Harry slowly came around and he thought at first it must be some bad dream. He thought he would wake up in the headmaster's office. He had likely fallen asleep waiting for the man to come back. But as he slowly came around, he was confused and disoriented. Whatever he had been sleeping on, seemed to be moving. His head was aching and he tried to reach up to touch it but could not seem to move his hands at all. As he started to come around, he realized he was face down, but he was not laying down. He was hanging over something and his hands were bound. It slowly dawned on him he was on a horse, and he seemed to have been thrown over the back of the horse and tied in place. He could see from the color of the horse that it was not the horse he had been riding. His memories came back, of riding for the school, and the crack on the head.

He struggled in his position, and didn't realize he wasn't alone, until he felt a strong arm go around him. He tried to cry out, but he found himself gagged, and he was no more able to speak, than he was able to move from his spot. The horse was pulled to a stop and the rider dismounted.

He found his head pulled up. "Awake are you?"

Harry eyed the man.

He laughed. "I guess we should take this out."

Harry spat. "Let me go."

The man laughed. "Oh I think not."

Harry fought the binds. "You can't bind me like this."

The man shrugged. "Wouldn't want you to run away."

Another man called. "Time to make camp boys."

The one with him called. "It is barely dark."

The other came over. "Do you want to enter the woods?"

Another said. "We could circle them."

His man shook his head. "They will want the boy."

Harry found himself dragged off the horse. "Who will want me?"

The man pointed at the horse he road. "Your friend."

Harry was confused. "I don't know who you mean."

Harry found himself tied to a large tree, as the other men were making camp. Harry looked at the big black horse which was close to him. Harry had no idea how they knew whose horse it was. He had nothing to do with Salazar Slytherin. He had enough trouble with the man's descendants. The man had put him on his horse and to head for the school for help. He assumed he could not blame him for this one.

The man who had been leading him, came over to him while watching him. Harry wasn't sure why, but something in his eyes bothered him a lot. Harry could barely move, and was happy at least that his wand and bag seemed untouched on the horse.

The man brought a bottle to his lips. "Drink."

Harry refused. "No."

The man pushed. "It's water, you must be thirsty."

Harry refused. "Poison likely."

The man drank some and then offered him the bottle. "Drink."

Harry watched him swallow and then said. "Fine."

The man gave Harry a good drink. "No need to be so stubborn little one."

Harry ground his teeth. "I am a prisoner."

"Not a prisoner, simply our guest."

"Do you tie all your guests to trees?"

The man laughed. "Those we think may not appreciate our hospitality fully."

Harry put on a fake smile. "Oh I am all for it."

The man laughed. "Haven't earned that yet."

Harry was surprised when his hands were freed though. "What was that?"

The man handed him food. "I will not spoon feed you."

Harry could see the ties were too far behind him that he could not have tied himself anyways. The man tasted the food to convince Harry to eat it. Harry had no idea what would happen to him. Salazar would never come for him, the man likely thought that Harry had stolen his horse and left him to fend for himself. Harry wondered how long they would keep him alive before they killed him, if no ransom cam for him.

The others thought he was asleep later when he heard one say. "Do we send word?"

"How do we know they even know the boy?"

His captor said. "He was riding the horse."

The leader said. "We will send ransom demands in the morning."

Another asked. "And if they don't pay."

His captor smirked. "We will have some fun and then dispose of him."

Harry knew he didn't like the sounds of that and he had to find some way out of this. He had no idea how he was going to get out of there, but as the others slept, he searched for some bit of sharp rock or tree to cut the rope with. He found a small piece, and it was nearing dawn, when he managed to saw through the ropes. He had no idea where to go, but seeing the big Black tied up, he headed for the horse. The horse was prancing but Harry allowed the horse to get his scent, and he was able to get onto the horse. He kicked his horse into action

He heard one of his captors call. "The boy."

His main one launched on to a horse. "Now where do you think you are going?"

Harry kicked his horse into a gallop. "Come on boy we need to get out of here."

The man called. "I wouldn't be going that way."

Harry shouted back. "I am done with your hospitality."

