Chapter 5 – Escape

"Excellent," was slowly said by a low raspy voice.

"Thank you my Lord. Sorry for disobeying you but we figured if we kept them we could get more responses, then…"

Harry heard two people talking as he slowly regained consciousness. He dared not open his eyes because he could recognize them, one belonged to Lord Voldemort, the other one Lucius who was supposed to be in Azkaban.

"…kill them later." Voldemort added, finishing his sentence.

"Yes." Lucius said. "They could soon prove more useful then ever before, even Weasley." He said Weasley as though it was a foul word.

Harry dared open his eyes, just barely. He could see Luna lying beside him. She had a cut on her forehead, and she was really pale. He slowly reached out his hand to run it across her forehead, over the cut, and down her cheek. She was warm, a good sign. Harry then felt a sharp pain on his waist.

He jumped a little looked and looked over his shoulder to see Lucius standing over him.

"Well, our special guest has finally woke up." He said. Harry noticed that he looked pretty banged up. He had a black eye and his lip was slit open. Just then Lucius swung at Harry. It hit him hard on the side of his face. The force of Lucius' punch made Harry fall and hit the ground hard.

He looked up to see Luna open her eyes. She made to get up but Harry gave her a look that told her to stay where she was and keep quiet. She understood and did as so.

"Calm yourself Lucius." Voldemort said slowly while rising from his chair. Harry stood up which gave him a chance to have a good look around. He knew where he was, they were in the Shrieking Shack.

"I have someone very special to you." Harry understood. What does he mean he has someone special to me? Before he could think it through Voldemort went on. "…Dumbledore..."

Harry's eyes got wide. He stared at Voldemort but he just let out a malicious laugh.

"NO, YOU COULDN'T HAVE. HE'S A WAY BETTER WIZARD THAN YOU WOULD EVER BE!"

"Oh please. You know him, he hadn't heard from you all summer and we did a couple of charms so he wouldn't know where you were. Then we dropped the awful news. He followed every instruction just to save you!"

"Then where is he?"

"I'm not as dumb as you think Harry." Just then Voldemort slammed him against the wall. Harry fell to the ground, the wind was knocked out of him. Then Voldemort conjured another spell and Harry was tied to a chair that magically appeared in the middle of the room.

Harry glanced over at Luna her eye's were huge. He just gave her a look, the look that told her to stay still and keep quiet.

"Oh, and Harry there's no use trying to play the hero yet again, he's gone."

"What do you mean he's gone?"

Voldemort just let out a raspy, harsh laugh. "Forget it, now on to more important business. He flicked his wrist again and Harry started shaking in his chair. Luna couldn't stay still any longer, she got up and ran towards Voldemort. He knew she was coming though and he flicked his wand towards her. She flew against the wall and fell to the ground, blood slowly started to stream down her forehead.

"SSSSSTTTTOOOPP TTTHHATT, SHSHSHEE DINNN"T DO AAANNNYYYTTHING TTTTTOOOO YYYOOOUU!" Harry struggled to say as he still shook rapidly in his chair.

"Well, well, well. I didn't realize dear Mr. Potter had a girlfriend." Voldemort said while cowering over his shaking body. He flicked his wand again to raise his chair in the air. He was floating upside down on the ceiling now. "Now, let me have my fun before I kill you." He let his wand drop to the floor and with that movement Harry fell landing painfully and loudly on the ground below.

"Let me have some fun My Lord." Lucius said quit happily/anxiously.

"NO, let me have my fun, after all it's been how many years." Voldemort snapped at Lucius. While he flicked his wand yet again and Harry felt a sharp pain inside of his body, he felt like he was slowly being cut in half.

"Well, I've had enough fun, time to say goodbye." Voldemort said, very confident that he knew what he was doing. He flicked his wand and the chair was gone. Harry fell to the floor. He got up very slowly in a great amount of pain. He started to cough up blood, he felt dizzy as he stood, then he slowly fell to the ground. He saw blackness engulf him once again.

The blackness slowly started to leave. He opened his eye's to see a very weathered man sitting in the corner of the room, that he was now in. The old man had holes in his cloak and looked rather filthy.

"Where are we?" Harry said. His voice was raspy.

"We are in the Shrieking Shack, my dear Mr. Potter." The old man said.

Harry recognized the voice, but he couldn't put his thumb on it. He went to move but he ached everywhere. Then it hit him.

