Disclaimer: I really own nothing, except for all the characters that you don't recognize!

A/N: Well, as you can see this update comes quite early, this time. Are you happy? I really hope so. For the last chapter I got only five reviews, I think that I've never had so few of them, but I deserved that, I haven't updated for such a long time. But you know, reviews really make my day. Anyway I really hope that you'll enjoy this chapter.

To flyingthoroughbred: Thank you so much for beta-reading this chapter, though you were busy. I really appreciate that.

The Spy

"Ouch! Ron! That was my arm," whispered Harry in the darkness.

"Sorry mate, but I can't see a thing," answered Ron's voice from somewhere to Harry's left, "If we could only light our wands, we could-"

"You know we can't," said Harry, "If someone notices us, we can say goodbye to our mission, it's extremely important that-"

"I know," Ron interrupted him, "But it would be easier if we could see where are we going and if it's the right way."

"It's the right way," said Harry seriously.

"How do you know?" asked a sceptical Ron.

"Because my scar is hurting more and more as we proceed," he whispered.

"Hmmm, then we are on the right way, as I've alwa – Aaaaaargh!"

"What? Ron?" screamed Harry, stretching his arms into the darkness "Ron? Oh my – Lumos!" he said with his wand in front of him.

A small light sparkled from Harry's wand and he looked around for any sign of Ron.

He didn't have to look for him for a long time; Ron was on his – hem – back right behind him and had a terrifying expression on his face.

"Ron? Are you ok?" asked Harry unsurely.

Then he saw it. It was big, almost an inch, and it was covered with brown hair on all of its body, eight long legs were moving frenetically and its direction was Ron's face.

"Pull – me – up," muttered Ron. His face paler than ever, he stretched out an arm towards Harry.

Harry stifled a fit of giggles and pulled his friend up.

The little 'beast' slid from Ron's stomach and arrived on the ground where it twisted and ran away.

"See Ron, it was just a little cute – Ron!" screamed Harry.

His friend took out his wand and was pointing it to the spider and, Harry was sure, he was going to use some Unforgivable Course.

"Ron, no!" he said alarmed, grabbing Ron's arm, "We should make as little noise possible."

"But – but it's a monster," said Ron shocked.

"It's just a spider, lets go now," said Harry, dragging Ron behind him.

After a few steps Harry felt Ron's muscles relaxing, and he let go of his arm.

"I'm sorry," said Ron after a moment, "But it was so big and – oh if Hermione would have seen me-"

"She would have been worried about you; she knows perfectly about your – hem – problem with spiders," said Harry.

"Yeah," said Ron trying to sound casual.

"Can I turn off the wand, then?"

"Yeah, I guess; if I feel again something that is walking on me I'll send red sparkles with my wand, ok?"

"Yes, I-I think it's alright," said Harry trying not to shout to him that there were thousands of things worse than spiders in the forest, but he kept himself from screaming, fearing that those things could hear him.

They had left Hogwarts that morning at 5 a.m.

The passage behind Dumbledore's fireplace brought them ten miles north of Hogsmeade.

They found themselves in the middle of the Dark Forest, darkness all around them.

They had to walk for several miles to find the injured spy.

Dumbledore said that it was almost 20 miles, but they hoped that the spy was walking towards Hogwarts, so they would have to walk less.

The forest was dark; so dark that they couldn't see a thing, and, every step they took, it became darker.

"Ssst!" whispered Harry stopping so suddenly that Ron bumped into him.

"What?" asked Ron holding tight the wand in his hand.

"I've heard something," said Harry, "Keep your eyes open, Ron."

"Are you joking? I can't see a thing and-"

"Ok, then," he said exasperatedly, "Keep your ears open or even you nose; but close your mouth!"

"Ok, sorry," whispered Ron, "I didn't really want to-"

But Harry jerked his head in Ron's direction, and Ron felt his eyes on him, even if he couldn't see them.

They stood there waiting for any kind of sound.

After ten minutes of waiting, Ron sighed heavily.

"Maybe you heard an animal or something like that," said Ron softly.

"Yes, maybe," said Harry sceptically.

"Come on Harry we have to walk for another 15 miles before we get to where the spy is," said Ron.

"I know," said Harry.

"Well, lets go then," whispered Ron pulling Harry from his arm.

Harry moved a few steps in Ron's direction and then he started to walk normally, sighing heavily.

After only ten minutes of walking Ron's stomach rumbled noisily.

"Ron!" whispered Harry, "Can you please control yourself?"

"I'll try, but I don't assure anything to you," he whispered back.

In fact the noises went on for other five minutes before Harry opened his mouth for speaking again.

"Ron, you real-"

"Harry, it's not something that I can control," he interrupted Harry, "I'm hungry, that's all. So if we stop and eat something then-"

"Ok, ok! But only for five minutes, not one more! We should be almost there," said Harry looking around.

"Ok," answered Ron, "Lumos!"

"What are you doing?" asked Harry in disbelief.

"I want to see what I'm eating," answered Ron seriously.

Harry sighed and sat on the ground next to where Ron had just sat.

Ron passed Harry a sandwich and a bottle of Butterbeer and they started to eat.

"Hmmm, it smells good," said Harry sniffing his sandwich.

"My mum made it," said Ron.

"Really? When did you see her?"

"The last day that we were home for holiday," answered Ron chewing his sandwich.

Harry spit out the piece of sandwich that he had in his mouth, "How long have these sandwiches been in your office?" he asked, coughing.

"Well, you can calculate it," said Ron biting his sandwich again, "But don't worry I used a charm for maintaining them."

"Really?" asked Harry suspiciously.

