Alesco
Chapter Thirty-Three---The Dark Chamber
*
Ron stepped cautiously through the door to the Hog's Head, trying to adjust to the darkness in the room. There were no more patrons at the bar or the tables surrounding it, and Ron heard an odd wail coming from behind the bar. He ran over to it.
A burly man was crouched there--the bartender. He must have heard Ron running toward him, because he whimpered loudly. By the time Ron turned and looked around the counter, the man was covering his face and cowering.
Ron pushed out to him...Tell me what happened.
The man immediately stopped whimpering and pulled his hands away from his head. He began to speak unsteadily.
"A man stepped out of the fireplace, and then...owls started to come in here, flocks of them. They were dropping this." The man held up a sheet of newspaper, and Ron grabbed it.
He briefly read the information and threw the newspaper to the floor. Excellent, he thought, as if things couldn't get more unusual. He now realized that was why there had been so much chaos in the street and in Honeydukes.
The man was still talking quickly. "Earlier, I saw a group of men just sort of appear....in the bar. I don't remember them apparating here, and I certainly would have seen them floo or come through the door. They left; but after that man flooed here, the other men returned and they were carrying an unconscious woman. That's when I stood up, and asked them what the devil they were doing. They used....an unforgivable curse on me."
The man could hold back no longer. He burst into tears.
Ron pushed out.....Tell me your name.
The man looked up, and said through his tears, "Merle Higgenbotham."
Ron spoke this time. "Mr Higgenbotham, where did they go?"
"That way!" He pointed to a back hallway, and then continued to crouch on the floor.
Ron pushed out one more command. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them I went that way.
He turned and ran down the hallway. It ended in a single room, and Ron went inside.
It appeared to be a storage room of some sort. Boxes and crates were piled everywhere.
Ron searched every corner, and found nothing.
He was about to give up, when he leaned against one wall. He let out a startled shout as he began to fall through it.
When he opened his eyes, he could see that half of his body was inside a very dark hallway, and his feet.....
Well, his legs were pointing through a wall in front of him, and his lower legs and feet were no longer in sight.
Ron began to feel panic for the first time, but it didn't last. Someone had grabbed his feet and was pulling him back through the wall.
Ron clutched his wand, expecting the worst.
When he opened his eyes on the other side, he was relieved to see Harry, Hermione, Susan, Neville, and Mr Higgenbotham.
Harry let go of Ron's legs and helped him up. Mr Higgenbotham was looking at the wall, his mouth gaped open.
"How did that get there?" He moved forward, and put a hand in the wall. His entire arm disappeared there, and he pulled back with fear. Looking around to everyone in presence, he muttered nervously, "That wasn't there before."
Ron gazed at his friends, and then back at the wall. Hermione had moved over to clutch his arm the moment he stood up, and he could tell she had been worried. Ron pulled her into a hug.
"I've got to go in there." Ron muttered. "I think they may have taken someone." At that, realization dawned on him.
"I think they may have taken Professor Forester." Ron said loudly, and then widened his eyes. "It's her they were after, not me! Maybe they needed Bill because they needed someone who'd been her victim, or who'd been intimate with her. It makes perfect sense!"
Hermione clutched him tighter. "Ron, don't be stupid. We have to wait for Professor Dumbledore. Ginny went to get him."
Harry stepped up. "You know what I said before. If you go in there, we're going to follow."
Hermione looked desperately between Harry and Ron. "No, Harry! We have to wait! Dumbledore can handle this!"
Ron sighed in frustration. He wasn't going to stand around and wait. After all, this might be his chance.....
He closed his eyes. Yes, he needed to look forward......
~~~
The familiar darkness passed over his eyes, and then he saw himself running through a dark passageway, alone. There were many twists and turns, and very little light. The wand in front of him cast an eerie glow all around. At a juncture he turned left, without hesitation. Then, another choice...right or left. He chose right. One more last choice, and he turned right again.
And then, an opening into a dark, dreary room, where someone sat in front of a blazing fire. The back of their chair was facing him, and he knew who it was....
He walked toward the chair....
~~~
Ron opened his eyes, and gave Hermione a determined look.
"I've GOT to GO." Reaching down, he gave Hermione a hard kiss, and gazed piercingly into her pale face. "I love you."
With that, he pushed her away abruptly, and ran through the barrier into the darkness. He lit his wand.
"Ron!" Hermione cried after him in desperation.
The sound echoed behind him for a few steps, as he ran as fast as he could.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hermione could feel hot tears well in her eyes....but that wasn't her biggest concern.
