-Omg, it has been one hell of a month for me,lol. But, to all my loving followers of this story, I am truly sorry. I hate having to wait for updates for my favorite stories, so I know how you feel.
also, I would like to thank -shaymars- for your ideas. Everyone else should thank you too; I was completely lost until you messaged me! Thank you soooo much!
The lyrics are from an Enya song I came across that helped inspire me. It's called, "How Can I Keep From Singing?"
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"When tyrants tremble in their fear
And hear their death knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?"
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To say that Bellatrix Lestrange was angry would have been an understatement. She paced the flawless marble floor of the main parlor, her hands pulling at her wild hair as she let out shrieks of frustration.
Every spell, every hex she sent their way just fizzled out.
She knew it was the brats doing, knew that the child would prove to be a major hindrance in her plan to torture Baby Potter and the rest of the filth. She shot a random Crucio at them, trying to catch the vile child off guard, but this time the spell rebounded and came within an inch of striking her in the face. She gave a shriek and dived out of the way just in time, hearing a tiny, tinkling laugh from the other side of the room.
She looked over to her captives, watching with growing anger as the brat laughed happily, her chubby little hands clapping. With a growl, Bella pushed her self up off the floor and with a scream, ran towards them. She grabbed Hermione by the hair, jerking her head back and laughing as the girl screamed in pain.
"I see the brats powers only cover magic. . ." She whispered softly, her hand going inside her cloak to relieve a very long, ornate dagger. She ran it lightly across Hermione's throat, feeling the Mudblood stiffen in her grasp. She dipped the point more roughly, piercing the skin right below jawbone and watched gleefully as a line of blood ran down to her chest.
She let out a crazed laugh and was about to delve the blade deeper, relishing in the panicked cries of the others, when she suddenly found herself on the opposite side of the room, her her hair and cloak on fire.
She began to shriek and flap, trying with all her might to put out the flames, but they continued to burn. She threw herself to the floor and began rolling around, screaming for who ever it was that was doing this to stop.
When the last of the flames were gone, she stood up shakily, smoking and singed. She let out a shaky breath and turned to the group of traitors, her eyes twitching madly.
"You. .. . Dungeons! . . . NOW!!" She screamed. She snapped her fingers, crying out in pain as a house elf appeared, bowing before finally catching a glimpse of her. The little elf looked shocked at first but seemed quite on the verge of laughter as she shuffled over to the door.
"Take them to the dungeons and lock them up! They are to stay there until the Dark Lord returns!" She commanded before limping out the doors.
The little elf waited three seconds before falling to the floor in a fit of laughter. He looked up at the others, his little eyes watering.
"What happened to Mistress Bella?"it squeaked, getting up off the floor and coming over to where they were standing.
"Well. . ." Harry said, trying with all his might not to laugh, "she sort of pissed Addy off. . " He looked to the child in question, who for all the world, had the smuggest look on her angelic little face. Harry burst out laughing, causing the others to join in, along with the elf.
"Well, come along before Mistress Bella comes back in here!" The tiny creature squeaked, taking Hermione's hand and pulling her and Adelaide along. He led them down a dark corridor that led to a set of stone steps. As they descended deeper and deeper underneath Malfoy Manor, they had to watch their step as the stairs began to get wet and slimy. The little elf bobbed ahead of them, it's hand still clasped around Hermione's.
"Dungeons is just up ahead!" It squeaked, taking them to a broad, oak door. With a snap of his tiny fingers, the door creaked open, revealing a dank room, dimly light by two torches on the walls. They slowly made their way inside, wondering how they were going to get out of this.
The door shut with a menacing click, leaving them to wander about the room. Harry walked over to what looked like a pile of rags, pushing against it with his feet, when it moaned. He grabbed for his wand, forgetting that it had been taken. With nothing to protect them with, he got ready to fight whatever the thing was, until it rolled over and he saw its face for the first time.
"Luna?"
The usually happy Ravenclaw lay in a heap, curled against herself in pain.
"Harry...? she mumbled softly, looking up at him in the dim light. "What are you doing here? D-did the Nargles send you...? she said tiredly, but still with that airy dreaminess.
Harry didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and settle for both. He kneeled beside his strange friend, gathering her up in his arms tenderly.
"What did they do to you Luna? Where are you hurt?" he asked, pushing her dirty, blonde hair out of her eyes. she smiled up at him, shaking her head.
"I'm not hurt bad, Harry, but thank you for worrying. It's makes me feel nice." she whispered hoarsely. She struggle to get up and he lifted her easily to her feet, holding her steady at his side.
"Mr. Ollivander could use your help more then I could. You-Know-Who tortured him badly yesterday and no one came to heal him like they usually do." she told them.
Harry looked at her in surprise. "Ollivander is here?"
