Hello again! As a treat for the amazing readers who have stuck with me this entire story, I wanted to update for this chapter as soon as I could. This chapter is based upon the chapter Malfoy Manor in Deathly Hallows, but key word: based. There are some differences here. And a very surprising one :D

Current song: Waltz with Vampires by Fired Earth Music. I think this song is very fitting for this chapter. Very dark, very eerie.

And now, chapter 14!

Harry slept well that night, but it was choppy. He was tumbling and turning and had a very sinking feeling in his stomach. Something told him that they were not supposed to be where they were. But he was too afraid to approach Ron and Hermione.

By about 12 in the morning, he had woken up, and the sky was still dark and starless. Ron was snoring quietly by Hermione, whose hand was locked in his. Harry felt a mixed bag of emotions; on one hand he was happy but on the other he felt strangely lonely and thought of Ginny. By 1 in the morning, Harry had woken up again, but it was very hasty; Ron's snoring had ceased, the sky was starting to lighten and he felt his eyes close once more…

By 2 in the morning, a rough voice woke him up. "Get up, vermin."

It didn't sound like Ron. And definitely not like Hermione. Through his eyes he saw the same face he had seen only days ago in the woodlands, before they arrived at Hogsmeade; Scabior. A great feeling of fear rose in him and he rushed to grab the book and the sword –

"Not so fast!" Before he knew it, he felt his hands behind his back and a large figure pulling him upwards.

"No – no!" he heard Hermione scream, and saw that she, too, was in the same position as him; Ron was being restrained by the largest of the bunch and was fighting with all his might to get out of the man's grip.

"Well, looky what we have 'ere," said Scabior.

Harry was shaking. They had been found.

"I remember you," he said, walking up to Hermione and taking a handful of her hair. "Marietta, is it?"

Hermione did not speak.

"Drain their powers! And fetch their 'orses!" Scabior barked, and a tall one of the group raised their hand and muttered something, his eyes turned a light shade of purple: "Aufero Potestatam." Harry felt all the energy drain out of him. "That's better," said Scabior.

Harry turned to look at Hermione, and saw the fear and tiredness in her eyes. Ron was practically slouching on the ground, his captor now having to hold him up. Harry felt like vomiting.

"And you must be…Zacharias?" he said, pointing at Ron. Ron did not speak. He looked far too weak. Scabior walked up to him and gave him two pats to the cheek. "You've got to keep awake, boy!"

"Leave him alone," Hermione's solemn and weak voice said, and Scabior turned to look at her again. He looked her up and down and grabbed a handful of her dress, and pulled her to him.

"I'm going to 'ave fun with you, girly," he said in a hushed tone. Harry gave in; he fell to the ground, and felt his captor roughly pull him up. Scaboir released Hermione and turned to Harry. "And our little friend 'ere, of course! Gregory Goyle, was it?"

Harry just stared at Scabior, hatred in his eyes. He was cut off from the sudden sickening sound of Ron vomiting onto the grass. His captor looked more disgusted than worried, and pulled him off the ground to a clearer area. Harry himself wanted to vomit. "Leave us," Harry said. "Just leave us."

"Look at what I found!" said one of the men, and he brandished the sword in Scabior's face. "Found it by Gregory over here, just lying about. What do you reckon it is?"

Scabior only looked at the sword in complete awe. "What is that?" he said, pointing at the book in another captor's hand.

"I dunno, some ruddy book," he said. "Found it Gregory too, what use is it anyway?"

"You daft idiot!" Scabior said, smacking the man around the head. "Do you know what this is? Do you know the power it 'olds? Do you know –" he turned to Harry suddenly. "…who that might be!"

Harry shook his head and looked paler than ever.

"It could be 'is too," Scabior continued, pointing at the sick-looking Ron. "…one of 'em must be 'Arry Potter!"

Ron's eyes grew with fear. Hermione struggled harder than ever from the man holding her back.

Scabior turned back to Harry. "You said you were Gregory Goyle, didn't you? And your friend, 'es Zacharias?"

Harry nodded vigorously. "I don't even know who this 'Harry Potter' is."

Scabior instead shook his head and said, "If you or 'im weren't 'Arry Potter, this book wouldn't be in your possession, neither would that ruddy sword, either."

"We received reports that 'Harry Potter' went this way," said another man of the group. "Some bleeding heroes they were, getting that book."

Harry's heart sank, as he remembered that when he and Hermione had gotten the book, it said his name on it in clear, bold letters. He wondered if the words had faded away, or if hi name was still on the front page, enough proof for the men to bring them to Riddle…

"Change o' plans, boys," said Scabior, handing the book to one captor, and the sword to another. "We're not taking them to Riddle. Not to 'im yet, that is. We can't be sure if one of them boys are 'Arry Potter…" he scratched his chin and then snapped his fingers. "I know. Let's take 'em to Lady Lestrange."

