Quick Author's notes: 123315 asked why Cho didn't use magic against the two muggles in the alley. I never really said in the story, but the whole thing happened so quickly that she probably didn't have enough time really to react. At this moment she is of age (obviously because she uses it the previous chapter). What happened was she had her wand in her purse, and the muggers grabbed that away from her first thing. Without her wand she's pretty helpless, I think almost any wizard or witch would be. She grabs it and helps Harry as soon as she can but she's a bit slow on the uptake. Also remember that Harry wasn't waving a wand casting spells, he was using a different kind of magic that the ministry only detected as being very powerful, but nothing more specific. That's why aurors and the order showed up immediately there after. Another person asked if I had ever posted anything else under a similar name. This is the first time I have posted any story, at any site, at any time. (Sorry that I'm not someone you thought I was) Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, which at this time is only three people . . . thanks guys . . . I don't write the story to rack up a bunch of reviews, but I really do appreciate it when someone has a valid question about the story or would like something cleared up. Cheers -Midnight

Chapter 5

Harry was ripped from his peaceful state as a bucket of ice water was dumped on his head. Looking around he could see that he was clearly in a dungeon with no windows and a single door. The dungeon appeared to be only about twice the size of his bedroom at the Dursley's.

"So you're finally awake," Harry turned to see who was speaking and could almost feel his insides turning to ice.

"Malfoy," Harry said almost as though the word itself was filthy. Lucious Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle Senior were standing over him.

"Yes, Potter, did you really think my master would allow me to rot in Azkaban? He rewards his followers greatly, the Dark Lord does. My reward is sitting right in front of me."

"So what now? Are you just going to kill me? Why can't your great Dark Lord do that for himself?"

Malfoy laughed and said, "Oh no, mine is a far greater pleasure than killing you. The Dark Lord told me that he offered his hand to you and you rejected him. You said you would rather die. I can assure that had you stopped there your death would have been immediate and painless. But then, you stupid, stupid boy, you said that you would rather die a terrible death. And so Mr. Potter, I am here to make sure that your death is indeed quite terrible. I told my master that I would have you begging for death before it was over. And I assure you, you shall."

Harry could scarcely believe how stupid this all was. Hadn't he just proven that he was more than a match for three death eaters? Did they really want to get their asses handed to them again so quickly? "Well it's been very boring chatting with you, so if you don't mind I'm going to stun you now and walk out that door." And with that he stood up and raised his hand willing a curse to fly at Malfoy.

Nothing.

Harry could barely hear Malfoy's laughter he was so shocked. "Notice something missing? An anti-magic charm has been cast on this dungeon, no magic at all in these walls."

"But then how are you . . .?" Harry was lost for words as the severity of the situation hit him. Without his magic he was just another teenager. But how where they going to kill him without magic? Surely they wouldn't . . . they couldn't.

"You see now, Potter? The will of the Dark Lord is not to be trifled with lightly. But as you said, I am growing bored with this talk, so we'll begin."

And with that Crabbe and Golye rushed forward. Harry had no where to run. He balanced himself and as soon as they got close enough . . .

Wham!

Harry gave Crabbe a roundhouse kick that knocked him completely off his feet. Unfortunately he couldn't do anything else before Goyle punched him square in the face. Stars exploded in Harry's vision but in desperation as he fell he kicked out as hard as he could and was rewarded with a loud "Oooof!" from Goyle.

Unfortunately for Harry the two hits he managed to get in only served to anger Crabbe and Goyle even more than they had been. Harry still hadn't cleared his vision before they were on him punching and kicking.

Harry had no idea how long he took their punishment, all he could feel was bone after bone snapping, breaking, and crushing from their brutal assault. Finally they stopped, Harry would later suspect that is was Malfoy who had called them off but at the moment he hadn't heard any commands. He wondered if it was all going to end right there and then. Will they simply kill me now? Harry thought.

"Well Mr. Potter I think that will be quite enough. I think it's time we end this," Malfoy said. At least I'll be with Sirius soon, Harry thought. "If you're still alive tomorrow, then we will continue. Until then I think I'll leave you some company I'm sure you'll appreciate."

