Walking in Shadows

Disclaimer: I did not create any of the Harry Potter storyline, or characters. These ideas belong to the fabulous JKR, which we all must pay credit for the wonderful world she has created.

Warning: Though this story will contain no sexually explicit material, there will be graphic violence that may offend some people. I will be leaving the rating at PG13, but if any of you feel that it needs to be made higher, I will increase the rating.

A/n: Well, after all the formalities, I am very excited to tell you all that this is the first chapter to my sequel of “Where Two Paths Meet“. It may be short, but these chapters will not all be this way, I promise!

I don’t normally do this, but I feel like this song really fits this story. I’m posting the lyrics just for you to keep in mind as you read. It’s Within Temptation’s “Somewhere” and is a very beautiful song.

Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign
Instead there is only silence,
Can't you hear my screams...?
Never stop hoping,
Need to know where you are
But one thing 's for sure,
You're always in my heart.

I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying until my dying day
I just need to know whatever has happened,
The Truth will free my soul.

Lost in the darkness, try to find your way home
I want to embrace you and never let you go home
Almost hope you're in heaven so no one can hurt your soul...
Living in agony 'cause I just do not know
Where you are

I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying until my dying day
I just need to know whatever has happened,
The Truth will free my soul.

Wherever you are, I won't stop searching.
Whatever it takes, I need to know.

I'll find you somewhere
I'll keep on trying until my dying day
I just need to know whatever has happened,
The Truth will free my soul.

He’s Alive

…We have all seen the signs that point to magic declining. Spells are weakening, and even our own magical abilities are being sapped, but researchers have been unable to pinpoint as to what is causing magic to decline. Could this be the reason for the increase in Squibs? Are we indeed coming to the end of the magical world? Some would suggest…

Ginny placed the Daily Prophet down on the little wooden desk and sighed. Tiredly she wiped at her eyes and stared out the window. She could see the autumn leaves desperately clinging to the trees as winter’s chill crept in to blow them away. The sound of the waves could be heard crashing against the shore in the distance, and she could see the black storm clouds stretching their fingers over the sky to block out the pale, autumn sun. It was going to be a rough night tonight.

Hugging her robe to her petite body, Ginny stood up and walked over to the kitchen. She picked up the cup of hot chocolate, watching as the steam swirled into the cold air. Shivering slightly, Ginny blew on the hot drink. More than anything she wished she could conjure a fire, but she wasn’t sure if she could risk it. Merlin knew what horrible effects would happen after the strange magic decline. Sighing to herself, Ginny sipped her drink and gazed about the tidy house. It was cosy, quite small, but it suited her for now. She had wanted to get away from all the hustle and bustle from town, and with the help of a few dear friends, she was able to get this house. Sometimes she missed being able to visit her friends whenever she liked, but the peace and quiet was a nice change. It felt good to be away from all the memories; memories that even now hurt her…

Four years ago Ginny had helped stop the most evil wizard of their time. Voldemort had been defeated, and the Wizarding World had once again become a place of hope and new life. Ginny had thought it was too good to be true, and she had been right. About a year after Voldemort’s defeat, it had become apparent that there was an increase in the amount of Squibs being born. Certain magical barriers had begun to weaken, and even spells were less powerful. Three years from then, no magical children were being born and not a single spell could be trusted. Magic was dying, and Ginny feared that something sinister was at hand, though she, just like everyone else, was at a loss of what to do about it.

Ginny glanced up from her musing as someone knocked at the door. Smiling to herself, Ginny placed her cup down on the bench and walked over to the door, a large grin forming on her face as she opened it to see a familiar woman with bushy, brown hair and warm, honey-brown eyes.

“Hermione,” Ginny exclaimed happily, pulling her friend into a hug. She chuckled slightly and tapped Hermione’s swollen stomach. “It’s getting hard to hug you with this baby taking all the room.”

Hermione laughed as they broke away. “Yeah, only a few more months to go too. I think Harry is more excited than I am though.”

Ginny smiled and led Hermione into the house. “Do you want something to drink?”

Hermione shook her head, taking a seat, her eyes automatically following Ginny as she took her drink off the bench and sat down.

“So how have you been? I heard you quit your job,” Hermione said in a conversational voice, her eyes betraying the concern she felt. Ginny inwardly sighed. She had found it difficult to move on since the end of the war, going from one job to the next, from one town to another. Not only had she lost many dear friends, but also someone very important to her had gone missing that day. She refused to believe he was dead, and perhaps it was that which stopped her from fully moving on. She was constantly waiting for the day when she would catch a glimpse of him or hear a whisper of his name, but nothing had been seen or heard of him for four years. Many people believed him to be dead, but she just couldn’t accept it. He was out there somewhere; she just knew it.

Shaking her head slightly, Ginny smiled at Hermione. “It’s nothing. I just needed a change; that’s all.” Hermione frowned but said nothing, merely giving a single nod. Ginny was glad that Hermione did not push the conversation and inwardly sighed with relief.

“So, when are Ron and Harry going to come around?” Ginny asked as she settled herself more comfortably on the chair. “I’ve been trying to decide what to make for dinner, but it will help if I know how long I’ve got.”

Hermione smiled, rubbing her stomach fondly. “I think they said they’ll be here in a couple of hours. I told Ron he should bring Luna along too, but he said he didn’t want to cause any inconvenience on your part.”

Ginny grinned. “So they are dating now then?”

Hermione nodded, laughing lightly. “Oh yes, he finally got the courage to ask her out, even though we all knew how madly in love they were with each other.”