The ring on her finger was beginning to glow yellow, and it was pleasantly warm.
"Hermione, let's go!" Harry grabbed her hand, but almost as an afterthought, he looked worriedly back at Neville and Susan.
"Maybe you two should wait until Dumbledore gets here." Harry was saying, but now Hermione was tugging at his arm.
"We've got to help Ron." Hermione said shakily, eyeing her ring. Harry suddenly noticed it.
"What's wrong with your ring?" Harry breathed.
"I...I...modified it." Hermione's voice cracked. "I can tell if Ron's in danger or not."
Harry sighed. "I suppose yellow's not a good thing."
"No, it isn't. But it's not as bad as red." Hermione cried, and then Susan suddenly spoke up.
"I'm coming with anyone going through that barrier." Her voice was insistent. "I'm ready to fight, I don't care what we find in there."
Harry turned abruptly to Susan, to give her a sharp look, and suddenly Hermione felt impatient.
Hermione stepped toward the group, and gestured toward the barkeeper. "Can you tell Headmaster Dumbledore where we went?"
"Certainly." The barkeeper nodded without hesitation.
"Okay, let's go." Hermione grabbed Harry's hand, but he wouldn't budge. "Harry!"
Susan glared at Harry, and pushed her way past them. Hermione could hear her mutter "lumos" on the other side. "Come on!" She bellowed.
Hermione heard Harry let out a frustrated sound, and then follow her through. Hermione closed her eyes, and entered as well.
Darkness was everywhere. Hermione muttered, "lumos" and the tip of her wand glowed brightly. She noticed Neville slip through the barrier, as well, and light his wand. He was shaking.
"I want to come with you, too." Neville said to Hermione, though his voice gave away his fear.
"That's great, Neville. We'll need all the help we can get." Hermione said, and her throat felt strained. She heard Harry groan loudly in front of them.
Hermione grabbed Neville's sleeve and pulled him along, so they would catch up with Susan and Harry.
Hermione looked around. The walls of the tunnels appeared to be made of dirt, and here and there someone had attempted to wall it with stone. She could hear some dripping far away, and every now and then, talking and low moans. A chill swept across her back.
There was also a loud echo of running footsteps, and the group slowly pushed forward toward them, walking in tandem.
Through Hermione's fear and concern, she began to think. Something went off in her mind, and it made perfect sense.
"The dark chamber," Hermione whispered.
"Huh?" Harry muttered in front of her, still walking slowly.
"Dunkelkammer. It means 'the dark chamber.'" Hermione breathed.
"Holy Merlin...." Harry uttered, and by the glow of Hermione's wand, she could see him run a hand through his mussed hair. "I'm not ready for this."
Hermione sighed. "I don't think any of us are, Harry."
Neville emitted a tiny sound beside them, but they continued to walk.
Hermione was walking steadily behind Harry, when he suddenly stopped. She ran soundly into this back. Neville clobbered into her, as well.
"What's wrong?" Hermione whispered into Harry's back.
"There's a crossroads," Susan said softly in the front.
Harry turned around to Hermione and Neville. Hermione could see Susan turn as well, and look over Harry's shoulder.
"Okay, we're splitting up." Harry put his wand under his arm, took out a silver sickle from his pocket, and muttered, "Heads or tails, you two?" He looked pointedly at Hermione and Neville. Obviously, Harry wanted to go with Susan.
"Heads." Hermione said simply.
Harry flipped the coin, and slapped it on the back of his left hand. It revealed as heads.
"Okay, you pick." Harry gazed at them, putting the coin back in his pocket and grasping his wand.
"Left," Hermione said from pure instinct.
"Okay...good luck, you two." Harry patted Hermione's shoulder, a look of fear and determination in his eyes.
Hermione nodded at him, and then impulsively reached up to give him a hug. "You promise to stay in one piece, all right?"
Harry chuckled. "I certainly hope we do."
At that, he grasped Susan's arm, and they began to run down the right passage.
Hermione turned to Neville. "Let's go!"
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ron ran, and everything he saw had been played out before. He knew exactly which way to turn, and what he would find.
He slowed as he began to realize the room with Voldemort would not be far beyond.
At that, he began to think...a strange thought.
Voldemort would kill him immediately, before Ron could formulate how to kill him. Something from Professor Forester's Siren class a long time ago called to him. He remembered her saying something about how a Siren could take on any form they saw fit...to confuse their victim.