With that Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle left the room. Harry tried to move himself into a sitting position against the wall but found that any movement at all was just too painful. Breathing was a challenge all on it's own. Every time he would try to breathe in deeply he would end up coughing up blood and feeling like his chest was about to implode. Finally he resolved to at least roll flat onto his back. Hearing more than one sickening 'pop' from his bones he managed to roll onto his back. Harry felt worse than he had his entire life. He was sure he had broken ribs, as well as at least one broken leg and an arm. It felt like his entire body was a giant bruise the only difference being that some spots were very bruised and others were only mildly bruised.

It had only been a few minutes and he was actually slipping into unconsciousness when he heard the door opening. He didn't see who had entered but he knew in an instant what was happening. Immediately the room turned black as though someone had snuffed out the torches and Harry tried to brace himself for what he knew what was going to happen.

But there was nothing that he could do. He heard the rattling breath being drawn and immediately the sounds of his parents filled his head. The two dementors sucked every happy emotion from his being.

Harry finally succumbed to unconsciousness as the dementors continued to force him to relieve his worst memories even in his dreams.

Harry did not know for how long he was out but when he awoke the dementors were still there. Harry could still hear his parents' voice but he could also keep from completely passing out. Harry could barely keep his mind on where he was, the sound of his deepest darkest memories threatened to overcome him at any moment. Harry tried to think of something to do but everything that involved escape was pulled from his mind before he could even realize even what it was. Harry felt like he was losing his mind. He tried to move but again was in just too much pain.

But he also felt something else. Something jabbing into his side. With the arm that didn't hurt as much he reached over and pulled out the object from his robes. It was the animagus book. He had completely forgotten that Cho had shrunk the book and he pocketed it. And there was something else. Something he could barely feel.

Magic.

The shrinking charm must still be on the book, Harry thought, I wonder . . . is it possible? Harry gripped the book and felt the magic flow from the book into his body. The book immediately returned to its original size.

Harry felt like a dead battery that had just gotten a small charge. He could almost sense exactly what was happening. It was like his empty reserves of magic had just been jump-started. He knew that he only had a trace of magic but now that there was something in there he could feel it ever so slowly growing inside of him. Using ever so small a portion of his precious reserve he willed a small shield to protect his mind from the dementors to form. It was like his patronus was running around in his head, the dementors could feel that they suddenly were getting far less emotion from him but most likely attributed it to his mind slipping into insanity.

But Harry was far from insane. His body was still cold from the dementors and there was a little more than a lingering effect from the dementors in his mind but at least he was sane and he could think far more clearly. The next thing he started to do was use his magic to begin to repair his broken body. Harry had to be very careful with his magic. If he accidentally used too much and exhausted his supply, that would be it. Game over. So with a precision he had never bothered to use before he willed the magic to repair the most grievous of his injuries. The bones in his arm, leg, and his ribs knitted back together but only enough so that they wouldn't cause him any kind of intense pain whenever he breathed. He was still far from any kind of decent shape but at least he knew that he wasn't going to die from his injuries any longer. Feeling that he had done all he really could at that moment he let himself relax and simply started meditating.

Harry could feel the small bit of magic inside of him growing ever so slowly. Harry doubted he would have even enough to form a single stunning curse. But at least he wasn't reliving the worst memories of his life, and at least every breath didn't threaten to overwhelm him with pain. Harry now started to think on possible plans for escape.

This place is probably some stronghold of Voldemort, Harry thought, so there are probably guards everywhere. It's also likely that it's very remote and far from any kind of city or anything. Hell, I might not even be in England anymore. Harry began to form plots and plans to escape but they all seemed doomed to certain failure. The only one that seemed to be even plausible would be to wait until his reserves of magic were back up to the point that he would be able to fight his way out. But Harry knew that was almost certainly never going to happen, it would take weeks for him to regain enough power and by then Voldemort would almost certainly have had him killed.

