Author's note: Thank you Saeshmea for reviews. They have kept me going for this story. I would also like to note that I have changed it to rated M, just to be safe since there is violence, and gore, and all that stuff. Other than that I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 3
"Where are we?" asked Ron as he looked around. It was still the morning as the blazing orange disk outside lit the sky in shades of pinks and light blue. Around him were lines of black chairs that were secured to the ground. There were black signs with lit up letters. He didn't know where he was.
"We're at the airport in London. We can't do continental appariation unless we go through the airport."
"The airport, bloody hell." Ron uttered as he started to pace around. Hermione pulled him into the nearest corridor, so they wouldn't draw too much attention to themselves.
"Ron, Ron, listen to me!" she yelled and he finally looked her in the eyes. "We will get through this. We broke into Gringotts bank, and got out alive."
"Just barely." he interrupted her.
"Ron, we'll go pay at the closest gate, no matter where it leads to. Then we'll take it from there. We can do this Ron." she assured him. Ron nodded in agreement even though he didn't feel assured at all. His heart rate had gone up as his palm felt sweaty. No, he couldn't get worried now. He had to get Hermione and their child out of here. He had to be brave for them.
"You're right Hermione. Let's go before it's too late." Ron took Hermione's hand. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would probably close the gates to keep anyone from leaving Europe."
They made their way through the crowd as they tried to make themselves as hidden as possible. Hermione pulled her tiny purple purse out of her pocket before turning it to its normal size. They tried to blend into the people that were already there. Hermione noticed that most were runaways. She even spotted Draco Malfoy with his mother as they moved through the line of people.
"Ron, follow them, they must know how to get to the magical side of the airport." Hermione instructed Ron. Ron nodded as he spotted the Malfoys. Draco Malfoy was dressed for once in simple black clothing. He would normally wear something made out of expensive material, but he was dressed very simple as was his mother. She had very little jewelry on as her long blonde hair was tied back. Ron wondered where Lucius Malfoy was.
Ron led Hermione through the crowd without taking his eyes off of the Malfoys. Draco moved quickly through the crowd as he went inside an elevator. Ron led Hermione inside before the doors could close. Ron and Draco looked at each other. They then gave a mutual glance and Draco closed the door before pressing the red call button.
"Duc me ad portas." he murmured and the elevator started to move. Hermione stayed near Ron as her hand was instinctively on her wand. The elevator was silver with blinding bright light on top that reflected from the walls. When the elevator stopped the doors opened to a large room that led into a large hall. The walls were bare and painted white. There were lines of witches and wizards ahead of them. They were all trying to escape Europe while they still could.
Ron led Hermione into the open room as they waited in line to be led into the hall where the gates where. Hermione looked at Ron apprehensively. The line was large as more people started to line up behind Ron and Hermione. They tried to act normal even though everyone around them seemed to be runaways. As they got closer to the front they had to send their things through a scanner. The person would run many tests with their wands. When it came to their turn, Hermione gave up her purse unwillingly to a witch.
She was a squat short woman who wore a light blue uniform. Her frizzy dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail. She had a square white shaped name tag that read Angus. She looked into Hermione's purse. Her eyes grew large as there were millions of things inside. She then looked at Hermione who tried to look away. Ron averted his eyes towards the floor. He was trying to look anywhere but the woman.
"What are we going to do?" whispered Hermione. Ron looked up to see the woman motion for someone. A tall lean wizard came up. His dark brown hair was balding in the front as he had a short square mustache. He had on a plan butterscotch collared shirt with a red tie. He came up to the short witch as he pushed his thick semi-circled spectacles up his nose with his long bony finger.
"What seems to be the problem here?" asked the man in a very nasal tone. He looked around fifty as a muggle, but Ron knew he was probably around eighty as a wizard. The woman whispered something inaudible that neither Ron nor Hermione could hear.
The old wizard then looked over at Ron and Hermione. He looked them over his glasses the way a professor would, and then looked back at the squat witch.
