Chapter Thirteen:
M.I.A
A/N: Please read, Review, and enjoy! This chapter song is once again by Avenged Sevenfold! I hope you like where I'm taking this story . . .
Now fighting rages on and on
To challenge me you must be strong
I walk your land but don`t belong
Two million soldiers can`t be wrong
It`s not fun but I`ve been here before
I`m far from home and I`m fighting your war
Not the way I pictured this, I wanted better things.
Some are scared, others killing for fun
I shot a mother right in front of her son
Take this from my consciousness, and please erase my dreams.
Fight for honour, fight for your life
Pray to God that our side is right
Know we won, I still may lose
Until I make it home to you
XXXX
Harry awoke and immediately was pumped with adrenaline. He had no idea just how long he had been out for, but the fact that he was still alive was a relatively good sign. Yet, his lightning bolt scar throbbed mercilessly, his throat was dry and his wrists seemed to be shackled behind his back to the wall of the stone cold room he sat in. It was obvious by the rhythmic drip of water and the pitch darkness that Harry was in a secluded dungeon. Another conclusion Harry had come to, upon waking, was that Voldemort was nearby.
'I thought he wasn't going to be prepared till Beltane!' his mind panicked. Taking a few deep breaths Harry forced himself into a calm state. He had to stay rational to in order to handle this.
Closing his eyes he concentrated on what he had to accomplished first. He then whispered the word, 'Alohomora,' and guided his magical energy to the locks on his cuffs. They opened with a resounding click and Harry quickly got to his feet, massaging his bruised wrists. He searched his robes finding nothing, it was obvious his wand had been confiscated.
Placing one of his hands on the stone wall, Harry softly traced the square room until he found the heavily locked door. Several times he attempted to unlock it using wandless magic, yet the door seemed to have quite a strong ward placed around it.
Finally, the conclusion of sending out his Patronus came to him. He conjured up his replica Prongs almost as if it were second nature. The translucent stag heeded to its Maker.
"Find Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts," he instructed, keeping it simple knowing the Wizard would be able to figure out him sending his Patronus.
Only seconds after Prongs faded through the cell wall, the door just beside where Harry stood swung open. Before he had time to prepare himself, the Cruciatus Curse was coarsing through his body painfully from the tip of Peter Pettigrew's wand.
Voldemort, Macnair Sr., Rosenburg Sr., and Lucius Malfoy all stood towering overtop of Harry's quivering body as the raven-haired youth slowly got a hold of himself and ignoring the hot pain, brought himself up onto one knees.
"That's it, Harry. Respect your superiors, I always wondered how long it was going to take you to kneel before me," Voldemort hissed.
Harry's piercing emerald eyes looked up from under his fringe, "Never," he said maliciously as he spat down at the creature-of-a-man's feet.
Voldemort's face slowly curled into a scowl and with one swift, kick he landed his foot heavily in Harry's ribs.
Harry winced but bit his lips to ensure not even a whimper escaped him. He didn't want to show any weakness in front of Voldemort - especially with witnesses. "You are nothing more than an ungrateful brat!" hissed the Dark Lord.
Wormtail cackled, "Lily and James died for nothing," he teased, the other Death Eaters snickered. Harry ignored the tyrant Marauder and instead focused his attention on Lucius who had remained silent still. He also seemed to be doing his best not to look at Harry.
Harry's head finally jumped to thoughts of Draco. The only person he could trust at Durmstrang... was it all a trick? A simple act to catch Harry off guard? Did Draco's Unbreakable Vow mean something else?
'It can't be,' he thought in a desperate moment, 'He wouldn't do that. Draco's not like that...he...he...'
Harry's mind flashed back to Draco holding him what seemed only hours ago on the dance floor. His silver eyes bashfully shone down at him, portraying more love in one look than anything Harry had ever felt before. The comfort of his lover's close touch, those slender arms that held him tight, would that awake him from this nightmares?
'It just can't all be a lie.'
'Why can't it? He is a Malfoy...' he argued with himself.
'It can't-It can't...it can't because I love him!' he countered, even visibly turning his cheeks red.
"What's this I hear?" Voldemort sneered, perking his head up as his slimy fingers twisted around his wand, jeering down at Harry.
Harry raised his head in more vile recognition. Voldemort continued, "Is this love I hear about, Harry?"
The skin on the back of his neck stood up, his eyes grew marginally wide as he sucked in a hurtful breath. He had forgotten, in a moment of weakness, just how close Voldemort was to him sometimes. There was no doubt he had just used Leglimency with such ease and heard Harry's thoughts.
