And When The Dawn Begins

Part 12 - If I could walk with the animals, talk with the animals...

"Sirius........"

He heard the voice as if from far away, a voice bidding him to consciousness, gentle, but demanding.

"Come on, Sirius, wakey wakey, rise and shine!"

"Kay mum, I'll be up in a bit," he mumbled, annoyed with the fact that his mother was following him about now, always demanding that people get out of bed, what was wrong with a lie in?

The room he was in was suddenly filled with great bales of laughter, which snapped him quickly out of the reverie he was in. Rolling over onto his back, Sirius squinted, the bright light making it hard to see.

"Honestly Padfoot, that is one of the worst insults I have ever had out of you, mum, really..."

Sirius blinked quickly, and looked up to see Remus Lupin stood over him, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger stood just behind Lupin, tying unsuccessfully to hide their blatant amusement.

"What? Where am I?" He asked.

"The hospital wing I'm afraid. Can you remember what happened?"

The three watched as Sirius frowned, racking his brain for the memory. Slowly, thoughts started seeping slowly back into his head. He thrashed his head from one side to the other, quickly surveying the remaining beds in the infirmary.

"Harry, Remus, where is he?"

"Er - we still don't really know, Sirius, in that castle that Dumbledore told us about I suppose."

"NO, Remus - you have to have him too - he was lying right next to me! You can't have left him behind!"

"Sirius, there was nobody else there, we found you in the Quidditch field. Lord knows how you got there, I personally thought you couldn't Apparate into Hogwarts."

"No, he can't be, I thought I'd found him Remus, I had found him, he was just there, right next to me, he can't be still there, he just-"

"Sirius, we'll get him out, I swear, at least you know where he is now - right? We can go get him, a big group of us." Turning to Ron and Hermione, Lupin spoke again quietly, "Ron, Hermione, run and tell the headmaster that Sirius is awake, thanks."

As the two left the room, still smiling slightly, knowing that Harry was still alive, Remus turned back to Sirius.

"How was he, Sirius?"

"Bad, Remus. He's terribly hurt, black eye, bruised all over, but he grinned. He grinned at me Remus, like everything was fine! In fact, his exact words were 'Hiya Sirius, long time no see'"

"Sounds fairly cheerful." Remus added, trying to lighten his friends mood.

"Yeah. But - Remus, Peter, he saved me! He's dead, he jumped in front of me, in front of Avada Kedavra, Remus."

"Perhaps he wanted to have forgiveness Sirius."

"Perhaps. Look, Remus, when you were teaching Harry, did he show any strange - abilities?"

"What do you mean? Sure, he was good at Defence Against the Dark Arts, from what I saw, it's his best subject."

"No, I mean like special powers, anything like that."

"Well - there was the Patronus, that was pretty special"

"The what?"

"Patronus, to ward off Dementors."

"What on earth were you doing teaching him such a ridiculously advanced spell?"

"Well, the Dementors stationed around the school, had somewhat of an adverse effect on Harry. Didn't you see it at the Quidditch match?"

"When he fell off?"

"Yes, well, they affected him worse than anyone else, he heard Lily and James every time one got too close. He begged me to teach him a defence against it, and so I did. To my amazement, he could do it - and he could do it well."

"Yes, that would fit.."

"Fit what?"

"Well, he did something while I was there. He sort of, well, threw Voldemort back against a wall. With Magic. Without a wand. Without speaking"

"I somehow doubt that that's normal."

"I would say not, Remus."

Lupin span around as Albus Dumbledore's voice rang out through the room.

"But it is something of a family trait, so to speak."

"Where are the other two?"

"Mr Weasley and Ms Granger? I sent them back to the common room. I don't want them following us."

"What do you mean following us?"

"When we go to fetch Harry. Now, back to your previous discussion."

"Yes, what do you mean, family trait?"

"Well, as you know, I am Harry's Great Uncle, as I'm James' Uncle. However, there are some things that you are not aware of. This is one of them. It is very rare for a member of our family to be non-magical, and also fairly rare for them not to have this ability lying somewhere. It is first called on when it is needed, but after that, should be available anytime."

"Much like normal magical powers, then? They only first show up when you're in trouble or something?"

