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CLAWS OF A RAVEN
by Tyde

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Chapter Thirty One

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The pants were about two inches too short and the shirt was tight across her chest. The shoes flopped a bit on her small feet and the plain glass spectacles on her nose seemed heavy. Remus handed her a bubbling cup of Polyjuice Potion and she pinched her nostrils shut as the concoction went straight down her throat. A few seconds of coughing and spluttering and then the process began. Sorora's hair appeared to suck itself back into her head rapidly and darkened to match Harry's shade. The eyes lightened to a sparkling green and a scar appeared on her forehead. She lost a bit of height and then suddenly the rest of her was all Harry. They stood staring at one another like clones that had just discovered they were not alone.

"How do I look?" asked Sorora-Harry.

"It's like a mirror" replied the real Harry. "A weird mirror. Don't scrunch your nose up like that, it doesn't look like me"

"Okay, how's this?" and the face split into a classic Harry grin from ear to ear.

"Perfect," laughed Ron. Sometimes it was easy to forget that they were in the middle of a war. Arabella came in with a thick stick transfigured to look just like Harry's wand.

"Are you sure you can do this, dear? Do you really want to do this?"

"I used to think I couldn't do it. The mere thought of Lucius Malfoy made me cringe, but now? Now I think I can handle it. Everything I've gone through the past few weeks has been building up to it. I have to do this" Remus patted her on the shoulder in encouragement. "I'm just there to break down the barriers, once I do that it's up to you and the Order to take them all out"

"Send the Order's signal into the air if you get into trouble. Remember Canor Corusco" as he spoke a small version of the sign shone above their heads. It was a phoenix with it's mouth open in song, golden light pouring out from within.

She nodded and then Apparated out. She appeared in an field down the road from Malfoy Manor which lay on the edge of town in all it's dark, creepy glory. Her memory wanted to flash back to 20 years ago but she stamped it down in frustration. "Not now" she muttered under her breath. "Hold it together Sor, you can do this"

She, or rather 'Harry' had taken only two steps before a wand blast set her on her arse. "Well, well, well. What have we here?" the voice coming out the shadows was not at all familiar to Sorora, although when the light shone on his face she recognised it. He worked at the Ministry. Now what was it he did again? Her eyes darted to his hand that was bloody and covered with chunks of fur. Nearby a dead Niffler lay on the ground. That's right, Macnair. Puts down Magical Creatures for a living. Sadistic bastard. Great, just perfect.

"Harry Potter...you seemed to have stepped into the dragon's lair as it were"

She had to bite her tongue. "I beg your pardon, sir?"

"This is our town, a poor place to visit for the likes of you"

"I go where I'm needed"

His laugh was horrible. Loud and far too open mouthed. His breath stank of different kinds of meat, possibly raw meat. He rubbed a hand across his lips as if remembering the last meal with delight. A fat hand shot out and grabbed 'Harry' by the arm almost crushing the bones. "Someone has been looking for you" He Stunned the boy and started dragging him towards Malfoy Manor. All was going according to Sorora's plan...except the unconscious part.

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Sorora was not sure how long she'd been out for but suddenly thoughts came rushing back to her as a voice spoke "Enervate"

Her eyes focused on the man standing before her, Lucius Malfoy. To her relief she did not shiver and she didn't turn away from him either. Her eyes, or rather Harry's, stayed focused on a spot somewhere in between his eyebrows.

"Dumbledore gives you more credit than you are owed. Wandering around by yourself with no degree of protection, what were you thinking? A foolish attempt at disabling as many as you could on the sly? Really Mister Potter...did you think we could be taken so easily?"

"No" Sorora-Harry found herself replying. "I was after a showdown actually"

Lucius was pacing back and forth in front of her and she took the chance to scan around the room for vulnerabilities. "Oh really? Well I am flattered". There were several tables set up with bubbling cauldrons and a large cage in the corner that although slightly rusty still looked fairly strong and capable of holding even a Hippogriff at bay. There was only one other chair in the room and it was blocking the entrance to another room...one that she remembered as being filled with chains and sharp metal objects. She turned a little green at the prospect. Another doorway with it's heavy door appeared to be locked. She didn't know what was behind that door...it hadn't been there last time. "The great Harry Potter wishes to duel with Lucius Malfoy, does he?"

