Real Realms

A/N: This chapter has not been Betaed. So if anyone is intrested in being my beta let me know.

Please note the pairings in this tale:

Sarah/Jareth
Hermione/Severus
Ginny/Tom
Harry/Luna
Ron/OC


Chapter 1

To the Victor Goes the Spoils


The castle beyond the Goblin City was alive with noise as an army was readying itself for a war to end all wars. Hoggle, who was now second in command; under Sir Didmus, was once more going over with his men what they needed to do when the time came. Jareth, had stopped his pacing long enough to watch this all unfold from his study window.

Watching his goblins preparing this way reminded Jareth of the first time they had to join forces with the Wizarding world. His loses were great and long; after that his kingdom’s numbers were few. And so Jareth had to once more travel into the world of mortals to bring unloved children to the Fae of his world. As they could no longer have any of their own. That was when he met her! His once beautiful disaster; the one that got away, literally.

Sarah. Strong willed and just as pig headed as he was. They would have ruled over the Goblin City together, if only she had said yes to his offer. If only she could have stopped playing pretend for long enough to know that once she had reached the Escher room she had won. But in the end all she cared about was besting him and getting her little brother back. If his people hadn’t been in need of children then maybe it wouldn’t have ever been about the boy. But that damned war had ruined everything.

So in a way Jareth blamed Voldemort for all his troubles. Now, when Dumbledore had sent his trusted lapdog to ask if he would assist them once again, Jareth would have been mad to say no. There is nothing more patient then a Fae scorned. Their revenge may be long in coming but when it does come it is swift and accurate.

The Goblin King could think of no better way to show the Wizard Lord what his revenge tasted like. This time there would be no failure, they were at full strength. Besides they had The-Boy-Who-Lived on their side. This time the Dark Lord would fall at their feet, and the magical world would be free once and for all. Jareth would see to it; not for freedom, not for fame, not for fortune, but for a broken ego.

A hooded figure walked over to stand beside him at the window. If anyone was to see his face behind his Death Eater’s mask they would have noticed he was watching the Goblin King with searching eyes. Eyes that tired to pierce his soul.

“Are you sure you want to do this? If you help us again and the Dark Lord should win…” Severus waited to see if his comrade would give anything away with his body language. “You must understand that he will show those who stood against him no mercy.” His voice was forlorn; as if he hoped for the best but still prepared himself for the worst.

Turning from the window Jareth begins to pace again, thinking about the words spoken to him for a moment. Were they a warning of some kind? Could he really trust this man before him? A man that even his own kind shunned.

“Severus, old boy, I don’t fear defeat. Nor should you.” Jareth knew the whispers; knew that people still thought Snape was loyal only to Voldemort. “After all you have nothing to loose. Where as I have a kingdom.”

The king’s words took hold of Severus’ heart and he could not control what came next, “When will you learn that life is not measured in how much gold you have but by what you would give it all up for. There are things in this world worth far more than power.” Behind his Death Eater’s mask his obsidian eyes glittered like black ice.

Smiling his predator’s smile Jareth took in the man before him for the first time in a long time. It seemed to the Fae king that his old friend had been afflicted by love. Nasty that! But as Jareth knew it could sometimes not be helped. It happened to the best of people. He had to wonder to himself when Severus would learn that there were
some things in this world that were not worth reaching for. Especially for someone with his infamous reputation.

“I will, when someone can show me that there is. Until then I suggest you do the same. Now off with you, so that the games may begin.”

“It is a pity that the last war made you so bitter, Jareth. People loose people it is the way of life.”

The king turned his back on Severus signaling that the conversation was now closed. And being a good severant, Severus, turned to go but the king’s voice stalled him, “Head my words when the time comes, my friend. Now good day to you; as I have a war to plan and you a pawn to put into play.”

With a snap of his fingers the Goblin king disappeared, leaving his guest standing there wondering what had frozen the Fae’s cold heart. Severus shook himself; now was not the time or place for flights of morbid fancy. He had to go collect the girl. In a dramatic swirl of Death Eater black, Severus disapparated with a pop.

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The moon hung low over the Burrow as two shadowy figures slipped out of the Weasley’s back door. They walked to the edge of Molly’s garden scattering gnomes in their wake and with a soft pop they were gone. Once again the garden was empty and the dark night was still.

With a second pop the two emerged from the middle of a crowd of hooded Death Eaters. The taller of the two lead the smaller forward toward a thrown. In one fluid movement his hand pulled back his hood to reveal, Severus Snape, Hogwart’s most feared professor. Kneeling before Lord Voldemort, his eyes cast down in a display of respect. “Milord, I have brought my apprentice. The girl whom you seek.”

With a flick of his wrist Voldemort bid Severus to rise. Standing once more he reached for his apprentice and offered the girl child to the Dark Lord.

