Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and its various publishers own Harry Potter. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Happy New Year! Notes to reviewers are at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 30
Illusions
In a small clearing, deep in a wooded area near Abergavenny, Severus Snape woke up. He coaxed his eyes open and the conscious world slowly came into focus. Even the smallest movement brought biting pain, but he forced himself to roll over. Freezing and filthy, his throat felt raw from screaming, and his tongue was swollen. They'd taken most of his clothes and left him loosely bound to a rock with heavy chains. Pity the bonfire was too far away to provide any warmth. Squinting his eyes in the dancing firelight, he searched for any sign of his captors.
Ignoring his throbbing head, he tried to concentrate on the situation at hand. Before passing out, he'd endured an evening of torment, but it could have been worse — much worse. Early on, he realized that the Death Eaters were simply having some sport, probably while they waited for Voldemort to arrive and perform that final curse.
The small clearing in the woods had been full of the black robed simpletons, laughing and chanting all sorts of insults. They'd taken turns casting curses, with varying success. Some of these new recruits didn't know their Crucios! from their Cushios! Or perhaps they'd all been intoxicated -- lucky for him.
Then, by some miracle, they'd left, giving him this short reprieve. He'd heard shouts of excitement as they retreated, and tried to keep his eyes open, but it was too much. The last thing he remembered was someone taking the loose length of chain dangling around his hands and hitting him over the head with it like a Muggle. That must account for the coppery taste of blood in his mouth.
Silhouetted against the fire, he could see two men approaching him. One of them said, "What should we do with this one?"
"Dunno…is he alive, d'ya think?"
"He'll die of the cold, if we don't keep him warm. We could move him closer to the fire."
"Can't be havin' that now, can we? It's the killing curse for this 'un and by the Dark Lord's own hand. 'Ere…this is the robe 'e came in, I reckon that'll do."
Snape felt a heavy cloth fall over him haphazardly. He watched the two men walk away, before he sprang into action. This was indeed his robe and in its pocket…he gathered all his strength of will. Ignoring the jarring pain, he searched until he found it -- a small, insignificant sherbet lemon. He gripped it tightly in his fist and closed his eyes, thinking, 'Bless that meddling fool Potter.' Snape made a silent promise to thank the idiot the next time he saw him.
Swallowing hard, he croaked, "Help." It was enough. He felt himself propelled through the air in a confusion of colors and sounds, pulling him toward Hogwarts and safety. He gave into the darkness then, trusting that help would come. Seconds later he appeared, unconscious and battered, on the floor of the Hogwarts infirmary.
The torches flickered in Myrddin's Den as all eyes seemed to follow the trajectory of Voldemort's bony finger. Harry felt frozen in place, as if that long finger had pinned him to the wall. For a brief, surreal moment, Harry thought everyone could really see him.
Then he forced himself to look around the cavernous room. While just a handful of the Death Eaters wore the skull like mask, all of them wore the same plain, black robes. Only Voldemort seemed to be looking directly at him. The others were either squinting at the wall beside him or staring at their master. Most of them were out of breath from chasing him, their breath steaming in the cold cave.
Harry couldn't remember the cave ever being cold before. Of course, his other visits hadn't been in winter, but he recalled being greeted by a blast of warm, sweet air as the torches lit. Tonight the torches were already burning, but the air was freezing cold, and foul.
Jolted into action by the sight of several wands raised in his approximate direction, Harry crept carefully along the wall. His legs felt shaky and his stomach felt sick, making him wonder if that earlier blow to his head was going to make him pass out. Harry rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision.
Voldemort and his men continued to point to the place he'd just vacated. Relieved that his Disillusionment Charm had held, Harry let out a long, slow sigh.
Unfortunately, he saw his steaming breath hit the cold air just in time to realize that it must have given him away. Voldemort reacted quickly, sending a spell that missed Harry by inches and tore a hole in the wall, showering him with debris.
Several men converged on the entry while others began to throw stunners in the same general direction as Voldemort had. In the resulting confusion, Harry ducked low and switched directions, heading directly across the cavern toward Niniane's archway and the safety of that inner chamber.
A jinx flew into his path, the purple light streaming just in front of his nose. Harry swerved, covering his face, and fell with a loud crash onto the rough, gritty cave floor. The pain from the abrasion on his arm was nothing to the fear of discovery that threatened to paralyze him again.
All wands flashed spells in his direction. A zinging sounded next to his ear, signaling a narrow miss. As he rolled to regain his feet, another spell scattered the gravel and dirt where he'd just lain. He was trapped in a web of spells. Calls of "Relashio!" "Impedimenta!" and "Stupefy!" rang out all around him.
Harry shouted, "ACCIO WANDS!"
Of course, many Death Eaters had enough acumen to protect their wands, but some watched helplessly as their only weapon flew through the air. Harry let them clatter on the ground around him and cast a Concealment Charm to hide them.
The action caused enough confusion for Harry to recast his Protego! Charm. A white light enveloped him as the torque around his neck added strength to the spell, but the magic and concentration that Harry needed to maintain the shield against so many assailants caused his Disillusionment Charm to finally fail.
Surrounded on all sides by the remaining hostile wands, Harry stood motionless as Voldemort joined the circle of Death Eaters. Eyes burning with a frenetic spark, he shouted, "Look what I found!" over a wave of fiendish laughter.