She nodded slowly, "Yes. He came in about a week ago. They didn't bring anyone else until three days ago, when they brought Dean Thomas and the goblin, Griphook, I think, in and threw them in here with us. I think Dean said the snatchers got them." she said, scrunching her brow in thought. Before she could continue, though, a hoarse voice spoke up.
"Is that you Harry? Blimey! We thought you were dead!" Dean said, trying to push himself up off the stone floor. When he almost fell, Draco stepped forward, supporting him until he stood. Dean looked up at who had help him and almost fell back down, until Draco grabbed him again.
"What's he doing here?" Dean asked, looking back to Harry. His eyes traveled to the others in the room, landing on the child in Hermione's arms, widening slightly as he put two and two together.
"Is - is she?"
Hermione smiled slightly, stepping forward to stand next to Draco.
"She's mine and Draco's daughter, Adelaide."
Dean seemed to think for a moment, scrutinizing Draco once more.
"I take it you're on our side, or else Hermione wouldn't have had anything to do with you, right?" he asked gruffly, looking at the blonde. Draco nodded, his arm going around Hermione's waist.
Dean looked to Harry for confirmation, who nodded his approval.
"So where's Ron? They didn't get him, did they?" he asked worriedly.
Harry snorted, letting Luna lean gently against the nearest wall before he started the story of Ron's betrayal.
"No. The bastard is the reason we were even found." he said angrily.
"No! Really? Why on earth would he do that?" Dean exclaimed, but then his eyes darted back to the child in Hermione's arms.
"Her?" he asked softly. Hermione nodded, hugging her daughter closer.
"H-he threatened to kill my baby when he found out. I-if Harry hadn't been there that day... ... Anyways, he left after that, but apparently he had been following us. He found Harry and Draco and screamed You-Know-Who's name, calling the Snatchers. They took us straight here after that." she finished lamely, her heart still hurting at the thought of Ron's betrayal.
Dean looked completely flabbergasted. He couldn't seem to comprehend the kind of evil their once friend had brought on them. Luna, on the other hand, limped over to Hermione, lifting a petite, dirty hand and brushing the hair out of her eyes.
"I'm sorry Hermione. I've always known there was something wrong with Ron, but I didn't think any of you would believe me if I said anything. He always has a lot of Heliopaths around his head. They are full of anger and fuel revenge. That's why the Ministry has an army of them." she said sadly, patting the the older girl on the back sympathetically. Harry and the others just stared her for a moment, but she paid them no mind and limped back to her stretch of wall.
"Well," Harry began, shooting one last odd look at the the girl, "does anyone have an idea of how we are going to get out of here?" he asked, looking to the two Malfoys for help. But Narcissa shook her head.
"There's no way out, Harry. My husband hired some of the top warders and curse casters in Britain to protect this place. There is no way out except through the door, " she said, pointing to the locked entrance.
Harry sat down on the floor, his hands sliding through his messy hair in frustration.
"Hermione, can you guys check on Ollivander and Griphook? Make sure they're alright?"
When they left him alone with his thoughts, he began to try and form a plan.
Whether or not it would work, he didn't know, but it might just be the one shot they needed to get out of here alive.
"Alright, you all know what to do, right? As soon as I call him, we have him take the injured first, and then come back for us." Harry told them, once again going over his plan with them.
"And Hermione as well. I want her and Adelaide as far away from here as possible." Draco said, earning a glare from said witch.
"I'm not going anywhere with out you, so you might as well get that idea out of your head right now!" she said hotly, making him cower. Harry snorted, earning a glare from the blonde.
"What about Adelaide, "Mione? You need to get her away from here before Bellatrix gets her hands on her." Harry said, wanting as much as Draco for his best friend and her child to get out as soon as possible.
"I've already figured that out! Luna said she would take her and watch her till we arrived, which won't be long!" she argued. But Harry shook his head.
"No, 'Mione! I know we won't have to wait, but what if they come in here before we can leave? What if they have a ward set up for house elves down here? Then what? Your daughter could lose BOTH of her parents! I won't have it, "Mione! I love you, but I will have Kreacher bind you if I have to." he threatened, giving her a grave look.
She wanted to argue, but knew they were right.
"Fine!" she exclaimed, giving in, "But so help me, Draco Malfoy, if something happens to you I'll murder you!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck, making the others chuckle. Draco took her arms and gently pried them off his neck.
"I'll be fine, love. As long as I know you two are safe, I'll be fine." he whispered, placing a kiss on her fore head softly. She let out a sob, clinging to him once more.
Harry stood, suspiciously wiping his eyes.
"Alright? Everyone ready?" he asked. When none of them spoke, he took a deep breath.
"Kreacher!"
The room shimmered for a moment before the elf appeared, bowing low before Harry.