Harry headed into the woods, not stopping to think what the man may have meant. He noticed the man did not seem to follow him into the woods. He assumed the captors thought he was not worth the effort. The man sat on his horse watching the boy go and thought it was a shame. He was a fine looking man and he would have been some fun to play with. He had hoped the horse's owner would not want him.

His leader came over. "Leave him, the boy is dead."


Salazar fought the bandits but kept his eyes to the school waiting for help to arrive. The boy surely had made it there by now. He had not taken his own advice. All he had was his dagger, he didn't even have his staff, though better with a sword. He had his wand, but as he told the boy, it was too dangerous a time to show that. He was grateful for the hand to hand combat his Grandfather had insisted he learn.

He had not seen the bandit coming at him from behind until it was nearly too late. Just as the man was about to cut him down, Salazar swiveled around and was going to try and block it, when the man dropped to the ground in a pile.

Godric stood behind the man. "Alright there?"

He accepted a hand up. "I am now."

Rowena looked around. "They become more brazen."

Helga asked. "Where is your horse? We need to get back."

Salazar stopped. "Is he not at school?'

Godric shook his head. "You sent him back."

Salazar was alarmed. "I sent the boy back for help."

Rowena smirked. "Stole your horse."

Salazar shook his head. "The bandits."

Rowena didn't buy it. "Boy saw the value of your horse."

Godric tried to keep peace. "The bandits were near school."

Helga agreed. "We saw a large group of hooves."

Rowena smirked. "A thief."

Salazar climbed on to a bandit horse. "Well either way, we need to find him."

Rowena was grumbling about the risk and horse thieves, but the four headed out along the way. The bandits had been giving them trouble ever since they came into the area. They could not use the magic for the school, to keep out the bandits, until it was done being built. There was enough danger without the bandits knowing they were wizards and witches. There was also the issue of the woods.

They came upon the camp as dawn was rising in the sky. They were surprised as the bandits were already awake, and seemed to be on alert. Godric and Salazar headed in on foot in one direction, looking for any sign of the boy.

They saw a familiar face among the bandits. "Wulfric."

Godric was surprised. "He is one of us."

Salazar shrugged. "They must not know."

Godric quieted him. "Listen."

The leader said. "We need to go."

Wulfric looked off. "Maybe he is not too deep."

Another man smirked. "Going to risk your neck for a prisoner?"

Wulfric growled. "Just missing the money he would have fetched."

One man joked. "More the fuck you were hoping for."

Godric whispered. "Seems you were right."

"But where is the boy?"

The leader said. "Perhaps the horse will come back."

Laughter followed. "Not like they need a horse."

Salazar wondered. "They?"

"The snake man would likely pay more for a horse than the boy."

Wulfric mounted. "Might not be so sure."

Godric and Salazar shared a look. Wulfric had been raised in the same village as Salazar and he had once been thought a friend. But he had been arrested for being accused of rape. His father had bought him out of trouble but he had not been seen again. Last they heard, he had headed south, his mother's family was from England. They knew it was nothing good if he had come back.

The leader motioned. "Time to head out."

"What about the other men?"

Another voice nodded. "They haven't returned."

Wulfric sneered. "Then they won't."

"Wanted to save the prisoner from the woods but not our men?"

Wulfric reminded him. "They were close to that damned building."

Godric stopped Salazar from following. "We don't have the upper hand."

"I need to find out where he is." Salazar pushed.

Godric reminded him. "They don't have him anymore."

Salazar saw a tree and ropes. "He was here."

Godric motioned to a straggler. "One way to find out."

Salazar smiled. "Like old times."

The two waited and were able to take down a man who looked little more than a teen himself. The kid had not even had a chance to draw a weapon. They demanded to know what had happened to the prisoner who had escaped. The kid admitted he had taken Salazar's horse into the woods, against all their warnings. Godric shared a look with Salazar and reminded him that the bandits were right. Even with their magic, they kept a distance from the woods at all times, just came to the borders of it here and before. Salazar though insisted they head into the woods.

Salazar denied when Godric claimed he was infatuated. "I want my horse back. Don't want him to fall prey to the woods."

An: The Harry we all know and love, our of the pan and into the fire. Free from the bandits, but what does he face now