DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter
Hahahah geez if I had known you guys would get angry with me, I would have waited till I wrote this chapter before putting them up! I'm so sorry for ending it like that and I'll try not to do it again! ....or will I? Maybe if more people REVIEW I'll save you the torture ;) This is one of my longest chapters so I think you should review tons anyway. Hint, hint.
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Harry Potter's point of view
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I held my breath as Ron inserted the heavy metal key into the medieval style dungeon door. It clicked and ground against the iron levers and bolts inside the key hole, the kind of noise that sends shivers up your spine. I knew that Draco wasn't directly behind this door (we still had 4 more to go through), so why was I so on edge already? This was ridiculous. If I couldn't control myself now, how was I supposed to function when the last door appeared?
Ron leaned against the door, pushing all his weight against it to gradually swing the thick wooden slab open. He stumbled forward into the other side as I glided soundless next to him. It was much darker and colder on the other side. The only light available was provided by the evenly spaced torches that lined the stone hallway walls. Off in the corner, almost hidden completely by shadows, was a decrepit looking fireplace. Probably once used to get prisoners quickly from the Atrium to the dungeon, but the beat up rod iron half fence blocking it suggested that it hadn't been used in a century or two.
Before us stood a man in all black robes. His face was set hard, giving him a permanent stressed look as he glared at Ron. He towered above the both of us, and honestly, I was frightened. How were we supposed to break Draco out with a guy like that standing in the way? I shook my head trying to rid my mind of all "what if" scenarios. We were going to do this. This was going to happen. We were going to get Draco out.
"Mr. Weasly?" the menacing man asked in a gruff voice. He held out his hand to him, not for a handshake, but rather for the keys.
Ron handed over the ring of keys immediately. "Uh, yeah. Mr. Briggard I presume?" Ron tried to smile up at him but failed miserably. Briggard just narrowed his eyes at him.
"Follow me" he ordered, lifting one of the torches from its holding on the wall. Ron took an uneasy breath and followed steadily behind him, me right by his side.
We followed the grey stone hallway for a while. It was hard to tell exactly where we were going as Briggard was so large he almost touched both walls. It was narrow to begin with, but I kept careful track of when the hallway turned for when we had to run back.
After several serpentine type turns, the hallway flared out to encompass three separate doors. Each was carved from wood and had large plant-like metal hinges that stretched out over half the door's surface. They had little windows with bars over them. Briggard stood before them and flipped through the keys, stopping at one longer than the others. I saw him run a finger over the key for a moment before turning sharply toward Ron. His eyes held nothing but suspicion.
"What business do you have with him?" he asked acidly.
Ron's eyes bugged as his mouth opened and closed quickly, trying to form words but too taken aback to make any sounds come out.
"I…I want him to know how much pain he caused me. And…" he bit his lip before continuing, eyes shifting briefly to where he thought I was. "…and how much pain he was going to have ahead of him."
I closed my eyes. I wished he hadn't paused when he said that. I knew he didn't mean it, but how was he supposed to be convincing if he sounded like he didn't believe what he was saying?
Briggard stared at him for a moment before grunting and choosing the middle door. I jabbed my elbow into Ron's arm, receiving a death glance in return. Things began to seem a little less hopeful. It was going to be a miracle if we got out of this alive.
I heard metal scrape against metal as the key was slid through the lock. A small shock of heated pain sparked along my back. I sealed my lips shut but it was gone in an instant. I heard the key turn. Another agonizing spark. I squeezed my eyes shut. The lock clicked. Two fiery shocks. I heard the door swing open. A quick shot of heat flew across the scar on my back and disappeared. My eyes popped opened as I let out a loud breath.
Damn
This was not going to be easy.
We walked through the second door, the corridor ahead damper and dingier than the previous. It was wider though, allowing Briggard to turn his head to face Ron as he walked.
"Guess I can't blame you, wanting to throw it in his face. Kick 'im when he's down, I say. Bloody Malfoy."
My nostrils flared. He had no right to say anything about Draco.
"Deserves it too. 's not right, what his father did to that Muggle. Everyone knows his son's just like 'im."
