DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and
owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to
Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros.,
Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is
intended.
(Thank you to everyone who reviewed, please keep them coming. So about the last cliff hanger, I just posted the chapter without realizing it was there, but hopefully the wait until this post wasn't too long. Thank- you again!)
Hermione recognized his emerald eyes from the moment she saw them. Harry was there, in that very room with her. His scar was concealed, he looked much older, his hair was well cut, and he didn't have his glasses. Besides that, he was her Harry. The same Harry she'd seen that first day on the Hogwarts express. The same Harry she'd been missing for three years. It took everything she had not to throw her arms around him and weep. She knew she couldn't blow whatever cover it was he posed for whatever purpose. At least, she hoped it was a cover. "No, Harry will find a way out of here. He'll save me." She finally had some hope. All she could wonder was how he could actually do it. He didn't even have a wand. Maybe other help was nearby, the same help that had pushed Lucius down. It was a far stretch though.
Harry stood at a gambling table. Hermione noticed that only the most wealthy were gathered around the table. The dealer dealt out the cards, which Hermione knew would be magically enhanced to avoid cheating, as well as the dice.
A tall blonde woman in a sparkling cocktail dress came up behind Harry, wrapping her arms around his waist. Hermione wanted to punch the woman. She had no right to touch Harry. Harry looked impartial to the woman's touch. Hermione wondered if he was used to it. After all, he did seem to be rich, had an obvious air of power to him, and was undoubtedly handsome. Hermione had never thought she'd be thinking that. Sure, she'd always thought Harry was handsome in his way, but never thought she'd be attracted to him. He was always just like a brother to her. Harry whispered in the woman's ear, and she left, returning with a drink for him, which he took without so much as thank you, which was nothing like Harry. He drank, a gold and red ring glimmering on his finger. "Gryffindor colors" she thought.
"The name of the game is poker." The dealer said, as the men (and one woman who had just joined), piled galleons and sickles out onto the table to play. Hermione could immediately see the stakes would be high. Before things even really got going, half the table had folded, and now it was just Harry, Lucius and the woman playing.
Hermione (who was chained to the wall by one of the employees) was growing restless. What was Harry waiting for? She got a sick feeling in her stomach that he had turned sides, and was going to let her go to Voldemort. He was certainly taking his sweet time gambling with Lucius. The woman had now folded, and now the war was between Lucius and Harry. Harry maintained such poise, she was starting to second guess herself. Was this even Harry? The stakes were set at 5,000 Galleons, and Lucius finally, after a long line of profanities folded, stating that his bluff wasn't worth it, he only had two pair. Harry laughed in a cold way she'd never heard him laugh, and revealed one pair.
That was Lucius' last straw. He pulled out his wand quickly, and Hermione felt time freeze. Imagine if she were to find Harry alive after four years, only to have him be murdered before her eyes. The light suddenly went out, and many shouts sounded. Hermione could hear her heart race. What was happening? Everything was so strange, she couldn't understand it. She felt her chains go loose, and an arm fasten itself around her. "LUMOS!" She could hear people shouting, and she knew that soon they would see what was happening. The lights came on, but people gazed right through her.
"WHERE'D SHE GO!" Lucius screamed. As he frantically looked about "GAGE TOOK HER! THAT FRAUD BASTARD!"
"They must of apparated!" a chubby, balding man exclaimed.
"YOU CAN'T APPARATE OUT OF HERE IDIOT!" Lucius screamed, "They have to be around her somewhere! Alert the guards not to let anyone in or out until we find them! YOU'RE TRAPPED A GAGE! HEAR ME?! TRAPPED!"
"So says you." Harry whispered in her ear, and she couldn't help but smile. Being this close to Harry, knowing he was alive, and once again, hiding under the invisibility cloak. "This way" he whispered, and they slowly made their way through the chaos, avoiding bumping into people.
They continued until they got to a men's bathroom. Hermione felt utterly confused, but followed him in anyways. After locking the door, and checking to make sure there was no one there, he took the cloak off and explained.
"It's the only place along the exterior wall of the building we can get a moments chance to escape. Okay here's my broom" he said, enlarging a strange looking broom from his pocket, and handing it to her. "Once I break through this wall, the alarms will be set off, and we'll only have ten seconds to be off. I'll probably be exhausted, so, I'll have to jump on the back, and you'll have to kick off and steer us away. Got it?" She nodded, confused by so many things, but not having the time to ask. She noticed that he hadn't met her eye since he had revealed himself to her in the casino. She decided to ponder it all later. Harry opened a stall door, and placed his hands on the wall. Closing his eyes, he seemed to be concentrating. Suddenly, the wall blew apart, sending him flying into the sink, breaking it in half. Before Hermione had a chance to exclaim, Harry had slowly risen to his feet, covered in plaster, his face pale. Slumping onto the broom stick, and resting his head on her shoulder, Hermione threw her mind into focus mode, and kicked of hard, the broom sped out of the building so fast she thought she'd faint. She could barely get a hold of controlling it, and she felt herself panicking. "Harry!" She cried desperately, and he seemed to have come to a bit more, and wrapped his arm weakly around her waist, and placing his fingers on an odd gold disk in the front, muttered, "Gryffindor Manor."