But Professor Forester had never taught him about that.
Maybe she doesn't have that power, Ron thought. But it's possible that I might.
Ron closed his eyes, and walked forward without hesitation.
Wormtail, Ron thought. I need to look like Wormtail.
He entered the room, trembling a bit, hoping it would work.
Ron walked closer to the man sitting in the chair, and then said, "My master..."
The man stood up from the chair, and Ron could barely see his features through the rosy glare of the fire. He was tall, and lean, and pale.
Ron glanced to the right, and was astonished to see a large snake basking near the fire, curled up in typical snake-like repose. Ron closed his eyes, and tried to concentrate on looking like Wormtail.
"Wormtail...have my plans been carried out?" The man said in a high, cold voice. Ron noticed the gaunt, white cheeks flex with mirth.
Ron shook, and muttered huskily, "Yes, my lord."
The man laughed, loudly and coldly, and flexed his long fingers. "At long last, I will have the power I have craved."
At that, Ron knew what he must do. Voldemort would never have that power.
He pushed out to Voldemort. Choke yourself, you bastard.
When he pushed the command, he realized how silly it was. Why not just have Voldemort kill himself with the avadra kedavra curse?
Before Ron could change his tact, several caped people entered the chamber from a dark entryway to the left that Ron had not noticed. They were followed by dementors.
The next few moments passed before Ron, like time slowed down. Voldemort was on the floor, choking himself. Ron was looking desperately from him, to the dementors, to the Death Eaters.
The dementors began to glide toward him, and he knew he was their target. He stopped focusing his powers on Voldemort, and desperately pushed out to the dementors to get away from him.
The dementors halted, as if stunned. One by one, their so-called bodies began to shrivel, and they glowed red. They let out harsh screams, their bodies appeared to melt, and then they diminished into ash.
Ron was so astonished, he didn't notice the Death Eaters approaching him, until it was too late.
There was nothing he could do. There were too many of them, and he knew he no longer looked like Wormtail.
"It's the boy! Get him!" A familiar voice shouted, and Ron realized it was Lucius Malfoy.
Ron brought up his wand, and started to utter as many hexes and curses he could think of. A few figures fell, but Ron couldn't get away before Lucius Malfoy shouted, "Crucio!"
A tremendous pain, worse than anything Ron had ever felt, erupted throughout his body. He felt to the floor in agony, twitching and uttering curses.
Lucius pulled back his hood, and Ron struggled through the pain, to see many people standing over him. Several pushed their hoods back, and Ron recognized Bellatrix and Wormtail. Ron glared at Wormtail, and uttered, "You fucking bastard..."
Lucius laughed, and Bellatrix joined in. Ron noticed that Lucius looked much more gaunt then he had in the past.
"Let's kill him, he's of no use to us. You know that we can't use a copy's brain." Bellatrix stated, and pointed her wand down at Ron.
"Wh--what about master?" Wormtail muttered, looking behind him. Ron could only guess he was looking to see if Voldemort was all right.
"He's fine." Another familiar male voice said from a distance, and the man walked up to them.
The man emerged through the crowd, and Ron gasped.
It was Percy.
"You?" Ron muttered, and tried to stand up.
"Crucio." Lucius said again, and this time the pain was nearly unbearable. Ron wanted to vomit with the ferocity of it.
"Kill him, I said!" Bellatrix pointed her wand again, and this time Lucius pushed her away.
Lucius glared down at Ron, a nasty look on his face. "The avadra curse is so...painless. I have another way, and this one is much more...unpleasant.
"This is for all those rotten months spent in Azkaban." Lucius swished his wand delicately back and forth horizontally, as he uttered in turn, "Infindo, infidi, infissum."
Ron moaned, and felt something odd in his chest and abdomen. He looked down, and saw three horizontal lines of blood there, growing bigger through his jumper. The pain came, and Ron let out a choked sound.
The last thing he remembered, before the blackness came over him, was Lucius laughing coldly, and saying, "Give my respects to Harry Potter...and Severus Snape."
Ron saw the thin, pale, snake-faced figure of Voldemort step over to them, looming taller than the others, and laugh demonically.
Percy was staring down at him, too, emotionless. Wormtail looked sick, and eyed everyone except Ron.
Bellatrix was laughing the most.
When the first haze of darkness closed over him, Ron could only concentrate on one thing. One thing that puzzled him...but made perfect sense.
Fawkes, please come. Fawkes, I need you.
