Chapter 4: The Burrow and a Duel

The usual activity of the Burrow was nowhere near the silence and fear that sat in this home today. The red haired occupants sat around their large rustic fireplace staring teary eyed at the belongings of their missing friend. A snow-white owl sat perched on her cage looking around the room. Looking for her companion. Her cage was carefully placed upon a large wooden trunk, which lay locked and untouched. Next to it a slender broom sat, waiting to be ridden.

Ever since the morning when Professor Snape and Albus Dumbledore dropped off Harry's belongings the house became dead silent. No one wanted to comment on Snape's story, which told of him escaping with Harry's relatives just as Voldemort had Harry pinned. No one wanted to think about it. No one wanted to bare the thought of Harry being injured, or worse.

Ever since the news four hours ago the house did very little, besides a few outbursts of frustration and disbelief. Mrs. Weasley was cooking with a new purpose, but no one felt like eating. Even Ron, who never seemed to stop, politely declined the offer. He was taking the news the worst. He wouldn't let anyone touch Harry's things. He said, "Harry will be back soon, you'll see. He doesn't need you to move his stuff. He'll be back." No one wanted to argue with Ron, especially after what he said to Snape.

After Snape told his story, upon Dumbledore's request, Ron wouldn't leave him alone. He started shouting about how it could only have been Snape that gave away Harry's location. He pointed out that Snape didn't even try to help; he just fled. That he hated Harry more than anyone else. After the first few shouts Snape seemed to stiffen. He was about to open his mouth in a reply when Ron drew his wand, pointed straight at his potions master's heart, and said, "Leave, NOW, you're not welcome here." With that Snape strode past the angry Gryffindor and marched straight for the fire. The last word they heard from the ex-deatheater was "Hogsmeade."

After Snape left Ron took a seat in front of the fire. Watching the flames twist around the logs that lay there. He hadn't moved from this position. He just sat there waiting. Ron had no intention of leaving his 'post,' he was waiting for Harry. "Who would be coming through any second." He thought. After hours of waiting the fire roared and turned green. "This was it." He thought, "Harry's coming now. Death Eaters don't have him, he's not dead, he was just hiding." But it didn't turn out as he'd expected. Instead of the usual bright green eyes and messy raven hair, brown eyes and frizzy brown hair was seen.

"Oh Ron tell me they've found him." Said Hermione as she ran towards Ron. She embraced him in a friendly hug, which caused his ears to turn red just a tinge.

"Er…no, nothing Hermione, but they'll find him. He's safe I know he is." Ron said as she let go of him and stepped back. Her eyes focused on his, and at that point he saw how afraid, sad, and miserable Hermione was. She missed Harry as much as he did.

"I'm sure he's fine, he has to be. Right?" Hermione asked on the verge of tears.

"Yeah I'm…I'm sure he's fine. He's…he's Harry isn't he? The-Boy-Who-Lived and all that. I'm sure he'll be here any second, acting all modest, saying that it was just luck he survived again." Ron said trying to lighten the mood.

Hermione gave a hallow chuckle and said, "Yeah I know you're right."

Hermione slumped down on the couch next to Ron, staring into the fire. They were perfectly content together, waiting for their friends return. Minutes melted into hours, as they sat in the warm, comforting Weasley household. No one wanted to disturb the pair; no one wanted to interrupt their mourning.

After a few hours, and no movement from Harry's closest friends, Mrs. Weasley started to worry. "They haven't eaten anything Arthur. They have to eat something, it's just not healthy."

"I don't know Molly, the loss of Harry is go…." Mrs. Weasley started to say but was cut off by Ron, who heard from the other room.

Ron stood up very quickly, startling Hermione and his parents. He looked over to them and almost growled. "We haven't lost Harry. He'll be back."

"He probably will son, but you have to accept that he might be gone."

"No, Harry is not gone. I don't know how I know, I just do." Ron said on the verge of tears. He felt like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

"It's alright son, we all cared for Harry."

"Cared? Cared? He's not gone." He said as he tried to keep his emotions in check. "Why do you keep referring to him as if he's already dead? He's not, that slimy evil git Vo…Voldemort will never get Harry. You'll see."

"Ron," Mr. Weasley started. He knew that his son was grieving but he also knew that the first step to recovery was acceptance. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named never leaves anyone alive. They didn't find Harry at his house, and they saw the place where the curse had caught him. It blew a hole straight through the stairs." Said Mr. Weasley.

"Harry's not GONE!!!" Ron bellowed as the furniture shook and the floorboards cracked. "He'll be fine."

"I'm sure he will be dear." Offered Mrs. Weasley trying to calm her son, and his uncontrolled magic.

Ron slumped back into his seat and gave one final furious look towards his father and said, "He'll be back."

As the words left the young man's mouth a burst of blue flames appeared in mid air, as a piece of parchment floated from the ceiling. It gracefully fell into Ron's waiting hands. He looked around startled, then to Hermione. She motioned for him to come closer. The two read the letter together. At first their expressions were worried, than out of nowhere a burst of laughter. Ron looked up to his parents after a minute or two and said, "Harry's fine. Here. I told you he was fine."

