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Harry Potter and the Snake's Veil

Chapter 06 Mum Lips Make Pretty Graves.

A searing pain awoke the new Death Eater. Not only was the tattoo burning, but Voldemort decided to rebreak Harry's arm again, when he shoved Harry down here.

Harry pulled himself to a sitting position; his limp arm was cradled against his side. He was back in his cell again. He didn't know how long he'd been here since his initiation. The bucket in the corner was starting stink of vomit.

Then, the door to his cell creaked open, illuminating the torches. A Death Eater entered with cold grey eyes. "Stupefy!"

Severus Snape stood in a potions lab waiting apprehensively. The Dark Lord has summoned him and Snape could only hope Voldemort had not figured he was a spy. Snape had never been summoned by the Dark Lord during a class. It was hard to explain to class why he had suddenly had to leave the class and it was dismissed.

The door swished open and the Dark Lord strode in, looking happy with himself.

"Ah, Snape. I am sorry to call you away during your duties at Dumbledore's school, but this could not wait. I am in need of your services once again as my Potions Master."

"I am at your command, my lord."

"Good. I need at least a two month supply of Disillusion Potion." He paused, his eyes studying the man before him. "Can I trust you enough to make Salazar's Potion? Are you capable of concocting such a difficult potion?"

"You can always trust me, my lord. The potion is very complex but if I start today, I will have it all ready in about a month."

A twisted smile grew on Voldemort's lips, "Good. I may have other potions that I will need later on. I will have Wormtail pick the Disillusion Potions up." Voldemort turned to leave as Snape bowed. Voldemort's pale hand was about to grasp the door when in a flash, he had his wand in his hand, "Legimins."

Snape was ready for this and allowed Lord Voldemort to search through his thought. He saw the fake meeting he had with Dumbledore come up. Snape knew Voldemort would use Occulemncy against him so Dumbledore and he had been faking conversations since Voldemort returned almost two years ago. During these "debriefings," Snape would tell Dumbledore very little about the going ons of the Death Eater when in reality, he was telling Dumbledore everything, except for Potter's position.

Voldemort seemed satisfied and pulled out of Snape's mind. "Has that old coot thought up a way to locate my manor?"

"No. He thinks you're hiding at one of your Death Eaters houses." Voldemort laughed and left the room with a swish of his cloak.

Snape kept his guard up until he heard silence. 'Disillusion Potion? Salazar's Potion… no one's used it since the Dark Lord underwent his dark transformations. If it's for Potter…' Snape paused in thought. 'We're all doomed.'

When Harry awoke, it took a few seconds to realize he was in the same room he was in before he got Sirius back. Someone had replaced his glasses.

"Good evening my heir, my new Death Eater."

"I'm not a Death Eater."

"The mark on your arm begs to differ." Harry glared at the Dark Lord. Voldemort just chuckled. "You will soon learn to appreciate it. Now, I know your living conditions are not great at this moment; no meal in two days…" he paused. Voldemort walked up close to Harry so his hot breath licked his cheek. "Why don't we make this easier for each other? Tell me the prophecy."

Trying to distance himself from the serpent's breath, Harry replied, "I told you Lucius Malfoy broke…"

"Crucio!" echoed off the walls followed by cries of pain. "Tell me the prophecy!"

Voldemort released Harry from the spell.

Panting, Harry retorted, "It broke and even if I did know it, I would rather die than tell you!"

"Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, for he always knows. Legimins!"

Once again Harry's mind was assaulted by the Dark Lord. This time the memories flashed by slower allowing Harry to see them. They all seemed to involve Dumbledore: the discussion about the Sorcerer's Stone, the mentioning of the room full of chamber pots, and Harry's trial. Then Harry saw the night of the Department of Mysteries battle. Voldemort was about to hear the prophecy!

'No I can't let him…. He mustn't know…' Harry tried to shield the memory away from Voldemort. Eventually the large room came into focus and the spell was reflected.

Voldemort looked murderous. "Crucio!" Over the cries of pain, Voldemort shouted, "How dare you lie to me! After what I do, you will wish you had told me." The spell was lifted. "WORMTAIL!"

The door creaked open. "Yes master?"

