Living inside Yesterday
Potter47

~ Part Three ~
Prisoners of the Mind

"There is none so blind as they that won't see."
~ Jonathan Swift

~ Chapter Twelve ~
Someone to Trust

Click.

"What was that?" Ron said sleepily. He had apparently dozed off sometime after sitting down next to Luna. Now he heard something. His voice awoke his companion.

"Careful, Mum," Luna murmured as she joined the world of the living. Her eyes opened, and Ron realised how strange she had looked with them closed. Not bad strange - no, just strange. He was used to her eyes always wide open. Actually, it was kind of nice...

The door to their room slowly, and silently, opened. There was a small light on the opposite side, maybe a lit wand. It reflected silver.

A Death Eater's mask.

Ron reached his right hand into his robes, and grasped Malfoy's wand. He didn't want to give away the fact that they had it, but there was always the chance that You-Know-Who had decided to kill them in their sleep.

"Silencio!" muttered a familiar voice once the door was closed. The Death Eater also said a charm that was unfamiliar to Ron on the window. A strange haze streamed from the tip of the man's wand, and transformed itself into a black veil. It attached itself to the edges, and covered all of the window.

The man turned, and looked at the two of them. "Weasley, I strongly suggest you hide that wand a bit better."

Ron jumped at the sound of Snape's voice. His instinct told him to curse the man in front of him. He's evil! his mind screamed. But at the same time, a distinctly Hermione-sounding voice said, Dumbledore trusts him! So he held back.

"Professor Snape," said Luna, sitting up straight, and leaving Ron's arm feeling noticeably lonesome.

"Miss Lovegood," said Snape, nodding toward her.

"What are you doing here?" asked Ron.

"Better question," said the Potions Master, as he removed his mask, "where's Miss Granger?"

"Wormtail took her to You-Know-Who," said Ron. "Why?"

"I suggest you stop being suspicious of every word I say," said Snape icily, his gaze on Ron's hand, "as I am the only person in this house that you and your friends can trust."

"Why should we trust you?" said Ron suspiciously, while Hermione's voice screamed, DUMBLEDORE TRUSTS HIM!

"Well," said Snape, "there is the fact that, had I been a loyal Death Eater, you would not still be talking. You'd be on the floor. Stunned. Or worse. Not to mention the fact that the Headmaster has faith in my loyalty. He would not entrust this task to a Death Eater. Trust can kill you," he said, "or set you free."

"What task?" asked Luna.

"Getting you three out of here alive," said Snape.

Ron had been so sure that Harry would save them, and here was Snape, playing hero. Not what he expected.

"You're getting us out of here?" asked Luna.

"Technically, no, I am not getting you out of here," he said. "I am here to find a way to get you out of here. I have a feeling that Potter will be the one to do the actual rescuing. Can't imagine Dumbledore having anyone else do it. He's back, you know."

"Harry?" said Ron.

"No, Stubby Boardman," he said sarcastically.

"Really?" said Luna, hardly daring to believe it. "Is he going to reunite the Hobgoblins?"

"Incompetent-" Snape muttered, but stopped. "Wait a minute, you're a Ravenclaw aren't you?"

"Yes," said Luna proudly, "I am."

"Well, you're the first incompetent Ravenclaw that I've met. Yes, Weasley. Potter is back, along with your sister."

"Are they all right?"

"Yes, Weasley. They are all right. That is not important right now. What is important, is that I speak with Miss Granger."

"Why?"

"Because so far, we have had very little luck in figuring a way to get you out of this mess, and Miss Granger just might be able to think of something."

"Was that a compliment?" asked a shaky voice from the corner.

"Hermione?" said Ron. "How'd you get back here?"

"Portkey," she said. "V-Voldemort Portkeyed me back-" She suddenly lurched forward and vomited on the stone floor.

Snape walked over to her, and helped her upright again. He cast a Scourgify to clean the mess. "Well, Miss Granger," he said, walking her steadily toward her friends, "how is spew going these days?"

* * *

"How long has he been gone?" Ginny asked. She was still watching the door, after who-knows-how-long went by. "You'd think he was going to the dungeons, it's taking him so long."

There was no answer. She turned around, her neck aching as she did so. Harry was asleep in his chair, and snoring softly. She must have blocked out the sound. As soon as her gaze left the office door, it opened.

"Is he asleep?" whispered Dumbledore, carrying a large bowl into his office.