Fighting the pounding of his heart, Harry looked around. The crowd echoed Voldemort's sentiments with a few ecstatic shouts, but Harry noted that none of them joined in his laughter. Some of the wands pointed at him were obviously shaking, as though their owners were frightened.
Harry knew panicking wouldn't help him survive, neither would berating himself for his stupidity. He could hear Professor Moody's voice, telling him to take stock of the situation. There appeared to be about twenty Death Eaters forming a circle around him. Some sort of jinx or ward prevented Apparating. The Portkey in his pocket wasn't working, and neither was the Summons Stone. If Aurora could get here, she would have by now.
On the bright side, only two guards blocked the exit…and despite his obvious enthusiasm, Voldemort seemed to be restraining himself so far. The last time they'd met, Voldemort cast the Avada Kedavra! spell almost immediately. He could easily have killed him by now. Instead he seemed more interested in playing around, maybe because he had an audience.
Looking into the mask-like face, Harry wondered what evil plan was congealing within. Though the slitted eyes danced with excitement, Harry's scar didn't even twinge.
But there was no time to ponder what that might mean. Harry had no way to know when Rhys would arrive with help. His best chance was to distract the Death Eaters and try to break past the two guards.
Voldemort licked his lips and asked eagerly, "Was there ever any doubt we'd meet again, Potter?"
Harry ignored the question. Instead, he nodded toward the black ash stick in Voldemort's hand and asked, "New wand?"
Voldemort's only answer was a narrowing of his eyes, but one of the men behind him made a small gasp and whispered something too softly for Harry to catch.
"How long have you been using this cave?" Harry said, struggling to think of a topic interesting enough to keep a conversation going. "Are you quite sure you've explored all of it?"
Voldemort's face descended into a grotesque sneer. "I didn't bring you here for a chat. Make no mistake. I plan to kill you."
The figure beside him whispered, "But…we're only meant to--"
"I don't care! He's here with me now." Voldemort yanked the hood off the man who had spoken. Putting his face close, he spat, "I've got him."
The balding, gray haired man shrunk away with fear, but a short, rather stocky masked man standing behind Harry objected forcefully. In a thick foreign accent, he shouted, "But zee prophecy!"
Voldemort shrieked, "The prophecy must be wrong! He bleeds when you cut him, just like anyone else. Look at his arm!" Snatching the hood off the man on his left, he commanded, "Tell them."
The blood drained from Harry's head. Something in hisstomach twisted and he struggled not to faint as he saw who was standing before him. Rhys, his fencing instructor, stood among their ranks, wearing their uniform and avoiding Harry's gaze.
It could only mean one thing. Any hope of rescue was gone.
Voldemort poked Rhys' shoulder, and shrieked, "Speak up!"
Not caring to hear the answer, Harry let out a loud cry. Transfiguring his cloak pin back into his sword, he swung it before anyone had time to react. In that split second of fear, he'd decided. If no one could rescue him, he'd fight his way out of the cave, despite the odds--starting with his fencing instructor.
Surprised by Harry's sudden lunge, Rhys had no time to defend himself. The pulse of power that shot through the sword hit him directly in thechest and sent him flying across the cave where he lay motionless on the ground.
Without taking time to lament Rhys' fate, Harry continued to attack the men in black robes. He spun in a circle. With one sweeping blow, he cut down the two men behind him as they tried to move a step closer. Both men crumpled at Harry's feet. The blood flowing freely from their wounds was sickening, but Harry lifted the sword and faced his next attackers. He wasn't planning on shrinking away from this fight.
Adrenaline coursed through Harry as righteous vengeance filled his thoughts. Images of Sirius and his parents sprang to mind. He would do this for them, and to prevent others from suffering a similar fate. At least none of his friends--safe at Howarts--were at risk this time.
With a swift blast, another masked man flew backwards into one of the torches. Then Harry turned his sword toward Voldemort.
"A sword fight, Potter?" Voldemort's laugh was almost a chuckle. "Aren't you a wizard? I think we can do better than swor--"
Harry sent a warning bolt of magic through the sword, silencing Voldemort and forcing him to hastily conjure a shield. In response, several men stepped protectively in front of their master. They stood there, like particularly dense ninepins, watching the fight around them.
Two men came forward, grabbing for Harry's arms.
Harry kicked out to the left, catching one man in the knee. The man crumpled to the floor with a short cry. Swerving to the right, Harry planted his elbow in his other opponent's kidney.
Although he moved away quickly, someone caught up with Harry and grabbed his sword arm from behind, momentarily stopping him. A heavy stomp on the man's foot made him let go. Harry drove his sword hilt into the man's stomach with enough force to send the man to the ground, clutching his stomach and writhing in pain.
As if he suddenly remembered which end of the sword was pointy, Harry struck out at the next group of opponents with a series of thrusts. At the same time, he rained spells down on the men around him. He fought without thinking about what might come next. He was fighting for his life, what did it matter if he had to fight one man or twenty?
Their spells useless against Harry's torque, the Death Eaters backed up in confusion, trying to avoid his blade, yet they still managed to maintain the circle. One man conjured a shield, but was blasted onto his backside from the force of the spell. Before Harry could take advantage of this to escape the circle, more Death Eaters joined the ring.
Something about the reinforcements reminded Harry of the rejuvenation spell that Moody had used on the training dummies. Without pausing in his assault, Harry shouted, "Prostratio!" The spell sent two Death Eaters face down on the cave floor. As he leapt over them, he swung his sword to the right and his wand to the left.