"No actually" she lied through her teeth "I was after You Know Who"

"He's not here. Perhaps I could take a message? Dear Dark Lord, Mister Potter dropped in to see you. Please be sure to kill him next time you see him. Regards Lucius. I think that would be sufficient"

Surprised not to find herself tied to the chair Sorora reached into the pocket of Harry's robes and fumbled around a bit. Lucius laughed. "You think me that absentminded? The first thing I did was to rid you of that wand. Pity, it was a fine piece of craftsmanship"

A potion bottle that glowed a faint purple (like that of a simple hay fever prevention draft) was plucked from the folds of material. Lucius had overlooked it in his search, seeing it as no threat. "Wrong again Mister Malfoy. I was looking for this" And before he could stop it the potion bottle containing essence of Erumpent horn smashed into the opposite wall blowing them both over and crumbling the masonry. Chunks of earth tumbled into the dungeon and Lucius stood, dusting himself off. A laugh bubbled out over his lips.

"We're underground you stupid boy. You won't escape out that way unless you can transfigure yourself into a worm and I'd like to see you try that without a wand"

Harry bent over as if suddenly hit in the stomach by cramps and then when he straightened up was clutching a wand of cherry and maple. Not at all like his usual. "It pays to carry a spare. Finite Incantatem" The wand was pointed at the walls and flashes of spells crackled in the air as they were broken one after another. A whoosh of air knocked Lucius over and he let out a cry of surprise.

He whipped his wand out and pointed it at Harry. "Your luck is just about to run out, Mister Potter"

Sorora felt a tingling feeling, she looked over Lucius's head at a clock on the wall and knew he was about to get a big surprise. "There, there Lucius. You wouldn't want You Know Who to get cranky at you for killing Harry Potter now, would you?"

Mister Malfoy's eyebrows knitted themselves together as the voice of the boy in front of him rose an octave or two. The hair lengthened and soon he was facing a woman. "Is that Little Sorrie Snape?" he circled around her, his piercing gaze making her feel uncomfortable. "What an odd way to disguise yourself. Come for a little revenge, have you?" A smile crept onto his face as he thought of the fun he could have.

"Not a little, a lot" The spell did not hit him, but it hit his wand, splitting it down the middle and rendering it useless. Sparks burnt his hand too and he let out a womanly yelp much to his embarrassment. "Oh no Lucius, your precious wand. Whatever will you do now? Small, defenceless" she hit him with a spell in the kneecaps so he fell to the floor at her feet, "and cowering like a little puppy in front of me. The tables are turned it seems"

"You can't do it" he grabbed her wrist and tried to wrench her wand out but she kicked him in the face. He thudded to the ground.

"I think you'd be surprised by what I can do Lucius, given the motivation" She sauntered around like she owned the place, a mimic of what Lucius had done all those years ago. She was running on pure power. "I am going to torture you for so long you'll be crying out for someone to save you – even a Muggle! You can't even imagine the things I've cooked up for you. My name will burn itself on your lips as you cry out for mercy" A chuckle issued from her mouth. "A Malfoy crying out for mercy, that ought to be a laugh. I could sell tickets to that...sell out season"

He plucked a beaten up looking wand out from underneath the rim of the table top and aimed it at her. "You're not the only one with a spare. I could kill you in a second"

To her annoyance her wand shook slightly but she held steady. "I'm faster"

"Don't stoop to his level" a voice drawled out of the darkness. Sorora turned to see her brother emerge from the shadows. He looked surprisingly healthy from the last time she'd seen him – well as healthy as a sallow faced, greasy-haired git could be. She was so involved in what was going on before her that the presence of her brother did not at all surprise her.

"Why not? It's the only way I can make him understand"

"Do you think a man like Lucius Malfoy cares? Look at the way he treats his only son. This is a man without feeling, without moral code. The way to exact revenge is to dump him in his own personal hell, where his own demons dwell. The things that influence his every day life, the things he lives his life by, the pride in his own achievements. Self loathing is high among Death Eaters – you just need to give it a little push. Send him to Azkaban and surround him with Dementors day and night. Then you shall have your revenge" Snape looked down his nose and thought And so will I.

"I like the sound of that. Breaking you from the inside. What do you think of that, Lucius?"

He smirked. "Nothing changes. You're still the same little girl that cowered before me"

"I don't think so. See, you don't get to play with me anymore. You don't get to walk around in my mind. Your looks and your threats...they don't scare me. I'm free now" Her wand issued a blast that sent him flying backwards into the cage, the barred doors slamming home.

"And you're a caged bird".

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Tiffany – Thanks for that :o) Not too many turns left in the plot – there is just four chapters to go! Glad you're enjoying it so far.