Chapter 4: Journey to DARK AVENUE
Harry ran downstairs to open the door and greet his rescuer. As he opened the door no other person than his mosthated Hogwartsteacher, Professor Snape was standing in front of the door. Before Harry could even think of anything to say, Snape said: "Potter, you´ve got to come with me and no protestations, if you please. Professor Dumbledore has told me to take you to a place and teach you Occlumency for the last two weeks of your summerholidays."
"Alright, I´ll get my things and come with you". Harry thought it´d be better not to say anything. Upstairs in his room, Harry considered whether the Dursleys or Snape was worse. He decided, that he had enough of Muggles and would prefer being back in the magic world, even if it meant to be accompanied by Snape.
Harry went downstairs and brought all his things down. He looked at Snape, who´s eyes were full of hatred whenever they saw Harry, and was wondering how they were getting there. With a tab of his wand, Professor Snape made Harry´s broom and trunk vanish into thin air.
"Let´s go now Potter. and no questions until we are somewhere secret and safe!" Harry, who had just opened his mouth to say something, quickly shut it again and remained silent. An argument with Snape was the last thing he needed now.
Suddenly Snape pointed his wand at Harry and before the boy knew what was happening to him, Snape transformed him into a fox. Snape transformed too and they both ran through the open door.
Harry didn´t know which feeling was more important at the moment, fear or excitement. Also, the sight of Snape pointing a wand at him was frightening, Harry was keen to know where they were going and he had no choice but to follow his Potionsmaster. For several hours, Snape was running in front of Harry. It was a strange feeling to run with four paws and to follow a fox. Suddenly, Snape stopped in the clearing of a forest. Harry took a look-around and sat down on the earth. Snape transformed back into human shape. He didn´t transform Harry back immediately. Harry was very angry and wanted to shout at his teacher, but he only let out barks and no words. Snape took a small bottle out of his robes and told Harry to drink it. The potion had a disgusting smell but tasted like water and Harry was human again.
"Now, Potter. we are not going to Grimmauld Place, but into the Dark Avenue!"
"That sounds like a place full of Dark Wizards to me."
"Indeed, you´re right", said Snape with a broad grin on his face. "There really are many wizards fancying the Dark Arts."
"But why would Dumbledore sent us into such a dangerous place?" Harry didn´t understand what was going on.
A nasty smile appeared on Snape´s face: " Potter! Don´t you notice how silly you appear to me? What a foolish question! The Dark Lord is looking for you. He wants nothing more to see you dead and obviously he doesn´t expect you to stay in a place full of Dark Wizards and at least in the house of one of his Death Eaters." Harry began to understand. Dumbledore had used a very simple trick to keep Voldemort away from Harry. While he was wondering how their journey to Dark Avenue would continue, Snape had somehow summoned a nice dinner for the two of them.
After eating, Snape told Harry that they would travel through through the Underworld. "What´s the Underworld, Sir?" "It is a secret place only used by Dark Wizards. A long time ago, this place was built, so that we could travel secretely and without being noticed by Aurors. I´ll give you a cloak and I want you to keep your face hidden all the time. If anyone recognises you, we are both in great danger." Harry got the cloak and did as Snape had told him to do.
"But, Professor. Where´s the entrance?" "You´re sitting on it." Harry quickly stepped aside and noticed that a trapdoor had appeared out of nowhere into the forest ground. Snape opened it and they saw a ladder leading into darkness. Snape climbed down first, but Harry quickly followed. The deeper they were climbing, there warmer it got. They were reaching the ground, but Harry didn´t want to believe what he saw there, twenty feet under the surface of the earth. Dumbledore couldn´t have chosen a more dangerous road to travel.
There was a large river, but there was no water flowing in there, but gleeming red and yellow lava. On this river were boats and it was impossible to tell which material the boats were made of, because normally they would have melted and disappeared in the river. These boats were gliding smoothly on the river as if it was made of water.
Harry and Snape took seats in one of the boats which was guided by a hooked man. Harry hid his face as good as possible and wondered if their guide was human or some odd creature. The man reminded him of a Dementor, but the Dementors always made him feel icy cold and very sad, but this Lavariver was hot. On both sides of the river and on the ceiling, Harry saw giant bats and other indescribable beings. The hooded man said :"Quiet now, we don´t want to wake the beasts." But the beasts didn't seem to notice any of the boats.
Suddenly, the hooded man started speaking again: "Well Mr.s. I´d like to know who you two are. I am Godfried and I have been working all my life here. I like this place very much, it is like a home to me." "We don´t want to be recognised. We are here on a secret mission for the Dark Lord. He wants us to find Harry Potter and bring him to the Lord," Harry didn´t see his teacher´s face but knew his voice. "Oh, yes! We all want to see Harry Potter dead! Let´s hope he does not destroy the Dark Lord anymore!" Snape said: "And now, be quiet, we want to rest!" "Of course, sir." And Godfried said no more.
