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Chapter 20: Lost in Confusion
Harry regained consciousness and found himself blanketed in darkness. For a moment, he couldn't remember what had happened to him, or where he was supposed to be. He tried to move his arms, but was surprised to find that he couldn't. His arms and legs were tied to the chair he was sitting in. His scar ached. "Where am I?" He muttered to the empty room. He was certainly not expecting an answer.
"Awake at last, Mr. Potter?" Harry's heart almost burst out of his chest in surprise. There was someone else in the room with him, but who?
"Where am I?" He asked again, this time waiting for a reply.
A laugh came from a corner of the room. "That I cannot reveal to you, but know that you are in good hands." At these words, Harry recognized the familiar drawl. It was a little deeper than Draco's, but Lucius Malfoy's voice was almost identical to his son's. Harry chose not to ask any further answers, for he was sure that he would not like the answers, but Lucius Malfoy was happy to volunteer information. "Your friends did not succeed, Mr. Potter. The Dark Lord has the Dementors in his power. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before everyone is under his control. He should be here shortly; very pleased, he was, about your arrival." Harry opted not to reply to this declaration. Though the room was still enveloped in blackness, Harry was sure that Lucius was smirking.
The two stayed silent for a few moments. Harry was lost in thought of his friends. Did Lucius Malfoy speak the truth? Had they really failed? Would Voldemort be taking over everywhere? And what of his friends? Where were Ron and Hermione? Were they safe? And Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred, and George? The list went on and on. Harry prayed for their safety.
Suddenly, Harry's thoughts were interrupted by a creaking noise from behind him. The door. Someone was entering the room. "Lucius? How is our prisoner?" Harry's blood ran cold. He knew who that hiss belonged to. His scar was almost exploding with a throbbing pain. Harry's eyes watered. Lord Voldemort finally had him cornered. There was no way out and Harry pretty sure that his luck was running thin.
"Litencia!" Harry heard Lucius Malfoy murmur. And suddenly the torches outlining the small room were lit. He blinked rapidly, readjusting his eyes to the sudden brightness of the room. The room had no windows. The walls were covered with fading wallpaper, and the only piece of furniture in the little area was the hard, uncomfortable chair he was sitting in.
"Lucius, your arm." Voldemort commanded. Harry watched as Voldemort performed the same task he had done with Wormtail the year before to summon the Death Eaters. They stayed silent, waiting for the Death Eaters to appear. Harry was surprised that Voldemort wasn't taunting him as he usually did. Perhaps Voldemort was not as confident as he had been in previous years? Maybe he just wanted to kill Harry without ceremony to get it over with.
One by one, the Death Eaters appeared. Crabbe. Goyle. McNair. Wormtail. Harry almost gasped in surprise when the next person appeared. Barty Crouch Jr.? He was supposed to be soulless, wandering around somewhere. Why was he here? Harry looked on, confused as even more people appeared. A man and woman, whom he did not recognize. Finally Voldemort began to speak.
"My Death Eaters. I'm happy you could make it today. For, Mr. Potter has decided to join us and this time there is nowhere for him to escape." He sneered in Harry's direction. "But first I will present two people who have not been with us for quite some time. The Lestranges! They were faithful to me, serving their time in Azkaban. They knew I would come and break them out, and here they are today." He roared. And Harry realized he was pointing to the man and woman whom he had not been able to identify. So it is true, he thought to himself. The Death Eaters did win and the Dementors and prisoners are loose.
"Now, I will take care of Mr. Potter." Voldemort raised his wand to perform the deadly curse that would end his life. Harry struggled with his restraints for a few seconds, but then realized it was useless; he would die. Things flashed before his eyes. He would never get to see Ron or Hermione again. They would have to rely on each other for strength. Sirius would no longer have a godson. Hopefully, he could gain some comfort from the company of Professor Lupin.
And Ginny. He would never get to hold her again. To run his hands through her hair, just listening to the sweet sound of her laughter. To his surprise, it was the thought of Ginny that triggered tears. His eyes watered, and he desperately tried to hold them back. He wished he could kiss her one last time.
"Avada Ked-" He began, but something happened. He stopped speaking. Harry opened his eyes and saw Voldemort on the ground, struggling to get up. "Get him!" Voldemort shouted.
Harry thought Voldemort was talking about him, but apparently not, because the Death Eaters began fighting one of their own. Barty Crouch Jr. "Releasio!" Barty shouted, and suddenly Harry felt himself free of his restraints. As quickly as he could, he dove from his seat and rolled on the ground to dodge any curses that might be coming his way. But not one person was paying attention to him. They were all going after Barty Crouch Jr., the traitor.
Silently, Harry crawled, making his way towards the door. He felt something hit him rather hard on the shoulder, and despite his urgency to leave the place; he looked behind him. It was an old, deflated football. Wondering what the possible significance of the object could be he reached for it. "Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort hissed. Harry waited for the green light to hit him, and sweep life from his body. But it didn't come. Voldemort had not been aiming for him, but Barty Crouch Jr. and it had gone on target. Barty lay on the ground, eyes wide, not breathing.