My breaths were coming in huffs, trying to control my anger. Who the fuck did this guy think he was? I ground my teeth as silently as possible and glowered at the back of Briggard's head.
We were nearing the end of the hallway. I could see five doors now as the corridor opened up. Briggard made his way over to the second from the left.
"The whole lot of 'em" he continued, "Bloody disgrace to wizards. They can all rot in Azkaban for all I care. Lucky for us, these two Malfoys will. Just wait till you see 'im" he grinned, "I get all the satisfaction in the world watching him squirm on the floor, screaming like he does. Seeing him so weak and pathetic just makes my day."
That did it.
I was somehow able to suppress the snarl I had building in the back of my throat, but I couldn't control myself as I lunged for him. Ron heard me and wrapped his arms around the air next to him, trying to grab hold of me before I did anything stupid. He missed. I had taken one leap before the key went into the lock. The fire started again. The pain sparkling across my back was enough to bring me to my knees. My hands clenched themselves hard into tight fists as I kneeled on the ground. With a turn of the key the blaze I felt running up and down my back intensified. I doubled over with my forehead almost touching the ground. Quick bursts of air expelled from my mouth scattering dust and dirt across the stones that made up the floor.
The fire fizzled away as the door swung open. I just kneeled over on the floor panting. I couldn't do this. We still had two more doors to open. If the pain kept getting worse with each door we went through, I wouldn't be able to keep silent. I'd give myself away before we ever reached Draco.
Ron stepped forward to follow Briggard through the door. I grabbed his ankle as he stepped in front of me.
"Ron…" I rasped as quietly as I could, "I can't…"
He paused in his stride for just a moment before taking it back up and moving swiftly through the door. I didn't know if he heard me or not. I watched the two figures snake around the corner and disappear. I blinked as I noticed the door was still ajar. Were they all kept open? I couldn't remember them closing.
I sighed heavily and pushed myself off the floor to sit against the wall. The cloak had fallen around me and I left it there, hoping no one would be coming. I closed my eyes and breathed through my nose. I had to get control of this scar thing. As long as there was still danger around, this would keep happening. At least I knew it wasn't just connected with Ron anymore. I suppose it's just danger in general. How could I stop it from happening? I could be risking the lives of others with my scar acting up like this.
Others…
I leaned back and rested my cheek against the cold stone wall as I thought about the people I had left behind. Hermione, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Susan…
I wonder what they're doing I thought glumly. I closed my eyes remembering what it was like to have everyone together, before any of this started.
The echo of a door opening sent my whole back blazing. The surprise of the pain made me gasp out loud and I quickly jammed my fist against my mouth to stop me from crying out. I bit down on my hand as I squeezed my eyes shut, a tear running down my face. Then it was over again. I relaxed my jaw and removed my sore hand. I ran a finger over the bite marks I had left. My heavy breathing was audible, but at least no one was around to hear it.
I sighed again, dropping my head into my hands. Images of Draco in his cell kept flashing through my mind. I couldn't stop the endless array of questions that haunted me.
How bad was it? Would he be awake? How badly did they beat him? Would he be bleeding? What else did they do to him? Could he walk out on his own? Would he even be able to stand? Could he be…
I swallowed thickly at the last question. I didn't want to think it. I didn't even want to consider it. The question ran through my mind again anyway.
Could he be dead?
I felt my eyes start to prick with the beginnings of new tears. I shook my head furiously trying to get the question out of my mind, but it held fast, engraving itself into my every thought.
Dead. He's dead. They killed him. He's not moving. He's not breathing. He's cold. Cold as the floor his body lays on. He's dead.
A few tears flowed freely down my cheek. I brushed them away and looked down the corridor. I couldn't just sit here and wait.
I slowly made to stand up, my hands against the wall for support. My legs shook so badly I slumped to the floor again. For some reason this angered me. I snatched the cloak off the floor and stood straight up. Bad idea. My head spun and my eyes fluttered. I felt my body sway before my back hit the wall. Closing my eyes I pressed my forehead to the wall letting the coldness take the edge off how faint I felt.
