“Dean!” Ginny called out over the throng of students gathered in the passageways of the Hogwarts Express. She had finally found him! Dean turned around and saw her, his face splitting into a grin. They worked their way towards each other.

“There you are! I was wondering when you would show up,” he said, shouting over the noise.

Ginny laughed. It was good to see him again. “How was your holiday?” Ginny asked.

“Quite rough really, a bit sad.”

“Why?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Because you weren’t there.” He leaned down and kissed her.

“Ah… I missed you too,” Ginny said. Well, sort of. It was going to be really difficult to break up with this one. Dean was a nice boy and a good friend, but Ginny wasn’t really into the whole long term relationship thing. She couldn’t help it. Boys liked Ginny, and well, Ginny liked the boys back. Falling out of love with Harry Potter had had a very strange effect on Ginny’s romantic appetite.

“Not dead yet, then, Weasley?” A drawling voice came from behind her.

Oh yeah, there was at least once boy who didn’t like her. Ginny turned to face Draco Malfoy. He had just entered the train, flanked by his two loyal henchmen, Dumb and Dumber. “Disappointed to see me are you, Malfoy? But then, being so cozy with You-Know-Who, I thought you would know exactly who he had still failed to kill.” Ginny gave him an angelic smile.

Malfoy’s face tightened as he walked towards her. “You watch your mouth you dirty little - -“

Dean moved up to block his path. “Back off, Malfoy. We don’t want a fight.”

“Now, I’m not exactly sure about that,” Ginny said, coming up beside him, “I kind of think I do.”

There was a glint in Malfoy’s eyes as he leaned in close. “Count your days, weasel. You and your Muggle-loving family won’t last much longer. I know - I know all about it, and I’ll laugh when it happens.”

Ginny drew her wand, angry even though she had expected what he would say. Beside her, she heard Dean do the same. “In order to laugh, you need a mouth.” Before Malfoy could react, she yelled, “Argumentia!” The spell hit Malfoy full in the face before he had time to block it. He stumbled back, nearly falling. Everyone in the passage turned to watch as Malfoy’s lips slowly melted away, leaving nothing but smooth skin over the hole where his mouth used to be. He touched his face in surprise.

Ginny grinned. That’ll show him. She was so busy congratulating herself she was taken by surprise as Malfoy turned towards her, his wand emitting green and silver sparks. She just dodged in time. “Bit hard to curse someone when you can’t speak, isn’t it?” Ginny goaded. He was just beginning to charge towards her when the passage door opened and an elderly wizard walked in.

“Now, now, what’s all this commotion? Has someone been hexed?! Ah… You there!” He came towards Malfoy and examined him closely. “Ah, a complex hex this one, quite complex indeed.” He thought for a moment and then pointed his wand towards Malfoy’s face, muttering something. His mouth reappeared at once. “Now, boy, who did this to you?” Malfoy turned towards Ginny his face furious, his eyes ice and fire all at once.

“I can’t remember,” he said. The words seemed to choke him.

The wizard looked at him in concern. “Have you lost your memory, too? Oh no, that’s not good at all. Come now, I must know who it was.” No one in the passage dared to speak.

Malfoy had kept his mouth shut, as Ginny knew he would. He would be ashamed to admit he was bested by a girl a year younger than him. It was almost too predictable. What wasn’t predictable were the apes standing behind Malfoy, a.k.a. Crabbe and Goyle.

The Professor turned on them. “You must have seen who did it, quickly now, out with it. Professor Slughorn does not like to be kept waiting.”

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, clearly confused. They looked at Malfoy, they grunted, they groaned. It was almost painful to watch them try to use their brains. Ginny couldn’t help being amused by them as they scratched their heads and tried to figure out what to say under the Professor’s gaze. They won’t rat me out. If Malfoy didn’t, they won’t. Crabbe suddenly pointed at her. Oh… SHIT.

“You, girl. Was it you who hexed this student?” Professor Slughorn asked, coming towards her.

Ginny gulped. “Aye, sir,” she said, with as much gusto as she could manage.

Suddenly, the Professor smiled at her. “Extraordinary! I must say, what year are you? Fifth? That was a pretty piece of magic for a fifth year, one of the finest hexes I have ever seen! What is your name, girl, speak up!”

