Disclaimer: I just own the plot and any characters JK doesn't.
A/N: Is anyone reading this? I mean the story not this note? I wouldn't actually blame you if you'd all wandered away while I wasn't updating in about a year but I'm curious to see if anyone's still there because no one reviewed. I'll admit though, I totally deserved that. However, still not abandoning the story. If you could let me know if you're out there though it would totally make my day. Huge thanks though to Crazy109 who favourited this and reassured me that there's someone reading. :)
A Subtle Change
Chapter 18
Still shocked beyond anything he could ever have imagined and happy beyond anything he had been for years, Harry suddenly felt floor underneath his feet again. Opening his eyes he found he was in a dimly lit room with no windows, a fire blazing in the stone hearth and a few antiquated chairs scattered around.
"Where are we, Sirius?" Harry asked curiously.
The only answer he received was a blow to the head, knocking him to the floor, consciousness fast slipping away from him.
When Harry next awoke Sirius was stood over him, "I can't believe it took you a quarter of an hour to wake up! You are a weakling, aren't you?" The strange mocking voice was nothing like Sirius'.
"What?" Harry felt dazed and bewildered. "Sirius, what's going on? Did you hit me?"
"Harry, Harry, Harry," a smile spread across Sirius' features but looked like no expression Sirius would ever have worn, "Even in the wizarding world, people don't come back from the dead. I disposed of your beloved Godfather months ago!"
Harry raised a hand to his aching head, "No, but…Sirius, what are you saying? I don't understand!"
"Not very bright are you?" The voice issuing from Sirius' mouth had become noticeably frustrated. "I'm not Sirius, Sirius is dead and gone and you'll never see him again," this was spoken in a patronising tone before the figure frowned and added thoughtfully, "Well, you might I suppose in a few days time. It all depends on what you think happens to you after you die, which you will."
Harry's head was spinning madly, tears were threatening to spill from his wide and disbelieving eyes. His brain was having a hard time reconciling the fact that he could see Sirius in front of him, but it wasn't Sirius' voice and it certainly wasn't acting like him. One word forced it's way to the surface of his mind. A word that brought with it memories of a vile taste, girls bathrooms and a face in the mirror that wasn't his.
"Polyjuice," he whispered in despair.
"Oh, you finally worked it out did you? It seems I was wrong all these years for thinking my cousin had no use."
Desperate to focus on a more practical side of things, desperate to stop sobs from breaking forth, Harry kept talking to the figure whose words and voice had identified them as Bellatrix Lestrange. "How did you make the Polyjuice? He's dead, how could you find something of him to use, there was no body." Harry couldn't honestly say he cared but he had to keep his mind from giving in to the grief by giving it something else to focus on.
"Well, much as I'd love to take credit, that wasn't down to me. Our Lord decided that I was too well known to be allowed to attempt a retrieval of something to use for the potion." Bellatrix nodded towards Harry's right, "Tell him how you did it."
Harry noticed for the first time the room's other occupant, who he could have sworn had not been there when he had arrived, a petite blonde woman with grey eyes and delicately pointed features. Even if he hadn't met her before, her resemblance to her son, a resemblance he cursed himself for forgetting, would have told him instantly who she was.
Narcissa Malfoy was sat in a high-backed chair, a book resting on her lap, looking at him with a coolly curious expression on her beautiful face. She lacked the arrogance he had seen her with at the World Cup and instead had dark circles under sad-looking eyes. She smiled slightly and began to speak in a low, soft voice with a deeply aristocratic tone, "Well, the mentally challenged members of that quaint little Order of the Fireplace…"
"Phoenix!" Bellatrix snapped, rolling her eyes at her sister.
"Whatever," Narcissa continued unconcerned, lips curling upwards in amusement at her sister's frustration, making Harry wonder if she had been attempting to provoke Bellatrix. "Anyway, they seem to think that all their funny little charms and wards can stop people from finding and gaining access to their headquarters. Also known as the home of our late aunt. However the catch with these spells is that if you already know where the house is finding it isn't much of a problem."
"But even if you knew where it was how did you break through the protection spells?" Harry asked in astonishment, "Sirius told me that it would be practically impossible to find anywhere better protected."
"It would," she conceded, "However, you forgot who you were dealing with. The house at Grimmauld Place has sheltered the Black family for generations. It allowed me in for the simple reason that according to it I had every right to be there."
Harry shook his still aching head, "What do you mean?"
"I mean the house recognised me, it is a magical residence after all, and would have recognised Bella as well, as a member of its family. All it took was a little magical manipulation of the wards and then it was just a case of casting a disillusionment charm on myself, finding Sirius' comb and collecting a couple of hairs. We assumed you'd all have been too sentimental to throw anything of his away and we were right."
