The Unlikely Visitor

Chapter 12.
In which there is intrigue and manipulation, and Sauron redesigns a dress.

Sauron couldn’t explain what had happened during the astronomy lesson, and frankly he didn’t want to contemplate it. Instead, he focused on Ginny’s “issue”, which was slowly taking amusing proportions. She hadn’t needed a lot of instruction; getting Cedric worked up came to her effortlessly. Having a lot of older brothers had taught her well in the art of annoyance… She had certainly gotten her attention; Diggory was apparently notoriously likeable and hard to anger, but Ginny had managed to both quirk his interest and antipathy. Sauron couldn’t help but take a certain amount of pride in it…
“So, now he looks at me. And avoids me at the same time. He’s really acting weird.”
“Perfect.”
“What?”
“Always keep your goal in mind. Diggory is a ruse, not your actual target. You don’t necessarily need to start something with him, you only need to give people -more specifically Potter and Cho Chang- the idea that there is something between you two, and that you are doing perfectly. How do you think it looks to Cho when she notices you and Cedric chat in a corner from time to time, but also sees that he blatantly ignores and even avoids you in public?”
“She would know that’s just because I annoy the crap out of him.”
Sauron shook his head, smirking,
“Tsss… Do you really think he would dirty his image of “noble and super-likable” in front of his girlfriend? No, Cho doesn’t know anything about the enmity between you two. No one does and he is anxious to keep it that way.”
Ginny’s eyes widened.
“Well, in that case… It definitely looks suspicious.”
“Exactly. Now, for the Yule Ball, Cedric will go with Cho. But I can make sure there will be a lot of doubt surrounding that…”
“Really?”
“Also, Harry will probably ask you to the Ball. From what I’ve noticed he isn’t interested in any girl except for Cho, and you as his best friend’s sister just make a nice stand-in for when she will refuse him. You have to refuse him as well.”
“But… I’m just third year, I’m not invited to the ball without a date…”
“You’ll go with me.”
“Really?”
“Stop asking that, it’s annoying. You should know by now that I usually mean what I say to you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“And don’t apologize.”
“Sor…” An eyeroll from Sauron shut Ginny up. “Right.”
“Just wait and see.”
It was childish, stupid, borderline pathetic and a whole other bunch of derogatory adjectives, Sauron thought… but he found unexpected pleasure in mingling in Ginny’s love life. He told himself it was a way to keep his skills sharp for when there would be an actual important thing to do… but deep down he knew that he just did it because he thought it was fun. Which was an unusual admission, as he hadn’t considered anything “fun” in years. “Amusing” was the farthest he had ever come…
For the final part of the plan, he was going to need the help of the most annoying Ravenclaw ever: Precious Nibelungen. Sauron didn’t look forward to it, but for once it seemed that the excruciatingly cheerful prefect would serve a purpose…
It didn’t take long before he found her… or better, she found him, all he had to do really was stay in the same place long enough.
“Oh Sauron! Where have you been, I missed you!”
“Right. Precious. How are you.”
He just couldn’t bring himself not to sound like a convict walking to his execution, but it didn’t seem to matter for Precious. She shot him a sparking smile.
“I’m great! How are you? Do you already have a date for the Yule Ball?”
“Well, about that…”
“Oh, I would love to go with you, you know!”
Sauron suppressed a shudder and did his best Annatar-Is-Innocent look.
“As I said, about that… I can’t.”
Precious’ eyes widened a bit, and for a moment her cheerfulness faltered a little.
“But… Everyone said…”
“I have promised to go with a friend. You know, Ginny Weasley. The one she hoped would ask her didn’t, and it would be too sad if she couldn’t go to the Ball…”
Precious got a conspiratorial look in her eyes; she loved gossip.
“Oh, then who did she hope would ask her?”
“Well, I’m not supposed to tell you…”
“You can trust me, you know that! I would never betray a secret! I don’t betray people, it’s just not in my nature!”
Sure, Sauron thought. You’re only the biggest gossip in Ravenclaw…
“You’re right, you wouldn’t tell anyone. She hoped Cedric Diggory would ask her.”
Precious’ eyes were really wide now.
“You mean the rumors are true? She has something with Cedric?”
“It’s not for me to tell, really. I don’t know all that much about it anyway.”
Precious grinned.
“Well, I know he hasn’t asked Cho either yet. His friends say he wants to make it really romantic… but you know… maybe he’s just doubting who to ask…”
“That is possible indeed…”
“So, if he asked her, you would go with me?”
“Of course.”
Precious let out a little squeak.
“Awesome! You should see my dress, it’s amazing!”
“I will see it at the Ball then. I have to go now.”
“Sure, bye Sauron!”
He walked away, and watched how Precious skipped back into the Ravenclaw common room, probably looking for Cho Chang to tell her everything he had told her. Predictable… Ginny really owed him; he would never be rid of that annoying girl now…