Ginny smiled to herself, her eyes gazing past Hermione to stare out the window again at the storm clouds. She frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing. For a minute she had thought she had seen something flying in the sky.

“Ginny?” Hermione said, startling Ginny from her musings. “What are you staring at?”

Ginny looked at Hermione with a blank expression and then looked back out the window; there was nothing there. She frowned again to herself, figuring she had probably imagined the outline in the sky.

“It’s nothing. I think I’m just tired or something; it’s been a rough day.”

Hermione nodded sympathetically and looked at her with a kindly expression. “How about you go have a lie down, and I’ll get this dinner started.”

“Oh no, Hermione, you can’t-“ Ginny began but fell silent at Hermione’s firm expression. If there was one thing Ginny knew about her friend, it was not to disagree with her. Hermione had the uncanny ability to make people do what she said, but Ginny knew it was more to do with the fact that she would nag until you finally gave in.

“I’m sure I can handle cooking a simple dinner, Ginny,” Hermione said with a laugh. “You look worn out, and I’m sure you want to have some energy to greet the others. Just leave this to me.”

“Thanks, Hermione,” Ginny said with an appreciative smile and stood up, placing her empty cup on the bench. She really was tired and decided that maybe a small nap wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Hermione nodded and gave her a small push towards the door. “You just take all the time you like; I’ll have things ready in no time.”

Ginny opened the door to her room and walked in, closing the door behind her. She gazed about the small, tidy room, seeing the portraits of her family and friends waving at her from the dressing table. She sighed and started to walk towards the bed, when suddenly a strange buzzing noise echoed in her brain. She held a hand to her head, gasping slightly as the buzzing increased. Black dots swarmed before her eyes, and as she took a step forward, Ginny found herself falling speedily towards the wooden floor, her eyes closing as her brain drifted into a familiar sensation she had not felt in years…

The darkness seemed almost suffocating it was so thick. Ginny couldn’t see anything, but then suddenly flames erupted around her, lighting the dark room. A man no older than twenty-one at the most was walking towards the flames, his pale-blond hair lighting up by the hot fire. He turned towards her, his familiar, grey eyes widening as he saw the swarm of mist-like creatures moving towards him.

“They’re coming!” he shouted loudly. A woman more painfully beautiful than any other woman she had seen walked forward confidently. Her long, lustrous, black hair reflected the flames dancing around them, her fierce, violet eyes narrowing with an intense expression.

“Leave these ones to me,” the woman said in a determined voice, holding up one elegant hand as she smiled cruelly at the creatures. “Die,” the woman said softly, allowing a ball of pure energy to form at her palm. The magic was so powerful that Ginny could feel every hair on her skin tingling. She watched as the ball of energy blasted right through the creatures, turning them into black dust before her eyes.

“Now let’s get that sword before he sends more,” the woman said harshly and quickly walked forward, her elegant, deep-purple dress flowing out behind her. The man nodded and followed her, his grey eyes glancing around cautiously as they headed up some steps.

Ginny followed up the steps and stopped, watching as the man ran forward to the stone pedestal, an expression of horror on his face.

“It’s broken,” the man said in a defeated voice.

“What do you mean it is broken?” the woman snapped irritably. “It can’t be broken.”

Ginny walked up the rest off the steps, passing through the man and the woman as if she were simply a ghost. She stared at the pedestal, seeing the strange symbols scratched into the stone. In the middle of the pedestal rested a sword with a blade of the deepest red, almost like blood itself. The sword stopped half way, however, where the blade had been snapped in half, the rest of it lying in fragments on the stone pedestal. She could see the black hilt with a snarling dragon, and pieces of red metal everywhere.

“I see you’ve found it,” another man’s voice spoke. Ginny turned around and saw a man with long silver hair, his eyes a cold mercury colour. “You’ve spent years looking for this,” he continued. “But now you see what a waste of time that has been. You’ll always be trapped here, but I will soon be free. Free from this rotting prison of darkness.”

“This isn’t a game, Loki,” the woman said in a cold voice. “Kashera will not let you get away with this.”

“Kashera is dead,” Loki said dispassionately, a small smile gracing his cold features, making him look more sinister than ever. “And soon the world of Light will belong to me.”

“Ginny! Ginny, are you alright?”

Ginny sat up groggily, gasping slightly as she touched her head where a large bump was throbbing. She looked around and noticed Harry, Hermione, and Ron all staring at her with identical expressions of concern. She felt sick, like she was about to vomit, and there was a loud ringing in her head, but she knew she was supposed to be remembering something, only she couldn’t remember what. Something about a dream…no, a vision…

“You fainted,” Hermione said gently, her honey-brown eyes frowning slightly. “Gave me quite a fright actually.”

Ginny frowned, not really paying attention to them as she tried to remember the details of her vision, for she knew it was a vision. There had been a beautiful woman who she was sure she had seen before, but she could not remember where. There was also a man- a man with silver hair and mercury eyes- and someone else, but who?

“Ginny?”

“I’m sorry,” Ginny said in a distant voice. “I just-” She gasped as she realised who she had seen in her vision. It was Draco. There was no way it couldn’t have been. She had seen Draco, but she did not recognise the place where he was at all. Tears sprang to her eyes, a small smile coming to her lips as she realised she had finally found him. This was no dream where he was coming back to her; this was a vision, and that could only mean he was alive.

“Why are you crying?” Ron said in surprise. Ginny brought her tear-filled chestnut eyes to his, a broad smile on her face.

“He’s alive, Ron,” Ginny said with a watery laugh, her heart feeling like it was about to burst with joy. “He’s alive.”