…---…---…---…---…
The dark - it's fading
And the cold is warming up
I see a figure
Appearing through the dim
Is it you my hero?
Or is it - is it him?
I can feel I'm getting closer
The dark - I brush it away
I think it's you
I hope it's you
I wonder if it is - what will I say?
The figure is approaching
And my heart, it beats faster
My skin is prickling
From love or fear
I don't know
Is it you – you're almost here
I think it's you
From the way my heart is thumping
And my steps are slowing
My blood – it's quickly pumping
Through the dark, I see –
I see a figure
On the cold, cold ground
Is it you – my sweet
Is it you who I have found
If it is – I'm almost there
It is you
Through the fading dark
Your eyes – that emerald spark
I see you, standing there
Above me like an angel from God
I know it's you – you reach out a hand
I take it and together – we stand
It is you. I'm here
Your skin is cold – so cold
I pull you up from that ground
I see your face – your smile
I'm here now
I've just been gone a while
I'm sorry I didn't come sooner
But...
Without you...
I was lost
You're here
The last few days were bad – but now
Now you're here and your hand is warm
I was so cold and here you are
Your eyes – they sparkle at me
And I know – I see
You're here – you're mine
Everything is better
Everything will be fine
'Here' by DW
…---…---…---…---…
Chapter 33 –
The House of Vines
…---…---…---…---…
Severus Snape appeared in the Meeting Chamber of the Dark Lord's 'servants'.
The other Death Eaters were already here, masked and robed, staring at the front of the room where a high throne was sitting against the wall. A man sat in it, smiling viciously, nose tilted up in that pureblooded way. Severus immediately stepped forward and kneeled, bowing his head; he was so sure the kneeling man beside him would be able to hear the frantic beating of his heart. When the room was free from the cracking noises of apparating Death Eaters, the Dark Lord spoke.
"Welcome," he said in a deep, silky voice. "Long time, no see." There was a ripple of movement as the masked wizards murmured their agreement. "Yes. I've been … occupied for a while now. I've actually had a house guest who felt so inclined to join us tonight. She's a little feisty, but apart from that, she is quite a catch. Bring her in!"
Severus chanced a glance up, feeling his blood freeze at the sight of a rugged and destroyed Ginny Weasley. He looked at her once attractive face, finding only pain and waste. She did not struggle as a pair of Death Eaters brought her in; instead, she glared furiously at the Dark Lord. At least something hasn't changed, he thought with an inward smile, looking back down.
"Rise up, my loyal followers, and see what I have got to show you!" As one, the group of Death Eaters stood, looking to the front. An outbreak of murmuring spread through the chamber, as well as chuckling. Ginny Weasley swept a pair of haunted eyes over the crowd; glaring with such conviction that Snape had to award her on her strength. She was standing straight backed, but her arms rested awkwardly against her stomach. Severus narrowed his eyes, wondering what on earth the silly witch was hiding beneath her tattered shirt. As a Death Eater pushed her forward, a rip in her shirt gaped open, revealing a bloated stomach.
I would've thought she would have been starved! Well, obviously not! Snape thought indignantly, as his mind set on one conclusion. Unless…
"As you can see, my Death Eaters, I have the honour to announce our guest, the divine Ginevra Weasley. Bow won't you?" the Dark Lord asked, turning to Ginny. She merely glared at him. "Oh, very well." A wand was pulled and with a slight tilting of the tip, she was forced to dip into a low hunch. "That wasn't so bad, was it?' he asked as Ginny straightened. She spat blood at his feet.
"Go back to hell, you son of a bitch!" she snarled as one of her captors slapped her across the face.
"Watch your mouth, wretch!" a woman's voice hissed from behind the mask. Severus's stomach knotted at the sound of Bellatrix Lestrange,
"Hush now, Bella, she hasn't been properly trained yet," the Dark Lord said in a paternal voice. "We have plenty of time for that, don't forget."