"Yes, now, Harry is fairly young for them to be working, but I suppose these are fairly exceptional circumstances. His school work should be becoming fairly, well, easy, after this. I suppose you noticed the sudden vast improvement in James' work in his 7th year. Not that he wasn't talented beforehand, he just had to try less afterwards."

"Yes, actually - remember the Slytherin Common room, Remus, the maroon grass?"

"Yeah, I always thought that was a fluke - apparently not."

"As much as these abilities may aid him in the future, Harry has not had any kind of training in how to use them, and so they won't be a great deal of help to him now. We must get him out of there."

"I can take you back to the place. I think I know where it is, although getting in could be a problem - I was dragged in there last time."

"We'll find a way around it Sirius, don't worry."

"Now, as soon as you are ready, we shall go, but not before Madame Pomfrey dismisses you, Sirius. I'm taking away her patients often enough as it is"

**

Harry blanched as the fangs sank deep into his ankle, his face screwing up in pain as they were pulled out again. Voldemort laughed loudly as his snake made its way back to him, twisting its flexible body around his leg.

"Well, Potter, this will not do at all!" He laughed, and the death eaters behind them flanked him, joining in whilst he continued to speak.

"The light side's saviour, their 'golden boy', in a dungeon, chained up." He paused, seemingly considering the boy stood against the wall, "your clothes are all wrong too, Potter," he said with a sneer, "White is much more befitting a hero, don't you think?"

Harry frowned slightly, unsure what this was leading too. He realised as he looked down at his once black Hogwarts robes, to see them become bright white. His injuries, however, still bleeding, made sure that they wouldn't stay white for long.

"Much better, I always like to see the results of my hard work, and since you are being so un co-operative by keeping quiet, I am reduced to taking other methods."

He turned slowly away from Harry, speaking to one of his followers.

"Go and prepare a new cell for our young friend here, and when it is ready, take him there."

He turned to leave the room, but seemed to think of something, and span back to face Harry.

"One last thing, Potter. You will join my side, and if you don't, Nagini has poisonous venom, which will kill you in 3 weeks time. A venom to which only I hold the cure."

And with that, he left.

Watching the dark lord until he had vanished, the door shutting behind him, Harry turned his attention to his swelling ankle. Raising the leg of his now garishly white trousers, which he was wearing under his robes. he winced as he saw the bite marks, tinged slightly green. The other occupants of the cell watched on with caution, unsure whether to move forward.

"You okay kid?"

Harry looked up into the three concerned faces, and smiled gently.

"For now, fine. Apart from these," he said, holding up his robes, "I hate white."

"Suits you though," Annie said, grinning as Harry pulled a face.

"You shouldn't have done that, you know, you should have done what he said."

Harry pulled a face.

"Yeah, right."

"Well," Joe said, slightly sheepishly, "Thanks for not."

"I think I broke my wrist before," Harry said, changing the subject quickly as he looked at the purple bruises proving this statement, "but, on the bright side, at least I still have my memory, which means my wand must be somewhere about."

Joe, Dave and Annie didn't question into the logic behind this, but shrugged inwardly, putting it down to another strange story that would take a long time to tell, time that they did not have. Instead, they surveyed the child sat in front of them. It was an odd sight, really. A boy, slightly short for his age, with hair that looked like it had never been touched with a brush, and emerald eyes that seemed to sparkle with an unnatural glow. Yet, accompanying these things that were fairly normal, were the ones that stood out. The infamous lightning bolt scar, now, oddly enough, eerily glowing with a slight silver tinge. The dazzling white robes, already stained heavily with blood, identifying injuries that had not been visible before. Most startling of all, however, was the slightly 'spaced out' look the boy was currently wearing on his face, and the way in which he was talking to thin air.

"Where have you guys been?" Harry asked in a whisper.

"Sorry, Harry, we couldn't find you after they moved you."

"What happened?"

"What have they done to you?"

"Not much, nothing important,"

"Nothing important!"

"Have you looked at yourself recently?

The three sisters glared at Harry, who looked down at himself, and winced at the white, well, now kind of red, robes.

"Okay, a few injuries here and there, but there's something important you have to do for me."

"What?"

