Disclaimer: I don't own original Harry Potter characters or situations, They belong to J.K Rowlings. If I owned them, I would be sitting in Hawaii right now sipping drinks with little umbrellas in them and having hot guys serving my every need. *sigh* Oh well.
Amulet of Torna
Chapter 5-Under The Sun
Ginny was lying on her back glancing up at the sky, the sand was soft and warm underneath her. She had just gone swimming in the ocean a few moments ago, and was relaxing as the sun warmed the cool water from her body. Ginny was having a horrible summer, she missed Draco terribly. She didn't like being dragged along with her family and her brother's girlfriend's parents to the Bahamas, and it wasn't even the Wizarding part, but the muggle part. She wanted to go home.
Someone ran up to Ginny and in the process kicked sand over her, it was her brother Ron and he was standing over her with a smile on his face. He sat down, once again throwing sand in his sister's face.
"Are you having a good time?" Ron asked.
Ginny simply rolled her eyes, "Not really. I just want to be home and I'm stuck out here."
Ron shook his head, "You just want to be home so Malfoy can owl you and you can moon over him and wonder when you're going to see him again. Disgusting really."
Ginny sat up glaring at her brother, "Do you want to know what's disgusting? It's watching you and Zara play kissy face all day, that's disgusting."
"Ah you're just jealous cause my girlfriend is here with me and your jerk of a boyfriend is elsewhere."
"Ron please don't call Draco a jerk, I don't call your girlfriend names." Ginny said.
"But you would like to, I know you Ginny. Why don't you like Zara?" Ron said pushing his toes into the sand.
"I don't know Ron, I started to like her. But she can be so annoying and not to mention weird." Ginny said shaking her head.
"Oh as if Malfoy is any less annoying. Come on now. Malfoy is mean as hell. He's always insulting Harry and Hermione, calling her…" Ron paused he didn't like using the word. "You know Mudblood. He even threatens people's lives. How can you like someone like that?"
Ginny glanced down at her fingers, "I know he's not perfect Ron, Draco loves me though. He is so considerate of me and kind when I am with him, he just doesn't know how to be nice to you and your friends."
"I will never trust Malfoy Ginny, but I won't say anything bad about him around you. I know you care about him and you are my sister. And if Malfoy makes you happy," Ron sighed leaned back stretching his arms behind him. "I don't approve, but I won't stand in your way either."
"Thank you Ron." Ginny said with a slight smile, "Where is your wonderful girlfriend anyway?"
"She hasn't risen yet, still sleeping when I knocked on her bungalow door a few moments ago." Ron said and he glanced around, he noticed his father coming towards them, a grave expression on his father's face.
Ron immediately stood as his father stood before him. "What's wrong?"
"Get your sister and come with me, something has happened." Mr. Weasley said and he started walking away from Ron.
Ginny came up behind Ron and rested her hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong with daddy?"
"I don't know, but we better follow him." Ron said to his sister, and they both headed in the same direction as their father.
Mr. Weasley was pacing back and forth when his wife walked into the room, followed by his sons and daughter. Zara's parents were standing by the window; they were already in the room before Mr. Weasley got in there. "Well perhaps your daughter should he here too." Mr. Weasley said to Zara's mother Crystal.
"I'll go get her." Ginny offered and she headed out the door and towards Zara's bungalow.
Zara was humming to herself while slicing off a bit of her Orgus Root; she heard a loud knock on her door. Irritated, she set down her knife and went to the door. Upon opening it she found Ginny on the other side. "What?" Zara asked with a smile trying to hide her annoyance.
"My father wanted me to fetch you, he has some news." Ginny said trying not to glare up at Zara.
"Can I come in a few minutes, I have to ta-" Zara was pointing back towards her table when Ginny just grabbed her hand.
"Come on, you can finish what you were doing later." The red head was impatient as she drug Zara out of the Bungalow and down towards the other one.
Zara and Ginny walked inside the Bungalow, all eyes on them. Both girls sat down on the couch.
"Now that we are all here." Mr. Weasley started, "I'm afraid I have some terrible news. Death Eaters were spotted and arrested in Rome."
"Rome?" Ron questioned. Why did that sound familiar? Oh wait a minute Harry was going with Hermione to Rome. 'Oh no.' He thought to himself. "Wh-what happened, why are you telling us this?" Ron felt a large lump lodge itself within his throat.
"I have to go to Rome and do a little searching, Ministry's orders." Mr. Weasley glanced down for a moment, "They think something happened to your friends Ron."
Ron glared "Why does the ministry think something happened to my friends?" He sounded bitter.
"They knew Harry and Hermione were going to Rome, where someone has been working on the inside giving us information about the possibility of Death Eater activity, and well the bugs that was placed on both Harry and Hermione were cut off. The bugs vanished."
He was mad, Ron stood. "You let the ministry treat Harry and Hermione as bait for Death Eaters?!"
"I didn't do anything of the sort son, please try to calm down." Mr. Weasley.
"Calm down?! How can I calm down? Harry and Hermione could be dead because of the Ministry's idiotic actions."
