Reference: The story is set seven years after they graduate from Hogwarts, which means the three friends are 24 now. All three are unattached. It's easier to write without this romance thing going around because this fic isn't about their relationships. Maybe a little, but not too much until it becomes a focal point. You get what I mean, don't you? *wink*
Beware: I rated this PG-13 because there are some gruesome depictions of some things, so I hope you're not reading this at night... it may give you nightmares. But I seriously doubt so - I'm not that good a writer. Heh. *laugh*
Harry winced as a spike poked into his skin when he adjusted his body from its uncomfortable position. Both he and Ron were facing a wall and hung in chains with spikes. It was a dingy dungeon... a dungeon in which Harry did not know where. "Do you plead mercy?" a crude voice was heard taunting the two. Harry kept quiet. He knew from his previous experiences that answering was not an option. Harry did not twist his head around, in fear of what he might see. His wand was sticking up from the pocket of his robe, but he couldn't reach it. He tried to use his teeth to grab it, but no avail. He knew Voldemort was behind him... he could smell the stench of the already rotting body not far away. The foul creature emitted a cruel laugh. Right at that moment, the chains broke apart, and the two fell to the ground with a sickening thud. As Harry sat there recovering from the pain and shock jarring his bones, he nursed his bleeding ankles and wrists. As Ron and Harry sat there, breathless from the ordeal, the Dark Lord stood in front of them. Harry did not dare to look up, and kept his head down. He suddenly felt very vulnerable - one swift cut from the behind could send his head rolling... He saw Voldemort's feet. They were full of maggots, crawling and eating away at the death grey flesh. The flesh looked as if it were jelly, so cold... so loose... as if it would just slither off the bones and attack them. They seemed to have a life of their own, what with the movement of the maggots within them. Beside him, he could hear Ron sobbing. He wanted to just break down and cry, plead for mercy, just to live... just to get out of this horrible torture chamber... how he wished. The cruel voice then began again, "This body is not going to be any more use to me... it's rotting away, unfortunately. Too bad none of the spells to preserve this body worked... it all intercepted my magical power... so I was left with this. The situation is getting so bad I cannot bear it... and one of you will have to help me. Won't you, Potter boy?" He squatted down and lifted Harry's face up with one finger whilst staring straight into Harry's eyes. At that moment, Harry felt as if he was about to faint... streaked with terror and just plain disgust, he seized up, and closed his eyes immediately. The eyes were terrifying. They were so cold they burnt right into his heart and almost seemed to freeze it. "Now the question is," the Dark Lord began, "who exactly, shall I use?" He paused for a while, then continued, "We shan't use Potter boy here... he'll be of use to me - later on. So that leaves... ah yes, the Weasley boy. Potter's good friend, eh?" He cackled. As he spoke, tiny bits of what seemed like spit came out from his mouth, and one landed beside Harry. When Harry turned to look, he got a shock - it wasn't spit, it was flesh. Harry snuck a glance at Ron, which was hard to do when Voldemort was looking at you. Ron was convulsing, and shivering. His whole body seemed to seize up, relax, then seize up again. His was breathing heavily and you could see drops of sweat hanging from the tip of his nose. His red hair was a mess, and his robes stained with blood. He then suddenly remembered his wand, and quickly grabbed it. Pointing it toward the evil wizard, he muttered "Objectus Foratus", in an attempt to move Voldemort to the other side of the room, but it had no effect on the dark wizard. Voldemort ignored the spell, and just stood there, leaning against the wall of the dungeon, seeming to be in deep thought. Glancing at Ron, he saw him raise his wand. As the words "Foriat Maetalus" barely escaped Ron's mouth, he saw Voldemort take out his wand and made the curse reflect back. Ron was hit, and he was down. Harry saw his best friend grab his head, and then suddenly, his body slumped down against the floor.