"Lucius, remind me to further reward your precious Son for convincing our little Potter so well!" Voldemort's mouth snaked into a sly grin.
Lucius immediately looked towards Harry, quick to hide his shock. But Harry had caught it; what had it really meant? "Thank you, m'lord. Draconis is a fine student,"
"Ah, that he is...and apparently a finer lover, don't you say Harry boy?" he teased, laughing darkly.
"What do you mean?" Lucius snipped coolly, not wanting rumors to befall of his son or for his true incentive to be known.
"It seems he has convinced Harry here that he's in love!" Voldemort laughed more manically now, sending chills down Harry's spine.
'So that's it? It's all an act? All these feelings he made me feel...NONE OF THEM WERE REAL?' he was screaming inside of his head, now having his Occlumency walls built up so that Voldemort could not hear him this time.
"And you think you could be so foolish as to sending a little Patronus off to Dumbledore? You're not getting out of here, Potter, do not dream otherwise," he spat, bringing his wand to flicker again as he hissed, "Crucio,".
It was harder for Harry to bite down his scream this time, he whimpered loudly and convulsed hard, only to straighten himself up once again. Voldemort's Curse had been much, much stronger than Wormtail's. Not that anything different would have been expected.
"You are staying right here, Potter. Until I am through with you. Don't worry, it won't be long," he chortled before turning on his heel and leading the way out of the dungeon.
Harry stared heatedly at the door after it was closed. He growled deeply, "Fuck!" he swore angrily. 'Great, how did I get myself into this one? I remember the Ball...Migel and Quinton...going outside...why was I outside? Who was with me?' he groaned, the rest of his memory until he woke up was too hazy to recall. 'Now... how do I get out?'
His mind raced to fit together puzzle pieces, attempting to figure out his situation at hand, but the aftereffects of whatever he had been given on top of the pain that burned from his scar in being so close to Voldemort made it too difficult.
It seemed as though hours slinked by, though for all Harry knew it could have been mere minutes. Then there was a single pair of footsteps outside of his door, Harry stood and prepared himself. He felt no heightened pain in his forehead meaning it wasn't Voldemort - which was definitely a good sign.
The door swung open and shut once again rather fast. Harry stood to face Lucius Malfoy who held his illuminated wand forward.
"What do you want?" Harry hissed. At this point he would have preferred Wormtail's presence, for the resemblance Draco held to his Father was paining Harry.
"There is not an abundance of time, Harry, so you must listen carefully," Lucius began, his voice sounded so calm though his grey eyes were urgent, "The Dark Lord intends to sacrifice you tomorrow evening. I refuse to let that happen, for more reasons than just those concerning my Son's safety,"
"So...it's true then? The Unbreakable Vow he made with you?" Harry whispered incredulously.
"Quite true. Now, I will let you free from this cell, but I am afraid your wand is irretrievable. This Portkey," Lucius held out a silver, plain ring and handed it to Harry, "should transport you to Hogsmeade at exactly midnight, which is in forty-five minutes. Take the safest path to Hogwarts from there. Most unfortunately, there are numerous wards protecting this place, The Riddle Manor, and you must leave the grounds before it is active. Do you understand?" Lucius asked.
Harry wearily nodded. He was expected to make it past Voldemort and a bunch of Death Eaters... wandless? Swallowing hard he croaked, "Is Draco alright? Where is he?" his concern was evident.
Lucius pursed his lips and looked away from Harry as he crossed his arms, "He is eagerly waiting news of you back at Durmstrang. The Dark Lord promises to reward him for doing so well in watching you... but ultimately, he is bound to protect you. Even if he was not, it seems as though he would risk his life for yours," he sighed heavily.
Harry couldn't help but feel a little more prosperous about his current situation. Not only was Draco telling him the truth the entire time, but he was also trying to keep from getting in harms way. Suddenly enthused to get back to his lover, Harry eagerly clenched his knuckles as he racked his subconscious mind of all the wandless magic he knew that could assist his escape. "I don't know why you did all this for me, but thank you," he said sincerely to Malfoy.
"Do not be mistaken, Potter, I did all of this only because I believe it is right for my family," Lucius snarled and then softened slightly, "And, so it seems though the miraculous danger you put him in, you are right for my son,"
Harry's eyes went wide, "T-thank you, how did you know about us?"
"Draconis had written to me long ago about his feelings and the developments of your... relationship. Now hurry, we have run quite thin on time," he urged a little heavily.
Harry nodded in understanding and made a move towards the door before pausing, "Even though you sent him to protect me, I promise to protect Draco with everything I have," and before Lucius could respond, Harry was out of the cell and down the corridor of the empty dungeon in a rush.
It was a little confusing, but Harry knew he couldn't stop moving although he had no idea where he was headed. He wished dearly for his wand, not only for better protection but also so that he could use Point Me to get out of there faster.
Once he came to the very end of the dungeon, there was a thick steel door which he leaned up carefully against. He heard no footsteps but definitely voices on the otherwise. It was a series of mumbles, and after a moment Harry deciphered that there were two Death Eaters on the other side of the door, they must be the guards of the dungeon.
Taking a deep breath and putting a curse in his head, Harry opened the door up and immediately said, 'Stupefy! Stupefy!' stunning the two oversized guards. They looked relatively familiar, it only took him a second more to realize it was Crabbe and Goyle Sr. Cringing down at his old school mates beefy parents Harry quickly looked up and down the darkened corridors. He took the one on the left.
The Riddle Manor seemed narrow, hallow and ancient. The wood floorboards creaked beneath his eager, uneven footsteps and the walls hung with portraits of past Riddle's with layers of dust on them. It seemed appearances didn't matter much to Voldemort, even in his Headquarters.
At the end of the hallway, there was a small group of four hooded Death Eaters conversing over by what seemed to be the Entrance Hall. Harry held his breath. He had to do this as silently and quickly as possible.
"Atrum cella," Harry whispered, concentrating his core on the darkness that began to envelop around him. Then, with a burst from his energy the darkness sprang across to the room where the Death Eaters had been conversing and filled it completely.
There was yells and screams of confusion, Harry was inside the dark mass himself but much more calm than the startled Wizards. "There are no other prisoners here, it must be Potter! Get him!" screamed one of them.
"Avada Kedavra!" Harry yelled the Unforgivable off in each wayward direction, hoping it would be powerful enough to hit all the Death Eaters. He knew it was wrong, but he was trained to kill and not just to defend. The more that were dead on Voldemort`s side meant the less that would die on Dumbledore's, and that was very important to Harry. There were only three reassuring, incapacitating thuds to the floor. Harry's Total Darkness spell was wearing off, he had to get out of there fast.
He bolted towards the front door, swung it open and looked over his shoulder just in time to see the remaining Death Eater glaring after him, his wand pointed to his own Dark Mark which churned underneath his skin. Harry winced, the Wizard had just called together everybody else, including Voldemort.
People in black cloaks barreled down the stairs in great numbers and, by the pain which began to grow in Harry's forehead, Voldemort would soon be amongst them. Harry growled out in frustration and took off down the front of the lawn, seeing no reason to stand back and fight off that many Death Eaters, and let them run after him as well. He continuously threw his Protego shield up as he ran, lungs burning in exhaustion in accordance with his legs as he pushed himself to the limits.
At the edge of the Grounds Harry came upon a painful, familiar place. It was the Graveyard he had been Portkeyed to in Fourth Year from the Triwizard Tournament. Where Cedric Diggory had been murdered.
Harry couldn't waste any time with moments of nostalgia as he turned around quickly to see a throng of men with curses flying out the ends of their wands rushing towards him with everything they had, screaming at the tops of their lungs for him.
The gates weren't much further as Harry continued down towards them. The Death Eaters may be more skilled and experienced than he with their magic, but they were not as young and fit as Harry was. He was a better and faster runner without a doubt. It wasn't hard for him to reach the edge of the Grounds but he didn't stop there. He was going to keep running until he could safely be Portkeyed away at midnight.
"Tempus," Harry breathed, and the time ghosted in front of his face for a moment in a smoke reading '11:48'. He had twelve minutes before the Portkey activated.
Those twelve minutes felt the longest for Harry, as he stubbornly refused to stop running although he was almost completely confident they had stopped following him. The Death Eaters probably would not cause a scene in front of Muggles, and although there were no Muggles around it was a non-magical village where the Riddle Manor was located. If they were seen by others and the news of it got back to the Ministry of Magic, their Headquarters would not be very secret for very long and would be infiltrated by hundreds of Aurors within an hour.
When Harry felt he had nothing left in him, when he felt ready to give up and let them find him, the ring on his index finger turned white hot and he winced. Just before he was yanked into blackness, Harry felt that familiar, nauseating tug at his naval.
Grew up so fast, where did those years go
Memories won`t let you cry
Unless I don`t return tonight.
Watching the death toll rise
Wondering how I`m alive
Stranger`s blood on my hands, shot all I can.
There were no silent nights
Watching your brothers all die
To destroy all their plans with no thought of me
Walk the city lonely
Memories that haunt are passing by
A murderer walks your streets tonight
Forgive me for my crimes
Don`t forget that I was so young
Fought so scared in the name of God and country.