A Life Worth Living Chapter Eight

The students all boarded the train and it was making it's way back north to Hogwarts. Harry and his friends were all sitting down to talk, but it was quite crowded, so Fred and Luna decided to go for a walk. They had been gone for an hour, when the windows began to frost. Hermione saw this and asked if it was cold enough for them to do this. She knew better than to ask, because no one was wearing a coat when they boarded the train.

Ginny looked at them too, and then she saw movement outside and jumped when she saw it was a Dementor. She had Harry bring up his Patronus and a large Stag went after the creature and soon, about six Dementors were fleeing from the Stag. Hermione and Ginny got up and ran outside the cabin to see if everyone was alright, but when they were told two students were taken by Death Eaters, she asked who? She had to catch Ginny when they told her it was Fred and Luna.

She dragged Ginny back to the cabin and told Harry what happened. Tears formed in his eyes when he heard it was his sister and her boyfriend. Harry wiped the tears away and hit his communicator to talk to Jamie. Data was the one to answer, and hen Harry began, his excitement made his words sound garbled. "Calm down Harry, I can't understand you. Now you said something happened to Fred and Luna. What happened to them?"

This time Harry slowed down his speech and told them what happened. Data contacted the Excalibur and asked them to center their tracking on Luna's communicator. When they transported on the signal, all they got were her robes. Data then asked them to center on her vitals, but they couldn't find them with their tracking. Data's calm exterior could not hide the fact that he was upset inside. His reason for the feeling was Luna was his favorite person and everyone knew it. He couldn't hide the fact if he wanted to.

Data had the Excalibur beam him aboard the train so that he could conduct a search for her and Fred. He didn't think he could find a trace of their life patterns, but he had to do something. He had just gotten there when Harry stopped him from leaving the cabin, "Data, Voldemort had Luna and Fred. He is using her power of sight to see his future. He doesn't know it doesn't work that way for her. She has to have a emotional onset to create one for her. I hope he doesn't know this, because if he does, then I am sorry for Fred. He will use him to get to Luna."

"How do you know all this Harry? Have you contact with this Voldemort?"

"Ya, Data, I do. It is sort of like a mind link, but one I wish I didn't have. It never turns out good for anyone when I get one."

"So you don't speak to each other, just feel each others emotions?"

"No, not emotions as Voldemort doesn't have any. It's more like, I see things through his eyes that he wants me to see. Like he is taunting me. Wanting me to react to these visions he sends me. He feeds off my fear and worry. I think he is stuffing himself with this one, because I am more worried now than I have ever been."

"I can understand why Harry. Does he ever give you an idea of where he is in these moments?"

"I can't make anything out of it. It's always too dark and there is no color or background when he shows me something. If I see something that looks important, I will let you know, but right now, there is nothing."

The Dementors were enough to take the minds of the student off anything else. The DEs used this to their advantage and took Fred and Luna with out anyone knowing. Now he had to find out where he took them.

ALWL-}

"Fred, do you have any idea of where we are?"

"Sorry sweets, haven't the foggiest. I do know we won't be visiting here again though. Kind of bleak if you ask me. Someone is in need of a decorator. Add a touch of color to this place. They don't even have any pictures hung."

"We're in a dungeon for Merlin's sake, Fred. Why would they hang portraits in a cell?"

"To scare us into talking. To keep our spirits low. To keep an eye on us. Any number of good reasons."

"Just don't give them any ideas. I wish they hadn't taken my robes from me or we would be out of here already. I wonder how they knew about them?"

"They took mine as well, so maybe it was to keep us from getting too comfortable. It is kind of chilly in here."I hope Data doesn't do anything irrational. I don't think he knows how powerful he really is, after mum gave him a boost. I hope he remembers to use Pads to help him in the search. I don't know if it will help on the train, but maybe around known DE's hangouts or homes."

"Well even if they do, don't count on getting out of here too quickly. I don't think they will be using a place well known for keeping us locked up. You did think you and Harry would be targeted this year, and you certainly were. I'm just glad I was with you to keep you from getting bored."

"I think you do a great job at keeping me entertained. Did you happen to have any of your little trinkets with you?"

"Ya, but nothing we can use to escape with. It might give us some cover if we can do it some way else. You're brilliant when it comes to getting out of pickles."