"…Dumbledore?..." he said slowly. "…is that you?..."

The old man nodded his head. "Indeed Mr. Potter it's me….Professor Dumbledore."

There was something different in his voice. It couldn't be shame, could it? Harry thought. "What's wrong Professor."

"It seems I have lost my touch."

"What…your touch?"

"Voldemort has beaten me, I have lost…" He started to cry. "…I have failed you…I have failed the wizarding world."

"No, no Professor. No you didn't. He used your love for all people against you. You haven't failed, you're still alive, and so…am…I…"

"…no…I've failed you…I've failed…I've failed….failed…failed…forever…" he kept repeating the same thing over again.

Tears welled up in Harry's eyes. He's gone mad, Voldemort tortured him to much,…………and it's because of…………………………me…… "Dumbledore…Professor…are you alright?"

"I've failed you…I've failed…I've failed….failed…failed…forever…"

Harry managed to stand up and walk over to him. He bent down and looked into his eyes, Dumbledor's certain sparkle he had in his eyes was gone now. He couldn't stand him repeating that he had failed, when he hadn't. He bent down and slapped him hard in the face.

Dumbledore was stunned he looked straight into Harry's eyes. "Thank you." He just said simply. "Now be prepared for…"

They heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Harry started to sweat as they got closer. He didn't know what to do, he couldn't speak clearly. Harry put his wand up and searched for spells in his head. "Put your wand down." Dumbledore said.

Harry turned to him and gave him a questioning look. "Put you wand down Mr. Potter." He said again, this time sternly. Harry did as he was told, even though he wasn't quite sure why.

Just then the door flew open and an exhausted Ron came in. "COME ON!" Harry was confused but he followed him. Dumbledore did to. They followed him down a long dark hallway. There were paintings on the walls that were old and torn. Harry could see light flying back in forth were they were running. Harry got his wand ready, but Ron turned down another hallway.

Soon Harry realized were they were going, they were going towards the Womping Willow. He could see everybody waiting for them. Mr. Weasley was carrying Luna, who was still knocked out and looked rather pale. "Hurry up!" He yelled sharply.

"As Harry reached them he saw that Mr. Weasley was hurt. "Let me take her." Harry said. Everyone looked at him. "What?" Mr. Weasley said.

"Let me take her."

"Harry, Are you mad?" Hermione said. She had a cut on her cheek.

"Yeah Harry, you got the worst of what Voldemort did."

"Yes I did, but your leg is hurt. Please?"

"Okay." Mr. Weasley said while giving him Luna. Harry held her like a fragile baby, and that's what she was at the moment. Then Harry whispered to her as they went running down the narrow passage way. "Luna…Luna hang in there. I need you. Just hang on."

"YOU FOOL! STOP THEM!" They could all hear Voldemort as he realized that they were gone.

Harry could she the light from the hole in the tree. They were close. Harry could see that Voldemort was casting spells. A green light just missed him and hit Tonks. She fell to the ground. Harry went to stop and get her but someone yelled for him to go……..she was gone.

He saw another light fly past him. It missed everyone this time. They all slowly made it through the hole and started to run towards Hogwarts. Voldemort made it through the hole with Lucius. They started casting spells like mad. Dumbledore took a hit and fell to the ground. Then got back up to start casting spells back.

They made it to the castle and closed the big oak doors. "DON'T SHUT THEM!" Harry yelled. "WE HAVE TO GO HELP HIM!"

"No Harry, there's nothing we can do?" Mr. Weasley said.

Harry set Luna down. "WHAT DO MEAN THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO? WE CAN HELP HIM!"

"Harry, stop."

"NO YOU STOP, HE NEEDS OUR HELP. WE'RE A TEAM REMEMBER!"

"Harry, your to important."

Harry ran at Mr. Weasley and went to punch him but Hermione grabbed his hand. He turned to look at her she had tears in her eyes. "Harry there's nothing we can do. Just let him be, like Mr. Weasley said. Your to important." She said as tears started to stream down her face.

"But it's two on one." Harry gasped as he cried. Hermione hugged him and he hugged her back as they slowly fell to the floor.

Mr. Weasley was leaning against the door. Mrs. Weasley was hugging Ron. Lupin was sitting by Luna. They all stood/sat there in disbelief. Tears were streaming down each and everyone's face as they all knew the dangers ahead and behind.