"Master called Kreacher?"
Harry gave a chuckle, trying to calm his nerves. "Yes, Master called for Kreacher. I need you to transport us somewhere safe. Can you do that?" he asked.
The elf seemed to consider thequestion. "Would Master like Kreacher to return him back to Grimmuald Place? There has been no one there since Master left. Kreacher has made sure no one could enter."
"Yes! That will be perfect! But first, were there any wards blocking you from getting to us?" he asked. Kreacher nodded.
"Yes, but Kreacher took care of those."
"Really? What did you do?" Narcissa stepped forward and asked.
Before the elf could answer though, there was another pop across the room.
"Dobby has fixed the wards for Kreacher! Now Kreacher has to let Dobby help Harry Potter!" the little elf cried indiginantly, shaking his tiny fist towards the old elf. Dobby looked up and saw Harry, running straight at him and hugging him round the middle.
"Dobby has come to help as well!" he said, crying happily.
Harry patted the little elf on the back before he pulled him off his legs.
"That's great, Dobby! Alright, I need Kreacher to go ahead and take the injured ahead. Hermione, stay with him and make sure everything is alright.
Kreacher? Do you still have some of those old wands on hand?" he asked. The elf bowed and snapped his fingers, a whole pile of wands apprearing before them in his hands.
"Master needs to keep up with his wands better." the elf chastised gently, handing them over. Harry laughed, shaking his head.
"Don't I know it, Kreacher." he said, patting the elf on the back. He passed the wands out to everyone, save the elves and the goblin.
"These will work until we can get better ones."
"Oh good!," Luna said, twirling hers in between her fingers, "This one feels very wrong, like it wants me to hurt someone. I don't like it very much." she stated happily.
Hermione sighed, going into textbook mode without even thinking.
"Luna, wands can't tell you to hurt -"
"I know. I said it feels like it wants me to."
"But they can't do that either! They are -!"
"Actually, Ms. Granger, they can." Ollivander stated weakly, stopping her before she got going. She opened her mouth once more, but Harry cut her off.
"We don't have time for this Hermione! Just go already!" he said, gathering the injured together. He walked over to Griphook, dreading what he was going to have to ask him.
"S-Someone needs to carry you... You're injured too badly to make this trip on your own..." he said. The goblin stared at him oddly for a moment before nodding slightly, giving his consent. He stood and turned back to Dean.
"Can you-?"
"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem." he said, stooping down and picking the goblin up, bride style.
Harry stepped back, looking them all over once more. "Alright Kreacher, go ahead and take them. We'll follow shortly."
They each grabbed on to the littel elf; Hermione holding onto Adelaide, crying softly, Luna, holding a sagging Ollivander up at her side, and finally Dean and Griphook, both of which didn't look happy at their situation.
With a snap of his withered fingers, they were gone, leaving the others behind.
Dobby came forward, ready to take them away, but Harry backed up towards the wall.
"Dobby, take them to the others; there is something I need to do before I can leave."
Draco stepped in front of him, his face set.
"No way am I leaving you here! These people are mad, Potter! They will kill you as soon as look at you!" he exclaimed.
Harry shook his head. "There's something I have to find, Draco. Something that is going to help me defeat him. I have to stay behind and look for it."
Draco looked ready to argue again, but Narcissa spoke up.
"What is that you need, Harry? This used to be my house, unless you forgotten; if you need something out of it, I should probably be able to tell you where it is." she said softly, arching her brow.
Harry grinned sheepishly. "Oh yeah... I kind of forgot about that... Well, I don't know exactly what it is I'm looking for, honestly.."
They both looked at him like he had went mad or something.
"Then how in the hell do you think you're going to find it?" Draco asked incredulously.
"Well, it has to be something old; something He had your husband hold for him that might have belonged to one of the Founders?" he asked, looking to Narcissa, hopeful.
She thought a moment, trying to remember all the objects the Dark Lord had brought to them. None had seemed that important... except...
"A cup! H-he brought a cup; a gold goblet with a badger on the front of it! He gave it to Bella, though, to put in their vault at Gringotts!" she exclaimed, clasping his shoulder.
"That's where it is! It's not here, so the best thing we can do is get out of here and figure out how to get you into that vault!"
Harry gave one last glance at the door before he relented.
Hopefully, someone was looking down and would guide him to what he needed to get rid of that bastard once and for all.
And for some reason, for once in his life, he felt like he really had luck on his side this time.
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"In prison cell and dungeon vile
Our thoughts to them are winging,
When friends by shame are undefiled
How can I keep from singing?"
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Now, anyone that has some ideas as to where I should go, what I should or shouldn't add from canon, please, PLEASE message me! Lol, I really want to finish this story for you guys, but I need a little inspiration here people! Thanks!