Ficcy readers of the world! Here is another one in the line of thousands.
*grrrrr*
Disclaimer: All of you about to attempt to read this must have some idea about the original Harry Potter stories. If you have an idea about the Harry Potter stories then you will KNOW that it all belongs to J.K. Rowling. The characters, the magic, the world IS NOT mine, I just thought up a bizarre plot and stuck the whole thing together.
Title: Trapped in the Web of Torment
Author: Lucius Malfoy
Pairing: None, but I ain't saying it will stay that way
Setting: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's sixth year at Hogwarts (just b4 the Xmas holidays)
Summary: well lets just say a lot happens. Harry is kidnapped (3 guess by who), Draco is messed up in the whole thing, Voldemort has Snape wrapped around his little finger (but how?), there is more about Sirius' origin than we first assumed, Lupin is still a werewolf (duh!), Voldemort still has a stick up his arse about the Potter's but he wont kill Harry straight away (why?), Draco doesn't like water (past trauma in his life?), Lucius is a down right bastard (especially to his son), Narcissa isn't herself, Snape was a bad, bad boy something happened to one of Harry's friends 6 months ago, Ron has changed (what is the reason?). is that enough of a summary for you?
Warning: this is R rated (therefore that means that it is for readers 17 years and older.) There is a good amount of foul mouth mainly. There may also be a gory bit, or two, but I wont say for sure as I don't know if fanfiction.net will appreciate it (maybe I should just stick it up and hope for the best, eh?)
Note: just so you know, this story goes between Harry and Draco. There are also looks into the past so that you understand what they are thinking about.
Well that's it from me (shit, I talk too much). Lucius Malfoy now presents:
'Trapped in the Web of Torment.'
*************
Harry lay there, in the dark of night, shivering slightly from the cold of his so-called room. How was the anguish of being in virtual solitary confinement of a place where he was once comfortable to call home supposed to keep him safe from the one who wanted him dead? The one who had been after his blood when he was only a year old? The one who had killed his parents just to have the opportunity to cast the most powerful and deadly curse on an innocent baby?
He knew he was lucky to have survived so many encounters with the dark lord, even at the age of 16, but at what cost did Harry call this lucky? Again Lord Voldemort was looking for the Boy-Who-Lived. Again the evil sorcerer had come up with some brilliant scheme to finally get his revenge on the thorn in his side. It was just unfortunate that this thorn happened to be a boy who wanted to live and have a normal life.
It was the word of the potions master of Hogwarts that informed him and the Headmaster of Voldemort's plans. Oh, how Harry didn't want to be here, but he was the saviour of the wizarding world, so all precautions to keep him safe until the time came, had to be taken. That's right. Harry was not yet a fully qualified wizard, and therefore not strong enough to tackle the evil thing! Not that he hadn't faced him when he was one, eleven, twelve, fourteen and fifteen.
A scowl formed on Harry's face. Couldn't his so-called allies have provided him with a soft something to sit on? The only difference Harry could define between being here and captured by Voldemort was that he wasn't being tortured as a sport, but left to dwell in his own thoughts. Was that really so much better?
Harry sat up and leant his head back against a protruding stone of the wall. Why was it that all of his superiors still treated him as an incompetent child, even thought they know just how much he had already been through?
*15 hours earlier*
Billowing black robes glided through the halls of Hogwarts at three in the morning. The man flanked in this attire didn't seem at all perturbed that the tapping of his shoes clearly echoed off the walls, when he usually made no sound at all. He had important information to tell one headmaster, and the life of an insolent brat to safe.
Severus Snape came face-to-face with the gargoyle entrance of the headmasters quarters and gave the password.
"Blood Pops."
The tapping of his shoes ceased as the travelling staircase took him to the old wooden doors and simultaneously opened as he walked off onto the little platform.
A silver bearded Dumbledore stood there, frown in place, with a Potions Master staring back, looking almost as grave.
"Severus."
"Albus."
"Please come in."
With a court nod Severus followed Dumbledore into the circular office and immediately took a seat across from the table.
"How did it go?" Dumbledore questioned, cutting right to the subject matter of this meeting.
"That depends," was Snape's initial reply, but quickly continued. "For me, it didn't go so well. Voldemort has his suspicions and he seems to be looking at me being the traitor. He cast the Cruciatus on me a few times just to make sure I am still faithful to him."
Dumbledore looked at the Potions Master with slight sympathy in his eyes, but knew better than to give this man any pity. Severus has had to deal with much more pain than he was explaining now. No, Severus would probably terminate the relationship this instant if Albus showed any kind of concern.