Harry had a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. The woman's strong resemblance to her son, coupled with the fact he had known so little about her, had caused him to make what was looking to be a rather fatal mistake. He had thought it was Draco Malfoy who Voldemort had asked to collect a potions ingredient in the vision he'd had weeks before, he understood now that it had been Narcissa and the potions ingredient had been Sirius' hair.
Bellatrix Lestrange was still smirking and seeing the look of cruelty on Sirius' face was deeply unnerving. It seemed Harry was not the only one who felt this way as Narcissa suddenly snapped at her sister.
"For God's sakes, Bella, how long until that infernal polyjuice wears off anyway? I'm not too happy about having our cousin of all people stood around like he's returned from the dead to judge us!"
"Not feeling squeamish are you?" Bellatrix taunted the smaller woman.
"Now, now, ladies, don't fight." A deep voice with an aristocratic tone to match Narcissa's own drew the attention of all three of them to the doorway. Lucius Malfoy stepped through it, a smirk dissolving into a smile as he set eyes on his astonished wife.
Narcissa waited only a moment before jumping to her feet, her book falling forgotten to the floor. "Lucius!" Narcissa's annoyance had faded instantly as she ran to throw her arms around her husband's neck. Harry was surprised to see the usually cold man return the embrace just as enthusiastically, holding his wife as tightly as she was holding him.
With everyone's attention briefly directed away from him Harry took the opportunity to look for his wand, but it was gone from his pocket.
"Oh yes, Harry, of course we'd have left you your wand!" Bellatrix laughed viciously.
Lucius spared Harry a glance for the first time. "You got him then, Bella."
"Did you really think I'd fail?" her arrogance seemed calculated to irritate the couple.
"You have before," Narcissa put in snidely.
Bellatrix scowled at that unwanted reminder and altered her course of attack. "Nice to see you out of Azkaban, Lucius. What took you so long?"
Lucius merely shrugged, "Some of weren't quite ready to exchange sexual favours with Dementors for an escape route."
Narcissa turned to lay her head on her husband's chest, hiding a smile. Bellatrix looked furious, "Hilarious, Lucius! Some of us just happen to know enough about the Dark Arts to find Dementors less problematic."
"Ah but you had the advantage did you not? After all, Bella, you had suffered them before, Lucius has always kept himself out of trouble with the ministry." Harry looked up in horror at the low snakelike hiss that he recognised instantly. It was the same voice he heard over and over in his nightmares.
Lord Voldemort, looking just as cruel and snakelike as ever, was stood in the doorway flanked by numerous figures in black robes. Harry tried to stand on still unsure legs, his dizziness threatening to send him tumbling to the floor again. However, in the event, it was a wand movement from Bellatrix that made him hit the floor.
"You will stay where you are! You are not worthy to stand in the presence of Our Lord!" she spat.
Voldemort smiled cruelly, "So my two favourite ladies were successful." He swept through the room, stroking Narcissa's hair as he passed to stand in front of Bellatrix and place a hand on her cheek, "A show that the Black family has more talent than your worthless cousin, Bella."
Whereas it had seemed all Narcissa could do not to recoil from his touch, Bellatrix smiled and gazed adoringly at the man who had once been Tom Riddle all but rubbing against his hand like a purring cat.
"Sirius was not worthless!" Harry yelled, determined not to allow them to see how upset he had been by their deception.
"I was talking about Regulus Black, your mongrel Godfather has in fact proved himself useful in his most gratifying death." A flicker of pain, so brief Harry wasn't sure if he'd imagined it, seemed to cross Narcissa's delicate features at the mention of Regulus' name.
Harry was boiling with rage and climbed once more to his feet. Voldemort signalled to the others present to let Harry stand. "You're nothing but a common murderer!"
"Oh, I beg to differ, Harry. I'm so much more than you realise. Hence the fact that you are here and at my mercy despite all Dumbledore and his pathetic rabble could do to defend you. Now, be a good boy and be quiet, Silencio."
Harry glared at finding himself unable to speak.
"Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, (and what would Dumbledore say to your lack of manners, Harry?), I was offering my congratulations to two remarkable young women. I must say I do find it amusing that these two succeeded where so many of you have failed, perhaps this job required a woman's touch from the start."
Bellatrix looked ridiculously pleased with herself while Narcissa still had eyes only for her husband who had a protective arm around her waist.
"As you can see, however, I myself have not been lax, the loyal have been liberated from Azkaban and stand with us once more. I will likely summon everyone together tonight. Until then, throw our guest in a cell." Voldemort turned to go then halted and said without looking back, "Oh and do remove the silencing spell, I'll enjoy hearing him when he starts to scream and cry."
