Disclaimer: As always, characters and settings were created by JK Rowling not me. They do not belong to me either. I am making no profit from this story. No copyright infringement intended.

Part III: The Killing Curse

Hermione struggled with her bindings. She twisted her arms back and forth, leaving faint red marks on her wrists. The ropes were magical, she was sure. She thought she had read something about magical ropes in one of her books, but there was too much other information clouding her brain. It had been over two years ago that she had read this specific passage. She commanded her brain to work. This was what she was supposed to do. She was supposed to know the answers. But for once in her life, she didn't. She didn't know how they could get out of this.

Ron was looking at her expectantly, almost reverently. She couldn't meet his gaze. He wanted to know what to do. But how could she tell him when she didn't know herself? They just had to face the hard, cold facts: they were trapped. They didn't know how to get out of this and, worst of all, there was nothing they could do about it.

Their attacker was still bent over the altar where Harry was tied. He was making sure that the boy was still tightly bound and couldn't esecape . Hermione could see the man's mouth moving. He was saying something to Harry but she couldn't make out what it was. Whatever it was, it gave her a ill feeling in the pit of her stomach. Harry only moaned. He remained in his unconscious state, unable to give Hermione any clue as to what was happening.

The attacker laughed, obviously amused at their predicament. He spoke again. This time, Hermione heard him clearly. "I wonder how you're going to get out of this one, Harry Potter," he jeered.

Hermione felt like crying. Even in his sleeping state, Harry appeared to be in a great deal of pain. He kept thrashing from side to side but couldn't free himself from the magical ropes that held him down. This only served to amuse their attacker more. He tightened the ropes again. "Oh no. You can't leave now, Harry," he sneered vindictively. "You have a ritual to attend."

Ron and Hermione watched in horror, it was like it was in slow motion, as the attacker produced from the folds in his robes a shiny, silver knife. It was like a bolt of lightening in the cold, dark night. The jewels in its handles caught what little of the eerie, blue light that filled the clearing and danced across the trees. Hermione was now sure they were trees. They were in the Forbidden Forest. A lot of good that information did them.

The attacker raised the knife high into the air preparing to plunge in downward. Down into Harry, Hermione realized. "No!" she cried out desperately. Ron's wild eyes tried to silence her but the damage had been done.

For the first time, their attacker turned his attention to the pair bound on ground and they could see his face. His sick, dirty features glared at them. His thin mouth curved into a malevolent smile. He looked nothing like a man. Certainly, nothing like a man they had known. He was now ragged and diseased by Dark Magic. There was something about him that reminded Hermione of the Burrow, being held up by magic except this was different. It was evil. His eyes were the most telling. They were no longer full of fear, but now filled with dark obsession. There was no question that he was quite mad.

In fact, it was only after he said, "So, you're awake," that Hermione and Ron even recognized him as the man that had once roamed the halls of Hogwarts.

* * *

"No!" Hermione's shout reverberated throughout the entire forest like a shotgun blast. The three friends stopped dead in their tracks, their ears searching for another sound that would lead them in the right direction. But the forest was once again plunged into silence. There was nothing but the sound her scream left in their ears.

"That was Hermione," Neville breathed barely above a whisper. His eyes round with fear that he was struggling to keep back. He wouldn't let that scared, little boy surface now, not when his friends needed him.

"She sounds like she's in trouble," Cho murmured, knowing it was a very stupid thing to say. That much had been obvious to all of them. The two of them stared at one another, shaking and praying that someone would come help them.

Ginny had a different idea. She thought if she could just get to Hermione then she would be able to do something to help. The cry didn't scare her, it gave her hope. "Let's go!" she cried as she ran off in the direction the shout had come from. Once again, she did not wait to see if the other two were behind her or not. She knew them well enough to know that they were. They wouldn't let her face this alone.

The branches cracked under her feet as she scrambled deeper into the forest and deeper into danger. It was no wonder that all the Weasleys were put in Gryffindor. When someone they cared about was in trouble, they were there without question. Ginny was no different. She was smaller and feminine but no different. She listened to the sounds of the forest as she ran, hoping that Hermione would call out again. She wanted to yell back and tell the older girl that she was coming. But she knew that would be stupid. It would give away the element of surprise. That was all the three students had.

