Chapter Nine

Confronting

Peter Pettigrew stood nervously wringing his hands, glancing back and forth between the two malicious men that were his company. Why did I ever become slave to the Dark? thought Peter with a slight shudder. I'm not cut out for this…

Lucius Malfoy stood with his arms crossed over his chest, the Malfoy Sneer twisting his normally elegant face. "What are we waiting for, my Lord?"

A predatory smile curled the Dark Lord's lips. "Our prey, Lucius. We are waiting for our prey."

From the other side of the clearing there came the sharp crack of a twig being stepped on. The smile on Lord Voldemort's lips spread. "And here they come." Each of the men drew their wands, prepared to strike.

~ " * " ~

Harry and Parvati led the way back along the path, walking quickly. Their hands were clasped together tightly, and neither was sure if it was because they cared for each other or if it was because they were so scared. They increased their pace a little.

Seamus, Hermione, and Rose were following a few paces behind the couple. After a couple minutes, Rose collapsed to her knees. "I can't…" She was shaking terribly.

Seamus and Hermione hurried to her side. "Rose? You alright, love?" asked Seamus carefully.

Rose shook her head. "No… I-I can't walk right. You guys go ahead."

Hermione refused. "No way. There's three obviously dangerous guys behind us. We're not leaving you."

Rose forced a small smile. "Thanks," she said quietly.

Hermione sat down in the dirt of the path next to Rose. Something about this situation felt oddly familiar… Like she was used to being up against some dark evil. But she felt like she really should have stayed behind with Ron, Spike, and Danny. She mentally shook herself and set an arm around Rose's shoulder. "Just rest, Rose. Just rest."

Seamus sat on Rose's other side and put his arm around her waist. "Everything's going to be alright. I'm sure of it." Something told him that Danny, Ron, and Spike could handle themselves against the men they were about to face. He raised his head to say something to Harry, but the words never came. Instead, Seamus looked around curiously.

"Where did Harry and Parvati get to?"

~ " * " ~

Harry and Parvati were still walking along the path, trying their best to get out of the Forest before anyone came after them. Parvati looked around and said to Harry, "Uh, Harry? Sweetie?"

Harry slowed a trifle and looked at the girl. "Yes?"

Parvati stopped next to a small clump of pansies beside the path. "I've seen this same patch of pansies at least three times. Are we lost?"

Harry glanced down at the flowers on the ground and then up at Parvati. "I-I suppose we must be. I guess my sense of direction isn't as good as I thought."

Parvati could not help but smile a little. "I guess not. Why don't you let me choose the path for a bit."

Harry nodded. Parvati squared her shoulders purposefully and they set off. "Funny, though. What are pansies doing in a creepy forest like this?" she wondered aloud.

"Maybe someone just felt like planting them." Harry shrugged as they took a turn down the right half of a fork in the path.

~ " * " ~

Danny looked at the two other teenagers walking on either side of him. He felt incredibly close to them both. He knew there was some kind of romantic feelings shared with Spike. But there was also a strong connection between himself and Ron. He almost felt like they were family… He shook off the thoughts, favoring thoughts about what they were about to face. He looked up and realized that they were now at the edge of the clearing. "Are you two ready?"

Ron and Spike both answered in the affirmative, and Danny stepped into the clearing, flanked by Spike on his left and Ron on his right. Danny's head felt like it was about to split in two as he fought through the pain to look at the opposition.

Just as Harry, Parvati, Seamus, and Rose had seen before, there were three men standing there. Something about this scene felt reminiscent of a memory Danny had yet to recover. Deja vu, thought Danny vaguely.

Facing Danny from the center of the evil-looking trio was a tall, skinny, snake-like man with flaming red eyes. He was wrapped in impressive robes, and was holding out a long thin stick. Danny knew he had met this man many times before, and there was no fear in him as he glared at the snake-man. He blinked back the pain that was threatening to overtake his mental functions. What can this guy do to me… Poke me with the bloody stick?

Spike's thoughts were echoing Danny's as he stared down his opponent. The blonde man across from him was also holding a thin stick, pointed straight at Spike. There was something extremely familiar about that blonde hair and those striking gray eyes, but Spike could not place it. Spike sneered at the older blonde, who looked somewhat surprised at his presence. The sneer was quickly reflected back at him. Come on, old man. Poke me with the stick, you prat.

Ron was glaring at the nervous man facing him. He stood proudly and his blue eyes flitted over the anxiety-ridden wimp of a man across from him. This balding little man across from Ron looked a bit familiar, and something in Ron wanted to run up to the git he faced and just scratch his eyes out. This hunchbacked man was also holding a stick in his quivering hand, although it was not quite as big as those held by the other two. What are you gonna do, thought Ron. Poke me to death?

~ " * " ~

Seamus, Hermione and Rose were back on the path, and aimed to the exit from the forest. Hermione seemed to know the forest path better for some reason, and she led them confidently. They walked in silence, fearing the outcome of the fight that was about to break out behind them. Suddenly, Rose cried out.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione worriedly. She and Seamus looked around in fear.

"Pansies!" cried Rose cheerfully. The girl was stooped down by a small clump of the flowers, grinning widely. "I love pansies!"

Hermione and Seamus shook their heads, willing their hearts to stop racing. "Bloody hell, woman," exclaimed Seamus. "Scared us out of our wits, you did!"

Rose straightened sheepishly. "Sorry," she whispered. "Didn't mean to."