Harry suddenly went bolt upright, and knew Ron had too; he turned to look at Hermione, whose fear was very prominent. Ron had told tales of Lady Lestrange; very nasty ones. She was, after all, the one who directly killed Sirius. Harry knew she would try to extract information from them by means of torture.

"Alrighty, get 'em together, and tie 'em up nice and tight," said Scabior.

"No – no, you can't do this!" Hermione screamed, as her captor clasped her arms behind her back and started binding them.

"On the contrary, girly," said Scabior, "I most definitely can."

"Get off me!" Harry heard Ron yell, and saw that he was struggling more than ever to get out of his captor's grip. His captor pushed him hard on the ground and started binding his arms together, then pulled him up when he was done. Harry himself felt his body hit the ground as his captor created knots very tightly. He then positioned himself beside Harry, grabbed a bunch of his hair and turned on the spot; the feeling of having your powers drained and disapparating was beyond disgusting. Harry felt his eyes droop and his stomach scream for air, but finally felt the pressure of having his feet hit a cold, marble floor. He turned to see Ron and Hermione, also sick-looking, and saw that they had arrived in a drawing room of what seemed like a mansion.

Scabior shook off Harry's captor and instead grabbed Harry in his hands. "OI!" he yelled. "We've got something!"

A woman descended from a pair of stairs; Harry was immediately revolted by the sight of her. She was tall, had long, scraggly black hair, a crazed face and wore a black dress with a corset and leather boots. "What is it, Scabior?"

"We've got 'arry Potter!" Scabior said triumphantly.

"Have you?" said Bellatrix Lestrange, who seemed unfazed. She caught site of both Harry and Ron, and walked up to Ron, examining his tall figure and his vivid red hair. She then walked over to Harry, looking at his jet black hair and his slightly smaller figure. "Which one of them is it, then?"

"We – we don't know," finished Scabior. "We caught 'em both, see. But if you can see, they both look of Dracofinors age, don't they? And this girly over 'ere; she looks like a Lapifors student, don't she?"

"Dracoinfors?" screeched Bellatrix, bolting upright; Harry saw a flash of silver in her right hand, and knew she was carrying a knife. "Bring them in!"

Harry was shoved roughly to a large door in the middle of the drawing room; Bellatrix pushed it open and inside was one of Riddle's allies, Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy. Harry's stomach sank. If Draco revealed that Harry was the son of James Potter and that he was the true heir to the throne, they would all be killed right there. his eyes widened, however, at the sight of his Professor at Draconifors, Master Snape. He stood there, rigid as a board when he caught site of Harry.

Harry's spirits lifted slightly. "M-master!" he said to Snape, who seemed to be avoiding his eyes. "Master Snape…help us…please…"

Snape only stared into Harry's eyes; green met with black, and he faded out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Harry's mouth fell open. He had, in the past, suspected Snape of being a follower of Riddle. He never knew he was a coward.

"Draco!" Bellatrix called as if he were a toddler, and held her hand out. "Draco, aunty needs some help!"

Draco strutted forward, but the second he caught Harry's face, his eyes widened, and he looked at Ron and Hermione too, in shock.

"Draco, do you know who this is?" Bellatrix said, pointing at Harry.

Draco's expression immediately changed to guilt and regret, and Harry prayed and prayed that he would either make up an answer or not answer at all… "No, I can't say I do."

"Does this look like a certain "Harry Potter" to you?" Bellatrix said, pulling Harry's hair back. Harry yelled in pain.

"No," said Draco. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What about him?" spat Bellatrix, running up to Ron instead and shoving him in front of Draco. "Do you know who this is?"

"I told you, Aunt," Draco said in a thick voice. "I have never seen them in my life – I know not of this "Harry Potter.""

Bellatrix let go of Ron in rage, and turned to Scabior. "You bring two random boys and a little girl to my house, thinking Riddle will believe one of them to be Harry Potter? Who do you think you are?"

"But milady, we can confirm that one of these boys are 'Arry Potter!" said Scabior defiantly, and he took the book from one of the captors and shoved it in Bellatrix's face. Harry's eyes widened as he saw his name written in bold letters across the title page. "It's not only this, we found that ruddy sword you wanted, too."

Bellatrix screamed when she saw the book and the sword, but stifled it quickly. "What is that? Where did you get that from?"

"We found it with them when we caught them," said the man holding the sword.