Harry was surprised how well informed the Dark wizards seemed to be about Voldemort´s return and about his plan in killing Harry. Time past by and suddenly the hot reddish river ended into black solid stone.
Harry and Snape climbed off the boat and walked side by side along the lefthand shore. They had to climb stony ways which seemed to go on for eternity. Finally, after a couple of hours, the way ended and they were standing in front of a dark, long, black and smooth slide.
"Ready for the last part of the journey, Potter?"
Harry just nodded and waited for Snape to tell him what to do now, but Snape was sitting on his bottom and glided down the stone slide. Without thinking, Harry followed his teacher down the slide. The slide was very hard and after several moments, every single bone in Harry´s body was aching. There were many turns and loopings.
The slide took a sudden end which Harry wasn´t prepared to and so he landed face down on the ground. He tasted blood and knew his nose was bleeding and his glasses were once more broken. He took out his want, muttered "Reparo" and the glasses fixed themselves immediately.
Snape graped the end of Harry´s cloak and roughly helped him to his feet. Harry was all sweaty and covered in dirt. He felt very tired and was looking forward to the end of this journey. Harry saw a big black gate in front of him. Snape touched it softly and the gate opened. They walked through it and arrived on a big dark road.
"Welcome to Dark Avenue, Potter!" Harry was astonished by the sudden friendliness fo his most hated teacher. But as Snape had walked on, Harry had to run to catch up with him.
After a short while, they were standing in front of a big dark house. Snape knocked on the door and none other than Ron Weasly, Harry´s best friend appeared.
"Heya Harry!! How was your journey? Why are you so dirty? Didn´t you come here by Portkey?"
"Well.no. We went throught the Underworld. I didn´t know there was another way to come here!"
"Through the Underworld? Cool! Tell me everything!" said Ron excitedly.
"Wait a minute.!"
Harry turned towards Snape and glared furiously at him.
"Why didn´t we come here by Portkey?"
"Oh, I must have forgotten to mention there are easier ways in travelling to Dark Avenue. I am so sorry that you had such a hard an miserable journey, if only I hadn´t forgotten about Portkeys! But, anyway, you didn´t ask for an easier way. But still I feel so ashamed!", said Snape sarcastically with a nasty grin on his face.
Harry ran downstairs to open the door and greet his rescuer. As he opened the door no other person than his mosthated Hogwartsteacher, Professor Snape was standing in front of the door. Before Harry could even think of anything to say, Snape said: "Potter, you´ve got to come with me and no protestations, if you please. Professor Dumbledore has told me to take you to a place and teach you Occlumency for the last two weeks of your summerholidays."
"Alright, I´ll get my things and come with you". Harry thought it´d be better not to say anything. Upstairs in his room, Harry considered whether the Dursleys or Snape was worse. He decided, that he had enough of Muggles and would prefer being back in the magic world, even if it meant to be accompanied by Snape.
Harry went downstairs and brought all his things down. He looked at Snape, who´s eyes were full of hatred whenever they saw Harry, and was wondering how they were getting there. With a tab of his wand, Professor Snape made Harry´s broom and trunk vanish into thin air.
"Let´s go now Potter. and no questions until we are somewhere secret and safe!" Harry, who had just opened his mouth to say something, quickly shut it again and remained silent. An argument with Snape was the last thing he needed now.
Suddenly Snape pointed his wand at Harry and before the boy knew what was happening to him, Snape transformed him into a fox. Snape transformed too and they both ran through the open door.
Harry didn´t know which feeling was more important at the moment, fear or excitement. Also, the sight of Snape pointing a wand at him was frightening, Harry was keen to know where they were going and he had no choice but to follow his Potionsmaster. For several hours, Snape was running in front of Harry. It was a strange feeling to run with four paws and to follow a fox. Suddenly, Snape stopped in the clearing of a forest. Harry took a look-around and sat down on the earth. Snape transformed back into human shape. He didn´t transform Harry back immediately. Harry was very angry and wanted to shout at his teacher, but he only let out barks and no words. Snape took a small bottle out of his robes and told Harry to drink it. The potion had a disgusting smell but tasted like water and Harry was human again.
"Now, Potter. we are not going to Grimmauld Place, but into the Dark Avenue!"
"That sounds like a place full of Dark Wizards to me."
"Indeed, you´re right", said Snape with a broad grin on his face. "There really are many wizards fancying the Dark Arts."
"But why would Dumbledore sent us into such a dangerous place?" Harry didn´t understand what was going on.
