Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all the persons and places connected to him were first discovered by a certain Lady known as J.K.Rowling. I just borrow them for a little while to mess with their lives around, but I always give them back after the chapter ends (well until I need them again for the next chapter, that is). And most of the time I give them back in really good condition, too *grin*
A/N: Thanks to anyone who reviewd. You are the ones that keep me working on this one. Oh, and here comes a little request. I seem to have run out of betas. Luinthoron is working in another town now and I haven't heard from Puzzler for months, so here my request: could please someone (preferably someone who's native language is english) beta this story from now on? I'm really desperate now...
Anyway. This chapter goes to Luinthoron. Hope you haven't it too tough, brother dear :)
--Altair
Chapter Ten: General Confusion
Harry looked at the ruins that had just a few moments before been his annoying aunt's family's house and had now buried his aunt and uncle's bodys under it. He remembered Remus and Wormtail. They had remained fighting in the living room when Sirius had dragged the boys out. Were they dead also? He lifted his eyes and they fell on the Dark Mark hovering over the place he had once lived in. The Mark declaring the Death Eaters' victory. He sunk to his knees.
"NO!"
"My Lord..."
The Dark Lord was standing in a big brightly iluminated room, before him were kneeling over a hundred Death Eaters, all of them masked, but somehow he always knew who was there. He looked at the man who had spoken earlier.
"You may report"
"My Lord, the boy..."
"Potter? What about him?"
The Death Eater, even though he was wearing a mask, was visibly scared when he spoke his next words.
"Not Potter. I... I mean the... the Dursley boy... He... he... could escape..."
"WHAT?!"
The Death Eaters jumped at the sound of their Master's cry of rage. They had never experienced him that angry before. He didn't even say anything. He just Disapparated, leaving a very confused and VERY frightened crowd of Death Eaters behind.
"But I don't wanna go there," whined Dudley. "I don't like that old bat! She always goes on and on about those dead cats and it smells there!"
For once in his life, Harry had to agree with Dudley. He hated it at old mrs. Figg's. The house always smelling like cats, the old woman telling about her favorite pets even though most of them were long dead. And she even had photos of her cats! Harry didn't know anyone who had albums full photos of cats. He made a face. He had been forced to look them over and over again for years, he was not going to look at them again! He just wasn't! No... He was now being selfish... The old Lady hadn't anyone besides her cats. And he really shouldn't have been that selfish. If Sirius said it would be safe there, then it was going to be safe there!
Sirius... How did he know her anyway? Harry had never heard the old woman speak about him. He had never heard her mention any friends of human blood. It had always been cats. Harry shook his head, trying to dismiss the thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do right now was think. He had lived through too much already today... the deaths of his relatives he had been forced to watch so closely, then Remus'...
They had stopped, he noticed after bumping into Dudley's back. What surprised him even more was the fact that Dudley didn't snap at him. He must have been still in shock, Harry decided. To be honest, he started to worry about Dudley for not bullying him around all the time. It just wasn't normal!
Sirius knocked at the door. Dudley had been quiet for some time and Harry found himself wishing he would at least take up complaining about all the cats again. It would have made him feel much much better.
The door opened and an old Lady looked out. He was startled to see the three of them. Or was it the fact that they were together? Harry couldn't say...
"Sirius?!" The woman exclaimed, almost not believing her eyes. "Sirius, what are you doing here? You were supposed to be at..." her woice trailed away.
"Arabella, can we please come in? I have to contact Dumbledore."
There was something in Sirius' voice that made her let them pass without furhther questions. She was closing the door behind them as she had a chance to take a glimpse from what was going on outside. And that's when she saw it. The Dark Mark high in the sky. She stumbled back in the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She turned to face them.
Harry, in the meantime had some thinking to do for himself. Arabella. Where had he heard that name before? Arabella Figg? He knew it was important, but he had a gift to forget all the important names or at least where he had heard or read them before. The same had happened to him in his first year at Hogwarts with Nicholas Flamel. Now, he thought, concentrate. Try to remember. You have heard the name before. Sirius told her he wanted to contact Dumbledore. That would mean she was a witch, Sirius hadn't told her if she wasn't. So, if she was a witch and Sirius wanted to contact Dumbledore from her place, it would mean, she was on their side. She was part of the Resistance. And then it came all back t him. The conversation he had heard at Hogwarts after Voldemort's return. When Dumbledore said Sirius to contact the 'old crowd'. He had mentioned her name.
