Chapter 14

Harry recovered his senses quickly, he had heard her voice, that meant she was still alive, relief washed over him like a tidal wave but then his auror instincts kicked in, he knew that they were not alone.

"Crucio," came a voice from the darkness and Harry was lifted abruptly into the air, his body trying to turn itself inside out, he writhed and screamed with the intensity of the pain and he could hear Ginny screaming somewhere beneath him, "Stop, please stop, don't do this to him, just take me and finish it."

"NO!" he shouted with as much strength as he could muster, he managed to throw the curse and landed in a crumpled heap on the rough rocky floor of the cave. The wind whistling around the cave entrance was disturbed only by the sounds of Ginny sobbing and Lestrange cackling in an almost psychotic way.

"Saviour of the wizarding world," the voice crowed echoing through the darkness, "The boy who lived…twice!" he cackled again, Harry recovered himself and reached for his wand from inside his robes, "Relashio," he called pointing it into the darkness, ropes flew from the end of his wand but with no direction to them they fell uselessly to the floor.

"Ever the hero, Harry Potter," Lestrange crowed slowly, "Saving everyone but still afraid to use the real curses, Crucio," Lestrange yelled again, but Harry's body did not convulge this time the curse had not been aimed at him, Ginny's screams filled the cave like a caterwaul, the rope which had been tying her to the wall was released and he saw her rise into the air, limbs turning in on themselves, her body writhing and the sound of her pain filling his ears.

"SECTUMSEMPRA," he aimed into the darkness, a groan reached his ears and Ginny's body fell limply to the ground, he had not been able to aim the curse properly but it had hit Lestrange somewhere and caused him to lose his concentration on Ginny, the curse had ended immediately.

"Now that's more like it, a real duel, with real curses, Crucio," Harry dove to the floor and the curse sailed past him blasting away a slab of rock from the wall, the rock fell behind him and landed in front of Ginny, he realised it now offered her some protection from the curses if she stayed where she was.

"Ginny, DON'T MOVE," he yelled and she cowered behind the fallen rock.

"Relashio," he called again pointing his wand into the gloomy shadows, he began to walk forwards into the impenetrable darkness as he once more saw the ends of the ropes fall to the ground having been unable to find their intended target. Harry felt something move past him and he turned to see Lestrange dive for the rocks where Ginny had taken refuge, he doubled back to protect her but it was too late, Lestrange had grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet, she gasped at the pain in her head as he pulled her into his body gripping her tightly with one arm.

"Let her go," Harry said calmly, "It's me you want, she has nothing to do with this," he trained his wand on Lestrange but knew aiming any kind of curse while had had Ginny like that would be dangerous as it could just as easily hit her.

"Ahh but that's where you are wrong, Mr Potter, it has everything to do with her, such a pretty young thing she is too," he leered at her, keeping one eye on Harry but leaning in to run his tongue along her neck, Ginny shuddered at his touch and Harry darted forwards repulsed by his attack on her.

"A-.A-.Ar," Lestrange said shaking his head from side to side and Harry stopped in his tracks looking at Ginny held captive by this repugnant man because of him, "You see Harry my man, you took something from me, in fact you took a lot from me, you took away my master and forced me to run, then you found me and took away my life, Oh I know you didn't kill me, but that hell hole is worse than death, living each day in despair eating slimy dregs, having nothing to do and all the time having every last hope and happy feeling sucked out of you. I've waited a long time to get my revenge on you, thought about it, planned it a million times over, each time trying to come up with the perfect way to end your life, not by killing you, but by making you live without hope and happiness. And lo and behold one day a visitor starts talking about you and I hear them, it's not often anything can penetrate the darkness in that place, but when your one desire is a dark and unhappy deed your mind can feed on it, hear what it needs to hear, and what do I hear? The young Mr Potter is getting himself married, to a filthy blood traitor no less! And to top it off the blood traitor in question is also the daughter of the person who killed my wife, double revenge!" he cackled again and it echoed around the cave.

"That gave me a reason to keep going, a way to exact my revenge, I didn't want to end your life by killing you, but killing her," he pointed Ginny's wand at her throat as he continued, "Killing her, that would as good as end your life, you would torture yourself with feelings of guilt and be alone for the rest of your life without the woman you love," he scoffed. "Yes, concentrating on that made me able to break through the feelings of hopelessness and despair and think about my revenge, but how to get out of the prison without my wand? That was my next thought, but I already had a way of doing that, I just needed to concentrate hard enough to do it, it had been done before so it would be easy once I had built myself up enough," Harry looked at him with puzzled expression on his face when he mentioned that it had been done before and Lestrange didn't miss it.

"Yes Mr Potter, there had been an escape before, by none other than your godfather I believe, yes Sirius Black and I had something in common, something I believe I also have in common with your father," he cackled once more as Harry tried to process what he was saying, "Yes, Harry, you are correct," he had seen the idea forming in his mind, "Did you never wonder how I kept evading you before, how every time you caught up with me I seemed to disappear? That's right Harry I am an unregistered animagus, a ferret to be exact, a small rodent able to climb up the prison wall and through the bars then wait at the apparition point for some unsuspecting fool to carry me on the hem of their robes. Of course being on the run and not eating or drinking properly, makes the transfiguration process difficult which is why you were eventually able to catch up to me before, and not having a wand makes it harder still, you have to concentrate with every power in your body, something which is difficult to do when all you can feel is dread and desolation, but all it takes is one thing to feed you, a goal, that snippet of information I had waited four years for was all I needed to build myself up again and transform without a wand, of course now I have this one," he held Ginny's wand aloft taking it away from her throat, "It wouldn't be my first choice of course, but beggars can't be choosers and I'm sure it will do until I can procure myself a better one. Now enough with the talking and explanation and on with the show, the real reason you are here, you've had the practice I believe! How lucky that a young muggle was walking around looking just like this pretty young thing, I think you have already experienced some of the emotion you are about to feel, maybe the practice will make the real thing a little easier, although I do hope not."