"That's why I have to go to Rome, to find out exactly what happened. They found an entire palace and training camp, that's where they arrested about twenty five Death Eaters. The ministry is doing a complete investigation there; they found Hermione's muggle cousin and friend."
"Well I want to go to." Ron immediately said.
"Son you really shouldn't-" Mr. Weasley started to say but he was interrupted.
"I'm just going to be waiting around to hear from you anyway, I mean what would it hurt if I waited with you in Rome?" Ron's face was etched with worry.
"All right son, you can go." Mr. Weasley said replied.
"I'm also going." Ginny said firmly
"Me too." Zara spoke up.
"Zara no, this sounds rather dangerous." Crystal said in concern that her daughter would be putting her life on the line.
"I'll be fine Ma, the so called Death Eaters were arrested and their will be government officials around, I doubt there's anything to worry about." Zara turned to Mr. Weasley, "Please allow me to go as well?"
Mr. Weasley looked at Zara and nodded, "All right. But no one else." Mr. Weasley said sternly.
"Arthur please be careful." Mrs. Weasley said, her voice trimmed with worry.
"I will luv, I will." Mr. Weasley smiled. He knew it was still dangerous; anything involving dark magic users was dangerous. He turned to both Ron and Zara, "now lets get going we have to get to a Wizarding building and floo there." He turned with Ron and Zara following after him.
"You don't have to come if you don't want to Zara." Ron said.
Zara nodded "I know, but you shouldn't be alone at a time like this." She took his hand in hers as they followed after Ron's father and Ginny towards the Wizarding part of The Bahamas.
Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Ron and Zara arrived at the Death Eater's Palace and Training camp in Rome. Death Eaters were tied and lined up in rows. There were ministry members searching high and low using the best Wizarding devices to sweep the place clean.
"Don't get into trouble." Mr. Weasley said as he was waved over by another ministry member in his department.
Ron saw his father talking to a dark haired woman he could her voice which was shaking with nervousness and cracked in several places for she had been crying. "I have never seen anything like that in my life, I mean they were using these sticks and light was coming out of them. They did horrible things to Carlo; I don't know drugged him or something."
Mr. Weasley looked over at Carlo who was sitting up against the wall. "Oh it's you again is it?" His eyes narrowed.
"Sir?" Carlo asked confused, one of his eyes was shut from being swollen and puffy.
Ron, Zara and Ginny walked over to Mr. Weasley, and got a good look at the girl.
"What happened to Hermione? Where is she?"
"That's what we are trying to find out." Mr. Weasley said as he listened to someone who was leaning closer to his ear.
"No we aren't doing the memory charm yet, we need to know from them what happened, they may be our only source of information." Mr. Weasley said. "Wait until after the questioning."
Ron looked down at the girl, "You know Hermione?"
The girl looked up at him, "Yes, she's my cousin. Could you please tell me what happened to her?"
Ron kneeled down, "Who are you?"
"Amelia, her cousin." She sniffled, and wiped her tears away from her bruised cheeks. "I have never been so scared in my life. No one will tell me anything, where's Hermione and her boyfriend, where am I, what is going on? And who was that man who tried to hurt them."
"Which man?" Ron asked.
"Actually there were two, but the one I remember the most. He was so horrible looking. Glowing red eyes. A snake like voice, not that I understood what he was saying but just the way he was talking." Amelia looked up at Ron.
Ron looked up at Zara, "You mean, Vol…Vol…" Ron took a breath, "Voldemort." He said shuddering a bit.
Zara saw Ginny roll her eyes, well of course she wouldn't fear the Voldemort her boyfriend was probably already a Death Eater in training.
"You-Know-Who?" Mr. Weasley asked Amelia after overhearing his son.
Amelia nodded, "Well whoever he was."
"You-Know-Who?" A voice said from behind them, causing Mr. Weasley to turn around. He was face to face with Minister Fudge. "What are you doing here sir, don't you have more important things to do then waste your time on an investigation like this?" Mr. Weasley was sarcastic.
"I must set a good example." Fudge replied.
"You just want to impress the voters." Ron said, he saw Fudge turn and glare at him.
"So what's this I hear about You-Know-Who?" Fudge asked glaring at the young Weasley.
"This girl claims he was here." Mr. Weasley said.
"What rubbish, You-Know-Who is dead." Fudge spat. "What does a Muggle know anyway?"
"I think we should listen to her." Mr. Weasley said.
"Well of course you would say that Arthur, you have an affinity for muggle things." Fudge said. "The Dark Lord is not back, when will you get it through your thick skulls, don't take this muggle's word for it, she doesn't know what she's talking about."
"Oh put a cork in it Fudge." A feminine voice came from behind them.
They all turned around, to see an older woman heading their way. And she walked right up to Fudge.
"What are you doing here Mavis?" Fudge snarled.
"This is my department Corny." Mavis said glaring at Fudge while making fun of his name.
Amelia did a double take, "Gramma Mavis?"
Mavis looked at Amelia, "Oh dear."
Ron looked at his father, "Did you find out what happened to Harry and Hermione yet?"