Well, this was unexpected. Ginny tried to keep a straight face as she answered, “Ginny Weasley” though the stunned look on Malfoy’s face made it difficult.

“Well done, Ms. Weasley! Well done!” Slughorn beamed at her. Ginny couldn’t help it, she beamed right back.

“But, sir,” Malfoy protested, “it’s is against rules to use magic on the school train. When Professor Snape hears of this…”

Slughorn jolted as if he just realized that he was a Professor meant to enforce discipline. “Ah yes, well of course, I mean, it is not the correct way to handle… but I really think it isn’t necessary to get anyone else involved. Harmless really, quite harmless...” He trailed off, ignoring Malfoy and turning back to Ginny. “Ginny, dear. I’m having a small group of students to lunch in my compartment, a party of sorts to get to know everyone better. I would be very delighted if you would attend.” He smiled down at her.

“Er, why thank you, Professor.” Ginny stammered. I didn’t see this coming. I guess that means no snogging Dean all afternoon.

“Excellent, my dear girl! Come along.” Slughorn turned, walking past the furious Draco Malfoy and held the door open for her. Ginny tried to follow, but as she passed, Draco caught her arm.

“This isn’t over, bitch,” he whispered.

Ginny looked up at him. She had never seen anybody angrier in her whole life. For some reason it sent a thrill of excitement down her spine, as if the more he tried to scare her, the braver she became. “Malfoy, Malfoy… You shouldn’t be so angry all the time,” she said with a look of grave concern. “Anger causes constipation.” And with that she raised her hand to his face, gave him two smart taps on the cheek and walked out after Slughorn, laughing hysterically.

I had forgotten how much fun Hogwarts was.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Draco stormed off to his regular Slytherin compartment. By now, news of his hexing had gone up and down the train and he could feel the eyes of the other students on his back, whispering behind their hands as he passed.

“Get out of my way,” he yelled as he tossed a first year against the wall, making his way down to his own compartment. By the time he reached the door, burst in, and threw himself into a seat, Draco had calmed down and regained some of his composure. The other Slytherins in the cabin looked at him in unease, but he ignored them.

Now that Malfoy thought about it, every time he lost his composure it was usually because of Ginny Weasley. Right after he lost to her. Though he didn’t always lose, sometimes he won, too. He remembered how he had turned her hair into wriggling, red worms at the beginning of last year. That had been a good one. She had run screaming down the halls, knocking into Professor Sprout who was carrying her new flesh-eating Gobober plant to show Dumbledore. Oh yes, thought Draco, that had been bloody brilliant. What a mess! He laughed out loud at the memory and the other Slytherins in the cabin looked at him, bewildered.

“Um, Draco? Are you ok?" Pansy asked timidly.

He turned and smiled at her, pulling her into his lap and leaning down to kiss her neck. “I’m just fine.” He was already planning how to get Weasley back.

“Gosh, Harry, it was sooo…”

“Stupid?”

“No…”

“Unintelligent?”

“No…”

“Dangerous?”

“NO!” Ginny turned to look at him. “Will you let me finish my sentence? It was FUNNY.”

They had both just gotten out of their first meeting of the Slug Club, and were trying to get back to their own compartments. Harry pushed Ginny to keep her moving forward through the crowded passage. “No it isn’t funny at all. Don’t you know there’s a war on? Malfoy’s father is a Death Eater, and he might even be one himself for all we know. You can’t go around hexing Death Eaters and expect there will be no retribution.”

Ginny tossed her head. “Oh I know there will be retribution! That’s what makes it all so exciting.”

“Ginny, this is not a game,” Harry said angrily.

“Look, Harry,” Ginny said, “I know you have this crazy theory about Draco helping You-Know-Who and all--no, LISTEN!” She held up her hand when Harry tried to shut her up. “He is an absolute moron, a fiend, an evil troll, oozing bubotuber pus, pretty much anything disgusting you can think of, but he isn’t a Death Eater. He isn’t a cold-blooded killer.”

“How do you know?” asked Harry.

“I just do,” Ginny said firmly. “We’re almost at the station. You go find Ron and Hermione. I have to go meet Dean.” Ginny turned and hurried the other way as Harry sighed and entered the compartment to find Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna.

