Harry Potter & the Dark Lord – Chapter 16
Disclaimer: I really, really wish I had come up with these characters, but unfortunately I didn't. Fortunately, the person who did (J.K. Rowling, of course) seems really nice.
A/N: Where have Ron and Hermione gone? Did they decide the desolate forest would be a good spot for a romantic tryst, or is it something more sinister?? Can Harry keep Ginny from becoming Nagini's next meal? Will Nagini's master arrive in time for dinner? Okay, enough with the soap opera writing (I haven't watched one in years – are they still the same?) Since it's Thanksgiving weekend (at least here in the good old U.S. of A), I'd like to say I'm thankful for all my loyal readers who take the time out to review. I am so blessed!! Well, back to the story!
Harry stared into the darkness encroaching behind him, looking for any sign of movement. Ron and Hermione were nowhere to be seen. His eyes darted from tree to tree, but nothing stirred. The forest seemed to have gone unnaturally quiet, and all Harry could hear was the rapid beating of his heart. Images of disaster raced through his mind, and he shook his head to clear his thoughts. No, Ron and Hermione must have just decided to turn back. Nothing was wrong. They had to be all right.
"Harry…" Ginny's quiet voice was almost pleading, her eyes betraying the slight hope that Harry could explain where her brother and Hermione had gone. Harry stopped scanning the woods and turned his attention to Ginny. There were scratches all over her face, and small twigs and leaves were stuck in her hair. Harry imagined he must look the same way, but right now it didn't seem particularly important. Ron and Hermione were gone, and he had no clue as to where. An overwhelming feeling of guilt built inside him; he had led them this way. If anything happened to them…no, they were his best friends, he would find them.
"Let's retrace our steps," Harry said firmly, taking Ginny's arm as he steered her back in the direction they had come. She resisted, though, standing her ground.
"Wait, Harry, what did you see?"
Nagini had been driven right out of Harry's mind. Now that Ginny reminded him, he quickly explained about the serpent. He told her how he had seen it in his dream the summer before fourth year, only briefly mentioning that Nagini had also been there the day of the third task. Harry didn't really want to go into the details of that day and was grateful that Ginny accepted what he told her without comment.
Ginny nervously twisted a strand of hair around her finger as she thought, her mind obviously spinning. She looked up quickly at Harry, coming to a decision.
'We've got to follow Nagini. Do you think you can find it again?"
Harry nodded numbly, picking up on her train of thought. Of course, it made sense. They both knew Ron and Hermione wouldn't have just wandered off, or turned back without saying a word. Ron and Hermione were in trouble, and Nagini was their best hope of finding them. The serpent would probably lead them right to his friends, or at least to whomever, or whatever, had them. Harry turned back towards the clearing where he had seen Nagini, taking Ginny's hand and gripping it tightly – he wasn't going to let anyone else get separated from him tonight.
They walked silently, heading towards the faint moonlight shining in the clearing ahead. Harry was growing frustrated. Try as he might, he hadn't heard any more hissing. He pushed an overgrown shrub aside, helping Ginny get past it. The clearing was just ahead now, so Harry quickened his pace. There was a particularly nasty group of thorny bushes in the way, so Harry, not wanting to risk discovery by using a spell, tried to squeeze around them, adding quite a few more cuts to himself and tears to his robes. Ginny, being smaller, had an easier time getting past the brambles.
Harry and Ginny, bleeding from numerous new scratches and their robes entirely disheveled, finally stepped into the clearing. It wasn't much of a clearing, as the forest only yielded a few square yards. There was but a lone tree at the edge, quite tall and thick, but very dry-looking, with not much life left in it and most of its branches bare. It cast an eerie shadow over the weeds that grew as high as Harry's waist. Ginny was crouching low, looking for signs of Nagini close to the ground, and Harry bent to join her. After crawling this way for a few minutes, they found a swath cut through the field as if something large had dragged itself through there. They followed the trail directly to the base of the tree, where it stopped abruptly.