"Master," a Death Eater hissed, stepping forward to kneel at his feet. "I had heard of her kidnapping. Potter and his Order have been searching for her for a while now, and they have not even had a sniff of where she was. I knew it must have been you who had taken her. Only you could thwart the Order of the Phoenix." The Dark Lord grinned, showing off a set of perfect white teeth.
"You flatter me, Draco, but even you must know that without Albus Dumbledore leading them, the Order of the Phoenix is just a group of scared Muggle-Lovers with a silly little boy leading them." The Dark Lord said as Draco Malfoy scuttled back into the ranks of the Death Eaters. Severus smiled behind his mask, proud to have been the one to train Draco into becoming one of the best spies. The boy was manipulative and able to worm his way into even the toughest of hearts. Severus knew that better than anyone did; Draco had done it to him.
"Yes, I have known about Potter's searches for his dear girlfriend. I have known about all the places he has been to. It is funny he hasn't figured it out yet, I thought it would be rather obvious that I would be here. The boy must be as daft as they all said him to be," the Dark Lord laughed, throwing his head back and allowing his dark hair to fan out from his face. "But he will be here soon – he is getting closer. And when he does…" The Dark Lord looked over to Ginny who had grown even paler. "I shall make him watch as I kill his dear Ginny … and their unborn son."
There was a thick silence as all stared at the bump on Ginny Weasley's stomach as she shrunk back, one single tear escaping down her cheek to be lost in her knotted hair. Severus Snape had grown cold, his entire body tensing as sudden realisation hit him. Potter had been almost psychotic in his search for Weasley; a little too desperate. Severus understood how the boy felt; having lost another one he loved. But he was so distraught; as if he didn't get Weasley back … all would be lost.
To know that Harry Potter would have a son was almost as horrible as it had been to know that James Potter would have a son.
But, to know that Potter's son was now residing in the womb of a tortured and haunted Ginny Weasley … he felt pity for him. How long has he known? Severus thought with a heavy heart. How long has he known that not only was his girlfriend taken, but his unborn child? A picture of Harry Potter appeared in his vision – sitting in the Lounge Room, staring at the fire as if he knew the world was about to end. He has known since the beginning…
"My Loyal Servants," the Dark Lord said loudly, drawing Snape's attention to him once more. "In order to prepare for the visit of Mr Potter, I wish to have this place cleaned up a little. Please don't forget to keep an eye out for our visitor, and report to me if you see anything – how you say – out of the ordinary." Having been dismissed, the Death Eaters slowly turned to walk back out of the Meeting Chamber; Severus intended to follow them, hoping to find something that would give a clue as to where they were. "Severus, could you join me for a little … chat?"
Snape almost lost his cool as he turned to walk towards the Dark Lord, watching as Ginny Weasley stared at him with her mouth agape, words forming on her tongue. He tilted his head to one side, in warning. She closed her mouth, instead staring at him wide brown eyes.
"My Lord," Severus said, kneeling at the feet of the Dark Lord, and dropping his head to the cement ground.
"Come now, Severus, stand. I want to talk to you privately," the Dark Lord said. Those words are never good, Snape thought, watching as his 'Master' turned to Lestrange and the other Death Eater. "Please escort Ms Weasley back down to her lodgings, where I will call for her when Harry arrives."
"Go screw yourself!" Ginny shouted, earning herself a hard backhand across the face by Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Don't test my patience, Ginny," the Dark Lord said in a deathly soft voice, staring at her darkly. "Or I may just have to let you watch as your son is ripped from your body and killed before you." With that, Ginny was pulled away swearing and struggling against her captors. When the doors shut behind her across the room, the Dark Lord looked back to Severus, his young face open and smiling once again. "I'm sorry about that, Severus. Why don't we go somewhere a little cosier?"
"Yes, My Lord, good idea." Severus crooned, following a few steps behind his master, keeping a strong grip on his wand the entire time. Something is wrong. The Dark Lord led him into a rather good-looking study, complete with large mahogany desk, leather chair and a wide window behind it. Unfortunately, though, it was curtained with deep blue drapes.