The man to the right managed to avoid the sharp, cutting edge by falling back while the man on the left fell prey to Harry's Ossify Hex.
Now free of the circle, Harry didn't stop to gauge anyone's reaction. He was still badly outnumbered, but the power in the sword began to rush through him, making him feel stronger, almost invincible.
As if they felt the power emanating from Harry, the next wave of Death Eaters turned away, but still closed off his escape. Harry struck the man directly in his way, hitting him across his back with the sword. The stroke cut through the fabric of his robe and drew a long stripe of blood as the man dropped like a stone.
The olderbalding man who'd had the courage to argue with Voldemort earlier stepped forward to block Harry's path. Extending his wand, he yelled, "Stupefy!"
Harry sliced the man's wand in half as the red spell he'd sent bounced off his shield.
Although startled for a moment, the Death Eater grabbed a wand from the man next to him. He managed to say, "Relash…" before Harry cast, "Ossify!" turning the man to bone.
The protective glow of white light surrounding Harry grew more intense as more spells flew in his direction. Another quick sweep of his sword brought down the next Death Eater who stood in Harry's path toward the exit. Voldemort quickly sent back a stream of green light. Not wanting to find out what spell that was, Harry leapt aside.
Voldemort had so far mostly held back, seeming more curious than upset by Harry's offensive. Now his face lit with an unholy light. "Bring her in!" Voldemort shouted, smiling repulsively as if he were enjoying a game.
The black figures near the entryway parted to allow another group of men to drag a struggling and crying figure into the cave. They forced her to turn around and pulled her hood off.
"Ginny!" Harry cried. He froze, sword arm extended, and wand poised to cast another spell.
"Set your weapons down, or she's dead," Voldemort pronounced, moving easily to her side.
Ginny winced as Voldemort ran his bony finger down the side of her face, leaving a track of blood in its wake. Struggling against the two men squeezing her arms, she shouted, "Please, Harry! Do what they say!"
Harry dropped the sword to the cave floor with a loud clatter and concealed his wand, making it appear to vanish. "Just let her go!" he shouted, unable to take his eyes off her. His chest rose and fell heavily.
The sweaty faced Death Eater closest to Harry grabbed the sword eagerly, with a satisfied smile. Of course, that smile was quickly replaced by a contorted grimace, as the sword handle scalded his hand. He quickly dropped it and fell to his knees with a strangled cry.
Harry used the distraction to swiftly transfigure the sword back into a cloak pin and surreptitiously summon it back to his hand. In one quick movement, the sword was once again concealed in his robes.
No one commented on the disappearance of the sword, perhaps assuming that Harry had conjured it to begin with.
"And your wand!" Voldemort commanded, keeping his own wand trained on Ginny.
A knot of anger grew inside Harry as he watched Ginny recoil in terror from the two men holding her roughly. He pulled his wand from his pocket and threw it forcefully against cave wall. It broke cleanly in two as it hit. Holding his empty hands up for inspection, he glared at Voldemort and said, "There. Now let her go."
"No!" said Voldemort with a triumphant laugh. "You're a fool, Potter, just a trusting young fool. You believe everything you see."
His laugh sounded almost giddy. This time, the rest of the room broke out laughing too. Only a few of the Death Eaters in the circle remained standing after Harry's rampage with his sword, but they all joined in the strange joke. To Harry's surprise, Ginny laughed, too.
Stepping away from the men who'd been holding her, she grinned and said in a sing-song voice, "Please, Harry! Do what they say!"
Voldemort, laughing hideously, put his arm around her.
Maybe this was just a really bad dream. The cave had never been quite like this before. And if that wasn't Ginny, then maybe he was back in his bed at Hogwarts, trapped in some terrible nightmare. Yet it all felt real. The scrape on his arm oozing blood certainly stung like the real thing. The unconscious Death Eaters at his feet seemed genuine.
Harry watched numbly as "Ginny" morphed into yet another Death Eater with an amused grin on his face. This one was short, rather thin and dark. Blowing Harry a kiss, he joined the remaining rank and file. They were kicking aside the fallen to form a new circle.
A stunner bounced easily off his shield while Harry reviewed his options once again. The same two guards blocked the exit, but he didn't know how many more of them were outside. He wondered briefly what kind of illusion spell could make someone look just like Ginny. He'd never heard of one. It must be dark magic.
"His shield is holding…without his wand," said the balding man next to Voldemort, looking at his wristwatch.
Voldemort gave Harry an appraising look. Aiming his wand at Harry, his face became a mask of hate as he shouted, "Crucio!"
This time, Harry didn't fight back. Everything felt like it was in slow motion, as he stared at Voldemort's wand and intensified his shield. The spell bounced off and flew directly back toward Voldemort, who grabbed the man next to him and put him in the path of the spell. The unfortunate man fell to the ground, writhing in pain.
The laughter stopped as everyone gawked at the spectacle. Whether they were shocked that he could deflect one of the Unforgivable Curses, or they were just enjoying the show, Harry didn't want to know.
While the Death Eaters concentrated on the man in agony, Harry took his chance to float two of the large ceramic jars in the room over the heads of the guards near the entry. At the same time, he let them drop and recast the Disillusionment Charm on himself.
