Hermione bit the end of her quill, trying to think of the right words to say in her respond to Harry. If Voldemort happened to find it, with any valuable information, that would be quite troublesome. She was still working on an escape for Harry, and if she wrote her idea in the letter and Voldemort intercepted it….
Ginny had seemed to clear up after Harry's letter, the whole order seemed a bit relieved Harry was even alive. Ron had even begun to act normally, but more deep in thought, also thinking up a way to save Harry.
The order meetings had started to revolve around Harry as well. Everyone was voicing opinions on what to do about the situation.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted from the other room. He and Ginny were in the middle of a game of wizard chess. "Have you finished the letter to Harry yet?" Hermione reread what she had wrote:
Dear Harry,
No, I didn't see anything; they stunned me, or course. Good for you Harry, throwing off the Imperious curse! Did the snake give you any information? What's going to happen? Do you even know yet? After your letter, the whole majority of the house started to sink to normality. I don't think we should talk about plans about, you know, escaping, just yet. We miss you Harry! And we'll see you soon.
Love,
Hermione
"Better just leave it at that," said Hermione, as she added the closing to the letter.
"Ron!" she called. "Where's Pigwidgion?"
"He's in his cage," Ron called back. "He's pretty hyper and he's getting annoying."
"Okay, thanks," she replied, as she made her way to Pigwidgion's cage. She let him out, and he began to fly crazily around the room, bouncing off walls. She ran around for several minutes, until she finally caught him. She fastened the letter to the owl's leg.
"Bring this to Harry, alright?" Hermione said weakly, and the owl stared up at her, as though reassuring her he would. The owl fluttered away from her grasp, and out the open window, and it begun to make its way to Harry.
The snake once again wrapped itself around Harry's arm, a little too tightly, but Harry didn't notice. He was too anxious to hear what the snake had to say.
'I was not able to understand much of what was said, you must understand, no one there was speaking parseltongue. But I was able to tell the Dark Lord was not happy. You see there was an intruder. Nobody knows how he got in, but I could tell it was not good. Some men in dark cloaks, shot a red curse at the man, and he became unconscious after a several minutes of the curse. And then, the Dark Lord smiled, I could understand he was very happy. I can't give you any more information really…' the snake said, drifting of and gazing at the wall.
'Well thank-you for that, I suppose that is a bit helpful. But, what did the intruder look like? Can you give me a description?' Harry asked hopefully.
'I was many feet away, but I am positive it was a man, although, I am not sure that helps.'
'Well that's all right, I know how to get us out of here. I'm going to use the summoning charm on my godfather, Remus Lupin.' Harry said.
Harry said the spell Accio Remus Lupin and waited. The spell, would of course take a bit, for the fact Harry and Remus could be miles apart.
Harry decided to make conversation with the snake, asking it questions, and responding to its.
After a while, Harry had asked the question he had been longing to ask.
'Why do you call Voldemort the 'Dark Lord.'
But Harry's question was cut short, because Lupin had arrived, with a confused expression on his face.
"Harry?" Lupin said, with disbelief in his voice.
"Yeah, Harry replied get me out of"-
Harry's voice trailed away as the sliver door began to slide open. In walked Voldemort himself, along with a group of Deatheaters.
'And to answer your question.' The snake replied, tightening his grip on Harry's arm. 'I call him the Dark Lord because he his my master, and we do not disrespect his name.'
"Okay everyone, your attention please," Professor McGonagol said firmly, and everyone began to quiet down. "We have some important things to speak about tonight as well as Harry's disappearance, we are also missing Remus Lupin. Unless he appeared the meeting tonight?" She scanned the crowd of people, but saw no sign of him. "We're not sure of how Mr. Lupin's disappearance came about, but he showed no sign of struggle when we investigated." Her voice trailed of and she stared strangely at the door. Everyone turned to look, at what her eyes were so transfixed on, and several people gasped.
Remus Lupin walked in the room, his clothes torn and his face bloody. He had been in what looked like a very physical row.
"Remus!" McGonagol exclaimed as many of the order members rushed to his side. It was obvious he would collapse from pain and exhaustion. "What happened? What's going on?" she questioned over the many others who were asking the same.
"Back up everyone. Give 'em room to breathe!" Hagrid said while laying Remus on a ratty couch.