"Yeah," she said. "What is that?" She gestured toward the bowl, which Dumbledore had just set down on his desk. It wasn't so much of a bowl as a shallow stone basin. With runes carved into the edge. Ginny, having taken Ancient Runes for the past two years, thought them vaguely familiar. She was sure that she would remember what they meant, but at the moment they just looked like random carvings.

"This," said Dumbledore, "is called a Pensieve. I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind."

"A few times," she said, thinking of her first year, and the months of aftermath.

"At these times," said Dumbledore, indicating the stone basin, "I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one's leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form." Ginny wasn't sure, but it seemed to her that Dumbledore had explained this many times before.

"You mean this stuff is your thoughts?" she asked, gazing into the bright, whitish silver liquid that swirled within the Pensieve.

"Yes," he said. "Well, mine and Severus'. He borrowed the Pensieve for Harry's Occlumency lessons. Though I believe that it worked as more of a hindrance than a help..."

I guess he was going to the dungeons...

"And what are you going to use it for?" she asked.

"Harry's visions," replied the Headmaster.

"Visions?" said Ginny, perplexed. "He only had one. I don't think he's had another one since he saw Sirius in the Department of Mysteries."

"Yes, well, he has only had one so far. But I believe he will have another one. Perhaps when Voldemort speaks with your brother, or Miss Lovegood."

He looked up at Harry. "Would you mind waking him up?" he said. Ginny got the impression that for some reason or another, he did not want to touch Harry.

"Sure."

She reached over and touched his shoulder. "Harry," she said. "Wake up."

"Just a minute, Aunt Petunia," Harry murmured sleepily before turning his head away from her.

"Harry, it's me, Ginny. Wake up!" she said softly, pushing harder on his shoulder.

"Stop it, Dudley. Stop hitting me."

"Harry, it's me!" Harry didn't respond, and began to snore once again.

She turned back around to Dumbledore. "You have any water?"

* * *

"What did he do?" Snape asked Hermione. "What did he want with you?"

"He asked," said Hermione, recovering, and sitting against the stone wall. "He asked about Harry."

"What did he ask?" Snape had an unfamiliar tone in his voice. He was, for once, not being sarcastic.

"He asked who Harry cared about. Who he would give his life for."

"Did you answer?" asked Ron, standing next to Snape. He noticed for the first time that he was only a bit shorter than the Potions Master. He was used to sitting by a cauldron, while Snape towered over the whole class.

"Yes, and no," said Hermione wearily.

"How do you mean?" said Ron.

"Well, I didn't answer him. He read my-" She glanced at Snape. "He used Legilimency."

"And what did he discover?" said Snape warily.

"Well, it might not be true... as it's only what I think..."

"What did he discover?" Snape pressed on.

"Ginny," said Hermione. "He discovered that Harry would give his life for Ginny."

"Ginny?" said Ron. "Harry would give his life for any of us. That's just who he is. Hell, he would even give his life for Sn-"

"Yes?" Snape cut in, turning around, his gaze meeting Ron's.

"He would even give his life for you," Ron finished quietly, eyes falling to the floor.

"Foolish Gryffindors," Snape muttered. "When you speak with Potter again, be sure to tell him not to give his life for just anybody. His life is far more important than any of you are aware." He paused for a moment, his gaze shrewd. "Your sister is different, I gather, from the way the Headmaster speaks of her. We all have our parts to play, Weasley, in this grand production. I'm playing mine. You're playing yours. Potter's playing his. Your sister...I believe your sister's will be a starring role."

"As will yours, Ron," said Luna quietly, comfortingly. "Just a bit further down in the cast."

"That reminds me," said Hermione. "Voldemort said that he would be speaking to Ron next. He said he has more questions that need answering."

"Don't we all," muttered Snape. He quickly picked up his mask, put it back on his head, and took the spell off the window. He stood to the left of the door, where no one would be able to see him when it opened. A last thought occurred to him, and he quickly took aim with his wand.

"Obliviate!" he muttered, and Ron's eyes went blank for a moment, before returning to normal. Hermione and Luna knew better than to ask what the Memory Charm was for.

They heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and then toward their cell. Ron handed Malfoy's wand back to Hermione for safe keeping. The door opened silently, and the figure of Wormtail was framed in the doorway. His wand lit the room, since Snape's had been put out, and he stepped inside.

"Weasley," he said, pointedly avoiding eye contact. "The Dark Lord would like to speak to you next."

"Fine, Scabbers," Ron said as he walked to the door. "But you better not try to sniff me."