Snape continued, "With that aside, I did, however, get some information on the Dark Lord's plans concerning Mr. Potter."
Dumbledore didn't show any change in his expression after hearing what Snape said. He just templed his fingers together, rested his elbows in the desk and waited for Severus to continue.
Snape gave no evidence that he noticed the headmasters behaviour.
"Voldemort is planning to kidnap Potter in a few hours."
"So soon? Why is it that we haven't learnt of this until now?"
"I believe, headmaster, that only Voldemort's most trusted was let in on the plan, and as I said before, he is suspicious on which side I am most faithful. He announced it tonight to all of us so we were informed on what he wants us to do when the time comes."
Dumbledore studied the set face of Severus. Things had to be done, obviously, but some things weren't completely clear.
"If Voldemort planned an attack to get Harry out of Hogwarts, then why didn't he ask for your knowledge of the wards I put up? And how come he is so sure he will be able to get in here? My wards are strong enough to hold out two thousand Death Eaters, and we both know he hasn't recruited that many people."
"He used his other source who has a sufficient knowledge of the grounds and areas surrounding Hogwarts: Peter Pettigrew. Pettigrew believes that he knows of a secret passage directly into here that you wouldn't have been able to ward off to the outside world. One of the Death Eaters were to come in and lure Potter out so he was open for Voldemort's attack."
"Do you know who the Death Eater assigned this task is?"
"No," Snape shook his head. "The Death Eater must have been taken aside inconspicuously."
"Right." Dumbledore stood in resolution. "When is this attack to take place precisely?"
"Nine o'clock. It seems that Voldemort does not want his to-be charge to miss his bedtime."
It was of Snape's nature to be sarcastic, and even thought it seeped into his speech, as usual (especially when involving Potter), but both man ignored what was said, in case it was true.
"Ok," Dumbledore took charge. "Go and get Harry and take him to a secure area in the dungeons. Whoever Voldemort sends will have a hard time leading Harry out into the open when they have the maze down there to contend with. Once you've done that come back up here. I will have gathered all of the other staff and we will develop a plan to prevent a physical assault if they happen to take that course of action."
Snape courtly nodded once again and hastily exited the headmaster's office.
The walk up to Gryffindor tower took no time at all for Severus. His mind was preoccupied with the Death Eater meeting, and was going over every detail in case there was anything his missed of importance to tell Dumbledore.
The Fat lady grizzled at being woken so early in the morning by a not so nice, and not so patient Snape.
"Fine, go through, but don't wake me when you leave."
The painting swung forward and Snape walked directly towards the boys dormitories. He knew where he was going. It was virtually staff regimen to know where the famous Boy-Who-Lived slept.
He twisted the doorknob and proceeded into where the sixth years resided. Refusing to be considerate to the five sleeping forms, he found Potter's bed and literally yelled for him to get up.
"POTTER, UP NOW!"
"W- Wha?"
One body sat up, eyes hardly open, head jerking around to find the source of the yelling. Four other bodies groaned and rolled over, not responding, as it wasn't their name called out.
Snape swiftly gathered up some muggle clothes that seemed to belong to Potter, and threw them at the half awake boy.
"What's going on?" the voice was slightly muffled due to the jeans that had landed over his head.
"You have to get up NOW, Potter. I'll explain on the way."
"On the way where?" Harry had by now determined that in was the infamous Potions Master of Hogwarts giving the orders. Who else would be so inconsiderate to a sleeping someone at three thirty in the morning?
"There is no time for that. Get dressed and lets get going."
Harry scowled but otherwise, did what he was told without complaint and protest. Within two minutes Harry had shoved on his shoes, left the laces untied, and slipped his wand in his right pants pocket. The second Harry was finished Snape lead him out of the dormitory, through the common room and into the silent and shadowed halls.
Severus could feel the boys eyes on his back. He gritted his teeth, why did the boy have to be so intimidating? No. He had dealt with the workings of the famous Potter in who knows how many Potion classes. Just because this was a different situation, and he knew that those eyes were silently asking the questions that he wanted answered, Severus Snape would not give in.
The two walked down through two more floors and it was Harry who couldn't stand the silence any longer.
"Well? Why have you dragged me out of my bed in the early hours of the morning? There has to be some reason you have graced me with your presence."
Even Harry couldn't keep his respect up for Snape at the moment. How dare this man come into his room, wake him up, order him around and not explain what all of this is all about.
Snape scowled. "If you must know Potter, you are in danger and some of us are risking our own lives just to keep you safe."
