AN: Hello, I'm back! Thank you blackdog7 for your review! And a HUGE ENORMOUS thank you for Jo Claire, my amazing beta!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. :-(
Warnings: Depression, abuse, the usual. . .
Chapter 2
The next few days of Harry's life passed uneventfully. After the incident in the bathroom, Harry buried the knife in the bottom of his school trunk. He felt no need to use the blade, for which Harry was glad. Hermione attacked him with questions, of course, when he returned to Ron's bedroom after nearly an hour of 'hiding' in the bathroom. However, as much as Harry wished to confess to Hermione what he did to himself, he remained silent.
After the incident with Ginny, the two avoided each other as much as possible and despite many stealthy glances from her, Harry tried not to dwell on their kiss. For some unknown reason, Ron never again mentioned the kiss either and to that, Harry was thankful. Three days after the incidents found Harry, Hermione, and Ron discussing their future search for horcruxes.
"I think we should check every place he has a connection to. I mean, Dumbledore found Marvolo's ring in the rubble of the Gaunt house, and the locket was in the cave in which Voldemort tortured those poor children when he was in the orphanage." Hermione said.
"'Mione, I really wish you would stop saying his bloody name!" Ron said with a shudder.
"Dumbledore said his name." Harry said quietly. He was sitting away from the two, in a corner of the room while Ron and Hermione were on Ron's bed.
"Yea well, that—that doesn't mean we should too." Ron sputtered, taken aback at Harry's casual mention of Dumbledore.
"Harry, I know you must be sick of me asking you this, but are you alright?" Hermione asked, hopping off the bed and moving to sit next to Harry.
"I'm fine Hermione. You don't have to constantly worry about me." Harry snapped. He sighed at the hurt look in Hermione's eyes, "I just don't like being cooped up here, that's all. We've been here nearly two months! I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I want to go shopping."
Ron looked like he was choking as he said, "Alright, who are you and what have you done to my best mate?"
"Oh Ronald, I think shopping sounds wonderful!" Hermione said, her eyes lighting up instantly at the mention of shopping, "Of course we'll have to ask Bill to pick up some of Harry's money. And we should shop in Muggle London!"
"Muggle London!" Ron whined, "Why does it have to be Muggle London?"
"Oh Ronald! Don't you remember what Kingsley said last week?" When Ron shook his head Hermione continued, "He said the ministry has been infiltrated. It would be best for us to stay out of sight
"Sounds like a good idea Hermione, I'll go ask Mrs. Weasley. We should go today!" Harry said, jumping up and running downstairs."
Ron and Hermione exchanged slightly confused glances before hastily following Harry down to the kitchen.
"Mrs. Weasley?" Harry called, "Can I ask you something?"
Harry ran into the kitchen expecting to find Mrs. Weasley preparing lunch. However, he found a room full of people in black robes. Harry quickly reached into his pocket for his wand, only to find that he left it upstairs in his jacket pocket.
"There's Potter."
The group of Death Eaters advanced and Harry found himself surrounded.
"My, my, the famous Potter doesn't even have his wand. What ever will he do?"
Harry looked up to see none other than Lucius Malfoy standing before him, his wand pointing at Harry's chest. Harry growled and took a menacing step towards him.
"Careful Potter, wouldn't want to end up like your mutt of a Godfather just yet, would you?" Malfoy senior said sneering. He waved his wand. Ropes immediately snaked around Harry's wrists and bound them together behind his back.
"Get him."
Four Death Eaters stepped forward and restrained a struggling Harry. Harry tried his best to wiggle out of their grasp, but to no avail. The situation was a bleak one. Harry hoped Ron and Hermione wouldn't try to fight against twenty Death Eaters.
"Bring him outside. We must bring Potter to the Dark Lord." Lucius Malfoy said. He turned around and led the group of Death Eaters out into the Weasley's yard.
"NO, LET GO OF ME!" shouted Harry as the four Death Eaters holding him dragged him out into the yard.
"Stupify." Lucius Malfoy said, pointing his wand at Harry. Harry's world immediately went black as he slipped into the realm of the unconscious mind.
Harry woke in panic. He was quick to realize a few things. One: he had no idea where he was. Two: he was blindfolded and his hands were still tied. And three: he was at the mercy of Death Eaters. None were very comforting thoughts.