Mr. Weasley took the paper from his son and began to read.

Dear Everyone,

I really didn't know who to address this to, so it's for everyone. Now first things first, I'm fine, and safe. I won't be able to see you for a while and I can't tell you where I am. I'm sorry about that but I have no choice, and this will probably be the last letter until I see you again.

The latest I'll be back is the Christmas holiday, but I may show up anytime, so be on the look out. Please inform Professor Dumbledore about this. I don't want to be away I just have to, and Hermione don't worry I won't fall behind in my studies. Ron would you please tell Professor McGonagall that I won't be Seeker this year. On account of me not being there.

I hope that Hedwig is okay, and the Dursley's. If she is fine please take care of her, she really is a great owl. As for my stuff just keep it together until I get back, I'm sure I'll need it. Ron and Ginny (Hermione too, I just never thought you liked flying) you can use my broom if you like. Just don't hurt it. I think that's it, well accept for the escaping death thing. I really don't know what happened. It must have been one of Dumbledore's wards, but in any case I'm grateful I still have a heartbeat.

Well take care all of you, I'm sorry if this isn't good enough but I never was the best writer.

I hope to see you soon,

Harry

Mr. Weasley looked up from the paper and caught his son's eyes, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"That's alright I was doubting myself there for a bit." Ron said, "Did you see it Hermione? I told you he'd be acting all modest. Like he didn't have anything to do with it."

Hermione laughed and said, "You did. I just so happy he's safe, but did you see the writing?"

"Yeah I read it didn't I?"

"Well yeah but did you notice how it was written?"

"On paper."

Hermione started to get frustrated and put on her McGonagall like face and said, "Ron it's not written with ink. It's burned into the paper."

Ron snatched the paper back from his father, who was still in shock, and looked it over carefully. He could see the unmistakable marks of the charred parchment. There was no denying that the words were burned into it. "Well what's that mean?" He asked Hermione.

"I…I don't know." She said, actually sounding sad about it.

Ron suppressed a chuckle and was about to say some witty remark, but stopped himself and said. "Oh, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

The rest of the night was much happier than earlier that day. Ron regained his appetite and was determined to make up for the lost meals. Ron kept telling everyone the same thing all night, "I told you he was alright." And, "I just knew."

Far away from the warm, comforting Burrow, a tall figure draped in a pitch-black cloak paced through his manor. He was furious. 'Some one needs to pay. This wasn't my fault. There's no way Potter could have escaped under his own power. There's nothing special about that boy.' He thought as he passed by one of his henchmen. "Is there?" He said out loud.

"Is there? My lord." Said the cowering figure.

"Don't you dare speak to me when I haven't addressed you." Voldemort spat, within a moment his wand was drawn and pointed at the trembling man.

"Sorry My Lord. I thought you were speaking to me." He said his voice now failing him slightly.

"You're pathetic." Voldemort snapped as he swished his wand in an elliptical motion causing the death eater to flip upside down and smack painfully into the wall. With another flick of the wrist the man's face was now level with that horrible reptilian face, and evil red eyes. "Get me Malfoy and that curse breaker of his." As Voldemort dropped his wand the man came crashing down, nearly landing on his head if his hands hadn't been faster. The man straightened himself up and looked back into the red eyes of his master. Voldemort just shouted, "NOW you insolent fool." The man turned and ran down the dark hallway.

Voldemort walked into a large sitting room. He moved close to the dark fireplace and flicked his wand towards the vaulted ceiling. A demonic medieval chair fell from above and bounced into place. Voldemort gracefully sat in his thrown like chair, waiting for some answers. With every passing second his anger grew. He didn't like waiting, especially when he wanted answers now.

After ten minutes the door creaked open to reveal the pale skin and white hair of Lucius Malfoy. "You called, Master?" He asked with his eyes down.

"Yes, and bring your little curse breaker with you."

The two men shrouded in black cloaks slowly moved towards Voldemort. As they reached him they kneeled and placed their hands at his feet. Voldemort stared at them for a moment with a look of utter disgust.

"You failed me Lucius. You said the wards were down. You said the boy was mine." He nearly growled, as a dark aura surrounded him, slowly growing, and twisting around his thin frame. "Tell me what happened," He said now addressing the curse breaker.

"I don't know my lord, as far as I could tell there was no protection left. I even disabled the small charms that would alert Dumbledore. There was nothing I could see left." The man trembled.

"Did you look inside the home? Did you search for internal wards? Something that would stop the killing curse." Voldemort asked.

"Yes my lord, when the family was gone we looked. There was nothing, and nothing can stop the killing curse." He said in a barely audible whisper.

"That boy stopped it. He stopped it when he was only a year old." Voldemort screamed. "How dare you question me?" Voldemort stepped back and took a deep breath. He pulled out a small lead medallion from his cloak and put his wand to it, after whispering a few words it glowed a deep blue and then stopped. He looked back to the curse breaker and said in a calm voice, "Rise." The man did so but never look into Voldemort's eyes.