Harry stood up, pulling Ginny up beside him, and walked around the tree. There were no signs of any openings in the tree. Ginny took out her wand and whispered "Alohoroma", but nothing happened. Harry tried tapping the tree with his wand, muttering all the spells he could think of, but the tree remained unchanged. He squinted his eyes in an attempt to imagine a snake on the tree, thinking maybe speaking in Parseltongue might work, but it was to no avail.
"What now?" Ginny asked despondently.
"We wait. Nagini said his master was coming."
"But Harry, if Voldemort finds you…" Ginny gripped Harry's arm, concern evident on her upturned face.
Harry's eyes scanned the perimeter of the clearing, finally resting on a large stone jutting out of the ground. "There," he whispered, "we'll hide there and wait for him."
The two walked to the rock and settled behind it. It was a perfect hiding spot, offering a clear view of the tree and surrounding area. Harry and Ginny sat among the full shrubs that grew directly behind the stone, easily concealing them. It would have been easier if he had remembered to bring his father's Invisibility Cloak, but it hadn't occurred to Harry that it might be necessary in the dark forest.
"Don't forget to keep your mind clear, you know, just in case," Ginny reminded Harry. Harry tried his best to make his mind blank, but anger kept bubbling to the surface. He was haunted by images of his parents dying, and Cedric. Harry had avoided thinking about what had happened at the Triwizard Tournament the last few months – the memories were too much to deal with. He had managed to keep it buried in the back of his mind, focusing on the present, but now memories of Cedric's death and how his own blood had helped Voldemort return to power incensed him. As if Voldemort hadn't done enough to him, he was now threatening the only family he had ever known – the Weasleys and Hermione.
"Harry, I think I heard something," Ginny whispered, drawing Harry back to the present. Harry held his wand tight, straining to hear. Sure enough, someone was approaching the clearing, making his or her way through the bushes. Harry adjusted himself for a better view, and a minute later, he saw a strangely familiar figure walk towards the tree. His back was to Harry and Ginny, and he was wearing the Death Eater mask, so they couldn't see the man's face. Then, the man uttered a single word ("Offandium") and a hole appeared in the tree. The man disappeared into the opening, which quickly closed behind him.
Harry and Ginny had heard that voice enough times to recognize it instantly. They looked at each other with wide eyes, both mouthing the same word – Snape.
Harry and Ginny sat in silence for a long while, their muscles growing stiff and painful. Harry shifted uncomfortably, trying to shake the pins and needles out of the arm Ginny had been resting on. Harry wanted to be sure that no one else would be arriving before they followed Snape through the tree. He was just thinking it might be safe for them to move, when his scar began tingling. The tingling grew stronger, until eventually it was a white-hot burning pain shooting through his head. Harry pressed his hand to his head, trying in vain to stop the burning.
"Harry, Harry!!" Ginny's voice was growing dimmer. He could feel her hands grabbing him as he slipped backwards to the ground.
"You have disappointed me greatly Wormtail. You convinced me this Mudblood-lover would give us valuable information about the boy. It has been rather amusing playing with him, but my patience is growing thin. I will be forced to take matters into my own hands." The voice was calm, yet full of anger, the chill spreading as he spoke. The drawn, white face and piercing red eyes turned toward the balding, shaking man. Voldemort's eyes glowed menacingly as he raised his wand, yelling "Crucio!"
The man fell to the floor screaming in agony. Finally, Voldemort raised his wand, looking coldly at the pathetic man at his feet.
"Please, master, please," Wormtail whimpered, his watery eyes avoiding Voldemort's gaze. He spoke quickly, trying to get his words in before his master decided to stop listening. "I think you will be happy with me. I have found these two wandering in the forest. I remember them from my days as a rat. They are the boy's closest friends. I think they will prove most useful."
Wormtail stepped aside, waving his hand, shining silver by the firelight. They were obviously in a very deep part of the forest – a fire burning brightly provided the only source of light. A circle of men, the Death Eaters, parted to reveal two figures tied to a tree, the flames casting undulating shadows upon them. The two were knocked out, their faces not visible, heads hanging on their chests, but the bright red hair and bushy brown hair were unmistakable – it was Ron and Hermione.
Harry jolted awake, finding Ginny looking down on him with worry. AS he stood up, relief spread across her face, replaced by confusion as he grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the tree.