Harry silently withdrew into himself. He knew what Snape was talking about. Because of him Snape would dance with the devil every time a Death Eater meeting was called. It was bad enough that Harry felt guilty from the many lives Voldemort had taken, being directly responsible for his resurrection, therefore being directly responsible for so many deaths. So why did Snape go around making his life a living hell? Not that his life could be classified as normal, even without him.
Voldemort was out to get Harry, and it seemed that he wasn't going to give up anytime soon. The last time had been at the end of the last school year, exactly a year after the resurrection. Now it was two days before the Christmas Holidays started. He couldn't even give Harry a year to himself anymore.
Harry pushed the thoughts away and directed his attention back on the present situation.
"So what's happening? Where are you taking me?"
"You, Potter, are to stay down in the dungeons where no one can find you. While you are there, myself and the rest of the staff here will be increasing the wards around here."
Harry was silent after this. The best course of action here was to move quickly and to keep from pissing Snape off.
Within another fifteen minutes Snape had stopped in the maze of the dungeon rooms at an old rustic door. He tapped the lock with his wand, mumbled a spell that Harry couldn't hear, and pushed Harry inside.
"Stay here, and keep quiet. When all is safe myself or one of the other teachers will come here and collect you."
Harry scanned the room and furrowed his brow. There was nothing, absolutely nothing in the room other than Snape and himself.
"Jeez, could this room be anymore prison like?"
Couldn't he at least stay in a place that had something soft to sit on, like an iron barstool? The stone walls and floor didn't look inviting at all.
"Potter, here is the perfect place for you. It is never used and there are no windows or other doors for someone uninvited to barge in on you."
Harry wasn't pleased. By the tone of Snape's voice, it sounded like it wasn't someone else he was keeping out, but it was like this to keep him in. At least he had his wand.
"Fine. How long am I going to be in here?" Harry snapped at Snape, making it perfectly clear that this arrangement was totally unnecessary, or, at least, and insult to Harry's capability at defending himself. He wasn't just a little, defenceless boy anymore.
"We are unsure Potter. But as I said, you will be out of here as soon as it is safe."
Snape turned to leave but remembered something very important. He walked up to Harry, and as quick as a snake injecting its victim with venom, snatched Potter's wand out of his pocked and tucked it safely into his own.
"Hey! Give that back!"
"No, Potter. I cannot risk letting you escape from here and get yourself caught."
With that the greasy haired Potions Master swiftly exited the room, locked the door with an evident 'click', and left the Boy-Who-Lived to wallow in his own thoughts.
*************
Harry sighed and stood up in his 'room'. The silence was interrupted by a low growl from his stomach. Food had appeared out of nowhere twice since he had shoved in here with the lame explanation about the situation.
Irritation was crawling all over his skin. Couldn't someone just open the door, give his news of the attack, and then leave him locked in this fucking room? What that really too much to ask? Was it?
No answer! Of course not. This was getting out of hand. He was alone, in a dark room, and was expecting answers to his thoughts. If the bastards that put him in here didn't came back soon he was going to go insane. Though when you've been through as much as Harry had, its not surprising.
Everything around Harry seemed to be causing him trouble. Well maybe not everything, but all things that were of any importance had really gone down the shitter! The most recent being the fucking Slytherin's and the spoilt ferret known as Malfoy. Just because he got his Death Eater father to get him the best broom money can buy . . . in Knockturn Alley. Only a dark arts wizarding store would sell something with the name 'Winged Demon 666'.
Those evil intimidating morons showing off at every chance they got. Harry had to admit that their team had improved, whether it was a new training regime, steroids or magic, only the slimy Slytherin's knew, but it was that fact alone which inclined the Gryffindor team to take on the challenge. Thinking back now it was obviously suspicious, but it wasn't like a Gryffindor to chicken out of anything, especially when it came to those dirty Snakes.
Trust them to organise a match just so they could show off their skills and rub it in the Gryffindors faces.
At first, all the Gryffindors that had come to support the team seemed to be having a great time. Ron cheering the loudest, Dean with another banner that had luminous writing supporting the slogan 'Snakes Cower at the Lions Power!', Seamus, Neville, and about twenty others supports.
For a while there it felt like the old days to Harry. All of the initial threats wiped from his mind, and the only focus of his intentions was the all-important Quidditch match. Though the Slytherin's had to turn that into a problem too.
It wasn't a pretty sight when Malfoy rose in the air with the snitch that usually had Harry's name on it. There was only one thing worst than the facial expressions of the Slytherin team and their supporters - the looks from his fellow Gryffindors. It was the first match that he had ever lost to the Snakes, and when Malfoy had become Seeker it had only made it easier for them to win. Not any more.