"Well, Potter, finally awake I see."
Harry turned around, trying to find the person speaking.
"Pathetic, Potter." The person said. Harry's heart jumped to his throat when he realized to whom the voice belonged. He was in a room, completely helpless, with none other than Severus Snape.
"Why don't you get to the point, Snape?" Harry hissed, trying to stand, only to be shoved back to the ground.
"Get down you filthy little half-blood!" Harry felt a mild stab of fear upon hearing Bellatrix Lestrange's voice.
"Calm yourself, Bellatrix." Snape said. Harry could almost hear the sneer in his voice.
"Stay out of this, Snape! The Dark Lord said I could have a bit of fun with the boy! I intend to accept the offer!" Bellatrix hissed
"Oh, stop acting like an old married couple!" Harry said, rolling his eyes behind his blindfold.
"Crucio!" hissed Bellatrix.
Harry was immediately hit with the intense pain of the cruciatis curse. Harry screamed and writhed in pain on the floor as Bellatrix cackled.
"Ickle baby Potter can't take a bit of pain?" Bellatrix said in her mock-baby voice.
Harry could feel tears in his eyes as the pain continued. His head collided something hard as he jerked about as if movement could stop the affects of the curse. Harry could hear Bellatrix laughing once again.
"That's enough, Lestrange!" Snape said. Harry was startled by his tone, but did not have much time to dwell on it.
"Oh Snape, you take the fun out of everything!" whined Bellatrix as she lifted the curse.
"The Dark Lord does, unfortunately, want Potter conscious so we can interrogate him." Snape said
"FINE!" snapped Bellatrix. A dim light reawakened Harry's senses as his blindfold was removed. The first this he noticed was that he was in a small, unfurnished room that might have been a large closet. Bellatrix and Snape were standing next to the only door.
"Alright, Potter, the Dark Lord requires us to ask you a few questions. It would be detrimental to your health if we discovered you told nothing but lies. Understood?" Snape said, sounding exactly like he did when teaching.
"What ever you say, Professor." Harry said, putting as much spite into the last word he possibly could. Snape did nothing to acknowledge this.
"Why were you at the Weasley house?" Snape asked, starting the 'interview'.
Harry blinked, taken aback by the question, "Because I always stay with them during the summer. As you should well know, sir." Harry once again put as much malice and disrespect behind that word, to no avail. Snape acted as if he didn't hear the last part of Harry's statement.
"I thought so. Now Potter, where is the Order of the Phoenix meeting?"
"I don't know. And even if I did, do you really think I would tell you?" Harry said, standing up swiftly, "If Voldemort really thinks I would tell him that piece of information, he is once again mistaken! You can tell you're good for nothing master that—"
"You DARE speak His name? With your FILTHY Half-Blood lips?" Bellatrix whispered, cutting Harry off. She was shaking in anger as she took a few steps forward, "YOU DARE SPEAK THE DARK LORDS NAME!"
She slapped Harry's face so hard he was thrown off balance for a moment.
"Oh, didn't you know? Voldemort is a half-blood. That pathetic little snake face had a muggle for a father and a blood traitor for a mother and yet you still kiss his slimy feet." Harry said, smiling inwardly when Bellatrix's face drained of color.
"You . . . you DARE?" She grabbed a handful of Harry's hair and smashed his head against the wall, "YOU—DARE—SUGGEST—THE—DARK—LORD—IS—NO—BETTER—THAN—YOURSELF?!"
As she spoke she banged Harry's head against the wall until he could feel a steady flow of blood on his face. Bellatrix threw Harry to the ground and pulled out her wand.
"That's enough Bellatrix." Snape said, "We must return to the Dark Lord and report."
Bellatrix looked from Harry to Snape and back again before finally lowering her wand and, after a hard kick to Harry's ribs, left the room with Snape behind her.
Harry moved only after he could no longer hear their footsteps. He sat up, ignoring the throbbing of his head and the pain caused by every breath. Harry took a few moments to calm himself before trying to think of escaping. Harry got up and slowly limped towards the door. He tried to turn the handle, only to find it locked.
"Figures." muttered Harry. He threw all his weight against the door, hoping that it would budge. Again and again he tried to knock down the door, which resulted only in a very bruised shoulder on top of all his other injuries.