"You're Arabella Figg?" he asked aloud before he could stop himself. And in perfect timing, too. Just in the same moment, when Arabella looked at them and asked "Would someone kindly explain to me what happened?"
Lord Voldemort was in a bad mood. He sat in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace in that old room that had once been his father's. He sneered at the thought. He needed these memories. They gave him strength. And that was what he needed now. Very much strength to keep his head on his shoulders and not to kill all of his men just now. Because he needed them. They would be useful for some longer and it was really hard to find loyal Death Eaters in these times. He sighed and Apparated back to the meeting. He had the feeling he hadn't heard all of it yet.
He was surprised to see that none of the Death Eaters seemed have to moved since he left them about fifteen minutes before. They were still kneeling and staring into the place he had been standing. They didn't even blink their eyes as he appeared back on the same spot. Anyway. He had a reputation to defend. He pointed his wand on the Messenger.
"Crucio!"
Was it just his imagination or did the crowd sigh in relief? But he didn't want to wonder for long. So he turned to the next figure in Death Eater robes.
"Report!"
The person, whoever it was, shivered. It wasn't easy to have to tell the Dark Lord something he did not want to hear and the person knew that. But what were the choices? The only way was telling the truth and risking the Cruciatus Curse.
"We lost two men," the Death Eater said in a soft voice. She looked up to see her Lord's reaction. She hadn't been hit by the Curse yet and she really didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad.
The Dark Lord just nodded. He looked at the woman before him, his face didn't show any emotion.
"Who?" he asked.
"Well, Pettigrew was attacked by the werewolf and they were both buried under the ruins of the house..."
"I as much as expected that," the Dark Lord said. He seemed to think this was funny. "He was weak, it's good we got rid of him. The Resistance hasn't got a clue how helpful they were, doing the job for me," he sneered. But his face turned serious again. "Who was the other?" he commanded.
The woman's voice didn't show any emotion as she answered the question.
"Marcus Flint," she said.
He looked around. He was surrounded with dust and stones. There was something heavy lying on top of him. He tried to move, but he couldn't. He tried to scream, but he couldn't either. There was someone lying right next to him. He tried to wake him up, but he just didn't open his eyes. There was also a woman. She, too didn't wake up. Then there were body pieces and another man. He seemed to be breathing, but he was wounded. He tried to get out, but it seemed like he was buried under a house. He wondered what had happened.
Then he heard voices. Someone was removing stones from wherever he was. He felt the weight on top of him lighten. Then something heavy was removed and he could see light. He also could see a man. The man was looking down on him. He blinked, as if wanting to make sure he wasn't dreaming, as if making sure the man was real. Anyway, the man didn't disappear. He only turned to call something to someone behind him. Something that sounded like "I found someone!" Then there were even more men and they were all trying and digging him out. He tried to tell them that there was someone wounded next to him, but no voice came out. And as he turned his head to see at the wounded man, he realized, the man had died. He tried to remember what had happened. He remembered a huge explosion. But what was before it? He couldn't say. He looked at the faces of the dead and tried to remember who they were. There was nothing. As if he hadn't even known them.
He was removed from the ruins and placed on a stretcher. He looked around and saw men digging out the bodys of people he had no memory of. There was someone coming towards him. Another man. The man looked at him and shook his head. He wondered if this was good or bad.
"You have quite some injuries," the man told him. "You don't think you'd be able to tell us what happened?"
He tried to remember. The explosion. That was all. But what had caused it? He had no idea.
"Well, let's start with something easier," the man smiled at him. "What's your name?"
He thought about it. His name... He knew He had a name... He must have had a name... But what was it...? He shook his head.
He didn't remember his name.
A/N: So, let me know what you think. I hope you liked it. Really. The chapter was beta read by Luinthoron. But I still need someone to check up my writing. So please, would someone be that kind and help a poor estonian fanfiction writer? And please, review. I live on your reviews, they're what keep me going. Well? Please?