Harry wondered if he might have any other enchanted objects like the book when it suddenly hit him. The book! It was on animagus! Harry knew right away that with an animagus form, escape suddenly became very possible, especially if it was some small creature that could sneak a lot. Harry also knew that animagus forms couldn't be restricted like most forms of magic because it involved internal magic not magic that's drawn from the surrounding area of the castor, that's why it could be done without wands.

It was with that thought that Harry began to read the animagus book. He quickly skimmed the introduction, which basically told him everything that Sirius had ever said about animagus transformations, until he finally started to hit some solid theory. He was so engrossed in the book that he almost didn't hear the footsteps outside the door. He quickly shrunk the book again, surprised to find that he actually didn't have to spend all his magic on that feat, and quickly hid it back in his robes. He also dropped the shield that he had been using against the dementors as the doors swung open.

Harry heard Lucius Malfoy telling the dementors to leave until tonight. The dementors filed out of the room and the light seemed to reappear and Harry finally felt warm again. He could tell by Malfoy's expression that he was surprised to find Harry not hurt as badly as he ought to have been.

"It would seem that you are made of tougher stuff than I would have thought, that or Crabbe and Goyle are losing their touch. No matter. I'm actually pleased that you survived. For quite a while now there has been something I have always wanted to do but have never had quite the opportunity," Malfoy said. Harry now saw Crabbe and Goyle enter. Crabbe appeared to have a folded up table that he went about setting up, while Goyle carried a small satchel of which Harry had no idea the contents.

Crabbe finished setting up the table (a small surprise for Harry as he honestly thought Crabbe to be far to stupid to manage even that) which Harry saw had straps and restraints on it. Harry suddenly felt fear grip him like it never had. Before he could even think of what to do Malfoy gave the command to have him strapped to the table. Harry didn't even bother to resist. He knew that regardless of what he did, he was going to be on that table and he would rather have all his strength with him to endure whatever was about to happen.

Harry was roughly picked up and slammed down on the table and quickly restrained by leather straps on his wrists, chest, waist, thighs, and shins.

"Strip his chest," Malfoy commanded in the coldest possible voice. Harry felt his robes being torn from his chest and suddenly realized the book. Fortunately the book did not fall out and they simply tossed the heap of ruined clothes in the corner. Harry was now completely topless on the table.

Harry could still move his head freely and saw Malfoy open the satchel and reveal the contents. Harry's chest turned to ice and his throat closed completely. Knives. Knives and razors of all sorts. Harry felt a tear slip down his cheek as he truly comprehended what was about to happen to him.

Lucius was taunting him now holding a dagger in his hand. But Harry paid him no attention. He was simply preparing himself for what was sure to be the worst pain he ever felt. Then Harry saw it. Malfoy pressed the dagger to his skin until the skin finally broke and blood began to trickle out. Harry let a small gasp at this sharp pain. He didn't watch but felt as Malfoy began to make slice after slice into his skin. Harry couldn't help but begin to yelp and scream as Malfoy carved into his skin almost like some kind of sick pattern.

Then he stopped. Harry had long lost track of time but knew that Malfoy must have been at it for nearly an hour. Feeling faint from loss of blood no doubt he still raised his head and beheld his body. From his collar bone to about three inches below his navel there was nothing but blood. He could see that he had almost nothing but slices all on his chest. Hoping that it might be all over he looked to see what Malfoy would do now.

Malfoy placed the knife down with all the others and withdrew a large vial from his robes. Then without prelude or warning he uncorked it and poured it on Harry's chest.

To Harry it was as though small razors were crawling in each an every one of his fresh cuts. Worse than rubbing alcohol, worse than the most concentrated salt water, this potion seemed to be sucked into Harry's cuts causing the most excruciating pain. Harry screamed like he had never screamed before. His back arched so violently he actually started to break the straps. Crabbe and Goyle rushed over to press him back to the table but not even their combined efforts could still Harry. Harry had lost all control over his body, pain second only to the cruciatus curse wracked Harry. The only thing Harry could feel was his magic. It was trying to escape, it was trying to save him. But Harry had to fight it. He had to fight his own body to keep his magic from releasing and dooming him.