"But then, I knew no one was going to kill me when I did. I'm not too sure about these blokes. Besides, Harry never made it too difficult to escape any of his traps. Even Ron escaped from one of them."

"I guess you're right, they were too easy if Ron got out of one of them. He has trouble untying his shoe laces, with out getting them in a knot. Now, lets see if we can figure something out or find a way to contact someone."

Fred did his best to keep them in good spirits. He didn't want Luna to fall into a depression, taking him with her.

ALWL-}

Data used Albus to find out all the known sites of Death Eater activity. Homes and businesses locations. Frequent visits to establishments, like bars or stores. Gringotts was even watched by the Excalibur for known Death Eaters. He was doing everything he could to find Fred and Luna.

He was checking out a frequented spot by several DEs in Knockturn Alley, when he received a call from the Excalibur, "Commander Data, we have picked up a signal from a small village called Little Hangleton. There are known Death Eaters taking up residence in a home there. We can beam you right to them if you wish?"

"Just out side of the home would be fine. I don't want them to panic and possibly hurt someone. Do you see either Luna or Fred in the building?"

"No sir, but the lower levels of the building are blocked by some force we don't know. They could be kept there. Both levels are underground."

Data landed outside the home and he studied it before advancing on it. He used a scanner to try and find Luna and Fred, but it couldn't read anything below ground level. He saw eight figures above ground level, but none of them were Fred or Luna. All death eaters, probably. He went to the door and scanned for anything near it before he tried to enter. No one was there, so he tried the door, but it was locked. He then used his kit he got from Fred and George to pick the lock. He didn't want to make any noises to alert the Eaters.

Once he opened the door, he went through the first level, looking for a way to get to the lower levels. He hadn't gotten ten feet when someone was coming down the stairs. Data had to find a place to hide since he didn't want to stir up trouble. He found a place behind some curtains and waited while the person passed his spot. Data waited to make sure he wouldn't be right back out, and was rewarded when not a minute later he came back out carrying drinks to take back upstairs.

Data then entered the room the Eater just left, but found no way down. He came back out and went to the other end of the house. Still there was nothing for him to use to go down stairs. He walked back out of the house and went around back to search. Once again he was disappointed when there was no way to get in the lower levels.

He walked completely around the house and found no windows, small doors or any other means to gain entry. Was there really a lower level in the home? He was beginning to think there was not. He was going to go back into the house, when he heard more footsteps heading in his direction from inside the home. He had to use the transporter to get away. He had just made it when five Death Eaters walked out the door.

Data decided to forget the house for now, because he found no way to enter the lower levels. If there were any lower levels. It could have been echo sending out false readings.

Data made it back to the Potters where Remus and Sirius were gathering equipment for a search of their own. Data asked, "Did you find something?"

Remus answered, "We think we may know someone who could lead us to Fred and Luna. Since the Malfoy residence is vacant maybe we could get lucky and find someone there. Care to join us?"

"Yes please. I need to find Luna before she gets hurt."

"What about Fred?" Sirius asked with a smirk on his face.

"Of course, Fred also. Sorry if I sounded out of sorts and not thinking of him too."

Sirius softened, knowing Data's concern for his most prized person. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget there are two missing. Now grab my arm and we will aparate to a secluded spot outside the grounds of Malfoy Manor." and no sooner had he said it and they were standing on the spot they selected. Data still wondered how they were able to do this. Magic was much stronger than he could imagine.

Data took out his scanner and was ready to use it when, "There are three Death Eaters in the sitting room, and five in the kitchen. I see two bodies in the basement, and they could be Fred and Luna." Remus called out.

Data jumped to conclusions when he heard bodies, "Are they dead?" he said in anger.

"No, just lying down, possibly asleep. There are no guards around them, though, which is kind of strange."

"Yes, that is strange." Data said back to Remus. "Why aren't they guarded, unless they are under a spell?"

Sirius answered, "Only one way to find out, and that is to go in and find out of it's them." and he walked towards the door.

Remus stopped him from going any further, "Don't you think we should try to use a different entry, then the main one, Pads?"

"What's the fun in that Moony?"

"You mean other than the safety of Fred and Luna, should it be them?"

"Ya, good point. Lead on McDuff." and he followed behind Remus and Data as they made their way towards the back. They found a door that led to the lower level and there were still no guards around the two. They checked for any spells around the door and found several, which they began to tear down. Data was useless for this and had to stand back and watch as Remus and Sirius tore down seven spells of detection and protection.

