with Voldemort." Severus explained to Dumbledore. With that, he turned on his heel, and left. His black robes billowed behind him.
Dumbledore then turned to Lupin and indicated that the werewolf should have a seat. Lupin made his way to a plain wingback chair by the fireplace. His former Headmaster, the man who had always placed so much trust in him, sat across from him. Remus was quite thankful for all of the help and trust the elder wizard had placed in him over the years. First he allowed him to attend Hogwarts, despite the fact that he was a werewolf, and there were few safeguards for the condition. Then he hired him to teach at the school. Though Remus was a skilled Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the fact remained that he was a werewolf. True, a potion could now prevent him from being dangerous to others during the full moon, but many in the wizarding world still feared his kind. Despite the trouble that brief appearance had made, the Headmaster still had enough faith in Remus to trust him to serve as Ginevra Weasley's secret keeper.
Because of his condition, Remus could never have a family of his own. Over the past eight years he had come to regard the youngest Weasley as a surrogate daughter. Yes, he always had a soft spot for Harry, but he had to share the young lad with the whole wizarding world. Ginevra was his and his alone. He would literally do anything for her. He understood all too well what it was like to have to hide your true self from the world. Though the two hid for different reasons, they appreciated the struggles involved with such a clandestine lifestyle.
"I cannot thank you enough for the loyalty and dedication you have shown Miss Weasley." Dumbledore's voice broke the calm silence. "I do not believe she would have made it through these past years without your support. Now, I am concerned by some of your comments. Please tell me about Ginevra's state of mind."
"Oh, her state of mind," the younger wizard began. "She has grown restless. Ginevra wants to return to the wizarding world. She feels as if she has been abandoned." Though he knew this was not in fact the case, Remus could sympathize with the young woman's feelings. "She takes pride in the contribution her writing has made for the Order, but she does not feel as if it is enough." He finished with a sigh.
"Ah, yes, her writing. I must say, Remus, encouraging her to write was one of the most ingenious ideas that I have ever heard of." The weary headmaster complimented. "Yes, you gave the young girl a way to break free from the trauma Riddle inflicted on her. I do believe that it also allowed her to feel close to the wizarding world. She has truly started to become the extraordinary witch she was destined to be." He added with a twinkle in his eyes.
Shortly after Remus had given young Ginny the muggle stationary, she began to focus on writing about magic. Actually, she wrote about a specific part of magic; Harry Potter and his magical life. Yes, in the muggle world, she was known as J.K. Rowling, a near forty year-old, married mother of three. Now, her lifestyle, of course was but a mere glamour. Just as Ginny used magic to make herself appear older with different physical characteristics than her own, she had done the same for her muggle `family'. They were in fact squibs from prominent wizard families. Her husband was actually a younger non-magical brother of Dumbledore's, and the two were not married. He was a prominent doctor in the muggle world, and had spent most of his life in hiding. Voldemort had sought him out for many years. The Dark Lord felt that if he could locate a vulnerable member of the headmaster's family, he would have the upper hand. The same held true for the rest of the little family. Being the great wizard that Dumbledore was he cleverly devised a plan to protect them all and give Ginny some needed practice in nurturing.
The children in her care were obviously not hers; she had remained a virgin, yet to the muggle world she had appeared as if she was pregnant in order to keep the image going. No, they were the children of different loyal Order members who had produced a Squib child. It is amazing what can be done with glamour spells. Ginevra, naturally was each of the individuals' secret keeper. Having this surrogate family around was good for her. Rather than having a brood of brothers watching over her and dousing her spirit, Ginevra was the head of the family. These people were neither her flesh and blood, nor her true love, but she regarded them as family. Their safety and well being were her responsibility. Each time she took one of them into her home and protection her powers increased.
This lifestyle also afforded her many benefits; some she did not even realize. Muggles adored her books chronicling the boy-who-lived. The non-magic world was fascinated by her intricate tales of Hogwarts and the world in which it existed. They brought great happiness and joy to a world of pain and despair. Her work encouraged children of all ages (adults too, she'd been told), to read. She had set up programs in the muggle world to help the less fortunate. Although she had more money than she could ever spend, she never forgot what it was like to be poor. The truth was that Ginevra spent precious little of her earnings on herself. Besides her philanthropic works for the muggles, she sent the majority of her wealth to the Order. Despite her feelings of abandonment, she still believed in the objectives of the Light Side. While Ginny did not fully realize it, her true nature motivated her to make these actions. She was a nurturer at heart; it was her very essence.
