The Final Hours

Chapter Two

Warning: This chapter contains scenes of violence and coarse language. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

Harry

Harry awoke with a start once more. He was still hugging his knees, cowering in a corner. He looked down at his knees, and saw that his torn jeans were soaked with his tears. He then realized that he must have cried himself to sleep. Feeling dizzy, Harry stood up and walked to the other side of the dungeon, where the water was dripping constantly. He walked over to the place where the water dripped, and opened his mouth.

As the water touched his tongue, Harry retched, but didn't throw up. The water tasted like it had been sitting there for years, and had even developed mold. He cried out in frustration – he was so thirsty – and threw himself back onto the floor, in a sobbing fit. Harry, pull yourself together! He scolded himself. If Voldemort was watching, he didn't want him to see him like this. Not the famous Harry Potter, sobbing uncontrollably on the floor. Harry wiped away his tears, and turned over on his back. He was in so much pain from where the jinx had hit him, that his whole chest was going numb.

Harry seemed to have drifted into an uneasy sleep, when he heard a door being opened. That's impossible, Harry thought to himself, I must be dreaming it – I don't remember there being a door. He opened his eyes, and looked around. A section of wall had opened, and a death eater stepped out of it.

"On your feet, boy!" The death eater snapped. Harry couldn't tell who it was, but he obeyed anyways. The death eater came over to him, and bound his hands together with a jinx. He then led Harry out of the dungeon, and the door slid shut behind them. Two more death eaters were waiting outside the doorway for them, and they followed them.

After what seemed like they had been walking for 5 minutes, they came to a stop in front of another doorway. The first death eater went inside, and reappeared shortly afterwards. The faint outline of a girl with bushy hair came out of the room, and once the door slid shut, Harry realized it was Hermione.

"H-Harry!" Hermione sobbed. She threw her arms around him and hugged him. Harry tried to hug her back, but the bounds that were around his hands cut deeply into his wrists. "I thought they had killed you for sure!"

"Hermione, was Ron in there with you?" Harry asked her, weakly. She released him and shook her head solemnly. The death eaters then bound her hands behind her, and led the two of them towards a dimly lit chamber, where Harry was sure that Voldemort was waiting for them. A faint hissing noise was heard from inside the room, and from the corner of his eye, Harry saw Hermione shiver.

They walked through the doorway to the room, and saw 5 posts sticking up from the ground. Three of them looked like they had bodies tied to them, and Harry's heart gave a leap. Once they got close enough to see them clearly, Harry saw Ron, Ginny and Neville tied to the posts, with their heads hanging. Hermione sobbed, and Ron's head jerked up, and looked towards them.

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked, and she ran through the death eaters and planted her lips on his in a kiss. Harry could hear both of them sobbing, and heard the soft murmur of Ginny, who was also crying.

The death eaters grabbed Hermione, and pulled her away from Ron. One of them pointed their wand at her and said: "Crucio!"

Hermione screamed, and fell over onto the floor. She panted deeply, and sobbed. Tears streamed down Ron's face, each of them twinkling in the soft candlelight. The death eaters picked up Hermione, and tied her to the post beside Ron. They looked at each other, both of them sobbing, and Harry found himself starting to cry. The death eaters came and tied him up to the post beside Hermione, and he looked down, determined not to look Voldemort in the face.

Harry heard another loud hissing noise that sounded close to him. He heard Ginny scream, and knew instantly that it was the Dark Lord. Harry filled with anger, and he looked towards the noise, determined to spit in his face.

"Voldemort!" Harry bellowed, "Why the fuck are you doing this to us? What use could we possibly have for you?"

Voldemort hissed again, and Harry saw a hooded figure step out from the shadows, his long fingers pointing directly at Harry. "The only use I have for you, Harry Potter, is to watch you suffer. I have little need for your friends."

"Then let them go," Harry said through gritted teeth, "If you have no use for them, let them go."

"You know I wont do that, Potter."

"Why? Why must you be so evil? What have these four ever done to you?"

"Why, you know exactly what they've done to me, Potter, and they're here for payback."

Voldemort strode over to Ginny, and caressed her face with his long, pale fingers. He put his finger under her chin, and lifted her head up to look into his eyes. She whimpered, and tried to look away.

"Come to think of it, Potter, I do have some use for your friends. Starting with this one. CRUCIO!"

Ginny shrieked, and started to twitch. Ron yelled, and Hermione sobbed. Harry had to turn away, Ginny's yells still echoed off the walls. It seemed like Ginny had been screaming for 10 minutes, when Voldemort finally stopped. Her head fell limply forward, and she seemed dead.

"Voldemort, you BASTARD!" Ron bellowed. He ripped his hand apart, and ran towards Voldemort. Before Voldemort could do anything, Ron was on top of him, punching him over and over. The death eaters swarmed around them, and all yelled out different curses. Ron went flying towards the wall, and hit it with a horrible thud. Harry's stomach turned, and he looked away. He heard Ron slide down and hit the ground, and a tear fell down Harry's cheek.

"RON!" Hermione sobbed, and she started screaming. Sobbing uncontrollably, she kicked her legs, and swung her head around. She too ripped her hands apart, and began running towards the mangled body of Ron. The death eaters grabbed her, and started to drag her towards her post.

"Put them in their cells," Voldemort ordered, "Leave Mr. Weasley."

The death eaters obeyed, and started to make their way towards them. Ginny stirred as the death eaters untied her, but she didn't regain consciousness. As they were untying Harry, he glanced towards to Ron. Hermione was still screaming in the distance, and Harry felt a pang of fear – What if Ron was actually dead?

A/N: .there's the next chapter for ya. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review!