Wormtail shivered slightly at the threat, and followed Ron out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

After they heard the footsteps on the stairs, Luna voiced her thoughts. "What was that for?" she demanded. "Why'd you need to Obliviate him?"

Snape took off his mask again, and was about to answer when-

"Because," cut in Hermione, in her best know-it-all voice, "if Voldemort was to use Legilimency on Ron, he would find out about Professor Snape being a double agent. Not to mention the fact that he's right here. The only reason he didn't when he used it on me, was because I wasn't thinking of it. It would be on the top of Ron's mind right now. If that happened, not only would Professor Snape's cover be blown, but we'd all be dead."

She looked at the Professor, as if to confirm her suspicions. He nodded.

"Very good, Miss Granger," he said, an odd look on his face. He paused before saying something completely unexpected.

"Ten points to Gryffindor."

* * *

"Hey!" spluttered Harry, wiping water out of his eyes.

"You deserved it..." said Ginny, grinning.

"But I was really asleep!" he said. "You were faking!"

"Excuse me?" said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling. "There was a reason Virginia woke you, Harry. You are familiar with the Pensieve, of course?"

He gestured toward the stone basin that resided on his desk. Harry nodded.

"Harry, I would very much appreciate it if you would add your vision to the Pensieve. That way I can analyse it, and such. Perhaps discover something."

"Sure," said Harry. "What do I do?"

"As you remember, from last year, you take your wand," Dumbledore said, and Harry slid his wand out of his sleeve, "and put it to your temple..."

Harry did so, and, while Ginny watched in fascination, Dumbledore said, "Now, think of your vision. Try to remember every detail." He stopped for a moment, before saying, "Was Virginia in your vision?"

Ginny looked at him confusedly, and Harry shook his head. "No," he said.

"Then I suggest you either avert your gaze from the back of her head, or simply close your eyes. I daresay that hair of such a hue is quite distracting," he said with wink that only Harry could see. Especially for Potters... the old man thought.

Harry's eyes snapped shut, and his cheeks glowed once more. Dumbledore continued, "Try to remember everything, from the size of the room, to the location of the light switch."

Ginny was about to ask what he meant by 'light switch,' but thought better of it. Harry was sure to know what it was, and her speaking would only distract him from the task at hand.

"Do you remember?" asked Dumbledore.

Harry nodded, his eyes tightly shut, and a look of intense concentration on his face.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Now, with that thought, slowly take your wand away from your head, until the thought is freed."

Harry did so, and a silvery substance came away with his wand. As the last bit left his temple, the strand dangled down, one side still connected to the wand.

"You may open your eyes," said Dumbledore. "And with a flick!, release the thought over the Pensieve."

As the ribbon of thought touched the surface, the image of a dark room shimmered into view. Hermione was standing there, a revolted look on her face, and she seemed to be struggling to keep from vomiting.

"Very good, Harry," said Dumbledore, peering into the bowl.

"Wow," said Ginny, also gazing into the basin. "Could I get one of these?"

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Maybe one day, Virginia, but for now, we need to get you two," he pointed at Harry, and then Ginny, with a long bony finger, "to the Hanged Man."

"The hanged man?" asked Ginny. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's the village pub in Little Hangleton," said Dumbledore. "It's the closest we can get you to the Riddle House."

"But...why?" said Harry. "I thought Snape was going. Shouldn't we at least wait for him to get back?"

"No time," the Headmaster replied. "He may be able to help you, once you get there, but you need to get going."

"Us?" said Ginny disbelievingly. "Couldn't you send Aurors as well, or something? What chance to we have? That house is probably full of Death Eaters!"

"Oh, it is," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure of it. But there's no way that we'd be able to get a large enough group of Aurors any time soon. Especially since I'm still technically on the run. So, instead of force, you'll have to go by stealth. Infiltrate Voldemort's hideout, and rescue the captives." He looked at Harry for a moment, "Have you ever seen 'The Wizard of Oz?'"

Harry was taken aback by the randomness of the question. "Er, yes. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"You recall when the Wicked Witch held Dorothy captive? How did she get away?"

"Are you suggesting that I try to melt Voldemort with a bucket of water?" he asked.

"No, of course not," said Dumbledore, shaking his head. "I tried that years ago."

"Then what are you getting at?"

"Dorothy got away because of her friends. They saved her, correct?"

"Right..."

"Well, you two must do the same." He paused. "I don't particularly know why I said that. I'm sure there are numerous other rescues with similar circumstances that I know of, but for some reason I felt the need to compare this predicament with that..."