Mavis glanced at the floor and Mr. Weasley noticed, "Don't let your feelings get in the way Mavis; we have to finish the investigation."
"I know that Arthur, I've been here the whole time." Mavis said looking up at Arthur.
"Gramma Mavis, please tell me what is going on." Amelia begged.
Mavis kneeled looking Amelia, "All right." She knew that when the investigation was over the memory charms would be used, it wouldn't hurt anything if she told Amelia what was going on. "Hermione isn't an ordinary girl, she is a witch, and her boyfriend isn't an ordinary boy." She sighed. "He is a wizard, the Dark Lord whom you've met." She glared up at Fudge, "I do believe her by the way Corny."
"Why would you believe a muggle?"
"For one, she has never been known to lie. And she doesn't live in our world, which makes her story very believable. Also Harry Potter said on many occasions and to you personally that the Dark Lord is back, in fact why haven't you arrested Lucius Malfoy?"
"We checked him out, he's clean."
"How can he be clean when Potter also said he saw him with the Dark Lord?" Mavis argued.
"You keep quiet Granger you don't know anything; The Dark Lord is not back. I don't care what kids or muggles say." With that Fudge stormed off.
"Mavis, what did you find out about the disappearance of your granddaughter and Harry Potter?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Only that powerful magic was used." She took out the red ruby. I contacted Albus Dumbledore he should be here very soon. He will be able to tell us how this was used." Mavis set the ruby down on the ground.
"How do you know this was used?" Mr. Weasley picked up the ruby and looked at it curiously.
"We went through the room where it was laid, and we found magic residue of Hermione and Harry, they vanished. We don't know if they are dead or alive."
"This is all your fault." Ron pointed a finger at Mavis.
"What is?" Mavis was confused.
"Ron you can't blame her, you don't have any proof." Zara said.
"I don't need proof." Ron said, "Anything the ministry is involved in tends to get twisted up." He snarled.
"You have a right to be mad." Mavis said.
"I'm not just mad, I'm worried out of my mind. If you ministry clowns weren't so bent on catching Death Eaters and using any means necessary then Harry and Hermione would still be here."
"That's not true." Mavis said. "I did this for their own safety, I know of Death Eater activity in Rome. I wanted to keep them safe, not endanger them."
"Oh by planting bugs on them, we know who exactly is after Harry. And you knew there were Death Eaters here and you still let Harry and Hermione come to Rome. You had other needs and you knew Harry would be put in the middle." Ron's glare was harsh.
"That was not my intention, if I hadn't planted the bugs I would not have been able to keep track of them, they would have been in worse danger." Mavis said, she understood of the anger Ron was feeling.
"How wonderful your bugs are working now aren't they." Ron was sarcastic.
"Mr. Weasley, try to calm down." The soothing voice of Albus Dumbledore echoed in Ron's ears. "Panicking is not going to help Mr. Potter or Miss Granger."
Ron turned to find Professor Dumbledore standing next to him; it seemed he appeared out of no where. "Sir I-" Ron couldn't continue.
"Yes we are all worried Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said.
Amelia saw the white haired wizard, "Okay, if I pinch myself I'll wake up any minute right?"
"It's not a dream." Ron said, "This is all very real."
"Who are you?"
"Ron." He said plainly
"Well at least I got an answer out of someone." Amelia said.
"Why don't I talk with the girl?" A man next to Dumbledore asked.
"Yes Nilrem, you do that." Dumbledore said with a smile and a wink.
Nilrem went up to Amelia, "Why don't you come with me dear, I'll explain all I can to you." He helped Amelia up off the ground and escorted her to a secluded part of the palace gardens so they could have some privacy.
A few hours later, Ron was lying on a leather couch down the stairs in the palace with his head in Zara's lap; her fingers were running through his hair trying to sooth his troubled mind. Ron was trying to take a nap but he couldn't sleep. His mind was filled with worry. The silence was broken as Ron cleared his throat.
"Do you think they are all right?" Ron asked barely above a whisper.
Zara sighed, "I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I honestly don't know." She continued threading her fingers through his hair. "I too hope they are all right."
"This is all the Ministry's fault, everything." Ron mumbled.
"Yeah, the government always screws everything up." Zara noticed he was finally drifting off to sleep.
Ron was on the verge of sleep when someone came barreling down the stairs shouting, they are not dead, they are not dead. Ron jumped up immediately. "Who's not dead?" Ron asked in a panic.
"Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, they are not dead." A pudgy man kept saying excitedly as he hunched over trying to catch his breath.
"Well what happened to them?" Ron nearly shouted.
"They were merely transported through time." A voice from atop the staircase said.
Ron and Zara looked up to find Dumbledore standing there.
"Mr. Potter and Miss Granger have been transported back in time; Nilrem is devising a way for us to speak to them, if only for a moment."
"I think I got it," Nilrem shouted bringing a large crystal ball down the stairs "Gather round." Nilrem said as Ron and Dumbledore, along with members of the ministry gazed into the very large crystal ball.
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Well that's it for chapter 5; I know it's a bit short. I hope it was alright. Well let me know what you think. Read and review, thanks Ryoko.