Ginny was the unexpected witness of something private. Cedric Diggory, holding a beautiful bouquet of cherry blossoms. Where he had gotten those in this season she didn’t know, but they must have cost him a small fortune…
“Cho… I love you. Would you go to the Yule Ball with me?”
The pretty Asian girl didn’t respond as expected. She frowned at the flowers.
“Right, bringing me pricy flowers. Feeling guilty over something?”
“Cho! What… what is wrong?”
“You know damn well what is wrong. Ginevra Weasley, that is what’s wrong! How dare you cheat on me with that underage harlot! She’s a fucking child still!”
“Cho, I would never cheat on you, never! You know how girls are, they all hang around me since the Tournament, it means nothing.”
“I know how you treat your fangirls, and this is different! You avoid her at all cost when I’m with you, and when you think I can’t see you’re whispering to each other in some corner!”
“That… I hate her! She’s the most annoying girl ever!”
“Right. First it meant nothing, and now she’s suddenly the most annoying girl ever. Can you blame me for not believing you?”
“Cho, please! I… I didn’t… You are my love, my only one! You are the only one in my heart and I couldn’t care less about Ginny Weasley! It’s all rumors! Please let me make it up to you, let me take you to the Yule Ball and show everyone that you are the one I love!”
The honesty and despair in his eyes and voice was undeniable, and even Ginny thought it was adorable. Cho couldn’t resist, and took the flowers from him.
“Fine. I will give you one other chance. Screw it up, and we’re over.”
“Oh Cho… I love you.”
“I love you too, but you hurt me. Please don’t ever do that again.”
They hugged and kissed, and when Cedric left, Cho took notice of Ginny eavesdropping on them. With large strides she walked to her.
“You! How dare you spy on me! You almost ruined everything for us!” She bent really close to Ginny and growled dangerously, “But tell you what, bitch? He’s mine. Look at him again and you’re dead.”
With that the Asian walked away, caressing her pretty pink flowers. Ginny couldn’t help but chuckle. Sauron Gorthaur, she thought, you are absolutely brilliant. That man –or Maia- was so cunning… How had he not gotten in Slytherin?

“Ginny!”
“Oh, hi Harry! How are you?”
“I’m fine… I… err… Ginny, can I ask you something?”
Internally Ginny smirked. Strike two for team Sauron…
“Sure.”
“Would you go to the Yule Ball with me?”
Normally she would have jumped at the opportunity, but she trusted Sauron’s judgment.
“No, I’m already going with someone else. Sorry.”
“Are you… are you going with Cedric?”
“No, with Sauron.”
“Ginny… That guy, he is…”
“A good friend. Now if you would excuse me?”
Ginny could feel Harry’s eyes in her back when she walked away. She didn’t know what Sauron’s plan was exactly… but so far everything was going according to it. She had definitely caught Harry’s attention this time…

The day of the Yule Ball arrived, and Sauron found three gifts at the foot end of his bed, neatly wrapped in colorful paper. Mistrustingly he had eyed and then poked them… and then finally, he had opened them. The first one came from Ginny, and contained a book titled “The Industrial Revolution”. Inside stuck a card that read,
“This is a Muggle book, but I had the feeling you would like it. Happy Yuletide! Ginny”
The second was an obnoxious pink card with lots of bows on the outside and a picture of Precious Nibelungen in a very glittery dress on the inside, stating that she had promised to show him her Yule Ball outfit in advance. He threw it aside in disgust…
The third present was the largest, and contained… a large sketchpad with thick white parchment, and a box of crayons. The note read,
“So you can draw your worries out. Love, Luna”
He had never actually gotten a gift, let alone more than one. Maiar didn’t do Midwinter, or Yule, or birthdays, or any other gift-giving feast the rest of Arda participated in… and in all honestly there had never really been anyone who would have wanted to give him a gift anyway, feast or not. He looked in wonder at the things he had gotten… It was strangely pleasant to know that at least in this world people had wanted to give him something without a hidden agenda...
“Sauron, kul fûthûrz?”
He opened the door for Ginny, who grinned at him and exclaimed.
“Happy Yuletide!”
“You are too cheerful. Go away.”
She chuckled.
“Did you like the gift?”
“It was appreciated.”
That caused a smirk.
“Dad got it and sent it to me…”
“Right… Ginny, why are you here, in the morning?”
“Err…”
“You have something to ask me, so just ask.”
“Well…” Sauron took notice of the bag Ginny was holding. “I have a problem with my dress robes.”
“What is it?”
“I… don’t think they’re suitable.”
“And what am I supposed to do about that?”
He caught her pleading look.
“Let me guess, you have no one else to ask.”
Ginny looked at her shoes.
“Sort of…”
He was the Dark Lord Sauron. He did not redesign dresses! There was no way he was going to do this; he was the menace of Middle-Earth for Eru’s sake! He was just going to send her away.