"It's fine, I'll take care of it." He said in a low murmur, but this time Hermione and Ron could hear that one. They looked nervously at each other. The wizard came to stand by them as he whispered to Ron.
"Ron Weasley, do not run or make a scene. I know your father, now come with me."
Ron looked at the man shocked, but nodded his head. Hermione wondered what exchange was made between the two men, but Ron took hold of her hand reassuringly. The man then cleared his throat in a professional manner.
"Please follow me, so we can all have this sorted out. Angus, may I have the purse?" he asked to the woman kindly. She gave him the purple beaded purse and he was on his way with Hermione and Ron behind him.
They followed him into an elevator. The elevator was different from the one they went in before. This one looked like the ones at the ministry of magic. It had dark wooden paneling with a maroon carpet. There were handle bars that came down for the riders to hold onto. The man pressed the button that had the number 3C on it as Hermione noticed they were on 1A.
The elevator shot backwards, causing Hermione to bump into Ron. He held her up to keep her from falling. It then made a sharp turn to the right as it shot straight down. They plummeted three stories until being thrown back to the left. It felt worse than being on one of the carts in Gringotts bank. The door finally opened as they came to a long hallway carpeted in beige and plastered with more white walls. There were glass doors leading into private offices.
The man got out of the elevator as they followed. They ended up passing many of the glass doors as they saw a witch or wizard sitting behind a desk working on something that they didn't know. They then came to the end of the hall where it had a plaque on the door stating the person in the office. Ron read: Graham Brebner.
"Please place your wands in the box." The man asked as he pointed to the box that was hanging beside the door. Hermione and Ron looked apprehensive, but they obliged as they put their wands in the box.
The office was small compared to most of the Professors' offices they've been in. The walls were once again bare white as the carpet was the same. In the far side of the room was a brown simple pine wood desk cluttered with paperwork. Two simple cushion seats sat in front of the desk. The man went behind his desk as he motioned for the young couple to take a seat.
Hermione and Ron took a seat as the man put the purse on the desk. He sat down as he looked at Hermione and then Ron.
"Looks like you two just came back from a large fight." he commented. Ron and Hermione didn't even think to look at their appearances. It was true. They had scorch marks and debris in their clothes as their hair was disheveled. They had dried blood on their clothes whether it was theirs or someone else's, they did not know.
"I'm Graham Brebner as I've worked with your father Ron. I'm guessing your family didn't make it through the battle at Hogwarts?" he more stated than asked. Ron nodded. Actually, he didn't really know what happened to his sister. He felt badly now to think of it, but his soul focus at that moment was to get out with Hermione. What would his mother think? He left his only sister in the Great Hall, not knowing whether she was still alive or not. He felt his eyes sting from threatening tears.
"Well, where are you guys trying to get to? We've got a lot of travelers recently, and I'm guessing it's from the Dark Lord, and seeing you two here without Harry Potter, I'm guessing he's dead." Graham fathomed, but oh how he was wrong. Hermione was the first to speak.
"I'm sorry Mr. Brebner, but you are sadly mistaken. Harry Potter is still very much alive, but he has unexpectedly decided to switched sides."
"Merlin's hairy beard, you must be joking!" yelled the man incredulously as he leaned forward in his chair. He almost looked like he could've fallen over.
"I wish we were Sir." Ron replied looking dejectedly as he really did.
"So good for you two to have enough sense not to join him!" the man congratulated them as he leaned back into his chair. "Now where are you guys planning to go again?"
"We were planning to go to Australia." answered Ron.
"Australia, that's a weird place to run off to. Well I'll see what I can do to get you there."
"Excuse me Sir, but how do you know my father?" asked Ron wondering if the man was trust worthy. In times like these, you never knew who was on your side.
"Your father and I worked at the ministry together long time back. Does he still work in the Order?"
"He used to." Ron corrected him. Graham frowned and then looked solemn.