"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction!" Harry yelled after Voldemort's retreating figure as soon as his speech was restored.
Bellatrix once again knocked him to the floor, "Oh, you will, trust me," she said before grabbing his arm and pulling him through the dark, stone building they were in and downwards towards the cell intended for him.
XXXXXXX
The triggering of a Portkey in the middle of a muggle station took several hours for the ministry to hush up entirely, what with the panic the sudden disappearance of a man and boy had produced. However, no one could be said to more deeply disturbed by the occurrence than Remus Lupin. The brief sighting of his dead friend had pained him almost as much as the realisation that Harry had disappeared.
As soon as it had become clear that Harry was gone, an emergency meeting of the Order had been called together at Grimmauld Place. It's members sat around the large kitchen table with emotions running high.
Molly Weasley was in tears and Arthur was trying to comfort her while much of the Order was either sat in shocked silence or arguing amongst themselves.
"Can't Snape go and find out what's happening?" Molly asked through her tears.
"I can't go until I'm summoned," Severus responded simply.
"He's right, he can't," McGonagall agreed, "It'll look like we sent him."
"But isn't You-Know-Who supposed to think that we think that he's working for us so technically couldn't we send him?" Remus looked like even he was having trouble following his own logic.
"Remus, I doubt the Dark Lord's reasoning is quite as bizarre as that, demented though he may be!" Severus snapped.
"Sorry, I was just asking," Remus muttered and sank his head to rest on his clenched hands.
Dumbledore sighed and called loudly for silence, which he quickly received. "I leave it to Severus to deal with his relationship with Voldemort and the Death Eaters and we'll talk no more of it here," he said decisively.
"We don't actually know they've got him," Tonks pointed out, optimistically.
"Short of Sirius Black actually having come back from the dead, what else could have happened?" Druscilla Thornfield said as she lounged back in her chair, "I think we have to face reality, they've finally got him." She saw Remus wince at her words but she had no remorse for them. In her opinion these people spent too much time hoping for the best and not enough time planning for the worst or there would have been a contingency plan ready to spring into action in these circumstances. A short sharp shock of reality was in her opinion more likely to bring Remus round to usefulness than anything else was.
"It is true that we do not know for certain that Voldemort has found a way to take Harry prisoner, but I cannot see a more likely explanation," Dumbledore said solemnly. "So for the moment that is the assumption we will work under and we can only hope to be proved wrong in it."
There it was again, hope. The last refuge of the damned, Druscilla thought, frustrated. And yet without it we're all damned anyway…
XXXXXXX
Upstairs, Hermione and Ginny were sat on the bed in Ginny's room as Ron paced up and down manically.
"Ron, you're going to drop through the floorboards if you carry on like that!" Hermione snapped. Guilt vied with her concern for Harry as she recalled the helpless expression in her parents' eyes when she had told them she had to go with the Weasleys. One more Christmas apart to add to all the other events and holidays they'd missed each other on since that letter had arrived five years ago and turned their lives upside down.
Ron looked about to respond when he instead sat down, seeing the barely contained tears in Hermione's eyes. He placed a hand on her arm, "We'll get him back, Herm."
Hermione nodded resolutely without saying a word, she seemed slightly calmed by her friend's reassurance. Ron wished fervently that he could inspire the same confidence in himself.
"We should be down there, they're not telling us anything!" Ginny protested, frustratedly. Her frustration stemming in part from the fact she could still not safely get down the stairs unaided.
"They probably don't know anything," Ron said gloomily. "Dad'll come and talk to us soon, I'm sure."
However, it was not Arthur but Percy Weasley who eventually came to interrupt their worrying.
"Percy!" Ginny cried out and ran to hug her brother, almost falling into his arms and having to be helped back to a chair.
Percy smiled solemnly at Ron and Hermione, "Hello, it's nice to have you home."
"What's going on down there?" Ron asked cautiously, not sure he'd want the answer. While Percy didn't tell him anything he could happily assume that they knew exactly where Harry was and were at that very moment mounting a rescue to get him back.
Percy sighed, "The meeting's just finished, mum sent me to come and get you. We don't know much. We're assuming, as I'm sure you are, that it was a Death Eater who took him using some sort of illusory spell or maybe even polyjuice potion to take on Sirius' appearance."
"It can't have been polyjuice potion," Hermione said quietly, "When Sirius died there was no body so they couldn't have got a piece of him for the potion."
"That's the issue we hit up against. Snape's going to try and find out exactly how they did it but really, Hermione, there is no spell that I know of that can reproduce a person's likeness so much as to fool their Godson and one of their oldest friends."
"Well it must have been one you haven't heard of then," Hermione responded coolly, assured as always of her own knowledge.
