CHAPTER 2 – SNEAK ATTACK

Harry sat crouched next to a tree, hidden beneath his father's invisibility cloak. The wind swirled the bottom of the cloak around but he remained concealed. He gripped his wand tight in his hand keeping it close to his body.

He couldn't help thinking about what Mr. Weasley had said to him, about going to Bill and Fleur's wedding. It may be a good thing for him just to see everyone again. These last few weeks have been tough on him. He had learned a lot but he was so alone. He wanted to talk to somebody even if it was about nothing important.

He knew though that if he went back then they would want to come with him. He could not go through that argument again. No matter how many times he explained about the danger they would never realize that this is the safest way.

Harry snapped back to reality as he heard footsteps through the shuffling leaves. He knew who it was and he was ready. A figure in a dark cloak walked through the forest cautiously looking around. This is the person Harry was waiting for, the one that the bartender told him comes through here. This was the first step to Harry's destiny, one that he had waited a long time for. Bellatrix Lestrange. The murderer of his godfather and the torturer of Neville's parents.

Harry's heart began to race and he started to fidget with his wand in his sweaty hand. A cold grip had a hold on his stomach but his mind remained calm. He had to be patient and wait for the right moment. If he acted too soon, his surprise tactic would work against him rather than for him. Just a few more seconds, he thought to himself. Wait for it… not yet… give her a couple more steps… NOW!

Harry jumped out of his cloak and sent a stunning spell towards the dark figure. The beam hit her in the side sending her flying against a tree with a thud and a groan. Harry froze. That groan was male. That was not Bellatrix. His eyes scanned the forest looking for movement. He heard a tree creak and rolled away from where he was standing. A figure fell from above and landed on the forest floor. This was Bellatrix. Her hood had fallen off and he could see her face clearly. She was grinning at him, but it was a grin that did not reach her eyes. She was feeling something else, Harry thought. It couldn't be fear though, could it? He jumped up onto his feet and squared up to her.

"STUPEFY" cried Bellatrix.

Protego, Harry shouted in his mind and her curse ricocheted away, exploding a nearby tree.

"So, Potter, using non verbal spells now, huh? Do you think that will help you against the Dark Lord?"

"No, but it will help me against you," Harry replied through clenched teeth. He knew that it was just him this time. If he lost his temper and did something stupid, no one will be there to rescue him.

"I doubt it you silly little boy. I'm going to do you just like I did poor old Sirius." She started to wave her arms and do an imitation of Sirius falling through the veil, all the while cackling into the night.

Harry harnessed his anger and used this moment to strike. Reducto! Secumseptra! Stupefy! She dodged each curse as it flew at her then sent one back at Harry. He sidestepped it and dodged around the tree as the bark exploded off it. This may have hidden his trail because Bellatrix stopped.

"Come out and play little Potter," she spat as she said his name. "Your parents at least had the decency to face their enemy rather than hiding." She was trying to anger him, to goad him into making a mistake. Well those days are past me, Harry thought. But I have to slow her down. Suddenly he got it, picking up a stick he threw it to his left and paused. When it smacked against the tree he darted to his right. Bellatrix was ready to strike where the stick landed and didn't see Harry until it was too late.

"Effringo!" he shouted. A red beam shot out of his wand and hit Bellatrix in the leg so fast that Harry himself almost didn't see it. He heard a snap and saw her leg fold. He could tell from her screams that she wouldn't be running away now. Accio Wand Harry thought and he grabbed her wand out of midair, slowly walking towards her.

"You won't get away this time Bellatrix," Harry growled, "you are going back to where you belong."

He caught it just a second too late. It was a flicker in her eyes that told him someone was behind him. He whirled around and felt a hand, much stronger than his, close around his forearm, and a wand digging into his neck. He looked up and saw MacNair staring down at him, eyes full of rage.

"I think you are the one that's not getting away this time," MacNair bore into Harry's face with his eyes. "How you surprised us I don't know, but you won't get away with it." Harry was already working on his escape. Even before MacNair started to talk he was inching his wand to the end of his fingers. "The Dark Lord will be very pleased with us when we return you to him."

"Oh," Harry started, looking right into his eye, "I doubt that anybody ever really pleases Voldemort."

MacNair's jaw dropped at the sound of the name, which is exactly the reaction Harry was looking for. He cocked his wrist and brought his fingers in until his wand was pointing directly at his attacker. Levicorpus! Harry felt his arm released, but then his leg was clasped. Bellatrix, who lay forgotten behind him, had grabbed him anywhere she could reach. MacNair raised his wand and yelled with fear, "AVADA KE-"

Harry reacted quicker than even he thought possible. Looking back afterwards he wouldn't have known why he did it but things moved too fast for him to think. He shouted out forgetting about non verbal commands.

"SECUMSEPTRA!" he felt blood splash onto his face and he whirled around.

"STUPEFY" Bellatrix screamed and he whirled around.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" there was a dull thud. Something flew passed his head, making the hair on his neck stand and he whirled around, dropping to one knee.

"LIGO!" something shot out of his wand and he spun on his knee.

"LIGO!" more shot out of the wand.

Harry stopped and heard two thuds, which sounded like bodies hitting the dirt. He was breathing heavily, staring at the ground. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears and could even feel it course through his veins. He didn't know how long it was until he finally moved but he did notice that his breathing was under control.

Standing up he looked to his left and saw MacNair lying at the base of a tree. He was bound with material that Harry remembered from Tom Riddle Sr.'s graveyard three years ago. Turning around he saw that Bellatrix was in pretty much the same position, her leg at an unnatural angle from the rest of her. He walked over to her, grabbed the ropes and dragged her over to MacNair's body. They were both unconscious but he kept their wands just in case.

Sitting against one of the adjoining trees, Harry began going over the events in his mind. He had practiced the Secumseptra spell enough that he didn't cut too deep now. Although MacNair would bleed a lot he wouldn't be in trouble of dying.

Harry couldn't believe what had just happened. He had been very lucky again, expecting to only find one person. Why had MacNair been with her? What were they doing out here? Why were they so afraid of him? MacNair was going to kill him and face the wrath of Voldemort rather than trying to escape. How could Harry scare Death Eaters like that?

He sat there for several minutes asking more questions before he finally stood up and gathered his things. He walked over to the Death Eaters and prepared to take them with him. He would drop them off in the village close by; the ropes would hold them until the Ministry of Magic could get there. He would write a note to Mr. Weasley explaining where they were so he could get the credit (it might even get him a promotion).

Harry settled himself to levitate the pair when he heard a snap behind him. He turned very quickly, jerking his right leg in the process. He grimaced at the pain which reminded him of the snake Nagini. He looked up, saw a hook nose, a red flash and then darkness.