"Well, Voldemort,"

At this point the three prisoners, still listening to Harry, thinking he was going quite insane, gasped. Harry glanced at them, and then continued speaking.

"Voldemort, had his snake bite me, Nagini is poisonous."

He showed them his ankle, which was now roughly double its original size, and a slightly strange colour.

"I want to escape, but I can't until I have the cure for the venom. Since nobody else can see you, could you go and look for it?"

"Of course, but, to escape - won't you need your wand?"

"Oohh - we could look for that too, couldn't we Harry?"

"Yeah, thanks. Look - they're coming back for me soon, they're taking me somewhere else, so don't go anywhere until you see where they take me too, okay?"

"Right,"

"I can hear them now - they're coming!"

"Right then, I'll see you later."

Harry finally zoned back into his three fellow prisoners, and looked slightly sheepish at their amazed expressions.

"Look - I'm not mad, Ok? They're fairies - I can see fairies, and they've been helping me."

"Oh, right then, what was that all about?"

"There's no time for that, the guards are coming to take me away again. If I escape, I'll make sure everyone knows you're here, and you will be freed, I promise."

As he finished speaking, the door swung open, and two burly, cloaked men, led by Lucius Malfoy, grabbed Harry by the arms, and dragged him from the room. Harry grinned a silent goodbye to Dave, Annie and Joe, before he was swept down the corridor, and thrown into a cell in the depths of the castle.

**

"Look - all we have to do is-"

"Why do we always have to do whatever you say, it's not like your ideas always work anyway!"

"They do to, whose idea was it to go to Dumbledore? Hey?"

"MINE!"

"Oh -well, I have plenty of good ideas, and personally think this is the best one I've had in a while. If we follow this bloke here, he's bound to lead us to The Dark Lord, who is sure to have the antidote nearby."

"Look - for all we know, he could be the bloody caretaker, going to clean his mops or something!"

"Okay you two, enough - i agree with Eugina, it's a good idea, but if you ever have an idea, Addie, then we will listen, but do you have a better one right now? Right then."

The three sisters silently followed Lucius silently, even though the levels of noise they made would make no difference. They went down damp corridor after damp corridor, occasionally finding a break in the pattern with the added surprise of a musky corridor.

They finally entered a dark circular room, with a sink on one side, and another door in the other.

"OH - So that's where they're hiding the cure - in the toilet! Of course, why didn't I guess? Stupid plan."

"Shut up."

**

(A/N - I know the fairy talk gets a little confusing at times, but it doesn't really matter who's talking all the time, although it isn't that hard to figure out..okies.)

"Are we sure this is it then?"

"You mean you're not sure? With the two guards, and the safe?"

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, you know."

"Sure, but it only works on the very stupid."

"Enough already - just grab the vial, and lets get out of here. This place is giving me the creeps."

"Do we need all of it?"

"It is awfully big.."

"Look, what if Harry does need all of it, and we only give him a bit, and he dies? Huh? What then?"

"Okay.."

"Besides, a little effort ever killed anyone."

"I'm sure it did, I bet lots of people have died by putting effort into things - that's a stupid saying."

"Fine. Whatever. Can you see his wand anywhere?"

"Yep - over there, can you see?"

"Sure. Tell you what, Me and Eugina will take the vial, can you manage the wand Addie?"

"I think so - but how do we get them out without setting of any alarms or anything."

"Er - Magic?"

"Oh, right."

**

1 hour later, and having set the alarms of three times, the three sisters were flying quickly back down the corridors towards Harry's cell. When they were fairly close, a cold feeling swept over them, and all three thought at the same moment, Dementors. Sure enough, when they got to Harry's cell, two Dementors were stood outside, and Harry, inside, was shivering uncontrollably, once again curled up in a little ball in the corner of the room.

"What can we do?"

"Nothing,"

"But he can't take the antidote in this state!"

"We can't just leave him like that!"

"What else can we do?"

"Ooh - I know!"

Before either of the elder sisters could stop Adelina, she was waving her arms about in a spiral shape, a strange gold glow coming from her tiny hands. The small dots of light spread over Harry, and then there was a bang, and smoke billowed through the room.

"What," Ellie coughed, "have you done?"