"Stupfey!" Bellatrix screamed, and her spell was carried out with so much power, about a dozen of the men flew back and hit the floor; the others, including Scabior, dropped what they were holding and ran out of the room in fear. Harry felt his captor release him as he collapsed and he, Ron and Hermione ran to the corner of the room, Harry, Hermione and Ron jumping in an effort to keep their tied arms up front; "Go! Get on, then! GO!" Bellatrix screamed; Harry was truly frightened.

"Bellatrix," Lucius Malfoy walked up to her, unfazed and unafraid. Harry could tell that he was not very scared by her, but rather annoyed by her crazed antics. "I think it's best we cease our calling of the king and judge these prisoners for ourselves."

"But the evidence is all provided!" Bellatrix said. "The book, the sword; now all that's left is which one of these boys is actually Harry Potter." As she spoke, she walked up to Harry and Ron, and examined them closely. "The girl will be of little use to us." She took Hermione by the hair and threw her to the ground; Hermione groaned as she hit the hard, marble floor.

"OI!" Ron shouted, stepping up front in an attempt to get Bellatrix to stop, "Leave her alone, you cowardly –"

Bellatrix slapped him across the face; Harry saw Draco flinch as the blow echoed across the room, and she spat at him. "You watch your tongue when you are in our house, boy!"

"Please," Hermione said, as she raised herself off the floor.

Bellatrix ignored her, and grabbed Ron's face so that he was forced to look at her. "What is your name?"

Ron did not immediately reply, but said in a hushed tone, "Zac-Zacharias Smith…"

"LIAR!" she screamed, and threw him on the floor next to Hermione; Ron positioned himself by her to see if she was okay. Bellatrix next walked up to Harry, pulled his hair back and stared into his green eyes. "And you?"

Harry gulped, but showed no signs of fear. "Gregory Goyle." When he said the name, he saw Draco open his mouth, but close it again. Goyle was, after all, a trusted ally of Draco, and if Draco revealed this Harry would be exposed as a liar.

"Is that so?" Bellatrix taunted at Harry, "IS IT?"

Harry nodded, but Lucius spoke up again. "He lies."

"What did you say, Lucius?" said Bellatrix, but she did not break her gaze from Harry. "What was that?"

"He – he lies," Lucius said. "I know Gregory Goyle, or his father, Sir Goyle, anyway – the boy is lying."

Bellatrix slapped him across the face and Harry moaned as he recovered from the blow. She positioned herself to the center of the room and said in a loud and crazed voice, "Since neither of you are prepared to reveal your true selves to me, I have no choice but to imprison you here until King Riddle arrives –I am afraid I cannot torture you for information for it is King Riddle who wishes to confront Harry Potter – himself," she gave a laugh of extreme evil, and Hermione whimpered.

"Take them to the cellar, Wormtail," Bellatrix said lazily.

Wormtail? Where had Harry heard that name before? It was Wormtail, in fact, who had betrayed the Marauders to form an alliance with the king's followers –

"Except for little girly over here," Bellatrix said, and she grabbed Hermione from Ron, who looked horrified. She took out her knife and cut the ropes binding her hands together. "I want to have a little talk with her!"

"NO!" Ron shouted, trying to grab for Hermione, who was gripped by Bellatrix, but Wormtail held him in a firm grip in one hand, and Harry in the other, who was struggling as well; what Bellatrix would do to Hermione was uncertain, but Harry was terrified.

Wormtail pulled them away down another flight of stairs in the room. Before disappearing completely away from view, Harry saw Bellatrix throw a shaking Hermione to the ground. Ron struggled even harder, doing his best to get out of Wormtail's grip. "Careful, boy, or I may have to stun you!" shouted Wormtail.

"You wouldn't do that!" Ron retaliated. "I could be Harry Potter for all you know!"

Wormtail did not speak, but instead cowered. He shoved them even more roughly down a dark and murky hallway, lined with about two or three small rooms; he took out a dirty, rusty old key, thrust it into the lock of the first cell, opened it, and threw both Ron and Harry hardly into it, so they hit the hard ground. Harry turned around quickly to get a glance of Wormtail smiling at them, then pocketing the key. The minute he turned to walk away, Ron got up and started thrusting at the tiny opening in the door. "Let her go! LET HER GO!"

Ron was banging hard on the door, and Harry pulled him back. "Be quiet, Ron – quiet, we need to think of a plan!"

"We can't leave Hermione alone upstairs with her!" Ron shouted into Harry's face. "I won't let her die, Harry!"

"Neither will I! And if we want her alive we need to think of a plan and escape!"