Then she heard it, a chilling voice that made her stomach twist into knots. "So, you're awake."

Ginny held up her hands to stop Neville and Cho behind her. She motioned for them to be quiet. The voice was coming from a clearing up ahead. A large oak tree blocked their full view but Ginny could clearly make out her brother's flaming red hair even through the darkness. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight. He was alive. On the ground next to him was another shadowy figure which she presumed was Hermione. They were tied up. But alive.

"We should untie them," Cho hissed. It would be easier to defeat whoever had captured them as five instead of three.

Ginny nodded and took a step forward but Neville held her back. Sensibly, he pulled out the Invisibility cloak and covered the three of them with it. Ginny had forgotten she had it in her haste. Once again, she was glad he was there.

Cho shivered despite the cloak. She wrapped her arms around herself absently. This place, the clearing, it wasn't like the other places in the forest. It was worse. And it wasn't like the rest of the forest was friendly and inviting either. She could almost feel all the Dark Magic in the air. It was like a large shadowy hand reaching out and holding her tightly so she couldn't move. She hoped they could rescue the others quickly. She wanted to get out of there, and fast. Somewhere in the back of her head she realized they couldn't win a fight against a Dark wizard there. The forces were not lined up in their favor.

The trio silently padded through the thick underbrush hoping they wouldn't be heard. Luckily, Ron was shouting at his attacker, making it hard for anyone inside the clearing to hear anything going on outside of it.

"It can't be!" Ron stuttered. "You're dead!"

Even from looking at the back of his head, Neville could tell that he was grinning devilishly. "I think you're wrong about that, Mr. Weasley." The attacker extended his hand and flexed his fingers dramatically to show how alive he was. It only made Hermione and Ron draw back in horror. His hand was like that of a corpse. The skin was sunken and gray. It appeared to only be clinging to the bones with the thinnest thread.

Under the cloak, the rescuers trotted by him undetected. Ginny's heart soared. She was so close to Ron she could reach out and touch him. It would be all right, she told herself. All they had to do was reach Ron and Hermione and everything would be all right.

Cho turned around for a look at the kidnapper. Ginny and Neville were so caught up in saving their friends they didn't care who it was. They probably just figured it was some random Death Eater. But she wanted to know what she was up against. When her eyes fell on the man standing before her she nearly fell out from under the cloak.

"Ohmigod," she hissed under her breath. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand and prayed that he hadn't heard her. His manic eyes were fixated on his hand. He hadn't. But Neville and Ginny had. They whirled around in alarm, wondering what had caused Cho's reaction. When they saw him, their invisible mouths hung open.

It was Profesorr Quirrell.

"I thought I was seeing things before," Ron stammered on behalf of all of them. "You're dead," he repeated. "I mean you look dead. And you sure smell dead." Ron inched away from the former Professor. He smelled something awful.

"Did you really think my Master would leave me when I had been such a faithful servant?" Quirrell's eyes flashed dangerously. "He came back for me."

"You mean, he used Dark Magic to bring you back?" Hermione shuddered. She could only imagine the horrible things that much magic of any kind, let alone evil magic, could do to your mind and body. In testament to that fact, Quirrell appeared to be only a shadow of his form self, like a zombie only madder. What was more, she was certain only very powerful and very foolish wizards would attempt to raise someone from the grave. If possible, Voldemort was even crazier than she had thought before.

Quirrell turned around, bored with his two captives, and returned his attention to Harry. "What are you going to do with us?" Hermione spoke up trying to keep him away from her friend. She hoped to keep him busy so he couldn't hurt Harry further.

"You? Nothing." He shrugged. "The Dark Lord has no plans for you. He'll probably just let me kill you." Quirrell didn't shake or stutter like he used to. His crazy eyes looked quite excited. The rest of him did not. He looked as though it took a lot to keep him upright, like the world was moving to fast for him.