---------------

The banquet went off without a hitch, and to Ginny’s surprise, Malfoy barely seemed to notice her at all throughout the entire meal. As they had left the Great Hall she had caught his eye, but he had only smiled strangely at her.

“I’m confused,” Ginny complained to Hermione as they watched Ron and Harry play a game of exploding snap. They were sitting in the nearly empty Gryffindor common room.
“He acted like nothing happened.”

“Maybe he just forgot,” said Ron helpfully. “He isn’t very bright, is he?” Ron had been the happiest of the three when he had heard of Ginny’s hex.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ron,” Hermione snapped, looking up from her reading. “Malfoy isn’t stupid, we all know that. And Ginny, stop talking like you want him to do something back to you. I almost think you and Malfoy enjoy doing all these things to each other.”

“But I do!”

Hermione sighed. “You need to grow up a bit. Sometimes I think you’re a bit too… giddy.”

“Giddy? Me?” Ginny’s eyes danced with laughter. “I’m not giddy at all! Why, today I didn’t even slide down the banisters on the way to the common room. Is that giddy? Is that the action of a giddy person? Tell me, Hermione!” She stood up and gestured with a dramatic flourish.

“You didn’t slide down the banisters because you were riding on Dean’s back pretending he was a broomstick,” pointed out Harry.

“That is a minor detail,” Ginny said dismissively. She sat back thinking. “I wish I could duel Malfoy.”

“NO WAY,” said Ron, Hermione, and Harry all at once.
Ginny pounded her fists in frustration. How could she explain to them exactly why it was so important that she challenge Malfoy? Couldn’t they see that she wouldn’t be happy unless they were locked in eternal combat?

“Dueling is illegal, Ginny,” Hermione said, her face stern.

“Oh right, like that’s ever stopped you lot before,” Ginny retorted.

“But even if you did duel him, Malfoy wouldn’t fight fair. We all know that. The only way to make sure would be if you had a Morphelius Stone, and that---” Hermione suddenly stopped speaking, her face going red as Harry and Ron both glared at her.

“A… What?” Ginny asked.

“Oh, nothing at all,” Hermione said, waving her hand vaguely in the air.

Ginny stared at her. Hermione began to read again. Harry and Ron were suddenly concentrating very hard on their game.

“What’s a Morphelius stone?” Ginny asked them.

“What?” Ron asked innocently. “Morliph – Morlep – ah I can’t say I’ve ever heard of it. Have you heard of it, Harry?” He squinted at Harry.

“I can’t say that I have, mate. It’s a funny name for a stone, though, isn’t it?” Harry shrugged at Ginny.

Ginny stared at all of them. They weren’t telling her. They had locked her out of their world again.

“Fine, don’t tell me. But I remember what it’s called: the Mor-phe-li-us stone. And in case you’ve all forgotten, I can just look it up in the library.” Ginny was about to leave when Hermione grabbed her hand.

“Wait, wait. I’ll tell you what it is,” Hermione said tiredly. “Just promise me you won’t go and do anything stupid.”

“Really?” Ginny asked excitedly. She walked back to sit next to her. Hermione was so responsive to reverse psychology. “I promise I won’t do anything stupid!” Ron gave a snort.

Hermione put her book down on the table and looked at Ginny anxiously. “A Morphelius stone was used to settle disputes between wizards back before there was a Ministry of Magic. Both wizards enter into a pact and the stone sets them challenges, which they have to complete. The stone also ensures that neither of the wizards cheats or attempts to harm the other unless it is part of the challenge. It’s similar to the way the Goblet of Fire worked in the Triwizard Tournament.”

“Is it dark magic?” asked Ginny.

“Not… exactly. They are quite common, we even use them in potions in our seventh year, but Ginny – You absolutely cannot use one to challenge Draco.” Hermione had never looked so serious.

“I’ll tell mum if you do,” Ron added.

Ginny rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t worry guys. I won’t.” NOT. “I absolutely, positively wouldn’t do such a thing.” NOT. NOT. NOT. “And thanks for telling me, though I would have found out anyway.” She got up and left them, deep in thought as she walked towards the girl’s dormitory.

“She’s going to look for one, isn’t she?” Ron asked.

“Yes,” said Harry and Hermione sadly.

----------

Ginny had barely entered her room when a black-headed figure hurtled into her with a shriek of “Ginny!” They both collapsed onto the floor, Ginny banging her head on the doorframe as they fell.