Harry had not dared to move while Lestrange had been talking and pointing a wand at Ginny's throat, his auror training had kicked in and he had tried to keep him talking without giving him any reason to try and attack, Lestrange had continued to circle back and forth dragging Ginny with him while Harry had tried to formulate a plan, the rocks where the cruciatus curse had hit the wall were behind Lestrange now and he appeared not to have noticed, if he tripped he would let go of Ginny to stop himself from falling and Harry could hit him with a curse if he was fast enough. His wand hand moved like lightening as he yelled, "Reducto," more of the cave wall tumbled onto Ginny and Lestrange, he lost his footing and let her go, they both fell and rubble poured on top of them, Harry darted forwards as Lestrange raised Ginny's wand and pointed it at her, "Avada Ked-"

"EXPELLIARMUS," Harry yelled and Ginny's wand flew out of Lestrange's hand landing at her feet before the curse had time to hit her, she kicked it forwards and jumped to her feet running to the other side of the cave. Harry stood over the man who had taken his Ginny, the man who had almost taken her life and the man who would now succeed in spoiling theirs, even though they were both still alive. He pointed his wand at the figure who was now cowering, defeated on the floor amidst a pile of rubble, "Relashio," he spat, this time the ropes tightly bound the figure on the floor who writhed inside them desperately trying to find a way out but knowing it was too late.

"The dementors will deal with you," Harry spat and then turned to look at Ginny she looked dishevelled, and scared, he pointed his wand at the bonds on her wrists and said, "Releasium," they fell from her wrists and Harry gazed down at the angry red rings around them where the bonds had cut into her. He pulled her into his arms and she began to sob almost uncontrollably, "It's alright," he murmured, "You're safe, did he…do anything to you?" he released her and looked into her eyes as she shook her head. He bent down to pick up her wand, passing it to her he said, "Keep it on him, I need to inform the auror office, they will send the dementors for him, they will have their kiss. Expecto Patronum," he said firmly and the silvery stag erupted from the end of his wand, he bent down to talk to the stag and it disappeared. He turned back to her and held her in his arms once more kissing the top of her head trying to soothe her shaking body, he ran his hand through her hair gently relishing the feel of it in his hands, he had been so scared that he would never see her alive again that his whole body began to shake with hers as relief washed over him. He held her in one arm while his wand pointed at the snarling body rolling around on the floor, moments later a series of loud POPS signalled the arrival of the aurors and Harry handed over to them. He sagged with relief that the ordeal was over and held Ginny tightly, she clung to him as he turned on the spot and apparated to his office.

He was greeted with cries of, "Harry."

"Ginny, oh thank Merlin you're both okay," Harry released her and Ron grabbed his sister taking her in both arms and hugging her tightly, Hermione did the same to Harry before letting him go as the Minister, who had returned to the office only moments before, rose from his chair.

"Mr Potter, I am sure you need to stay with Miss Weasley for now, we will inform her parents that she is safe while you escort her to St Mungos," his voice then deepened, "While I am well aware of why you went against protocol, we will need to talk about this at a later date, perhaps when Miss Weasley is settled?"

"Yes, Minister," Harry replied.

"Harry, we'll go to the Burrow and meet you at St Mungos, take Ginny now." Ron said authoritatively before he and Hermione apparated and the Minister left the room, Ginny and Harry were alone. He looked down at her sore wrists, he longed to heal them for her but healing spells had never been his strong point, he knew they should go to St Mungos immediately but he was reluctant to go and have everyone crowding around them.

"Are you okay?" he asked sincerely speaking to her for the first time since they had arrived back at the Ministry, "I was so scared and worried, I feared that I would never see you again," she started to cry again and he pulled her close once more enjoying the feel of her so close to him, she wrapped her arms around his back and sobbed into his chest, he stroked her hair again and whispered softly, "It's okay, you're safe now and I'll make sure nothing like this ever happens to you again," he began to sob softly too, tears of hopelessness knowing that he would have to give her up soon, but not yet, she needed him right now and he would be there for her, the conversation could wait until she had recovered somewhat from her ordeal.

"Ready to go?" he asked and she nodded still clinging desperately to his muscular body, he had not tried to kiss her yet and she was afraid, afraid that he was angry with her for putting herself in a position where she could be taken. He held her tightly as he apparated with her to St Mungos, the rest of the family were already waiting for her and he allowed them to take her from his arms, she looked back at him wistfully, pleading with her eyes for him not to leave. He would stay, for now, until he was sure she was strong enough to hear what he now knew he had to say to her.

He went with her to a ward while her wrists were treated, she had no other physical injuries other than a slight lump on her head and although the healers wanted her to stay overnight the stubborn Weasley streak came out in her insisting that she be allowed to go home with Harry, she pleaded with him again through her deep, chocolate brown eyes and his heart went out to her, he agreed that she could go home if they went to the Burrow where all of her family could look after her, and comfort her, he thought to himself, when he did what he had to do.