"Yeah, eat yours," answered Ron.

'Well, it has nothing that doesn't work,' thought Harry, and he bit his sandwich another time.

Crack.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet.

"Did you hear it, Ron?"

Ron nodded, "What was it?"

"I don't know," whispered Harry.

They were back to back now, their wands in the air, ready for fighting.

Crack.

The sound came from Harry's left and Ron's right.

They jerked their heads in that direction and started to run towards the trees.

Ron heard Harry screaming "Lumos!" and he saw his wand light.

They heard someone running in front of them, but they couldn't see them.

The person that was rushing away from them was hobbling and his steps were slowing down.

"Ron," screamed Harry running.

Ron looked at him between the trees, "What?"

"Go right," he screamed.

"What?"

"Go right," Harry screamed again.

Ron nodded, and he disappeared to Harry's right.

Harry, on the contrary, turned to his left and kept running.

Suddenly Harry saw a cloaked figure at his right that was running quite slowly and breathing heavily.

"Ron," he screamed where he thought that could have been Ron, "We must close him between us. Turn to your left."

"Ok," he heard Ron screaming at his right.

Harry turned right and arrived very near to the hooded person, so near that more than a time he touched his cloak, missing him by only an inch.

Suddenly Ron jumped and arrived on the running person.

Ron's wand flew away and touched the ground near Harry.

The person was under Ron on the ground and was trying to kick Ron.

Ron was holding his arms.

The face couldn't be seen behind the hood, but he took out his teeth for biting Ron's hand.

"Aaargh!" screamed Ron in pain.

The hooded person, which looked extremely like a Death Eater, freed himself from Ron's body while Ron was looking at his bleeding hand and tried to stand up.

But Harry was quicker and he pointed his wand at the Death Eater's hiding face.

"Curse him, Harry," said Ron.

"No," answered Harry, keeping the figure under shot.

"Look at my hand, he is an animal," said Ron, holding his hand.

"Ron, he could be Dumbledore's spy," answered Harry calmly.

"Dumbledore would never choose such a savage as his spy," answered Ron.

"You," said Harry to the figure, "Show your right arm."

The man started to laugh.

"I told you to show me your arm," repeated Harry, raising his voice.

"You have always to be the hero, haven't you, Potter?" asked a voice behind the hood.

Harry bended towards the man and tore off his hood.

A pointed face with long blond hair appeared in front of Harry's.

"Malfoy," murmured Harry in disbelief.

Ron was watching him with his mouth wide open.

"Show me your arm," said Harry calmly.

Malfoy smirked and pulled up his sleeve.

On his right arm there was a big and deep cut that went from the cavity of the elbow till the wrist. It cut perfectly in two parts the Black Mark tattooed on his arm, and it was bleeding copiously.

"No," said Ron from Harry's back, "This cannot be, Harry, that must be fake."

"What?" asked Draco mischievously looking at Ron, "What must be fake, Weasley?"

"You cannot be Dumbledore's spy," answered Ron firmly.

"He is," answered Harry.

"What? How do you know Harry?" asked Ron sceptically.

"He has the cut," said Harry moving to his right so that Ron could see the injury.

"It doesn't matter," said Ron firmly.

"Ron, he is the spy," said Harry raising his voice.

"A-are you s-sure?" stammered Ron.

"I am," said Harry, looking again at Draco.

"Hey, if you have finished talking; we better move," said Draco, still on the ground.

"Ok, Malfoy, I am the boss here and I decide when to leave, when to move and when to do something, Ok?" said Harry, taking away the wand from his neck.

"Ok, 'boss'," smirked Draco "But we better move anyway, they are coming," he said, getting on his feet and nodding towards the Forest.

They heard some noises somewhere in the darkness of the forest.

"Ron, come on, he is right we better move," said Harry "Ron, quickly!" he added, noticing that Ron didn't move.

"I'm coming, but don't make me walk next to him," he said nodding towards Draco.

Harry nodded "Lets go now," he said, pulling Draco by his shoulder.

"Don't touch me, Potter," said Draco, walking quickly in front of him.

"Yeah, don't touch him, Harry, maybe he has fleas," said Ron, looking at the dirty and scruffy figure of Malfoy.

Draco stopped and jerked his head so quickly that Harry thought that he must have hurt himself.

He came face to face to Ron, and Ron automatically raised his wand.

"Pointing your wand at an unarmed man, always so brave, Weasley," said Draco mischievously.

"I can kill you also only with my hands if it is necessary," said Ron, always holding the wand.

"Oh, really? Do it and maybe you will take fleas, too. I'd love to see you scratch all the time."

"I'm not trash like you," said Ron.

Malfoy moved quickly his arms towards Ron's neck, but Ron was quicker and cried "Densaugeo" at the same time that Harry screamed "No!".

Malfoy stopped and looked at his teeth that were growing and growing, after a while he started to laugh.

"What do you have to laugh about?" asked Ron grumpily.

"Weasley, is this the most you can do?" he hissed because of the teeth, "I-"

"Ok, Malfoy, that's enough! And you too Ron," said Harry, apparating between them.

"What? Harry he-"

"I said that it was enough, Ron. Malfoy come here," he said to Draco.

"I don't take orders from you, Potter," said Draco, his words almost unintelligible.

"Ok, then stay with those teeth," said Harry calmly.

Draco moved slowly towards Harry with his teeth that almost touched his chest.

Harry said the counter-charm and Malfoy's teeth came slowly back to normality.

"Let's go now," said Harry firmly.

Crack.

They all stopped dead.

"They are near," whispered Draco, "The Death Eaters are near."