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Chapter 8: Adflictation Lair
Drip Drip Drip Drip
Harry woke from his lifeless slumber with a startled gasp. He could feel something wet and cold trickling down his neck and the back of his baggy night shirt.
What the bloody hell? Harry thought to himself, as he shook his head to wake the rest of himself up. He felt the freezing sensation once more roll down his back; he tried to reach it, wipe it off if he could but-
"Ouch!" he gasped. "Oh, Merlin! Wow! What happened?" Harry tried once more to reach the wetness that had settled on his body, but an electric shock once more ran through his body, causing him to shiver mercilessly.
He looked above his head, as far as his injured neck would allow. What he saw
astonished him- his arms seemed to be bound by invisible chains. He turned to look around him.
Where am I? He contemplated, as he searched as far as his bound body would permit.
There was a stream of light from above him, it rounded his body in a tight circle, but he could not see beyond the strange beam from the seemingly endless ceiling.
"This is so strange! Where am I?" Harry said to himself beginning to panic. He needed to get out, get way from this chamber. He desperately attempted to get up on his feet, but another shock swiftly ran through his body. Harry twisted his head to the right, looking to see if his legs were also bound by the invisible force that still held his indignant arms straight above his head. He saw another drop of water fall on his bare left calf and winced at its bitterness.
He wiggled his feet and toes trying to get free, but he received another chilling shock through his wavering body.
"That won't help sweetie," he heard a staggering voice say from the darkness. He whipped his head painfully in the direction that horrifying voice came from.
"Who's there?" he shouted to the darkness.
A sharp laugh came from the opposite direction. Harry rotated his head towards the bone chilling laugh.
"Who are you?" he repeated.
This time the voice came from straight in front of him. "What? Don't tell me you don't know who I am?"
The voice moved behind him. "I am strength, courage, and evil combined into one."
The voice traveled to Harry's left, "I am a murderer."
It moved again, this time to Harry's right, "I am wicked."
"Who are you?" Harry screamed at the voice.
"I am the Dark Lord's right hand," the voice was once again in front of him. "I am everything your dear, precious godfather was not."
An icy hand grabbed Harry's chin and pulled his face until he was looking into a pair of deep, gray eyes. "I am Bellatrix Lestrange."
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"Ron wake up! Ron!" Hermione whispered quietly, "Ron breakfast is ready, we're going to miss-"
"Mione?" murmured Ron half awake.
"Yes it's me. Now come on," demanded Hermione as she grabbed Ron's shirt and pulled him into a sitting position.
"Okay, okay."
They walked quietly down the stairs to the kitchen both quickly glancing at the head of Kreacher, which had been placed there at the beginning of the summer, much to the pleasure of Harry, with the rest of his family.
"Ron be careful!" reprimanded Hermione as Ron tripped down one of the steps, "You're going to wake up Mrs. Black's portrait."
"Sorry," Ron apologized, giving his girlfriend the lopsided grin which always made Hermione blush.
They opened the oak doors, entered the kitchen and sat down next to each other waiting for Mrs.Weasley to serve breakfast.
Breakfast was just as normal as any other day. Mrs. Weasley served eggs and grits while everyone else waited uncomfortably silently. Ron spoke up, "So where's that Potter? Too good to come join us?" he hissed, not truly caring. Probably sulking still, he thought.
Everyone glanced up from their dishes surprised by the name Ron addressed Harry with.
"Ronald Weasley don't use that tone about Harry! What's gotten into you?" scolded Mrs. Weasley, as Ron just shot her a cold penetrating glare.
"Didn't you check Sirius's room before you came down, Tonks?" asked Mr. Weasley ignoring Ron, as he placed his fork down on his plate and stopped eating.
"Yeah, I just glanced in. There was definitely no one in the bed. I thought he had bunked with Ron like they had planned. So I just checked out of habit." replied Tonks, who was now sporting short, brunette hair down to her shoulders and starting to feel very guilty.
