Harry was scared. He was stuck in the rooms. He had no wand. Master had left him. His hands held to the portkey around his neck. He was not sure if he wanted it to work. He was not sure where it would take him. What did Lucius consider a safe house? He was scared whose hands he would fall into. Lucius had kept him safe. He wondered if it was a trap. The only people who would be attacking the manor were his side. Surely he would be safe. They would know who he was. They would be surprised and think he was dead. But they would see the scar on his head and they would take him back. His relatives were dead. He could not be returned there.
But as he curled up in a ball and watched the door he was scared. What if they thought he was among them? He might get attacked. He remembered his godfather. Sirius had not got a trial. Would he end up in Azkaban? Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Voldemort had other enemies out there. The manor was shuttering with the attack. He knew that powerful magic was being used. He wondered if the house would come down around him. He hoped if it was the order they would consider prisoners inside and not bring it down.
Harry was shaking from head to toe when he heard voices in the sitting room. Knowing nothing else to do Harry scrambled under the bed. He prayed that they would not look down there. Harry's heart was racing through his chest. He had no idea which side it was. And right now he was not sure either side would be better. He lay as still and quiet as he could manage and prayed desperately for some end.
One of the men spoke. "I am sure that little guard said Lucius had him in here. You know what the man will pay to have Harry Potter delivered back to him?"
The older man laughed. "As long as no one sees him. The rumours the whelp is alive have been going around. He wants to ensure Potter remain a martyr."
Quaking Harry wondered who they spoke about. He knew it was his side. He wondered if it was the minister of magic. Fudge had never liked him. Would he want Harry dead? But Fudge would not have gained from it. He had not wanted to believe that Voldemort was back. This did not make sense. Harry knew it was his side but he remained where he was. He was terrified to come out at all.
The first looked around. "You know we could blackmail him good for double the pay. I mean the Order's leader calling for the head of the boy who lived?"
The second agreed. "Look at all the men from the ministry he called on since the death. I mean this attack would never have happened without him."
The headmaster. The headmaster wanted him dead. He had learned Lucius might have him. And he sent assassins after him. He wished it sounded fake. He wished it sounded impossible. But he didn't think it did. Lucius had told him. Lucius had said Dumbledore knew about the beatings. And if Albus had been able to summon more troops because of his believed death Harry realized with terror it made sense that he wanted him dead.
One of the men noticed a book near the window. "There is the book our spy said that Lucius bought for the boy. I think that he had a point to it."
The other one pointed his wand at the books and set them on fire. "I say we just light this little place on fire and smoke out the brat if he is here some where."
Harry had stared in horror as his books were destroyed. They were the only thing he even had to hi name. They were his alone. Lucius had given them to him. He would have been upset by their loss more but the fear was worse right now. He saw the fire spreading. He knew that he could not come out. He would be killed. But he was petrified. The fire was spreading. He had no idea where Lucius was. He knew he was going to die one way or another. He tried not to but as the smoke was coming closer Harry let a small whimper escape from his throat.
One of the men had heard before he was leaving. "Did you hear that? I think h is here. You know we need to have proof that he is dead, for our little reward."
The other one looked towards the bed. "You don't think the little whelp is stupid enough to be under the bed? I would have thought he would have fled."
Harry saw the feet advancing towards him. He needed to get out of here. His heart was pounding through his chest. His hand went back to the portkey around his neck but also to the collar. His fingers traced the pendant on his collar. The one that said he belonged to Lucius. He had never wanted to belong to Lucius. He was a human. He wanted his freedom. But right now he wanted out of here. He backed further away as the feet were right at the edge of the bed and he saw a man starting to kneel. Just as a wand was about to be poked under the bed he felt the yank of a portkey and closed his eyes, opening them when he was slammed into the carpeted floor of a sitting room. He was confused as he looked around him. He was in a windowless and doorless room with bookcases along all four walls except a fireplace but a comfortable sitting room with a couch and some chairs, a table, a desk over to one side. He had no idea where he was. But if the portkey worked he knew what must have happened. His mind was racing with what he had heard and the news Lucius would be dead. And he had no idea where he was.
He cowered under the couch when the fireplace flared to life and two men came through the floo. "He has to be here some where."