'Dad! Mum!'
Ron and Ginny ran into their parents' house, dragging a distraught Harry behind them. Molly Weasley looked up at them from her washing up. She'd been attempting to do things the Muggle way on the insistence of her husband, and was finding it somewhat tedious. She took one look at Harry, and hurried over, sitting him on a chair, and sending Ginny for some brandy.
'Whatever's the matter with him?'
Ron was hovering over his friend, almost worried sick.
'Hermione's been kidnapped!'
Molly sat down abruptly, her face white as a sheet.
'Who by?' she asked, her voice trembling.
Harry gave a low moan and buried his head in his hands. Ginny tilted his head back and forced some brandy down his throat, watching as he spluttered against the strong alcohol. She turned to her mother.
'By Voldemort, that's who!'
Molly flinched, she'd never quite got over her children speaking the Dark Lord's name.
'What's this about You-Know-Who?'
They turned to see Arthur Weasley in the doorway, looking sternly at his children. Percy was hovering behind him, smirking as he realised Ron and Ginny could be in trouble.
'He's kidnapped Hermione, Arthur!'
Molly pulled her husband and son inside. Arthur sat down heavily.
'Ron, explain. Now.'
'Well, I suppose you know about Hermione being Vol - You-Know-Who's daughter?'
There was a thud. Looking around, they saw that Molly had fainted. Ginny and Percy hurried over to sort her out, lifting their mother between them and carrying her into the living room.
'No, Ron, I didn't,' Arthur said, his voice neutral, 'but do go on.'
'He's been trying to get her to join him all year, and now he's kidnapped her! We saw his Death-Eaters take her away!'
'So what's wrong with Harry?'
Ron looked awkwardly at his father.
'Well, Harry and Hermione . . . sort of . . . you know . . .'
His father nodded, his face mystified.
'I'm not going to pretend I understand a word of what you've just said to me, Ron, but I'm sure if you tell Dumbledore, he will. Come on. Help me with Harry.'
Together they manhandled Harry into the living room, where they sat him in one of the armchairs. Molly was just coming around, lying flat out on the sofa. Arthur took some Floo Powder from the bag on the mantelpiece, and threw it into the fire.
'Follow me, Ron. Hogwarts!'
He disappeared, followed swiftly by Ron. Ginny and Percy exchanged a look.
'Looks like we'll have to start dinner, Perce.'
'The words oh, and crap spring to mind.'
*~*~*
Albus Dumbledore looked up from his desk, as the two Weasleys stumbled out of his fireplace.
'Arthur, Ron, what a pleasant surprise.'
'Not for much longer, HeadMaster,' Ron promised darkly.
Dumbledore gestured for them to take a seat.
'What's wrong, Ron?'
'He's got Hermione, sir,' Ron began, knowing he wouldn't have to explain who 'he' was. 'As the train pulled away, me and Harry saw two Death- Eaters knock her out and carry her into a carriage. Then they drove off, and we didn't know what to do. They wouldn't stop the train, or anything, sir!'
'All right, Ron, calm down. Where's Harry? He hasn't decided to do something rash, has he? I know how he feels about Hermione.'
Ron's face grew pale.
'No, sir, nothing like that. It just, well, he's stopped speaking, and all the way back home he was just sitting there, like there was nothing holding him up anymore. I'm really worried, sir.'
'I'm not surprised. Is he at your house, Arthur?'
'Yes, Albus. And I intend to keep him there.'
'Good. I have a friend who may be able to help him, but you're going to have to keep his presence a secret.'
Arthur looked confused.
'Why?'
'Because he is a convicted criminal.'
Ron's eyes lit up. He knew who Dumbledore was going to send to Harry.
'His name is Sirius Black -'
Arthur Weasley leapt out of his chair.
'You're telling me that Black is counted among your friends, HeadMaster? He's a murderer!'
'No, he isn't,' Ron butted in, regretting it as soon as the words left his mouth.
His father gave him an icy glare.
'Please, Arthur, sit down. Sirius was wrongfully arrested, and I can prove it, if you'll listen.'
Tearing his eyes from his son's face, Arthur sat down. He gazed calmly at the HeadMaster.
