Chapter 7
What the???
Harry was fading again. For some time now he had been pulsing in and out of existence.
Sometimes completely real and solid, at others insubstantial as a ghost. Draco and Ron
knelt beside him, doing their best to will him back into being. It appeared that Harry could
arrest the process by some kind of mental effort. The problem was to keep him conscious,
and to persuade him to exert his will. In Harry's weakened condition, it wasn't easy.
'Come on, my love,' urged Draco.
Hold on,' shouted Hermione as she came over with the large book she was reading.
Hold on!' murmured Ron as he held his best friends hand and tried to console his friends
life mate.
As if responding to the urgency in their voices, Harry opened his eyes, suddenly becoming real and solid again.
Harry, what's happening to you?' asked Hermione desperately.
Harry's voice was faint. Being sucked into the time vortex ... Part of me there
already... pulling the rest.'
He began to fade again.
No!' shouted Draco.
Suddenly Harry became solid again.
He started struggling to his feet. I mustn't sleep. Don't let me sleep. . .'
Druscilla and her Grandfather were still running through endless corridors, the
angry Deatheater at their heels. Its hideous voice echoing close behind them, shrieking
Halt at once!' it called
'You will be Obliviated. Obey the Deatheaters!'
And always the old, chilling battle-cry.
'Long Live Lord Voldemort!!'
They had been running for what seemed a very long time now, and the old man was
almost exhausted. For the later stages of their flight, Druscilla had been helping,
almost dragging him along. Sometimes the Deatheater was close enough to fire spells at them, at
other times they managed to shake it off for a while. But Druscilla was all too aware
that in the long run it was steadily gaining on them.
The end was only a matter of time
They turned a corner, only to find themselves in a kind of cul-de-sac, a stone wall barring the way ahead.
It's a blind alley,' gasped Druscilla. Turn back, quickly.'
The old man's body might be exhausted, but his mind was as alert and active as ever.
That may be precisely what we need.'
Druscilla tugged at his sleeve. Grandfather, let's get out of here. Please!'
Harry refused to move. Don't argue, there isn't time,' he said imperiously. Now, listen carefully, Druscilla. When I shout "Now!" help me to shove the Deatheater down that alley. And when I shout "Drop!" - then drop. Understood?'
Druscilla opened her mouth to argue, caught the old man's eye and said meekly, Understood.'
Old Harry flattened himself against the wall drawing Druscilla beside him.
The monotonous ranting of the Deatheater was very close now. Halt! or you will be incinerated!'
Suddenly it came around the corner, very fast moving a little way past them.
Now!' shouted Harry
They sprang out of hiding, ran up behind the Deatheater and shoved it down the little blind alley with all their combined strength. The Deatheater shot forward, wand in his silver hand swivelling to find its attackers, trying desperately to turn and bring its wand to bear. I am under attack repeat under attack!' it screeched. Catching a distorted glimpse of Old Harry and Druscilla it began firing wildly.
Drop!' shouted Harry.
They dropped, flattening themselves on to the floor while energy-bolts roared and ricocheted over their heads. Then the inevitable happened. One of the energy-bolts ricocheting about the tiny blind alley bounced back and scored a direct hit on the Deatheater itself, and he exploded in smoke and flame, blasting a substantial hole in the wall. They kept their heads down, waiting for the rain of fiery debris to subside.
Finally Old Harry rose a little creakily to his feet, and helped Druscilla to stand up. The Deatheater was no more than a pile of smoking bones.
Harry surveyed the remains with some satisfaction.
It's very dangerous to fire energy spells in an enclosed space,' he observed mildly. Not that it would have been any good warning the Deatheater, he thought, even if he'd wanted to. Deatheater's never listen.
Druscilla was staring through the jagged hole in the wall "Look!"
The hole revealed a bleak and barren landscape, scarred and pitted like some ancient battlefield. In the distance there were jagged mountains, and in the middle of them, a dark and sinister tower. Both Druscilla and Old Harry recognised the Tower and landscape immediately, and looked at each other in horror. If there was a place worse than the Riddle Manor to find yourself in, this was it.
The Founder's Tomb,' whispered the old man.
We're at Hogwarts,' said Druscilla unbelievingly, in Wizard's End.'
But why? Why were we brought here?'
Old Harry rallied, straightening up, and tugging at his robes lapels. Instinct, my dear, tells me that the answer to that question lies in that Tower. Come!'
Indomitable as ever, the old man led the way forward.
Romulus Lupin-Black looked down at his companion with an air of bitter reproach.
Charming spot, Uncle Harry!'
After their sudden abduction from the grounds of Hogwarts, The Scar and Romulus had found themselves, apparently unharmed, in what looked like the ruins of some once-great castle. A castle that had been flattened, devastated by some long-past catastrophe, leaving behind only patches of rubble and the occasional broken wall. The whole area was dark and overcast. Occasionally there was a rumble of distant thunder, and jagged lightning bolts streaked across the sky. Thick patches of drifting fog added a sinister touch to the terrifying landscape
Pushing back his fringe of untidy black hair, The Scar peered cautiously around him.
My dear Romy, it's no use blaming me!'
You attract trouble, Uncle Harry,' said Romulus grimly. You always did! Where the devil are we?'
I'm not sure yet,' said The Scar mysteriously, but I have some very nasty suspicions.'
Suddenly he pointed. What's that? Over there!'
Romulus shaded his eyes with his hands. He caught a fleeting glimpse of huge shapes, moving stealthily through the fog. The instincts of long-ago, battlefields made him pull his Godfather into the hollow of a nearby wall.
There is something moving up ahead.'
Keep down,' hissed The Scar, and immediately popped his own head up for a better look.
They both crouched low, careful to keep close to the remains of the dilapidated wall.
So intent were they both on the threat out there in the distance that neither noticed when an enormous hand appeared through a hole in the wall and groped stealthily towards them.
It moved closer... closer... Suddenly it seized Romulus by the arm in a grip like that of a steel clamp. Romy gave a yell of alarm. He leaped to his feet, and began desperately trying to pull himself free. The Scar jumped up, and grabbed Romulus' other arm, pulling hard. But the unseen owner of the hand and arm was incredibly strong.
Both men were dragged remorselessly back towards the hole.
A/N: Big Hugs n Kisses to the twinKats for superb betaing .
Ciao
Constance
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