"Ahh, this is much better. Do you agree?" he said, taking a seat in the large leather desk-chair, surveying Severus with those icy blue eyes,
"Yes, much better, Master," Snape agreed with a flat voice. There was silence as the two of them stared at one another – Snape with tense yet ready black orbs and the Dark Lord with a simple, carefree gaze.
"How go your studies, Severus?" the dark-haired man asked after a while, stretching back into his seat.
"Good, sir. As you know, Potter and the others are unaware of my position in your ranks. They do not know where Weasley is, although they believe they have looked everywhere." Snape recited blandly.
"Good, good. But it's only a matter of time before Harry finds me. Tell me…is he as powerful as they all say?" Again – it was a stalling question, much like the one before. Severus was not sure what the Dark Lord was waiting for, but it wouldn't be something good.
"He is powerful, My Lord, as many saw when he killed your predecessor," Severus said, curious when he saw a shadow flash across the Dark Lord's eyes.
"You mean Lord Voldemort?" He said with a dark voice.
"Y-yes sir," Snape said, swallowing a lump. "Potter is powerful, but that was only because of Albus Dumbledore. Now that the meddling old fool is dead, Potter will be much easier to destroy." Snape disagreed completely with what he said. Harry Potter was powerful … the most powerful wizard he had ever met. "You would be able to overcome him easily, Master."
"Are you so sure about that, Severus?" he asked with one raised eyebrow as he leant forward to clasp the edges of the table. "Lord Voldemort was an incredibly powerful man – the most powerful there ever was. But still, a seventeen-year-old schoolboy was able to destroy him. And that had been after the death of Albus Dumbledore. Answer me that."
Severus was starting to feel uncomfortable. "The Dark Lord had been injured in the duel with Dumbledore, Master. He had to face Potter with limited strength and energy."
The man behind the desk stared at Severus with a growing smile, a strange light glowing in his eyes. The silence was uncomfortable for Snape, who had to bite his tongue to keep from moving. After an incredibly tense amount of time, the Dark Lord sighed. "Maybe you're right, Severus. After all, if Harry Potter had duelled Lord Voldemort when he was at his full strength, there was no way he would have survived." The man looked at Severus again, straight through the slits in the mask into his eyes. It was as if he was testing him to see whether he would disagree or object in anyway.
Severus nodded, keeping his thoughts blank. "Definitely, Master." The Dark Lord grinned toothily, standing brusquely.
"Come here, Severus. I would like to show you something." Snape's heart was thumping as he nodded and made his way over towards the window, where the Dark Lord was slowly pulling apart the drapes. Severus looked out quickly, taking in the small village below, the large front lawn, the vine-covered cabin near the fence-line. He stepped closer, no longer aware of anything except the one thing he could see to the right of the property.
It was a graveyard. A very familiar graveyard.
This is it! He thought. I know this place! Now, to contact Potter!
"I believe you know this place, Severus," a soft, smooth voice interrupted his racing thoughts. Snape flinched slightly, before nodding.
"Yes. I've been here before. That is the graveyard where –"
"– where Lord Voldemort regained his body?" the Dark Lord finished with a sinister smile. "Yes, it is. I find this place has a sort of – homey – feel to it. Don't you think?"
"Yes, My Lord." Snape replied vacantly, reaching with his mind to find what he was looking for. The Dark Lord was silent, staring intently out the window, still wearing that sinister smirk. But Severus did not see it, having found what he had been searching for. Harry Potter's mind. Now, for the right time to act…
"Please excuse me for a second, Severus. I have one matter to attend to," the Dark Lord said suddenly, facing him with a peculiar glint in his eye. Much like triumph.
"Take your time, Master," Severus said, watching as the Dark Lord strolled across the room and through the doors. As he shut them, he caught Snape's eyes and he smiled broadly, as if he knew a secret which no one else knew. As the doors closed with a soft click, Severus quickly looked back out the window.
