Summary: Tom Riddle is back in power and he's ready to meet up with old acquaintances. Where does Ginny fit in all of this? Well, she's the reason the Vampires won't cooperate with Tom's evil plans. Join Ginny as she is slowly manipulated by the Dark Lord into the perfect tool of evil. Will she ever get out unscratched? Maybe not or maybe so, but the scars will forever mark her soul!

Disclaimer: If you notice that the characters aren't mine you're probably right because they all belong to J.K Rowling.

'''''''''''''

Chapter 1

'''''''''''''

"Oi, aren't you supposed to be getting ready, Gin?" Hermione's voice interrupted Ginny's trace of thought.

"Hmm?" Ginny asked confused, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Don't tell me you forgot already, you were pretty excited last night. Ron thought you'd go and blast something up."

"Hogsmade?" Ginny blinked, turning an odd look on Hermione who nodded in response. "Bloody blazes, I'm behind schedule!"

Hermione laughed, brushing her hair while she watched the sixth year redhead rush through the room in a frenzy to get ready. "And here I was thinking I was the only one keeping an agenda."

"'Mione, I was kidding." Ginny said as she hastily pulled a tight pink top over her head.

Once she had finished pulling on a black skirt and the pair of dragon hide boots Charlie had bought her last Christmas, Ginny took the silver cloak Hermione kindly offered her and the two girls walked down to the common room.

"There you are! Almost gave you up with the missing, we did." Ron said grabbing Hermione's hand protectively and dragging her through the portrait hole. "Come on, I'm starving!"

"Aren't you always?" Ginny mumbled and Harry emitted a sound that sounded strangely like a snicker.

Hermione, despite the dirty look Ron shot her afterwards, felt herself emit a small laugh.

Once in the Great Hall, Ginny sat by Hermione and Harry, absently eating a piece of buttered toast covered with peach jam. She sat there munching away, a glazed look sealing her baby blue eyes emotionless as though someone had exorcised her sprit and her body was empty.

"Ginny, are you still with us?" Hermione asked, gently patting her shoulder.

The redhead jumped, the toast flying out of her hand and right onto Neville's lap, who happened to sit on her left side.

"Oi Gin, what are you trying to do, murder the lad with a piece of toast?" Ron asked through laughs.

Ginny chuckled nervously, shooting the fat boy an apologetic look. "Sorry Neville. I got startled."

"It's alright, I'll manage." Neville said, blushing.

Ginny shot him another smile before turning to face Hermione. "What?"

"Sorry Ginny didn't mean to scare you but it kind of looked like you had left the earth for a while. What were you thinking about anyways?"

"Oh, nothing really, I was trying to decide if the dress should be blue or do you rather think green suits me better?"

"Definitely green. It will go really well with your hair." Hermione said taking a sip of her hot tea.

"No, not green," Ron said with a slight hint of disgust. "Those are Slytherin colours."

"Oh put a sock in it Ron. If you were a muggle I'd call you a racist. Do you expect people to stop liking the colour green just because it's the colour of evil?" Ron shot Hermione an odd look. "Wait, that didn't come out right. Let me rephrase it: Do you expect people not to like the colour green because it's the Slytherin house colour?"

Ron nodded, boring a very serious but at the same time exasperated mask that seemed to say, 'Don't you see I'm right?'.

"Ron! Only for the simple reason that it's a Slytherin colour doesn't mean the colour itself is evil. I'm sure green was invented long before Salazar Slytherin ever came into existence."

"Yes but 'Mione," Ron whined, "don't you see that so far only evil people wear green. Take Riddle for example, his favourite colour is green and so was Salazar's."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron, how many times do I have to tell you this until you get it," she said getting rather annoyed. "Look," she took her hand and pointed at a first year Huffelpuff that wore a forest green cloak. "Do you mean to tell me that that innocent Huffelpuff is brewing up a plan on how to take over the world or help Voldemort do so?" A few people shot the brunette some odd looks at having mentioned the Dark Lord's name aloud, but she ignored them.

"Looks can be deceiving you know!" Ron blurted and Hermione gave an exasperated sigh that made Ginny emit a chuckle, Harry could barely contain his own laughter.