As they sped off, a cursing Lucius was left standing in a very wrecked bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry had been spending months undercover at the death eater's club, through some very sneaky and dirty work. He had been keeping tabs on all the big wigs of the inner circle. The work had been slow, and seldom gratifying. One thing he had not expected to see was his best friend Hermione Granger enter under the custody of Jacques Farrier.
Seeing her had been an incredible initial shock, but he had over come it, as he had been taught. He had missed his friends desperately, but loneliness he could deal with, he had grown up lonely. He could not bear grief and guilt however. It had almost ruined him once already, and Hermione's death and pain would kill him. He had separated himself from the fact that he knew his absence would hurt his friends, and he knew he would have to see it if he were to help Hermione. He carefully devised his plan as Lucius made his scene, and had done a good job of remaining calm throughout Lucius' tirade.
Of course, he had lost it for a moment when Lucius slapped Hermione. That dirty jerk had no right to come within a mile of her, and he couldn't bare to watch Hermione's pain. Lucius was just lucky Harry hadn't thrown him through the wall.
Harry had bid his time, something he had gotten very accomplished at. He had waited until just the right moment to make his move.
Luckily, it had all worked. Of course, now he was drained, had a very flustered Hermione on his hands, had lost his spy position, had angry death eaters on his trail, and had a heck of a lot of explaining to do. For now, he was just tired.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron had just laid there, staring at the ceiling for the past hour. His family couldn't get into him, and neither could any of the professors. The fact that he had just potentially lost a second best friend was incomprehensible.
Dumbledore said that everything was being done to track her down, that all records had been scoured, that all the spies and aurors were out, but Ron knew the truth.
Four hours had passed since her kidnapping, done by a highly dangerous death eater of the inner circle. She was either dead or being tortured. And Ron really didn't want to think about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione was exhausted as they arrived in a large empty field in the middle of a forest. Harry clumsily made his way to the ground, and helped Hermione down.
"Harry, um, why are we in the middle of an empty field?" She asked worriedly.
"It's not an empty field. This is Gryffindor Manor." He answered dully. "Here, I'll show you." He raised his hand to her eyes, which dropped closed, and he whispered, "Apperell Gryffindor." When she opened her eyes, a massive mansion appeared before her eyes. High black gates secured the perimeter, bushes on the other side, white marble columns were situated along in the fence corners, and on either side of the fancy entrance gate, which read, "Gryffindor Manor" atop the entrance. Atop each column were golden lion statues which growled to warn off unwanted guests.
Harry ran his hand down the gate, and it swung open to omit the two. They walked tiredly along the path leading to the massive estate. The gates swung closed behind them. Hermione could see lions prowling the lawns in the distance.
"Uh. Lions Harry?" She asked wearily.
"They just guard the manor. They won't attack you so long as I tell them not to."
As they arrived at the entrance doors, Hermione gapped at their massive size, and the fine stain glass that decorated them, a patchwork of red and gold pieces that wormed the word "Gryffindor" on both widows, and showed a lion.
Harry opened these the same way he opened the gate, and they entered a massive entrance hall.
"I'll give you the grand tour tomorrow" Harry told her, leaning his broom against the wall. "Come on, I'll show you to a room you can stay in."
"Uh, Harry, why didn't we go to Hogwarts? People will be worrying about me!"
"Which is why you'll have to send them a quick letter saying that you're fine, you met up with an old friend who helped you, and you'll owl them more details when you're feeling better." He paused uncomfortably. "I have a lot to explain before you go back."
"You can say that again."
"Here's your room" he said, opened a door off the corridor he had led her down. Behind it was a cozy red and gold room, which he had a quick fire blazing in. "The house elves can get you something to change into, probably some pajamas of mine, sorry I don't have anything better. Ask them for food if you're hungry, they live to serve, literally."
"House elves?!" Hermione exclaimed with a tone of shock.
Harry smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't have people knowing of my existence or whereabouts, so I hired house elves. Don't worry, I make sure they have everything they want. Even ask them."
"I will." Hermione said, feigning irritation.
"Sleep well." Harry said, still avoiding her eyes, turning his back to go.
"Wait Harry!" She cried, standing up quickly. She ran to him, and threw her arms around him. He hugged her back, and she bit back her tears. "I've missed you so much Harry, you have no idea. Ron too. Life's been hell without you. I'm so glad your okay."
Harry felt his heart shattering. "We'll talk tomorrow" was all he could say.
