Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to those with far great intelligence and attention spans then I. Harry Potter and all related material belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers, etc. Only the original ideas or plot belong to me, and they're so enormously lackluster I'd probably be forced to pay someone to steal them. In addition, some of the text in this chapter is taken directly from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and is the property and creation of JK Rowling
Author's Notes: Eurgh. I feel really terrible about the length of this chapter and the delay, I've been completely bogged down sick. I'm just now getting rid of all this ridiculous vertigo, but my time on the computer is limited. I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible! Really sorry again, please stick with me! I'll make up for all this, I promise!
The Flight From Death
Chapter IX: Uncertainty
Harry felt as though his heart had completely stopped beating, he couldn't breathe, and his trembling had nothing to do with the chilled air surrounding the Dementors.
Don't panic..
There were too many, it was his third year all over again, yet this time, there was no Time Turner to save his life.
He was going to be kissed.
Don't panic..
The Dementors were thoroughly excited as they sensed his presence exiting the mansion, and they moved ever nearer.
Harry struggled to think. He could still escape. If he retreated back into the Riddle Manor, he could overpower Wormtail and Floo to Hogwarts. Surely Voldemort would have one fireplace connected to the Floo Network! Or perhaps he could find an owl and send a message to Dumbledore.
The logic meant nothing to Harry – his mind would not allow him to set foot back into Voldemort's lair. He would not be a prisoner again. He would face the Dementors, and he would not be taken down without a fight.
The dementors were closing in.
"You worthless killer..."
Happy – he had to think something happy!
Getting past the dragons in the First Task – being friends with Ron again!
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" He shouted. Pettigrew's wand smoked feebly.
Seeing his parents in Snape's Pensieve!
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A silver vapor gushed out, glowing slightly before vanishing completely.
"I'll never let you touch my family!"
"Not Harry!"
There was a constant ringing in Harry's ears, he couldn't think – couldn't concentrate. He knew it was over, knew there was nothing that could save him now.
Somewhere in the distant muggle village, a dog barked loudly.
An enormous, bear-like black dog resting his paws on Harry's shoulders.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
And now, two things happened in quick succession. An enormous BANG! could be heard from the door behind Harry as Wormtail skittered through after him and froze at the sight of so many Dementors.
At the same time, a silver stag shot out from the end of Pettigrew's wand, which Harry still clasped firmly. The stag charged forward at the endless ocean of Dementors, bowing its head threateningly, slowly corralling the monsters back, away from Harry and Pettigrew. Miraculously, the biting cold began to recede, so that Harry hardly noticed that the horde of Dementors was gliding slowly toward the muggle village, away from the Riddle Manor.
As the last of the beasts glided mournfully away, Harry's silver stag loped serenely toward him. Still trembling, Harry turned to greet his Patronus, yet the vaporous creature moved past him.
Turning to follow the path of his Patronus, Harry noticed Wormtail for the first time.
Pettigrew had blanched, the look on his face might have been comic were the circumstances not so serious. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly as he took a step backwards, away from the stag illuminated in the night.
Harry had never seen anyone so terrified as Wormtail was at that moment, as the silver stag gazed solemnly at him and he gazed back.
"P-Pr-Prongs..." He breathed.
And then, his eyes rolling back into his head, Pettigrew fainted, and the silver stag dissolved in the night air.
Harry stood, his heart pounding. His eyes darted from Wormtail, to the Riddle Manor, and back to where the Dementors had once barred his path.
He found it cruelly ironic that this very year at Hogwarts, he would have learned to Apparate. Cursing beneath his breath, he was momentarily deterred from his panic-stricken thoughts by a tall, shadowy figure making their way toward him in the distance.
Harry began to back away, his mind searching frantically for some way out of this situation.
And then it hit him.
The Knight Bus!
After Notes: I know, it was terrible and short and terribly short. As for the next chapter, which I'll make sure to force out later this week, ill or not, Harry's not going to get out of it this easily, never you worry.