A/N: Thanks to anyone who reviewd. You are the ones that keep me working on this one. Oh, and here comes a little request. I seem to have run out of betas. Luinthoron is working in another town now and I haven't heard from Puzzler for months, so here my request: could please someone (preferably someone who's native language is english) beta this story from now on? I'm really desperate now...
Anyway. This chapter goes to Luinthoron. Hope you haven't it too tough, brother dear :)
--Altair
Chapter Ten: General Confusion
Harry looked at the ruins that had just a few moments before been his annoying aunt's family's house and had now buried his aunt and uncle's bodys under it. He remembered Remus and Wormtail. They had remained fighting in the living room when Sirius had dragged the boys out. Were they dead also? He lifted his eyes and they fell on the Dark Mark hovering over the place he had once lived in. The Mark declaring the Death Eaters' victory. He sunk to his knees.
"NO!"
"My Lord..."
The Dark Lord was standing in a big brightly iluminated room, before him were kneeling over a hundred Death Eaters, all of them masked, but somehow he always knew who was there. He looked at the man who had spoken earlier.
"You may report"
"My Lord, the boy..."
"Potter? What about him?"
The Death Eater, even though he was wearing a mask, was visibly scared when he spoke his next words.
"Not Potter. I... I mean the... the Dursley boy... He... he... could escape..."
"WHAT?!"
The Death Eaters jumped at the sound of their Master's cry of rage. They had never experienced him that angry before. He didn't even say anything. He just Disapparated, leaving a very confused and VERY frightened crowd of Death Eaters behind.
"But I don't wanna go there," whined Dudley. "I don't like that old bat! She always goes on and on about those dead cats and it smells there!"
For once in his life, Harry had to agree with Dudley. He hated it at old mrs. Figg's. The house always smelling like cats, the old woman telling about her favorite pets even though most of them were long dead. And she even had photos of her cats! Harry didn't know anyone who had albums full photos of cats. He made a face. He had been forced to look them over and over again for years, he was not going to look at them again! He just wasn't! No... He was now being selfish... The old Lady hadn't anyone besides her cats. And he really shouldn't have been that selfish. If Sirius said it would be safe there, then it was going to be safe there!
Sirius... How did he know her anyway? Harry had never heard the old woman speak about him. He had never heard her mention any friends of human blood. It had always been cats. Harry shook his head, trying to dismiss the thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do right now was think. He had lived through too much already today... the deaths of his relatives he had been forced to watch so closely, then Remus'...
They had stopped, he noticed after bumping into Dudley's back. What surprised him even more was the fact that Dudley didn't snap at him. He must have been still in shock, Harry decided. To be honest, he started to worry about Dudley for not bullying him around all the time. It just wasn't normal!
Sirius knocked at the door. Dudley had been quiet for some time and Harry found himself wishing he would at least take up complaining about all the cats again. It would have made him feel much much better.
The door opened and an old Lady looked out. He was startled to see the three of them. Or was it the fact that they were together? Harry couldn't say...
"Sirius?!" The woman exclaimed, almost not believing her eyes. "Sirius, what are you doing here? You were supposed to be at..." her woice trailed away.
"Arabella, can we please come in? I have to contact Dumbledore."
There was something in Sirius' voice that made her let them pass without furhther questions. She was closing the door behind them as she had a chance to take a glimpse from what was going on outside. And that's when she saw it. The Dark Mark high in the sky. She stumbled back in the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She turned to face them.
Harry, in the meantime had some thinking to do for himself. Arabella. Where had he heard that name before? Arabella Figg? He knew it was important, but he had a gift to forget all the important names or at least where he had heard or read them before. The same had happened to him in his first year at Hogwarts with Nicholas Flamel. Now, he thought, concentrate. Try to remember. You have heard the name before. Sirius told her he wanted to contact Dumbledore. That would mean she was a witch, Sirius hadn't told her if she wasn't. So, if she was a witch and Sirius wanted to contact Dumbledore from her place, it would mean, she was on their side. She was part of the Resistance. And then it came all back t him. The conversation he had heard at Hogwarts after Voldemort's return. When Dumbledore said Sirius to contact the 'old crowd'. He had mentioned her name.
