Author's Note: Second chapter in the same day? Oh dear, there must be something wrong with me. I hope you all enjoy this one! Only a few more.

Chapter Ten: Desperate, Lost, and Doomed

Greyback forced the prisoners down the stairs and left them in complete darkness. The cellar door slammed shut and the echo left them in silence.

A terrible, drawn-out scream sounded from directly above them.

"HERMIONE!" Ron bellowed in fear for losing Hermione, trying to writhe from the ropes binding his sides. "HERMIONE!"

"Be quiet," Harry hissed. "Shut up, Ron. We need to work out a way…"

He despised Ron's lack of control over the situation. Despite Harry's panic, he was still able to control his actions. Ron, on the other hand…

"HERMIONE! HERMIONE!" Ron didn't see Harry's rationale. He didn't see that there was no point in yelling. He wanted to believe that by crying her name, Hermione would be okay… that Hermione would remain untouched.

"We need a plan, stop yelling – we need to get these ropes off-"Harry fought the urge to slap Ron across the face and knock his senses back into place. He couldn't stand hearing Hermione's tortured cries, but there was no good in yelling.

"Harry?" a whisper penetrated the silence in between Harry's begs and Ron's shrieks. "Ron? Is that you?"

Ron ceased his screams only in shock, and Harry noticed the shadow drawing closer. "Harry? Ron?"

"Luna?"

"Yes it's me! Oh no, I didn't want you to be caught!"

"Luna could you help us get these ropes off?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes, I expect so… There's an old nail we use if we need to break anything… Just a moment."

Hermione screamed again along with Bellatrix's inaudible shouts. A distracted Ron screamed again, "HERMIONE!"

"Mr. Ollivander, have you got the nail? If you just move over a little bit… I think it was beside the water jug." Harry heard Luna speaking calmly to Mr. Ollivander, the wandmaker. "You need to stay still," she told them.

Bellatrix's voice was audible from overhead. "I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?"

"We found it – we found it – PLEASE!" Hermione screamed again. Ron struggled harder than ever and the iron nail slipped upon Harry's wrist.

"Ron!" Harry moaned in pain.

"Ron, please stay still. I can't see what I'm doing." Luna pleaded.

"My pocket. In my pocket, there's a Deluminator, and it's full of light!" he scrambled out.

Tiny balls of light filled the room, unable to find sources, and illuminated the air.

"Oh, that's much easier. Thanks, Ron! Oh, and hello there, Dean."

"You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!" Bellatrix's muffled voice came from above.

"HERMIONE!" Ron shrieked upon hearing another one of Hermione's tortured cries.

"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!"

Ron shivered, and prayed that he was there to jump in between Hermione and the knife. I will die for Hermione Granger. She will not die because of me, he thought without hesitation.

"There!" Luna said proudly as the ropes fell away.

Ron scuttled frantically around the cellar, looking at the ceiling for a hidden trapdoor. He attempted apparation without a wand.

"There's no way out, Ron," Luna shook her head at his fruitless efforts. "The cellar is completely escape-proof. I tried, at first. Mr. Ollivander has been here for a long time, he's tried everything."

Hermione screamed again, this one going through Harry like physical pain. He ran around the cellar, feeling the walls and knowing in his heart that the efforts were useless. The pain in his scar was overcome by his empathy for his best friend.

"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"

Ron was half sobbing as he pounded the walls with Harry.

Harry groped inside Hagrid's pouch from around his neck. He pulled out the snitch and shook it – looking for what, he did not know. He waved the two broken halves of his old wand, wishing for desperate results. Nothing. The mirror fragment fell sparkling to the floor where Harry noticed the gleam of brightest blue. Dumbledore. "Help us!" he cried. "We're in the cellar of Malfoy Manor, help us!"

No one was there to help them. They were desperate, lost, and doomed.