"Maybe I'll go look for him. He didn't eat much last night. He must be starving," finished Mr. Weasley as he got up and left the room.
"We'll help you too," responded everyone, except Ron and Hermione, as they got up from the table.
"Aren't you going to look for Harry?" inquired Mrs. Weasley as she was exiting the kitchen.
Ron glared at her for a second and then went back to eating.
"Fine! I thought you cared about him," exclaimed Mrs. Weasley, as she stormed out of the room.
"Ron, maybe we should help look for him," Hermione whispered to her boyfriend.
"Why should we? They'll find him soon enough. He's probably just up in the attic pouting to get sympathy and attention. Just watch, sadly enough, once they find him he'll probably get just what he wants."
Hermione shrugged her shoulders in response, accepting this answer, though not fully believing it.
"Harry!" Ron and Hermione started to hear people screaming Harry's name in desperation. Glancing up at each other they started to become worried, though neither would admit it.
Seconds later they heard a muffled scream and the sound of footsteps running to the source.
"What the bloody hell?" Ron asked staring into Hermione's deep brown eyes. An understanding crossed between the two.
They both jumped up from fright of what could have happened to their best friend. They ran up the flight of stairs hoping that Harry was okay.
Everyone was standing outside of Sirius's room when they arrived. Tonks was bawling and Mrs. Weasley looked like she was about to faint. Mr. Weasley and Moody were stock still; all the happiness had gone from their face.
"W-What happened? What's going on?" wondered Ron breaking the silence as he stared at everyone.
Mrs. Weasley had now sunk to the floor in misery. Tonks let out another strangled sob, dropping a piece of paper from her hand and letting it fall to the ground in front of her.
Ron cautiously walked over to the letter picked it up, glancing at everyone before silently turning the letter over, reading it with Hermione who had arrived at his side.
I've taken him! He has something I want. You better get use not having him around, cause I doubt you'll see him again. Who knows what I'll do with him once I'm done.
By the way Ron, he screamed for you!
Remember I always get what I want.
Bellatrix Lestrange
"Oh, no," Ron heard Hermione mutter as she sank to the floor next to him in complete guilt and misery.
"H-how?" stuttered Ron in a strangled voice.
"Tonks found the letter in Sirius's room. She must have kidnapped him during the night," replied Kingsley who had a very worried look on his face. "I'm going to contact Dumbledore he needs to know."
"Come on let's go down to the kitchen and make a pot of tea, " suggested Moody as he helped Mrs. Weasley off the floor.
"We were supposed to keep him safe! He must be so scared. What are we going to do? What if I never seen him again?" wailed Mrs. Weasley in complete despair, allowing Moody and Mr. Weasley to lead her out the door and to the kitchen. Tonks followed them leaving only Harry's two best friends to fend for themselves.
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Bellatrix released Harry's chin and let out a sharp ringing laugh.
Harry stared at her, shock clearly showing in his eyes. "What the hell am I doing here?" he said softly, trying to remain calm from the surprise of being in Bellatrix's wicked presence.
"Hmm, what are you doing here Harry? I wonder why anyone would want a worthless creature like yourself. But then again, maybe your not worthless. Maybe you have something I want, and maybe I want it now," Bellatrix said with a hysterical smile plastered on her face, circling Harry like a vulture.
She continued, "Maybe last night I went to Grimmauld Place, dressed as that half-muggle, freak cousin of mine, Nymphadora. Maybe I snuck up to your room and kidnapped you from the house of my ancestors. Maybe that's how I got you here," she let out a shrieking laugh.
"Yeah, right," Harry said in incredulity, "Then how did you get in? I'm almost positive Dumbledore wouldn't give a raging mad murderer, such as yourself, the address of the Order."
"Well now, there is one thing that Dumbledore forgot. Yes Dumbledore did forget something," she said at the disbelieving look on Harry's face. "He forgot that some of us," she pointed to herself, "grew up in that house. And that some of us already know the exact address and placement of that house. And that though some of us could not tell our masters where the house was, some of us could still go there whenever we wanted, sometimes to watch you sleep, Potter, or in that case, bathe."