At that point a high-pitched and bloodcurdling shriek erupted from upstairs and travelled throughout the cellar and hallway. "Please! I know not of the sword!"

"You don't know?" Bellatrix mocked. "Well then how did it get into your possession?"

"We just found it, and we've been using it to cut firewood! Please…please…"

Another scream and Harry knew that Bellatrix refused to believe Hermione's words. "HERMIONE!" Ron was yelling, his bound arms banging on the door again. "HERMIONE! NO! HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"

"Ron!" Harry said. "Be quiet, Ron, we have to think of a plan –"

"They're going to kill her!" Ron screamed. He hesitated, then said, "TAKE ME! TAKE ME INSTEAD! PLEASE!"

"Ron," Harry said in a very serious voice, "right now we must escape from this cellar. And please hear me out. We need to find a way to get these ropes off."

Ron nodded, and Harry took note of tears streaming down his face and felt a pang of sympathy for him.

"Look around for sharp edges," Harry continued, searching around the tiny room for something to severe the ropes. His eyes took notice of an old but large nail lying about in the corner. "There!" he walked up to it, picked it up and started cutting at the ropes. Once they were off, he rubbed his wrists and handed it over to Ron, who cut them in a swift motion.

"And the boys!" Bellatrix was now saying. "What about those boys? Which one is Harry Potter, hm? The ginger, perhaps? Or maybe the other one! TELL ME NOW!"

There was no reply for a second, then Hermione said, in a very weak and painful voice, "Neither, neither! We are only students, in the woods by accident – PLEASE!" she screamed again, but Bellatrix's cackles drowned any more words she was going to say.

"HERMIONE!" Ron screamed louder than ever. "HERMIONE! HERMIONE! HERMIONE!" he was now sobbing and pounding the walls with his fists, kicking them, finding any way to escape. "NO!" he slumped against the wall, falling down, his head in his hands.

"We must hurry, Ron!" Harry said.

Ron suddenly said, in a thick voice, "I'll claim to be Harry Potter, then you and Hermione can escape."

"NO!" Harry yelled, his voice echoing in the small cellar. "We are not doing that, Ron! We are not putting your life to waste! You've lived seventeen years for a reason, and it is not to die for me!" almost enraged by Ron's suggestion, he leaned against the wall in frustration.

Ron shrugged and instead said, "What are they doing to her up there?"

"I don't know," Harry said. "But we must escape before they inform Riddle."

Ron's head snapped up, and he said, "Harry, if – if anything happens…I am letting you know that you have been a very loyal and valiant friend and that I have had the strangest experience a Weasley could ask for."

Harry was touched by Ron's words. "Don't say that."

Ron only smiled weakly, but stood up, walking to the small gate opening in the door. "Wormtail's not too far away," he said. "In fact, I can see him. We need to trick him into letting us out."

Harry, too, stood up, and looked into the small gate opening next to Ron. "I know," he whispered. "One of us can feign injury, and the other can call him to 'caress' but we'll knock him out and escape."

Ron looked at Harry is disbelief. "You honestly think he cares about us that much?"

"No, but until Riddle arrives no harm is to come to us, right?" Harry said, raising his eyebrows smugly.

"That's brilliant!" Ron said. "Now we just need a convincing 'injury'…"

Harry took hold of his sleeve and pulled it up; he then scraped his skin against the hard cellar wall.

"Harry!" Ron whispered, staring at the fresh and bloody cut Harry had created on his left arm.

"It's alright," Harry said, staring at the cut he had caused. "It doesn't hurt that bad, not as much as Hermione's going through, anyway."

As if on cue, a scream went from above, mixed with Bellatrix's sadistic cackling, but the scream died out, and Harry had the faint idea that Hermione had passed out from the torture.

"We have to move," Harry said, walking to a corner and slouching over to look like he was in pain. "Go call Wormtail!"

Ron nodded, and, with the best impression he could muster, shouted, "HELP! HELP!" at Harry's gesture to continue, he shouted, "He is seriously injured!"

Wormtail appeared at the door almost instantly, and said in a hushed tone, "What is it?"

"He's been seriously injured," Ron said, then backed up as Wormtail clumsily flung out the key to open the door.

"Stay where you are," said Wormtail at Ron, and he walked towards Harry, who was whimpering in the corner, clutching his bleeding arm.

The minute Wormtail grabbed him to see the wound, Harry kicked him backwards, and Ron punched him squarely in the stomach. Harry stood up and head butted Wormtail, and he let out a small wheeze and collapsed to the floor. "I'll take that," Ron said, tugging the key out of Wormtail's limp hand, and Harry laughed silently at him.