After about a minute like this I opened my eyes again, glad to see the room stopped spinning. I made my way carefully down the hallway. It was a lot shorter than the others and I could see a large room of doors ahead. One of the many doors was opened and I knew they had gone through it. I decided to wait here, at least so I was able to see Ron coming.
With Draco, hopefully…
A glow of red from the hallway through the open door caught my eye. I stared at it as it quickly disappeared. A distant thud caused my heart to skip a beat. Another glow of red sent my nerves on edge. Someone was trying to knock the other out with a spell and it must not have worked the first time. A crash echoed through the hall and made me jump. I clutched the cloak to me as I waited, wondering who was going to be running down that hallway.
Suddenly I heard a creaking sound and realized in horror that the door in front of me was beginning to close on its own. I was about to run towards it when I heard the same sound down the corridor behind me. I whirled and stared with horrified eyes.
All the dungeon doors are closing!
I pivoted towards the door Ron had just gone through and whipped my wand out. I didn't think Alohomora would be quite enough to get back through these doors.
"Impedimenta!" I shouted, thrusting my wand forward. The spell hit the door and I saw it slow its closing to a crawl. It should hopefully give Ron enough time to get through. I sprinted the opposite way and cast the same spell on the third door as I ran through it.
Flying down the hallway I finally saw the second door, inches away from shutting. I leaped at it, swirling my wand.
"Reducto!"
The spell hit the door with an earsplitting crack as it exploded in a hundred chunks of wood. Nothing but the hinges remained. I stared at it for a moment. Reducto had never been that powerful for me before. I forced myself to focus and I ran down the hallway as fast as I could possibly go. I reached the very first door we went through just in time to see it seal shut and lock in place.
NO!!
My body hit the door, slamming my fists against it in helpless rage. Shoving myself away I backed up and pointed my wand furiously at the door.
"Reducto!" I screamed. The spell connected with the door and melted in a yellow smoke. The door stood without a scratch. I tried it again. And again. And again. My arm fell to my side hopelessly. No amount of magic would open that door. I kicked the wall as the tears spilled over. It didn't matter if Ron had Draco now. We were trapped.
Then, through my tears I caught a glimpse of the battered fireplace. I bit my lip and glanced down the empty hallway before hesitantly making my way over to it. The jar that should hold Floo powder hung to the side by a misshapen hook. With each step closer my heart beat faster, hoping, wishing, praying with all my soul that there was still some Floo powder left. I stood before it and held my breath. Picking up the jar, I forced a peek down into it. I inhaled sharply and my hands started to shake. It was full.
I nimbly set the jar on the ground and eyed the half iron fence blocking the fireplace. Bending over I firmly gripped two separate rods of the fence and slowly shifted all my weight up and back. The sound of rusted metal screeching against stone was horrific, but it was moving.
The end of an echo surrounded me, different from the sound the fence had made. I paused and listened closely, but not hearing a thing. I turned my focus back to the fence when I heard what had echoed before. It made my heart jump into my mouth.
"HARRY?!"
My head snapped to the hallway and I heard rushed footsteps. I called out to the echo.
"Ron! Over here! Hurry!"
With strength suddenly gained, I wrenched the fence from its place and chucked it to the side. I picked up the jar of Floo powder and my cloak, holding them tightly as I stared down the hallway. Suddenly, I saw a shadow off the wall moving hurriedly toward me. I didn't breathe. When I saw Ron finally rush around the corner into view, my heart flew into a wild flurry before sinking like a stone.
Draco was in his arms, unmoving and limp as a rag.
No…
All I could do was stare dumbly at him as Ron snatched the jar from my hands and ducked into the fireplace. I couldn't move.
Ron looked at me wildly, out of breath.
"What the hell are you doing?! Get the fuck over here!" he screamed. His voice shook me awake and I dove next to him. He handed Draco over to me. My body started to shake as I held his cold fragile body close to me. His head fell gently onto my shoulder and I had to bite my lip to keep from crying.
Please…don't let him be dead.
My lips trembled as I pressed them carefully to his stone-like forehead. Ron grabbed a fistful of powder and chucked the jar on the floor.
"Diagon Alley!" he ordered sharply and threw the powder at our feet. I gawked at Ron in horrified confusion as the bright green flames engulfed us and whisked us away.
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