Harry's mind was a whirl. He didn't know what to do. Harry's conscience kept on telling him to just stay there and don't move, and start praying real hard... but he knew he couldn't leave his friend in the ditch. Before Harry knew it, he stood up and put a spell on Ron so that his body would float and follow him, and he started running as fast as his tired and worn out body could carry him up the stairs of the dungeon. Voldemort was shocked at Harry's reaction... he wasn't prepared. Apparently, he was not used to his victims running away from him, and stood there for a few moments, not knowing what to do. As Harry reached the trapdoor of the dungeon, and burst out of it. Bright sunlight reached his eyes, and he was blinded for a few moments. "Could have at least locked the door or something..." Harry muttered under his breath. Looking left and right, he realised that this town was deserted, and they came up from a basement of an old shack. He ran behind the shack and squatted down, needing to catch his breath. As he sat there for a while, he realised that Voldemort could come out and look for him, and he had an impulse to run away from his little hiding place. He knew he was dead meat if he didn't run away right at that moment, but seriously, he just could not summon enough strength to walk any further. As he stood up and made sure the coast was clear, he surveyed his surroundings... this place looked vaguely familiar - as if he had been here before. He was sure of it. As he looked up at the sky, he spotted a towering castle. Hogwarts! This had to be Hogsmeade... but what happened? Hogsmeade was in ruins. Oh no... Voldemort must have come by and destroyed everything in sight. As he stared at his friend lying on the grass without a hint of life in him except a faint pulse, he got a bright idea. He made Ron's body follow him again, and went about looking for Honeydukes, the sweet shop where there was a secret passage that the twins had discovered a long time ago that was connected to Hogwarts. Harry went through the secret passage, and emerged in the familiar surroundings of his old school, Hogwarts. Suddenly, he heard a group of students coming towards him, and quickly hid behind the statue. After the group of students passed, he rushed immediately to the Infirmy. He was sure Madam Pomfrey could have Ron cured in less than a week.
As Harry neared the familiar site of the Infirmy, his stomach gave a flop. What if they refused to cure Ron? He had to go to Dumbledore later and alert him of Voldemort... his scar was hurting, and at one point, it hurt so much he felt as if he would faint. He stumbled through the doors with a decided grunt, and called out in a hoarse voice, "Madam Pomfrey?" As he saw the jolly and plump looking woman rushing toward him, his heart lifted it bit. "Madam Pomfrey! Oh am I so glad to see you! Please, help Ron. I think his curse backfired and he wouldn't wake up!" He bit his lip. "Oh my god! No it can't be! Harry Potter?!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed. "You mean you didn't know? But let's forget all this small talk and please cure Ron! I need to speak to Dumbledore himself now... it's very urgent. I'm sorry, please take care of Ron for me!" Harry said, as he rushed off to find Dumbledore. Sure enough, he saw Fawkes the phoenix and Dumbledore sitting at his desk. "Professor Dumbledore!" Harry cried as he saw the aged man sitting at his desk with his glasses and his warm looking eyes. Dumledore looked up and smiled. "Why, good afternoon Harry. Sit down... sit down..." he said, as he motioned for Harry to sit down on an overstuffed chair. Dumbledore took off his spectacles and looked up, smiling his famous smile. "What's wrong? It's been seven years..." Harry took a deep breath, and said, "Oh god, Voldemort's back! He wrecked Hogsmeade and he kidnapped Ron and I... Ron tried to curse him but his curse backfired and.. and... he's in the infirmy now... Madam Pomfrey's attending to him. Oh my god... I still can't believe all of this happened..." He buried his head in his hands. He suddenly realised that he wasn't in school anymore, and Dumbledore wasn't his headmaster anymore... what if because of that, Dumbledore would refuse to help him? But Dumbledore seemed oblivious to that fact, and gave Harry a chocolate frog, which Harry accepted thankfully and ate it in three quick bites.
"Well," Dumbledore began, "we do know that Voldemort was coming... we knew that he invaded Hogsmeade. Tell me why he kidnapped you two."
"He said he wanted to infest Ron's body... he said he had uses for me later..."
"I see... exactly what happened, may I know?"
With that, Harry related what happened in every detail.
"And what has become of Voldemort now?"
"I'm not too sure either... I took refuge behind the shrieking shack - I didn't know the shrieking shack had a basement..."
"Well, now you do. Why not you stay at Hogwarts for a few days before going? I believe you're still unattached at the moment..."
"Thank you Professor - only if it isn't too much trouble."
"Oh no! Not at all."
"So... what can be done about the situation?"
"I'm not so sure myself... I guess we have to wait and see. Voldemort wants world domination... he wants everyone to succumb to his power. For once I admit, I don't know what to do either. I guess you can go to your bedroom now. Everything will be provided."
"Thank you Professor, I'll take my leave."
A/N: Hmm... not much of a cliffhanger, eh? I don't know... I just didn't know how to continue the story from there. So bear with me while I fight my writer blockedness and write some more! Please review... and give me some ideas, will ya? I'm definitely continuing this story, regardless of whether I get any reviews or not, but I would really appreciate some feedback, so as to correct any flaws I currently have. I'm currently on holiday, so I have a lot of free time on my hands! So expect the second part soon - only if I get some ideas into this thick-head of mine. Heh heh... *grin* Remember to review! *hint*
P/S: I know that in the latest book (HP & The Goblet of Fire), Voldemort came back... let's say he disappeared one day and lost all his followers. Then he came back again, looking for a new body and to regain power. Geddit?