“Marie, you idiot,” Ginny said groaning as she stars circled in her vision.

“Oh, sorry Ginny,” said Marie, giggling. Ginny grumbled in reply. It was a bit hard to talk back with Marie’s elbow digging into her chest. She pushed her off and sat up, rubbing her jaw gingerly.

“Do you always have to be so enthusiastic in your greetings, Marie?” came a worried voice from behind Marie’s head. Ginny looked behind her to see Jane, her eyes anxious as always. Marie smiled apologetically.

“Where were you two on the train?” asked Ginny as Jane helped them both up. “You weren’t at the feast either.”

“Marie had a bit of an… accident,” explained Jane.

“Oh noooo…”

“I was trying to practice Apparition on the train,” said Marie, “only a few feet over…I thought I could do it!” Ginny rolled her eyes, Marie thought she could do anything. “But then Jane yelled ‘Stooooooop!’ so loud I got distracted and splinched myself.” Ginny winced. “It hurt really bad and I was crying except I was crying in two different places you know, because one eye was in my face and one eye was beside me. Then they came and took me to St. Mungo’s and they put me back together and ohmygod it hurt soooo bad, and,” Marie beamed at her, “it was so totally AWESOME!”

Jane sighed. “You’re hopeless.”

“Show her the picture, Jane! Show her the picture,” Marie begged, pulling Ginny to sit down on the bed.

Jane walked to her bag and pulled out a photograph with the air of one indulging a lunatic. She brought it over to show Ginny. It showed Marie (though many of her body parts were lying beside her) on a stretcher being wheeled through the white halls of St. Mungo’s. The body parts were moving and blood was pouring from the various holes in the body. It looked like the most painful thing Ginny had ever seen. “The nurses said I was the bravest splinch victim they had ever seen. They even gave me a badge of honour!” Marie pointed to her robes to show a Technicolor badge that displayed the words “Marie O’Donnell: Splinch Survivor” in flashing neon.

“Oh. My. God. You are insane!” Ginny said laughing.

Jane grunted. “Yes, we know that!”

Ginny pulled them both into a hug. It was good to see her best friends again. “I had something to tell you both too, but it doesn’t feel important anymore compared to splinching!”

“Ooh, what is it?” Marie asked. Even Jane looked interested.

“I hexed Malfoy on the train!”

“Oh cool!” said Marie.

“You didn’t!” said Jane.

“I did indeed,” said Ginny proudly, standing up to face them both. “But I’ve got something even more important to tell you both. I think…we need to have a war council!"

Five minutes later they were all sitting under the covers of Ginny’s bed, their wands casting light up onto their faces. “Now,” Ginny began, “if I know Malfoy, he’ll be planning something. He doesn’t like being beaten. He’ll want to get me back, which is why I need to get him back first…. I have an idea.” She told them about the Morphelius stone.

“But where do we get one?” asked Jane. “If it’s banned...”

“That’s the thing!” explained Ginny triumphantly. “It’s not banned! Hermione told me that seventh years use them in Potions, which means there must be some right here at Hogwarts!”

“You mean we would have to steal them from Snape?” Marie whispered, nearly trembling in excitement. She loved a good bit of mischief making.

“No! There’s a new potions master this year,” Ginny explained. “He's really strange and...happy. Not like Snape at all.”

“Can we really do it without getting caught?” Jane asked doubtfully.

“Jane, stop worrying about things all the time. It’ll work out just fine!” Ginny put her hand in the middle of the ring. “Now, who’s with me?”

Jane looked doubtful, but Marie took her hand and set it on top of Ginny’s. “We’re in!”

“Good!” Ginny grinned at them. “Now we need a plan of action.”

“Do I have to do this?” Jane asked for the 100th time. Ginny and Marie both rolled their eyes at each other over their table in the Great Hall.

“Look, Jane,” Ginny said, trying to appear patient. “There’s no time for doubt anymore. Today is it. Today is our Big Day. You have to go into that storage room while I distract Slughorn. You’re the only one that can do it. If Marie went in there she would probably knock something over, and the whole room, not to mention the plan, would come crashing down!”

“Hey!” Marie said indignantly, over a mouth full of pumpkin juice.

