Chapter One:
The Decision
Harry Potter was in absolute shock. Only shortly after the Hogwarts Express left Platform 9¾ for its annual journey to Hogwarts, dozens of cracks filled the air. Amongst them, screams of fear were heard throughout the train. Harry looked out of his compartment into the hallway, and he, too, almost screamed at what he saw.
Death Eaters all throughout the corridor were pulling students out of their compartments. Students, Harry realized, that were all his close friends. He pulled out his wand, ready for whatever was happening. He went to open the door but it was now somehow locked. "Alohamora!" He screamed the unlocking charm in frustration, pointing his wand at the door; but the spell was useless. It remained locked. He watched through the door, helplessly, as his friends were bound and gagged.
Then he heard a familiar voice, one he did not want to hear, that of Bellatrix Lestrange. "Get the boy! Bring him out here now!" No sooner had she given the command, a black robed figure muttered a spell and opened the door to Harry's compartment. "Accio Wand!" The robed figure said as he pointed his wand at Harry. Harry's wand went flying through the air into an outstretched, silver hand. Wormtail's silver hand.
"YOU!" Harry screamed at the man in surprise, but he remained silent. He watched as Wormtail put his, Harry's, wand in the pocket of his robes. The silver hand then clamped onto Harry's Shoulder, and Wormtail pulled him out of the compartment with amazing strength. Harry struggled to break free, but even if he did get loose, it wouldn't matter, because the train was filled with Death Eaters. He was without his wand and about to be taken to face them. He had to do something...but what? As Wormtail pulled him out of the compartment, he passed his friends, who looked up at him with looks of helplessness.
"Hurry, Wormtail. We haven't got much time." Bellatrix was waiting for them at the end of the train. While making his way toward her, Harry passed Ron, who was looking fearful and pale, and Hermione, who had tears in her eyes. He paused, wanting more than anything to help them, but Wormtail urged him to keep walking.
"Hello, Potter." Came the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange. The last time he had seen her, she had killed his godfather, Sirius Black, but he had no time to think of that now. "Potter, we have been sent here by no other than the Dark Lord himself. He has a proposition for you." She paused, and stared at Harry out of her heavy-lidded eyes. "As you can see, we have you hostage, we have your wand, and we have you are completely surrounded. You have two options. One, we take all your friends to the Dark Lord and let them suffer. Or, two, we can just as easily, take you. It's your choice, Potter." Harry could not believe this. He was at a loss for words. He turned around, peering through the black robes that stopped him from getting to his friends. He looked at them, who were all trying to unbind the cords that were cutting into their skin. Harry knew their attempts were futile. They were bound with the same curse that had held Harry to the tombstone as Voldemort returned over a year ago.
"How come Voldemort didn't come if he wants me so bad? Is he too afraid to show himself in front of a bunch of kids?" Harry spoke only to buy himself some time. Bellatrix took out her wand, and Harry knew she was going to put the Cruciatus Curse on him. He saw through the slits in the black mask that she had the same look in her eye as she did before using it on Neville last year. "No. The Dark Lord said he wanted the boy unharmed." Said another hooded Death Eater, restraining her from retaliating on their captive's snide remark. Harry never thought he would be thankful for one of Voldemort's followers. Bellatrix now looked furious. "Potter, choose now, or I will choose for you." Her words were spoken through clenched teeth. Harry was trying to stall as much as possible. "I thought that most of the Death Eaters were in Azkaban? Weren't they taken there after your master's plan failed?"
"Potter do not try me. But to answer your question, yes they were. But now that the Dark Lord is back, and the Dementors are his followers again, getting out is easy. Now I answered your question, you answer mine!"
The Death Eaters had moved in closer. They pulled their wands out and pointed them at Harry, ready for whatever happened. He knew there was no more time to be had.
"Well, Potter, your decision? I'll give you three seconds. Be grateful I've allowed you this much time. 1....2....3"
Harry did not want to answer. His only two choices were to have his friends killed by Voldemort, or turn in himself. If he did the latter, he would be risking his own life and that of many others, for if he died, Voldemort would become immortal and unstoppable, according to the Prophecy. Yet, there was no doubt in Harry's mind about what choice he would make. "Times up, boy. Your choice?" Harry opened his mouth and reluctantly uttered his decision.