'Very well.'
*~*~*
Brimstone. That's what she could smell, burning brimstone. She shifted slightly, groaning as the movement brought sharp icy pain to her head. A voice that she knew all too well cut through her discomfort.
'So, you're finally awake.'
Ignoring the pain, Hermione turned her head, opening her eyes to gaze around her in horror.
She was lying in a soft canopied bed, the curtains pulled back so that Voldemort could watch her. A fire burned on the hearth, fuelled by nothing, apparently, but giving off the acrid brimstone smell. Books lined the walls, and in a chair by the fireplace sat her captor.
'I trust you slept well?'
Hermione forced herself not to panic. Dreams were one thing, but this time she was actually in the same room as him, and there was no one to distract him from her. She met his gaze with a cold stare of her own.
'Funnily enough, no,' she replied, surprised at how calm her voice was.
He smiled, a thin-lipped cruel smile that made her blood run cold.
'Your fortitude is to be admired, young one. You will make a fine heir.'
Hermione felt herself bristle at his assumption that she would give in now faced with him in person.
'Whatever makes you think I'd want to be your heir?'
His smile disappeared, replaced with a fearful expression of cold rage. He stood, towering over her, and advanced on the bed.
'You will, my daughter, you will. Your fate was sealed from the moment you entered this house. You will not leave until you are one of us. I give you my word.'
Hermione felt her heart freeze over. She knew he would not go back on his word, that she would be forced to become one of his Death-Eaters before he would allow her to walk free. Thoughts of Harry rose, unbidden, in her mind, making tears well up in her eyes. He would never understand, he'd think she'd gone over willingly.
Voldemort snapped at her,
'Stop crying, girl!'
The sound of his cold voice just made her sob harder. All her friends, everyone she'd ever loved . . . she had to stay strong to protect them. The dark wizard raised his hand, his wand forgotten.
'I said, stop it!'
Shocked into silence, Hermione raised a trembling hand to the red mark on her cheek, her eyes seeking out his in the darkness. He glared at her, feeling that alien emotion wash over him again. Forcing himself to ignore it, he grasped her chin in his hand, and raised it painfully. Hermione winced and gazed into his eyes, her fear a dull glow in her own.
'Until you learn the behaviour suitable for my daughter, you will remain in here. No light, no warmth, until you learn some respect!'
Before his conscience could prod him into apologising for his actions, he stormed out.
Hermione watched as the fire died away, leaving her in total darkness. Automatically she fumbled in her sleeve for her wand, lifting it out with relief.
'Lumos,' she whispered.
Nothing happened, not even a spark to tell her that the magic was still there. She tried again. Still nothing. Frightened sobs rose in her throat as she implored the light to come. She was trapped, alone, where no-one could find her, without even a light to dry her tears by.
*~*~*
Harry stared at the floor, his hands hanging limp, lifeless. He hadn't moved since being sat in the chair, despite Ginny's entreaties for him to snap out of it. He only vaguely heard her, his mind focused inward on what he could have done to help Hermione.
Hermione. He loved her so much it hurt, and now he had lost her, to the one man who hated him more than anything in the world. He couldn't bear to think what she could be going through, how frightened she must be.
If only he'd refused to leave her, as he had been tempted to do. If only he'd stayed just a few moments longer on the platform, he might have seen them approaching and been able to do something. Anything.
He kept seeing, in his mind's eye, her trusting face as she looked on him with sad cinnamon eyes. He saw her standing forlornly on the platform, the figures rising from the mist behind her to strike her down and carry her off. He felt again the helplessness seep through him, the despair that he had lost the one person he truly loved with all his heart.
He heard vaguely people returning via Floo, and Molly Weasley protesting about something. He was aware of a hostile silence, broken by Arthur Weasley saying,
'Shush, Molly, I'll explain in a minute.'
Suddenly hands gripped his shoulders, forcing him to look up into a pair of familiar dark eyes.
'Sirius . . .'
Just the sight of his trusted friend made the pent up emotions boil over, and Harry fell forward into his godfather's embrace with an anguished sob, clutching at arms that held him tight against the flood of pain.
