Chapter Fourteen: Beyond All Doubt

"Split off into pairs. Search the castle and if anyone gets into a fix…you know what to do…" Hermione said grimly.

Immediately Koji left her side and his place was taken by the familiar form of Draco. With a short, grim glance and a nod the two were off. They searched every nook and cranny for any sort of secret passage, extra doorway, or anything else that could take them to Voldemort. Minute after agonizing minute passed by as the teams gave their full efforts to searching their assigned areas.

"Just great!" Draco exclaimed, "A bloody dead-end!"

While Draco continued on his quiet rant Hermione took a closer look at this 'dead-end' passageway. Her eyes raked over the rough surface of the stone as they had over the pages of so many books, she was looking for minor mistakes in the concealing of a passageway. She stopped and smiled triumphantly, no one was perfect. There was a single stone out of line by a fraction of an inch; the give away was hidden there. She pressed a small hand to the stone and pushed lightly to find that it served as a door handle. With a curious gaze she pulled and the large stone slab pulled away from the rest of the wall, revealing a wonderful place.

"Whoa…" she muttered.

There were tall cypress trees all around and flowers blooming from the lush grass that was growing from the floor. This was an impossible situation! Trees and plants couldn't grow like this in such a cold climate, could they? Captivated by the luscious green Hermione took a step towards the room, a curious expression held in place on her features.

"Hermione maybe we shouldn't." Draco said, his voice trailing off.

"It's fine…" she whispered back.

Silence followed, not a sound was made in this place. No rustling leaves, no chirping birds or chattering squirrels, nothing. Absolute silence, not even the wind blew in this place. Was it perhaps a sacred and blessed place? Or perhaps there had been a spell cast upon it? Either way Hermione took another step, it echoed off the trees.

"So you've finally arrived." Said a feminine voice.

Hermione and Draco whipped around, wands out to protect each other if need be. Both were looking around wildly trying to find whoever had spoken.

"Who are you?" Draco questioned confidently.

A shrill laugh followed by endless echoes was his answer. He looked to Hermione who shrugged in response to his silent question. But hey, just because she wouldn't reveal her identity didn't mean she wouldn't answer other questions, right?

"What is this place?" Hermione asked.

"Why, it's my garden." The voice responded.

"Garden?"

"Yes, isn't it beautiful? You must have talent to grow these plants in this frigid climate."

Draco and Hermione exchanged another confused glance. So this place was a garden? If it was a garden, then someone dedicated must be her. But Voldemort, the most evil sinister man ever to live in the history of the entire wizarding world with a garden? No, it had to be someone else.

"Why are you here?"

"Ohh, quite interested in me aren't you?" the voice snapped, "Why not tell me why you are here."

Hermione looked dumbstruck; this person was toying with them! Whoever it was already knew they'd be here and had planned for someone to find this place so she could distract them!

"Draco, we must get out of here now…" Hermione whispered.

"I think not!"

The door that had led them into this garden shut suddenly and concealed itself by blending in with the rest of its surroundings. Hermione gasped as she watched helplessly and rushed to try and find their way out again. Draco touched her arm and shook his head, they were trapped.

"Now…I believe I asked you a question."

With a reassuring nod from Draco, Hermione opened her mouth to speak.

"We're here to find my parents." She said.

"Oh, you are Hermione then." The voice said amusedly, "Well you won't be finding them; the Dark Lord has taken good care of them…"

Hermione gasped and fumed at the voice, she was prepared to face this person on her own, even if it meant she was to do it without a wand.

"You tell me where they are right now!" Hermione exclaimed, only silenced when Draco put a hand on her shoulder.

He was very familiar with this kind of trickery probably knew a far better way than she to handle it. She wouldn't cry for this horrible woman, no matter how much the tears stung, she would hold them back until they were freed.

"Oh, poor girl. You seem a bit gloomy, perhaps I could help with your problem." The voice said.

Above them the tree tops rustled as a black orb descended near them. Hermione let out a small scream and latched onto Draco's arm, in some desperate hope that he could save her. The orb touched the ground and disappeared, leaving only a tall slender figure hidden beneath dark robes in its wake. The hood on the robe was up to hide the face of the woman, but strands of long raven hair were protruding from the edges of it.

"Frightened?" she questioned.

"We're not afraid!" Draco said boldly.

"We'll just see about that!"

A pale hand rose up and a finger pointed at Hermione. She drew her hand back and Hermione was jerked away from Draco, tears streaming down her face now. Another shrill laugh echoed as she grasped Hermione tightly.
"Not so tough now, are you Draco?" she questioned, "Need you're little Mudblood girlfriend to save you?"

"We had a deal! You told me she wouldn't be hurt!" Draco exclaimed, beginning to rush towards Hermione.

"Ah, ah, ah!" the woman taunted, "There are no promises in the world of power!"

"Now, now! Your daughter seems to be in mortal danger! What to do, what to do?" Voldemort taunted, waving his wand from side to side.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

"Silence!" he ordered, "You are a troublesome pair indeed. Most would have already joined me to save their child, but not you two. You seem to have a confidence in that pathetic group of fools!"

Voldemort hit his bony hand on a stone wall nearby; this was going to be far more difficult than he had first imagined. If they had faith in the group, they would not give in and devote themselves as willingly as he'd like. Then again, if the group was obliterated, he would have no playthings for later. What a striking dilemma indeed! And how to handle it? Violence? Or maybe just simple word tricks to confuse them.

"Your daughter…will not last long with my most faithful follower."

At this point, Jessie began to sob uncontrollably. Kyle did his best to comfort her but there was only so much one could do when trying to survive in the presence of an incredibly evil man.

"Yes, I suppose that about now she will have your daughter as well as her simple minded companion trapped in her web of disarray." Voldemort continued, further provoking the tears in Jessie's eyes.

The woman laughed shrilly at Draco's apparent inability to make a decision. She threw her hand in the direction of what appeared to be a large tree and Hermione's small frame was sent flying. With a horrible crack Hermione's arm was broken as she rammed hard into the 'tree.' She noticed the smoother than normal texture and realized that this room was nothing more than an illusion, this 'tree' was actually cold stone.

It was about this time when she realized that she was being turned to face out, and bound tightly. Thick cords of some odd material were heading her way and holding her body to the stone. Another strap came and bound her neck, tilting her head up high so she could hardly see what was in front of her. She squirmed but the bindings were far too tight to permit even the slightest movement.

"Now Draco my dear, it seems you are at my mercy." The woman said.

"What do you want from us?" Draco questioned frantically.

"It's not you I want; I want your friend…Mr. Potter…" she replied, twirling her fingers about in the air.

This motion caused Hermione's bindings to tighten, and she gasped, hoping not to suffocate with all the pressure from the bindings. Draco growled in a frustrated way, not even now could he matter more than that Potter boy! He let the silence take over, only the sound of Hermione's separated sobs broke it now.

"How then?" Draco asked finally, face set and determined.

The woman laughed and approached, ruffling his hair lightly.

"My good little servant…"

"This is getting nowhere!" Harry exclaimed, "How are we supposed to find him? The plans looked different from this."

"He must've changed them…" Arthur whispered.

"Well we have to find my poor Ginny, we simply must!"