Twisting the good (Armen, R)

Ginny tucked her fiery red hair behind her ear, trying to ignore the burning sensation of tears as her brothers shrugged her away after asking to play quidditch with them. Obviously not learning from last year what happened when they spent her entire childhood teasing her. To be perfectly honest, she missed Tom. The 'pocket friend' never spoke to her again after that night and ever since, she felt lonelier than ever.

Securing the thestrals in there paddock armen tossed a few more hides of raw meat to feed them. Picking up the baby thestral that had been abadoned by its mother he coddled the small creature carrying it back towards his home. Placing it in a bed of hay inside of the shed he had built next to the ground keeper's hut he kissed its leathery nose and walked out towards the lake when the sound of a soft sob reached his ears.

Turning he recognized instantly the flaming red hair of a weasley and held back a sneer. "Girl what are you doing out by the lake don't you know its forbidden!" he thundered.

Ginny gasped hearing someone shout at her and she shot up, trying to ignore the pain in her heart of not being allowed in another place. Tears streamed down her cheeks some more and her eyes landed on the groundskeeper. ''Sorry, sir...I-I just wanted to be alone...I-I'll go straight away...I'm sorry...'' She said to him, pushing her hair back out of her face before slowly turning around visibly shaking with tears.

As she turned to him apologizing his eyes narrowed, he reached out and grabbed her wrist roughly holding it "your the girl who aided Tom riddle last year" he hissed the statement "you had his diary"

Ginny growled instantly, feeling his tight grip on her wrist but listened to what he had to say. Memories of Tom filled her mind, feeling her tears instantly dry up as if he was there hushing them away and she nodded slowly. ''Yes that was me...'' She hissed back, wrenching her wrist out of his hand.

Armen smirked broadly and his face softened he looked at the girl the same way he looked at his own child. "Come here" he said his voice gentle he knelt his long legs bending under him he pulled the twelve year old into a hug his hand rubbing her back. "Its okay, you can stay as long as you need" he comforted her the same way he did misha when she cried.

Ginny watched as he changed demeanor, her eyes furrowed in confusion but softened at his gaze. At the hug, she felt her heart pang once more and she gripped him tight, crying hard in his arms. It felt nice to be comforted and realizing he changed the moment she mentioned she was the girl who helped Tom, she knew she could tell him something she told no one. ''I miss him, sir..'' She whispered into his ear.

His grip tightened on the small girl at her words and a deceitful grin christened his lips, pulling back he wiped her tears "Do you know who i am child?"

Ginny leaned into the tight hug and then stared at him, leaning into his hands as he wiped her tears. ''Armen..Salander. The groundskeeper.'' She said, frowning, wondering why he would ask such a thing. Her head tilted in curiosity.

Without moving her to much he rolled up his sleeves and pressed his thumb into his for arm letting the dark mark burst into life on his tanned skin. "I am Armen Salander the first death eater" his unmarked arm held her by her waist gently but firm enough that if she tried to run he would snap her into his grasp and end her life.

Ginny looked down at his sleeve and despite getting scared, she got..interested. Her other hand traced the mark gently like a feather and she looked into Armen's eyes. ''Why are you showing me this?'' She asked firmly, looking back down at the mark.

"You said you miss him" he said tilting her chin to look in his eyes "do you care for him?"

Ginny let him move her chin, staring into his eyes with great interest and nodded at his question. ''Yes i do...very much so.'' She admitted, trying to keep her blush from appearing and built up her protective wall.

He looked at her through narrowed eyes for a moment he stood up and gently led her to the hut he lived in with his wife and grand son. "My Wife Sarah is off to see my sister" he explained as he began to make tea "tell me Guinevere why were you by the lake this eve?"

Ginny followed and stared at the hut, nervously before entering. His question made her bite her lip and glance away, looking around the hut. ''M-My brothers pushed me away again...they didn't learn from last year that when they pushed me away, i befriended a very dark wizard and almost died.'' She hissed, her anger flaring up for a moment. ''It made me sad, sir...So i went to the lake to be alone.'' She explained.

Armen poured the tea for them both as he listened to her, sitting down he frowned "Isn't William-Bill your older brother?" he asked tersley "he's associated himself with my daughter..."

Ginny took her cup of tea and sipped it, feeling it warm her instantly. The mention of her older brother caused her head to shoot up and she nodded slowly. ''Yes...That's my brother. Misha...Yes..I apologize that i didn't connect the dots.'' She admitted, sighing when she took another sip of the tea.

"You've had no friends?" he said critically "other then my master the dark lord?"

Ginny stared down at her cup and nodded slowly, feeling tears well up in her eyes all over again. ''I have no one...'' She whispered, sniffling. ''Ever since they found out it was me that did all those things to aid Tom, they...shunned me i guess.''

"Guinevere...would you want to see him again..?" he asked cautiously.

Ginny's head shot up again, any faster it would've caused her whiplash. ''See him again?'' She repeated slowly before a tiny smile graced her face. ''Y-Yes i do...I dream about it. I miss him so much..'' She said, ignoring the tears.

"If you help me, i can give you so much" he said his dark eyes betraying him as the twisted death eater he was "I can give you friends, a family, you will be loved and respected amongst the ranks of his followers, it wont be easy given who your parents are, but in the end you will be powerful and wanted..no longer ignored."

Ginny stared into his dark eyes and weirdly didn't feel scared, she felt safe. His words tugged at her, convincing her with every single one. Images of her family filled her mind and she pushed them away, her eyes hardened as they fell onto Armen. ''What do you need, Sir?'' Her decision finally made.

"I know my master is alive...i've been tracking his soul since potter killed him last year...i think since you are connected to him through the experinces you shared, together we could find him." he hissed "Guinevere if you do this, your life will change..but you wont be alone anymore and I wont let harm come to you...Lady Gaunt will even take you gladly..."

Ginny nodded slowly, in truth she had felt his presence deep in the depths of her mind. ''I will help you find Tom...If it is the last thing i do.'' She said firmly before her eyes widened at the mention of Lady Gaunt. She was completely shocked at this and already knew her life was changing. ''I do not mind my life changing...If it means no more loneliness and sadness, i will gladly let it come but..Lady Gaunt? Marvolo?'' She asked, furrowing her brow once more.