BONDS OF LOVE

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Hope you enjoy!

Icy water collided with Harry's face, making him catch his breath in shock and choke on the water. His head throbbed and he winced in pain as he struggled to lift himself from the cold floor and onto all fours.

Harry breathed heavily, eyes closed. He knew exactly where he was though and he used every ounce of strength he had to open his eyes and see what was before him.

"Harry…" said a cold, chilling voice. Harry looked up and into the snake-like eyes of Lord Voldemort.

"What has it been? A year since I saw you last?"

Harry quickly got to his feet and shifted to find his balance. He was in a large, old fashioned, disheveled room. The only light came from the few candles that littered the room. Harry soon noticed that Voldemort wasn't the only one present in the dreary room. Beside him, was the emaciated and weathered, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Three other Death Eaters stood behind Harry.

"Yes, Potter, any new Godfathers since the last one I killed?" Said Bellatrix in a mock, baby voice.

When Harry heard her speak his every fiber filled with hatred and without thinking he ran at Bellatrix. He never reached her though. Harry was knocked to the ground by a spell and dragged to his feet by the two death eaters behind him.

"Calm down Harry…your out numbered and wandless, so don't do anything stupid." Voldemort said threateningly.

Harry breathed angrily and struggled against his captors as Voldemort stepped closer to him and looked at him smugly.

"Why have you come here?

Harry didn't respond, only glared.

"I must admit, I am impressed that you found me! Just as I was impressed with your two friends, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger," Voldemort suddenly glanced around in a curious fashion. "Where are they by the way? I was hoping to see them again."

"Leave them out of this!" Harry yelled and broke free of the death eaters grip, but did not move to attack. Voldemort smiled while Bellatrix laughed in the back ground.

"You are much more aggressive than the quivering, frightened little boy I met three years ago"

Harry let out a short bitter laugh. "yeah? Well, when you have both of your parents, two friends, and a Godfather killed by the same jerk, you tend to be a little aggressive!"

"Oh…I think I can take credit for one of them," Bellatirx chirped happily.

"Shut Up!" Harry said with rage. This made Bellatrix to laugh even louder.

"Oh, come on Potter. How could you miss a great big prat like him? He was a worthless little piss head actually! A muggle lover and stupid! Imagine being set up by Peter Pettigrew of all people! Of Course, your parents were dumb enough to be and-"

Bellatrix Lestrange's words were suddenly cut off as she started to choke and desperately grab at her throat. Her eyes bulged wide and her struggle to breathe grew great as Harry's anger increased.

He kept his eye contact, focusing every bit of energy he had on causing Lestrange the greatest amount of pain. When her face started to turn deep blue, she dropped her wand and Harry dropped his eye contact from her to her wand on the floor.

"Accio wand!" Harry shouted and instantly, Lestrange's wands zoomed into his hand.

Before Harry could do anything else, several curses shot at him from every direction. He quickly took a huge dive and fell behind a large antique sofa just as an orange colored streak of light wizzed past him.

"Wandless magic…that's very impressive," Voldemort commented casually.

"Fight me, Voldemort, and Keep your slimy death eaters out of it! You and Me!" Harry shouted furiously from behind the sofa.

It was silent except for Harry's heavy breathing and the sound of dirt and wood particles falling from the ceiling and walls where the curses had hit. Harry waited for someone, anyone to speak. He was out of breath, bleeding, and as much as he'd hate to admit it, he was scared.

Voldemort signaled to the five death eaters that were in the room and they lowered their wands.

"As tempting as that is Harry…I must decline."

Harry gasped and threw on a bitter, incredulous expression.

"What!"

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to kill you, but as I am a cautious man, I will not fight you until I know the whole prophecy," Voldemort said coolly.

"The Prophecy is Bullshit!" Harry shouted angrily. "It says neither of us can live at the same time, one of us has to die and I'm the only one with the power to kill you…so fight me!" He shouted once more as he recklessly jumped out from behind the sofa.

"abscido!" Harry yelled and directed the cutting curse before he dived behind a towering book shelf filled with large, dusty books.

Harry stood still for a moment and then slowly poked his head out from around the book shelf to see if he had inflicted any damage on his enemy.

He hadn't. Voldemort stood in the same spot as before, looking as smug as ever.

"Have you forgotten the priori incantatum, Harry?"

Harry pulled his head back and pressed himself back against the book shelf.

"If our wands meet we both throw it off at the same time and try again," Harry explained urgently.

"Are you sure you want to fight me?" Voldemort asked with a warning tone. "I'm a far more powerful wizard than you Harry…you wouldn't last a minute."

"I think you'd be surprised," Harry said and stepped out from behind the book shelf. "Incendio!" he shouted and fire burst from his wand.

"Protego," Voldemort said calmly and Harry's curse was deflected.

When Harry saw he had failed, he retreated back behind the book shelf.

"Not only am I more powerful than you, but I know your many weaknesses," Voldemort drawled.

