Chapter Ten- Death on a cage

Harry opened his eyes and he could feel his head aching badly. He frowned and blinked constantly. His glasses were missing.

He sat up, fully awake and as everything blurry. He had been lying in a very hard and cold floor and as he moved, he felt his glasses with his hand. He put them on and saw that he was on a small cage. He looked around and saw that his friends were also in cages next to him.

"Hermione!" Harry said loudly and Hermione opened her eyes. She sat up and smiled at the sight of Harry.

"You're all right! Oh, Harry… I thought they had taken you away!" Hermione said relieved.

"They took my wand," Harry muttered.

"They took mine too," Raven said next to Harry. "A sleeping gas, it had also a nerve-attacking agent. My legs are paralyzed."

Harry tried to move his legs, and realized that Raven was right. "They're going to kill us," Malfoy said from another cage. "I can't believe I let Muller talk me into this."

"Where's Kat?" Hermione asked, staring at the empty cage in the middle.

Malfoy turned around and his face went very pale. "She should be here, they only… I mean… She can't be…"

"Dead?" Stephanie Navitek sneered as she entered the room, closely followed by Remarque.

"Kropp! I've told you a thousand times to stay a hundred feet away from me!" Navitek snapped.

"Can't help it… You're my fiancée after all," Remarque protested.

"Kropp, we're not discussing this here," Navitek muttered.

"He's a bit old for you, don't you think?" Raven mocked.

"I see that you're still in the mood for sarcasm, Woodpecker," Navitek snapped.

"Raven."

"Whatever," Navitek said dismissively. "We decided to experiment on Katherine Muller, it was a special request of Kropp. I am afraid to say that the experiment failed and… well…"

Malfoy cursed at her, his pale face suddenly every red. "She's not dead," Navitek as she rolled her eyes. "You should watch your mouth, Mr. Malfoy, otherwise, you'll be as unwanted as Miss Canary here."

"Raven," Raven said through clenched teeth.

"Anyway," Navitek said, ignoring Raven. "Here she is. We'll come for another one for you in a few hours. Enjoy."

"You won't be able to kill us, Navitek," Harry said angrily.

"Potter, we won this time," Kropp smirked. "Get over it. And the only way out, is with the special keys that only the guard has."

"That was nice Kropp," Stephanie barked. "Keep babbling and you might as well tell Potter the entire plan."

A large man entered carrying Kat in his arms. Kropp opened the middle cage an the man threw Kat in. Remarque closed the cage and the three of them left the room.

"Katherine! Katherine, talk to me!" Malfoy yelled, banging his fists in the bars. Harry saw Kat open her eyes slowly and she stirred.

She sat up, putting a hand in her forehead. "Where am I?" she croaked. She looked around and grinned weakly.

"Guys, you're alive!" She chuckled in relief. She dug her hand into her pocket and sighed with relief. "I have my wand!"

"What have they done to you?" Malfoy asked.

"They took blood from me," Kat said. "Put it into a cauldron, that's all I remember."

Kat ran her fingers through her hair and gasped. "It seems they cut some of my hair too," Kat said miserably. "It took so long to let it grow."

"I'll buy you a new one," Malfoy said. Everyone stared at him and he shrugged. "Sorry, automatic response."

"Is it just me, or the paralyzing effects are passing?" Harry asked. He could move his legs and he regained control of his feet.

"We are not longer paralyzed," Hermione said. "We should get out of here."

"Just a small question, Granger… How?" Raven asked mockingly. "These cages are enchanted."

Hermione ignored her and started looking around. Then she stared at Kat, who frowned. "I don't like the way you're looking at me," Kat said. "I know I have a wand, but…"

"Just shut up and listen," Hermione said.

Half an hour later

"SHE'S DEAD, OH GOD SHE'S DEAD!"

Hermione was screaming at the top of her lungs. The large man that had entered before ran into the room and glared at Hermione.

"What are you yelling about?" The man asked with a deep voice.

Hermione pointed to Kat's cage. Kat was lying in the floor, her eyes wide open, drool dropping out of her mouth.

"Damn it," the man said and opened the cage. He got inside and placed a hand in Kat's shoulder. Kat blinked and in a quick movement jumped and placed her wand in the man's throat.

"Give me the keys," Kat snarled.

"No," The man said menacingly.

"Okay, you leave me no option," Kat shrugged and a yellow beam shot out of her wand. The man fell hard on the floor and Kat searched for the keys. She finally found them, and held them.

"Got them," Kat grinned. She opened every cage, hesitating a little with Raven –"Aw Potter, let's leave her here" she had said-.

They got out of the room and suddenly Harry stopped. "How do we get out of here?" He asked. Hermione raised her head and stared at the ceiling. "We are in a basement or something. There's plumbing in the ceiling," she said. "Let's find some stairs."

"Can't we just apparate?" Raven asked.

"I wouldn't risk it," Malfoy said. "But if you want to, try it first."

Raven glared at Malfoy. "Let's go this way," Kat said pointing to the left. "My sense of orientation is pretty good."

"Let's hope so," Malfoy said. They followed Kat, trying to be quiet. Harry felt something bothering him in the back of his head. And he realized…

"Hermione, would you marry me?" Harry blurted.

Hermione just stared at him and said nothing. "Gee, Potter, this is not the time for marriage proposals," Malfoy snapped.

"Of course I will," Hermione grinned and kissed Harry gently.

"Eww," Kat said. "Draco, promise me that when you propose, you will propose in a brighter place and in not such a cheesy way."

"I promise," Malfoy said, and then frowned. "Wait… did I just promise to propose o you?"

"Technically, yes," Kat said.

"Damn it, woman, who would ever want to marry you?" Malfoy asked.

"You, the stupidest man in the world," Kat snapped.

"You got a point in there," Malfoy said. "I hate it when you're right."

"Get used to it, honey," Kat said.

"If you four are over with romantic moments and other rubbish," Raven snapped. "There's a staircase."

They walked to the staircase and Hermione sighed. "Let's get out of here," she said.

"Not so fast." They turned around and saw Johann, Kropp and Stephanie standing there.