Ginny was looking at them blankly. "Is that all?" she asked. "I believe you were saying something about us going to the Riddle House..."

"Oh, right," he said. "I got a bit off topic there." He walked over to the fireplace, and picked up the flowerpot of Floo powder. He tossed a handful into the fire.

"Virginia, you first," he said. "Be sure to say 'the Hanged Man,' as if the 'H' and 'M' are capital, or you may find yourself in Salem, Massachusetts."

"See you in a bit, Harry," Ginny said, and she stepped into the fire. She cried, "The Hanged Man!" and disappeared in a rush of green flames.

"Remember," said Dumbledore, "they're in the dungeon. Try to stay hidden, and be sure not to curse Professor Snape if you are to run into him."

"Right." He took some Floo powder as well, and threw it into the flames.

"The Hanged Man!"

* * *

He rushed through the network of grates, spinning uncomfortably, until he found himself on the floor of an old pub. Ginny was there also, and held out a hand to help him to his feet. As soon as he was standing, he took a look around.

There were not many people in the Hanged Man. In fact, as it was quite early morning, there was only one other individual. She was an old woman, much older than Madam Rosmerta, and she was wiping down the bar with a dirty rag. At first Harry thought that she hadn't noticed them, but then he realised that she had, and just didn't make anything of it. Apparently, it was perfectly normal for two teenagers to Floo in to the Hanged Man at four o'clock in the morning.

"What can I get ya?" she asked, not looking up.

"Oh, nothing," said Ginny politely, "we're just passing through."

"I had a feeling you'd be coming through here," she said as they made their way to the door, "Mr. Potter."

Harry stopped short. He was clear across the pub from the old lady, and he thought it was highly unlikely that she could see his scar.

"Why's that?" he asked suspiciously.

"They aren't that smart," she said, shaking her head. "You'll be able to take 'em, no trouble."

Harry walked closer to the woman, who still had not looked up. "Who?" he asked.

"Those men up in the Riddle House. The men in the cloaks," she said, as if it were an everyday occurrence. "Everyone's been talkin' about 'em. Name's Dot, by the way. Been workin' here for...sixty-three years now."

"You know about them?" he said.

"Well," she said, "it's not as though they go to great lengths disguisin' themselves. Bright lights comin' out of there, some say. I ne'er seen 'em, o' course, but they got all us poor Muggles up in arms."

"Muggles?" Harry said. "You're a Muggle? But the fireplace-"

"Just because I'm a Muggle don't mean I don't know about you folk. Increases business, it does, having a Floo fireplace. Didn't used to get any wizards in here, before I got that connected to the network." She gestured to the fireplace.

"As I said, you'll be able to take 'em. After all, you are the boy who lived, right?"

"Right," Harry said, oddly. Something about Dot seemed odd to him. Other than the fact that she was a Muggle with a Floo fireplace.

"'Twas him who killed the Riddles, wasn't it?" she said suddenly. "The man in that house?"

Harry was taken aback at first, and then he nodded.

"Well?" she said. She looked up for the first time, and Harry saw what made her seem odd. Her eyes were glazed, much like Aragog was, in Harry's second year. "I can't hear ya nod, ya know..."

She was blind.

"Oh, yes," he said. "It was."

"I reckoned so," she said. "You best be off now. Good luck gettin' your friends back."

"Tha-" Harry stopped short, realising what she said. He was going to ask how she could possibly know that, when she turned around, picked up a cane that was leaning against the back of the bar, and walked into the back room.

"That was..." Ginny spoke for the first time, "odd."

"That it was," said Harry. "That it was."

They finally made their way out of the pub, and found themselves in a deserted brick street. It was very old looking, and the bricks had taken a yellowish tint over the years. He realised for the first time that this was a Muggle town. He should have realised before, as Tom Riddle Senior was Muggle, and this was his home, but he somehow overlooked it. He also realised that, had there been anyone there, they would have seemed most peculiar in wizarding robes.

"So," said Ginny looking up the street, at the Riddle House, which towered over the small town, "what do we do now?"

Harry let his gaze fall back to the street, and he noticed the irony in their situation.

"Simple, Gin," he said. "We follow the yellow brick road."

~ Author's Note ~

You're really getting sick of those 'Wizard of Oz' references aren't you? Sorry, but it fit. I don't think the next chapter'll have any. Speaking of the--

~ Next Chapter ~
The Subtle Knife

"Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon."
~ De la Mare

~ Coming Soon ~