Chapter 3

"Ron?" Harry whispered, "What's going on?" His friend looked just as startled as he did.

"These weren't here when we left." Ron whispered back, "Well there were less of them at least."

"Ah, more guests." George strolled in carrying Harry's trunk. Just then Fred came down the stairs.

"Hi Ron, Harry, George. You want help with Harry's trunk?" Fred held out his arm to take the trunk, and as his sleeve slid back, Harry saw the death-eater mark. Harry nudged Ron, who nodded.

"Where's the real Fred?" Ron asked. Fred looked at him bewildered.

"What d'ya mean? I am your real brother." Ron shook his head.

"No, your not. Fred would never become a death-eater." Fred quickly noticed the mark on his arm and hastened to cover it.

"Fred!" George called.

"Obbb maom help meeeee!" Was the muffled shout from upstairs. George pushed past the nearest death-eater and headed up the stairs. But someone stood in his way. Looking up, Harry saw one of the people that he had sworn to kill. Bellatrix Lestrange. With the newly surfaced anger pumping heavily through his veins, Harry stepped forward determinedly. But Ron held him back.

"No Harry." He whispered. Harry tried to shake him off, but Ron was too stubborn. Harry finally relaxed, still glaring at his godfather's killer.

"Well, well, well." Came a voice from behind the woman. "If it isn't Potter." Snape came into view sneering at Harry. "Well it seems everything is up to me once more. Including your destiny." He turned to a death-eater near his left shoulder. "Take the two Weasleys and throw them in with the others." The death-eater nodded, and from behind his back, he produced a thick coiled up rope. First he bound together George's hands then his feet. Secondly he came down the stairs to where Ron was shaking uncontrollably. Harry thought fast, his wand could easily be used now, but what spell? His mind had gone completely blank and no names popped to his mind. Finally he held his wand out in front of him. Ron stared at it dumbly.

"Lumos." Harry muttered. Instantly the group of death-eaters broke into a great rasping laughter. Harry looked at the end of his wand, it was lit. Harry cursed himself. How could he have been so stupid? Ron's hands had been tied together now, and the death-eater had begun on his feet.

"What shall we do with Potter?" Bellatrix asked eagerly. Snape's eyes began to glitter.

"Use your imagination." Once more the room of death-eaters was full of the awful sound of their laughter.