"Have you been living in the forest all this time?" Ron asked astounded.

Quirrell nodded but gave no further response. He busied himself with pretending they weren't there.

"That obviously hasn't done wonders for his sanity," Ron hissed to Hermione. She agreed. "You're a nutter," Ron said louder so Quirrell could hear him. Quirrell began to cackle diabolically. "Yeah, laugh manically. That'll make me think you're sane," Ron grumbled sarcastically.

His stomach leapt into his throat when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He hadn't heard anything behind him. He had visions of all the horrible creatures from the forest sneaking up on them. Quirrell would probably just let them die. He slowly turned around to see what it was but no on was there. Then he heard a voice. It wasn't at all what he had been expecting. Rather than killing him, it gave him the impression that they might survive.

"Shh," Ginny whispered in her brother's ear to ease his panic. He felt three pairs of hands begin to untangle the ropes.

He turned to look searchingly at Hermione who blinked at him uncomprehending. He wanted to tell her what was going on but couldn't with Quirrell standing only a few feet away. He wished he were telepathic; then she would understand. He willed his thoughts to enter her brain. That never worked. He had to make it plain somehow. They couldn't draw attention to themselves while they were being untied. Just let him whisper creepy things at Harry for awhile, Ron thought.

Hermione shook her head. She knew he was trying to tell her something but couldn't for the life of her figure out what it could be. She looked at him intently hoping for some clue. Ron glanced at Quirrell. He had his back to them. Feeling braver, he silently mouthed the words 'Ginny's here' then motioned his head backwards to where his sister stood.

Her mouth formed a large 'O.'

"What are you two doing?" Quirrell shouted angrily. Ron and Hermione started. They hadn't notice him turn around. He was now glaring at them expectantly. They tried to look innocent.

"N-nothing," Hermione lied.

"What'd you say to her, Weasley?" He grabbed Ron roughly by the collar and jerked him forward.

Ron yelled out in surprise. He only barely held back a curse. He couldn't feel the fingers untying him anymore. He had been pulled out of their grasp. "Nothing! I swear!" he shouted back, hoping that would be sufficient.

Quirrell didn't seem satisfied but he dropped Ron back to the ground anyway. He stumbled and fell backward. Under the strength of Quirrell's shove Ron couldn't keep his body from hitting the three people behind him. His head fell backwards and collided with his sister's arm. Ginny yelped involuntarily. The cloak fell from her body, exposing her milky, white hand. She hastily recovered the cloak and hide underneath it again but it was too late.

Quirrell's eyes went all white. He stared intently at the spot Ginny was standing. He had seen her. "W-who's there?" he yelled a slight edge of panic in his voice.

Ginny didn't know what to do. She had been spotted. They couldn't run and leave the others alone with this madman. Maybe she could step out from under the cloak and hope Neville and Cho still had time to help Ron and Hermione. Quirrell might think she was the only one there. She wondered what Harry would do. He'd probably sacrifice himself, she concluded.

"It's just me," she whispered her voice shaking as she emerged from under the silvery cloak. She could hear Neville and Cho gasp behind her. She tried to act like they weren't there.

Ron was horrified. His eyes were wide with fear. He looked from his baby sister then to Quirrell who was eyeing the girl suspiciously. God, if she died tonight his Mum would never speak to him again.

"Another Weasley, eh?" He noted her red hear and freckles. Ginny flushed and avoided his gaze. "I don't remember you..." Ginny had started the year after his death. He turned to Ron. "How many of you are there?" he jeered. "Like cockroaches..." he muttered. Ron and Ginny balled up their fists angrily. They hated it when people insulted their family.

"Expelliarmus!" Quirrell bellowed. Ginny's wand flew from her hand into his. He inspected it, sneering at the tape being used to hold the tip on. "Who else is under that lovely Invisibility cloak of yours?" he asked twirling a wand in each hand.

"N-no one," Ginny lied. She mentally prodded Neville and Cho to hurry up and untie Ron and Hermione. Once they were free the five of them might be able to do something to stop the former professor.

