Chapter Four : The Knock
Harry Potter ran blindly through the Forbidden Forest, almost tripping over himself every few yards. He bounded over fallen branches and exposed roots and tore through angry briars that snagged his clothing and scored his flesh but he did not stop.
His heart pounded in his chest, his lungs screamed for oxygen as he fled breathlessly through the dark trees but still, he did not stop.
He scanned ahead for any familiar land mark, something, anything that he could use to help him find his way out of this nightmare as quickly as possible.
Only after a considerable distance was covered, did he consider it safe enough to pause and look behind him. Between gasps for much needed air, he shakily removed his glasses and tried to rub away the large droplets of rain that had clung to the lenses. As his vision cleared, Harry nervously scanned his immediate dim surroundings and soon came to the horrible realisation that he was utterly alone.
Neville Longbottom was nowhere in sight.
oOo
Lucius Malfoy sneered maliciously as he kicked over the limp body of one Severus Snape. The potions master rolled onto his back with out resistance and remained in a prone state on the wet ground. It was obvious to Malfoy that the traitorous wizard was unconscious for the moment, however this knowledge didn't prevent him from kicking the vulnerable body in the ribs one more time.
A sound to his left suddenly grabbed his attention and he swiftly raised his wand in a threatening manner. He relaxed almost imperceptibly when he recognised the stocky approaching frame of Thomas Perkins. The fellow Death Eater had a body draped casually over his right shoulder.
Malfoy advanced, eager to identify his captive, stowed away his wand and pulled back the body's hood.
Perkins felt his stomach clench at the combined look of rage and disappointment on the pure-blood's face. He watched Malfoy warily as he grabbed the boy's face in one hand and rocked it from side to side. The child remained blissfully unaware of his perilous predicament. Lucius released his grip, without any thought of the boy's comfort and glared down at Perkins.
"And Potter ?" he demanded coldly.
"S..sorry S..sir," Perkins stuttered nervously in apology, "he got away before I could 'stupefy' him."
"Idiot," Malfoy chastised, "bring him over here."
Lucius pointed to the area where Severus still lay and Perkins' mood lightened a little on seeing the Professor's defenceless state. He eased the lax body off his shoulder and deposited it, none to carefully, onto the ground.
"What about the Potter boy, he'll run for help won't he ?" Perkins asked anxiously, fiddling with his wand.
"No matter," Lucius replied confidently, "they'll never find us."
oOo
Harry Potter was shivering and he wasn't sure if it was his soaked state or his rising fear that was the most to blame. He moved to the nearest tree and hid behind it, pressing his face into the rough bark. His heart continued to pound in his chest while he sucked in large mouthfuls of air, the uncertainty of what to do now was driving him mad.
Should he call out Neville's name or would this only serve to bring his pursuer closer to him and using a 'lumos' would probably give away his location just as quickly.
But where was Neville ? Had he fallen ? Did that man have him ? And what had happened to the Professor ?
Absently Harry couldn't believe that he was as anxious about the greasy git as his close dorm-friend.
Ignoring the rain, he pulled down his hood and strained his ears to catch any sounds of running or cries for help but maddeningly, there was nothing, just the usual eerie forest sounds, calls from strange creatures and the relentless cacophony of large falling rain drops slamming against leaves.
Looking over his shoulder, he could have sworn he saw a faint glow of light far behind him but just as suddenly, it disappeared, only to reappear again, only this time he could make out two faint glows, rocking slightly as they vanished and materialised between enormous tree trunks.
Pleading silently to Merlin, he hoped that those twinkling glimmers belonged to his friend's oil lamps. Decision made, he ran towards the lights as fast as his freezing feet could carry him.
oOo
Far away, yet still deep within the heart of the Forbidden Forest, dark nocturnal creatures were disturbed by a loud popping noise as two wizards apparated in their midst. The men stood back to back, wands drawn as they circled and surveyed the immediate clearing. The bundles they had been supporting were carelessly dropped to the ground while they conducted their search.
Only once the area had been deemed safe, relative to their current location, did either wizard speak.
"Wait here," Malfoy ordered his lackey.
He then moved cautiously towards an enormous knurled oak tree, he muttered a secret incantation and knocked on the brittle bark three times with his cane.
Almost instantly, the air was filled with a strange static charge, the area itself seemed to shift and shimmer until in a matter of seconds, a small sized stone structure was revealed near by.
The building resembled an old ramshackle cottage, but this too was an illusion of sorts, as the actual building was much larger inside and while it could hardly be described as luxurious, it was far less dilapidated that it outwardly appeared.
Malfoy walked past the shuttered windows and approached the wooden front door, it looked flimsy and ravaged by wood lice, the countless layers of paint covering it, were flaking and peeling away, in its centre hung an ornate brass knocker in the shape of a serpent.
Pausing a moment, he reached in under his robe to his inside coat pocket and removed a small silver switch blade, flicking it open, he allowed the sharp metal to press into the plump flesh of his left thumb. Blood pooled instantly to the surface, without hesitation, he smeared some under the brass knocker, then struck the door three times.