"Damn." Harry said quietly, as he leaned against the wall next to the door, and slid down it. He could feel exhaustion rolling over him in waves as a million questions ran through his mind. Why would Voldemort want him alive? Why would he ask such obvious questions? Would the Order try to find him?
Other than the question of the Order attempting to track him down, there were no obvious answers. Voldemort's mind continued to be a mystery to Harry. He felt his mind slowly drifting into darkness as his exhaustion began taking over. Harry closed his eyes and succumbed to the darkness.
"Oh, get up. Potter."
Harry opened his eyes slowly, his head still throbbing from last nights encounter with Bellatrix. Or was it today? Harry realized he had no idea how long he had been here.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked venomously. Draco Malfoy was leaning against the closed door, levitating a tray next to him.
"The Dark Lord has no desire to let you die. I have been instructed to make sure this does not happen until the Dark Lord wills it." Malfoy said with a scowl.
"So, Draco Malfoy is forced to play nursemaid to Harry Potter. Never thought I'd live to see this!" Harry said, grinning. Malfoy scowled again, but did nothing to retaliate. He flicked his wand and the tray fell down in front of Harry. There was a goblet of water and a small loaf of bread.
"I'm not eating anything that comes from Voldemort!" Harry said, glaring at Malfoy with as much malice as he could muster. Malfoy rolled his eyes and walked towards Harry.
"Too bad, Potter." He said, picking up the bread. Suddenly, Malfoy's hand shot towards Harry's face, pinching his nose together. Harry struggled for a few moments until his mouth opened involuntarily to breath. Malfoy pushed the entire loaf of bread into Harry's mouth and released his nose. Harry nearly choked before he reluctantly swallowed the food with a grimace. Malfoy smirked.
"You might want to wash that down with something to drink, Potter." Malfoy said, his signature smirk still firmly in place.
Harry opened his mouth to say some biting remark, but Malfoy levitated the water out of the cup and forced it into Harry's mouth. Harry felt like he was drowning for a moment before, once again, swallowing against his will.
"Goodbye, Potter." Malfoy said with a sneer. He levitated the tray and opened the door. Harry sprang up and tried to run out the opened door, only to be thrown back by an Expelliarmous charm.
Malfoy smirked. He turned on the spot and walked out the door, slamming it behind him. Harry growled in frustration and kicked the wall.
"Damn Malfoy!" Harry snarled, kicking the wall again, pretending he was kicking Malfoy instead. Harry sat down, moodily and leaned against the wall.
"Damn Voldemort." He muttered closing his eyes. Harry blinked back the tears forming at the corner of his eyes. "Why do I always manage to get myself in these situations? Whenever I do, someone always ends up dead."
Harry sat straight up as realization dawned on him. Voldemort was using him as bait for the Order!
"When they come, they'll all die." Harry whispered so softly he wasn't sure he spoke at all, as if saying those terrible words confirmed reality. "They'll all die for me! I can't let that happen, I can't. I won't—I can't!" Harry could feel tears slipping down his face. How could he avoid the inevitable? There was no way to escape Voldemort.
"Ron, Hermione." He whispered to himself, "Mum, dad, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore. Mum, dad, Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore. Sirius, Dumbledore, mum, Cedric, dad. Mum, dad, Cedric Sirius, Dumbledore."
Harry repeated the names of the dead to himself as tears continued flowing freely from his bloodshot eyes. Over and over Harry muttered the outcomes of his past mistakes. Over and over Harry reminded himself what his life costs others. Over and over, Harry whispered the names of those who died because of him! He attracted death. No one was safe whilst Harry lived. That was what Harry had convinced himself to be true. He continued muttering the names of the beloved dead until his throat was too dry to continue speaking. When that happened, he resigned himself to wallowing in his self-loathing. Harry hated himself so much then. He hated the danger he put others in, he hated his own stupidity, and he hated how much he depended on his friends. He constantly put those he loved in harms way.
Slowly, Harry slipped into a dark, fitful, and tormented sleep.
AN: Thank you all for reading. Reviews are always welcomed! Oh, and I'm going on vacation on thursday and I'm not getting back until pretty late on the 10th. I hope to have chapter 3 posted before then, but if not, I'll have it posted by the 11th or 12th. Thank you everyone!