In the melee of his disappearance into thin air, he slipped between two of the Death Eaters circling him and ran toward the exit. One leap took him over the unconscious guards. But two steps into the narrow entrance, he was forced to turn back. Several more men blocked the narrow passageway to freedom. All of them wore their hoods close around their faces. They flanked a tall, authoritative figure dressed in severe black robes that seemed to absorb the light around him.
Harry backed into the cave and flattened himself against the wall. As he watched, these reinforcements made their way to Voldemort's side. His scar began to burn. The cat and mouse game must be getting to the dark wizard. He was growing tired of playing. Soon, he'd unleash his anger and that would be the end. Harry could feel a fountain of emotion bubbling up inside him, breaking through his mental defense, and filling him with a burning hatred that he knew was not his own. He struggled to restore his mental shield.
"Where is he?" asked the tall cloaked man, sounding dangerous.
"I…I," Voldemort began.
"Crucio!" the tall man said, almost lazily.
The figure of Voldemort fell to the ground writhing in pain. Harry watched in horror as the snake like illusion of Voldemort faded into the skeletal face of Bellatrix Lestrange. Her features twisted in agony as she screamed without restraint.
Harry's heart pounded in his ears. One illusion followed another in this nightmare. First someone masqueraded as Ginny, now the Voldemort he'd been confronting turned out to be Bellatrix. He looked over at the motionless figure of his fencing instructor, hoping to see those familiar features transformed back into some miserable Death Eater. But Rhys remained Rhys, only pale and deathly still.
"I've warned you about wasting my time, Bella. I've no interest in your games. I have many other matters to attend."
Her torment subsiding, Bellatrix muttered, "My Lord, he is here…hidden…but disarmed." She sat up shakily and pointed to the broken halves of Harry's wand against the cave wall.
The man crooked a spidery finger and the wooden pieces flew into his grasp. Waving one of the pieces, it squeaked and turned into a rubber mouse. He threw it down on top of Bellatrix without comment.
One of the Death Eaters stepped courageously forward, bowing low. "It's just as you said it would be, Master. Now that he's older, nothing can touch him. The more we attacked, the more powerful he grew. Something ancient protects him…" He continued in hushed tones, "Everything rebounded…even the Cruciatus Curse…and…and I think he may have killed the Welshman." He looked hesitantly over toward Rhys.
"We shall see," said the tall man in a high cold voice.
Even though the man's hood was still hiding his face, Harry was certain this truly was Voldemort. A sparkling smoky gray wind emanated from him, traveling in an ever-widening circle outward from the evil wizard, briefly lighting everything in its path.
Harry knew that when it reached him, he'd be discovered…and no matter what they thought, not everything would bounce off him. The exit was blocked by the new arrivals. He had no way of knowing how many more were outside. Frantically, he tried to Apparate, but it was no use.
Across the room, he saw the ghostly figure of Niniane appear briefly in the curiously open archway to the other room. She was in the shadows, but her ethereal appearance seemed to beckon to him.
It dawned on Harry that if he could reach the rooms below, he might be able to Apparate from there. He'd done it before. Hopefully, no one would be able to follow. Ron couldn't get through that arch — of course, it hadn't stood wide open back then.
He had only seconds to make up his mind. Avoiding the swift path of Voldemort's sparkly whirlwind, Harry reached the archway without anyone seeming to notice. Once safely inside and out of sight of the dark wizards in the outer room, Harry revealed himself.
Niniane smiled her greeting and held her fingers to her lips in the timeless signal for quiet. She pointed toward a new arched opening on the far side of the room.
Harry waved his hand at the wall concealing the route to the kitchens and storerooms, the one she'd shown him before.
She shook her head. Floating through the new arch, she looked back at him expectantly, a beautiful, hopeful smile on her face.
Harry followed.
On the other side of the arch was a passageway that led up in a spiral of rough-hewn stairs. Harry'd never seen anything like the stone in these walls. As they began their ascent, the walls were veined with a white stone. The fingers of white grew thicker and more translucent as they reached the top of the stairway.
Harry ran up the stairs after Niniane, toward the light high above him, away from the dark, evil men searching for him in the main part of the cave. With every step, his hope grew. He struggled to keep up with her. She floated so effortlessly in front of him.
At the very top, another archway led into a brilliantly lit cave. The walls were made of a beautiful translucent stone — pure quartz or something, Harry guessed. Niniane turned and waited for him.
Harry hurried into the room and joined her, struggling to catch his breath. Although he figured this could only be a momentary reprieve, Harry leaned his head against the cool wall and let go of some of the tension he was feeling. "Thanks…I don't know how long it would have been before they found me."
"You know I'd do anything to be with you," Niniane answered sweetly. "And now there'll be nothing to stop us." She looked at him serenely, a smile gracing her beautiful face.
Confused, Harry said between gasps, "I…I'm sure it will be…er…nice to visit with you."
"What about visiting with me?" asked Voldemort as he appeared, all alone, in the entrance.
Scar burning, Harry spun around. As far as he could see, they were the only occupants of this part of the cave. Perhaps the others couldn't pass through the arch to Niniane's room.
"What. Is. This. Place?" Harry asked Niniane in slow deliberate syllables.
Ignoring the question, Voldemort stayed on the threshold, and said, "You've been a thorn in my side too long, Harry Potter."
Despite feeling rather dizzy, Harry's mental shield held. He wasn't prepared, but if the final confrontation had arrived, he was determined to do whatever he could. Mustering all his resolve, Harry shouted, "Why don't we just finish this!"