As before, the air around the door seem to crackle with electricity and just as quickly, it unlocked itself and slowly swung open.
Before entering Malfoy cleaned his blade and thumb with a simple 'scourgify' and instructed Perkins once more.
"Bring them through," he ordered, then stepped eagerly inside.
With a gentle flick of his wand, Perkins levitated the two bodies with a 'mobilicorpi' and directed them expertly through the open doorway.
A faint 'Colloportus' could be heard outside, followed by a strange squelching noise, as the ancient door was magically sealed shut. Just as soon as the rusty lock clicked into place, the entire area shimmered once more and the 'derelict' building vanished from sight.
oOo
"These are disgusting," Ron Weasley moaned loudly once more and stuck out his tongue as he dropped another writhing black beetle into his specimen jar, unlike his knowledgeable potions professor, it hadn't occurred to Ron to use a 'petrificus totalus' on the scurrying little creatures.
They were presently crawling all over his shoes and getting tangled in his laces.
"Oh do stop whining Ron," Hermione admonished, "after all, we're nearly finished," she smiled, holding up her full glass jars and giving them a good shake.
Their hunt had been very successful and they had even managed to gather an impressive bundle of nettles and asphodel, it was bound to be enough to satisfy even Snape.
"Yeah well still...doesn't mean I have to like them," Ron grumbled in reply as he sealed the lid of his jar tightly.
"Look on the bright side Ron, it could be a lot worse," she teased back, "he could have told you to collect spiders."
The sudden look of fear and loathing that invaded Ron's freckled face was priceless and Hermione couldn't stifle the giggles from erupting.
"Not funny Hermione," Ron sulked, trying to repress the shudder from crawling all the way up his spine.
He stood up slowly and began shaking his shoes, trying his best to dislodge the pesky beetles.
It was then that he could have sworn he heard his name being called, looking around he couldn't see anything. He lifted up his oil lamp for more light just as Professor Lupin reappeared with a handful of aconite held securely with his dragon-hide gloves.
"Alright there Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley ?" the professor enquired as he stuffed the plants into one of the hessian satchels.
"Yes Professor," Hermione answered dutifully, brushing her hands off in her wet robe, "we seem to be finished here."
"Excellent," Lupin praised loudly, looking at all they had gathered, "this should keep Professor Snape happy for a while."
"Ron ?" he called, noticing the student's distracted state, "is everything alright ?"
"Sir ?" Ron turned around now looking directly at the two, "oh sorry Sir...it's just I thought...I thought I heard my name being called," he explained.
All three listened intently and despite the rain, this time, they each heard the calling voice but more importantly they could clearly make out all three of their names being called and it was painfully obvious that the cry belonged to Harry.
oOo
Severus Snape felt his mind being reluctantly dragged back to consciousness, he fought a valiant fight to remain in the comforting blackness but some persistent part of his being, perhaps his sense of self preservation, was gnawing at him to wake up.
The more aware he became, the less he liked his new environment. Before he had even managed to open his heavy eyes, he could feel pain and discomfort all over his body, automatically his brain catalogued the after effects of the 'cruciatus' but his groggy mind couldn't quite account for the pounding ache in his head nor the fiery throbbing in his chest, the rest of his body felt deathly cold.
His nose twitched with distaste as it sifted through the stench, dampness, excrement and blood were all around him.
The last smell caused a painful, sharp intake of breath as he came to abrupt awareness.
With black eyes, now finally open, he realised he was lying down on his side on a damp stone floor. Various insects scuttered around the rough masonry, completely ignoring his presence. Remaining still, he carefully scanned the area and the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach grew.
He now knew where he was, in fact he was intimately familiar with this place, he had just never looked at it from this perspective before.
Why was he here ? he wondered.
It was then that he heard a strange sniffling sound and he tried to move. His head spun wildly and he felt suddenly nauseous but he was determined to locate the source of the noise. Ignoring the discomfort and cautiously lifting himself up, he noticed his shackled wrists for the first time and glared at them in annoyance and confusion.
The sniffling noise stopped.
"P..p..professor ?" a nervous but some what familiar voice enquired.
Moving with speed that he knew would cost him, Severus looked over his right shoulder.
There, huddled in the corner, sat one Neville Longbottom.
As the Potions Master observed the boy's bound hands and tear stained terrified face, the history of recent events came rushing painfully back.
Longbottom and Potter. Malfoy and Perkins. The fight, being hit on the head and now he was being held here in the Knock with a student.
Merlin !
They were in danger, grave danger.
Severus Snape was sure of only one thing, he had to get the child the hell out of here now.
oOo
Author's note ; Well that's it for this chapter, sorry it took so long to up-date. As always, many thanks to those of you who have shown an interest in this little story, whether by reviewing, adding it to your favs or just putting it on alert...all that support really means a lot ! Cheers !
All the unsigned in reviews for chp. 3 have been replied to in my blog (link to it on profile page) if anyone's interested.
So I hope you've enjoyed the story so far & please do feel free to let me know what you think !
Bye for now, take care,
Lai.