A nasty smile appeared on Snape´s face: " Potter! Don´t you notice how silly you appear to me? What a foolish question! The Dark Lord is looking for you. He wants nothing more to see you dead and obviously he doesn´t expect you to stay in a place full of Dark Wizards and at least in the house of one of his Death Eaters." Harry began to understand. Dumbledore had used a very simple trick to keep Voldemort away from Harry. While he was wondering how their journey to Dark Avenue would continue, Snape had somehow summoned a nice dinner for the two of them.
After eating, Snape told Harry that they would travel through through the Underworld. "What´s the Underworld, Sir?" "It is a secret place only used by Dark Wizards. A long time ago, this place was built, so that we could travel secretely and without being noticed by Aurors. I´ll give you a cloak and I want you to keep your face hidden all the time. If anyone recognises you, we are both in great danger." Harry got the cloak and did as Snape had told him to do.
"But, Professor. Where´s the entrance?" "You´re sitting on it." Harry quickly stepped aside and noticed that a trapdoor had appeared out of nowhere into the forest ground. Snape opened it and they saw a ladder leading into darkness. Snape climbed down first, but Harry quickly followed. The deeper they were climbing, there warmer it got. They were reaching the ground, but Harry didn´t want to believe what he saw there, twenty feet under the surface of the earth. Dumbledore couldn´t have chosen a more dangerous road to travel.
There was a large river, but there was no water flowing in there, but gleeming red and yellow lava. On this river were boats and it was impossible to tell which material the boats were made of, because normally they would have melted and disappeared in the river. These boats were gliding smoothly on the river as if it was made of water.
Harry and Snape took seats in one of the boats which was guided by a hooked man. Harry hid his face as good as possible and wondered if their guide was human or some odd creature. The man reminded him of a Dementor, but the Dementors always made him feel icy cold and very sad, but this Lavariver was hot. On both sides of the river and on the ceiling, Harry saw giant bats and other indescribable beings. The hooded man said :"Quiet now, we don´t want to wake the beasts." But the beasts didn't seem to notice any of the boats.
Suddenly, the hooded man started speaking again: "Well Mr.s. I´d like to know who you two are. I am Godfried and I have been working all my life here. I like this place very much, it is like a home to me." "We don´t want to be recognised. We are here on a secret mission for the Dark Lord. He wants us to find Harry Potter and bring him to the Lord," Harry didn´t see his teacher´s face but knew his voice. "Oh, yes! We all want to see Harry Potter dead! Let´s hope he does not destroy the Dark Lord anymore!" Snape said: "And now, be quiet, we want to rest!" "Of course, sir." And Godfried said no more.
Harry was surprised how well informed the Dark wizards seemed to be about Voldemort´s return and about his plan in killing Harry. Time past by and suddenly the hot reddish river ended into black solid stone.
Harry and Snape climbed off the boat and walked side by side along the lefthand shore. They had to climb stony ways which seemed to go on for eternity. Finally, after a couple of hours, the way ended and they were standing in front of a dark, long, black and smooth slide.
"Ready for the last part of the journey, Potter?"
Harry just nodded and waited for Snape to tell him what to do now, but Snape was sitting on his bottom and glided down the stone slide. Without thinking, Harry followed his teacher down the slide. The slide was very hard and after several moments, every single bone in Harry´s body was aching. There were many turns and loopings.
The slide took a sudden end which Harry wasn´t prepared to and so he landed face down on the ground. He tasted blood and knew his nose was bleeding and his glasses were once more broken. He took out his want, muttered "Reparo" and the glasses fixed themselves immediately.
Snape graped the end of Harry´s cloak and roughly helped him to his feet. Harry was all sweaty and covered in dirt. He felt very tired and was looking forward to the end of this journey. Harry saw a big black gate in front of him. Snape touched it softly and the gate opened. They walked through it and arrived on a big dark road.
"Welcome to Dark Avenue, Potter!" Harry was astonished by the sudden friendliness fo his most hated teacher. But as Snape had walked on, Harry had to run to catch up with him.
After a short while, they were standing in front of a big dark house. Snape knocked on the door and none other than Ron Weasly, Harry´s best friend appeared.
"Heya Harry!! How was your journey? Why are you so dirty? Didn´t you come here by Portkey?"
"Well.no. We went throught the Underworld. I didn´t know there was another way to come here!"
"Through the Underworld? Cool! Tell me everything!" said Ron excitedly.
"Wait a minute.!"
Harry turned towards Snape and glared furiously at him.
"Why didn´t we come here by Portkey?"
"Oh, I must have forgotten to mention there are easier ways in travelling to Dark Avenue. I am so sorry that you had such a hard an miserable journey, if only I hadn´t forgotten about Portkeys! But, anyway, you didn´t ask for an easier way. But still I feel so ashamed!", said Snape sarcastically with a nasty grin on his face.