Once the spells were down, they entered the lower level and found the source of the two figures they noticed. It was Fred and Luna and they were both unconscious. Data went right to Luna and Sirius and Remus went to Fred. They responded to the attempt to wake them up and Fred said, "Good Morning gentlemen, so glad you could find us. I didn't think you would find us so quickly."

However, Luna's comments didn't make any sense, "Remus, Sirius, thank you for finding us. I imagine everyone was worried about us. I can't believe they used Dementors to cover our capture. Shall we go home, or is there something else you need to do?"

Data was at a loss, as Luna made no move to say hello to him, or even acknowledge him. He looked to both Remus and Sirius and saw them as lost as he was. However, no one said anything until they heard more from the two.

Once back home, the two were sat at the kitchen table with a cuppa in front of them and answering questions from the others sitting there, and they were all feeling the same as the three rescuers. Lily stood up and turned back to the stove for another cuppa, when she twirled around and stunned the two claiming to be Fred and Luna. Remus secured them to the chairs they were sitting in and brought back to consciousness. Lily took the next step, "Alright, who are you two really?"

Fred answered up, "Mrs. Potter, surely you know who we are. Ask us anything to see if we are telling you the truth."

"Alright, Luna, what is your mothers full surname?"

"Selena Ann Wainswright."

"Fred, what is your middle name?"

"Gideon."

Lily knew they were not who they said they were, but there had to be something they didn't know about the two. Remus leaned to her ear and whispered something to her. Lily brightened and asked them each one more question, which they got right, then she asked Luna, "Who were the three that rescued you, Luna?"

"Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and I didn't know the third, probably a member of the OotP."

The smile was still on Lily's face as she asked, "Once again, who are you, as you are not Fred Weasley or Luna Lovegood."

"Why don't you believe us?" Luna cried.

Lily placed another cuppa in front of the two and Luna took a large swallow, with Fred taking one as well. The disclosure potion worked as the Polyjuice potion was canceled out to show the Carrows sitting there. Amycus looked up and told them, "You may have found us, but you will never find the real ones. All you could hope for is that the Master has pity on you and sends their bodies back to you. Of course it may be piece by piece."

The Carrows still didn't know Data and after what they saw next, they were probably glad they didn't as he pulled a blade from a knife completely from the handle and shoved it into the table. "If you wish to live, you will tell us now, where they are hidden. Right now, it is Mrs. Potter that is keeping me from ripping your heads off. She also knows that it will just work for a short time until I lose control of my actions." he then pulled the blade from the table and stabbed himself where the heart would be. Once again he pulled it out, dripping with blood, yet he still stood there as alive as any of the others. He stuck it back into the table.

Lily didn't know where the blood came from, but it certainly worked to scare the captives. However, they didn't know where Fred and Luna were kept as Voldemort only told one other about them. They didn't know who this was.

Data then went to Alecto and grabbed her hair and pulled back, jerking her head back as well. Data still had a dispassionate look on his face, but his tone was different, "I am getting really tired of this game and I want some answers, now. Who has my friends?"

Alecto spit out, "Lord Voldemort has them."

"Where does he have them?"

"We don't know. He had them brought before him, and then he had them taken to the cells below, but he sent us all out and that was all we saw of them. He called us back in much later and told us what he wanted us to do. He would not tell us where they were, just that they were in a secure place where they would never be found. He wanted us to gather as much information as we could get before you found us out. We didn't think it would be this fast."

"What does he want them for?"

"He didn't want the red head, just the blond girl. He has plans for her later on in the year. I guess the red head will just be keeping her company until the master tires of him. They usually last three or four days, before he disposes of them. The blond can count on a long visit, as the master needs her services in order to finish his goal."

"Which is?" Data continued.

"Don't know. Even the inner circle doesn't share this information." Alecto's neck was beginning to hurt, being twisted back like it was. Data took no pity on her and continued the pressure.

"What information did you hope to gain with this impersonation?"

"What ever you gave us. We didn't know what the master wanted to know, specifically. He just told us to gather as much information as we could."