"I hope you know what to do, Potter," he said with a shaky voice, looking out at the graveyard where his nightmares had first begun.
…---…---…
"The Dark Lord has called for his servants," Harry said to the room full of people. He had been fast to act. As soon as Snape had vanished, he had called forth all the members of the Order of the Phoenix, brining them in for an emergency meeting. His heart was thumping painfully in his chest and his palms were sweaty as he stood in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.
There was an intake of breath as he announced this and everyone started to ask questions at the same time. He held up his hand for silence, and everyone stopped talking, all their attention on him.
"Snape and Malfoy have gone, with orders not to try anything stupid," Harry said with a heavy heart. "I've been talking to Snape and we've worked out a way for him to be able to communicate with me."
"How?" Hermione blurted.
"By using Legiliumcy," he answered. He got quite a lot of confused expressions.
"Legiliumcy only works with eye contact, Harry," Hermione said in a small voice. He nodded.
"I know."
"Then how?" she asked in confusion.
"When I had lessons with Snape for Occlumency, our minds made a sort of connection that enabled us to enter each other's minds without much thought. Some of his Legiliumcy and Occlumency powers were transferred to me."
"Oh, that's why you didn't have to keep having lessons in seventh year!" Hermione said with sudden realisation.
"Yeh, I had Snape's powers for it – he wasn't pleased."
"I'd bet," Fred said with a small grin.
"So, we're going to use that connection again."
"How? I understand what you said then, but how is the connection meant to work when Snape's off somewhere and you're here?" Ron said with a frown.
"Right, about that. Snape's going to find out where he is, by either hearing about it or seeing it. He will reach with his mind to find the mental connection and alert me somehow. Then, I can follow the connection with my mind and enter his, thereby seeing his thoughts and where he is."
"Harry," Hermione said softly. "Have either of you tried this yet?" everyone was staring at him again and he felt a thick slime make its way up his throat.
"No."
"Then how do you know it's going to work?" Molly Weasley said.
"It could be just a waste of time!" Kingsley said.
"You should have made a plan that might actually work! This could've well been our last chance of getting Ginny back!" Hestia said with a stern glare.
"What?" Harry snapped angrily. "I thought all you had given up on finding her? You all said it was useless trying to get her back! That I should just move on!"
"We didn't –!"
"Yes, you did!" Harry shouted. "You all gave up! I suspect Dumbledore is plotting to haunt you all right now! His Order of the Phoenix – a bunch of flaming cowards!"
"We're not –!"
"You are!" Fred said suddenly.
"Yeah, you lot gave up just because things got a little tough!" George continued in outrage.
"Ginny would never give up," Ron said in a tense voice.
"She would be still fighting now," Hermione continued.
"And what have all you done?" Harry said in a low voice. "Given up on her."
"Harry, that's a bit harsh," Tonks said. "We had no idea where the Dark Lord was hiding. We had nothing!"
"Then you should have kept looking for something!" Harry said loudly, slamming his fists onto the table. "Like I did! Like Ron, Fred and George did! Like Luna, Neville, and Hermione did! We didn't give up! We haven't given up!"
"Harry –"
"No. When Snape calls and I find out where he is, I'm going – whether any of you are or not."
"I was just going to say that I will go with you," Remus said with a thin smile. "I didn't give up."
"Oh, right…" Harry said uncomfortably.
"And how could you say we were cowards?" Moody barked. Harry glared at him.
"Because you've been acting like cowards," he replied.
"But –"
"Dumbledore –"
"Times have changed –"
"What we're trying to say, Harry," Mrs Weasley broke in with a stern voice. "Is that since Albus died, we've had no need to keep up the Order. But now that we're in it again, we don't know what to do."
"Albus had always led us," Minerva McGonagall continued.
"He was so strong and kept us all together," Tonks added.
"And now that's he's gone…"
"…we're lost."