"I have another assignment for you. Are you up to the task?" He asked in a voice that could be confused for kind.

"Yes my lord anything you ask."

Voldemort handed the man the medallion and said, "Count down from five, you'll know your purpose when you arrive."

"Yes, my lord. Five…four…three…two…"

Before the man finished Voldemort said, "This is the perfect assignment for you. One I could only trust with my most useless followers…feeding the guards of Azkaban. The man's eyes grew wide with terror and looked straight into Voldemort's blood red eyes. Voldemort gave a hideous smile and with a flick of his wand the man disappeared. Condemned to live a lifetime as a soulless shell of a man.

"Now Lucius how are we going to fix this little problem?" Voldemort said as he sat back into his chair.

"I do not know, my lord. The Potter boy has disappeared. Not even the muggle loving fool Dumbledore knows where he is." Said Malfoy senior with his face to the ground.

"So he's missing is he? And tell me how do you know this Lucius." Asked Voldemort with peaked interest.

"A few of my spies have informed me my lord. The one watching that mudblood friend of his says she was very upset, saying that Harry was dead. The other at that disgustingly pathetic Weasley home said the mass of red heads were crying." He said with a twisted smile. A smile that only a person who liked seeing others in pain could produce.

"Ah very good, so we must find him." Said the man with a calculating look. "Without Dumbledore intruding this shouldn't be too hard. There is nowhere he can hide. Not from me." After that the two sat in silence for a minute. Voldemort sat planning and Malfoy thinking of how to avoid punishment for his failure. "Lucius I want you to track him down, or find someone that can. I need to find him." Voldemort said.

"Yes my Lord."

"You are free to go Lucius."

"Thank you my Lord." Said Malfoy feeling almost joyous that he had avoided so much as a simple curse. He moved up from his bow and walked towards the door. Just as he reached the handle he heard Voldemort move. A second later he was starring at his Masters reptilian face.

"I almost forgot your punishment." With a flick of his wand Lucius was across the large room. Facing Voldemort who was on the other side. With another complex movement of his wand a dueling platform appeared. "We will duel, any curse, hex, or charm is legal." Malfoy looked as if he as going to object to the duel. "Don't worry Lucius I won't kill you if you actually try in this duel, but if you refuse, I will kill you, slowly. Do you understand?" Finished Voldemort.

"Yes my Lord." Malfoy was trembling just slightly. He tried to keep his calm demeanor but facing off against the most powerful dark wizard of the age didn't make him feel very confident in his abilities.

"Bow Lucius, we'll start on three are you ready?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes my Lord." He said in a barely audible whisper.

"Good now the count of three. One…Two…Three."

Lucius struck first. He knew that by doing so it was going to mean a painful backlash but he also knew that if he didn't appear to be fighting as strong as he could Voldemort would kill him.

He launched a complex pain spell that affected a person's hand. Making them drop their wand, something like the disarming spell just much more painful. Voldemort blocked it easily and countered with the same spell. Yet he used a different wand movement to increase the spells power. His curse easily broke Malfoy's shield and he dropped his wand screaming in pain.

"Pick it up, we're not finished yet."

Malfoy did so without a word. He tried a bone-breaking curse on his Master but this again was easily blocked, but Voldemort did not counter. "So you wish to harm me do you?" He asked in a horrible rage.

"No Master I'm only doing as you asked."

"I told you to duel me, not maim me. For that Lucius you will pay." A dark cloud seemed to form around Voldemort, rippling around him, vibrating with dark energy. With a long swipe of his wand the dark cloud shot towards Malfoy, who raised the strongest shield he knew, but the curse never struck his shield. The dark magic sank into the stone underneath the lone death eater. For a moment nothing happened. Then instantly the stones shot form the ground and wrapped around Malfoy in the form of a giant snake. He instantly dropped his wand to remove the coils of stone, but to no avail. They stone creature just squeezed harder.

"Do you like it Lucius? This is one of my favorite spells." He laughed. "It takes any type of material and turns it into a serpent of the same substance. Quite ingenious really, there is a problem though. One must be a parselmouth to control it." His face contorted into a smile and walked closer to his defeated opponent.

"You failed me Lucius and for that there has to be punishment. Normally the cruciatus would suffice, but I believe it lacks imagination. There is one flaw to the cruciatus curse do you know what that is?" Asked Voldemort.

All Malfoy could do was grunt a response, as the stone snake was squeezing his ribs. "Oh right the spell, as I was saying the only draw back to the curse is the lack of permanent damage. Yes it could permanently ruin your mind, but then you would be useless. This is something different; this can leave a lasting scar. Now you're right handed aren't you?" Malfoy nodded. Voldemort whispered a few words in parseltongue and the animated stone snake started to move again. It turned its head towards Malfoy, opened its mouth and bit into his left shoulder with a sickening crunch.