Ginny Weasley pushed back her hood and brought forth her offering to her new master. “Please take my gift, milord. You shall not be disappointed.”

There was a glimmer in her eyes that told the dark wizard this girl was proud of herself.

“Come closer, little one.” He beckoned her near to him. All the while he scanned her thoughts, finding there only her need to love and serve him. Even though she knew that he would not hesitate to end the lives of those closest to her. Her heart was his and his alone.

Ginny counted the steps it took to reach him; her Tom. The youngest Weasley couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like when he was whole again. What would the Dark Lord offer her in return for restoring him to who he once was? And would what he offered be enough?

The room grew silent as she came to stand before the shell of a man that was once the most powerful wizard of his day. Voldemort took the vile she held out to him. Ginny’s heart speed up at the feel of his hand brushing hers.

No it wasn’t repulsion; for she felt everyone deserved to be loved. There was no sin too great in her eyes. Perhaps, it was because he was the only one there for her in her first year at Hogwarts. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that in that year Tom Riddle had told her his deepest secrets. He gave to her in his words a picture of his childhood. A childhood littered with heat and abuse; so perhaps she pitted him just a little.

But now was not the time for any of that. Now was the time to think of the end justifying the means. This was just the first step in saving the man she loved. Only one of the many things she needed to do to make him understand that he was loved. And perhaps he would love her in return?

In a matter of moments the bottle was uncorked, “Bring forth a volunteer, Severus.”

Snape brought forward a quaking Death Eater. The crowd gathered, trusted neither Ginny nor Severus. If there was poison in that bottle then whoever they had brought forward would get a nasty shock.

“Hold out your hand, Goyle.”

Although the Death Eater looked as if he wanted to run for the nearest exit, he did as he was told. That is with the help of Severus’ wand at his back. The Dark Lord let a drop spill onto Goyle’s extended hand.

Voldemort’s snake like eyes darted to Ginny, “What does it do?”

Stepping closer to the Dark Lord Ginny dropped her voice so only he could hear, “It restores the taker to a point in their life when they were at their best. Their most powerful.” Ginny looked him in the eye and held his gaze; opening her mind to him.

There was nothing there that she wasn’t willing to show. She would have told him; but words are meaningless when one will not believe them. And from what her professor has told her Voldemort is more paranoid then a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

The Dark Lord was the first to break eye contact, as a blinding light engulfed Goyle. When the light subsided he was eighteen again. There was no scars or wrinkles, or white hair; only strength and youth.

“Little one, you have brought me something making you worthy of a place by my side.”

Bellatrix moved forward out of the crowd at her master’s words a look of pure hatred for Ginny on her face, “Milord, her family are nothing but blood traitors. You must see the error in your…”

“Bella.” Voldemort’s voice slide over his followers like the icy grip of a Dementor’s kiss, “Never, assumes to critise my judgment. Curio!”

A light the color of hellfire shot forth from his wand. It hit Bellatrix square in the chest causing her to fall to the floor in pain. Her cries sounded like the wait of a banshee.

But as soon as the screaming had come it was gone as Voldemort call back his curse, “Let it not be said that I am an unfair Lord. After all Bella you have blood traitors in your line as well. We must not judge those amongst us by the blood lines they come from.”

There was no time for anyone to react, as the Dark Lord put the vile to his lips and downed the contents in one motion. There was a second, faster flash of light as all present covered their faces. As the light died down the hideous creature they all called master was no more. In his place stood a young Tom Riddle.

A slow, sly smile took over his now full lips and Ginny’s heart seemed to skip a beat. Tom grabbed her by the wrist pulling her against his body. For not only was he once again strong as a wizard but as a man as well. And this little red head before him seemed to spark a need deep inside of him. But first he must mark her before them all.

Leaning forward he whispered in her ear, “Now, my gift to you, little one.”

Riddle brought the tip of his wand to rest upon her arm. Ginny bit back a cry as a mind-numbing pain seared her forearm. Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord, had branded her as his own; which made her safe. At least at the moment.

His hand steadied her as she swayed from the fire that coursed through her from the Dark Mark. Snape had not warned her that the pain would last even after the mark was made. Then she remembered Severus telling her the mark burnt most when Voldemort had a strong desire for a person’s presence.

The feel of Voldemort whipping away a tear from her check brought her out of her thoughts. Softly he whispered, “There will be no more pain for you, that I promise. Now, come I have much to show you.”

Whit a gentle tug on her wrist, that seemed to be shackled by his fingers, Voldemort pulled her from the room of stunned on lookers. From a dark corner Severus Snape watched them leave and wondered if he would ever see the child again. For no woman who is brought to the Dark Lord’s privet quarters was ever seen again. How in Merlin’s balls was he going to explain this to Molly’s?