An unintentional sigh escaped Harry. The only good thing about that game was it was unofficial, Gryffindor wasn't knocked out of the competition, and the way things were going it seemed as though Slytherin and Gryffindor would go head to head in the final. That is if Slytherin won against Ravenclaw when the new term started, and Harry had no doubt about that.
It was what Ron said after the match that really made Harry feel like crap. Ron was actually trying to comfort the green eyed boy, but those words had been said to him before, and they only encourage bad memories to come flooding back.
'Don't worry Harry. It wasn't your fault.'
The image of a face loomed into his mind. No! He couldn't think about that. Not her. Harry was only just getting over that whole experience, even though he knew he would never truly heal. Voldemort always seemed to know exactly how to really hurt Harry. Where the pain would always radiate around him no matter where the Dark Lord was. Harry could see it in all those eyes that pitied him, whether they were friends or strangers, it didn't matter.
Why did it have to be Hermione and not him?
Harry stood up and walked over to the other side of the room. He scowled at the wall, picturing it as Voldemort, and slammed his fist at the stone. The pain wasn't there at first. Harry deserved so much more when it came to what Hermione went through. A trickle of blood ran down the length of this middle finger. He ignored his now throbbing and gashed up knuckles, wiped the blood on the back of his shirt and started pacing across the room, staring at his feet that where only just visible in the dark.
It may have been hard on Harry, witnessing the whole ordeal, but his sympathy wasn't for himself, but for Ron. Ron and Hermione had gone from friends that always snapped at each other, to a loving couple that really made an impression on everyone they knew. Ron wasn't exactly the most romantic guy, but it was his sincerity and love of life that made Hermione fall for him. And even though it was Hermione that controlled the relationship, making sure that all their homework was done in time to still have a good three hours to snog, Ron loved it because she wasn't a girly girl, and he knew he couldn't handle being around someone like that twenty four-seven.
Oh, Harry had felt like the third wheel, a lot, but they were still his two best friends and he would support them and never deny the happiness that they deserved.
To tell you the truth, Harry having time to himself was an advantage in some ways. It was the holidays after fourth year that Ron and Hermione 'officially' got together. With Voldemort on the loose after that, he could go to the library and search for new spells and curses that would be able to protect him for whatever the evil git decided to throw at him next. With Ron and Hermione in the company of each other, they didn't worry about the Golden Boy of Gryffindor. That was how Harry liked it best. When there was no one around to tell him what to do, how to act, when to go to bed or clean his teeth. There had been no one around for almost his entire life, resulting, for Harry to fend for himself, and only having a dusty, dirty cupboard as his own.
Overall Harry thought Ron and Hermione were good for each other. Hermione kept Ron out of trouble while Ron kept Hermione out of the books (most of the time).
It hadn't even been a year for the couple when Voldemort stuck his face into their business. Another one of his 'brilliant' plans to get to Harry, kill him and get on with taking over the world. The only problem was, when it came to Harry, Voldemort never seemed to get what he wanted - the fall of the last Potter, the annoying pebble in his shoe.
There was a small pop in the vicinity of the room and a plate of roast beef, mashed potato and peas appeared in the centre of the floor. Harry almost stepped on the food while still walking back and forth, contemplating his thoughts and memories. He stared at it for half a second, then sat down and greedily began to stuff the potato in his mouth. By the look of the sort of food sent to him it was dinnertime. Dinner began at about seven at night, so that must have been the time, give or take a few minutes.
Harry shook his head as he swallowed a mouthful. They had kept him locked down here for sixteen hours. Shit.
Ok, so it doesn't really sound that long, but when thoughts are torture to someone, and there was nothing and no one around to attract their attention, it was kinda hard, and felt like an eternity.
The only reason he was here was to finally fight Voldemort, kill him, and be the hero that everyone made him out to be. Ultimately these people were saving their own hides as much as his.
Bastards. The lot of them.
*************
After Rant: ok, first chapter out of the way, but I have something else important to query. Has anyone here actually thought about the impact Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will make on the fic writing community? On the one hand, it will be GREAT. More ideas sprouting, hidden stories to reveal, new characters to write about, new magic to manipulate. But then you think about the stories that are already half way though. These ideas and motives will be challenged and shot down when all of this new info in the Harry Potter world is known. For so long I was hanging for the next book in the series to come out, years and years of waiting. Now that I know it will be here in only a few months, I don't know if I want it to spoil all the cool fics that I have lived, and survived on.