"Brave man he was. Well I'll be right back as you two stay right here until I get back. Then we can discuss how to get you to Australia." Graham informed them as he got up from his desk. He gave them a little nod before he left the office. Hermione looked at Ron as if she was trying to read his mind.
"Ron what's wrong."
"I don't trust him. Hermione, my father, no one knew he was part of the Order unless they were a death eater, a high ranking ministry official, or an order member themselves."
"But Graham said he was your father's friend, maybe they kept in touch." suggested Hermione.
"No, my father wouldn't tell even his closest friends that he was an Order member." Ron stated as he briskly got up and moved towards Graham's messy desk. He looked around and glanced at the papers, trying to look for anything that might prove his suspicions.
"Ron, what are you doing?" exclaimed Hermione as she rose from her chair. Ron fumbled through the papers as he didn't understand any of them, all he saw were faces. He then tried the draws as one was filled with files. He scanned the names of them. He didn't comprehend any of them as the other ones were also filled with files.
Hermione took her purse back before she looked at the papers scattered over the desk. They had pictures of certain people that she didn't recognize. On top of the faces, there was a stamp that said admitted. Admitted to what thought Hermione. The door opened suddenly as Ron jolted up to see Graham standing there.
"Curious are we?" asked Graham with a little smirk. Hermione instinctively went to reach for her wand, but then she forgot she didn't have one.
"I understand you don't trust me, which makes sense. Tell me Weasley, what made you think I was untrustworthy."
"You knew that my father was in the Order." Ron answered. Graham's smirk grew wider.
"Very good job Weasley, I hate to tell you that you're right." Graham then lashed his wand out as red beams were scent towards them. Ron pulled Hermione out of the way as he ran up to Graham, reaching him with one fluid stride. His fist swung through the air as it came in contact with Graham's jaw. He was knocked to the ground. Ron then pushed Hermione through the door. She grabbed their wands swiftly out of the basket. Ron gave Graham one more punch to keep the man down.
"Ron, come on!" Hermione yelled. Ron nodded as Hermione grabbed his hand and they streaked down the hall. Hermione pushed the button for the elevator to come. Ron looked over at Graham as he saw how the man was slowly getting up.
"Come on, come on, come on." repeated Ron anxiously at the elevator. Graham slowly staggered to his feet as blood was flowing freely from his long thin nose. He spat out blood and gave them a toothy grin. He pointed his wand towards them. Hermione stared at him wide eyed.
"Everte Statum!" yelled Ron as the man was sent off his feet with such force he was knocked into his office where his body collided with his desk, scattering the papers everywhere. The elevator arrived as the door opened. Hermione rushed in quickly with Ron hot on her trail. She pressed 1A and the door closed as they were back on the fast twisted ride.
Graham's body ached, but he was still able to move. He pulled up his sleeve on his left arm as he pressed firmly on the dark mark that was tattooed to his skin. He smiled evilly as the snake slithered. He laughed wickedly. The Dark Lord was coming.
The door opened as they were back to the room where there were lines of people. The witches and wizards with the blue uniforms in the room, all looked around as they scanned the crowd.
"It looks like they've been informed about us." Ron whispered to Hermione.
"It would seem so." Hermione agreed. "Shall we run for it?"
"What else can we do? Graham could be right behind us." Ron uttered. He then gripped her hand in his.
"Whatever happens, I will never leave you." Ron assured Hermione. She nodded as she understood. They then blended back into the crowd as they tried to get as close to the gate as possible without causing any attention to themselves.
Angus, the woman that checked Hermione's bag, moved towards a desk where she flipped a switch. A blaring siren pierced their ears. The lights through the room flashed red as wizards and witches dressed in black robes came in. They were the law enforcement. The one that looked like to be the head went to Angus. He was a tall muscular tan man. They talked about something, but Ron wasn't focused on them. He was focused on the entrance to the gates. Metal bars were coming down to seal the entrance.
Ron took Hermione's purse as he summoned something out of it. Hermione didn't recognize what it was. He threw the powder in the air as everyone was concealed in darkness. It was the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder! Hermione could have kissed Ron if they weren't in a hurry. Ron grabbed Hermione, running towards the gates before the bars had completely locked them out.