Ron and Ginny ran into their parents' house, dragging a distraught Harry behind them. Molly Weasley looked up at them from her washing up. She'd been attempting to do things the Muggle way on the insistence of her husband, and was finding it somewhat tedious. She took one look at Harry, and hurried over, sitting him on a chair, and sending Ginny for some brandy.
'Whatever's the matter with him?'
Ron was hovering over his friend, almost worried sick.
'Hermione's been kidnapped!'
Molly sat down abruptly, her face white as a sheet.
'Who by?' she asked, her voice trembling.
Harry gave a low moan and buried his head in his hands. Ginny tilted his head back and forced some brandy down his throat, watching as he spluttered against the strong alcohol. She turned to her mother.
'By Voldemort, that's who!'
Molly flinched, she'd never quite got over her children speaking the Dark Lord's name.
'What's this about You-Know-Who?'
They turned to see Arthur Weasley in the doorway, looking sternly at his children. Percy was hovering behind him, smirking as he realised Ron and Ginny could be in trouble.
'He's kidnapped Hermione, Arthur!'
Molly pulled her husband and son inside. Arthur sat down heavily.
'Ron, explain. Now.'
'Well, I suppose you know about Hermione being Vol - You-Know-Who's daughter?'
There was a thud. Looking around, they saw that Molly had fainted. Ginny and Percy hurried over to sort her out, lifting their mother between them and carrying her into the living room.
'No, Ron, I didn't,' Arthur said, his voice neutral, 'but do go on.'
'He's been trying to get her to join him all year, and now he's kidnapped her! We saw his Death-Eaters take her away!'
'So what's wrong with Harry?'
Ron looked awkwardly at his father.
'Well, Harry and Hermione . . . sort of . . . you know . . .'
His father nodded, his face mystified.
'I'm not going to pretend I understand a word of what you've just said to me, Ron, but I'm sure if you tell Dumbledore, he will. Come on. Help me with Harry.'
Together they manhandled Harry into the living room, where they sat him in one of the armchairs. Molly was just coming around, lying flat out on the sofa. Arthur took some Floo Powder from the bag on the mantelpiece, and threw it into the fire.
'Follow me, Ron. Hogwarts!'
He disappeared, followed swiftly by Ron. Ginny and Percy exchanged a look.
'Looks like we'll have to start dinner, Perce.'
'The words oh, and crap spring to mind.'
*~*~*
Albus Dumbledore looked up from his desk, as the two Weasleys stumbled out of his fireplace.
'Arthur, Ron, what a pleasant surprise.'
'Not for much longer, HeadMaster,' Ron promised darkly.
Dumbledore gestured for them to take a seat.
'What's wrong, Ron?'
'He's got Hermione, sir,' Ron began, knowing he wouldn't have to explain who 'he' was. 'As the train pulled away, me and Harry saw two Death- Eaters knock her out and carry her into a carriage. Then they drove off, and we didn't know what to do. They wouldn't stop the train, or anything, sir!'
'All right, Ron, calm down. Where's Harry? He hasn't decided to do something rash, has he? I know how he feels about Hermione.'
Ron's face grew pale.
'No, sir, nothing like that. It just, well, he's stopped speaking, and all the way back home he was just sitting there, like there was nothing holding him up anymore. I'm really worried, sir.'
'I'm not surprised. Is he at your house, Arthur?'
'Yes, Albus. And I intend to keep him there.'
'Good. I have a friend who may be able to help him, but you're going to have to keep his presence a secret.'
Arthur looked confused.
'Why?'
'Because he is a convicted criminal.'
Ron's eyes lit up. He knew who Dumbledore was going to send to Harry.
'His name is Sirius Black -'
Arthur Weasley leapt out of his chair.
'You're telling me that Black is counted among your friends, HeadMaster? He's a murderer!'
'No, he isn't,' Ron butted in, regretting it as soon as the words left his mouth.
His father gave him an icy glare.
'Please, Arthur, sit down. Sirius was wrongfully arrested, and I can prove it, if you'll listen.'
Tearing his eyes from his son's face, Arthur sat down. He gazed calmly at the HeadMaster.
