"Ms. Bones?"

Amelia looked up to see Scrimgeour poking his head in her office. She knew there was trouble considering he had called her "Ms. Bones."

"What is it Scrimgeour?"

"I'm afraid something has come up," he said, avoiding her eyes.

"Is it about Potter?" she asked, sitting a little straighter in her chair.

"Indirectly," said Scrimgeour, fidgeting a little. He met her eyes. "Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban prison."

Alex was growing frustrated. He felt like he'd been running for hours, but that couldn't be possible. He knew he was getting closer, the screams were getting louder. But it didn't seem like he was making any progress.

He knew he was running out of time. His light was fading, now a dim light that did little to illuminate the passage.

I wish Andry had been a little more specific in how to tell how much time I have. All I know is that I have to find Harry before this light is out.

Alex didn't want to imagine what would happen once the light was gone.

"Hermione, look."

Hermione had been staring at the lake, a little dazed, when Tasha's voice shook her. She looked to where Tasha was pointing. A man was running over the grounds, headed straight for them. He obviously wasn't paying attention.

She instantly decided she didn't like the looks of him. He was more than a little scruffy and he looked as if he was wearing a jail uniform. She instantly grabbed Tasha's hand and started heading towards where she had seen Ted standing. But he wasn't there.

Hermione turned around to see the position of the man, but he had disappeared.

"Tasha, where did he go?"

"Over there," she said, pointing into the trees. "He saw us and ran away. Why are we leaving?" Hermione had started to pull them away. "Dad said to stay here."

"Yeah, well Ted didn't say to stay and risk getting killed," she said, dragging Tasha up to the school.

Andry glanced at the clock. It had been thirty minutes and Alex still wasn't back. She was worried, but knew it would take much longer than thirty minutes for Alex to accomplish what he had set out to do.

But there's only so much time I can give him. Hopefully, he already found Harry and he's fending off You-Know-Who now.

She was startled from her thoughts by the thrust of a tea cup underneath her nose. Andry looked up to see Dumbledore smiling at her.

How could anyone be smiling at a time like this? She thought, accepting the tea graciously.

"I understand you're worried," said Dumbledore, taking his old seat. "But, I wouldn't have let Alexander go unless I was certain that he'd be able to force or suppress Voldemort."

Andry stared down at her tea. "But-"

"Think about Alexander for a moment. No matter how unwilling he has been to do something, has he not always done it, granted with a few setbacks, but nothing major?"

Andry looked at the still bodies of Alex and Harry. Yes, Alex had always been able to accomplish anything with few or no negative effects. That's why he had been in the Order.

But still, she thought, unable to stop the doubt, the odds of him pulling this off are…

She glanced back at the professor, who was sipping his tea.

Impossible.

"Snape," said Tonks vainly as he ran after the greasy-haired man. "Snape, you have to help me."

Severus turned around sharply. "I don't believe I know the intimate details of your marital life, but I could always point you towards a marriage counselor."

Severus was glad to see the disgust cross Tonks' face. Maybe now he'd realize that he could not help him.

"So you know nothing?" asked Tonks hopelessly. The two had wandered into an empty corridor.

"As I have obviously pointed out," replied Severus. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late for a class. Come back at a later time."

He turned around, leaving a crestfallen Ted Tonks behind him.

Alex had started a full out sprint towards the screaming now, his hand pressed against the wall for support. He was feeling tired, but he knew it wasn't because he was running. Time was almost up.

"Damn it!" he said in frustration, stopping for a breath and banging his hand against the wall. "Harry, where the hell are you?"

Alex's hand slipped as there was a great rumbling.

Now what?

It took him a moment to realize that his hand was slipping into the ground. Alex jerked at it violently, but his right hand was firmly stuck.

Andry didn't mention this.

Just when he thought that he might be able to pull his hand free, the rest of his arm started slipping in as well, along with the rest of his body.

Alex fought against it, but it was no use. In an instant, he had slipped through the ground.

Alex instantly winced as his head slipped through the ground. Compared to the tunnel he had just left, this place was brightly illuminated with red light. Adjusting his eyes, Alex could see the source.

"Harry!" he called out, racing towards the boy.

Harry turned to look at him, surprise evident on his face. Recognition and something else flashed on his face as Alex came into focus.

"Harry," said Alex, embracing him. "I thought…I thought…," Alex paused and made it so that Harry was facing him.

"Where's Voldemort?" he asked.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Voldemort? There's no one here but me Alex."

Alex shook his head. "Harry, I know that Voldemort's in here. That's why you haven't been feeling well."

"I feel fine," replied Harry. "I've never felt better. Ever since that night…"

Harry trailed off as Alex stood up, looking at him oddly. He knew Harry wouldn't act like this, not in the condition his body was in.

"Where's Harry?" he asked quietly.

"Alex," said the fake innocently. "I'm right here, in front of you."

"No, you're not Harry. Now where is he?"