"He's got Ron and Hermione," Harry said by way of explanation, pulling out his wand to open the tree. Ginny looked at him with fear in her eyes, but just nodded and followed him into the opening that had appeared.
The cavity led into a short drop down, and they both landed with a thud as the tree closed behind them. They were now in complete darkness, and again muttered "Lumos" to light their wands. They walked in silence, Harry staying alert to his surroundings. It soon became clear why they hadn't seen anyone else enter through the clearing – the tunnel they were walking through branched into a wider one, and they passed many other branches feeding into the larger one. Apparently there was more than one entrance to the tunnel. They finally reached what seemed like the end – there was a small fissure in the stone walls, just large enough for a person to fit through. Harry easily slipped through the crevice, to find a large group of shrubs concealing the entrance. He kept himself flat against the tunnel wall behind him, moving over to make room for Ginny, who crawled out after him. They were now entirely hidden from view by the shrubbery, but could hear voices coming from nearby. Harry looked through the tiny gaps in the leaves and saw they were at the same spot he had just seen when his scar had hurt.
Ginny tugged at Harry's robes, causing him to look down at her. "Keep your mind blank," she mouthed to him. Harry briefly allowed himself to be grateful for finding the Craniasheldus potion – without it, Voldemort surely would have sensed his presence – before blocking his mind and focusing just on the scene unfolding before him. Voldemort was speaking, circling one of the Death Eaters who was standing apart from the others.
"Severus," Voldemort's cold voice continued, "surely you cannot expect your betrayal to go unpunished?"
Snape took a step towards Voldemort, kneeling before him. "Master, I deserve any punishment you see fit. I have seen the error of my ways and am prepared to prove my loyalty."
Harry held his breath – if the Craniasheldus potion didn't work, they would be sure to find out now. Would Voldemort believe Snape had returned, or would he be able to read his mind and see the truth?
Voldemort paused, his red eyes boring into Snape's own, glittering black through the Death Eater mask. After a moment, a malevolent smile broke out on Voldemort's scaly face. "You are telling the truth. Pity, I was rather looking forward to killing you. But you will be useful, as long as Dumbledore isn't aware you have returned to your Lord."
Snape visibly relaxed, his body growing looser and the tension disappearing from his eyes. Voldemort observed him coldly and raised his wand.
"Crucio."
Harry felt his scar burning again, biting his lip and gripping Ginny's arm to prevent himself from shouting out. Snape crumpled to the floor, his anguished, desperate screams filling the dead night air. After what seemed to be hours – although in reality it was only a minute – Voldemort lowered his wand. Harry tasted blood in his mouth from where he bit himself, and he released Ginny's arm, realizing how hard he had been squeezing it. He was slightly surprised she hadn't cried out herself, but she simply rubbed her arm, looking at Harry with concern.
Voldemort's cold, evil smile returned, as he looked over Snape's quivering figure, struggling to rise from the hard forest floor. "You have made the right choice in returning, although you couldn't have expected your past acts to go unpunished. I'll deal with you later."
Voldemort turned to the rest of the Death Eaters, who slightly flinched as his gaze fell upon them. "Let this serve as a reminder to all of you. You would consider this merciful compared to what awaits those who are disloyal to me."
"Master, the children," Wormtail said, his voice shaking, bending low in Voldemort's presence.
"Yes, Wormtail, you have done well. I believe the boy is Weasley's son. This will make everything much more interesting. Bring him."
Wormtail muttered "Accio", and Harry and Ginny stared with their mouths gaping as they heard a sound of rushing wind, and out of the forest flew a cage. The cage was made of iron, but the metal had a supernatural glow to it. Lying in a crumpled heap on the cell floor was Arthur Weasley, his thinning red hair falling in every direction. Harry put a hand over Ginny's mouth to prevent a cry from escaping her lips.
Mr. Weasley raised his head wearily, looking up at Voldemort from between the bars. Voldemort muttered something under his breath, and the cage flew open. Wormtail hurried forward and dragged Mr. Weasley from his cell, bringing him before Voldemort. Harry looked over to Snape, whose eyes betrayed no emotion.
"Arthur, my guest. We've brought some visitors for you. Perhaps they will make you more cooperative," Voldemort began.