"Harry- summoned- smart- kid." Lupin said between breaths. "Voldemort- saw- and he- attacked me- so many Deatheaters. Couldn't save Harry…" a grim expression spread across his face as he said this.
"You couldn't save Harry?" Hermione asked, very disappointed. Her and Ron had recently joined the order, to attend the meetings. But they weren't allowed to go on any missions.
"No, I'm sorry…" Lupin said in the same tone as Hermione. "He tried to escape, but ten Deatheaters brought him down with the cruciatious curse." Many gasps could be heard at the mention of this.
"Ten?" McGonagol asked, "Could he survive that?"
Lupin nodded grimly and said, "He lived."
"Do you at least know where he is?" Moody asked.
"Yeah, I know, but wouldn't they have changed headquarters?" Lupin stated.
The rest of the night the order discussed the possible places Voldemort would go, or the possible ways they could save Harry.
Harry twisted and turned on the ground right and left, screaming from the effect of ten powerful cruciatious curses. They stopped, and Harry had a chance to spit up blood, but just as soon as they stopped, they started again. Harry was only able to create a shield to block only one of the curses, but the shield just dissolved as many more curses were shot at him.
Voldemort stood inches away from Harry and looking upon his mangled body, he smirked.
"Do what you wish with him," he said, and walked to the other side of the room and stood by the wall watching the Deatheaters joyfully shot curses at Harry.
There was only one word to describe Harry at that moment, he was furious. His only chance of escape was ruined. He trusted that putrid snake and it just betrayed him like that. He was feeling pure hatred to the occupants of the room. The curses shot at him continually and he kept giving yelps and screams.
And then, the unexpected happened, as it always does to all of us. A circle of fire erupted around Harry, and a sudden breeze lifted his hair. Harry's eyes glowed the same crimson red of Voldemort's, no longer the innocent emerald green. He was levitating in the air, in front of the shocked Voldemort and his fearful Deatheaters.
Harry had no idea what happened, but he felt a burst of power spiral through him. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Voldemort, and he said firmly, "I'm leaving, don't try and stop me."
Voldemort was the only one who seemed to have any objection to this, but the Deatheaters just made a clear path for Harry. Harry was back on the ground, and he began to make his way past the picture of the wizard with the mangy black hair. The wizard was no longer laughing at Harry, but was cowering in the back of his portrait. Because Harry had memorized the twists and turns of the mansion, he was able to get to the front doors. He opened them, and as he did, he heard the same ear piercing alarm sound off. But that was not the only sound; Voldemort continued to bark orders at his stunned Deatheaters.
"Don't just let him walk out of here you fools!" He shrieked. "Go, NOW!" This got them going, and they all began to fire hexes at Harry, only to have them rebound off his onto them. Harry snickered, but stopped short when he got to the wooded area. The last time Harry had tried to get past these, he had broken his back. Would they work now?
"Harry," said a high, cold voice. Harry whipped around to see Voldemort holding a small boy with a round face in his arms.
"Neville," Harry moaned.
"Unless you want the boy to die, I suggest that you come back. He was intruding into our little meeting last night Harry, seemed to think he could save you. Do you want the boy to die Harry?"
Harry shook his head.
"Then I suggest you put down your shields."
Harry did just that. The fire and breeze that surrounded him ceased, and the innocent emerald that was his, was now returned.
"Good Harry, now, come inside, yes that's it," Voldemort said as though Harry were a toddler. Harry walked stiffly towards the mansion. He walked past Voldemort, and inside through the doors. As he did so, two Deatheaters grabbed his wrists, and held him tight.
"Dispose of the boy," Harry heard Voldemort say as he let go of Neville.
"No," Harry roared, lunging forwards, but was quickly brought back.
Harry glared, wishing he could bring his shields, back up again. He tried desperately, but failed each time. For some reason, they were not working. A deatheater stunned Harry, and blackness encloses around him.
Harry awoke in an empty room and he was beginning to question his whereabouts. He was in his cage, and he didn't escape either. The door slid open, and Harry quickly got to his feet, prepared for whatever was to come.
Deatheaters filed into the room, all waiting anxiously for something. When Voldemort entered the room, they all bowed, and then quickly situated themselves into yet another circle. Harry glared at him, but focused his eyes on the thing in Voldemort's hand. It was a piece of parchment, with small, neat, cursive handwriting.
"Harry, you never told us you had a pen-pal," he said dropping the letter at Harry's feet. "Would you care to read it aloud?"