“You know it’s true!” Ginny turned back to Jane. “You are the only one who can do this. We need you, Jane… We need you!” She made her eyes as wide and innocent as she could.

Jane sighed. “I’ll do it. You know I’ll do it. But if I get caught, I’ll never talk to either of you again.”

Ginny and Marie both laughed. “We would never let that happen,” Marie said cheerfully, putting her arm around Jane.

Just then Ginny saw Malfoy enter the Great Hall. He seemed in exceptionally high spirits this morning. His blond hair was immaculately smoothed back over his brow, and his eyes looked bright and alive. Even his cheeks seemed to have some color, quite unusual for Malfoy.

What’s gotten into him? Ginny wondered. Malfoy looking happy cannot mean anything good for me.

He sauntered over to Slytherin table, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, and slid into a seat beside Pansy Parksinson. Ginny watched with narrowed eyes as he leaned to the side and whispered something into her ear, making her laugh. At the Slytherin table, Malfoy was always the center of attention. And as Ginny observed him across the Great Hall, she had to admit that it made sense. Malfoy did have a certain charisma.

An evil charisma, of course, Ginny decided in her head. It’s ridiculous the way they fawn over him like he’s the bloody Minister of Magic or something. And that Pansy…

Ginny winced as Malfoy put his arm around her, pulling her closer.

What does he see in her? Ginny asked herself for the hundredth time. She might be pretty, but she’s so…empty… and…

Suddenly, Malfoy turned his head to look up towards her. He caught Ginny’s eye and held it, his mouth turning up softly into a smirk of satisfaction.

Dammit!

Ginny turned back to her friends, furious at being caught spying. “Come on, guys.” She stood with a bang, accidentally knocking over a pitcher of water. She pretended she didn’t notice. “We’ve got a Stone to steal.”

“But I’m not done yet,” protested Marie, her mouth full of toast.

“Eat while you walk,” Ginny replied curtly. And with that, she swept out of the Great Hall doing her best to ignore Malfoy watching her intently. Just you wait, you Slytherin bastard. I have got something very special in store for you.

The three girls made their way down to Potions in silence. Ginny was angry with herself and embarrassed at the same time, and Jane was terrified of her upcoming mission. As they went deeper and deeper underground, the air became increasingly dank and chilly. Everything seemed suddenly scarier than it had when they were up in the Great Hall. Every shadow became dark and sinister.

They entered the Potions room to find it almost full; Professor Slughorn had just started to take attendance.

“Ah, Ginny!” he practically beamed when she entered. His cheerful expression looked extremely out of place in the dungeons usually used by Snape. “It doesn’t do to be late to my class, you know. I am very particular about attendance, though I suppose I can spare you this time.” He gave a high little laugh, and motioned to three seats in the front of the room. “I shall expect great things from you this year!”

With that, he turned back to his attendance sheet, and the three made their way gloomily to the tables in the front. There would be no chance to talk during class. The lesson was simple enough for Ginny, who had always been good at Potions. Jane was so nervous, and Marie naturally so clumsy, that by the end of the lesson both their cauldrons were full of a stinking, smoking mass of strangely-colored goop. Marie’s was emitting sparks as she stirred it, almost setting her hair on fire.

“No, that will not do at all,” Slughorn said as he walked by, waving his wand and clearing the cauldron at once. He turned and did the same for Jane and then several others as he walked around the room. “The Potions level of this class is dismal,” he said suddenly. “Now I know it is the first day, but you are all O.W.L. students. I will expect much higher of you in the future.” He waved them off and they began to pack their things.

Ginny looked sideways at Jane. “Are you ready?”

Jane gulped. “Yes. I can do it. What about Marie?”

Marie pulled a blue and yellow colored chocolate out of her pocket. “All ready. It won’t hurt, will it, Ginny?”

“Fred and George really know their stuff. Don’t worry about it,” she assured her.

For a brief second they stood looking from one to the other, making sure that they could all trust their friends to have their back. This was it.

“Good luck,” Ginny said, and then with a wink she turned to find Professor Slughorn in the front of the room. All the other students had already left the dungeon. “Excuse me, Professor. I wanted to ask you a question about some of the Potions I’ve been reading about in the Sixth Year book.”

“You have been reading the Sixth Year’s Potions book?” Slughorn asked her, his voice full of approval.