Hermione and Seamus sighed. "Come on then," said Hermione. "I think we're almost out." The three teens started walking again. They reached the end of the path in a few short minutes. They were off, hurrying to the spot they and the others had woken up in earlier.

Once they got there, they started looking around.

"Which way should we go to find help?" asked Seamus.

"How should I know?" grumbled Hermione.

"Well, Her-mee-one, you were the one that seemed like she knew where the hell she was," snapped Rose.

"Fine." Hermione gazed around again and caught sight of someone. "Hey, look!"

The three teenagers hurried over to the dark figure. As they approached the figure, they could all make out long black robes, and a profile complete with a hooked nose. When the man was upon them, Hermione noticed greasy black hair. Ew, she thought. Does this guy need a make-over or what?

"Where have you been?" snapped the greasy-haired man.

Seamus pointed over his shoulder. "We were in that forest over there… We need to-"

The greasy man held up a hand. "Silence! You were in the forest? Fifty points from Gryffindor! For each of you. And Parkinson? What are you doing with this riff-raff?"

The three teens looked at each other, reading the same look on each others' faces. Which of us is Parkinson?

"Sir-" started Hermione.

The greasy man silenced her with a glare. "Where are the rest of your classmates?" His dark eyes scanned the surrounding area, hunting for more little brats he would have to deal with. But there were none. An eyebrow rose slightly, but replaced itself so his emotionless persona remained in tact. "Well?"

The trio of memory-less students looked at each other again. Oh bugger…

~ " * " ~

Harry and Parvati sat under a tree. They were lost. Parvati's sense of direction was apparently just as bad as Harry's. They had given up on walking around in circles pointlessly about ten minutes before. Now they were just sitting under a tree.

They would have talked about their lives up till now… But they still could not remember them. So they sat in silence. Occasionally, one would steal a glance at the other. It was Parvati who finally broke the silence.

"I'm bored."

"Me too," said Harry. "But what's there to do?"

A slow smile spread on Parvati's lips. "I think I might have an idea."

Harry's eyebrows went for cover in his hairline. "Oh? And what's your marvelous idea?"

Parvati did not answer. Instead, she just turned to face him. In one swift motion, she had his face in her hands and her lips all over his.

A single thought floated through Harry's mind as Parvati's tongue flitted over his lips.

Good idea…

~ " * " ~

After the three staring matches had been going on for a good five minutes, the ruby-eyed snake-man spoke in a raspy voice. "Nice of you three to join us." He leered at the young trio, all of whom were standing proudly with their arms crossed over their chests.

"Glad we could make it," said Danny scathingly. "Is there something we can do for you gentlemen?"

A soft laugh came from the snake-man. "Oh yes. You could give up and just let me kill you without a fight."

Spike spoke up. "And why would we want to do that?"

The blonde man opposite Spike raised an eyebrow, and the snake man chuckled. "Ah, young Malfoy. Trying to take a stand against your future, hmm?" When Spike did not respond, the stick that had been pointed at Danny was moved to aim at Spike. "Well, I suppose I ought to teach you a lesson. Crucio!"

Spike fell to his knees, feeling as though every inch of him was on fire. Danny knelt at Spike's side and glared at the snake-man. "Stop it," he said bravely.

The snake-man chuckled again. "So you've taken to defending your enemies now, Potter? Well, what would you think if I did the same to your friends?" The stick was moved off of Spike, who relaxed visibly, and was now pointed at Ron. "Crucio!"

Now Ron fell to his knees in pain. He yowled as the pain surged through him. The blonde man stifled a sinister laugh and the shorter man looked away unhappily.

"Stop," Danny demanded again. "Leave them be. I know it's me you're after."

The snake-man smiled in a would-be benevolent way. "Always the Gryffindor, Potter."

Danny tied his arms across his chest again. "Stop calling me Potter. My name Is Danny."

The snake-man raised an eyebrow amusedly. "Danny, hmm? Decided to change your name? Step out of the spotlight a bit? Alright then. Danny it is." He released Ron from the pain set on him and pointed the stick, which Danny had determined was most likely a magic wand, at the raven-haired boy. Danny stood defiantly.

There was sudden movement on either side of Danny. Spike had whipped something out of his pocket…

It was a stick just like the ones that were being pointed at the three young boys. An instant later, Spike heard a word float from his mouth that felt very commonplace on his lips. With his wand trained on the tall blonde man, Spike instinctively uttered a single word.

"Crucio!"

At the same time as Spike had drawn his wand, Ron had sprinted the short distance across the clearing and tackled the shorter man with a growl. Something small and black fell out of the redhead's pocket and went unnoticed as fists began pummeling the bald man.

With his friends otherwise occupied, Danny glared at the snake-man. "Just you and me, old man," snarled Danny, advancing on the man. "Leave the others out of this."

The snake-man sneered back. "You should know by now, never call me 'old man'."

Danny smirked and crossed his arms again. "What would you rather? Mary Poppins?" Danny did not know who Mary Poppins was, but it was the first name his head found and it sounded amusing. And by the look he was receiving, the name was as demeaning to the snake-man as Danny had hoped.

The red eyes narrowed to slits, just like the nostrils beneath. "You will not leave here alive, Boy. You know damn well my name is Lord Voldemort."

Danny stepped forward with feigned courage. I hope I know what I'm doing… "Ah, alright then. Lord Moldywart. Got it."

Voldemort stepped forward too, and a faint crunching was heard. Just as Voldemort sent another "Crucio!" out of his wand, Harry Potter was hit with a flood of feelings. He sank to his knees…

~*~TBC~*~