A/N: Another short chapter, I'm sorry. I have been ill, so please forgive
me. My mum banned me from the computer!!!!!!!!!!!! Another chapter
(hopefully a lot longer) should be coming very soon. If you want more,
check out my other fics, cos I'm updating them too.
Harry was dreaming. It was his first dream about Voldemort since his arrival, and he was sure it boded no good.
"Where is he you fools?" Voldemort screamed at the three Death Eaters kneeling in front of him.
"He is not at Hogwarts," one ventured, Lucius Malfoy, Harry thought.
"I know that! Crucio!!!" The Death Eater started writhing desperately on the floor. The others watched him in silence until Voldemort at last removed the curse.
"Wormtail, what have you discovered?" The middle Death Eater, a cowardly wretch as Harry knew well, was visibly trembling. He could see that even through the loose black robe that he wore.
"He - he is not at his uncle and aunt's house, or at Lupin's place."
"I don't want to know where he isn't, that is of no concern to me. Crucio!"
"Master! Have mercy!"
"Cowardly rat. Why I even allowed you the privilege of joining me I really don't know. Umbridge, you were investigating the Ministry, were you not?"
Harry gasped as he heard the name of his previous Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He'd known that she was an unpleasant person, of course, but a Death Eater? That must have been why she had sent Dementors against him in the summer before fifth year, and why Fudge had been so keen to have him expelled. She'd obviously recovered from her mental problems.
"Yes Master. Fudge is angry because he doesn't know Potter's location. Dumbledore knows, he has all but said so, but he has not told anyone at the Ministry. Weasley does not know either, although he doesn't appear to be on speaking terms with his parents at this moment in time."
"What about the Aurors? He must have confided in at least one of them."
"Kingsley Shacklebolt I am sure is not one of his cronies, nor are Grant, Nigellus, Avery, Bode and Warrington. The younger ones I know less of, although I'm fairly sure that Nymphadora Tonks has followed her cousin into his service."
"That is not good news. Capture her and question her. You have told me nothing of interest about the boy. Crucio! Next time I summon you, I expect you to tell me something of interest."
"But Master," Umbridge protested. "The woman Tonks is a metamorphmagus! She can hide in plain sight and I could never find her!"
"If I tell you to do something, do not trouble me with technicalities!" Voldemort thundered. "I want her here within a week, do you understand?"
"Yes Master, sorry Master."
Harry woke up. James was standing over him, looking worried.
"Are you okay, you were shouting in your sleep. None of the others are awake."
"Voldemort's looking for me, James. He's taking people he thinks might know and tortures them to make them tell. He wants one of my friends now!"
"Harry, there's nothing you can do about it but learn all you can so you can avenge them when you return. Do you think he'll find out that you're hear."
"No, I don't know. How much some of the Aurors know only Dumbledore knows. They want Tonks, and she's more likely to know than anyone else."
"We'll start work on hexes tomorrow, I promise. By the time we're done with you, you could fight a whole tribe of You Know Whos and live."
Harry was dreaming. It was his first dream about Voldemort since his arrival, and he was sure it boded no good.
"Where is he you fools?" Voldemort screamed at the three Death Eaters kneeling in front of him.
"He is not at Hogwarts," one ventured, Lucius Malfoy, Harry thought.
"I know that! Crucio!!!" The Death Eater started writhing desperately on the floor. The others watched him in silence until Voldemort at last removed the curse.
"Wormtail, what have you discovered?" The middle Death Eater, a cowardly wretch as Harry knew well, was visibly trembling. He could see that even through the loose black robe that he wore.
"He - he is not at his uncle and aunt's house, or at Lupin's place."
"I don't want to know where he isn't, that is of no concern to me. Crucio!"
"Master! Have mercy!"
"Cowardly rat. Why I even allowed you the privilege of joining me I really don't know. Umbridge, you were investigating the Ministry, were you not?"
Harry gasped as he heard the name of his previous Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He'd known that she was an unpleasant person, of course, but a Death Eater? That must have been why she had sent Dementors against him in the summer before fifth year, and why Fudge had been so keen to have him expelled. She'd obviously recovered from her mental problems.
"Yes Master. Fudge is angry because he doesn't know Potter's location. Dumbledore knows, he has all but said so, but he has not told anyone at the Ministry. Weasley does not know either, although he doesn't appear to be on speaking terms with his parents at this moment in time."
"What about the Aurors? He must have confided in at least one of them."
"Kingsley Shacklebolt I am sure is not one of his cronies, nor are Grant, Nigellus, Avery, Bode and Warrington. The younger ones I know less of, although I'm fairly sure that Nymphadora Tonks has followed her cousin into his service."
"That is not good news. Capture her and question her. You have told me nothing of interest about the boy. Crucio! Next time I summon you, I expect you to tell me something of interest."
"But Master," Umbridge protested. "The woman Tonks is a metamorphmagus! She can hide in plain sight and I could never find her!"
"If I tell you to do something, do not trouble me with technicalities!" Voldemort thundered. "I want her here within a week, do you understand?"
"Yes Master, sorry Master."
Harry woke up. James was standing over him, looking worried.
"Are you okay, you were shouting in your sleep. None of the others are awake."
"Voldemort's looking for me, James. He's taking people he thinks might know and tortures them to make them tell. He wants one of my friends now!"
"Harry, there's nothing you can do about it but learn all you can so you can avenge them when you return. Do you think he'll find out that you're hear."
"No, I don't know. How much some of the Aurors know only Dumbledore knows. They want Tonks, and she's more likely to know than anyone else."
"We'll start work on hexes tomorrow, I promise. By the time we're done with you, you could fight a whole tribe of You Know Whos and live."