The fake Harry dropped his innocent mask and his face twisted into a sadistic smile. "How sad that you can't see recognize your own ward. A great guardian you are, Alexander."

Alex reached out a hand for Voldemort, but Voldemort fended him off easily. His hand twisted around Alex's, almost crushing them.

"Do you really think you can stop me and save precious Potter when the little amount of energy that you have? You're pathetic."

Voldemort released Alex's hands and Alex cried out with pain as blood started circulating again. He backed away from as Voldemort advanced.

"You can't stop me this time," he said. "In a matter of minutes, you will be forced out of this body, and I will return in full force."

Alex laughed humorlessly. "Full force in a seven-year-old's body? Good luck with that. But the problem is that you're not getting out of here."

"And do you think you're going to stop me?" hissed Voldemort. "Potter had more magical power than you may think and your magic's about up. Give it up, it's over."

Alex didn't want to admit that he was right. He couldn't get rid of Voldemort in the state that he was in. His eyes moved around the passage, trying to figure a way out. His eyes landed on something he hadn't seen before.

"It took you long enough to notice," said Voldemort, following Alex's gaze. "There's only a little left of him now."

Alex rushed over to Harry's side, pulling the limp body towards him. His skin was ashen and had red welts everywhere. Alex turned to look at Voldemort, his blood pounding.

"It's not over yet," he muttered, burrowing his head into Harry's hair. "Harry, wake up, please. You can't be dead. You'd never let this bastard kill you so easily. C'mon Harry, wake up."

Sirius cursed as he spotted the two girls near the lake. He didn't know how he could have missed them before. The older girl was now dragging the younger one up to the castle. He prayed that they didn't know who he was.

Even though these clothes probably gave it away.

He waited until the two girls had disappeared inside the castle before coming out of the forest. Sirius didn't want to wander too far over the grounds in case someone else came out from the castle, but he had to get to Dumbledore.

Damn, he thought, as the two girls, along with another man, came out from the castle. I'm sure they'll tell him about seeing me.

Sirius quickly moved back into the forest as the group came closer. He held in a groan as he recognized the man.

I hope those girls aren't good with details.

He saw the confusion on Ted's face and he saw him glancing right where Sirius was at.

Time to move.

Harry could hear someone calling out to him, but he didn't know who it was. They sounded familiar, but Harry couldn't place him.

Wake up.

But Harry didn't want to open his eyes. When he had closed his eyes, the pain had stopped. The voice still persisted.

Harry, please wake up. Please.

The voice sounded sad. He felt pity for it, but he still wasn't going to open his eyes. Nothing could make him open his eyes.

Well, that's what he thought until another voice entered. This one was more high-pitched and cold. This voice was one he recognized. This was the person responsible for the pain.

Listen to yourself, crying. Pathetic.

The voices were getting clearer, easier to define. The first voice, the man, he knew his face. Black hair, blue eyes…

Harry, you can't die. I promised…

I can't die, thought Harry. Why not? The pain is gone, it's not that bad.

Give it up. In a few seconds, he will be dead. And then you can join him.

The cold man's last words sent a jolt through Harry. The first man, whoever he was, he couldn't die. Nothing had ever been done to him, he wasn't in pain. But he would be if I died. He'd be sad.

Even though Harry didn't recognize the man, he didn't want him to be sad. He had to wake up. Slowly, he forced his eyelids opened.

Before that day, Alex would've said the happiest moment of his life was the day Harry was born. Alex was certain he had never been happier than he was the moment Harry arose from the dead.

"An escaped convict?" asked Ted. "Hermione-"

"I'm certain that's what I saw," said Hermione confidently. "Over here, by the forest."

Hermione was dragging a doubtful Ted by the hand to the forest, Tasha leading them. Ted knew Hermione wasn't one to be fooled, but it was hard to believe an escaped convict had somehow made his way onto Hogwarts grounds.

"Through here," said Tasha, standing in the midst of the trees. "He was right here."

Shit, thought Sirius as the group started to move closer to where he was. He'd make too much noise running through the forest, and in his condition, Ted would be able to catch him easily.

I'll be lucky if this doesn't kill me.

"Is this what you saw Hermione?" asked Ted. Tasha was bent over the large, black dog, which had passed out on the ground.

Hermione bit her lip, staring at the dog. A red flush was coming into her face.

"Look Hermione, the dog is pretty big; it's an easy mistake…"

"I know what I saw," said Hermione. "And it wasn't a dog, no matter how big this one is."

"Dad, can we take him home?" asked Tasha. "He looks sick; maybe Mum can help him."

"Natasha-" started Ted. He had enough to worry about as it was.

"Please." The dog did look weak, and was unusually thin.

Don't let me regret this.

A/N: Final showdown between Harry and Voldemort in the next chapter. Don't expect too much though, Alex had something up his sleeve in Finally. Everything is resolved, well almost everything next chapter and it will probably be three more chapters before it's finished. I'm thinking of writing a sequel, but I haven't gotten a lot of reviews, so I don't want to write it if you guys aren't enjoying it.