“Yes, and I didn’t understand the concept of magical thermo chemistry as it applies to sleeping draughts…”

Behind her, Jane and Marie were preparing themselves. Marie chuckled a bit as Slughorn turned to the board and began to excitedly draw out magical compounds. “She is sooo good.”

“Let’s hope she’s good enough,” Jane muttered. “Hurry up! We don’t have much time until the next class gets here.”

“Ok, ok.” Marie popped the chocolate into her mouth. “Ready!”

Jane began to back away into the shadows as Marie suddenly fell to the floor in a dead faint.

“Marie!” came Ginny’s yell across the room. “Oh no, something’s happened to her!” She and Professor Slughorn rushed to her side just as Marie began to go into convulsions, her entire body shaking and sweating. “What do we do, Professor?” Ginny said, sounding as desperate as she could manage. Over the Professor’s shoulder she saw Jane move to the front of the room where the storage room was. She bent over the lock and tapped her wand to it. The door swung open and Jane entered it, closing it behind her. Yes! We’re in!

Professor Slughorn was looking slightly panicked as Marie continued to shake. “Oh dear, oh no. What can be the matter with her?”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “I think we should take her to the hospital wing at once! Professor, she might be dying!”

“Yes, yes, very well!” Professor Slughorn was just beginning to lift her with his wand, when he stopped. “No! I have a better idea! I should have a potion somewhere that can restore her.”

Ginny was dismayed; she needed to get Professor Slughorn out of the dungeons. “I really think it would be better to let Madam Pomfrey deal with her; she really is much better qualified.”

“Are you suggesting that I, the Potions master, am not qualified to administer potions to my own students?” Professor Slughorn asked angrily, drawing himself up to his full height.

“No, not at all, it’s just that – “

But Professor Slughorn had already turned and walked towards the storage room. Ginny began to panic. Marie continued to shake under her. She had to do something to warn Jane.

“Professor, don’t go the storage room. I am sure-“

He had already opened the door. He paused for a second, surprised to find it unlocked, and then entered shaking his head. Jane was nowhere to be seen. “Now I know it was right here,” he shuffled around in a cabinet. “Aha! Here it is!” Ginny felt relieved as he came out, rushing over with a vial of green liquid. “Now sit her up and we’ll slip this down her throat.”

Ginny obeyed and lifted Marie’s head as the Professor administered the potion. Marie’s body began to still almost immediately, and her eyes snapped open.

“Ginny?” she looked up at her wonderingly.

“How do you feel?” Ginny asked.

“Oh, it was wonderful! I had the most wonderful dream, and…” Marie saw Professor Slughorn and suddenly remembered where she was and what they were doing. “Oh it was awful, and ow, my stomach hurts,” she pretended to groan.

Slughorn smiled gently. “You should be all right in a while. It was probably just stress, what with You-Know-Who and everything…” He helped Marie to her feet.

“Thank you, Professor.”

“It is most curious though,” Professor Slughorn said, walking back to the storage room door. “I could have sworn that I had left this door locked.” He closed it firmly and began to mutter incantations. The door began to glow with a blue light that quickly faded. “That should do the trick!” He turned back to the girls. “Now off with you two! I expect you’ll be feeling quite hungry after all this.”

Ginny and Marie watched helplessly as Slughorn seated himself at his desk in front of the storage room door. There was nothing to do but leave.

“What are we going to do?” Marie burst out as soon as they emerged out of the dungeons. “Jane is still in there!”

“I know, I know.” Ginny was almost as upset as Marie. Jane wasn’t as strong as they were. She was frightened and weak, always worrying and allowing the other two to lead her along. Ginny felt extremely guilty as she thought of her best friend trembling and alone in that horrible storage closet. “We’ll have to go at night. It’s no good going during the day. Slughorn will be there and there might be other classes.”

Marie looked sadly at the ceiling as they entered the Great Hall. “That is nearly ten hours from now! She doesn’t even have any food.”

Ginny felt awful as she looked at her friend. If only she hadn’t been blinded by Malfoy and that stupid Stone. “We have no other choice.”

----------

Ginny and Marie spent the day in torture. How was Jane? Had she found the Stone? Had she been caught? There was nothing to do, but to restlessly sit through all their classes, pretending like nothing was wrong. When dinner time rolled around, neither could muster any appetite, remembering their friend who was going hungry. They both returned to the Gryffindor common room to wait until it was late enough to go out. The minutes seemed to tick by agonizingly slowly, until finally, the last person in the common room (Hermione) packed her books and said goodbye.