Disclaimer: All of you about to attempt to read this must have some idea about the original Harry Potter stories. If you have an idea about the Harry Potter stories then you will KNOW that it all belongs to J.K. Rowling. The characters, the magic, the world IS NOT mine, I just thought up a bizarre plot and stuck the whole thing together.
Title: Trapped in the Web of Torment
Author: Lucius Malfoy
Pairing: None, but I ain't saying it will stay that way
Setting: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's sixth year at Hogwarts (just b4 the Xmas holidays)
Summary: well lets just say a lot happens. Harry is kidnapped (3 guess by who), Draco is messed up in the whole thing, Voldemort has Snape wrapped around his little finger (but how?), there is more about Sirius' origin than we first assumed, Lupin is still a werewolf (duh!), Voldemort still has a stick up his arse about the Potter's but he wont kill Harry straight away (why?), Draco doesn't like water (past trauma in his life?), Lucius is a down right bastard (especially to his son), Narcissa isn't herself, Snape was a bad, bad boy something happened to one of Harry's friends 6 months ago, Ron has changed (what is the reason?). is that enough of a summary for you?
Warning: this is R rated (therefore that means that it is for readers 17 years and older.) There is a good amount of foul mouth mainly. There may also be a gory bit, or two, but I wont say for sure as I don't know if fanfiction.net will appreciate it (maybe I should just stick it up and hope for the best, eh?)
Note: just so you know, this story goes between Harry and Draco. There are also looks into the past so that you understand what they are thinking about.
Well that's it from me (shit, I talk too much). Lucius Malfoy now presents:
'Trapped in the Web of Torment.'
*************
Harry lay there, in the dark of night, shivering slightly from the cold of his so-called room. How was the anguish of being in virtual solitary confinement of a place where he was once comfortable to call home supposed to keep him safe from the one who wanted him dead? The one who had been after his blood when he was only a year old? The one who had killed his parents just to have the opportunity to cast the most powerful and deadly curse on an innocent baby?
He knew he was lucky to have survived so many encounters with the dark lord, even at the age of 16, but at what cost did Harry call this lucky? Again Lord Voldemort was looking for the Boy-Who-Lived. Again the evil sorcerer had come up with some brilliant scheme to finally get his revenge on the thorn in his side. It was just unfortunate that this thorn happened to be a boy who wanted to live and have a normal life.
It was the word of the potions master of Hogwarts that informed him and the Headmaster of Voldemort's plans. Oh, how Harry didn't want to be here, but he was the saviour of the wizarding world, so all precautions to keep him safe until the time came, had to be taken. That's right. Harry was not yet a fully qualified wizard, and therefore not strong enough to tackle the evil thing! Not that he hadn't faced him when he was one, eleven, twelve, fourteen and fifteen.
A scowl formed on Harry's face. Couldn't his so-called allies have provided him with a soft something to sit on? The only difference Harry could define between being here and captured by Voldemort was that he wasn't being tortured as a sport, but left to dwell in his own thoughts. Was that really so much better?
Harry sat up and leant his head back against a protruding stone of the wall. Why was it that all of his superiors still treated him as an incompetent child, even thought they know just how much he had already been through?
*15 hours earlier*
Billowing black robes glided through the halls of Hogwarts at three in the morning. The man flanked in this attire didn't seem at all perturbed that the tapping of his shoes clearly echoed off the walls, when he usually made no sound at all. He had important information to tell one headmaster, and the life of an insolent brat to safe.
Severus Snape came face-to-face with the gargoyle entrance of the headmasters quarters and gave the password.
"Blood Pops."
The tapping of his shoes ceased as the travelling staircase took him to the old wooden doors and simultaneously opened as he walked off onto the little platform.
A silver bearded Dumbledore stood there, frown in place, with a Potions Master staring back, looking almost as grave.
"Severus."
"Albus."
"Please come in."
With a court nod Severus followed Dumbledore into the circular office and immediately took a seat across from the table.
"How did it go?" Dumbledore questioned, cutting right to the subject matter of this meeting.
"That depends," was Snape's initial reply, but quickly continued. "For me, it didn't go so well. Voldemort has his suspicions and he seems to be looking at me being the traitor. He cast the Cruciatus on me a few times just to make sure I am still faithful to him."
Dumbledore looked at the Potions Master with slight sympathy in his eyes, but knew better than to give this man any pity. Severus has had to deal with much more pain than he was explaining now. No, Severus would probably terminate the relationship this instant if Albus showed any kind of concern.
