Harry awoke with a start. The room around him was almost pitch black except for a streak of silver moonlight that shone from a crack in the curtains. Outside, the distant sounds of crickets and nocturnal animals could be heard from the ground below, but for the most part, everything was still and quiet, yet, something had stirred Harry. He listened but heard nothing, nothing out of the ordinary.

He sighed after a few minutes of fruitless listening and began to settle himself once again when he heard it. The faint sound of banging and the district noise of something scrapping on the laminated floors downstairs. It sounded an awful lot like scrabbling and Harry wondered what was going on. He wondered if it was a Death Eater, carrying his latest victim off to be tortured or perhaps someone breaking in if it were possible.

Driven by curiosity, he slid down from the bed and made towards the door. The door was ajar so Harry nudged it with his snout. It swung open to reveal the darkened hallway beyond.

Harry honed his senses; he could clearly make out the luminous edges of furniture and obstacles in his path and navigated around them with excellent grace. Using his tongue, he detected a scent in the air. It was rather close and completely foreign which worried him because it meant he had no idea who it was or if they were friend or foe.

He soon came to one of the spiral staircases and his vision changed to its normal view. An emerald green light was shimmering from the bottom floor and Harry felt a sense of foreboding clench his heart. He edged his way down the stairs, being mindful of any steps that might creak under his weight. Soon he reached the bottom and slumped onto the cold foyer floor.

He followed the light to where it was most intense and felt a sense of deja-vu as he came to the study, its door wide open. He noticed on the opposite wall that the light was flicking like fire and as he crept around the door, he saw a green flame burning brilliantly in the fireplace. Harry recognises it instantly as the reaction of fire and Floo powder.

Harry slowly entered the room, the scent now undoubtedly emanating from the study. He scanned around, scrutinizing ever outline and shape in case it was a person but he saw nothing. The scent seemed to lead nowhere so Harry decided to examine the fireplace.

He slithered forward to rest in front of the hearth and instantly relaxed in the warmth that leaked from the flames but soon snapped back to reality, realising his opportunity. He didn't know how the Floo network would react to parseltongue but Harry was willing to try. These flames signalled a way out and he was not going to waste it.

He inched onto the hearth and had just got is head in the flames when a tight pressure was applied to the end of his tail. He recoiled around and saw two figures, dressed in black and one holding a sack behind him. Harry hissed loudly, showing off his fangs and flattening his neck while rising to appear threatening. Harry had no intention of actually biting the strangers as he knew one nip from his fangs was deadly but he couldn't let the person know that.

The figure flinched in surprise and their grip on Harry's tail slackened as the other came around him, the sack raised. Harry seized his opportunity and dived out of the way of the sack as it was flung down on him. He pulled his large body closer to him while he bolted towards the back of the room and crammed himself under a bookcase. It was not an easy fit, but soon, Harry was completely hidden and he hoped his black coloured body had blended in enough with the darkness, still present somewhat in the room, to cover his retreat. Harry stared at the intruders as they twisted and turned in all direction to see where he had gone and to his relief, it seemed his escape had worked and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Great, we lost it…" Harry's eyes widening at the whispering voice he had just heard. He knew that voice.

"Patience, it when off over there," the one with the sack said, pointing his free hand over in Harry's direction. His voice was one he recognised too.

"If you say so but we can't make too much more noise" the first one groaned in frustration, "I can't believe I got my foot stuck in the fireplace when we came through…"

"Don't dwell on that now Tonks; we have to find that snake. It's the only lead we have on Harry."

Tonks, it was clear now. The first voice defiantly belonged to Nymphadora Tonks. Harry racked his brain, trying to think who the second voice was but the name wouldn't come.

He watched as the second figure crept forwards until his foot became level with Harry's hiding place. He took the chance to take in their scent properly. He could smell the wild rippling off him, a beast lurking just beneath his skin, a wolf.

"Remus!" he screamed in the utmost joy at one of the people he craved to see the most but that joy was short lived.

A hand grabbed Harry firmly around the middle and he was roughly pulled from his hiding place. Before he knew what was going on, the sack was flung over him and he was plunged into darkness.

"Ah!" he yelped as he was tipped back against the bottom of the sack, his body falling over him and he squirmed around to get approve his many coils. Harry had no idea what was up or down and his only focus point was the blurred light of the emerald flames that seemed to grow larger as Remus move towards them.

"How did you find it?" he heard Tonks ask to the right of him.

"I heard it" Remus replied, his tone confused, "it made it easy, hissing as loud as it did."

Harry tried to relax as much as he could. Soon this whole nightmare would be over, or at least, the Malfoy manor part of the nightmare. The next tricky part would be getting everyone to believe he was Harry but he would worry about that late. Soon he would be with Sirius, Weasleys and Hermione again and that was all he needed right now.

Unfortunately, life was never that simple.

"What do you think you are doing!?" said the unmistakable voice of Lucius Malfoy. Remus and Tonks lunged for the fireplace but just before they completely entered, he heard the sound of a spell whizzed towards him and hit just above Harry's head. The sack left Remus's hand and started to fall. Harry felt as though he was flying but soon he hit solid ground and sprawled into a heap on the floor.

"Scales!" Harry heard through the dizziness and the thumping in his skull as warm hands rested under his head. Harry managed to shake some of the dizziness to see Draco staring at him, his eyes wide with concern. When Harry overcame his headache and dizziness completely, the green light had died away and was now replaced with the normal amber flames which did not ease the tension now boiling in the room.

Mr. Malfoy frantically checked ever surface and bookshelf, mumbling about possible stolen possessions while Narcissa, who had also appeared, pulled the sack inside out and shook it. Mr. Malfoy, after concluding nothing was taken and getting the confirmation from his wife that was indeed so, summon all the house elves he owned to check ever room for anything that might have been stolen.

Harry paid little attention to this; he just stared at the innocent golden flames in the hope they might offer him that exit route just one more time.

Remus had been here, Tonks as well, which meant the order knew about him. Harry hoped that they wouldn't give up but some part of him didn't want them to try again. He didn't want them to get captured because of him.

Harry also hoped the spell that hit Remus had not hurt him. It had not been a powerful one as Lucius had not uttered an incantation, but still, he hoped he was ok.

Through his deep thoughts, Harry vaguely registered Draco gathering him up into his arms, beginning to carry him away. Even when they were back upstairs, Harry's mind was still by the hearth, staring with hope and worry in his eyes into the flames.

Got it done at last. It's been a rough couple of weeks but it's all good now and the chapter is ready. Hope it's alright.

I've got a short break now from school so I hope to be able to write and upload more chapters soon.