“Finally,” Ginny murmured, pacing up and down anxiously. “Are you ready?”

“Of course I’m ready,” Marie replied, uncharacteristically irritated. “Let’s get the hell down there.” She led the way out of the portrait hole.

They stole quietly along the corridors. Thanks to Fred and George, Ginny had an excellent knowledge of the secret corridors through the school and it was easy to hop into one when they thought they heard Filch or Mrs. Norris approaching. The castle was dark and deserted, the hallways eerie in the moonlight.

When they reached the entrance to the dungeons, Ginny turned to Marie.

“Do you want to stay here and stand watch?” she whispered.

“Fine, but hurry. I can’t stand any more of this suspense,” Marie replied. She disappeared behind a curtain as Ginny began to hurry down the stairs into the dungeon, her wand drawn out in front of her face, the tip casting light onto the walls around her. She reached the Potions room and hurried to the storage room without glancing around.

“How do I get this thing open now?” She tapped her wand to the knob. “Alohomora.” Nothing. The door didn’t open. She tried whatever other spells she could remember to open things, even one for untangling knots. Nothing was working. “Oh, noo.” Her breathing came faster and faster as she began to panic. “Jane,” she called through the door. “Jane, can you hear me? Please answer.” There was no reply. “Jane, can you hear me?”

Suddenly she heard a movement behind her. Ginny turned as fast as she could, her wand out ready to cast a spell, but he beat her to it.

“Expelliarmus!” came a voice, and her wand flew out of her hand and into the waiting fingers of Draco Malfoy.

“Malfoy!” Ginny snarled.

“Looking for something?” he asked, his voice lazy and unconcerned. He lounged back against the wall, smiling at her. “This, perhaps?”

Draco pointed his wand towards the side, and there Ginny saw a figure, struggling against the magical bonds he had tied her down with.

“Jane!” Ginny leaped forward, too angry to think clearly anymore, but Draco stopped her with a lazy flick of his wand. She flew back against the tables, crashing into Professor Slughorn’s neatly ordered desk.

“Forget you don’t have a wand anymore, Weasel?” Malfoy asked, his eyes flashing malevolently.

Ginny winced in pain, but her anger drover her forward again. “You’ve gone too far this time, Malfoy,” she yelled. “Let her go, she doesn’t have anything to do with it.”

“Oh no, she has everything to do with it,” Malfoy said. He suddenly drew an object out of his cloak and held it up in the wand light so that she could see it across the room. It was a large, flat stone the size of a textbook. “Your friend had something that I needed greatly, and since she wouldn’t give it to me when I asked politely, I was forced to use… other methods.”

Ginny looked at Jane with pride. So she had managed to stand up to Malfoy! “Is it the Morphelius Stone?” she asked her attention turning back to Malfoy.

“Full points, Weasley,” said Malfoy, stepping forward, the holding the Stone in front of him so that they could both see it. “Now what I want to know is, why do you want it?”

“Why do you want it?” Ginny asked, confused. She had wanted it as another way to annoy Malfoy, but could it be possible that he wanted it for the same reason?

Malfoy looked at her. “You know what this is, don’t you?”

Ginny nodded.

“Then you know what it’s purpose is, to force wizards to compete with one another in a fair and controlled way.”

“Then why do you want it?” Ginny sneered at him. “Everyone knows Draco Malfoy doesn’t fight fair.”

Malfoy’s eyes froze and he stepped closer until they were only an arm’s length apart. “Don’t you know what the prize is?”

“Prize?”

“Domination,” Malfoy whispered.

Ginny gave an involuntary shiver as she looked into that pale, malicious face.

“When two people enter into an agreement with the Stone, they become bound to each other by magic. Once the winner is decided, that person has complete magical domination over the other… until the winner decides to release them.” He looked up at her, and his voice filled with poisonous hatred. “I am going to take care of you once and for all.”

Ginny knew she should turn on her heels and get the hell out of there as fast as her legs could carry her, and yet she could not help the inexplicable thrill of fear and excitement that crept down her spine. They were so close she could feel her breath in her ear, see his eyes as they watched her own. She was intoxicated by the idea, a chance to have complete control over Draco Malfoy, her worst enemy.