There was a thick silence, where no body moved, all staring either at the table or at Harry. He was speechless, looking from tortured face to tortured face. "You're telling me," he choked out, "that the reason you've all given up is because Dumbledore is no longer alive?" He only received nods in answer. He let out a rough laugh. "You're joking me?"
"No," Hestia said. "We all loved Dumbledore –"
"And you think I didn't?" Harry snapped. Everyone stared at him as if he had lost it.
"What's that supposed to mean, Potter?" growled Alastor Moody.
"I loved Dumbledore and it tore me up that he died. But I didn't give up when I was fighting Voldemort!" he said with flaring eyes.
"No, but you ran away afterwards!" Tonks said loudly. "And that's not cowardly behaviour?"
Harry flinched and looked down at her. "That was different," he said softly.
"How was it, Potter? You ran away –"
"AFTER I defeated Voldemort!" Harry said. "Not before but after! I kept fighting while Dumbledore lay dead at my feet!" Many people flinched and Minerva let out a small yelp. "I left because I had nothing left! Nobody wanted a murderer hanging around at their feet!" Ron and Hermione looked down. "I left because there was nothing else left for me!"
"Harry –"
"Stop saying my name!" he said, glaring at Tonks. "I may have left but I came back because I had the impression you needed me. Ginny came and got me, rescued me from the pointless life I was living. She proved to me that somebody wanted me. She wanted me. And I wanted her. We had each other. Then, when everything was going great, Arthur was poisoned and Ginny was taken! And I thought that since you were the Order of the Bloody Phoenix, you would help me get her back!" by now he was shouting and he lowered his voice. "I thought you would help me get her back. She's gone and I can't find her. I thought you would help me get her back." his thoughts landed on Ginny and the words of the second prophecy rang through his head. "And I can't find them. You were meant to help me get them back!"
There was a heavy silence in which nobody moved or spoke. Harry was breathing heavily, leaning against the wall with his hands clutching at his mouth. "I need to find them," he panted painfully.
"Harry, who's 'them'?" Hermione said softly, standing to walk over to him. He looked at her with frightened eyes. He didn't need to answer, because somebody else did for him.
"Ginny and their child."
Everyone looked at Luna who was staring sadly at Harry who couldn't help but nod. "Harry? Is that true?" Mrs Weasley said with a shaking voice. "That Ginny is p-pregnant?" Harry continued to look at Luna, not knowing what to say but knowing nothing needed to be said.
"Oh Merlin…" Ron breathed in despair.
"How?" Bill said in disbelief. Fred turned to say something but George laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.
"Our son…" Harry said softly and with a voice so full of pain and agony, that even Moody flinched. "I was going to be a father…"
"You're still going to be a dad," Hermione said and Harry was startled to see that tears were streaking down her cheeks. "We'll make sure of it."
"Yeah, we wouldn't miss being uncles for the world," George said as Fred nodded eagerly at his side.
"And I'm going to be a Grandmother," Molly said with a sad voice, her own face shining with tears. "Arthur will be so proud."
"We'll get her back, Harry," Tonks said, standing quickly. "We'll get them both back safely."
Harry couldn't answer; he was too choked up. He merely nodded and accepted the hand Hermione gave him. She squeezed it tightly, and it encouraged him slightly. He stepped away from the wall, wiping away a single tear which had been gathering at the corner of his eye.
"Thank –" he was about to say, but was interrupted by a sudden tugging that came from behind his eyes. It was as if something inside his head was pulling on the cords connected to his eyes. It felt incredibly strange. "Snape…" he breathed.
"What?" Hermione said sharply.
"Snape! The sign!" And with that, he lunged into the darkness of his mind, searching for that single silver thread that connected his mind with that of his old Potions Master. Once he found it, lingering in the corner behind his memories of the Dursley's, he grabbed hold, following it quickly. It took a while, but he managed to take himself into the troubling darkness of Severus Snape's mind. It was so silent and deathly still. Nothing moved. It was like a barren wasteland, much unlike Harry's, where there were things lying around everywhere. Harry looked around, searching for anything that might be of help to him.