"I give up!" she said, whilst turning to Ginny, "Go with the green if not because it suits you well, but because I want Ron to have a fit when he sees you."

"Hey! Hey!" Ron protested as they stood up at having finished their breakfast. "Don't you go teaching my baby sister evil things!"

"Ron," Hermione began shooting Ron a look, "I think Ginny's seen eviler things than I can ever teach her."

At that Ron was quiet, walking beside his girlfriend, Harry and Ginny tagging along slightly behind the couple.

Immersed in her own thoughts, Ginny was oblivious to Harry's questioning gaze. Probably while thinking of different things, she failed to notice the look her face had undertaken. Her brows were furrowed in deep concentration, a concentration one would require not to breathe in Snape's classroom, and her eyes were narrowed as though the ground she was walking on wasn't worthy of her feet. Her lips were pulled into a thin line and her cheeks were paled out to a grave white.

Harry was just about to inquire about her mental state, when Ron's voice broke through the comfortable silence.

"Should we walk or take one of the horseless carriages?" Ron asked as they came to halt in the clearing the carriages sat around waiting for passengers.

"We should walk, it'll be refreshing," Ginny commented, taking in the slight breeze that was blowing gently.

"No!" Ron whined, something he was quite good at actually. "It's too tiring."

"Oh Ron, hush up. Merlin knows you need the exercise!" Hermione said lightly, an akin smirk settling on her lips.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked indignantly.

"Nothing Ron, nothing," Hermione murmured and laid a kiss on his cheek.

"Guys, please not in front of me." Ginny said disgustedly. "It's still hard enough for me to cope with the idea of you two going out, but making out in public is quite disturbing…he's my brother for Merlin's sake!"

Hermione smiled secretly at Ron once more, before she removed her lips from his face. Ginny let out a thankful sigh and Harry grinned, probably wishing he and Cho had the same thing going on. Although the Chinese beauty had graduated a few years ago, she and Harry still kept a tight correspondence but they were strictly friends, or so Harry claimed.

The remainder of their walk to Hogsmade was spent in a silence only Hermione dared to break here and then, commenting on the beauty of the scenery they were passing. It had only been a week since school had started but both girls wanted to make sure they got the perfect dress for the upcoming welcome Yule Ball Dumbledore had thought to organize every year starting with this one.

In a short while of walking through town, while the guys decided to go and look at Quidditch supplies in a new store opened on Clover St., Hermione and Ginny went inside 'Evening Gowns And Casual Robes For Modern-Day Witches And Wizards'.

The store was similar to 'Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occasions' from Diagon Alley but if Ginny could recall correctly, it was better supplied with the newest fashions, not that she could ever afford them but it couldn't hurt to look around, maybe even find something cheap.

Hermione suddenly yanked her arm gently, sharply pulling out a dark green dress. "Gin, look at this one! It would be perfect with that necklace Harry bought you for Christmas."

Ginny stared at the dress for a few moments, agreeing with Hermione. "Wow, it's really pretty. How much is it?" Ginny wondered and reached for the tag. Flipping the piece of paper over, she read the exaggerated price of fifty five gallons and two sickles. "It's too much 'Mione! I wish I could afford this but it's too much."

Hermione grabbed the tag from the redhead's hand, her eyes widening in turn. "That's a lot of money, but you could still try it on," the brunette mused and Ginny grabbed the green dress, asking one of the sales witches for a change room. The witch beckoned her to the back and the girls followed her to the change room area.

"Here you go," she said politely and with a smile. "If you need any help just let me know."

With another smile, she went out the front again, returning to the counter.

"Here," Hermione began, "Let me do it. I learned a neat spell that switches clothing. I think I saw Madame Malkin or one of her helpers use it on Harry last year when he was refitted for his Hogwarts uniform." Ginny nodded and watched in the mirror as Hermione took out her wand and with the easy motion of her wrist and hand, the redhead found herself clothed in the green dress.

The dress hugged her body's every curve, all over in the right places. In the middle, the dress was slightly tight made from a material that was a lightly crepe. From there, the dress spilled to the floor in elegant waves of forest green silk and some sort of transparent veil overtop. Ginny could just picture herself with her hair piled up, wearing her grandma's emerald earrings and the beautiful necklace she had gotten from Harry a year ago. She also saw herself wearing all these to the dance and thought hard for a few moments, 'What would people think? Would they like her?'.