He left her standing there, still fighting her tears.
(Thank you to everyone who reviewed, please keep them coming. So about the last cliff hanger, I just posted the chapter without realizing it was there, but hopefully the wait until this post wasn't too long. Thank- you again!)
Hermione recognized his emerald eyes from the moment she saw them. Harry was there, in that very room with her. His scar was concealed, he looked much older, his hair was well cut, and he didn't have his glasses. Besides that, he was her Harry. The same Harry she'd seen that first day on the Hogwarts express. The same Harry she'd been missing for three years. It took everything she had not to throw her arms around him and weep. She knew she couldn't blow whatever cover it was he posed for whatever purpose. At least, she hoped it was a cover. "No, Harry will find a way out of here. He'll save me." She finally had some hope. All she could wonder was how he could actually do it. He didn't even have a wand. Maybe other help was nearby, the same help that had pushed Lucius down. It was a far stretch though.
Harry stood at a gambling table. Hermione noticed that only the most wealthy were gathered around the table. The dealer dealt out the cards, which Hermione knew would be magically enhanced to avoid cheating, as well as the dice.
A tall blonde woman in a sparkling cocktail dress came up behind Harry, wrapping her arms around his waist. Hermione wanted to punch the woman. She had no right to touch Harry. Harry looked impartial to the woman's touch. Hermione wondered if he was used to it. After all, he did seem to be rich, had an obvious air of power to him, and was undoubtedly handsome. Hermione had never thought she'd be thinking that. Sure, she'd always thought Harry was handsome in his way, but never thought she'd be attracted to him. He was always just like a brother to her. Harry whispered in the woman's ear, and she left, returning with a drink for him, which he took without so much as thank you, which was nothing like Harry. He drank, a gold and red ring glimmering on his finger. "Gryffindor colors" she thought.
"The name of the game is poker." The dealer said, as the men (and one woman who had just joined), piled galleons and sickles out onto the table to play. Hermione could immediately see the stakes would be high. Before things even really got going, half the table had folded, and now it was just Harry, Lucius and the woman playing.
Hermione (who was chained to the wall by one of the employees) was growing restless. What was Harry waiting for? She got a sick feeling in her stomach that he had turned sides, and was going to let her go to Voldemort. He was certainly taking his sweet time gambling with Lucius. The woman had now folded, and now the war was between Lucius and Harry. Harry maintained such poise, she was starting to second guess herself. Was this even Harry? The stakes were set at 5,000 Galleons, and Lucius finally, after a long line of profanities folded, stating that his bluff wasn't worth it, he only had two pair. Harry laughed in a cold way she'd never heard him laugh, and revealed one pair.
That was Lucius' last straw. He pulled out his wand quickly, and Hermione felt time freeze. Imagine if she were to find Harry alive after four years, only to have him be murdered before her eyes. The light suddenly went out, and many shouts sounded. Hermione could hear her heart race. What was happening? Everything was so strange, she couldn't understand it. She felt her chains go loose, and an arm fasten itself around her. "LUMOS!" She could hear people shouting, and she knew that soon they would see what was happening. The lights came on, but people gazed right through her.
"WHERE'D SHE GO!" Lucius screamed. As he frantically looked about "GAGE TOOK HER! THAT FRAUD BASTARD!"
"They must of apparated!" a chubby, balding man exclaimed.
"YOU CAN'T APPARATE OUT OF HERE IDIOT!" Lucius screamed, "They have to be around her somewhere! Alert the guards not to let anyone in or out until we find them! YOU'RE TRAPPED A GAGE! HEAR ME?! TRAPPED!"
"So says you." Harry whispered in her ear, and she couldn't help but smile. Being this close to Harry, knowing he was alive, and once again, hiding under the invisibility cloak. "This way" he whispered, and they slowly made their way through the chaos, avoiding bumping into people.
They continued until they got to a men's bathroom. Hermione felt utterly confused, but followed him in anyways. After locking the door, and checking to make sure there was no one there, he took the cloak off and explained.
"It's the only place along the exterior wall of the building we can get a moments chance to escape. Okay here's my broom" he said, enlarging a strange looking broom from his pocket, and handing it to her. "Once I break through this wall, the alarms will be set off, and we'll only have ten seconds to be off. I'll probably be exhausted, so, I'll have to jump on the back, and you'll have to kick off and steer us away. Got it?" She nodded, confused by so many things, but not having the time to ask. She noticed that he hadn't met her eye since he had revealed himself to her in the casino. She decided to ponder it all later. Harry opened a stall door, and placed his hands on the wall. Closing his eyes, he seemed to be concentrating. Suddenly, the wall blew apart, sending him flying into the sink, breaking it in half. Before Hermione had a chance to exclaim, Harry had slowly risen to his feet, covered in plaster, his face pale. Slumping onto the broom stick, and resting his head on her shoulder, Hermione threw her mind into focus mode, and kicked of hard, the broom sped out of the building so fast she thought she'd faint. She could barely get a hold of controlling it, and she felt herself panicking. "Harry!" She cried desperately, and he seemed to have come to a bit more, and wrapped his arm weakly around her waist, and placing his fingers on an odd gold disk in the front, muttered, "Gryffindor Manor."