They made it through as the long hall was filled with archways of portals that lead them to different countries all over the world. Swirls of blue were in the portals. It reminded Ron of the archway that was in the department of mysteries. The hall could have gone forever. Ron sighed in relief as they made their way to the portal they needed to go to. Hermione held onto Ron as she was proud of him.
He was breathing hard from all the running, but his heart started to slow down. Hermione was the same as she first thought they'd never make it. Suddenly something stopped them dead in their tracks. A ragged disheveled Graham stood before them alongside many other death eaters. The portals beside them suddenly closed.
"He-he, you thought you got away?" mocked Graham though his voice was rather uneven. He swayed from side to side. Hermione noticed his butterscotch shirt was now stained with spotted blood. He gave a malevolent smile while the death eaters all had their wands pointed towards Ron and Hermione. Their silver masks gleamed in the dim light as their dark robes hung loosely around their bodies, concealing their identities.
"Thankfully for you, the Dark Lord wants to see you personally before you die." Laughed Graham insanely as the death eaters shot out red beams of light that struck both Hermione and Ron. They both collapsed to the ground.
Ron was the first to stir. His head throbbed as he looked around to see that he was in a dark room. The floor beneath him was cold and black as night. He was greeted with a hard kick in the ribs, causing him to double over from the pain. In the distance he could hear the screams from Hermione.
"No, where is she?" Ron screamed as he looked around more urgently. He looked up to see Antonin Dolohov looking back down at him. He smirked as he harshly grabbed Ron by his bright fiery red hair. Ron thrashed and grunted only to receive another harsh blow from Dolohov. He finally stopped retaliating as his lip was spilt and swelling, his left eye was purple and almost swollen shut, and his nose was bleeding profusely.
Ron was brought into another open room and thrown onto the floor unceremoniously. He looked up to see a dark mahogany wooden thrown. Serpents were intricately carved into the wood as they had emerald green eyes. There was another chair just like it beside the large one. The two people who occupied the chairs were the Dark Lord and his old best friend, Harry Potter.
"Nice of you to join us Ron, I was wondering where you were." Harry was the first to speak. He smiled at his friend's state.
"I was informed from Graham that you were trying to escape to Australia. What a dreadful place. Were you going there for the mud-blood's parents? I bet you were. No worries Ron, you don't have to go there anymore. I took care of your soon-to-be in-laws."
"Where's Hermione?" yelled Ron as blood dripped from his mouth and onto the black marble stone beneath him.
"Why do you want to see her?" asked Harry looking amused. Ron glared at Harry loathingly.
"Very well, Dolohov, bring the mud-blood in here, and also bring Graham in. I do believe he had an offer for my dear friend." Harry ordered menacingly. The Dark Lord remained impassive as he watched his queen do what he wanted. Soon Dolohov had thrown Hermione onto the floor beside Ron. Her arms were all bruised as parts of her face were swollen from being beaten.
"Hermione." called out Ron as he crawled his way over towards her, despite how much pain he was in. He didn't answer him as she was coughing up blood. The scarlet red liquid spotted the floor. She soon relaxed herself. Ron reached her as he wrapped his arms around her tightly.
The walls echoed with the sounds of heels clicking against the marble floors. Graham walked into the room. He walked over towards the thrown and bowed respectfully towards his Lord and Queen.
"What do you want Graham?" questioned the Dark Lord as he finally said something.
"I was wondering my lord if I could admit the Weasley boy into my program?" Graham requested still bowing low. The Dark Lord looked over at his queen. Harry thought about it as he's heard about Graham's "program". Harry nodded and so the Dark Lord agreed.
"Very well Graham. You have been faithful, so I shall give you the blood traitor to you to play with."
Ron and Hermione were listening. They wondered what program Graham was talking about, but most importantly, they wondered what would happen to Hermione. There was nothing about her going into Graham's program.