"You look amazing Gin. Like a Slytherin princess. Ron would be so mad if you showed up wearing this." Hermione commented whilst looking at the mirror Ginny, examining the dress more closely.

The redhead turned her back to the mirror, a ghost smile lifting her lips up. "Sadly I won't. It's a pity we will never get a chance to see the look on Ron's face. It would've been priceless. "

"Oh well, at least you know you look good in a dress unlike Pansy, who can wear any expensive dress, but she'll never look as good as you in any of them. " Hermione said and switched back Ginny's clothes.

"Did you decide on anything you like?" the same witch from before asked them as they came out front.

"No, it suited me well but it's kind of expensive. Ginny said, a tinge of red creeping up into her cheeks.

The saleslady gave a sigh. "I told my manager this price was sky high but she wouldn't listen. Bet someone rich will buy it though," she said and left to put the dress back on the rack.

"Did you find anything good?" Ginny asked the brunette as they browsed the store some more.

"Yes, sort of. Earlier I spotted a pale yellow dress. I think it would look quite niece on me." Hermione said and after walking on the other side of the rack they were currently looking at, she pulled out the dress she had formerly told Ginny about.

"Ah, here it is. What do you think?" she asked Ginny.

"It looked really good. I like the way it has those white flowers scattered around the middle and its left side. You should try it on."

"Yes. Wait here, I'll be right back." Hermione said and before Ginny could follow, was gone through the many dresses the store held. Ginny guessed the brunette had gone to the back to change but she was too lazy to go check. Besides, Hermione said to wait so it would be rude if she did otherwise.

After a short while, the seventh year girl returned, a big smile decorating her lovely face, a small blue bag daggling from her left hand.

"You bought it already?"

"Yes, it was the right size and guess what, cheap too. About twenty-three gallons." Hermione said and Ginny dragged them both out of the store. "But what about your dress Gin? You still haven't found anything to wear."

"Oh I'll manage. Maybe I'll ask mum if she has anything at home that she could send me. I might even look up some transfiguration spells and come up with a change spell from my old robes. In the end though, I might not go at all."

"Gin, you have to come! It'll be fun, no matter what you wear, you'll look lovely."

The redhead shrugged carelessly and they both lapsed into a comfortable silence until they reached  The Three Broomsticks where they joined the boys for lunch.

'''''''''''''

"Gin, if you don't start getting ready now, you'll be late for the opening ceremony. Dumbledore said it would be something fun so it would be a pity for you to miss it."

The redhead gave a loud yawn and stretched back onto the bed. "Right now 'Mione I feel like staying right here and not going to this dance at all. At least you have a date and a pretty dress, I have none."

"Ginny don't say that. Harry promised he'll dance with you. He's going single as well. You two can hook up later in the night. Come on, you've worked so hard on that dress. It's prettier than it ever was." Hermione encouraged and even though she was partially right, the dress still didn't look like the one Ginny wished she possessed. Pushing herself off the bed with a small sigh, Ginny grabbed her discarded bathrobe, heading for the bathroom.

With a small smile, Hermione left to join Ron who waited downstairs.

After Ginny had bathed properly and hastily dried her hair with an easy charm from a book she had bought that August at Diagon Alley, she said 'Nox' and proceeded to step out of the bathroom.

Walking towards her bed where she had previously left her dance robes, she noted that instead of the red dress she had made there was a small package covered with green and silver wrapping paper, accompanied by a note.

Slightly hesitating before reaching out and grasping the yellow piece of parchment, Ginny read out loud, her words coming out in a hushed whisper:

Wear this tonight so you look like the princess you've always been. In my heart and to my world.

Love,

Your special friend.

Ginny stared blankly at the note for a couple more moments, trying very hard to distinguish the handwriting and match it with a face. Finally deciding that it was impossible and it was very likely that the note had been dictated to a Quick-Quotes-Quill, she placed the note on her bedside table, gently prying the elegant wrapping paper away from the package.