"Oh? And what's that?"

"You are easily overcome by emotion Harry, which is why you are here after all…Love is your weakness."

Harry stayed put, but a small smile played across his tired features. If Voldemort wanted to play mind games, Harry was ready.

"Than we have the same weakness," Harry said as a matter of fact.

"I have no weakness," Voldemort responded quickly.

Harry knew more than Voldemort thought he did and he knew this was his chance to demoralize him as much as he could before an all out duel. Harry took in a deep breath and stepped out slowly from behind the book shelf and stood nearly eight feet away from his arch enemy.

"You're wrong…I've been studying you Voldemort…or would you prefer that I called you Tom?"

Voldemort made no move, only glared back at Harry.

"YOUR weakness is Love."

"I have never loved anyone," Voldemort hissed. Harry could already see the chilling snake like features of his enemy's face twitch with distress.

"Precisely," said Harry. "You have never experienced love. That's what's worse than death. Not just for you, but for everybody! To go through life and never be loved or love…that must be a terribly, lonely existence!" Harry said with fake sympathy.

Harry stared hard at voldemort, determined not to look away or seem intimidated in any way. Voldemort only glared at Harry and stepped nearer to him.

"Don't assume that you know so much about me, Potter" He hissed.

Harry wanted to step back from Voldemort's venomous eyes that were burrowing deep inside him, but he held his ground, wand out and ready.

It was a stare down-both challenging the other to strike first. The fear and adrenaline was building deep inside Harry, his eyes fixed, waiting for the perfect moment to make a move. When suddenly-

"My Lord!"

Harry's eyes flickered toward the voice. It was Lucius Malfoy. His eyes snapped back for fear of loosing contact. Harry noticed that Voldemort had also not looked away, but kept his stare on Harry.

"what?" Voldemort growled.

Harry's heart was pounding, and then he heard the scrambling of feet-struggling, "Get off me you bloody git!"

The familiar voice of-

"Ron?" Harry asked astonished and finally pulled his stare from the enemy.

Ron had just been brought in by two death eaters who clung tightly to his arms. There were more sounds of scrambling and then Harry saw Hermione being brought into the room in the same fashion.

Harry stared at the scene, stunned.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss. Granger…" Voldemort said with a false, friendly voice and stepped forward. Harry's eyes flickered between his friends and enemy, carefully watching both.

"I was starting to worry that you wouldn't show up for the party," Voldemort mused.

When Ron and Hermione caught sight of Voldemort's small, red eyes, both stopped struggling and looked on with fear. Voldemort stepped closer, wand raised at the two teenagers.

Harry's throat grew tight, his mind racing. Ron and Hermione shouldn't be here; this was between him and Voldemort.

Voldemort stepped nearer---a malicious gleam in his eyes.

"No," Harry shouted "Stop!"

Harry lunged between the two most important people in his life and the worst enemy he's ever known. He breathed heavily, hands raised in the air in surrender. Voldemort held his ground and wand steadily, looking Harry over with a curious eye.

"Please…Don't," Harry breathed frantically. He wouldn't let Voldemort touch Ron and Hermione, not while he was alive.

Harry's eye's filled with emotion, if anything mattered in his life right now it was keeping his friends safe. He stared Voldemort in the eyes, his features pleading for mercy.

Was that a flicker of sympathy in Voldemort's eyes? He lowered his wand insignificantly. Harry took the opportunity to continue.

"Please…This is between you and me…not them."

Ron and Hermione remained quiet, but he could feel their frantic tension. He wanted them to stay quiet and get out.

"Last time they were here I let them walk out…I don't give second chances."

Harry's heart skipped. Voldemort was going to kill them all.

"Ron and Hermione can't do anything to you, just let them walk out," Harry tried again.

"NO, Harry!" He heard Hermione squeak from behind him. Harry's head flinched to the side, his eyes still locked on the evil man before him.

"Quiet, Hermione!" Harry demanded.

"Harry, you're not doing this alone. I don't give a damn what the prophecy says, I'm-"

"NO!" Harry shouted and turned his back to Voldemort and faced his frightened yet determined friends.

They jumped slightly at Harry's outburst.

"After all we've been through together, were not leaving now," Ron stated.

"Were not going anywhere Harry, were a team," Hermione added.

Harry opened his mouth to speak in protest but-

"Enough of this…you're all wasting my time," Voldemort hissed.

Out of the corner of Harry's eye he saw Voldemort's wand, the wand that shared the same core as Harry's.

Harry turned. It seemed like everything was in slow motion as he heard the words…

"Avada K-"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry shouted at once and his wand met with Voldemort's instantly.

Harry held it tightly despite the intense vibration coursing through his body. He had to think quickly.

"Ron! Hermione! Move!"

Behind him, Hermione and Ron fought tooth and nail and finally dislodged them selves from their captors, wresting away their wands as well.

When Harry heard them move away he thrust his wand to the side with all his might and threw the curse off---green jets of light exploded into the walls---things fell from the shelves.