"What about the girl my Lord, do you have any use for her?" questioned Graham.
"Don't get greedy Graham. It doesn't suit you. I have given you the blood-traitor, I think that's enough. Now take him away before I change my mind!" yelled the Dark Lord. Graham slowly backed away from the Dark Lord and queen.
"Thank you my Lord and my Queen. It is most generous of you." Graham quickly said as he looked like he was trying to save his own neck. The dark Lord only gave him a dismissive hand. Graham gritted his teeth.
"Roy!" he yelled. A tall well-built man came forth. He could have been a wrestler by the size of him. He bowed respectfully at the thrown and then roughly grabbed Ron. Ron held onto Hermione with all his might. He didn't want to let her go.
"I love you." he said before he was roughly pulled away from Hermione. She collapsed to the floor as he wasn't holding her up anymore. Ron yelled and thrashed from Roy's grip. Roy threw Ron over his shoulder as if he was a mere rag doll. Tears streamed down his eyes. It stung every cut that came across its path. Ron didn't care. He didn't know what would become of Hermione. Harry was going to kill her in the Great Hall, who said he wasn't going to kill her now?
"Stop you're yelling!" shouted Graham, but Ron didn't cease. He didn't care what happened to him. He wanted to be with Hermione. Roy carried Ron down the dark corridors and a flight of stairs before they came in contact with the outside world. Before Ron could do anything Roy threw him inside a wooden compartment.
As soon as Ron was let go he got up and ran towards the back of the compartment only for the door to close shut on him. Graham laughed.
"Nice try boy, but you're mine now. Don't even try to apparate 'cause I got a charm on here." Graham warned while he patted the wooden compartment. Ron was contain in the wooden compartment as the floor was covered in dry hay and reeked of bodily fluids. The only light he had came through the space between the metal bars. He could see it was night time. He felt the cart move beneath him. With every rock and shake of the compartment, all he could think was he was going farther and farther away from Hermione.
Ron curled up into a corner of the wooden compartment. The night air chilled and numbed his body. He could no longer feel the wounds that covered his body, only the internal ones. The biggest was his heart. Harry betrayed him. He betrayed them all. He sold him like he was some piece of meat to Graham. Who knows what would happen to him?
What would happen to Hermione? He missed her already. Why didn't they jump in the nearest portal? They could have avoided this large mess. They could've avoided it all. He thought he had gotten her safe, but he didn't. He failed her. He failed his family. Why, was all he could think. Why was this all happening? The Dark Lord had won the war. He never imagined how it would be. Death was better than this. If he were dead, then maybe he would be with Hermione by now.
Ron hugged himself tighter to shield himself from the cold night air. Death was better than this he kept on repeating to himself. Death seemed like a gift right now, a very sweet peaceful gift. Soon his eye lids start to grow heavy. He was exhausted. He's been running and fighting all day. He wanted to sleep and wake up to find that this was all a bad dream. He wanted to wake up in Bill and Fleur's house out in the beach. He would wake up and go out to breakfast to see Hermione's beaming face. He would see Harry as he would be normal. He would see his parents and twin brothers, his sister and older brothers. He would see the Order and the damned orange cat, Crookshanks. The thought of all the familiar faces made him smile as he was soon consumed by sleep.
"Well my queen, what would you like to do with the mud-blood?" asked the Dark Lord now facing his queen. Harry looked at the trembling Hermione. All the books in the world couldn't save her. He smirked at the thought. She always had to show him up. Always had to tell him some stupid thing she read in a book. Snape was right. She was a little miss know it all.
"Why don't you give her to your death eaters? We can't be the only ones having fun." Harry suggested.
"I'll make her your slave, my queen. She could serve you till her last dying breath."
"I don't know if I want a filthy mud-blood around me. I'll just give her to the death eaters. She'll die when she dies." Harry said without another thought.
"As you wish my queen, Dolohov, take her to the others. Do as you please with her." The Dark Lord ordered. Harry looked at his husband lovingly as Dolohov ignored their intimate moment and removed the wretched girl out of their sight.