The two made their way out of the cellar, Harry closing the door silently behind him, and locking it with the key. They looked at each other, and proceeded to walk up the flight of stairs, until they had a decent view of the scene before them.

Hermione lay unconscious on the floor, her dress scattered about – Harry saw that she was very pale, and had something etched out in her skin, blood dripping, but he could not quite make it out –

"She has been of no use to us," Bellatrix was saying, circling Hermione's limp body. "Refusing to tell us which one of her dear boyfriends is Harry Potter. Shame. Let's let Scabior have her."

Ron had revealed his and Harry's hiding spot, screaming, "NO!" at the top of his lungs and charging towards Bellatrix, forgetting he was powerless, and she thrust out her hand at him; a red light emerged from it and blasted Ron to the other side of the room, where he slumped over; as Bellatrix was distracted by the sudden commotion, Harry took his chance, and ran up to her in an effort to save Hermione, but it was too late –

"Stop or she dies!" Bellatrix said; she was now holding a semiconscious Hermione, who groaned, and had Bellatrix's knife to her throat. "Now!"

Ron stood up and walked next to Harry; both boys were moving on the spot, watching Hermione carefully as she shook, Bellatrix's knife still trained on her.

"Now!" Bellatrix repeated. Harry stopped moving, and saw on the other sides of the room, Draco cowering in the corner, and Narcissa and Lucius standing next to him. Bellatrix grinned. "I want you to tell me who is Harry Potter. Now. Or I shall run her through with my knife –"

"You sick –" Ron began, trying to run towards her, but Bellatrix only pressed the blade into Hermione's throat harder.

"Now now," Bellatrix said. "If you really value her life, you will do as I say. Which one of you is Harry Potter?"

Harry did not speak, nor could he think. He was rooted to the spot, paralyzed with fear. Ron was shaking, terrified, and was only watching for Hermione.

"Pity," Bellatrix said. She turned to Luicus, Hermione still in her clutches. "Call him – call the King – now."

Lucius hesitated. Draco's eyes widened, and Narcissa was breathing hardly. Nevertheless, Lucius lifted his shirt and Harry saw a dark mark, etched cleanly across his skin. He was about to press on it, to call Bellatrix's beloved master…

Suddenly, there was a loud, drawn-out scream; Bellatrix had dropped Hermione, who scattered and ran away from the crystal chandelier above them, which crashed down, shards of glass flying everywhere; Hermione ran and fell into Ron's arms, and quickly regained herself, grabbing onto his shirt for support –

Bellatrix groaned as she lifted herself off the floor. Harry knew that the chandelier had not conveniently collapsed; somebody helped them.

"Harry," a voice hissed behind them, and while Bellatrix was still regaining herself, Harry whipped around and saw Master Snape, concealed by a black and hooded cloak, his eyes dangerously dark. "Come with me, Harry."

Harry was hesitant, but looked back at Bellatrix, who was limping towards them, then grabbed Hermione, who he was sure would grab Ron, and raced out of the room, his hand still attached to Snape's cloak. He was not quite sure what was happening. Had Snape, who, just a minute ago, seemingly leave them to die in the clutches of Riddle, rescued them? Bellatrix was screaming and the pair ran even faster out of the drawing room…

"Why are you doing this?" Harry hissed at Snape. "I thought you were with Riddle!"

Snape did not reply, and Harry grabbed Ron's arm as Snape prepared to disapparate to a hopefully Riddle-free zone…

"NO!" Bellatrix Lestrange had made it to them, and she was blasting spells at the pair, unafraid if she would even be casting the killing curse at them. "STOP!"

Snape rushed to a clearer spot and Harry grabbed Ron by the shirt; as Bellatrix drew closer and closer to them, Snape prepared to turn on the spot, but it was too late – Bellatrix had grabbed a hold of Ron's long white shirt, screaming triumphantly. Snape noticed nothing, and when Harry whipped around to see the commotion, he saw Ron let go of Harry's arm and Bellatrix pull him back –

"RON! NO!"

It was too late. The disapparation was taking place, and the last thing Harry saw before he hit hard and firm ground was Bellatrix's sneering face and Ron's fearful eyes.

Wow. This is the longest chapter in this fanfic, and the most I've written, ever, perhaps. Ron is very sacrificing. Like in the first book, when he allowed himself to be taken, or the third book, when he told Sirius to kill him if he was going to kill Harry (but they gave that line to Hermione in the movie…hmph), and when he offered to be taken in Hermione's place in Malfoy Manor. I feel as if it's not explored a lot in the movies, or fanfics, so I wanted to bring it out here (:

Also, thank you so much for the lovely reviews! I am 1 away from 60 and I am so excited. Thank you all!

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