"Potter has friends, correct?"

"Yes, my lord, two best friends: a Mudblood named Granger and a Weasley."

"Bring them to me; I would very much like to meet them."

"Right away my lord." Wormtail left. The torches on the wall flickered.

"No you can't. Dumbledore will protect them. Hogwarts is protected."

"Was protected. The Ministry is corrupt nowadays." Harry opened his mouth but Voldemort turned to leave. "Too late Harry. Your stubbornness will once again cost lives." Voldemort left the teen.

The pain in his broken arm suddenly became more notable. 'He's bluffing. Hogwarts is the safest place in the wizarding world.'

A voice in his head sneered, "Couldn't save Cedric though."

'Dumbledore is more on watch. He'll catch any Death Eater.'

"Dumbledore is an old fool," the voice taunted, "Who caused your godfather to die."

'SHUT UP!' Harry looked around. He softly kneaded his forehead, trying to sort everything out. A single tear trailed down his cheek. "I have to get to Hermione and Ron."

Harry got up from the cool chair. Immediately a wave of nausea flooded Harry's senses. He took a few steps feeling unbalanced. 'Guess the lack of food really has gotten to me,' he said to himself. The floor felt cold beneath his bare feet. Harry took a few more steps before falling to his knees. Using his only good hand, Harry tried to crawl to the door. 'I must save them…'

Then Harry collapsed onto the stone floor. Silence filled the room. With a slight squeak of metal, the door slid open revealing a very nervous Wormtail, who clutched a bottle of potion.

He paused, sniffing the air, and gazed at the teen laying there before he darted into the room. Wormtail rolled Harry over and pried open his mouth. Pettigrew opened the cork and poured the liquid all down Harry's throat. Harry coughed but drank the potion.

Wormtail grabbed the cork and bottle and left, not making a sound.

When Harry awoke, he was no longer on the ground but suspended on the wall by his arms. His right arm throbbed horribly. But that wasn't what woke him up this time.

"Harry! Help us!"

"Get us out of here mate!"

Harry's breath got stuck in his throat. He had gotten Hermione and Ron. A bitter taste filled Harry's mouth.

The metal door at the end of the room opened and Voldemort strode through.

"Let them go! They know nothing!"

"I see you've noticed your friends have come for a visit. I will see for myself if they know anything, unless you just want to tell me the prophecy."

"Don't tell him Harry!" yelled Hermione.

"We'll get out of this, don't let him know," called Ron.

Harry narrowed his eyes at Voldemort. "Let them go."

"No deal Harry, unless you tell me the prophecy."

Harry's glare was icy. "I don't know it."

"Dumbledore heard it and he told you! Now tell me the prophecy!" When Harry said nothing, Voldemort made to leave the room. Just before he exited, he murmured, "Is this prophecy really worth death to you Potter?" The door clicked behind him.

Harry took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. He didn't know what to do.

His scar started to burn but Harry ignored it, at least until the screams of pain penetrated through the walls.

"Help us Harry!"

"Save us!"

Harry struggled to free himself from the iron manacles. They just dug deeper into his wrists. With a frustrated cry, Harry stopped struggling. The screams grew louder.

He closed his watery eyes and tried to focus his energy. Harry took a shaky breath in. "Alohamora!" he cried.

The left binding unlocked, sending all of Harry's weight on his broken arm. He bit down on his lip, the metallic taste filling his mouth. He tried to refocus his energy and block out the pain. "Alo… Alohamora!" The right lock clicked and Harry fell to the floor in a disheveled lump. Blackness took him.

He awoke to a dull throb in his scar. He sat up realizing he was shackled to the floor with long chains.

The room grew cold. The darkness pressed in all around Harry like a pillow against a struggling breath. The cell beside his was quiet.

The cell door opened and a Death Eater walked in. Something was floating behind him. The torches illuminated the room and Harry thought he saw a head a bushy hair.

The Death Eater dropped the body in front of Harry and left. The torches remained burning.

Blank brown eyes stared deeply into Harry's emerald orbs. A sob broke through the silence. A pale, shaky hand reached out only to caress a cold, clammy cheek. Hermione Granger was dead.

-Anaticulapraecantrix