"My Lord, I still thirst for blood. I still thirst for suffering. Is there a traitor that I could torture?" pleaded Harry. The Dark Lord looked at Harry amused.
"Yes there is actually. They found some traitors at the airport, though I think you'll especially enjoy this one." The Dark Lord assured Harry. Harry smiled with anticipation. The excitement in the young man's eyes made the Dark Lord content.
"Rookwood bring me Creevy!" he ordered. Soon there stood a trembling young blonde boy, Colin Creevy. The boy looked at Harry for mercy. He loved Harry. He rooted for Harry at the triwizards when no one else did. He was his biggest fan. Harry smiled heartlessly at boy.
"Thank you my Lord, he will do." Harry assured. He stood up from his thrown as he circled Creevy like a vulture. His green eyes looked into those muddy brown ones that begged for compassion. Harry felt none.
He lashed his wand out from his robes as he yelled, "Crucio". The young boy was sent to the ground crying in agony. Tears tumbled down his round cheeks. Harry did it over and over again. The Dark Lord watched in amusement at his love producing such pain on the young boy. His heart was as black as his. He was merciless. The Dark Lord was getting aroused just watching them.
Colin Creevy's nervous system was burning. He soon lost control of his bladder. Harry sneered in disgust. Harry then protruded his mind using Legilimency to practice to dark art. Inside Creevy's mind he mocked every happy moment the boy cherished. He created fake memories into the boy's mind. He was quite enjoying himself. He then removed himself from Creevy's mind. He looked at his husband with a smile of pure enjoyment.
"Would you like to do the honors my love?" asked Harry.
"No, by all means my love, finish what you've started." The Dark Lord replied. Harry looked at Creevy who was panting madly. Every muscle in his body ached. Harry bent down towards Creevy to listen to the boy's breathing.
"I can be merciful Creevy. All you have to do is ask. Ask for me to end it now and I will." Harry said in low and menacing voice. Creevy nodded even though every muscle in his body screamed in pain for him to stop moving.
"What was that Creevy?"
"Y-y-yes." Creevy uttered.
"Yes what Creevy? You must be specific"
"K-ki-ll me, I beg you…kill me." Creevy cried. Harry laughed to at the boy.
"As you wish, Avada Kedavra." Harry yelled as the flashing brilliant green light filled the room. It clashed down on Creevy's excruciating body, putting an end to his suffering. His body was lifeless. Those muddy brown eyes were impassive.
"Wormtail, come and clean up the mess!" The Dark Lord summoned his faithful death eater. Wormtail came scurrying through the room. He bowed respectfully at his two masters. He then tended to the mess reluctantly. He hated cleaning up after his masters' murders.
Harry sauntered over to the Dark Lord with a bashful look upon his face. He leaned over and placed a kiss upon those scaly cold lips.
"Thank you my Lord." Harry expressed his gratitude. Wormtail felt like hurling. He hated seeing them in an intimate moment. Secretly all the death eaters felt the same, but they wouldn't dare say so.
"Now that you have filled your thirst for blood my love, I have some of my own desires that need to be tended to." The Dark Lord responded. Harry smiled an all too knowing smile as he knew exactly what the Dark Lord wanted.
"Then come with me my Lord." Harry said as he took the Dark Lord's hands in his to bring him to his feet. He then led him to their bedroom and shut the door.
Author's note: Yes, I climbed over my writer's block wall! Now I just need to do it again for swimming lessons and my other stories, but I'll worry about that later. Sorry, if the story is a little too dark for you, but it's a good break for me from all the romantic comedies that I've been writing. Also I'm sorry I didn't send Ron and Hermione to Australia. I have nothing against it; I just don't know the place well enough to write about it.
Next chapter will be about Minerva and Severus, or about Ron and the new program he's in. I don't know which one yet, but either one, I hope I update soon. Well it's 4a.m. here and I should probably get some sleep. I wish you well.