"Oh no?" he asked curiously. Ginny looked away. Of course he knew she was lying. If no one was under the cloak then it would be a visible, silvery fabric. Ginny hadn't counted on him thinking logically. Quirrell cocked his head to one side and smiled wickedly. "Crucio," he said cheerily.

Two jets of light flew out of both Ginny and Quirrell's wand. Hermione and Ron screamed out in pain as the Cruciatus Curse gripped them. They shook on the ground like they were having seizures. Ginny couldn't help but notice that her wand was the one pointed at her brother. "Stop!" she shrieked, her eyes riveted to him writhing around in pain.

But he didn't stop. The screaming continued. Ginny buried her head in her hands. She couldn't watch. She wanted to cry. This was her fault. It was all her fault. She should've just stayed under the cloak. He wouldn't have been able to torture both of them if he didn't have her wand. She just wasn't very good at this hero thing.

"That's enough!" yelled another more commanding voice. Ginny almost didn't recognize it.

She turned to see Neville and Cho step out from under the cloak. Cho was looking daggers at Quirrell. Neville didn't appear to notice that Cho had just revealed them. He stared at Ron and Hermione, his face pale with fear but his eyes unseeing. It wasn't Ron and Hermione he was looking at. He heard the same screams but he saw someone else in his head. Quirrell stopped the spell when recognized the duo, the shock evident on his face.

"Well, well, well," Quirrell taunted. "If it isn't Mr. Longbotton. I never would've thought you'd be stupid enough to come out here to get your friends. You never were very brave, Neville. But then again you never were very bright either." Neville blinked. He turned to look at Quirrell for the first time. His hands were shaking. Ginny cursed under her breath. Neville's eyes betrayed his feelings: he believed Quirrell. He had always be susceptible to other people's opinions. They preyed on his own self doubts. Ginny wanted to shout that he was wrong. Neville was one of the smartest people she knew. Even while the former professor was speaking, Neville was smart enough to put his wand in his pocket so Quirrell couldn't use the disarming charm on him.

"People always wondered how you got in Gryffindor," he continued. "It must have just been by default. You'd be skewered alive in Slytherin. You could never be a Hufflepuff because to hear Severus Snape tell it you weren't a very hard worker either." Neville's lip quivered at the mention of Snape. "And you certainly weren't Ravenclaw material--"

"Stop it," Neville pleaded.

"Oh.? Does this bother you Neville?" To his credit, Neville tried to look brave. He shook his head. "No? How about this! Crucio!" he cried again. Hermione and Ron screamed. Quirrell chuckled. "They remind you of someone else I daresay."

He took a step closer so he could lean out and stroke Neville's fat cheek with his withered hand. "Yes, that's it. Your poor parents."

Neville closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "Stop it." He looked like he was about to cry. "Stop it or I'll..."

"You'll what? Do to me what couldn't do to them." Quirrell grinned knowing he was getting under Neville's skin. It took Ginny a moment to realize who 'them' was: the Death Eaters that hurt his parents.

He stepped closer still. Neville desperately wanted to back away but he didn't. He took a deep breath and looked Quirrell right in the eyes trying to ignore Ron and Hermione's screams. "You'll take vengeance for your poor parents..." he drawled. "Funny isn't it, Neville, that you could've had your revenge on the one who caused their suffering in the first place. But you never noticed. You even liked him. Thought he was a "good guy," didn't you?"

Cho turned to Ginny wondering what the hell Quirrell was talking about. She knew it must be something important to bother Neville so much. Tears were pouring from the redhead's eyes. She couldn't move for the fear. "His parents," she whispered hoarsely, trying to explain to Cho. "Barty Crouch Jr." That was all she could manage to squeak out but it was enough for the other to understand. The man who had posed as their teacher was the same man who tortured Neville's parents and left them insane.

"Stop it," Neville said again with more conviction this time. He tried in vain to shut the words out, to build a fortress around his brain so it couldn't be attacked.

Quirrell continued. "Just think of all those times you were in his office... in his class... at meals with him... Ever wonder if he looked at you and saw the resemblance between you and your father while he was convulsing on the ground and screaming for mercy."