'Very well.'
*~*~*
Brimstone. That's what she could smell, burning brimstone. She shifted slightly, groaning as the movement brought sharp icy pain to her head. A voice that she knew all too well cut through her discomfort.
'So, you're finally awake.'
Ignoring the pain, Hermione turned her head, opening her eyes to gaze around her in horror.
She was lying in a soft canopied bed, the curtains pulled back so that Voldemort could watch her. A fire burned on the hearth, fuelled by nothing, apparently, but giving off the acrid brimstone smell. Books lined the walls, and in a chair by the fireplace sat her captor.
'I trust you slept well?'
Hermione forced herself not to panic. Dreams were one thing, but this time she was actually in the same room as him, and there was no one to distract him from her. She met his gaze with a cold stare of her own.
'Funnily enough, no,' she replied, surprised at how calm her voice was.
He smiled, a thin-lipped cruel smile that made her blood run cold.
'Your fortitude is to be admired, young one. You will make a fine heir.'
Hermione felt herself bristle at his assumption that she would give in now faced with him in person.
'Whatever makes you think I'd want to be your heir?'
His smile disappeared, replaced with a fearful expression of cold rage. He stood, towering over her, and advanced on the bed.
'You will, my daughter, you will. Your fate was sealed from the moment you entered this house. You will not leave until you are one of us. I give you my word.'
Hermione felt her heart freeze over. She knew he would not go back on his word, that she would be forced to become one of his Death-Eaters before he would allow her to walk free. Thoughts of Harry rose, unbidden, in her mind, making tears well up in her eyes. He would never understand, he'd think she'd gone over willingly.
Voldemort snapped at her,
'Stop crying, girl!'
The sound of his cold voice just made her sob harder. All her friends, everyone she'd ever loved . . . she had to stay strong to protect them. The dark wizard raised his hand, his wand forgotten.
'I said, stop it!'
Shocked into silence, Hermione raised a trembling hand to the red mark on her cheek, her eyes seeking out his in the darkness. He glared at her, feeling that alien emotion wash over him again. Forcing himself to ignore it, he grasped her chin in his hand, and raised it painfully. Hermione winced and gazed into his eyes, her fear a dull glow in her own.
'Until you learn the behaviour suitable for my daughter, you will remain in here. No light, no warmth, until you learn some respect!'
Before his conscience could prod him into apologising for his actions, he stormed out.
Hermione watched as the fire died away, leaving her in total darkness. Automatically she fumbled in her sleeve for her wand, lifting it out with relief.
'Lumos,' she whispered.
Nothing happened, not even a spark to tell her that the magic was still there. She tried again. Still nothing. Frightened sobs rose in her throat as she implored the light to come. She was trapped, alone, where no-one could find her, without even a light to dry her tears by.
*~*~*
Harry stared at the floor, his hands hanging limp, lifeless. He hadn't moved since being sat in the chair, despite Ginny's entreaties for him to snap out of it. He only vaguely heard her, his mind focused inward on what he could have done to help Hermione.
Hermione. He loved her so much it hurt, and now he had lost her, to the one man who hated him more than anything in the world. He couldn't bear to think what she could be going through, how frightened she must be.
If only he'd refused to leave her, as he had been tempted to do. If only he'd stayed just a few moments longer on the platform, he might have seen them approaching and been able to do something. Anything.
He kept seeing, in his mind's eye, her trusting face as she looked on him with sad cinnamon eyes. He saw her standing forlornly on the platform, the figures rising from the mist behind her to strike her down and carry her off. He felt again the helplessness seep through him, the despair that he had lost the one person he truly loved with all his heart.
He heard vaguely people returning via Floo, and Molly Weasley protesting about something. He was aware of a hostile silence, broken by Arthur Weasley saying,
'Shush, Molly, I'll explain in a minute.'
Suddenly hands gripped his shoulders, forcing him to look up into a pair of familiar dark eyes.
'Sirius . . .'
Just the sight of his trusted friend made the pent up emotions boil over, and Harry fell forward into his godfather's embrace with an anguished sob, clutching at arms that held him tight against the flood of pain.