Percy simply shrugged, "That may be the case. Anyway, as I was saying, Snape's obviously going to see if he can find out where Harry is but he has to wait until Voldemort summons him in order to avoid creating suspicion, so for the moment I'm afraid all we can do is wait."
Ginny groaned, "Oh god."
"It'll be alright, Ginny," Percy squeezed her shoulder, "Now come downstairs all of you and see Mum, she's very upset and desperately needs someone to mother and fuss over. I'll carry you down, Gin."
"I don't need carrying," she objected before attempting to stand and falling once again. Ron caught his little sister whose frustration showed clearly across her pale face when Percy lifted her up as though she weighed nothing. Indeed Percy couldn't help but note she still weighed very little and her bones were clearly defined even through pyjamas and dressing gown.
Ron and Hermione followed Percy and Ginny silently down the stairs and were greeted at the bottom by Molly Weasley, trying to plaster a smile on her tearstained face.
"Hello, dears." She hugged them all to her in turn, Percy included. "I'm making a bit of dinner in the kitchen so you come in there with me and have something to eat. You too, Percy."
Percy was about to protest that he wasn't hungry and couldn't possibly eat at that point when he remembered his own assertions that she needed someone to fuss over and hadn't the heart to disappoint his mother. "Ok, mum, dinner sound's like a good idea."
XXXXXXX
As soon as the Order meeting was over, Dumbledore and Druscilla flooed straight to the ministry to further explain the emergency owl Druscilla had sent to alert them of Harry's disappearance. Snape and McGonagall returned to the school to supervise those students remaining there over the festive season, which was now looking unlikely to be particularly festive.
Snape was looking especially sour as they entered the empty staff room and Minerva placed a hand on his arm, "What is it, Severus?"
"I'm damned if I go and damned if I don't! I'm sick of playing these guessing games!" he hissed in annoyance.
She smiled sadly, "I don't know what to tell you, Severus."
Snape calmed and said simply, "You don't need to tell me anything, I know you want me to go and find out if he's alive."
"No." McGonagall disagreed with his assessment. "I want you to do what will keep you safe because without you he doesn't have a hope, and nor do the rest of us."
The man gave an ironic smile, "I've never really wanted to be summoned before."
"You do now?"
"It would relieve me of the decision about whether or not to go. The Dark Lord does not like people taking the initiative and showing up unasked for without good reason, but then he does want me to carry on making you believe I am on your side and therefore he may expect me to go at your behest." Severus hated himself for repeating Lupin's logic.
"This is insane," McGonagall snapped, "This shouldn't be happening. You shouldn't be put in this position and neither should Harry!"
Disturbed by the fact the woman looked to have tears in her eyes, Severus tried to reassure her, "I put myself in this position, Minerva. Don't waste your pity on me."
She smiled suddenly, "Oh I don't pity you, Severus. I pity whoever's stupid enough to stand in your way."
He returned her smile, surprised and pleased by her comment. "I seem to recall you've done that a few times."
She nodded, "Yes, but I like to think that at the end of the day we're fighting on the same side."
Severus gave a snort of amusement, "What on earth gave you that idea?"
"You did. Albus is not the only one with faith in you, you know."
Severus looked uncomfortable and shrugged in an awkward gesture very much unlike his usual refined movements. "Your faith is appreciated but I assure you misplaced."
"Oh, I don't think it is, Severus." She hesitated for a moment, "Make your own decision as to whether you go or stay, you're the only one of us with the experience to make that decision and it's your life that's on the line."
"Not just my life," he pointed out.
"You're no use to Harry dead."
"He might disagree with that."
"He might, but if there is one attribute Harry severely lacks sometimes it is the ability to put his personal feelings aside," McGonagall frowned, "I don't believe however that he would wish you dead."
"No, just horribly maimed probably, he'd want to triumph over me," Snape said thoughtfully.
"Severus!"
The man smirked, "Just thinking out loud, Minerva, and as I'm the one who puts their life on the line here I think I have the right to speak my mind about the boy as you know that I can put aside personal feelings for what needs to be done."
"I know. I'm just so worried for him."
"Don't be, it won't help." Severus' face suddenly tensed and he flinched, reflexively grabbing his left arm. "Be careful what you wish for, my for once wanted summons arrives. I'll be back with news one way or the other." He strode away from her without another word.
Minerva watched him go but didn't bother to order him to be careful as she wished to, knowing it would simply be patronising to assume he would be otherwise. Severus wouldn't still be alive if he didn't know how to be careful around Voldemort.
XXXXXXX
Next chapter'll be another few weeks but I promise it'll get here. Next time there's an addition to the Order and Harry's not faring well at Voldemort's hands.