Her writing also gave Ginevra a means by which to heal herself. She had seen so much evil and pain in her young life. Writing about Harry, Ron, and Hermione gave her hope. In a way it was as if they were there with her. True, she embellished the story here and there, but she needed to. Anyone who read the books that actually knew the characters and situations would most likely have some problem with them. The Harry in her books was fearless, selfless, courageous, and all things considered, affected only slightly by the tragic events of his life. The real Harry was not nearly as perfect. She idealized him, not because of a girlish crush, but because she needed the hope he represented, and so did the muggle world. She did this to most of the individuals in her books. Ginevra also changed events here and there. She did not go into great detail about the horror Tom Riddle inflicted upon her and Harry in the Chamber of Secrets. She glossed over some of the more painful events, and exaggerated the happy ones. Though the books told the truth, it was the truth as Ginevra saw it.
The most prominent example of the artistic liberty she took could be found in her newest book; the sixth in the series. This was the first book in which she changed from chronicling the real events to making it all up as she went. Dumbledore was correct in thinking that writing gave Ginevra a sense of healing. Although the war was still raging throughout the wizarding world, she planned for it to only last two years in her books. Shortly after beginning to write the first book, she had decided that by time her Harry graduated from Hogwarts, the war would be over and done with. Doing this gave Ginevra s sense of control, and also exercised her creative side.
"Yes, Headmaster, I believe you are correct. She has gained so much from writing. I am concerned, though. Ginny understands the reasons why she has been sequestered, and realizes the important role she has been able to play by financing the war, but…" Remus' voice trailed off. He had no idea how to fully explain the situation to Dumbledore.
"She is not happy. She has been ripped away from everything she ever knew. Although we have gone to great lengths to make sure she may practice magic in her home, she misses the wizarding world, and all that is in it." Albus interjected. He was a wise man, and could understand the feelings the young woman must be experiencing.
"No, she is not. I am quite concerned how this destiny of hers will play out." This statement intrigued Dumbledore. Seeing the look on the elder wizard's face, Lupin pressed on. "She already feels as if her life has been stolen from her because of this destiny, yet she has followed the brief instructions she had been given. I fear what will happen when she learns that Draco Malfoy is her mate. He was not exactly kind to her when they were younger. Actually, he tormented her mercilessly. You have seen in Severus and Sirius, when he was alive, that is, how difficult it is to get over childhood rivalries." Lupin bluntly finished.
"Yes, Remus, I am aware of how much they disliked each other during their time at Hogwarts. True, Miss Weasley has sacrificed a great deal. It is my hope that the time away from her family will soften the rivalry between the two of them. Not that the Weasleys are bad, do not misunderstand me. However, they are so overwhelming that she never would have been able to accept that people can change. I am sure that Draco has changed. He has not been under Lucius' thumb all of these years. It is unfortunate that children so young must endure such hardship." Dumbledore explained.
He was well aware of the ancient Weasley-Malfoy feud. It was the one factor that he had never been able to completely control. The details behind it were quite ironic, actually, for in an indirect way it prevented the second carriers of the destiny from succeeding.
It all began when the founders of Hogwarts were young adults. They were from a different era in which purebloods were akin to royalty. They held court, and socialized within those confines. Damien Malfoy was a member of this high society. He was madly in love with Rowena Weasley, one of the most beautiful young women of the time. She, however was the carrier of the destiny, and unavailable for courting. Damien did not take the rejection easily. He was much more evil and far more proud than Lucius, and vowed she would pay.
Like Ginevra, Rowena did not know who her betrothed was. She only knew that he was not Damien, for the necklace did not pull her towards him. Damien had gone to Master Weasley, a wealthy pureblood of the time, and asked for Rowena's hand. He of course was denied with no explanation. Damien Malfoy was enraged. No one said no to a Malfoy. He decided then and there that he would do whatever it took to disgrace the Weasley name. He concocted a most devious plan. He enlisted the aid of a member of the court known for his brutish behavior by the name of Alexander Ravenclaw. The plan was to have him take Rowena out on a chaperoned outing, the normal procedure of the time. The chaperone would be paid in advance to leave the two alone, and although Ravenclaw would not commit any intimate acts with Rowena, she would be disgraced, nonetheless. In those times being caught alone with a young man without a chaperone was devastating to a reputation. The couple was expected to marry immediately. If they did, some semblance of dignity could be maintained. Ravenclaw would then refuse to marry her, and Malfoy would step up and be a proper gentleman and wed the disgraced girl. It was the perfect plan.