Harry quickly shot a look down, he was wearing boxers as pajama pants, but he couldn't help but wonder if she-
"Oh yes, hun, I have seen under those," Bellatrix shouted loudly, a broad smile displayed on her overly cocky face.
"Why the bloody hell would you wanna," Harry stopped, he couldn't seem to find the words to impress how utterly disgusting that was. "Why would you, umm, look?"
"Oh, sweetheart! Honestly!" she exaggerated, "You don't think I wanted to look? I had to look! Harry, honey, I want to know everything about you. Every nook and cranny," she shot a smug look at his hidden member. "I think that you will find that I have succeeded.
"I know that you wish you were accepted for being Harry- not the famous Boy-Who-Lived. I know that you feel like a third wheel with your two best friends. I know that you wish you were just a regular boy, living a regular life- even if that means you were a muggle.
"But my absolute favorite is that I know that you would rather have that insane, wretched cousin back alive then your own parents. And speaking of which, I have something for you," she reached inside her auburn robes, and pulled out a single piece of folded up paper.
"That's Sirius's letter!" Harry shouted, desperately wringing his hands to get to the precious piece of parchment, but another horrid shock rang through his body, causing him to go limp.
"Maybe I should explain something to you, sweetie. You are bound by something called Invisaline Chains, incase that muggle-loving school hadn't taught all you lil' baby children-"
"I know what they are!" Harry screamed; he wanted so badly to get to that letter.
Bellatrix let out a smug grin, "Of course you do. Anyways, whenever you try and escape from these chains, it will send a shock throughout your body. If you think what you just got was bad, wait and keep trying, because these shocks get worse and longer every time you try it," Bellatrix finished.
"Now about this letter, did my cousin write this to you? I noticed you slept with it under your pillow for the longest time- until I stole it, that is."
Harry glared at her, "How dare you! You had no-"
"I had no what? Who cares what you have to say, Potter. Now shut it!" Bellatrix took one step towards Harry and continued in a softer voice. "Did you love this Harry? Was it your most precious item in the world?" she rambled.
Harry looked away from her, not wanting this conniving woman he hated so much to see the tears that were burning in his eyes.
"Well Potter, let us see here," she unfolded the parchment, slowly and carefully. "Dear Harry, Well, I'm leaving this here for you incase something happens to me. Stupid, I know, I mean how is it that I, the infamous Sirius Black, could die? ," Bellatrix recited from the letter with a haughty smirk. "Well, obviously my dear, precious cousin thought way too highly of himself."
Tears stung in Harry's eyes as she continued. "Harry, there is something that you should know and I know that I'm not the best with words or anything or with expressing how I feel but I guess that I'm dead so what the heck, Harry, I love you so much. You are so important and the best godson I could have ever asked for," Bellatrix let out another shrieking laugh at this. "Sirius actually loved lil' baby Potter, how sweet! Look at the little wimp! I don't know how anyone could possibly love anything as pathetic as yourself. He was probably just lying, he had a reputation in my family for being a liar and a b-"
"Shut up!" Harry yelled.
A smirk came over Bellatrix's mouth. "Well Potter, if you feel that strongly about me talking, then I know how much you must feel about this wonderful, lovely little letter that my stupid cousin left for you."
She threw it on the ground, took at her wand, and muttered something under her breath.
The letter immediately caught flame and burned to a crisp as Harry watched, his hands clenching together above his head.
Harry felt his cheeks grow damp, and he realized he had let the tears he had worked so hard to contain, escape from his bloodshot eyes.
"Now that that is over," Bellatrix started as Harry stared at the spot where his last gift from Sirius had just burned, "we can get the real fun started."
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"It's all my fault!" roared Ron who was still in Sirius's room with Hermione.