Either from happiness or from surprise, she gave a small startled gasp and pulled the green dress out of the package. Quickly but carefully as though the dress was fragile, she pulled the dress over herself, enjoying the soft caresses of the silk on her body as she moved around the room and towards her trunk.

Opening the hand-me-down black trunk, she pulled out what appeared to be a mahogany coloured, wooden box which didn't look to contain anything special. In fact it was quite dusty and Ginny had to sustain a loud sneeze. To anybody else that would've been watching the box would have looked extremely ordinary but only the redhead knew it's secrets. She brought slowly to her lips and with a soft blow, the dust flew away from the box.

Someone might have anticipated that Ginny would have sneezed because of the dust, but what nobody knew was that the dust wasn't ordinary. As soon as it blew off the box it transformed into a shower of gold sparkles falling like rain over her head, where they seemed to vanish. Ginny gave a soft giggle – for this was what pixie dust did to witches or wizards – and pushed the lock of the box open.

With a soft click the top sprang open and carefully, Ginny pulled out the heart-shaped emerald necklace from Harry and her grandma's old-fashioned earrings. She quickly placed the box back in her trunk and proceeded to place the jewellery on her body. When she had finished, she removed her wand from her bedside table and gave a quick wave, her hair instantly styling to a sea of curly, fiery waves that cascaded down her back.

Whoever this person was Ginny didn't know but she could at least tell that they were rich. The redhead herself had seen the terrifying price of the dress and someone poor –like me, Ginny thought – wouldn't' be able to afford it.

Discarding any thoughts that the expensive present meant she might have a stalker, Ginny elegantly – for she felt so in the beautiful dress – stepped down the stairs leading to the common room.

"Ginny, finally yo-" Hermione stopped in mid sentences, her eyes wide and her face etched with shock.

Ginny, ignoring Ron's red from anger face walked over to the brunette, lightly touching her arm. "I'll tell you in a bit. For now, we must prepare ourselves for Ron's anger."

Hermione nodded, a smile curving her lips. Ron approached them, for he had been lounging on an overstuffed sofa with Harry, his hands pulled tight into small fists, his brows furrowed and his normally pale, freckly cheeks, were tinted red. "Ginny, what are you wearing?"

"Umm, I believe they're called clothes Ron." Ginny said with infinite patience that invoked if possible, even more anger in the redheaded boy.

"Ginny! The colours! How could you?"

"Oh Ron, stop being such a baby and grow up. It's just a colour and if Ginny likes it she should be able to have her own preferences. She's a sixteen-year-old and I believe she can make her own choices."

"Hermione's right Ron. Ginny is an adult now. She can do as she pleases." Harry commented thoughtfully as he stood a few feet away from his friends.

"Not if that means joining You-know-who!" Ron said indignantly.

"RON! She's not about to do that!" Hermione half-yelled.

"Oh Ron, don't be such a party-pooper and just enjoy the night." Ginny said still fair spirited, quite enjoying the humorous turn the conversation had taken, well, at least for her.

Ron, for the better of him and the best of the night, chose not to comment and instead followed sully after Hermione and his sister, out of the common room and towards the Great Hall.

For this special occasion the Hall had been cleared up, small tables of four or maybe even six spots stood all around the room and what appeared to be the dance floor in the middle. The great chandeliers had been magically polished so that, no longer dusty, the gold shined brightly in the candle light. A glittery mist slithered over the freshly washed floors that still smelled like soap and warm water and food tables were organized right underneath where the professors' table usually was. Instead of that, there was a grand piano and some musicians were playing a light tune.

Flowers of different kinds, jasmine, roses, daisies, daffodils, lilies, violets and many others hovered in the air as though rain frozen in time. An aroma of many flavours pinched the group's nose and a strong smell of perfume attacked their senses, making them slightly dizzy. Ginny noted why later on as they moved further in. Just above the entrance was a big hovering bouquet of big violet flowers which probably were tropical for they were unknown to Ginny.

"Wow, this is wonderful." Ginny said in awed as they made their way to a spare table.

"Yes. Dumbledore has really outdone himself this year, hasn't he?" Hermione agreed.