Data didn't trust the two to be truthful. But he felt that most of what they said was true. He just didn't think they were truthful about Fred and Luna's location. He decided to split them up and give them a false image to work with. He walked to Amycus and grabbed his shoulder and pinched certain nerves which gave Amycus so much pain, he was screaming out for Data to stop. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. It finally got so bad, he passed out, but to Alecto it looked like he died. He was screaming and then he collapsed to the floor. Data just picked him up and threw him into a room. Alecto didn't know the room was full of mattresses to soften his fall.

She began to scram at Data, "You animal. You killed him in cold blood. You shall pay dearly for that. The master will give you such pain as you never felt before."

That just gave Data more fuel for his fire, "You mean like stabbing me in the chest? You saw where that would get him. Or poisoning me? The same results would come from that. Or how about your torture spell, what was that one Lily?"

"The Cruciatus Curse, I think you mean."

"That's the one. It will have no affect on me either. You see, I am like your master, as I don't feel pain. I can't be killed in a normal manner. Now, before I do you the same way, tell me what we want to Know. Where are the two we seek?"

"I'm telling you. I don't know. The master has them held hostage somewhere safe and only one person knows where that is, and he is the one guarding them."

Data saw Amycus starting to come around, and decided to play the game with his for a while. He waited u til he stood up and then he stunned Alecto with his phaser. It looked bad enough for Amycus to think her dead. Data looked to him and said, "OK, we know everything we need to know, you can go,"

"What about my sister?"

"Do you wish to carry her back to your Master?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think she will walk again." (tonight anyway) Data thought.

"Why are you letting me go after killing Alecto?"

"We are not completely like you. We do what we have to, to get answers. It just so happened, you lucked out."

"But I have to leave with my sister."

"Then take her. We don't need her anymore. You won''t be finding out what she said, so take her. But you will not be getting your wand back. You have to carry her."

Amycus collapsed on the floor. He knew he couldn't carry her all the way back to the master. He thought he might call for him through the mark, but then thought better of it. It would mean his death as well if he were to call him for that reason. Alecto needed a decent burial and he knew she wasn't going to get it from this lot.

Data took pity on Amycus and let him go, and told him he would find his sister in the Leaky Cauldron in the morning. Data had put tags on them so that the Excalibur could follow their moves. He just had to wait to see what he could find out.

Amycus made it back to the Dark Lord and reported what happened, which was the wrong thing to tell him, as the truth always hurt Voldemort's followers.

"You fool, why did you let yourself get caught. I told you if you found yourself in that situation, to kill yourselves. Now you come back telling me they released you after they got what they needed from your stupid sister. You probably brought a bug back with you, telling them where we are." Voldemort did a sweep with his magic, but found no trace on him. "What kind of fools are these people? They let you go without a trace on you? You must have been followed. Mulcifer, take a party and see what shows up on our doorstep. Kill anyone you see." and Mulcifer took twenty people with him and forty minutes later came back to report that there was no one out there.

"Once again, why did they release you with out a trace? I can't believe we are dealing with idiots. Dumbledore must be scraping the bottom of the barrel to get people. Carrow, you need to burn your clothes, just in case I missed something in my search for a trace. There has to be something on you for them to follow. Now leave me so that I can think things out." and his chamber cleared of his followers, leaving Voldemort to his thoughts.

'How did they see through them so fast. They must be aware that we would know something was up after they released Carrow. Why did they kill his sister and not him? What did they learn from Alecto that was so important that they could release her brother?'

Thoughts kept going through his mind as he could not grasp what Dumbledore was doing. Or was it Dumbledore? Carrow said he didn't know who it was that was asking him questions. Is there someone new working with Dumbledore that he didn't know about? He thought so hard that he was thinking beyond the limits of normal reasoning.

Meanwhile, Fred and Luna were sleeping on a pile of hay in their cell when Luna was awakened by something crawling in her hair. She jumped up from her place and looked down to see a small mouse digging into the hay stack to get away. "Where are you going little one, I won't hurt you." and she was shocked to see the mouse stop digging to look back at her. "Oh, you understand me then. Excellent, maybe you could show me a way out of here?"

"UH Luna, who are you talking to?" Fred yawned, while speaking.

"My little friend here. I think he was going to show us a way out." and the mouse was running to a tiny hole in the wall and disappeared in it. "Well, it looks like it was OK for him, but a bit too small for us." and she reshaped her straw pillow and laid back down to get some more sleep.