"Look! It's such a great idea - and neither of you thought of it!"

The smoke slowly cleared, and Ellie and Eugina cautiously looked onto the floor, to find a small black panther spread out , looking cautiously at its own paws.

"Oh, Addie, you didn't!"

The panther looked at them with its green eyes, and stood slowly, limping on one of its legs.

"She bloody well did!"

"ADDIE! He can't take the antidote like this either! What were you thinking?!"

"Well, animals aren't like humans - the Dementors don't affect them as much - look he's fine."

"All very good, but let me ask you one small, tiny little detail."

"What?"

"Can you talk to panthers?"

"No."

"Can we talk to panthers?"

"No."

"Can panthers drink out of vials?"

"Ohhh - no."

"Exactly, so change him back."

"Right. Well, there's one small problem with that."

"What?"

"I don't know how."

"WHAT?!"

"Well I didn't think that far ahead, I just thought it would make Harry feel better. Its a sort of animagus spell, but without the potion. I found it in a book, but the person has to say the words to change into and out of animal form once the initial spell takes place, and I can't remember them."

"So let me get this straight," Ellie said, trying hard to stay calm. "You have turned The Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, The single most famous child in the wizarding world, the Light side's last hope, into a non communicative panther?! And you have no idea how to turn him back?!"

"Er - yes?"

**

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Remus Lupin asked as he waved a hand through the air, "there's nothing here."

"I know that this is right, it's just invisible. I told you we should have brought Severus, he'd probably be able to get in."

"Or, you could be grateful that he followed the three of you on your little adventure."

Lupin, Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore span around to find Severus Snape stood behind them, a slight smirk on his face, a gesture eerily reminiscent of his school days.

"Severus, I thought you said you would not be returning here."

"Well, you should be glad I did, unless you want me to go, and leave you to find your own way in?"

"No, just show us," Black snapped, "and be quick about it."

Snape stepped forward, waving a hand at the three, indicating that they should make themselves scarce. Once he saw they were invisible, he extended a hand, and reached out at a handle that only he could see, and tugged. Surprisingly, a large door opened in the air, revealing the interior of a dark castle. It was a strange sight to say the least, simply a rectangle of the forestry cut out and replaced with a building. Snape stepped through carefully, making sure that the gap stayed open long enough for the remaining three to pass through.

Once inside, he marched forward, entering a dimly lit room, and turned to face his followers.

"Be quick," he said, "you will not go unnoticed for very long, and there are too many here to fight."

"Do you have any idea where Harry is?"

"No, they seem to constantly move him. I knew where he was last week, but who knows today?"

"Right, well, where are most of the cells, presumably, he will be there."

"In the Dungeons, in the very bottom of the castle." Snape shuddered slightly, I don't know if you want to see him though - it's not going to be pleasant."

"Why?" Black asked, his hands shaking slightly as he turned to face Severus.

"After you vanished, The Dark Lord was not best pleased. He sent Harry off to the torture room - which hasn't been used in at least a decade. I never saw anybody come out of there sane-"

Sirius' face crumpled as he realised the severity of the potion masters words.

"We will find him, and take him back."

And with that final statement, he started heading out of the door, with Dumbledore and Lupin hurrying after him.

**

"Crabbe, are you sure that you left Potter in this cell?"

The father of Slytherin's Vincent Crabbe scrunched his face up in thought, as Lucius Malfoy groaned at his helpers stupidity.

"Yes, well, I think so."

"Well, obviously not - there is nothing but a creature of some sort in there, a vicious one at that."

"It probably didn't appreciate being kicked in the side, or woken up!"

"Anyway, all dark animals are to be inspected by the master himself, and since this one is not tagged, we should take it there."

"We can't go back without Potter!"

"You go back with the Panther, and explain how you have forgotten where you put Potter - because I certainly don't understand how you could have."

"Er - how am I supposed to get the animal there?"

"A chain, a rope - honestly, do I have to do everything?"