Snape continued, "With that aside, I did, however, get some information on the Dark Lord's plans concerning Mr. Potter."
Dumbledore didn't show any change in his expression after hearing what Snape said. He just templed his fingers together, rested his elbows in the desk and waited for Severus to continue.
Snape gave no evidence that he noticed the headmasters behaviour.
"Voldemort is planning to kidnap Potter in a few hours."
"So soon? Why is it that we haven't learnt of this until now?"
"I believe, headmaster, that only Voldemort's most trusted was let in on the plan, and as I said before, he is suspicious on which side I am most faithful. He announced it tonight to all of us so we were informed on what he wants us to do when the time comes."
Dumbledore studied the set face of Severus. Things had to be done, obviously, but some things weren't completely clear.
"If Voldemort planned an attack to get Harry out of Hogwarts, then why didn't he ask for your knowledge of the wards I put up? And how come he is so sure he will be able to get in here? My wards are strong enough to hold out two thousand Death Eaters, and we both know he hasn't recruited that many people."
"He used his other source who has a sufficient knowledge of the grounds and areas surrounding Hogwarts: Peter Pettigrew. Pettigrew believes that he knows of a secret passage directly into here that you wouldn't have been able to ward off to the outside world. One of the Death Eaters were to come in and lure Potter out so he was open for Voldemort's attack."
"Do you know who the Death Eater assigned this task is?"
"No," Snape shook his head. "The Death Eater must have been taken aside inconspicuously."
"Right." Dumbledore stood in resolution. "When is this attack to take place precisely?"
"Nine o'clock. It seems that Voldemort does not want his to-be charge to miss his bedtime."
It was of Snape's nature to be sarcastic, and even thought it seeped into his speech, as usual (especially when involving Potter), but both man ignored what was said, in case it was true.
"Ok," Dumbledore took charge. "Go and get Harry and take him to a secure area in the dungeons. Whoever Voldemort sends will have a hard time leading Harry out into the open when they have the maze down there to contend with. Once you've done that come back up here. I will have gathered all of the other staff and we will develop a plan to prevent a physical assault if they happen to take that course of action."
Snape courtly nodded once again and hastily exited the headmaster's office.
The walk up to Gryffindor tower took no time at all for Severus. His mind was preoccupied with the Death Eater meeting, and was going over every detail in case there was anything his missed of importance to tell Dumbledore.
The Fat lady grizzled at being woken so early in the morning by a not so nice, and not so patient Snape.
"Fine, go through, but don't wake me when you leave."
The painting swung forward and Snape walked directly towards the boys dormitories. He knew where he was going. It was virtually staff regimen to know where the famous Boy-Who-Lived slept.
He twisted the doorknob and proceeded into where the sixth years resided. Refusing to be considerate to the five sleeping forms, he found Potter's bed and literally yelled for him to get up.
"POTTER, UP NOW!"
"W- Wha?"
One body sat up, eyes hardly open, head jerking around to find the source of the yelling. Four other bodies groaned and rolled over, not responding, as it wasn't their name called out.
Snape swiftly gathered up some muggle clothes that seemed to belong to Potter, and threw them at the half awake boy.
"What's going on?" the voice was slightly muffled due to the jeans that had landed over his head.
"You have to get up NOW, Potter. I'll explain on the way."
"On the way where?" Harry had by now determined that in was the infamous Potions Master of Hogwarts giving the orders. Who else would be so inconsiderate to a sleeping someone at three thirty in the morning?
"There is no time for that. Get dressed and lets get going."
Harry scowled but otherwise, did what he was told without complaint and protest. Within two minutes Harry had shoved on his shoes, left the laces untied, and slipped his wand in his right pants pocket. The second Harry was finished Snape lead him out of the dormitory, through the common room and into the silent and shadowed halls.
Severus could feel the boys eyes on his back. He gritted his teeth, why did the boy have to be so intimidating? No. He had dealt with the workings of the famous Potter in who knows how many Potion classes. Just because this was a different situation, and he knew that those eyes were silently asking the questions that he wanted answered, Severus Snape would not give in.
The two walked down through two more floors and it was Harry who couldn't stand the silence any longer.
"Well? Why have you dragged me out of my bed in the early hours of the morning? There has to be some reason you have graced me with your presence."
Even Harry couldn't keep his respect up for Snape at the moment. How dare this man come into his room, wake him up, order him around and not explain what all of this is all about.
Snape scowled. "If you must know Potter, you are in danger and some of us are risking our own lives just to keep you safe."