Mr. Weasley lifted his head, his eyes weary, his robes dirty and torn, and his body broken and bruised. Voldemort's smile faded slightly when he saw that his prisoner's eyes did not yet show despair. Rather, the spark of defiance was quite visible.
"Wormtail, let our guest see who has joined our little gathering."
Wormtail, who had been blocking Mr. Weasley's view of Ron and Hermione, stepped aside. Mr. Weasley's face dropped, and he let out a small moan. Wormtail yelled "Ennervate", and Ron and Hermione stirred. Ron's eyes opened first, and upon seeing his father lying before him, widened with shock as he struggled against his bindings.
"Dad!"
"I'm all right, son. It'll be all right. Just stay calm. It's good to see you," Mr. Weasley said weakly, a feeble attempt at a smile failing.
Hermione just now became fully revived and began scanning her surroundings, her face betraying her fear. She was tied facing away from Ron, so they couldn't see each other. "Ron, where's Ron?" she said in a panic.
"I'm right next to you, Hermione," he said softly. Hermione seemed to relax somewhat once she heard his voice, but her tension returned as Voldemort turned to them. The ropes holding them fell away at a wave of Voldemort's wand, and they tumbled away from the tree, facing the dark wizard. Ron put a protective arm around Hermione, pushing her behind him so his body blocked hers.
"I am told you are both quite close with the young Mr. Potter," Voldemort said, pacing in front of Ron and Hermione. "I rather suspect you weren't in the woods on your own. Potter was never very intelligent – always getting himself into sticky situations. So where is he? He'll be along soon, I imagine, to play the hero once again?"
"No, we came on our own," Ron lied. Harry could see the look of concentration on his face, and he prayed Voldemort wouldn't be able to read his mind.
Voldemort stared intently into Ron's unwavering gaze, a slight frown on his face. He turned to Wormtail, unsure, asking forcefully, "Were they alone when you captured them?"
"My Lord, sir, I can not say," Wormtail simpered, "It was very dark. I did not see anyone else, but I cannot be sure."
Voldemort turned back to Ron and Hermione, his gaze intensifying as his eyes started glowing. "Why would you have come out on your own?"
Ron didn't flinch, "You had my father. I should be the one that gets him back, not Harry. He's famous enough as it is."
Ron managed to look disgusted at the thought of Harry's fame. Mr. Weasley looked at Ron in shock and confusion, but Voldemort seemed quite disappointed. He turned to Hermione.
"Girl, is what the young Weasley says true?"
Hermione edged over a bit so she could face Voldemort from behind Ron. "Yes. I found out what Ron was up to and followed him to try to stop him. I thought it was quite dangerous for him to come on his own. Harry doesn't even know we're here."
Harry felt Ginny clinging to his arm as they waited to see if Voldemort believed Ron and Hermione's portrayal of events. Voldemort peered closely at Ron and Hermione, eventually turning to Wormtail.
"I sense they are telling the truth. While it is extremely heart-warming to hear that Harry Potter's dear friends don't trust him after all, it doesn't help our cause. The Potter boy won't be following them," he said in a controlled rage. He swiftly turned to face Mr. Weasley, his red eyes narrowed to slits. "Perhaps I can use your son to convince you to join us. A member of Dumbledore's inner circle can be rather useful to us." Voldemort spat Dumbledore's name out, as if just saying it left a horrible taste in his mouth.
"Never!" Mr. Weasley said with disgust, inching protectively toward Ron and Hermione. "Leave my son out of this. He's of no help to you."
Harry watched in horror as Voldemort turned to Ron, raising his wand and shouting, "Crucio!" Ron fell to the ground, releasing Hermione, his heart-rending scream piercing the air. Hermione let out a strangled yell, desperately trying to hold onto Ron, who was shaking violently.
Time seemed to crawl, and everything played in front of Harry's eyes in slow motion. Before he knew what was happening, both he and Ginny had jumped out of their hiding place and shouted "Expelliarmus!" Perhaps it was just the element of surprise, but Voldemort's wand flew out of his hand, landing neatly in Ginny's. Ginny quickly tucked the wand into her robes, keeping her wand pointed at Voldemort. Snape's eyes betrayed utter disbelief, although he quickly recovered. In the confusion that immediately followed, Mr. Weasley made his way to Ron and Hermione, and enveloped both of them in his arms.