The Decision
Harry Potter was in absolute shock. Only shortly after the Hogwarts Express left Platform 9¾ for its annual journey to Hogwarts, dozens of cracks filled the air. Amongst them, screams of fear were heard throughout the train. Harry looked out of his compartment into the hallway, and he, too, almost screamed at what he saw.
Death Eaters all throughout the corridor were pulling students out of their compartments. Students, Harry realized, that were all his close friends. He pulled out his wand, ready for whatever was happening. He went to open the door but it was now somehow locked. "Alohamora!" He screamed the unlocking charm in frustration, pointing his wand at the door; but the spell was useless. It remained locked. He watched through the door, helplessly, as his friends were bound and gagged.
Then he heard a familiar voice, one he did not want to hear, that of Bellatrix Lestrange. "Get the boy! Bring him out here now!" No sooner had she given the command, a black robed figure muttered a spell and opened the door to Harry's compartment. "Accio Wand!" The robed figure said as he pointed his wand at Harry. Harry's wand went flying through the air into an outstretched, silver hand. Wormtail's silver hand.
"YOU!" Harry screamed at the man in surprise, but he remained silent. He watched as Wormtail put his, Harry's, wand in the pocket of his robes. The silver hand then clamped onto Harry's Shoulder, and Wormtail pulled him out of the compartment with amazing strength. Harry struggled to break free, but even if he did get loose, it wouldn't matter, because the train was filled with Death Eaters. He was without his wand and about to be taken to face them. He had to do something...but what? As Wormtail pulled him out of the compartment, he passed his friends, who looked up at him with looks of helplessness.
"Hurry, Wormtail. We haven't got much time." Bellatrix was waiting for them at the end of the train. While making his way toward her, Harry passed Ron, who was looking fearful and pale, and Hermione, who had tears in her eyes. He paused, wanting more than anything to help them, but Wormtail urged him to keep walking.
"Hello, Potter." Came the voice of Bellatrix Lestrange. The last time he had seen her, she had killed his godfather, Sirius Black, but he had no time to think of that now. "Potter, we have been sent here by no other than the Dark Lord himself. He has a proposition for you." She paused, and stared at Harry out of her heavy-lidded eyes. "As you can see, we have you hostage, we have your wand, and we have you are completely surrounded. You have two options. One, we take all your friends to the Dark Lord and let them suffer. Or, two, we can just as easily, take you. It's your choice, Potter." Harry could not believe this. He was at a loss for words. He turned around, peering through the black robes that stopped him from getting to his friends. He looked at them, who were all trying to unbind the cords that were cutting into their skin. Harry knew their attempts were futile. They were bound with the same curse that had held Harry to the tombstone as Voldemort returned over a year ago.
"How come Voldemort didn't come if he wants me so bad? Is he too afraid to show himself in front of a bunch of kids?" Harry spoke only to buy himself some time. Bellatrix took out her wand, and Harry knew she was going to put the Cruciatus Curse on him. He saw through the slits in the black mask that she had the same look in her eye as she did before using it on Neville last year. "No. The Dark Lord said he wanted the boy unharmed." Said another hooded Death Eater, restraining her from retaliating on their captive's snide remark. Harry never thought he would be thankful for one of Voldemort's followers. Bellatrix now looked furious. "Potter, choose now, or I will choose for you." Her words were spoken through clenched teeth. Harry was trying to stall as much as possible. "I thought that most of the Death Eaters were in Azkaban? Weren't they taken there after your master's plan failed?"
"Potter do not try me. But to answer your question, yes they were. But now that the Dark Lord is back, and the Dementors are his followers again, getting out is easy. Now I answered your question, you answer mine!"
The Death Eaters had moved in closer. They pulled their wands out and pointed them at Harry, ready for whatever happened. He knew there was no more time to be had.
"Well, Potter, your decision? I'll give you three seconds. Be grateful I've allowed you this much time. 1....2....3"
Harry did not want to answer. His only two choices were to have his friends killed by Voldemort, or turn in himself. If he did the latter, he would be risking his own life and that of many others, for if he died, Voldemort would become immortal and unstoppable, according to the Prophecy. Yet, there was no doubt in Harry's mind about what choice he would make. "Times up, boy. Your choice?" Harry opened his mouth and reluctantly uttered his decision.