Finally pain overwhelmed Harry and he passed out.

Waking up to a face of cold water Harry could barely even move he was so exhausted. Apparently whatever potion that was had done its job and the table was already gone. Harry didn't see Crabbe, and he only saw Goyle carrying out the bucket leaving only Malfoy in the room.

"Well Mr. Potter, you have lost quite a bit of blood and suffered through quite a trauma. I wouldn't be at all surprised if you died tonight because of shock. But if you survive until tomorrow we will continue."

Harry barely had the strength to watch as Malfoy closed the bars and then left through the door. Harry looked down to his chest and found that the blood had begun to dry and flake away, but more than that the cuts were no longer bleeding. That was the only positive thing. The cuts, which really did seem to form some kind of intricate design, were now healed over but glowed crimson and seemed to be throbbing. Apparently that potion was supposed to make the cuts stop bleeding as it made the pain about a hundred times worse.

Harry now concentrated on his magic to see what was happening within his body, he could feel the magic of the potion lingering inside of him but something about it kept him from being able to absorb the magic out of it. It was almost like there was some kind of shadow where there should be light. It must be because it's some kind of dark magic that my body rejects, Harry reasoned.

Harry weighed his magical reserve and was pleased to find that it was steadily increasing. Crawling over to where his ruined clothes were he didn't even bother to try and put them back on. He simply pulled the book out and absorbed the magic once again. He was already reading when the dementors came in, he put the shield up in his mind but found it slightly more difficult than it had been before. Harry wondered what the problem might be when he suddenly realized. He was hungry! Harry felt hunger hit him like he had never felt. It must be at least three days since my last meal. Harry wondered how much magic he would have to use to conjure food, but then he stopped thinking about it, he knew that he didn't have that kind of magic.

Manipulating his body was one thing, but trying to use internal magic outside his body, especially with something as difficult as conjuring would be nearly impossible, shrinking the book was a challenge all on its own. Finally Harry thought to simply provide his body with nourishment directly from his own magic. He concentrated and felt his hunger ebb just slightly as magic began to nourish his broken body. Harry knew that he would never be able to survive for very long without some actual food, this would only stave off starvation for a few weeks, a month at the most.

Harry renewed he efforts to read the book and become an animagus. He knew that he could never attempt the partial transformations that the book said was necessary. He would have to try and do a full transformation when he felt it was time.

And so this continued for several weeks. Harry would be tortured during the days only to read with the dementors at night. The torture he endured was always terrible and never the same. His back was a mess from a recent whipping he had to endure. The only thing that was the same was that potion that would close the wounds only after forcing Harry to pass out from pain.

But Harry had one thing, his hope. Tonight will be the night, he thought. He had read the book and reread the important parts. He knew that if had the magic necessary to do the partial transformations that he would have no problem with any of this but as it was he was seriously wondering if he would be able to do it. The book had warned many times that partial transformations were essential to attaining a proper and fully functional animagus form. Harry was actually surprised at the number of ways that animagus transformations could go wrong.

But he knew that he could not go any longer here. He had wasted away to practically nothing and if it wasn't for his magical nourishment he would surely have died of starvation by now. He could tell that his captors were growing restless that he was clinging to life as he was. He knew that they would simply cut his throat soon, as he didn't seem to be dying from any of their punishment.

He almost allowed himself to smile, he would be seeing his friends again soon. Over the past few weeks only the prospect of seeing Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Cho was enough to keep him going. Only the thought of holding Cho in his arms ever brought him a sense of warmth anymore in the dreary cold of his dungeon. His urge to smile quickly faded though, as Harry had learned the hard way, if he ever became too happy his shield would collapse and he would be subjected to the full effects of the dementors. Harry knew that he wasn't insane but he knew that if he didn't get out of here soon it wouldn't even matter. Harry was slowly becoming used to, and even numbed to, the dementors' effects. He knew that his shield didn't have to be as strong anymore. His happy thoughts seemed nothing more than a memory. It was like the dementors were slowly sucking the humanity from him.