The darkness closed over him, and Ron thought no more.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Thirty-Three---The Dark Chamber
*
Ron stepped cautiously through the door to the Hog's Head, trying to adjust to the darkness in the room. There were no more patrons at the bar or the tables surrounding it, and Ron heard an odd wail coming from behind the bar. He ran over to it.
A burly man was crouched there--the bartender. He must have heard Ron running toward him, because he whimpered loudly. By the time Ron turned and looked around the counter, the man was covering his face and cowering.
Ron pushed out to him...Tell me what happened.
The man immediately stopped whimpering and pulled his hands away from his head. He began to speak unsteadily.
"A man stepped out of the fireplace, and then...owls started to come in here, flocks of them. They were dropping this." The man held up a sheet of newspaper, and Ron grabbed it.
He briefly read the information and threw the newspaper to the floor. Excellent, he thought, as if things couldn't get more unusual. He now realized that was why there had been so much chaos in the street and in Honeydukes.
The man was still talking quickly. "Earlier, I saw a group of men just sort of appear....in the bar. I don't remember them apparating here, and I certainly would have seen them floo or come through the door. They left; but after that man flooed here, the other men returned and they were carrying an unconscious woman. That's when I stood up, and asked them what the devil they were doing. They used....an unforgivable curse on me."
The man could hold back no longer. He burst into tears.
Ron pushed out.....Tell me your name.
The man looked up, and said through his tears, "Merle Higgenbotham."
Ron spoke this time. "Mr Higgenbotham, where did they go?"
"That way!" He pointed to a back hallway, and then continued to crouch on the floor.
Ron pushed out one more command. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them I went that way.
He turned and ran down the hallway. It ended in a single room, and Ron went inside.
It appeared to be a storage room of some sort. Boxes and crates were piled everywhere.
Ron searched every corner, and found nothing.
He was about to give up, when he leaned against one wall. He let out a startled shout as he began to fall through it.
When he opened his eyes, he could see that half of his body was inside a very dark hallway, and his feet.....
Well, his legs were pointing through a wall in front of him, and his lower legs and feet were no longer in sight.
Ron began to feel panic for the first time, but it didn't last. Someone had grabbed his feet and was pulling him back through the wall.
Ron clutched his wand, expecting the worst.
When he opened his eyes on the other side, he was relieved to see Harry, Hermione, Susan, Neville, and Mr Higgenbotham.
Harry let go of Ron's legs and helped him up. Mr Higgenbotham was looking at the wall, his mouth gaped open.
"How did that get there?" He moved forward, and put a hand in the wall. His entire arm disappeared there, and he pulled back with fear. Looking around to everyone in presence, he muttered nervously, "That wasn't there before."
Ron gazed at his friends, and then back at the wall. Hermione had moved over to clutch his arm the moment he stood up, and he could tell she had been worried. Ron pulled her into a hug.
"I've got to go in there." Ron muttered. "I think they may have taken someone." At that, realization dawned on him.
"I think they may have taken Professor Forester." Ron said loudly, and then widened his eyes. "It's her they were after, not me! Maybe they needed Bill because they needed someone who'd been her victim, or who'd been intimate with her. It makes perfect sense!"
Hermione clutched him tighter. "Ron, don't be stupid. We have to wait for Professor Dumbledore. Ginny went to get him."
Harry stepped up. "You know what I said before. If you go in there, we're going to follow."
Hermione looked desperately between Harry and Ron. "No, Harry! We have to wait! Dumbledore can handle this!"
Ron sighed in frustration. He wasn't going to stand around and wait. After all, this might be his chance.....
He closed his eyes. Yes, he needed to look forward......
~~~
The familiar darkness passed over his eyes, and then he saw himself running through a dark passageway, alone. There were many twists and turns, and very little light. The wand in front of him cast an eerie glow all around. At a juncture he turned left, without hesitation. Then, another choice...right or left. He chose right. One more last choice, and he turned right again.
And then, an opening into a dark, dreary room, where someone sat in front of a blazing fire. The back of their chair was facing him, and he knew who it was....
He walked toward the chair....
~~~
Ron opened his eyes, and gave Hermione a determined look.
"I've GOT to GO." Reaching down, he gave Hermione a hard kiss, and gazed piercingly into her pale face. "I love you."
With that, he pushed her away abruptly, and ran through the barrier into the darkness. He lit his wand.
"Ron!" Hermione cried after him in desperation.
The sound echoed behind him for a few steps, as he ran as fast as he could.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hermione could feel hot tears well in her eyes....but that wasn't her biggest concern.