Harry silently withdrew into himself. He knew what Snape was talking about. Because of him Snape would dance with the devil every time a Death Eater meeting was called. It was bad enough that Harry felt guilty from the many lives Voldemort had taken, being directly responsible for his resurrection, therefore being directly responsible for so many deaths. So why did Snape go around making his life a living hell? Not that his life could be classified as normal, even without him.
Voldemort was out to get Harry, and it seemed that he wasn't going to give up anytime soon. The last time had been at the end of the last school year, exactly a year after the resurrection. Now it was two days before the Christmas Holidays started. He couldn't even give Harry a year to himself anymore.
Harry pushed the thoughts away and directed his attention back on the present situation.
"So what's happening? Where are you taking me?"
"You, Potter, are to stay down in the dungeons where no one can find you. While you are there, myself and the rest of the staff here will be increasing the wards around here."
Harry was silent after this. The best course of action here was to move quickly and to keep from pissing Snape off.
Within another fifteen minutes Snape had stopped in the maze of the dungeon rooms at an old rustic door. He tapped the lock with his wand, mumbled a spell that Harry couldn't hear, and pushed Harry inside.
"Stay here, and keep quiet. When all is safe myself or one of the other teachers will come here and collect you."
Harry scanned the room and furrowed his brow. There was nothing, absolutely nothing in the room other than Snape and himself.
"Jeez, could this room be anymore prison like?"
Couldn't he at least stay in a place that had something soft to sit on, like an iron barstool? The stone walls and floor didn't look inviting at all.
"Potter, here is the perfect place for you. It is never used and there are no windows or other doors for someone uninvited to barge in on you."
Harry wasn't pleased. By the tone of Snape's voice, it sounded like it wasn't someone else he was keeping out, but it was like this to keep him in. At least he had his wand.
"Fine. How long am I going to be in here?" Harry snapped at Snape, making it perfectly clear that this arrangement was totally unnecessary, or, at least, and insult to Harry's capability at defending himself. He wasn't just a little, defenceless boy anymore.
"We are unsure Potter. But as I said, you will be out of here as soon as it is safe."
Snape turned to leave but remembered something very important. He walked up to Harry, and as quick as a snake injecting its victim with venom, snatched Potter's wand out of his pocked and tucked it safely into his own.
"Hey! Give that back!"
"No, Potter. I cannot risk letting you escape from here and get yourself caught."
With that the greasy haired Potions Master swiftly exited the room, locked the door with an evident 'click', and left the Boy-Who-Lived to wallow in his own thoughts.
*************
Harry sighed and stood up in his 'room'. The silence was interrupted by a low growl from his stomach. Food had appeared out of nowhere twice since he had shoved in here with the lame explanation about the situation.
Irritation was crawling all over his skin. Couldn't someone just open the door, give his news of the attack, and then leave him locked in this fucking room? What that really too much to ask? Was it?
No answer! Of course not. This was getting out of hand. He was alone, in a dark room, and was expecting answers to his thoughts. If the bastards that put him in here didn't came back soon he was going to go insane. Though when you've been through as much as Harry had, its not surprising.
Everything around Harry seemed to be causing him trouble. Well maybe not everything, but all things that were of any importance had really gone down the shitter! The most recent being the fucking Slytherin's and the spoilt ferret known as Malfoy. Just because he got his Death Eater father to get him the best broom money can buy . . . in Knockturn Alley. Only a dark arts wizarding store would sell something with the name 'Winged Demon 666'.
Those evil intimidating morons showing off at every chance they got. Harry had to admit that their team had improved, whether it was a new training regime, steroids or magic, only the slimy Slytherin's knew, but it was that fact alone which inclined the Gryffindor team to take on the challenge. Thinking back now it was obviously suspicious, but it wasn't like a Gryffindor to chicken out of anything, especially when it came to those dirty Snakes.
Trust them to organise a match just so they could show off their skills and rub it in the Gryffindors faces.
At first, all the Gryffindors that had come to support the team seemed to be having a great time. Ron cheering the loudest, Dean with another banner that had luminous writing supporting the slogan 'Snakes Cower at the Lions Power!', Seamus, Neville, and about twenty others supports.
For a while there it felt like the old days to Harry. All of the initial threats wiped from his mind, and the only focus of his intentions was the all-important Quidditch match. Though the Slytherin's had to turn that into a problem too.
It wasn't a pretty sight when Malfoy rose in the air with the snitch that usually had Harry's name on it. There was only one thing worst than the facial expressions of the Slytherin team and their supporters - the looks from his fellow Gryffindors. It was the first match that he had ever lost to the Snakes, and when Malfoy had become Seeker it had only made it easier for them to win. Not any more.