Once the last remaining students filled in and took their seats right before the starting ceremony, Dumbledore appeared on the dance floor in a puff of blue smoke. The crowed clapped and he smiled a heart-warming smile he was so very good at.

"I'm very glad to see you all here and dressed up so nicely. Before I can let you enjoy the feast and the dance I would like to present to all of you 'The Irish Dancing Elves'."

Dumbledore finished with yet another smile that seemed to have aged with him over his many years of life. He retreated into a small corner and summed an empty chair in which he quickly sat, watching as the small elves filled in.

They were all wearing similar looking pants with a funny looking matching tee and wired shaped hats. The boots were the funniest looking part of their outfit for they were pointed and turned upward, just like a genie's shoes would be, but of course they were elves so it was rather odd.

The dance was fairly short but very entertaining. Once it had finished and the elves had collected the required applause, Dumbledore gave the students free will to go and get food or dance as they preferred.

"May I have this dance?" Harry inquired with a gentle smile, his arm outstretched.

Ginny took his arm with a smile and allowed herself to be spun around the dance floor as Harry took lead. The redhead slowly closed her eyes and enjoined as Harry rolled her out of his arms and right back into them as the song changed to a very slow paced one. She gently put her head in the crook of his neck, and inhaled  softly. A strange spice and something that smelled familiarly like sandalwood, something that was sort of odd for Harry, for some of the girls in her dorm had said he smelled "like fresh mountain air". Ginny pulled slightly back to catch a glance at Harry's face but she gave a small gasp, holding him at an arm length. Her eyes quickly narrowed and her lips thinned.

"Malfoy," she said slowly.

"Weasley," he drawled lazily with a smug smirk.

"Where's Harry, Malfoy? What have you done with him?" she asked, a tinge of panic touching her senses.

"Weasley, take it easy. Potty-boy's over there. Looks like the Chang girl decided to drop by for a short visit." Malfoy said, removing an arm from around Ginny's waist so he could point in the direction where Harry and Cho were.

Ginny, momentarily forgetting about Malfoy rolled her eyes, muttering something that could be easily made out as "Figures!"

"What?!" Malfoy asked whilst chuckling. "Don't tell me you've been ditched for it would be just sad Weasley."

Ginny glared if possible, even more deadly. Malfoy would have already been dead and long ago buried and rotten if looks could kill. "Well, would you look at my luck Malfoy, thank god you're here to be my consort!" She smiled sweetly, her lips curving falsely.

"Weasley, don't kid yourself. You have no idea what my reputation would suffer if I was seen with you the whole night. A dance –maybe- but the whole night. No! Besides, I was only here to deliver a message." He said as his left hand crept along the length of her back, entwining with her right arm and slipping in her palm a small crumpled up piece of paper. Just as the song changed he stole a small kiss from the redhead's flustered lips and turned on his heels, blending in the crowed in just a blink of an eye.

Ginny, oblivious to the people dancing around her, opened her right hand, neatening out the crumpled note. Slowly, Ginny read:

Meet me outside as soon as you can.

Love,

Your special friend

Ginny stared blankly at the note, which was written in the same penmanship as the former one that had accompanied the package which contained the dress. A special friend, now who could that be? Ginny wondered still rooted to the spot on the dance floor, barely feeling as someone lightly tapped her shoulder.

"Hmm? Neville, what is it?"

"D-do y-you want t-to d-dance?" he stuttered and as soon as he finished his question blushed a crimson red, immediately clanging at the floor.

Ginny smiled at him and was about to accept when she quite suddenly remembered the note. "Sorry Neville, not now. I promise you that as soon as I get back we'll dance. I have to go do something now and I might's as well ask you this favour."

"I-it's alright G-Ginny. W-what d-do you n-need?" he asked.

"I have to go do something for about five to ten minutes so would you be able to cover for me with Ron if he asks?"

"R-Ron?"

"Yes, can you do it?" Ginny asked hopefully and Neville agreed.

"Oi, thanks Neville," Ginny said, giving the round boy a quick peck before she disappeared between the twirling couples. It took her quite a while to find the door leading out of the Great Hall, mainly due to the fact that it was almost an impossible task to make your way through the dance floor.