With a derisive grin, Voldemort answered, "I have my own plan. Thanks to your stupid heroics at the Department of Mysteries, we'll never know what the entire prophecy said, but I can deduce the rest."
Harry didn't want to think about what Voldemort's plan might be. Neither could he see any hope of getting past the evil wizard. Frustrated, Harry shouted, "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Don't you?" Voldemort asked.
Suddenly worried that Voldemort planned to possess him in order to find out the rest of the prophecy, Harry redoubled his mental defenses. The pain in his scar subsided. One fact seemed clear. The only thing keeping him alive at this moment was some sort of misinterpretation of the prophecy.
"Don't bother to lie," Voldemort spat out at him. "The old man gave me the hint I needed. 'There are some things worse than death. That's your weakness.' Ha…he thought I wouldn't figure it out, but he started me thinking of ways to be rid of you…something worse than death."
A quick glance around the cave, verified that the only way out was through the archway. Short of some supernatural occurrence, Harry couldn't see any alternative to fighting, but as long as Voldemort kept talking, Harry had a chance to think of something else.
Happily, Voldemort seemed bent on a lengthy explanation. "They say you can't be killed. I started to wonder if they were right. Every time I try, something or someone intervenes." His flat nostrils flared angrily, but he continued speaking without taking a breath. "Even when you were a helpless child, the spell backfired. My interest in killing you played right into the power you were prophesied to possess…it tore me from my body and left me in limbo…I don't even know what existence that was, somewhere between life and death. Dumbledore's words reminded me…I decided to find a way for you to experience something similar."
Looking into the narrow slits of Voldemort's eyes, Harry realized with a sinking heart that the evil creature believed every word of his confused rant. Part of him knew that he should be glad that Voldemort really had come to the conclusion that he couldn't be killed--maybe that meant he'd stop trying--but he was overwhelmed with the feeling that he wouldn't like the alternative any better.
Voldemort seemed to be enjoying himself. He folded his arms and continued speaking in a smug tone. "A clever ploy on Dumbledore's part…using a mother to arm an innocent baby with such incredible defenses that anyone who attacked would be destroyed. And who knows what other ancient charms the old man cast...it all became clear after the Department of Mysteries. He wouldn't attack me when I possessed you that night, because he knew that any spell he cast would backfire."
Voldemort's smile split his face like a gash. "But it doesn't matter anymore…I found a different way to free the world from the influence of Harry Potter. Once I've finished sealing this opening, you'll be trapped in here for the rest of your days." His tongue darted out as he licked his lips in satisfaction. "It's really quite generous of me when you think about it. To spare your life and give you such a pretty tomb."
That was enough for Harry. In desperation, he transfigured his sword and lashed out at Voldemort. Harry ran toward archway, holding the sword over his head, planning to wipe that evil smile off that pasty face once and for all. If he couldn't stun him, maybe he could run him through or knock him down the stairwell or something.
Unfortunately, he found Voldemort was already out of reach. When he drew close to the archway, Harry could see that some sort of gauzy white netting covered the opening. As though invisible spiders were carefully spinning a web, gossamer thin strands already covered every inch of the exit.
Harry's blade was useless against the weaving. The same sword that had cleaved heavy wooden doors from across the practice room simply glanced off the surface with a mysterious clang.
Safe on the other side, Voldemort continued to talk wildly. "You're never going to leave, Potter. Whatever enchantments your mother placed on you…or that old fool Dumbledore. None of it matters. You're trapped. Merlin couldn't get out of this cave. What hope do you have?"
Completely panicking, Harry tried to drop the barriers in his mind. He tried to use his scar connection to enter the dark wizard's mind, but it was too late. He could feel nothing. Sweat poured down his face from the effort.
Perhaps the enchanted barrier that continued to interlace itself across the archway was blocking the connection. He watched horrified as the weave grew tighter and thicker. Soon he wouldn't be able to see anything on the other side.
In a last reckless effort, he lashed out verbally. "Dumbledore was just trying to tell you that you've wasted your life. You've spent all your time avoiding death. That's not living. Your miserable existence is the fate far worse than death. If you live a thousand years, you'll still be as pathetic and empty as you are now."
"You'll have a fine life, Potter, with a ghost for your only company." Voldemort glowered with satisfaction. "While I'll have the entire wizarding world bowing at my feet."
"And when you finally die, no one will mourn! In fact, they'll probably cheer in the streets…" Harry thought he saw a flicker of hate pass over Voldemort's features as he added, "They did the last time."
For a moment,his taunts seemed to have an effect, maybe enoughto make Voldemort tear down the covering and come after him. Harry welcomed the thought. At least then he'd have a fighting chance. His hands gripped his sword.
But the weaving continued to tighten, and Voldemort grew visibly calmer.
Overwhelmed with the desire to wipe that smug look off the monstrous face in front of him, Harry dispensed with all caution and screamed, "I KNOW THE PROPHECY!" Voldemort's eyes narrowed, but he appeared unshaken as Harry continued to yell, "I HEARD THE WHOLE THING! AND YOU HAVE IT ALL WRONG!
If that caused Voldemort any concern, he didn't show it. "It no longer matters what the prophecy said. Any way you want look at it, I'm rid of the Potter problem as soon as this spell is complete." A small smile distorted his features as he directed his attention to the ghost of Niniane behind Harry. "What were the words you used to bind Merlin inside? Ah yes…I mewn chrau ydy chryfder!" As he spoke, he opened the stopper on a small vial and sprayed the contents across the gauze.