As they sped off, a cursing Lucius was left standing in a very wrecked bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry had been spending months undercover at the death eater's club, through some very sneaky and dirty work. He had been keeping tabs on all the big wigs of the inner circle. The work had been slow, and seldom gratifying. One thing he had not expected to see was his best friend Hermione Granger enter under the custody of Jacques Farrier.
Seeing her had been an incredible initial shock, but he had over come it, as he had been taught. He had missed his friends desperately, but loneliness he could deal with, he had grown up lonely. He could not bear grief and guilt however. It had almost ruined him once already, and Hermione's death and pain would kill him. He had separated himself from the fact that he knew his absence would hurt his friends, and he knew he would have to see it if he were to help Hermione. He carefully devised his plan as Lucius made his scene, and had done a good job of remaining calm throughout Lucius' tirade.
Of course, he had lost it for a moment when Lucius slapped Hermione. That dirty jerk had no right to come within a mile of her, and he couldn't bare to watch Hermione's pain. Lucius was just lucky Harry hadn't thrown him through the wall.
Harry had bid his time, something he had gotten very accomplished at. He had waited until just the right moment to make his move.
Luckily, it had all worked. Of course, now he was drained, had a very flustered Hermione on his hands, had lost his spy position, had angry death eaters on his trail, and had a heck of a lot of explaining to do. For now, he was just tired.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron had just laid there, staring at the ceiling for the past hour. His family couldn't get into him, and neither could any of the professors. The fact that he had just potentially lost a second best friend was incomprehensible.
Dumbledore said that everything was being done to track her down, that all records had been scoured, that all the spies and aurors were out, but Ron knew the truth.
Four hours had passed since her kidnapping, done by a highly dangerous death eater of the inner circle. She was either dead or being tortured. And Ron really didn't want to think about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione was exhausted as they arrived in a large empty field in the middle of a forest. Harry clumsily made his way to the ground, and helped Hermione down.
"Harry, um, why are we in the middle of an empty field?" She asked worriedly.
"It's not an empty field. This is Gryffindor Manor." He answered dully. "Here, I'll show you." He raised his hand to her eyes, which dropped closed, and he whispered, "Apperell Gryffindor." When she opened her eyes, a massive mansion appeared before her eyes. High black gates secured the perimeter, bushes on the other side, white marble columns were situated along in the fence corners, and on either side of the fancy entrance gate, which read, "Gryffindor Manor" atop the entrance. Atop each column were golden lion statues which growled to warn off unwanted guests.
Harry ran his hand down the gate, and it swung open to omit the two. They walked tiredly along the path leading to the massive estate. The gates swung closed behind them. Hermione could see lions prowling the lawns in the distance.
"Uh. Lions Harry?" She asked wearily.
"They just guard the manor. They won't attack you so long as I tell them not to."
As they arrived at the entrance doors, Hermione gapped at their massive size, and the fine stain glass that decorated them, a patchwork of red and gold pieces that wormed the word "Gryffindor" on both widows, and showed a lion.
Harry opened these the same way he opened the gate, and they entered a massive entrance hall.
"I'll give you the grand tour tomorrow" Harry told her, leaning his broom against the wall. "Come on, I'll show you to a room you can stay in."
"Uh, Harry, why didn't we go to Hogwarts? People will be worrying about me!"
"Which is why you'll have to send them a quick letter saying that you're fine, you met up with an old friend who helped you, and you'll owl them more details when you're feeling better." He paused uncomfortably. "I have a lot to explain before you go back."
"You can say that again."
"Here's your room" he said, opened a door off the corridor he had led her down. Behind it was a cozy red and gold room, which he had a quick fire blazing in. "The house elves can get you something to change into, probably some pajamas of mine, sorry I don't have anything better. Ask them for food if you're hungry, they live to serve, literally."
"House elves?!" Hermione exclaimed with a tone of shock.
Harry smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't have people knowing of my existence or whereabouts, so I hired house elves. Don't worry, I make sure they have everything they want. Even ask them."
"I will." Hermione said, feigning irritation.
"Sleep well." Harry said, still avoiding her eyes, turning his back to go.
"Wait Harry!" She cried, standing up quickly. She ran to him, and threw her arms around him. He hugged her back, and she bit back her tears. "I've missed you so much Harry, you have no idea. Ron too. Life's been hell without you. I'm so glad your okay."
Harry felt his heart shattering. "We'll talk tomorrow" was all he could say.
He left her standing there, still fighting her tears.