Rowena did in fact go on the outing. She had never had contact with Alexander, and she needed to know if by chance he was her mate. It was the perfect plan, except that Damien did not count on Alexander's devious nature. The chaperone was paid, and left on cue, but from there the plan went tragically awry. Alexander forced himself on her. Because of this action, there was no choice but for the couple to marry. The only other option they had was death. Although Rowena married him, she and her entire family were disgraced. It did not matter that it was not her fault. The archaic minds of the time blamed her; she had obviously enticed the young man in some way. Slowly, her family lost their power and wealth. The only comfort she took was that Alexander died shortly after their marriage. She never remarried. She felt there was no point. Her destiny had been destroyed. Even if she learned who her betrothed was they could never find greatness. She was tainted now. Rowena then dedicated her life to education and learning, and eventually helped find Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She never forgot the pain that was inflicted upon her. To her credit, she took that experience and formed the belief that purebloods were no better than muggleborns.
While Dumbledore did not believe that the Weasleys or the Malfoys knew the particulars of the feud, he knew they all understood it was long standing. He hated that young Ginevra had to be separated from her family for all of those years. His loyalty, however; was to the development of the destined couple's relationship. Narcissa did not want to control Draco, and she was not a part of the feud. He knew she would rear him correctly; allowing him to explore himself and his feelings freely. Dumbledore was not as sure that Ginevra would receive the same treatment. Remus was correct; childhood pain is difficult to overcome. While he had no doubt that she would be able to make her own decisions regarding Draco, he was equally as certain that the Weasley boys, Ron especially, would block her at every attempt.
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It was around four in the morning when Severus Snape Apparated into Chateau Camelot. He was one of very few who knew the chateau existed, and among the even fewer who were able to pass the extensive wards guarding it. He had opted to visit after his meeting with the Dark Lord in order to keep himself, Narcissa, and Draco safe. Snape was well aware of the power which Voldemort possessed. Every time he was around the mother and son he felt happiness. It was an emotion that the Dark Lord would recognize immediately; no matter how hard Snape may try to hide it. Besides, after so many long years of spying for the Order, Severus needed something to look forward to in order to get through the meeting. He knew he could easily mask the excitement as being for the new tasks the monster would order to be done..
Snape quietly Apparated into the foyer of the mansion. He did not want to alarm Draco or Narcissa, for neither of them were expecting him. Since that fateful graduation day, Snape had seen Draco twice, and the last meeting had been years ago. Narcissa, on the other hand, he saw almost regularly. She was a bona fide member of the Order, and would make clandestine visits to Dumbledore and Snape in secured locations. Draco, of course did not know this. Narcissa and Dumbledore agreed early on that it would be best for the boy if he was kept away from both organized sides of the war. He was a wild card, and they did not want to take the chance that he would grow to resent the Order for imposing on his life as his counterpart had come to feel.
"Master Snape, it is good to be seeing your, sir." Tibby warmly greeted the Potions Master. "Sir never drops in on Mistress unexpected. Tibby wonders if anything is wrong?" The small elf asked with a worried expression on his wrinkled face.
"No, nothing is wrong, Tibby, but I must speak with your Mistress, without the young Master knowing I am here, of course. Please let her know of my arrival, and that she must not worry." Snape spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Yes, Master Snape, sir. I will let Mistress know immediately. Please make yourself comfortable in the parlor." The small elf bowed, and with a soft snap of his fingers, was gone.
Snape made his way into the parlor. Though it paled in size to the one at Malfoy Manor, it was nonetheless opulent. The room was warm and inviting; it reflected the woman he had known before Lucius had poisoned her life. Ten minutes after the elf had departed, Narcissa Malfoy entered the parlor. She was radiant. She was dressed in a gorgeous robin's egg blue velvet robe with cream satin piping. Her hair was loosely pulled back by a matching blue ribbon.
"Severus, dear, I am quite surprised to see you here, especially at this hour." Narcissa said while pulling the man into a friendly hug. "Now, Tibby said that nothing was wrong, but I know that there must be something amiss for you to arrive here unannounced. What may I do for you?" She guided him over to a small couch, and they both sat down.
"I am here to arrange a visit for you and Dumbledore. It seems that he and certain others feel it is time to bring Draco and his betrothed back into the main fold of the wizarding world." He said with distain. While Severus knew that Draco had to face up to his destiny, deep down he did not want to subject the boy to such responsibility. It was not that he felt Draco was not up to the challenge. He simply wanted to give the young man as much peace as possible.
"Wait, his betrothed? You mean to tell me that you know who she is?" Narcissa was practically beaming. She knew in her heart that the girl, whoever she may be, would be wonderful for Draco.
"Yes, I do. I am not at liberty to tell you at this point in time, though. I imagine that Dumbledore will divulge that tidbit to you when you meet him." A hint of agitation was evident in Snape's voice.
"Oh, yes, of course. Well, then, tell the Headmaster that I will be at Headquarters tomorrow afternoon. I will make arrangements for Draco." She paused to ponder for a moment. "Yes, I will tell him I am going to tea with Lady Astrid. He does not care for her much, and will not insist on accompanying me."