Then Neville just snapped. He had to make Quirrell shut up. He couldn't take it anymore. He did something totally unexpected that caught everyone, even himself, off guard. He pounced on the older man throwing his fists in every direction and screaming loudly. Neville was larger than the sickly Professor to begin with and he had been living off tree bark for the last few months. He quickly wrestled tiny Quirrell to the ground. He landed punch after punch in a blind fury.

"Neville!" Ginny shrieked. She moved to pull him off Quirrell then remembered that he was the bad guy and it was a good thing that Neville was beating the snot out of him.

In the confusion, Cho dashed over to Ron and Hermione they were still whimpering in pain as the curse subsided. Neville had broken Quirrell's concentration and he couldn't continue the curse. She hastily began to untie the two of them. "We have to do something!" she yelled to Ginny as he forced her fingers to work faster. They still hadn't done anything to stop the curse or to help Harry. "We have to--"

Cho's face went ashen. Her eyes lingered on the altar that Harry was tied to. Ginny whirled around to find that another man had Apparated into the clearing during all the hubbub. Just when they thought things couldn't get any worse... It was him.

The girls could only watch helplessly as the hooded figure turned around. He had two slits where his red eyes gleamed from. His nose was irregular and gaze him the look of a human snake. He was simply the most repulsive creature either of them had ever laid eyes on. Lucky for them, Voldemort didn't even glance at all the kids in the clearing. They were of no interest to him.

"My Lord!" Quirrell cried trying to push Neville off him so he could bow.

"Quirrell," he hissed. He looked at Harry who was still bound to the altar. "You do have a flare for the dramatics," he observed. He seemed to slither foward so he could put one pasty white hand on Harry's forehead, where his scar was. Even in his sleep, Harry's body convulsed in pain the way it did whenever Lord Voldemort was near him.

"No!" Ginny yelped finally regaining her voice.

Voldemort either didn't hear or didn't care. "Good work, Quirrell," he said flippantly. He didn't smile or say anything more. He merely Disapparated from the clearing, leaving nothing but air where he and Harry had once been. They were gone.

Cho grabbed Ginny's arm. It had all happened so fast, they hadn't had time to react. They had been too stunned. Ginny couldn't believe the actual Dark Lord had just appeared in front of her and she hadn't even had time to be afraid let alone do anything about it. He had just waltzed off with Harry -- again. Who knew where he had taken him? Or for what reason?

Slowly reality came swimming back to her. Neville was on the ground where Quirrell at left him. He was staring at his bloody hands with wonder. Quirrell's nose was bleeding profusely and parts of him were starting to bruise. Had he really done that? He had beaten Quirrell. He felt different somehow, stronger. If Draco Malfoy were there at that instant, he would've repaid the tears of torment he had inflicted on Neville.

Quirrell stood above him smirking at the boy. He had managed to snatch the wands off the ground again and was feeling quite pleased with himself. "Happy now?" Quirrell jeered evilly. His eyes twinkled menacingly and Neville knew he was about to pull something. He swung his legs around and ambled to his feet determinedly. When he was standing he could look Quirrell in the eye. Trying not to catch Quirrell's attention, Neville reached into his pocket to retrieve his wand so he'd prepared for whatever was thrown at him. The pages of his mind flipped back to his second year. A wizard's duel, he thought.

"Those two were lucky. These two won't be." Neville's eyes went wide as Quirrell pointed the wands at Cho and Ginny.

"Cruc-" Quirrell began but he never finished.

The wand seemed the raise itself in Neville's hand. All he could hear was Ginny's scream. All he could see was the look pure terror on Cho's face. It was so easy like all the hate he felt was pouring out of him. He didn't stop to think whether he could or should. He didn't have to. He just did.

"Avada Kedavra." Neville said clearly and evenly.

There was a whistling, the sound of speeing death. Green light rushed from Neville's wand. It filled the entire clearing and gave everything a lime tint before the world faded back into darkness. Then there was an audible, sickening thump as the body hit the ground. And the entire forest was silent.