“Turn around.”
“And?”
“Bolb… Za grugulum kulat drît kûf…”
Ginny frowned.
“It’s that bad?”
“I wouldn’t dress my worst enemy in this.”
Although, those hobbits in copies of Ginny’s pink-and-green dress with large lapels and voile would make an amusing sight… especially if they would be forced to entertain his Orcs. He shook his head.
“It is ugly. Tîmûrz. Who combines pink and green anyway? And with red hair… Tsss…”
“Is there anything you can do?”
There was the pleading look again. Sauron wanted to hit himself, but didn’t. Instead he observed the dress. It was long, with a poufy pink skirt covered with green voile, a bright pink bodice, and large glittery green lapels with lace. He then gave Ginny a pointed stare.
“Just so you know, I have done a lot of things in my life, but redesigning dresses was not among those. If it gets messed up I hold no responsibility.”
“Sure. It can’t really become worse than this.”
Sauron raised an eyebrow and threw her the card with Precious’ pic. Ginny watched it and shook her head.
“Fine, it can become worse. Try not to mess it up.”
He walked a few circles around the dress, and tried to recall some female dresses from Middle Earth. They certainly hadn’t been outfitted with lapels… He checked the layers of fabric in the skirt, internally beheading Orcs, and made a decision.
“The biggest problem this dress has is the color. So, I’m going to try and recolor it.”
“You can do that?”
“Maybe.”
In the Charms textbook there was a spell to make a rat change color; Sauron was pretty sure that what worked on rats also worked on dresses. A little later both Ginny and the dress were black.
“I really hope you know a counter-spell.”
“You should have taken the dress off first.”
“Nice to tell me that now, smartass!”
“Don’t complain. I can also just leave you like this.”
“Urgh.”
A little later, Ginny wasn’t tinted black anymore, and Sauron stood bent over the dress.
“You know, this dress makes you look even tinier than usual.”
“Thanks for the compliment Sauron.”
Ginny sarcastically said.
“It’s true. I think I’m going to cut a piece from it.”
Women on Middle-Earth didn’t just show off their legs, but he had seen in Hogsmeade that many of the female dress robes only reached the knee. He would have interpreted it very vulgar, but apparently it was considered normal in this world. After all, the skirts girls wore here were also ridiculously short. Ginny put the dress on again, and he proficiently cut it knee-length.
“Well, I think this is the most I can do.”
For a first time, the result wasn’t bad… The dress had been pompous at first, but now that it was black and short, the lapels and glitter actually looked… cute. Internally, Sauron slapped himself. He did not just think that.
“There’s a mirror in the bathroom.”
Ginny went in, and squealed.
“You’re awesome! It looks so grown up now!”
“That sound definitely wasn’t grown up. Spare my ears, will you.”
“How long does the spell hold?”
“I don’t know. A day, two maybe. Flitwick said that eventually those rats change back again too, so I don’t think it’s permanent.”
“Well, as long as it stays okay during the Ball I’m happy!”
Sauron slowly shook his head. He had redesigned a dress. His dark lord pride was severely injured right now. Suddenly a memory of the Nazgûl returning to Minas Morgul stark naked and in need of new cloaks came to mind… He had mocked the Witch King –who had been in charge of the cloak making- and the lord of the Nazgûl had grumbled and said that one day he would be in the same situation. Apparently the Witch King had been right… Yet still. He had redesigned a dress, and it didn’t look awful. Maybe he should have been one of Vairë’s Maiar… No, he did not just think that. This world was really bad for his mental composure…

TRANSLATIONS:
“Sauron, kul fûthûrz?” (Sauron, are you there?)
“Bolb… Za grugulum kulat drît kûf…” (Disaster... This dress is really ugly)
"Tîmûrz" (Terrible)