The night was almost half over when Harry set the book down and prepared himself for the moment of truth. Either he would do this now, or he would fail and probably kill himself from the effort involved. He knew that his magic reserves had reached their highest possible point because he had to use the amount he was able to generate every day to keep himself alive. Harry still didn't think he could even conjure a single chicken wing but here he was attempting the most difficult transfiguration known to wizard kind.

Taking a breath and sitting in his most comfortable meditating position he began to concentrate. He knew that he had to simply follow a procedure, as his animagus is predetermined. He would have no control as to what he was able to transform into but at the moment he was just hoping for something small that could slip between the bars and hopefully avoid the scrutiny of the death eaters.

He felt magic slowly begin to drain into the transformation and then more and more. Like a tidal wave the transformation began. Harry could feel his body changing and warping but he didn't pay much attention to what exactly he was turning into as he was concentrating on his magic reserves, they were draining too quickly, much too quickly. He realized all too suddenly that he wasn't going to make it, he was going to run out in the middle of his transformation and . . .

Harry knew that he couldn't stop it now. He felt the last bit of his magic drain away and then he felt his body reaching out trying to find more magic. But it was useless, the anti-magic field prevented any magic from being in the room. But to the amazement of Harry he felt something, something so faint that only now in complete desperation that he realized what it was.

The anti-magic field itself! Harry now concentrated with all his might on the actual barrier that was stopping the magic. He knew that his body was in a terrible need for magic and that it would soon shut down, effectively killing him, if he didn't get more magic in the next few moments. Reaching out with his mind, forgetting about all appearances and pretences of being helpless he pulled on the barrier. It was almost like elastic. It wouldn't budge, he couldn't quite absorb it.

In one last act of desperation feeling his body give it's last scream for magic he pulled with all his might in only the way a dying man could. He thought of Cho and how much he wanted to be with her. He thought about Ron and Hermione and knew that he just had to see them again.

I will not die! Not here! NOT NOW! And there it was. The barrier broke and Harry absorbed the magic instantly fueling the transformation. The anti-magic field must have been one intensive incantation for Harry felt like he was on fire from all the magic coursing through him now.

And then suddenly he realized that he was on fire. The transformation had been successful and Harry looked through a strange and new set of eyes on his body. Harry didn't know what to think. It was more than he could've hoped for. The form was just so beautiful and so powerful. Harry would've loved to have a mirror to examine himself with. To see how he truly looked. But that was something he was willing to wait for. At the moment he was in complete joy that he had completed the transformation and was now standing in the prison that had been his personal hell for so long now in a form that defied all rational thought.

A midnight black phoenix. With flames as dark as his feathers covering his entire body in a beautiful wreath of flame.

Harry spread his wings and was slightly surprised to see himself. Harry had seen Fawkes on multiple occassions and knew that the bird was only wreathed in flames on burning days. The rest of the time he appeared to be flesh and blood. But Harry looked on his own phoenix body and saw that there were black flames gently flowing all along his body from the skin right off the tip of each individual black feather.

But Harry didn't have long to truly examine his new body as his greatly improved phoenix senses picked up the sounds of commotion and running from somewhere close by. The anti-magic field must have had some kind of alarms on it in case anything ever went wrong with it.

Not wanting to linger here at all, in any way, he spread his wings and knew immediately what to do. The instincts of the phoenix told Harry exactly how to flap his wings. And in an instant Harry grabbed the book in his talons, and was soaring upwards towards the bars at the ceiling. Flying faster than even his firebolt had ever carried him he flew completely vertical straight up at the bars knowing that he could not be stopped now.

He smashed into the bars at full speed. The bars did not even resist in the slightest shattering like glass as Harry flew straight up.

