The robes felt heavy on his shoulders, and the rope that bound his wrists together chaffed his skin slightly. He didn't look at Snape as the man bound his wrists. He knew the spy role meant he would only see animosity in his eyes.

"He's ready my lord." Snape said, pulling him out. Harry stepped out. Voldemort had given his deatheaters scrolls.

"The important part…" Voldemort finished. "No matter what happens, do not stop or interrupt the ritual until it is done. Disappointing me would not be recommended."

Voldemort turned to Harry and gave him a long thin candle, turned off. "Light it."

Harry didn't know about candle magic… what did this all play in this ritual Voldemort was instructing the others about? The five deatheaters looked at him. Bellatrix, as always, was smirking. Avery, Nott and Rowle showed no emotion as they watched Harry walk to the candle in the centre of the room. Lucius Malfoy didn't even look at him.

They surrounded him and locked arms. Harry looked around confused. The moment he lit the small candle everything faded around them and they reappeared in a clearing of flat land as far as the eye could see.

Right… now he remembered. This was how wizards used to travel before apparition was perfected. Hermione mentioned it once upon a time to him. She had been particular excited to read about it.

Hermione… Ron… was he ever going to see them again?

The deatheaters unlocked arms and he could now see beyond them. An arrangement of polished marble started glowing faintly as the moon climbed higher on the horizon.

"This will be the last thing you'll remember of this world, you're welcome Harry." Voldemort smirked and walked ahead. Bellatrix grabbed him by the back of her neck and led him forward.

oOoOoOo oOoOoOo oOoOoOo

Severus stayed behind and took out a small golden blade. He glanced at the deatheaters. No one was looking at him. He got on one knee and dug the golden blade into the ground. It was small enough that the grass covered the hilt.

He activated it with a tap of his wand. The signals would be sent through the earth. Slightly less untraceable. He stood and walked ahead. Was no one going to notice? It seemed the Dark Lord was too distracted with getting Potter onto the ritual site to notice the potion master's stop.

The Marble floor formed an empty pool at the centre of the stone circle.

He counted down the seconds in his mind when the Order would arrive.

oOoOoOo oOoOoOo oOoOoOo

Harry held the candle tightly once Bellatrix let him go. He stood on the edge of the small empty pool… or tomb, with the size it had it could be either one. He looked back at the deatheaters.

He could try and run, but really, what good would that do. He would be caught in seconds and probably tortured until he complied.

He looked at Voldemort who stood beyond the circle of five deatheaters. Snape stood beside him, Nagini at his feet.

"Step into the pool, Harry." Voldemort said calmly. Harry glared at him as he got inside. He shuddered as he started hearing the voices a lot clearer. As if the marble were amplifying them in his mind.

"Find me… have me… wear me…" They hissed in his head. Harry wished his hands were free so he could cover his ears.

The moon reached its position, the site glowed brighter. Everything turned into white noise in Harry's mind as he looked up at the full moon. The silver moon held his attention captive. Harry felt his strength leave though he remained upright, like the very moon light was holding him up.

The deatheaters unrolled their scrolls and read out from Salazar's text their voices merged into one, making Harry's head spin.

"Ut devoret te tenebras, ut motus relinquam vos, submit numquid ad dominum tuum." It repeated itself again and again.

Harry groaned as he felt his eyelids become heavy.

oOoOoOo oOoOoOo oOoOoOo

Severus tensed as he watched Potter's eyes begin to close. It was his turn. He hovered the large cauldron closer. This was it. The moment he dropped the potion it was over. Blast his cover to hell! He was going to die anyway.

He reached in and grabbed the boy by his robes, pulling him out of the pool. The cauldron dropped, spilling the potion, which made its own way into the pool.

"No!" Bellatrix cried out in outrage. Severus held the boy close as he put up shields against the blasting spells that came his way from the deatheaters. He slowly made his way back, defending against any attack.

Pops appeared all round the area as the Order members arrived and chaos ensued. Voldemort hissed at him and placed his wand over his own dark mark. Severus felt his own begin to burn and he cried out, dropping to his knees in pain. Bellatrix saw her opening.

"Crucio!" She called. The pain seared through his entire body, making him release hold of Potter who only then snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in.

"Harry!" The turned to look behind him. It was Molly Weasley that had called out to him.

"Run… Potter." Severus managed to say. Tonks ran past them and shot a spell over their heads. It must have struck Bellatrix because the crucio cut off allowing him to catch his breath.

The boy tugged at Severus' robes trying to get him to go with him but Severus was still recovering from the unforgivable.

In the blink of an eye Nagini shot out from between the chaos and wrapped herself around the boy, knocking Potter closer to the centre once more and out of Severus hands. "Potter!" He called.

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Harry cried out as he and Nagini rolled on the ground. He felt her hot, poisonous breath against his neck as she hissed for him to keep still.

"Not him Nagini! Get the traitor!" Harry's heart went cold as Nagini turned back to Snape who was trying to make his way to them. Nagini released Harry's body.

Harry reacted quickly. Bellatrix was only now starting to recover. He reached for her wand and pointed it at the snake.

"Avada kedavra!" Harry didn't notice himself cry out in parseltongue but the curse flew out all the same, sharper and quicker than he ever remembered the killing curse being. It crackled as it hit the snake which dropped to the ground.

Harry cried out and dropped the wand as he held his forehead in pain, feeling as if he himself had been torn to shreds. Voldemort's cry mirrored Harry's own although the dark wizard's cry was laced with rage. Nagini's voice died in Harry's head.

Harry felt relief now that the vile creature was no longer out to get Snape. He took a step toward the Order members. He didn't get very close. Bellatrix grabbed him by his shoulder and shoved him back toward the centre. Harry felt the edge dip into the pool and fell into the rose coloured potion.

"Harry!" He heard several people cry out before the potion he fell into drowned everything out.

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Severus saw those green eyes focus on him before Bellatrix shocked them both. He felt a hole opening in his chest as he saw the boy fall back into the potion. He ran to him. He had to get him out of there. Before he even got close everyone was blasted back by an unseen force. The epicentre was Potter. The air vibrated with raw energy all around.

The only one laughing was the Dark Lord. He was the first to stand up to gaze upon his creation.