Crabbe tossed an angry scowl towards the senior Death Eater, muttering quietly, and then, holding his wand firmly in his right hand, entered the door. The panther inside watched him with careful, calculating eyes. As he raised his wand to mutter an incantation, it leapt at him, claws out. It was a while before Crabbe, hands and face severely scratched, had the panther with a chain around it's neck. He led it, or rather, dragged it, along the halls, heading shakily for the chamber room, trying to think a way of avoiding explaining that he had lost the Potter boy. Little did he know that the boy in question was the one straining against the chain.

He finally entered the Throne room, and winced slightly under his masters steely gaze.

"What is this, Crabbe?"

"I found it in one of the cells, and have brought it for your inspection, master."

"Excellent. Bring it closer."

Harry was dragged forward, still putting up a valiant struggle against the strong grip on the chain. He wasn't sure whether Voldemort would be able to tell who he was or not, but he certainly wasn't anxious to find out. His leg was really beginning to become a nuisance now, preventing him from putting up too much resistance against Crabbe, or from running as fast as he figured panthers normally could.

"Ah, yes, this one looks excellent." Voldemort sneered, "Slightly injured, but plenty of spirit all the same."

Harry chose this moment to leap towards the dark wizard, biting into his wrist.

"And vicious too," he added, waving his wand at his hand to heal it.. "Insolence like that would normally be punished, but I suppose it is to be expected in a wild beast such as this."

Voldemort suddenly looked to his left at a small globe, and smiled slightly.

"Intruders. Find them."

**

Remus, Sirius and Professor Dumbledore strode quickly from cell to cell, asking each prisoner in turn if they had seen a short boy with black hair. They, of course, were not stupid enough as to ask if anyone had seen Harry Potter lying about, but the questions they were asking had much the same effect. Nobody had seen anything, or they were to afraid to say they had. Remus found himself wishing they could free everyone here, but reasoned that they couldn't take too many people, as they would be spotted too easily.

They began to grow worried, as well as short of time, and started searching more frantically, fully aware that they had very few options left. They finally came to the last cell, and, finding it empty, really began to worry.

"There must be some more rooms somewhere! There must be!"

"Sirius, we have to leave now - they're bound to discover us soon.."

"Remus is right, Sirius, we will come back again, but we must leave at once."

Sirius looked pleadingly at his companions, and then glared angrily at them. Just as he was about to open his mouth, his face fell pale, and his eyes widened.

"Behind you!" he whispered urgently.

The two span around quickly, to find around 20 death eaters, all looking straight at them.

"They can't see us, can they?" Lupin asked.

"I think you'll find," a voice sneered, "that whatever invisibility charms you were under, have worn off."

They turned around again, to find themselves looking directly at Lucius Malfoy.

Suddenly, the large groups of death eaters behind them all fired curses in their direction, advancing on them all the while. The three deflected curse after curse, determined to fight to the last.

"SIRIUS, look out!" Lupin shouted, only a little to late, as Sirius was hit from behind with a curse, and toppled to the floor.

Frantically looking at his friend on the floor, Remus Lupin continued fighting, alongside Dumbledore. Curses flew through the halls, bouncing off walls, narrowly missing the two, trapped in the centre of what seems to be an army of the Dark Lord's followers. The continued struggling valiantly, but, after a short while, Lupin fell as four wizrds cursed him at once. Albus Dumbledore was the last standing, and, the last thing he saw as he was stood up, was 10 wands aimed at him, all mouthing the same body-binding curse.

**

Harry looked up from the floor, a place he was gradually becoming accustomed to as of late, and watched with tired eyes as the Death Eaters returned to the room. Voldemort had chained him, in his panther form, back up to the wall, in pride of place by the throne - he felt like a trophy. As tired as he was, Harry couldn't help but notice that the cloaked figures walking into the room seemed excessively pleased with themselves. He puzzled over this for a few minutes before the solution became clear. The last few figures entered with prisoners. Prisoners that Harry knew only too well.

"Well," Voldemort said loudly, "It seems we have to welcome to our midst more guests, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and, last, but by no means least, the esteemed Albus Dumbledore."

Whilst the Death Eaters stood and mocked the prisoners, Voldemort flexed his fingers, seemingly considering something carefully. He glanced in the direction of the prisoners, and then his eyes glowed strangely, a thin smile spreading across his face.

"Kill them."

**

Disclaimer – I own nothing – JK Rowling owns all.