"So, you have come after all." Voldemort smiled at Harry, a smile with no warmth whatsoever, seemingly unconcerned that he was unarmed while Harry and Ginny had their wands pointed at him. "I have been waiting for this. With you gone, there will be no one standing in the way of my complete return to power. I shall very much enjoy my new chance to kill you. And this time I will not fail."
"Let them go," Harry ordered, trying to keep his voice from shaking. The shaking was from anger, not fear, though. Now that he was face to face with Voldemort once again, Harry felt hatred boiling in his veins, the memory of all the people whose deaths Voldemort had caused keeping his grip strong, his wand hand steady as a rock. Voldemort, though, simply laughed, that high, cold laugh Harry remembered so well.
"Do you think you and a little girl can defeat the great Lord Voldemort? When my followers surround me, their numbers increasing every day? And my most loyal followers are yet to come. Your parents can't help you this time. You have been incredibly lucky in the past, but luck cannot last forever. The time for it to end is now."
Voldemort turned to the Death Eaters, and with a nod of his head, they all gathered around Harry and Ginny, their wands drawn. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Snape kicking a small stone toward Ron, Hermione and Mr. Weasley. Snape's eyes glittered behind the mask, shooting a meaningful look to Harry as he did this, while raising his wand at him along with the other Death Eaters.
Voldemort stepped away, saying "You may have your fun with them. Do what you want with the girl, but do not kill the boy. That treat will belong to me."
Harry felt his throat tighten. He watched as the Death Eaters moved closer, some of them heading towards Ginny, not even bothering with their wands anymore. Harry took this opportunity to take aim at the distracted men.
"Stupefy!!!" He and Ginny yelled simultaneously. The combined force of their curses knocked two of the Death Eaters out, creating a small gap in the circle. Snape was at one of the ends of the broken circle, and he pretended to lunge forward to grab them as Harry pulled Ginny out of the circle. Snape, in the pretense of trying to catch them, fell forward, pushing them toward Ron, Hermione, and Mr. Weasley. Harry saw Voldemort grab the end of Ginny's robe, dragging her away. Voldemort's wand fell out of her robes, and he let go of her briefly to take it. Ginny rushed to Harry in that one instance, grabbing the back of his robes as she glanced back at Voldemort.
"Harry, watch out!!"
Voldemort's wand was raised, and it was pointed directly at Harry, "Avada…"
Harry never heard the end of the curse. He fell towards Mr. Weasley, grabbing the stone Snape had dropped on the way. The stone fell into Mr. Weasley's lap, still in Harry's grip, while Mr. Weasley put his arms around all four of them. Harry felt the familiar, sickening yank behind his navel, and everything started spinning. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. The stone was a portkey.
Harry landed hard on a carpeted floor, his fall cushioned by Ginny, who was lying face down below him. Harry looked around and saw Mr. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione in a tangled heap next to him. His heart started beating normally again as a flood of happiness washed over him. They had escaped, and gotten Mr. Weasley back too. He rolled off of Ginny, who was looking quite relieved at being able to breathe again, and sat up. Fixing his glasses, Harry saw that they were in Dumbledore's office, and they weren't alone.
Indeed, the office was quite crowded. Sirius and Remus were there, along with a woman Harry didn't recognize. Harry looked past them and saw Dumbledore, standing up behind his desk. None of them looked particularly happy to see them all arrive. In fact, all of them had an identical furious look on their faces.
A/N: The story isn't over yet. Voldemort is still free and Snape is with him. Plus, I want Harry to meet Voldemort more than once. Will Harry actually get in trouble for saving Mr. Weasley?? And who is the woman? Well, I hope you can figure that one out! Thank you all for reviewing!!!
For Winky & Dobby: That is so sweet that you want me on your favorite authors list. I'm truly honored. I've also had trouble typing authors' names in for some reason. The best way I've found is just clicking the box when you review. Hope that works (wow, I am so excited!!)