The ring on her finger was beginning to glow yellow, and it was pleasantly warm.
"Hermione, let's go!" Harry grabbed her hand, but almost as an afterthought, he looked worriedly back at Neville and Susan.
"Maybe you two should wait until Dumbledore gets here." Harry was saying, but now Hermione was tugging at his arm.
"We've got to help Ron." Hermione said shakily, eyeing her ring. Harry suddenly noticed it.
"What's wrong with your ring?" Harry breathed.
"I...I...modified it." Hermione's voice cracked. "I can tell if Ron's in danger or not."
Harry sighed. "I suppose yellow's not a good thing."
"No, it isn't. But it's not as bad as red." Hermione cried, and then Susan suddenly spoke up.
"I'm coming with anyone going through that barrier." Her voice was insistent. "I'm ready to fight, I don't care what we find in there."
Harry turned abruptly to Susan, to give her a sharp look, and suddenly Hermione felt impatient.
Hermione stepped toward the group, and gestured toward the barkeeper. "Can you tell Headmaster Dumbledore where we went?"
"Certainly." The barkeeper nodded without hesitation.
"Okay, let's go." Hermione grabbed Harry's hand, but he wouldn't budge. "Harry!"
Susan glared at Harry, and pushed her way past them. Hermione could hear her mutter "lumos" on the other side. "Come on!" She bellowed.
Hermione heard Harry let out a frustrated sound, and then follow her through. Hermione closed her eyes, and entered as well.
Darkness was everywhere. Hermione muttered, "lumos" and the tip of her wand glowed brightly. She noticed Neville slip through the barrier, as well, and light his wand. He was shaking.
"I want to come with you, too." Neville said to Hermione, though his voice gave away his fear.
"That's great, Neville. We'll need all the help we can get." Hermione said, and her throat felt strained. She heard Harry groan loudly in front of them.
Hermione grabbed Neville's sleeve and pulled him along, so they would catch up with Susan and Harry.
Hermione looked around. The walls of the tunnels appeared to be made of dirt, and here and there someone had attempted to wall it with stone. She could hear some dripping far away, and every now and then, talking and low moans. A chill swept across her back.
There was also a loud echo of running footsteps, and the group slowly pushed forward toward them, walking in tandem.
Through Hermione's fear and concern, she began to think. Something went off in her mind, and it made perfect sense.
"The dark chamber," Hermione whispered.
"Huh?" Harry muttered in front of her, still walking slowly.
"Dunkelkammer. It means 'the dark chamber.'" Hermione breathed.
"Holy Merlin...." Harry uttered, and by the glow of Hermione's wand, she could see him run a hand through his mussed hair. "I'm not ready for this."
Hermione sighed. "I don't think any of us are, Harry."
Neville emitted a tiny sound beside them, but they continued to walk.
Hermione was walking steadily behind Harry, when he suddenly stopped. She ran soundly into this back. Neville clobbered into her, as well.
"What's wrong?" Hermione whispered into Harry's back.
"There's a crossroads," Susan said softly in the front.
Harry turned around to Hermione and Neville. Hermione could see Susan turn as well, and look over Harry's shoulder.
"Okay, we're splitting up." Harry put his wand under his arm, took out a silver sickle from his pocket, and muttered, "Heads or tails, you two?" He looked pointedly at Hermione and Neville. Obviously, Harry wanted to go with Susan.
"Heads." Hermione said simply.
Harry flipped the coin, and slapped it on the back of his left hand. It revealed as heads.
"Okay, you pick." Harry gazed at them, putting the coin back in his pocket and grasping his wand.
"Left," Hermione said from pure instinct.
"Okay...good luck, you two." Harry patted Hermione's shoulder, a look of fear and determination in his eyes.
Hermione nodded at him, and then impulsively reached up to give him a hug. "You promise to stay in one piece, all right?"
Harry chuckled. "I certainly hope we do."
At that, he grasped Susan's arm, and they began to run down the right passage.
Hermione turned to Neville. "Let's go!"
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ron ran, and everything he saw had been played out before. He knew exactly which way to turn, and what he would find.
He slowed as he began to realize the room with Voldemort would not be far beyond.
At that, he began to think...a strange thought.
Voldemort would kill him immediately, before Ron could formulate how to kill him. Something from Professor Forester's Siren class a long time ago called to him. He remembered her saying something about how a Siren could take on any form they saw fit...to confuse their victim.
