Chapter 29: The Potion
Ellie began to feel sick to her stomach for two reasons. One was the cause of the rapid movement from traveling through the floo network, and the other was because Ellie realized she had made a terrible mistake. After passing over a hundred fireplaces, Ellie came to an abrupt halt. She fell face forward, and scraped her palms on the rough surface.
Ellie stood up, brushing the dirt off her hands and clothes, but suddenly stopped. Something wasn't right.
It was pitch black. The soft breeze on her face and the sound of rustling leaves around her told Ellie that she was outside. The thin wisp of cloud gradually parted, revealing a three-quarter moon, providing Ellie just enough light to see her surroundings.
Glancing behind, Ellie could make out the silhouette of an old stone fireplace amongst the thicket of trees. But why would there be a fireplace in the middle of a forest? Taking a closer look around, Ellie realized that she was standing in the middle of a tiny wooden cottage. The roof and most of the walls had decayed from years of neglect. Luckily, for Ellie, there was absolutely no sign of the cloaked figures. Everything seemed to be eerily quiet. Looking back at the fireplace Ellie was suddenly struck with the feeling of panic. She didn't have any floo powder to get back to London, and there wasn't a bag or jar around either. Just as Ellie's anxiety was reaching its climax, a blood-curdling scream filled the night air. Ellie darted around trying to determine the origin of the scream. She began to wander towards the source of the horrifying sound, passing through the skeleton of a doorway. It sounded like a male voice, but who ever it was, he was in excruciating pain. After several seconds, the screaming finally stopped, but Ellie continued on. In the far distance, she could see a dull light casting ridged shadows on the tree trunks. The trees began to thin out, and Ellie could now see the outline of a low mountain range in the distance. She kept her focus straight ahead. The forest came to an end, and the source of the light was revealed. A copper lantern was hanging on a rusted hook at an entrance of a cave. As Ellie carefully crept into the cave, she could see lanterns mounted along the uneven cave wall, and heard voices echoing in the distance.
Ellie moved slowly, trying not to make a sound. The voices grew louder. Just ahead, she could see that the cave floor ended. There was a steep twenty-foot drop down to the cavern below. Quickly glancing around, Ellie saw to her right a pathway that spiraled along the stone wall, leading to the landing below. On her left was a wide ledge with several large rocks. It was the perfect place for her to hide, and safely watch everything below. Crouching down, Ellie peered over the rocks. Below were eleven cloaked figures, all with their hoods up, except one. The one with the lowered hood caught Ellie's eye right away. His complexion was deathly white, and his eyes were a vibrant scarlet. Ellie could feel a deep chill throughout her entire body. There was no mistaking the evil Lord Voldemort from the description Harry had given. Voldemort was busy talking to three of his Deatheaters, but Ellie was too far out of earshot to make out the conversation. Three other Deatheaters were busy throwing various liquids and powders into a giant silver cauldron, while four others were kneeling next to several crates covered in various jars and bottles, carefully measuring the contents.
Glancing down to her left, Ellie then noticed some sort of clear bubble protruding from the cave wall. In that bubble was Ellie's mother, looking very tired and scared. Sitting with her mother were four other captives. Ellie's heart began to race. Her mother was still alive.
"The mix is ready my Lord." One of the Deatheaters announced.
Ellie looked at the cauldron, which was now bubbling with a thick green liquid.
"Good! You may now add the final ingredient." Voldemort replied his voice was cold and snake like.
The Deatheater gave a low bow, and proceeded towards the large bubble. Using his wand, the Deatheater made a door-like slit into the bubble's smooth surface. All the captives, including Ellie's mother cringed in fear and inched backwards, trying to gain as much distance from the Deatheater as possible.
"You!" The Deatheater pointed to a thin young woman, with her blond hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. The woman began to whimper, and looked to the other captives for protection, but all they could do was watch helplessly as the woman was dragged out of the prison. The Deatheater then flung the woman over his shoulder.
"Please! No! Please don't do this!" The woman screamed as she squirmed in the Deatheater's grip.
Ellie couldn't understand why the Deatheater didn't use magic to subdue the woman; it would have made things easier.
Then Ellie heard the sound of taunting laughter coming from the other Deatheaters. Suddenly she felt sick to her stomach, as she realized why the Deatheaters didn't use magic. They enjoyed watching the woman struggle. They took pleasure in hearing her scream in terror, as she was carried closer to the cauldron.
Ellie watched in horror as the Deatheater held the woman precariously over the boiling liquid. The woman was no longer squirming, but tears were streaming down her face. Without warning, the Deatheater dropped her into the cauldron. The woman gave only a tiny yelp before her head was completely emerged in the green goo.
The contents of the cauldron gradually changed from an olive green colour to a puke brown.
A second Deatheater stepped forward, holding a pewter goblet encrusted with emeralds. After filling the goblet to the brim, the Deatheater then presented it to his master.
"It is ready my Lord."
Voldemort took the goblet with both hands and stared at it coldly.
"Avery, come here!" Voldemort commanded.
"Y-yes my Lord." The Deatheater stepped forward, lowered his hood, and nervously bowed.
"Drink this." Voldemort hissed, handing Avery the cup.
Even from twenty feet above, Ellie could see the terror in Avery's eyes. He took the goblet with shaky hands, and fearfully stared into it.
"DRINK IT!"
Avery jumped at his master's demand, spilling a few drops. Still looking terrified, the Deatheater took a deep breath, and downed the potion in one gulp.
The cave fell completely silent. Everyone was tense with anticipation, waiting for something to happen. A minute went by, and still nothing. Just as Avery started to relax, his face suddenly contorted, and his body began to shake.
An agonizing scream filled the cave; similar to the one Ellie had heard in the forest. The scream continued to grow louder, and soon Ellie found herself covering her ears. The Deatheaters had no reaction to what was happening. They didn't seem to care at all.
Finally the noise stopped. Avery's body fell heavily to the ground. After a moment, Voldemort approached the body, and kicked it ruthlessly. Avery was dead.
"I'm running out of time and patience!" Voldemort yelled. "Do it again! This time less Ashwinder eggs."
Without a moment's hesitation, the Deatheaters dispersed. Three began to measure ingredients at the crates, while two others carried the cauldron to the edge of the cavern, directly below where Ellie was hiding.
Ellie slowly peered over the rocks, fully exposing her head. The Deatheaters were dumping the contents of the cauldron on to, what looked to be, a pile of human bones. When Ellie saw the skeleton of the woman who had been thrown into the cauldron tumble out, she realized that they in fact were human bones, remnants from the previous failed attempts. The two Deatheaters, who were carrying Avery's body, threw it next to the pile of bones where two other cloaked figures sat slumped against the stone wall. Obviously, Voldemort wasn't stupid enough to be the first person to test a potion.
Ellie's ears suddenly perked up at the sound of something moving behind her. Before she could turn around, someone grabbed her, and covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming.