Hey, my fellow readers! At last a young woman will meet a dashing snatcher. Give me your thoughts by reviewing, please. Have fun!
Inspirational music: "I will find you" by Clannad
Chap. 8 Captures
Days passed and the snow finally began to melt, an early introduction of the spring. The entire snatcher camp transformed into a swamp of mud and puddles before Scabior decided to move the tents to a dryer place in the forest. Despite the birdsong and warmer nights, there was an unsettling tension among the snatchers. Greyback's rather embarrassing departure had of course provided many laughs for some time but now the camp had become silent.
Scabior sat by the intense camp fire, not caring that the nearby flames scorched his weather-beaten face. He knew too well he was one of the reasons to the bad atmosphere. He had with his unusual silence and sudden outbursts caused the surrounding snatchers to quiet down and avoid him if possible. The amount of men who volunteered to spy on the ignorant trio increased rapidly. To stand in a queue by the still existing hole was considered to be a refuge from the moody leader and his wrath. Only a few men stayed by the fire, they preferred to hide in their tents when they were not on duty. Scabior kicked a log into the middle of the camp fire, intent on keeping the fire burning.
He was aware of the other reason to why the men had gone restless. As snatchers, they were all consumed by the need to run and hunt down victims. It was a native characteristic that flourished once they had learned how to walk. They wanted to hunt and catch things, whether it was gnomes, enchanted objects or animals in the woods. Scabior did not know about the others, but when he had entered adolescence he had begun to chase girls. That was when he learned how to be charming and flirtatious enough to get into their knickers. The more a girl played hard to get the harder he tried to capture her heart, rendering her desolated and heartbroken once he had bedded her and moved on.
Initially it had been an entertaining game to him, but little by little he found that schoolgirls could not satisfy his longing for new things. He needed to hunt something more challenging and started to sleep with elder women who gladly welcomed a young man to warm their beds. A few times he fucked women in the Ministry, literally, for small favours, like how he could avoid getting caught by certain laws, but in the end it made him feel cheap so he ceased it. And now he had fallen in love with that young woman and had come to the conclusion that sex was not enough anymore. He must try to share some feelings with a sexpartner and see how it goes.
His snatchers had reported nothing of interest from the espionage and they were beginning to feel the urge to finally make the move and attack the trio. Meanwhile, Scabior had got into touch with some hardcore Death Eaters who had explained how to create an alarm if victims Apparated from their current position and how one could trace Apparating people easily with the right preparations. Should the trio disappear Scabior would know instantly their new location and follow them with his band. They needed a proper hunt to feel adrenalin rush and satisfy their thirst for the moment when the prey was caught. And Scabior needed it badly.
He intended to catch the girl and her companions and leave them at the Ministry for a tidy sum. No matter how much he wanted the girl, he would not keep her in his camp only to lose her after some days of hardships. A snatcher camp was not a safe place for a woman, simple as that. Besides, the thought of having her available in his tent might tempt him to dive in, so to speak, while she did not want any of that. Scabior had much darkness inside but he had never and would never take a woman without her permission. At least some pure-blood manners had stayed with him. 'Better not risk anything,' Scabior thought as he absentmindedly played with the strings of the pink scarf.
An unexpected voice was heard loudly in the camp and made Scabior jump up and turn to the disturbing sound.
"Apparation alert! Apparation alert!" A bunch of snatchers came running from the watch by the shield and held their wands, ready to follow the teenagers. The tents were emptied and everyone gathered around Scabior. He could already see the sparks in their eyes, a sign of their excitement to the prospect of a wonderful chase. Suddenly a seething pain coursed in Scabior's left arm and he clutched his Dark Mark through his many layers of clothing. He heard a dragging voice in his head, "Don't follow them now. They're with Mr. Lovegood; our territory. If they escape, catch them." Scabior closed his eyes for a moment as the pain slowly subsided. His Death Eater source had made it clear. It was a fifty-fifty chance if a chase was to take place or if the professional Death Eaters would take care of the trio.
"Where are they, boss? Should we follow?" an eager snatcher asked. Scabior opened his eyes and gave a sigh, "No, they're on Death Eater territory. But be prepared if they Apparate again soon. And please, if we get to hunt them, don't fucking kill them like last time. I want my galleons." Two snatchers saluted Scabior and grinned, "Yes, sir!" The small feeling of anti-climax that had settled among the poised snatchers after Scabior's news disappeared and they all began to laugh. 'Merlin, they need a chase," Scabior thought troubled as he began to pace across the camp. After a dreadful hour of waiting, the alarm switched on once more but was accompanied by an image of the place were the trio were going to land; a clearing with surrounding pines.
"Alright, let's go and snatch them," Scabior said calmly, but experienced an odd fluttering in his stomach when he lifted his wand to Apparate.
"They've taken my Luna. Where is she?"
Hermione had a bad feeling about Mr. Lovegood's more than strange behaviour. She asked him, "Mr. Lovegood, what are you talking about? Is Luna gone?" The man turned his mad eyes towards her and pleaded, "You can't leave, you must stay here!" A moment later Harry looked through the window and saw a bunch of Death Eaters approaching on brooms.
"It's a trap!" he cried and brutally took Hermione's and Ron's hands and forced them to follow him upstairs where they hid under the invisibility cloak. Hermione's heart beat hard in her chest as she heard the evil men come inside and begin to question poor Mr. Lovegood. And then she heard those familiar but now so terrifying words, "Homenum Revelio". They were in deep trouble. She trembled of fear when she heard footsteps on the staircase. However, her quick brain thought of a way out. She whispered to Harry and Ron, "Follow me when I Apparate," and took off the cloak. For an ounce of a second she met the eyes of a darkhaired wizard before she thought of a place in the familiar forest and felt the unpleasant hitching in her belly button as they disappeared form Luna's home.
She managed to land on her feet and looked for Ron and Harry who had ended up behind her. Ron seemed offended. "What a traitor! Is it not possible to trust anyone these days!" But Harry defended Mr. Lovegood, "He's just desperate." Ron walked away a bit until a man raised himself before him. Harry looked at Hermione and she saw several grim men appear around Harry. She turned her head and was met by a purr.
"Hello, beautiful."
Fear squeezed her heart for she recognized the tall man leaning against a tree. It was he who had noticed her scent through the protecting shield last autumn, the man she had been haunted by in her nightmares since.
Her gaze fell to his hands that played with, oh, God! Her scarf she had left by the lake for Ron was in the hands of a snatcher. The symbolism of the sight finally seemed to wake her from immobility and she took off with Harry and Ron beside her. She heard that snatcher yell something and when she dared a glance over her shoulder she saw how a gang of snatchers was chasing them. She began to run as fast as she could, trying to reach Harry and Ron so they together could Apparate again to a safe location. Suddenly a blast hit a tree in front of her and the fear increased. Pure instinct made her run in zigzag and occasionally throw spells over her shoulder. She lost sight of Ron but tried to keep pace with Harry. A glance forward made her stop in her tracks. There were snatchers before her too. They had been surrounded.
She quickly turned to Harry and cast a Stinging spell on his face that made his face puff up, hopefully making it impossible to recognize him. She did not notice the figure behind her before strong hands grabbed her arms and held them painfully behind her back. She struggled fiercely to get away and watched how Ron managed to free himself and run to her rescue. He did not succeed, as a snatcher punched him hard in the stomach and he fell to the ground. Hermione wanted to close her eyes from the frightening scene, as a boot was placed against Ron's neck, holding him down. Harry, on the other hand had a man behind him who held him by the scruff. At least his glasses had fallen onto the ground which made him look even less like Harry Potter. She twisted in the vicelike grip before a victorious voice sounded.
"Your boyfriend will get much worse than that, if he doesn't learn to behave himself." The snatcher had a smug smile on his face as he put his hands casually into his pockets. "And you are?" he asked Harry who, thankfully, answered Vernon Dudley. "Check the list," the snatcher drawled to another man. It seemed like he was their leader or something. But when there was no Vernon to be found on the list, Hermione held her breath. She thanked the Hogwart's founders or whatever power that helped them, when the leader remembered a Dudley in the Ministry and left Harry. Ron was next to be questioned and he said, "Stan Shunpike." Hermione turned away when a snatcher aimed a fist and she heard how it connected with Ron's face. The leader roared with laughter, "Like 'ell you are! Stan's on our side." She ventured a glance at Ron, who's nose was now bleeding.
"Bardy Weadley," he blurted out. This answer seemed to please the leader who knelt beside Ron and asked in an insidious voice, "A Weasley? Are you by any chance close to that blood traitor Arthur Weasley?" Ron promptly shut his mouth and the snatcher snorted.
He got up and turned to Hermione. She thought he invaded her personal space when he stopped just before her. For the second time that day she met his dark brown eyes that sparkled with glee.
"And you, my lovely? What do they call you?"
Once again he had that soft-spoken voice which was far more terrifying than the violence against Ron. She swallowed hard and lowered her eyes.
"Penelope Clearwater. Half-blood."
He said nothing as he put his large hand against the back of her neck and leaned in. His hand prevented her from recoiling when his head came within inches from hers. His gaze scanned her face, and she could swear his eyes lingered on her lips before he leaned into her ruffled hair and breathed deeply. Hermione felt tears begin to gather in her eyes, for she had never been so uncertain and afraid before. The man did not behave like the other snatchers or the Death Eaters she had encountered and it scared her immensely.
She felt his breath against her sensitive neck and began to shiver. He moaned a little before he at last stepped back.
"You smell like vanilla, Penelope. I think you're going to be my favorite," he purred. He turned to the surrounding snatchers and opened his mouth to say something when a young man cut him off.
"Boss, I've found somethin' on this one's fore'ead! It looks like a scar!"
Hermione experienced anew a sinking in her stomach when they gathered around Harry. One of them discovered the glasses and put them on him. She heard several gasps as the snatchers understood that they had caught the Undesirable No.1. They turned to Ron and one of them said hoarsely, "Weasley." Then the leader looked directly at her and whispered with amazement, "'Ermione Granger, the Mudblood who is with 'Arry Potter." She looked away and felt a tear escape the corner of her eye. How could they possibly free themselves now?
The cocky leader clenched his jaw for a moment before he growled, "Ya know what ta do! Three o' ya will come with me an' take 'em ta' the Manor!" Hermione flinched at his sudden loud voice and wondered why his accent had become even thicker. The man behind her mistook the movement for a new escape attempt and pressed her arms forcefully higher. She cried out in pain which caused the leader to look her way and frown sternly. She turned her vulnerable eyes to his but he lowered his head.
"Are you ready?" he asked no-one particular before he held out his wand and Apparated. Hermione noticed how her capturer took out his own wand and gripped her tightly. With a pop they too disappeared.