"You're Arabella Figg?" he asked aloud before he could stop himself. And in perfect timing, too. Just in the same moment, when Arabella looked at them and asked "Would someone kindly explain to me what happened?"
Lord Voldemort was in a bad mood. He sat in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace in that old room that had once been his father's. He sneered at the thought. He needed these memories. They gave him strength. And that was what he needed now. Very much strength to keep his head on his shoulders and not to kill all of his men just now. Because he needed them. They would be useful for some longer and it was really hard to find loyal Death Eaters in these times. He sighed and Apparated back to the meeting. He had the feeling he hadn't heard all of it yet.
He was surprised to see that none of the Death Eaters seemed have to moved since he left them about fifteen minutes before. They were still kneeling and staring into the place he had been standing. They didn't even blink their eyes as he appeared back on the same spot. Anyway. He had a reputation to defend. He pointed his wand on the Messenger.
"Crucio!"
Was it just his imagination or did the crowd sigh in relief? But he didn't want to wonder for long. So he turned to the next figure in Death Eater robes.
"Report!"
The person, whoever it was, shivered. It wasn't easy to have to tell the Dark Lord something he did not want to hear and the person knew that. But what were the choices? The only way was telling the truth and risking the Cruciatus Curse.
"We lost two men," the Death Eater said in a soft voice. She looked up to see her Lord's reaction. She hadn't been hit by the Curse yet and she really didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad.
The Dark Lord just nodded. He looked at the woman before him, his face didn't show any emotion.
"Who?" he asked.
"Well, Pettigrew was attacked by the werewolf and they were both buried under the ruins of the house..."
"I as much as expected that," the Dark Lord said. He seemed to think this was funny. "He was weak, it's good we got rid of him. The Resistance hasn't got a clue how helpful they were, doing the job for me," he sneered. But his face turned serious again. "Who was the other?" he commanded.
The woman's voice didn't show any emotion as she answered the question.
"Marcus Flint," she said.
He looked around. He was surrounded with dust and stones. There was something heavy lying on top of him. He tried to move, but he couldn't. He tried to scream, but he couldn't either. There was someone lying right next to him. He tried to wake him up, but he just didn't open his eyes. There was also a woman. She, too didn't wake up. Then there were body pieces and another man. He seemed to be breathing, but he was wounded. He tried to get out, but it seemed like he was buried under a house. He wondered what had happened.
Then he heard voices. Someone was removing stones from wherever he was. He felt the weight on top of him lighten. Then something heavy was removed and he could see light. He also could see a man. The man was looking down on him. He blinked, as if wanting to make sure he wasn't dreaming, as if making sure the man was real. Anyway, the man didn't disappear. He only turned to call something to someone behind him. Something that sounded like "I found someone!" Then there were even more men and they were all trying and digging him out. He tried to tell them that there was someone wounded next to him, but no voice came out. And as he turned his head to see at the wounded man, he realized, the man had died. He tried to remember what had happened. He remembered a huge explosion. But what was before it? He couldn't say. He looked at the faces of the dead and tried to remember who they were. There was nothing. As if he hadn't even known them.
He was removed from the ruins and placed on a stretcher. He looked around and saw men digging out the bodys of people he had no memory of. There was someone coming towards him. Another man. The man looked at him and shook his head. He wondered if this was good or bad.
"You have quite some injuries," the man told him. "You don't think you'd be able to tell us what happened?"
He tried to remember. The explosion. That was all. But what had caused it? He had no idea.
"Well, let's start with something easier," the man smiled at him. "What's your name?"
He thought about it. His name... He knew He had a name... He must have had a name... But what was it...? He shook his head.
He didn't remember his name.
A/N: So, let me know what you think. I hope you liked it. Really. The chapter was beta read by Luinthoron. But I still need someone to check up my writing. So please, would someone be that kind and help a poor estonian fanfiction writer? And please, review. I live on your reviews, they're what keep me going. Well? Please?