It started with a few drops, then rapidly spread, turning the pale weaving to a deep blood red. When it seemed to have reached everywhere, the covering changed again into a milky white stone that matched the walls.
If Voldemort continued to speak on the other side of the barrier, Harry could no longer hear him. He turned toward Niniane who was standing where he'd left her, seeming unconcerned about his fate. He strode toward her, shouting at the top of his lungs. "You…you helped him do this!" Harry uselessly slashed his sword through the air, and glared at her. "You showed him this place and told him how to trap me!"
Her lower lip quivering, Niniane said, "I…I only wanted to keep you with me…he said he could help."
She threw herself down and cried. Harry watched her sobbing, and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. A tumbled riot of emotions rushed through him. It was all too much. Voldemort and Bellatrix. The fight. Ginny, and yet…not Ginny. Rhys' betrayal. He dropped his sword with a clatter and sank to the floor next to Niniane's prostrate body. Harry buried his face in his lap and hugged his knees.
They stayed that way for a while. Harry kept his eyes shut tight and listened to Niniane's miserable crying. He knew how she felt. From what he'd pieced together about her life, things had a way of falling apart, not unlike his own.
It occurred to him that along with being one of the main reasons he was trapped here, she might be his only companion for quite some time. That thought was followed swiftly by a sudden fear that she would vanish. Harry patted the space where her shoulder should have been in what he hoped was a soothing way. "We'll think of something." The ghost felt icy cold and he had to be careful or his fingers slipped right through. Whether it was to her or to himself, he added, "It'll all get sorted properly…in the end."
Sitting up straight to look around the empty cave, Harry thought that Voldemort was right about one thing; the cave was beautiful. A radiant light suffused the crystal white walls as though the stone itself was magical. The cave floor was uneven and littered with pieces of the same translucent white stone, some the size of a fist, projecting upward as though growing together in a cluster. Beautiful, but cold.
Part of him was overwhelmed with relief that neither Voldemort nor his minions had killed him outright. They hadn't even been able to penetrate his shield. Except for the lump on his head and the abrasion on his arm, he was unhurt. He knew he should be cursing his fate, but he was exhausted, and he just couldn't bring himself to believe he was trapped forever.
There had to be a way out.
Niniane stopped crying long enough to peek at him. Seeing that Harry was no longer shouting, she floated to a sitting position beside him.
Harry forced himself to smile at her. For now, he'd have to find a way to gain her sympathy, and possibly enlist her aide. She held the power of life and death over him for she knew the secrets of this cave.
As the night grew darker, so darkened Ginny's mood. She threw her charmed mirror down on her bed in disgust. She'd been trying to call Harry for ages, without any success. She'd seen him at the D.A. meeting, but that had been hours ago. As far as she knew, Harry'd never returned to Gryffindor. It just wasn't like him not to mirror call her before he turned in for the night. And he'd never refused to answer her before.
Pulling back the curtain on her four poster bed, she peered around. A patch of moonlight shone across the center of room, casting her sleeping roommates in shadow. Deciding that none of them would notice, she slipped quietly out of bed. She was still dressed, but she wrapped up in her dressing gown anyway. It wouldn't do for anyone to suspect she'd been out carousing in the middle of the night.
A few moments of rummaging in her trunk yielded Harry's Invisibility Cloak and her favorite pair of thick socks. The stone floors of the castle were cold and she didn't know where her search would lead her. She tied her shoes without magic and straightened up, yawning broadly, just in case anyone was watching. As an afterthought, she grabbed the little mirror and slipped it into her pocket.
Deciding she didn't want to go barging into Harry's dorm at this hour alone, Ginny first tiptoed into Hermione's dorm down the hall. Parvati and Lavender were sleeping soundly, but there was no sign of her friend.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips. Harry was probably just busy studying with Hermione and Ron. She vaguely remembered someone mentioning an upcoming Transfiguration test. Or was it Charms? Just to be sure, she ran toward the common room expectantly, forgetting that she was still wearing the Invisibility Cloak.
As she sailed down the flight of stairs, she heard someone speaking in a husky voice.
"Ah…that's…oh…"
Ginny didn't catch the answer. Instead, she let out an involuntary squeak as she reached the bottom of the stairs and saw Ron and Hermione entirely too close to one another on the sofa in front of the hearth.
They jumped apart when they heard her. "Who's there?" asked Ron, brandishing his wand.
Hermione stood and busily smoothed her robes and hair. Tilting her head to one side, she gently moved Ron's wand hand lower. "Careful, Ron. It's probably just some first year, out of bed in search of a glass of water." Patiently collecting the scattered books on the floor around the sofa, she asked, "Remember Tommy Paxton last week?"
Ron stood beside her and grinned. "Oh…I remember last week really well."
Hermione rolled her eyes, but she dropped her book bag and slipped her hands around Ron's neck. Reaching up, she said, "Then you should remem…"
Clearing her throat to announce her presence, Ginny said, "I don't want to remember. Thank you very much." She pulled off the Invisibility Cloak. The common room clock chimed one a.m.
Clearly miffed at the sudden appearance of his baby sister, Ron said, "And what are you up to then? It…it's well past time for you to be asleep."