Harry didn't wait to see what happened next. He dodged toward Ron and Hermione---Grabbed Ron by the shirt and Hermione's hand. Harry held his friends firmly and ran as fast as he could with them.

The trio dashed out of the room as numerous curses flew at them, hitting the walls, spraying splinters of wood everywhere.

They turned a corner and entered a dark, large room---a study, filled with books, desks, and art work. Harry stopped suddenly, slammed the door shut and pushed Ron and Hermione back against the adjacent wall.

"What were you two thinking?" Harry hissed at them.

"Harry," Hermione whispered harshly "Now is not the time," She said and nodded toward the closed door. A red tinted curse just burst through the door leaving behind a scorching hole. Harry swallowed hard and thought quickly.

They were outnumbered. At least 12 death eaters and Voldemort waited just behind that old wood door. Harry racked his brain, searching for the answer. And it hit him!

He looked to his two friends. "Do you two remember the Circulus Flabra charm?"

Hermione smiled, and Ron---

"The what?" He asked. Harry's eyes flashed with frustration and he let out a heavy sigh.

"RON!"

"What?"

Hermione stepped between the two boys.

"Ron, how could you not know what that is? We learned about it in Defense against the dark arts?" Hermione scolded. Ron looked at her, frightened.

"It was the one about fighting an enemy when you're out numbered…Hermione wrote an essay about it, you were supposed to read it!" Harry continued.

A light came on in Ron's head. "I did read it, I remember!"

Harry smiled. "Do you remember the incantation?"

Ron thought for a moment…

"Come on Ron," Hermione pleaded.

"Yes….Yes I remember, I can do it!"

"Wait," Hermione said, the boys looked to her questioningly. "We can only pull this off if we have a strong bond of love," She explained nervously.

Harry looked at her incredulously, his mouth opening and closing.

"Well…Do you love me?" Harry asked her.

Hermione hesitated for a moment at the awkwardness of the question.

"Yes, yes, of course I do."

Harry nodded and looked to his other friend.

"And what about you? Do you love me?"

Ron blushed and pursed his lips.

"I, I well…."

"Ron?" Hermione pushed him for a quick answer as they could hear several heavy death eater feet pounding down the hallway.

"Yes, ok! I love you Harry!"

Harry nodded "Right then…let's do this," He stated determinately.

The three friends walked side by side to the center of the old study and stood facing the door. They took one last good look at each other before turning to stand back to back.

Harry monitored the door, listening carefully.

"Alohomora!"

"Now!" Harry instructed and the door burst open and a large number of death eaters enter the room surrounding them.

The trio, with their wands all out, began the chant.

"Amaciti, Audentia, Amabilius…"

A warm breeze started drifting through the room and wisps of fire started to flow from the trio's wands.

"Genetrix…"

The death eaters started to throw curses at them, but they all bounced off as the fire spread into a shield.

"Circulus Flabra!" The last words were chanted and it was suddenly as if all the air was sucked from the room. A strong heat surrounded Harry and he held his wand firmly.

Without warning---the shield of fire burst and spread quickly through the room, sending every death eater in the room flying against the walls.

The fiery charm lasted minutes, as long as it took for every enemy in the room to become unconscious.

As the last death eater went down, the fire faded leaving behind three winded teenagers.

They all breathed heavily, not able to speak for a few moments as they gazed upon the comatose death eaters that lay sprawled around the room.

Harry was the first to speak.

"Let's get out of here," He said softly and the three friends moved slowly out of the room.

As they raced down the hall toward the exit they heard a loud crash and the trio stopped short and turned around quickly.

"Potter!" Shouted an angry voice.

It was Voldemort. He had just thrown off a large piece of wood from his body and stood up, his robes scorch.

"This isn't over! You yourself said that this is between you and me! Stay and fight if you are a man of your word," Voldemort said furiously challenging him.

Harry accepted. Without a thought he stepped forward, barley escaping Ron and Hermione's attempt to stop him.

He moved quickly towards his enemy, wand raised and ready to fight.

And just as a curse was about to be cast there was an enormous crack and several members of the Order of the Phoenix burst through the door. Within seconds, Curses were flying and Harry was being pulled violently away from the scene. He struggled against it, but whoever it was had a strong hold on him. Harry watched as Dumbledore dueled with the most evil wizard of all time once again, in Harry's defense.

This was his fight though, he stuck to that and he'd be damned if he got anyone else killed.

Harry made another attempt to escape. This time he almost succeeded against his unknown and unwanted rescuer. Harry was about to get away, however he was suddenly, fiercely smacked across the face for a second time that night. As Harry's body fell to the floor---with the last bit of consciousness he had left…He saw Ron and Hermione escape from the building safely.

This was pretty much the last action/important chapter so I hope you loved it, please review and let me know all of your thoughts on it. I will have one more chapter maybe two….well see how I want to wrap it up…

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and review, stay tuned for the end. Thanks, love you.