Harry stopped in mid-reach and stared at the person who had helped him, still not understanding what was going on, but feeling saddened nonetheless. Voldemort's words from Hogwarts rang in his ears once more, "Who is the sacrifice of the day? Who else has to die for Harry Potter to live?"
"Get Potter!" A voice shouted, breaking Harry out of his reverie. He made a lunge for the deflated football, and finally got his hands on the round object. He felt a tug behind his naval and suddenly he found himself on the Hogwarts grounds. A portkey, of course. Harry thought to himself. How could he not have known? Well that worrying about being killed probably had something to do with it, he thought wryly. But how had Barty Crouch Jr., gotten a portkey to Hogwarts and what was going on with him anyway? He was supposed to be gone. Perhaps Voldemort had figured out a way to reverse the Dementor's Kiss?
Harry, heart still racing and adrenaline still pumping from the confrontation, raised himself from the ground and took off towards the castle. He had one person on his mind. He did not stop sprinting until he reached Gryffindor tower. He gave the password and entered frantically scanning the room for the person he was searching for. Everyone else had stood and exclaimed at his arrival. Harry barely even noticed.
He had caught sight of Ginny, and she was more beautiful than ever. He stopped for a second, and stared at her. He had thought he would never see her again and here she was before him, eyes wet with tears, but a smile on her face now that he had arrived. Harry couldn't wait a second longer to hold her in his arms. He rushed over to her and hugged her, as tight as he could. He never wanted to let go. He breathed in the scent of her hair and ran his hands through it, unaware and uncaring of everyone else watching. "I thought I would never see you again." He muttered in her ear.
"Shh. It's okay. You're alive and we're together." Though she was reassuring him, Harry could tell she had been scared of the same thing.
"I love you." Harry whispered, barely believing his words. He couldn't help it. The time for putting things off was over. He had been so close to dying, dying before she knew that he loved her. Ginny looked at him for a long moment, astonished.
"I love you too." She stated finally. They stayed in a tight embrace for a long time, only separating when someone mentioned Ron and Hermione in the hospital wing. "I think it would be better if we go to Dumbledore, before we visit Ron and Hermione. Ron's okay, just a little beat up, and Hermione's sitting with him." Ginny suggested.
Harry shook his head fiercely. He didn't feel like going through the night, all the intricate details, and figuring out mysteries. He wanted to see his friends. "Can't we go see Ron and Hermione first?" His emerald eyes pleaded with her.
She sighed, defeated. "Fine. But if Dumbledore yells at you later, I can tell him I tried to get you to go."
Hand-in-hand they made their way to the hospital wing. They did not encounter any teachers on their way and Harry was glad. They would have questioned him and taken him off to Dumbledore, for more questioning no doubt. When they appeared in the doorway of the hospital wing, Ron, who was facing them, let out a shout of surprise. "Harry!"
Hermione turned around as fast as she was able to and ran to him, arms outstretched. "Harry, I'm so happy you're safe. How did you get here? Did you see Dumbledore yet?" She suddenly took on a stern appearance.
"No, I haven't seen Dumbledore yet. I wanted to see the people I care about most, first." He said pointedly. He was surprised at the sentiments coming out of his mouth, but maybe this near death experience was just one too many. He didn't want to waste any more time on stupid things. He wanted to let them know that he cared.
"Well I guess I can't argue with that." Hermione said, smiling. "I'm so glad your safe." She hugged him again and Harry embraced her as well, though somewhat awkwardly.
Ron and Harry looked at each other for a second, before Ron grinned widely. "Harry." He said with a nod.
Harry grinned too. "Ron." There was no hugging, but enough emotion was packed into those two words. They knew what their friendship meant and they didn't have to say everything aloud.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the pair, obviously wondering how they could not be shouting and hugging as she had been doing moments before.
Suddenly Madam Pomfrey, who had been searching for a salve for Ron, entered the room, obviously startled by the commotion. Her jaw dropped when she saw Harry.
"Mr. Potter! You're safe." The shock wore off in a matter of seconds and she began checking him up and down for anything that needed medical attention. "Bruises on your elbows. Cuts on your legs." She muttered, and went bustling into cupboards, searching for a particular ointment.
"So Harry?" Ron asked. "What did happen?" He was looking at Harry curiously. They all were.
He sighed. "I want to wait until Dumbledore comes, and then I can just tell it to all of you."
There was an instant uproar at his words. "You haven't been to see Dumbledore, yet?" Madam Pomfrey shouted incredulously, clucking her tongue disapprovingly. "Go now!"
"Can't I stay here?" Harry pleaded with her. He didn't want to be away from his friends at that moment.
The nurse must have seen the saddened and deadened look in his eyes, because for once she gave in. "Very well." She whispered. "I'll get Dumbledore to come to you." With that she left the room, muttering about students doing dangerous things, and then not even going to a teacher.
After the happy reunion with his friends, Harry found himself puzzling over the events of the night. Why was Barty Crouch Jr. there? Why did he help him? Though he was extremely happy to alive and with his friends, Harry was lost in confusion.
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