Ginny looked over to Jane. “First let her go.”

“And then?” Malfoy questioned softly.

“I’ll do it.” She had decided. Jane let out a soft whimper from behind.

“Are you sure? There won’t be any turning back. There won’t be anyone to save you if you decide you want to back out.” His words were a challenge.

“Yes,” Ginny whispered.

He knew she was telling the truth. Malfoy pointed his wand over his head and murmured a spell, his gray eyes never leaving Ginny’s own. Jane’s bonds slipped off and disappeared. She gasped in surprise and tried to stand up, but only fell back to the floor, too weakened to move. Ginny ran back to her.

“Are you ok?” she asked, though clearly she wasn’t. Malfoy hadn’t been gentle with her bonds and there were bruises all over her hands and legs.

“Don’t do it, Ginny,” she cried, ignoring the pain. “This is crazy and you know it. He’s dangerous, he’s a madman. We have to get out of here. We have to go find a teacher. We have to…”

Ginny put her finger to her lips to calm her down. “Shhhh, it’ll be all right. I can handle Malfoy.” She helped her to her feet. “Can you stand?”

“I think so. I’m a little numb, but it’s not too bad.”

Ginny helped her to a seat. Jane tried to grab her hand when Ginny turned away, but she resolutely held her down. "Just trust me, Jane. It will be okay." She walked back to Malfoy, her face set. “Let’s do this then.”

Malfoy placed the Stone on a table between them. He put his hand on the Stone, and motioned for her to the same. Ginny gulped. Once she did this, she could never back out.

“First tell me something. Why do you hate me so much?”

Malfoy looked at her, surprised. “Because I do.”

"Well, the feeling is mutual."

Ginny thrust out her hand, slamming it down on the Stone. It reacted at once. There was a flash of blinding light, red and blue at the same time, filling the whole room. Ginny yelled as she felt herself pulled forward. The Stone was heating up, drawing her power away from her, and mixing it with Malfoy’s. It was starting to burn unbearably. Ginny struggled, trying to pull herself away, but she could not move. Tears began to spill out of her eyes, and she could see that Malfoy was in an equal amount of pain.

Just when she thought she could take no more, it all stopped. The Stone released them, and they staggered back, pale and drenched in sweat. Jane caught Ginny as she stumbled. They watched the Stone warily as it began to rise slowly off of the table, high into the air above their heads, the bright light fading to a soft glow. Slowly, it began to morph and change until it resembled a Stone face, until all of a sudden, a mouth appeared and let out a yawn.

Draco looked bewildered. The Stone began peering around, as if it couldn’t remember where exactly it was. Suddenly it saw them.

“Oh!” the Stone said. “Hello there!” It looked at them expectantly.

“Er, hello,” replied Ginny.

“That was not very enthusiastic,” the Stone admonished her.

Ginny was shocked. She had never thought a Stone would be teaching her manners.

“Anyways,” the Stone continued, his voice was wheezy and soft. “I am the Morphelius Stone. As I am sure you know, I resolve conflicts between witches and wizards. What are your names?”

Draco stepped forward. “I am Draco Malfoy.” He didn’t sound as cocky as usual.

“Ginny Weasley.”

“Well then,” the Stone continued, it’s brow wrinkled as though it were trying to remember a speech it had forgotten, “You have both entered into a sacred magical pact, one that can not be broken by any power on earth. From now one, I will assign you challenges befitting your situation. I shall also decide the winner. In the end, there will be one winner. The winner will be given complete control over the other. Is that clear?” The Stone didn’t wait for an answer. “You have been rendered unable to physically harm each other. No matter how many curses you hurl at each other, they will simply bounce off.”

Draco and Ginny eyed each other with distaste. That was a disappointment.

“Now, are you ready for your first challenge?” The Stone suddenly looked excited. “Now let me think… Aha! I have it!” He looked down at them and cleared his throat. “You are both going to love this one! You will each kidnap a teacher of your choice and bring them before me one week from now, same time, same place.” The Stone gave them a reassuring smile, and then with a pop and a whoosh it disappeared into thin air, leaving Draco, Ginny, and Jane dumbstruck.

They had to do what?