Once in the corridor leading outside, Ginny increased her walking pace a tad and stepped outside, looking right then left as though expecting someone to jump out of the shadows. She was half-way right about that for as she neared the rail of the deck overlooking the Hogwarts grounds, Ginny felt the gentle sweep of someone's fingers as they softly brushed her neck, prying her hair to the side.

With a sharp unanticipated tug, the person had snapped the necklace away from her neck in just mere seconds. "My princess will never wear something Potter gives her!" an all to familiar voice whispered in her left ear, and although the redhead immediately froze, she still felt tingling shivers make their merry way down her back.

Casually as though they were intimate lovers, Ginny felt him draping another silver necklace over her neck. This one had a snake pendant dangling in the front, made from very small emeralds and ruby red eyes.

"I trust you liked my gift, seeing that you are wearing it." He asked her as he stepped in front of her.

"How?" Ginny asked slowly in a soft whisper. "How-"

"How can I stand in front of you, flesh and bone without Dumbledore or a crowd of Aurors on my heels? Or how can I stand here looking like this after so much time has passed, for both of us?"

Ginny was speechless for a couple of moments but then she sourly remembered that he probably knew her better that she sometimes even knew herself.

"I suppose that with you, it would be both questions, wouldn't it Ginny love?" He asked and she barely allowed herself a soft nod.

"I should probably explain to you that Potter's blood in his fourth year was very helpful to me when the Life Elixir was brewed. I shouldn't brag but I must, for I discovered the secret to immortality! It's a great thing Virginia that much I can say but by now you're probably wondering how can I remember you if I'm not a memory? Easily, the diary was an essential item in brewing the potion so here I am today, reincarnated as you see me now, with old and new memories. Memories of you that if I now say so myself were sort of wrong considering your age and mine at the time."

Ginny felt her brows furrow and her lips curved into something that was akin to showing disgust.

"Don't look so disturbed my princess. Those feeling are still present and I have to say, stronger than ever now that you have finally grown into your body's full potential." He said as he entwined one of his hands in her hair. "My identity is still unknown to the Ministry for I am in both looks and body, Tom Marvolo Riddle, someone that the MoM has most likely discarded as dead. They all expect me to use the wand I took on when I acquired the name of Lord Voldemort. No one will suspect that the wand of Tom Riddle is being put to use again. Once Lucius steals my old wand records from the MoM, I will be untraceable. In fact, if it were to please me right at this moment, I could just waltz in and murder the Headmaster right in front of the whole school."

"Why?" Ginny asked, snatching her hair away from him. "Why don't you do just that?"

"Ginny love, you must understand that I intend to keep this identity secret. Now I told you this because if you were to squeal on me, which I know you won't, nobody would believe. They would most likely lock you up in St. Mungo's and let you rot there while I am out and about." He chuckled slightly just at the mere thought of it.

Cynical as before, Ginny thought with an inward sigh. "What do you want from me Riddle? You've already take more than you need," she said, glaring at him.

"True, but one can never have enough. It's a universal rule princess, and unless you have decided to stand against the whole universe I wouldn't make an opposition just yet." He said, softly tracing the outline of her face.

A loud bang from somewhere inside Hogwarts startled Ginny and she quickly looked towards the entrance. "Oh yes, almost forgot. I do hope that old bat Dumbledore likes his gift." He paused and Ginny turned to look at him, but he was staring up ahead, lost in thoughts. "The Irish Elves," he gave a laugh that to Ginny sounded horribly sinister, "Skilled dancers my ass! Even the most moronic fool could've seen right through that, but I guess your Headmaster didn't. Right about now," another bang, louder than the first one, sounded even closer to them and Ginny felt her skin develop goose bumps. "my Death Eaters should be infiltrating your school."

"Why are you telling me all this? I could just go and tell someone," Ginny said, staring up into his cold grey eyes.

"Oh Ginny, still naïve as before I see." He said mockingly, emitting a dry chuckle. "You won't because you won't have the chance." Ginny stared questioningly at him, wide blue eyes looking up into his. "You're coming with me!" He said and made a reach for her waist.

'''''''''''''

Please review and keep in mind that just because I'm writing a new fic, it doesn't mean I won't continue my other fics.

Ginger