But Professor Forester had never taught him about that.
Maybe she doesn't have that power, Ron thought. But it's possible that I might.
Ron closed his eyes, and walked forward without hesitation.
Wormtail, Ron thought. I need to look like Wormtail.
He entered the room, trembling a bit, hoping it would work.
Ron walked closer to the man sitting in the chair, and then said, "My master..."
The man stood up from the chair, and Ron could barely see his features through the rosy glare of the fire. He was tall, and lean, and pale.
Ron glanced to the right, and was astonished to see a large snake basking near the fire, curled up in typical snake-like repose. Ron closed his eyes, and tried to concentrate on looking like Wormtail.
"Wormtail...have my plans been carried out?" The man said in a high, cold voice. Ron noticed the gaunt, white cheeks flex with mirth.
Ron shook, and muttered huskily, "Yes, my lord."
The man laughed, loudly and coldly, and flexed his long fingers. "At long last, I will have the power I have craved."
At that, Ron knew what he must do. Voldemort would never have that power.
He pushed out to Voldemort. Choke yourself, you bastard.
When he pushed the command, he realized how silly it was. Why not just have Voldemort kill himself with the avadra kedavra curse?
Before Ron could change his tact, several caped people entered the chamber from a dark entryway to the left that Ron had not noticed. They were followed by dementors.
The next few moments passed before Ron, like time slowed down. Voldemort was on the floor, choking himself. Ron was looking desperately from him, to the dementors, to the Death Eaters.
The dementors began to glide toward him, and he knew he was their target. He stopped focusing his powers on Voldemort, and desperately pushed out to the dementors to get away from him.
The dementors halted, as if stunned. One by one, their so-called bodies began to shrivel, and they glowed red. They let out harsh screams, their bodies appeared to melt, and then they diminished into ash.
Ron was so astonished, he didn't notice the Death Eaters approaching him, until it was too late.
There was nothing he could do. There were too many of them, and he knew he no longer looked like Wormtail.
"It's the boy! Get him!" A familiar voice shouted, and Ron realized it was Lucius Malfoy.
Ron brought up his wand, and started to utter as many hexes and curses he could think of. A few figures fell, but Ron couldn't get away before Lucius Malfoy shouted, "Crucio!"
A tremendous pain, worse than anything Ron had ever felt, erupted throughout his body. He felt to the floor in agony, twitching and uttering curses.
Lucius pulled back his hood, and Ron struggled through the pain, to see many people standing over him. Several pushed their hoods back, and Ron recognized Bellatrix and Wormtail. Ron glared at Wormtail, and uttered, "You fucking bastard..."
Lucius laughed, and Bellatrix joined in. Ron noticed that Lucius looked much more gaunt then he had in the past.
"Let's kill him, he's of no use to us. You know that we can't use a copy's brain." Bellatrix stated, and pointed her wand down at Ron.
"Wh--what about master?" Wormtail muttered, looking behind him. Ron could only guess he was looking to see if Voldemort was all right.
"He's fine." Another familiar male voice said from a distance, and the man walked up to them.
The man emerged through the crowd, and Ron gasped.
It was Percy.
"You?" Ron muttered, and tried to stand up.
"Crucio." Lucius said again, and this time the pain was nearly unbearable. Ron wanted to vomit with the ferocity of it.
"Kill him, I said!" Bellatrix pointed her wand again, and this time Lucius pushed her away.
Lucius glared down at Ron, a nasty look on his face. "The avadra curse is so...painless. I have another way, and this one is much more...unpleasant.
"This is for all those rotten months spent in Azkaban." Lucius swished his wand delicately back and forth horizontally, as he uttered in turn, "Infindo, infidi, infissum."
Ron moaned, and felt something odd in his chest and abdomen. He looked down, and saw three horizontal lines of blood there, growing bigger through his jumper. The pain came, and Ron let out a choked sound.
The last thing he remembered, before the blackness came over him, was Lucius laughing coldly, and saying, "Give my respects to Harry Potter...and Severus Snape."
Ron saw the thin, pale, snake-faced figure of Voldemort step over to them, looming taller than the others, and laugh demonically.
Percy was staring down at him, too, emotionless. Wormtail looked sick, and eyed everyone except Ron.
Bellatrix was laughing the most.
When the first haze of darkness closed over him, Ron could only concentrate on one thing. One thing that puzzled him...but made perfect sense.
Fawkes, please come. Fawkes, I need you.
The darkness closed over him, and Ron thought no more.
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