"Ron, your being stupid. You didn't do anything-"
"Yes I did! Harry and I got in that stupid fight last night! I told him I never wanted to see him again. And he didn't bunk with me like we had planned. If I wouldn't have said that, he may not have gotten kidnapped!" replied Ron, and grave look on his pale and incredibly sad face.
Everyone stared at Hermione waiting for her to explain to them everything that was happening.
"Ron, we were just being stupid. I just- I just want Harry back," finished Hermione as hot tears leaked from her eyes.
Ron slowly walked over to Sirius'bed, lying down in it, he could smell the sweet scent of the kidnapped boy. Hermione saw Ron lying on Sirius's bed, which Harry had been using quite often. Ron stared blankly at the ceiling in deep thought.
Hermione joined Ron seconds later, snuggling up into Harry's pillow, "Smells like him doesn't it?" she stated breaking the deafening silence.
"Yeah," sighed Ron as he rolled over to look Hermione in the eyes.
"I already miss him," sobbed Hermione as more tears rolled down her cheeks and onto Harry's pillow.
Ron gave a murmur in response distracted by something else that was jabbing him in the side.
"What are you doing?" wondered Hermione as she watched him fish underneath the blankets for something.
"There's something under the covers. Here-" Ron stopped as he looked at what he had retrieved. "O-Oreo?" he said in disbelief.
"Oreo? Who's that?" questioned Hermione looking at the helpless stuffed animal in Ron's hands.
"This is Harry's old stuffed lion," acknowledged Ron, "It's a long story."
"Tell me! We have all the time in the world. It may take my mind off things," pleaded Hermione, as she pulled some of Harry's covers over her.
"Remember when I told you about the time Fred and George turned my teddy bear into a spider?" his eyes glanced up at Hermione waiting for a nod in approval, "Well, one time at the Burrow during the summer before second year Harry found my teddy bear underneath my bed. I was really embarrassed. I suspect he was trying to make me feel better, so he grabbed this out of his trunk," Ron lifted the fluffy stuffed animal up to show Hermione again.
"Where'd he get it?" inquired Hermione as she grabbed the stuffed lion from Ron's hand and gave it a close look; the lion looked like it had been through a lot, the fur had come out in spots and one eye was loose.
"From what Harry told me one day he was dropped off at Mrs. Figg's house while his family went to a carnival. Later that night after they had picked him up his aunt came in his room and just gave this to him and left without a word," he looked up at Hermione who was now clutching the animal for dear life; looking like she was afraid someone was going to take if from her. "I didn't know he still slept with it. He told me he just kept it in his trunk," trailed off Ron as he lay back down on the bed close to Hermione.
"How old was he?" questioned Hermione after a while.
"I think he said four. He seemed so happy about it. I wouldn't doubt that it was his first and only gift from the Dursley's," said Ron with pure hatred, "He'd kill me if he knew I told you all this."
"It all seems so ironic," said Hermione suddenly.
"What does?"
"The fact that last night we yelled at Harry to stop sulking around and to get over all the deaths that have happened because there were more to come. That this was the beginning of the war and that-" Hermione stopped to compose herself, "and now he's been kidnapped and could be dead for all we know.
"We could never see that smile again which lights up his eyes and his laugh that makes everyone else in the room so happy. Now we're here sulking around for his disappearance. I feel terribly guilty. Everything we said to him was so stupid!" cried Hermione as she started to sob into Harry's pillow. "What if- what if we never see him again?"
"Shhhh. It's going to be okay, Hermione. We'll find him. We'll save him," lied Ron as he started to cry, he couldn't even believe what he told her.
Ron and Hermione lay their sobbing for their best friend, that they feared they would never see again.
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Bellatrix turned her back to Harry, lifted her fingers and snapped. The room suddenly illuminated with light. Harry surveyed the room, a look of realization struck his face.
No this can't be! She wouldn't dare! She wouldn't really-"
"Oh but Potter, I so would," Bellatrix said, peering into Harry's thoughts. "Welcome to Adflictation Lair."
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