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The portraits hanging from the walls of the corridor that the Dark Lord moved down all stopped to see who he was with. There was a whisper of Weasley from several of the paintings; evidently she was noticed for her red hair.

Ginny followed close behind her master with her eyes downcast, moving just three paces behind him. She didn’t look up or stop until Voldemort did, before the door to his privet rooms. Pushing it open he motioned for her to come forward.

Ginny made to move into the room when she felt his hand grip her arm to forestall her. He eyes shot up to his face to implore him what she had done wrong, but Ginny found no anger there only what she could call longing.

“Do you enter here of your own free will?” Voldemort had moved behind her now and his hands moved up and down her arms in a soft caress.

Ginny found it hard to think, let alone form words so she nodded her assent.

“I am sorry my dear but that will not be good enough. I must hear you say the words. Now, do you enter here of your own free will?”

His voice was now right beside her ear making her breath come in short gasps. “Yes. I come to you of my own free will.”

The Dark Lord released her then and Ginny moved into the room. The instant she passed over the threshold she felt it. The slight pull on her being, a magical binding of some
sort. With a soft thud the door shut behind them and Ginny was well aware that she was now in Tom Riddle’s privet rooms and quite alone with him.

Turning around to look at him she realized that she should not meet his eyes with her own. And so Ginny quickly averted them, looking instead at his shoes. With his fingers under her chin Voldemort raised her eyes to meet his.

“There is no need for that. I have not marked you as one of my followers but as my equal. None of the others have that privilege. You are mine, alone. You shall never cast your eyes down from mine again and you shall walk tall by my side.”

Throughout the Dark Lord’s pontification Ginny had a need to look at the mark on her arm, as it tingled now more so than she thought it would. Yet she held her eyes still and listened to her love with rapt attention.

“Look at it, little one.” Voldemort’s eyes moved to her arm.

Ginny pulled her sleeve up and her eyes were met not with the sight of the Dark Mark, but with the mark of two serpents intertwined. Her eyes darted from the mark to his face and back again, “But I thought…”

“You thought that I had marked you like the rest?” Voldemort waited for her to answer but she didn’t. “I have found my queen and she will not be marked like the others. You, Ginny have given up everything that others would fight for. Why is that?”

“For you. I did it all for you, milord.” Her voice sounded small even to her own ears.

Voldemort was now leading her to an emerald green fainting couch before a roaring fire. He sat her down and after seating himself he turned her so she was facing him.
Tom’s eyes held her soul captive as his fingers traced over the serpents.

“Do you think the others would do the same?”

“Haven’t they?”

“It would appear as such. Alas it is all a grand illusion. They follow me not because they love me, little one. They are followers because they fear my power. Even when I was a shell of what I am now, they held fear in their hearts.”

“How awful. Not an once of courage amongst them.”

Ginny wondered now if she would feel the same way. After all most of his followers had gone into hiding after he had fallen the first time. Either that or they went back to the side of the light and had spoken falsely about why they had followed him. Now they have come back to him out of fear, fear of being on the loosing side of the war.

“But you, Ginny have enough courage for them all. And that is why I have met my equal this night. But now you must give up one more thing for your place beside me.” His hand still caressing had her lost in a world of want.

“What must I do, milord?”

“You must be duplicatice with those you have loved before. You must leave me tomorrow and go back to Hogwarts with Severus. He will watch over you there. Believe me you are safe with him.” Pausing he let it all sink in.

“When will I see you again? I cannot wait until the school year is over, you must know that is too long for me to be away from you.”

Voldemort heard the quiver in her voice. And the fact that she wasn’t opposed to lying to others so she could be his did not go unnoticed by the Dark Lord. Indeed she was worthy of the place she now shared by his side.

“I have already had Severus come up with an excuse to cover that. You are his apprentice are you not?”

There was a nod of her head and Voldemort carried on, “He is to tell the Headmaster that he needs a full time assisantant and since you are already his apprentice you would be perfect. So this will make it feasible for you to go home with him at night.”

“Please, milord as nice as it is to work with Severus; I don’t see how that will get me nearer to you.” Ginny looked worried about voicing her thoughts after what he had done to Bella.

“Ah, that my dear is where my genies comes in. Severus will bring you straight here after dinner and then return you on the morrow. Do you find that suitable?” His eyes were expectant, and his fingers continued to trace her marked arm.

“More than suitable. Should I bring anything with me?”

“Do not worry yourself. You shall be provided for.”

With his debriefing finished, Voldemort made his move. Drawing Ginny closer to him, his lips mere inches from hers. She felt his breath on her lips before she felt his own. Ginny closed her eyes as Tom’s mouth closed over her own and she was swept away on a wave of need; as the fire beside them roared and the Death Eaters down the hall waited for screams of pain that never came.


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