"Well, well, mum; it appears that all those years of living with Lucius paid off. You can be quite deceptive, it seems." Draco's voice startled both Narcissa and Severus, and they whipped around to see him standing in the entranceway.
"And you, Draco have learned his perfected art of eavesdropping." She added, barely missing a beat.
"Why, Severus, it is so good to see you! May I take your visit as a sign that the war is waning, or that Lucius is dead, Merlin willing?" Draco's tone was not sarcastic, it was actually rather hopeful.
"No, my son, it is neither. I am here to invite your mother to an audience with Dumbledore. Then again, you probably heard all of that while you were spying." Snape answered with a sly grin. He had a hint of pride in his chest. He had no idea that Draco had been within earshot during his conversation with Narcissa.
"Yes, I did figure that out myself, but a little wishful thinking never hurt." He added with his trademark smirk crossing his lips. "So, all these year, Lucius has been a Death Eater, and my mum is in the Order. Now that's something you don't see every day." Though his demeanor had been friendly until now, he quickly became cool and distant. "I also decipher that Dumbledore as well as others know of my destiny, where I am, and who my mate is. Anyone care to explain that? What, have you all been isolating me here to persuade me to your side?" He finished the statement as detached as when he started.
"That is the trouble with eaves dropping, Draco; you do not always hear the full story." Snape added, equally as distant. "Now, if you will sit, I shall explain the finer points that you have missed." Though it was a request, Draco did not miss the pointed look Snape gave him.
The young man made his way from the doorway over to the area where Narcissa and Severus were seated. He was quite interested to hear the explanation for this recent turn of events. Draco did not like to be manipulated by anyone. His father had done that to him his entire young life, and he did not want to think that his mother had been doing the same since their arrival at the new home.
"There are but four people who know of both yours and your mate's identities. As Head of the Wizengamont, Dumbledore has known for many years. It is his duty to protect both of you so that you may one day freely embrace your destiny, and the duties that go along with it. Remus Lupin and I both know your identities. We act as guardians. I realize that you and I have not seen each other in years, but I have been in constant contact with your mother since the day I helped you into hiding. Remus Lupin keeps a watch over your betrothed. The other who knows is the Dark Lord. While he believes you are dead, he knows that she is alive. Because of this she has been sent into the muggle world." Snape did not feel he needed to elaborate any more. He had given Draco the straight forward truth, and would simply wait for the young man to sort out the information.
Draco sat for a moment pondering all that Snape had said. He slowly became less angry with the situation. It was easier for him to accept things knowing that the entire Order did not know about him. Realization dawned that they were all only trying to protect him.
"Well, I always said I'd rather be dead than have to live with muggles." He finally said, as a half-smile, half-smirk crossed his face. "Looks like in a way, its the truth." He finished, then with a determined look on his face he said, "So, now that I am in the loop, why don't we all pay Dumbledore a visit together."
Snape was expecting this reaction. He knew that once Draco had come to terms with the actions everyone had taken, he would want to work towards the next step of his destiny. Snape knew that taking Draco to Headquarters would excellorate the process, but Remus did say soon. This thought brought a smile to Severus' face.
"Well, I am sure that we will cause quite the stir," he drawled out. "I suppose it will be acceptable, though. You are both thought to be dead, and you are each under the Fidelius Charm. If you are sure that you are ready to begin this journey, I will take you with me." He wanted Draco to know exactly what he was getting into by going to see Dumbledore.
"Yes, I am ready. This is what I was meant to do; whatever path I follow, it is my destiny. From my understanding, the two before me failed, but I will not." Draco was firm in his resolve. He could not promise Snape that he would follow his destiny towards the side of the Light. Draco was not one to be lead around. No, he would meet his betrothed, and they would decide on their future. After quickly packing, Severus, Narcissa, and Draco left for the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
A/N: Okay, there is one of my BIG revelations. I hope you like it. I did not add the books and her identity into this for no reason. Remember, Ginny idealized Harry in her books, (you know the one's we have all read), and as a result it will cause some problems in the budding relationship Draco and Ginny will form.
2nd Disclaimer: Okay, I want to now say that this story is a product of my silly little mind. It is not my intention to cause any pain or embarrassment to J.K. Rowling or her family. This is a simple attempt to pay homage to her and her world. She has already figuratively created magic by inspiring so many individuals to read, that I thought I would have her create it literally in my story.
Thank you to all my faithful reviewers, you are truly wonderful. To anyone who hasn't reviewed yet, drop me one. Oh, and if you really hate what I've done, let me know, but be gentle about it, okay?
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