Hands on her hips, Ginny's mouth set into a hard line. "And what's you're excuse? Ew…don't tell me. It's bad enough I walked in on you two doing…whatever you were doing."
"Out of bed…at one o'clock in the morning…wearing your boyfriend's Invisibility Cloak…Where is Harry?" His face reddening, Ron looked like he was just getting warmed up to lecture, but his sister's response took the wind out of his sails.
Ron's mention of Harry reminded Ginny of why she was out of bed. Blinking, she said, "That's just it…Harry's missing. He doesn't answer his mirror." She pulled it out of her pocket and asked, "Have either of you seen him since the D.A. meeting tonight?"
With a puzzled expression, Ron looked at Hermione, then nodded. "I'll check his bed." Brushing past his sister, he added, "You wait here."
Rolling her eyes, Ginny said, "That's right, Ron. Can't let me near the boy's dorm…especially this time of night. Who knows what would happen?"
With a smile that Ginny thought was a little patronizing, Hermione said "We…that is, Ron and I were out late with prefect rounds. And didn't you go to the library with your Luna? Harry's probably sound asleep in his bed."
Realizing that she must seem like a foolish alarmist, Ginny tried to cover by shrugging and changing the subject. "So…you must know the castle fairly well by now. Since you go on those prefect rounds almost every night."
Before she could answer, Ron returned, looking worried. "Harry's bed hasn't been slept in. His…" He paused and glanced at his sister before continuing. "His pajamas haven't been touched. Did you know that Dobby washes and irons Harry's pajamas every day? We never even see Dobby, but there they are…laid out perfectly…every evening…and his clothes in the morning. That's devotion isn't it? To think that -- "
"Ron!" Hermione interrupted. "We have a problem here."
Ginny pleaded with him. "Go get Harry's map. You must know where he keeps it."
At her brother's sleepy look, Ginny answered, "Fine." She swung Harry's cloak back on and began walking toward the stairs leading to the boys' dorms.
Ron caught up with her, accidentally tripping into her, and knocking them both off balance. She grabbed the railing and pulled the hood down to show her face. "Ron!"
"Shh…honestly…why are you shouting?" Ron asked as he climbed up the stairs past her. "Give me a moment…I do know where the map is. Wait with Hermione. We'll look for him together…I'm just as worried as you."
Walking over to the stairs, Hermione said, "He's right. We better stay together. If something has happened to Harry." She paused and patted Ginny's hand. "Well…I've been reading up on tracking spells ever since Draco escaped. We might find one of them useful. If he's fallen into some sort of trap…we…" She stopped speaking and gave Ginny a worried look.
Turning toward her friend, Ginny said, "Thanks…I knew you'd help."
Making no effort to be quiet, Ron waved the Marauder's Map as he clambered back down the stairs. "He's not in the castle."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked, grabbing the proffered map and searching for herself.
Ginny leaned over her shoulder and scanned the little dots on the map. Now that she had proof he was missing, she didn't want to believe it. "Maybe…maybe he fell asleep in the library wearing a Disillusionment Charm."
Her brown curls bouncing, Hermione shook her head vigorously. "No…that can't be right. The map never lies…and it can't be tricked like that." She handed it back to Ron.
Her forehead furrowed in concentration, Hermione pulled her wand and uttered the most powerful tracking spell she'd found in recent weeks, the one that pointed away from the castle towards the southeast whenever she used it on Draco Malfoy.
Ignoring the feeling of her heart pounding in her throat, Ginny watched as Hermione's wand pointed southeast once again.
"That means nothing," Ron said, seeming flustered. "Are you sure that spell really works? Maybe it just points the same direction all the time."
Hermione said quietly, "I think it's time to wake up Professor McGonagall."
A few short minutes later, all three of them followed their head of house up the stairs toward the Headmaster's office. Even before they reached the top, they could hear it, a sound so poignantly beautiful that it filled you up inside, conjuring hope and strength of purpose where there had only been despair. Ginny had heard it before, in the Chamber of Secrets, when Fawkes had come to Harry's aide and again in the woods with Aurora.
As they rounded the corner, she could see that it was Harry's phoenix, flying around the room rafters, singing loudly and occasionally stopping, suspended in midair next to Dumbledore.
Slipping under McGonagall's arm, Ginny hurried toward the bright gold and red bird. "She must know where he is!" Shouting excitedly, she called to the bird, reaching up as if to grab her tail feathers.
The bird dove toward Ginny, but Ron pulled his sister away, pinning her arms to her side and shielding her from the phoenix. "No…Ginny. You can't chase after Harry in the dead of night. He could be in danger."
Ginny shouted, "Exactly!" but the sound was muffled against Ron's chest. She struggled against her much largerolder brother, not so subtly trying to reach into her dressing gown pocket for her wand.
"Your brother is quite correct, Miss Weasley." Dumbledore rose from his seat. "Mr. Potter could be anywhere. Until we find out precisely where his phoenix wants to take us, we'd best gather some more information about his situation. But take heart…if Mr. Potter's phoenix is here, trying to enlist our assistance, then we can be sure that he is, in fact, alive."
"Ha…didn't even know he was missing," Ginny muttered, not caring about how rude she sounded or even if what she said was true. Ron's death grip was really annoying. She would make her brother sorry for this. For now, she stopped struggling and gave Ron a warning glare.