Flying straight up until he was level with the clouds he suddenly felt some kind of urge to stretch out and when he did even he was awestruck. The black flames, which had sprung to life when he took flight, now burst forth from his body and grew so that Harry was a phoenix flying completely engulfed in a giant living flame. Harry knew that he really should be more discreet but he just didn't care. He felt happier and more alive than he could ever recall. This was even better than flying on his broomstick. And he knew that as long as he felt that way the phoenix would continue to act on his emotions and in this case keep an ethereal flame around itself.

But as Harry looked down to see where he had been his heart almost skipped a beat. Malfoy Mannor. There could be no mistaking this place. Harry felt the anger inside of him rise and he dove down to exact revenge on those who had nearly driven him to insanity in that hell hole. They would pay!

He flew faster than the eye could follow and simply flew through the front doors much as he had with the dungeon bars. The door shattered like glass. Harry transformed back into his human self and felt the natural magic of the world around him once again. With the precision he had been forced master in the dungeon he now felt like he was almost going to burst if he didn't release this energy. And release it he did.

In his hands he created a ball of flame so intense that it glowed white. Harry threw it down the hall and watched as though in almost an instant the entire house seemed to be ablaze. He sent flame after flame through the house. And then he saw them. Malfoy in what looked like a night robe and Crabbe and Goyle in nothing more than their underwear. They must have been asleep. Harry didn't even wait for them to raise their wands. He felt his anger melt into burning hatred.

Harry didn't even notice as once again his body seemed to bleed power, except this time it was most definitely not green. From his hands flames gently rolled along from the skin on the tips of his fingers to his wrists. But as his hatred burned in him, the flames on his hands grew with it, and soon the flames although still no more than a few inches in height completely engulfed his hands.

Reaching out to the magic all around him, he magically hurled Crabbe and Goyle across the room through a wall. They didn't get up. Malfoy tried to stun Harry but Harry simply reached out and grabbed the curse from the air with his hand and felt the energy flow into him, feeding his own magical essence. Once again he created a ball of fire in his hands and threw it at Malfoy. But just before the flame hit him he manipulated the flame so that it encased Lucius like a shield. Malfoy screamed as suddenly the temperature around him rose so fast that his skin was starting to smoke.

Harry smiled and made the flame grow slightly hotter eliciting an even louder scream from Malfoy. Just then a curse whizzed past Harry. Harry turned to see that Crabbe and Goyle had regained consciousness. Harry was seeing red, his hatred for these men was now fully controlling his actions. With little more than a thought he raised his hands and made a fist with both of them. Harry smiled at the fear they must be feeling now being clenched in giant magical fists that were linked to Harry's real fists. Harry's smile vanished as he squeezed his hands violently, feeling every bone break in both death eaters killing them instantly.

Harry watched their lifeless forms fall to the ground. Turning to Malfoy who was still trapped in the wall of flame Harry yelled out, a sum of all the rage he felt, "You should have killed me when you had the chance! I assure you I won't make the same mistake!"

And with that he let the flames surrounding Malfoy finally consume him. Malfoy was nothing more than ashes in the blink of an eye.

And still Harry did feel nearly satisfied. He looked around at the burning mansion around him. In one night he had single handedly destroyed Malfoy Mannor. And yet it was not enough. His hatred grew so much that the flames had spread to engulf his entire body. And then Harry just gave in and released all his hatred. He could feel as his magic simply exploded from his body. The flames that surrounded Harry exploded outward with such intensity that the entire house was consumed in flame and completely destroyed in a matter of minutes.

Harry now stood looking around at what he had done and suddenly felt very faint. He had completely exhausted his magic reserves. He did not even have the energy to pull magic from his surroundings to replenish himself. He swayed before collapsing among the flaming ruins of Malfoy Mannor.

When Ministry Aurors arrived on the scene they were shocked speechless at what they saw. The once proud Malfoy Mannor burned to the ground with the battered form of a frail boy in the middle of it all.

A/N: expect the next update by next friday (4/08). . . unless a ton of people really let me know that they just can't stand to wait . . . this is going to be fun . . . for me . . . not necessarily for you