There! He found it. In the darkness loomed a tall metal door. It was covered in padlocks and chains. Some had keyholes while others didn't. It was so tightly bound that most of the original door could not be seen. Harry moved towards it, not knowing if he was actually walking or the door was merely moving closer to him. Suddenly, he was before it, staring up at the thick, snaking chains. He looked around it, finding the back much the same as the front. He stretched out a hand to touch it. As soon as his fingers grazed the metal of one of the locks, the whole door shuddered as if something inside was trying to get out. The shaking got harder – stronger.
Then, the chains fell off all in one go. Harry stared amazed, for there, before him, was the door. It was unlocked and ajar. He pushed it. It opened. Suddenly, a wave of different thoughts and emotions overtook him. It bowled him over and he got lost in the alien emotions and racing thoughts. He could see a young Snape it mostly all of them.
He was being beaten by an older, hook-nosed man.
He was crouching in a corner, crying, as a woman fought with a man.
He was staring across at a beautiful red-haired woman. She smiled at him. He couldn't help but smile back.
He was looking out at a black haired boy with bright emerald eyes as he duelled with the Dark Lord Voldemort.
Harry realised that it was himself. What did Snape say to do?
"Picture the thought you want to see; demand it to come to you."
I want to see where the Dark Lord is hiding.
There was nothing.
I want to find where Snape is.
Still nothing.
Show me where Ginny is!
Suddenly, he was staring at a haggard, haunted Ginny Weasley as she stood before a tall, dark-haired man who looked quite familiar. She was so thin and bloody, with scratches over her face and arms. And her hands were wrapped around her stomach, where a small mound had grown. Our son! Harry thought with amazement. They're alive! Ginny's alive!
Then, the picture changed, and Harry found himself looking out of someone else's eyes. The dark-haired man was back and staring straight at him with a pair of cold blue eyes. There was something so darkly familiar about that handsome face that just screamed for Harry to remember. But then, the dark-haired man was gone, and the eyes he was using moved on their own accord. He was looking out of a window, down across an overgrown lawn, past a vine-covered cabin, then to a small village. The eyes turned from the town, looking to the side of the front yard.
He was looking at a graveyard. Cement tombstones leered up at him, vines covering them as well. The grass was overgrown, swaying in a soft breeze. The place was so familiar … so eerily familiar.
As Harry realised what he was looking at, Snape's mind rejected him and he suddenly found himself back in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, staring at a room full of nervous Order Members. Hermione squeezed his hand, but he let it drop.
"I have been so stupid!" he said in a hoarse whisper, frightened eyes flicking across the room. "It's him. It's Tom Riddle. I know where Ginny is."
…---…---…
Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter and never will.
Hey people.
OK… A lot to explain.
First, there will only be a couple more chapters after this. Three, I think.
Secondly, the bit with Harry going into Snape's mind was a little weird, but it was meant to be. Like this bit, 'Then, the chains fell off all in one go. Harry stared amazed, for there, before him, was the door. It was unlocked and ajar. He pushed it. It opened.' That bit was quite short and abrupt, but since Harry is in Snape's mind, things more than likely would work strangely and be a little odd.
Thirdly, I know Harry went off at the end there. Like he was calling the Order cowards and all that, but he expected more from them. He thought that if they were Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, then they should be all brave and fearless. But, he learns to see that Dumbledore was not perfect, and he too was scared sometimes. He realises that, like him, they depended too much on Dumbledore.
Lastly, just to make sure you all aren't too confused. I told you a while ago that Voldemort is NOT back. Harry is just confused. That's all I'm saying. In the next chapter, quite a lot will happen. If you haven't already figured out who the Dark Lord is, that will be answered and just how he came to be. Harry will see Ginny. Ginny will see Harry. There will be some fighting, something will happen to quite a few people, and Wormtail will make an appearance.
Plus, someone will die.
OK, thanks a bunch to the reviewers and please continue to do so!
Later Days…
DW