Ron didn't acknowledge the look, nor did he remove his arms. Instead, he held tight and kept a wary eye on the phoenix overhead.
The fireplace flared and Lupin, Shacklebolt and Tonks stepped through.
"Ah…here they are," Dumbledore said with infuriating calm. "Thank you for joining us. I fear we've no time to lose."
To Be Continued…
A/N: I wanted to take a moment to congratulate those readers who had Rhys down as a potential Death Eater. Well done, you!
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Sabine Strohem-Moss: At least they tried to get the torch to work. Something good could still come of their experiment. Sorry about the cliffhanger in the last chapter. In my defense, I could have ended this chapter in a couple of places that would have been far worse cliffhangers. Thanks for writing!
Harrie: I loved the 'Old Moldie boy' comment. He was actually fairly restrained in this chapter, lucky for Harry. Despite appearing calm to Ginny, Dumbledore is upset — and it's only going to get worse as the rest of Moldie's plan unfolds. How's that for a teaser? Thanks for your review!
Ted M. Hammett: Rhys has shown his hand now…or has he? grins evily Thanks for reviewing!
Eyes of sky: I know exactly what you meant by wandering, but I just can't seem to stop myself. Sometimes it seems like the only way to work in all the clues without making them seem like clues. Does that make sense? I tried to move forward to the action in the cave. Thanks for reviewing!
wvchemteach: Hope you found the ending here just as evil as in the last chapter! Rhys has been acting strange. Now we sort of know why. While it's believable for Dumbledore not to tell the children in his care about all of his plans, it does lead to trouble. Maybe in book six, he'll keep Harry informed. Thanks for your review!
Nimbirosa: At least Harry tried telling Ginny where he was going, not that she's likely to figure that out any time soon. Thanks for writing a review!
Iluvatar: Thanks!
mysticruby: Thanks, I hope you continue to enjoy the story!
Lady of the Dragons2: Thanks for reviewing! This chapter had even more evil in it, but not such a cliffhanger ending. Harry's not the only one that Dumbledore keeps in the dark.
Insanity-of-the-owl: At least he didn't die. Thanks for your review!
rosepetal13: Bella was just playing some insane game until the real Voldemort showed up. Thanks for writing!
Lioness Blackfire: Thanks for your reviews! You're very kind. I'm so glad you liked the story so far. Up until 5 a.m. reading…I do that all the time, too. I loved reading your ideas and theories. No more worries about Snape, he survived this time. I also have a soft spot for Draco, but as for redeeming him, I'm not that sure. He makes such a great bad boy! The answer to your question is no. However, the tanglewood tree experiment did accomplish something. It might not be too obvious right now. At least, I hope it isn't.
Mrs. Sakura Potter: I agree, Hermione was rude to say that about Harry. It's not really a weakness, but it is an easy trait to exploit. From what Harry's seen in this story, he had no reason to suspect Rhys. Dumbledore trusts him. Thanks for writing!
Enter The Lion: I agree that, in the books, Harry has so far been too consumed by confrontations with scary people to think much about romance. I'm also sure the real conflict with Voldemort will be very different from the one in this chapter. However, I'm convinced JKR will develop Ginny's character into a romantic figure for Harry eventually. If not book six, then maybe book seven…possibly during the train ride home.As fun as it is to speculate in fanfiction, we'll find out the real story next July! Thanks for reviewing!
GryffRavHuffSlythendor: Thanks! 'Tis evil…and more evil this way comes!
Sara: Thanks for saying all those nice things! I agree that JKR is developing the Harry and Ginny relationship along the same lines as James and Lily. Was your theory about the cave right? If so, it's not that stupid, is it?
Lady of Masbolle: Thanks for the book recommendation! I haven't read the "Mists…" book you mentioned, but it's now on my list. I liked your keyword idea! And among your other suggestions is the one that's been in the storyboard for a long time now. It's fun when that happens. You'll know it when you read it.
DeadSerenity: I'm so sorry about the cliffhanger last chapter. Thanks for saying the story is improving. I'm still learning so there are plenty of rough patches. Five hours…yes, it was incentive for me. Then the holidays hit…Thanks for writing!
cariluv: Oh, there's more. I appreciate you asking. Thanks for reviewing!
sarah: Thanks for your review! Sorry to be slow posting. None of my excuses are any good.
Jastul: Sorry to be slow. Thanks for your reviewing!
spike blade: Thanks! I will.
KandiG86: Thanks for your review! Aurora has always been a bit unpredictable, but this time it wasn't her fault. In my mind, Ginny and Harry are both the sort who act first and think later…especially Harry.
time/pyscho: Thanks for writing a review!
Jessa: Thanks, I appreciate it!
alexi: That was a very nice thing to say. Thanks!
Harry9970: There…at least now you know Snape wasn't helping Draco. The rest of the Snape/Draco sidestory has been moved to another chapter. Thanks for reviewing!
DysfuntionalPunkrocker: Thanks! I appreciate you saying that. And…that's how I feel about writing reviews sometimes so I thank you for writing anyway.
Silver Warrior: Harry's even further from escaping now, but not all hope is lost. Not yet anyway. Thanks for your review!
totally stellar: I hope you liked the fight. Thanks for reviewing!
OCDbouHarry1234: Thanks! I will update soon.
Lozenger-14-44: Yes, there are more chapters. Thanks for asking. Thanks for writing a review!
john menefee 21: Thanks for saying that!
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review!