An unintentional sigh escaped Harry. The only good thing about that game was it was unofficial, Gryffindor wasn't knocked out of the competition, and the way things were going it seemed as though Slytherin and Gryffindor would go head to head in the final. That is if Slytherin won against Ravenclaw when the new term started, and Harry had no doubt about that.
It was what Ron said after the match that really made Harry feel like crap. Ron was actually trying to comfort the green eyed boy, but those words had been said to him before, and they only encourage bad memories to come flooding back.
'Don't worry Harry. It wasn't your fault.'
The image of a face loomed into his mind. No! He couldn't think about that. Not her. Harry was only just getting over that whole experience, even though he knew he would never truly heal. Voldemort always seemed to know exactly how to really hurt Harry. Where the pain would always radiate around him no matter where the Dark Lord was. Harry could see it in all those eyes that pitied him, whether they were friends or strangers, it didn't matter.
Why did it have to be Hermione and not him?
Harry stood up and walked over to the other side of the room. He scowled at the wall, picturing it as Voldemort, and slammed his fist at the stone. The pain wasn't there at first. Harry deserved so much more when it came to what Hermione went through. A trickle of blood ran down the length of this middle finger. He ignored his now throbbing and gashed up knuckles, wiped the blood on the back of his shirt and started pacing across the room, staring at his feet that where only just visible in the dark.
It may have been hard on Harry, witnessing the whole ordeal, but his sympathy wasn't for himself, but for Ron. Ron and Hermione had gone from friends that always snapped at each other, to a loving couple that really made an impression on everyone they knew. Ron wasn't exactly the most romantic guy, but it was his sincerity and love of life that made Hermione fall for him. And even though it was Hermione that controlled the relationship, making sure that all their homework was done in time to still have a good three hours to snog, Ron loved it because she wasn't a girly girl, and he knew he couldn't handle being around someone like that twenty four-seven.
Oh, Harry had felt like the third wheel, a lot, but they were still his two best friends and he would support them and never deny the happiness that they deserved.
To tell you the truth, Harry having time to himself was an advantage in some ways. It was the holidays after fourth year that Ron and Hermione 'officially' got together. With Voldemort on the loose after that, he could go to the library and search for new spells and curses that would be able to protect him for whatever the evil git decided to throw at him next. With Ron and Hermione in the company of each other, they didn't worry about the Golden Boy of Gryffindor. That was how Harry liked it best. When there was no one around to tell him what to do, how to act, when to go to bed or clean his teeth. There had been no one around for almost his entire life, resulting, for Harry to fend for himself, and only having a dusty, dirty cupboard as his own.
Overall Harry thought Ron and Hermione were good for each other. Hermione kept Ron out of trouble while Ron kept Hermione out of the books (most of the time).
It hadn't even been a year for the couple when Voldemort stuck his face into their business. Another one of his 'brilliant' plans to get to Harry, kill him and get on with taking over the world. The only problem was, when it came to Harry, Voldemort never seemed to get what he wanted - the fall of the last Potter, the annoying pebble in his shoe.
There was a small pop in the vicinity of the room and a plate of roast beef, mashed potato and peas appeared in the centre of the floor. Harry almost stepped on the food while still walking back and forth, contemplating his thoughts and memories. He stared at it for half a second, then sat down and greedily began to stuff the potato in his mouth. By the look of the sort of food sent to him it was dinnertime. Dinner began at about seven at night, so that must have been the time, give or take a few minutes.
Harry shook his head as he swallowed a mouthful. They had kept him locked down here for sixteen hours. Shit.
Ok, so it doesn't really sound that long, but when thoughts are torture to someone, and there was nothing and no one around to attract their attention, it was kinda hard, and felt like an eternity.
The only reason he was here was to finally fight Voldemort, kill him, and be the hero that everyone made him out to be. Ultimately these people were saving their own hides as much as his.
Bastards. The lot of them.
*************
After Rant: ok, first chapter out of the way, but I have something else important to query. Has anyone here actually thought about the impact Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will make on the fic writing community? On the one hand, it will be GREAT. More ideas sprouting, hidden stories to reveal, new characters to write about, new magic to manipulate. But then you think about the stories that are already half way though. These ideas and motives will be challenged and shot down when all of this new info in the Harry Potter world is known. For so long I was hanging for the next book in the series to come out, years and years of waiting. Now that I know it will be here in only a few months, I don't know if I want it to spoil all the cool fics that I have lived, and survived on.
