Title: Missing In Action

Author Name: Sarah Jo

Disclaimer: All of the characters in this story have been borrowed from JKRowling. The plot however, is mine (at least I've never seen it done before...).

Author's Note: Well I finished re-reading OotP finally, I've been crying all morning (because I was watching Fushigi Yuugi, not because I was reading OotP...surprisingly I wasn't even sad when Sirius died this time) and now I'm finally ready to write. I don't even remember when I came up with this idea...last year sometime. I started working on it the last day of school when my mom forgot to pick me up :glare: Anyway... I really like the idea of this story...the only problem is I'm not very good at writing Action. O.o Oh well... I tried my best so hopefully it turned out okay.

Chapter One
The Runaway

A nervous excitement filled her as she rounded the corner into an empty corridor. This was farther than she'd ever made it in the labyrinth that was her prison. She came to an intersection, not pausing as she dashed down the left hallway. After being recaptured numerous times as she tried to decide which direction to take, she had learned to just go wherever her gut told her too. Besides, her sense of direction was hopelessly distorted after being in the underground maze for so long. No matter how long she took, she would never be able to tell where she was heading.

Her heart leapt into her throat as the alarm blared to life. 'No...'

The sound of heavy footfalls spurred her on to greater speeds. How had they located her so quickly this time? She rounded another corner to find the way blocked by a wall of black-robed wizards, each with their wand trained on her.

Whirling around frantically, she tried to go back the way she had come, only to find her pursuers had caught up to her. She was trapped. Again.

They had been playing with her; letting her think she almost had her freedom, dangling it front of her just to snatch it away again. She was so close this time - she could almost taste the salty sea air from above. But she didn't have a chance to begin with. She never did.

They were sneering at her now, mocking her for her pathetic attempt - for thinking they would let her get away. Her despair was replaced with a burning anger toward the cruel people who held her captive.

Even as they closed in on her, seventeen armed men against one small girl, even as she realized she had no chance, even as she realized she was once again going to be captured, she was also just as sure that this time, she would fight.

Before any of them had time to subdue her with a spell, she lashed out at the closest man, throwing all of her weight at the unsuspecting victim. He slammed into the stone wall of the passageway and fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

The other men paused to gaped unbelievingly at their unresponsive comrade. This was different. Their captive had escaped many times previously, and each time she was cornered she would sedately take her punishment and before she was returned to her cell.

She was already rounding on the next person; biting, hitting, kicking anything she came into contact with. The sound of the second man falling sent the other wizards into action.

Instinctively she dropped to the ground, barely avoiding fifteen stunners. Launching herself at a pair of legs she caused their owner to stumble backward, and in the process knock over several of his companions.

Her way was clear.

In a second she was off again, sprinting even faster than before. She couldn't let them catch her now, for she would surely receive a much greater punishment than ever before. She could hear them cursing as they once again gave chase to her, but she didn't dare turn around and she how much space was between them. No matter how much of a head start she had gotten, she couldn't afford to trip.

The hall split ahead. She turned right this time, hoping she would soon find an exit. Her heart fell...it was a dead end. But it was too late to turn back, they were already catching up.

Suddenly exhaustion set in. How long had she been running? Minutes? Hours? Her legs and her feet were aching, her tattered clothes had several new rips, and she could feel a migraine coming on.

There was no way she would get out.

Collapsing against the damp wall, she watched as her chasers once again closed in on her. The fighting energy that had overcome her early had all vanished. She was going to be beat up and once again sent back to her cell, but she couldn't bring herself to care. All she wanted to do was sleep.

As they advanced on her with their wands raised, she wondered how much time had passed since she had been kidnaped. She couldn't muster up the energy to be scared.

She did not so much as flinch as they tortured her. They would not kill her, of that much she was sure. She was needed.

As she blacked out, she could have sworn she heard somebody, a boy, tell her not to lose hope. And she didn't. Next time, maybe, she would escape.

Panic. That was the only way to describe the chaos that filled the room. It had started when a hysterical Remus Lupin interrupted the Order meeting. Dumbledore immediately knew something was very wrong. Remus Lupin did not get hysterical.

And as he soon found out, something was wrong.

The front door slammed shut with a loud bang causing the portrait of Mrs. Black to start shrieking. Kingsley, who held the floor at the time, stopped listing possible new recruits, and Mrs. Weasley began grumbling as she prepared to go quiet the painting. Everyone else waited curiously to find out who was the cause of the disruption.

They didn't have to wait long. Remus flew into the room, robes askew and panting heavily.

"He's gone."

That was all he had to say for all hell to break loose.

They weren't getting anywhere like this. Somebody has to get things under control. Unfortunately that responsibility was left to him.

"Silence" He didn't have to raise his voice, immediately the room fell quiet. "Molly please go quiet the portrait. Remus explain."

Molly Weasley quickly set to her task while Remus greedily sipped the water handed to him by Tonks. When Molly had returned to her seat, he began, still breathing heavily.

"I went to relieve Mundungus from guard duty at one o'clock. I was a bit concerned because he mentioned something earlier about getting in a shipment of telescopes... but I figured he learned his lesson last time." There was no need to explain, they all remembered last time. Dementors. "But he wasn't at Arabella's to give me a report of Harry's activities..." the werewolf trailed off as Molly gave an outraged cry.

"Please continue, Remus," Dumbledore urged, sending Mrs. Weasley a reproving glance.

"I checked the house first. When I didn't find him there I began to get worried. Harry hasn't left much since -" he choked. He still hadn't gotten over Sirius' death. He was so busy with the Order that he hadn't had much time to think on it. Which was a good thing - the wound caused by his last remaining friend's death was still fresh and bleeding.

"Did you check the rest of the neighbourhood?"

"Of course," answered Remus, regaining his composure. "He was nowhere to be found."

Once again, panic set in. Everyone was talking at once while Dumbledore sat dazedly staring off into space.

There was no way...Voldemort couldn't touch him while he was at Privet Drive. But that could only mean...but Harry wouldn't do that.

"Tonks, please go see if you can locate Mundungus. Alastor, would you kindly accompany Kingsley to Surrey and see if there is anything Remus missed?" There was three pops as they Disapparated.

"Remus -" Dumbledore began in the silence that set in after their departure "- was there any sign of a struggle?"

"Well as you can imagine I was more concentrated on finding Harry than checking out my surroundings, but there was nothing that immediately jumped to my attention."

Dumbledore sighed. "Then it is as I feared."

"Sir?" questioned George, who had just recently been inducted into the Order along with Fred (of course).

"Harry has run away."

To be continued...

Author's Note: I was going to make this chapter longer but that cliffie was too good to resist :evil grin: I hope everyone enjoyed it. If you did, please review. If I don't get at least 10 reviews I most likely won't ever update again. Sorry if there's any typos. I kind of hate going over my work and editing it. If anybody notices any spelling or grammar mistakes please tell me in your review.

I'd like to apologize to anyone who was reading my other fics. My reason for not updating is my friends got me hooked on manga and anime...lame excuse huh? Well it's the truth. Hopefully I'll be updating them soon. The release of the third movie has me hooked on Harry Potter again (I only got to see it three times :pout:).