Chapter 33: Vérité

A/N- I want to thank everyone who continues to read this story and especially those who take the time to leave a review. It's nice to find that quite a few people seem to like it and are still interested in it, even so long after cannon DH has been out (it's up to almost 19,000 hits!). But we're finally getting to the end- only one more chapter after this. Keep in mind that this entire story (with the exception of a Prologue, which I'm still debating on whether to write or not) was written, before DH came out- so now we'll see how far off I was from the real thing. :) Enjoy!

xxx

Everything around Harry was going black but just before he completely lost consciousness, Snape waved his wand over him and the collar released its stranglehold. Harry immediately began to cough and take in large gulps of air. His vision quickly came back to him and he rolled to his hands and knees while Snape looked down at him with his familiar expression of loathing.

"Tsk, tsk, Potter," he sneered, "You need to learn to keep that temper of yours in check or you may deprive the Dark Lord the chance of trying to kill you himself."

Harry rasped out angrily, "What did you do to Ron and Hermione?"

Snape replied, "They are only stunned." He glanced at the Death Eater guards, "And those dimwits will not recall what they have seen."

"Why?" Harry asked, trying to figure out what Snape could possibly be up to.

Snape ignored his question and asked, "When did you learn to master Occlumency?"

Harry answered before he could think better of it, "I didn't."

Showing mild surprise, Snape queried, "Then how were you able to block me?"

Harry got shakily to his feet and countered heatedly, "Why did you just try to break into my mind? I thought Voldemort ordered that no one is to use spells on me. Isn't your boss going to be a bit pissed?"

Snape eyed him carefully and replied, "I needed to know to what extent you are still able to guard your thoughts. Your attempts to learn Occlumency were so dismal I assumed your limited success during your last stay had to be an anomaly."

"Maybe my first instructor wasn't that great," Harry taunted and then he continued angrily, "or maybe there was nothing I wanted to learn from a traitor!"

Snape's eyes flashed dangerously and he said warningly, "Careful, Potter."

Harry could tell he struck a nerve but he did not care; he felt his anger and his hatred well up and he wished for the opportunity to make Snape pay for everything he had done- to his parents and Sirius, to Dumbledore and to him.

When Harry continued, he was shaking with fury, "I can't believe Dumbledore trusted you! You overheard the prophecy and then you ran eagerly to your master with the information! You are as much to blame for my parents' murders as Voldemort! But Dumbledore gave you a second chance anyway and you still betrayed him! You make me SICK! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

Snape moved quickly and grabbed Harry by the throat. He pointed his wand in his face but Harry's chains ensured there was nothing he could do defend himself.

Snape glared at him furiously, "Do not shout at me concerning things you know nothing about!"

Harry met his glare unflinchingly, "Or what? You'll kill me? Go ahead then! Killing people when they are defenseless is something you seem to be good at!"

Snape's face contorted as if he was fighting a battle within himself but he finally released Harry with an angry shove.

He turned his back on Harry and balled his hands into tight fists. It took a few moments before he said over his shoulder, "Your arrogance could cost you the only chance you have."

Harry was so angry that he did not comprehend Snape's words at first; then he thought he could not have heard Snape correctly.

"What did you say?"

Snape was barely keeping his own anger under control but he turned back to Harry and answered slowly, "Unsurprisingly, you have managed to get yourself, along with your little fan club, into yet another precarious situation; I fear your success of vanquishing the Dark Lord seems unlikely before he kills you…"

He paused as if it pained him greatly to continue, "Therefore, you have forced my hand and I must try to find a way to keep the Dark Lord from sacrificing you tonight and possibly becoming unstoppable."

Harry asked in disbelief, "You expect me to believe that you want to stop Voldemort and you want to help me?"

Snape was looking at Harry as if he was something repulsive and he replied, "Trust me, Potter—"

Harry interrupted with a humorless laugh, "Trust you? Trusting you didn't do Dumbledore much good, did it? And you have always hated me, just as you hated my father! I'd never trust you to do anything for me!"

Snape took a step closer to him and answered through gritted teeth, "I was about to say, if I had known those many years ago that one day I would have to come to the aid of James Potter's brat, I may have reconsidered my course of action; even if he would also be Lily's son… I'm still tempted to leave you to your own devices except for my promise and loyalty to Dumbledore—"

"Loyalty?" Harry shot back angrily. "I was there under my invisibility cloak! I saw it happen! He asked you, he begged you not to do it! I saw in your face how much you hated him! You could have helped him but instead you killed him!"

Snape shot back, "I killed Dumbledore by his own orders! That is what you heard him asking of me!"

"You are lying!"

Snape replied almost bitterly, "I have managed to gain the Dark Lord's trust and Dumbledore insisted the appearance of my loyalty had to remain intact, even to the extent that it would cost him his life. In that moment I did hate him, but only for asking something of me I did not wish to do!"

"I don't believe you!" Harry insisted. "Dumbledore wouldn't—"

Snape cut in, "He would and he did! That is what your life meant to him! The curse that poisoned his hand was spreading. He did not have much time and while neither of us expected Draco Malfoy to discover a way to allow Death Eaters into Hogwarts, Dumbledore knew it was not in the boy to carry out his assignment to kill him. However, Dumbledore believed that his death at my hands would completely secure my position with the Dark Lord; a position in which I could aid you if the need arose once he was gone."

"Aid me?" Harry snapped incredulously. "You consider helping to capture and torture me aid? You helped him to break into my mind!"

Snape answered, "My assistance was an unfortunate necessity."

Harry retorted, "I got the impression you rather enjoyed the pain you caused!"

Snape replied coldly, "I owe you no explanations, Potter, nor do I expect you to comprehend the complexity and danger of the fine line I have been forced to walk for many years."

Harry eyed Snape skeptically, "Forgive me if I don't feel sorry for you. Your aid nearly killed me! Innocent people continue to die at the hands of Death Eaters! And what have you been doing about it then? Nothing!"

Snape snapped back, "Do you think the Dark Lord makes his plans common knowledge to his followers? We are told only enough to carry out his orders; therefore, it takes time and great care to piece together what he may be planning. Who do you think has provided the anonymous tips to the Aurors or the Order when there is to be an attack? He has recently positioned Death Eaters among the Aurors so it has become difficult to provide information.

"I knew he was searching for a dark and powerful artifact. It was I who assisted Arthur Weasley's friend in identifying the items the Dark Lord planned to steal from the Muggle museums in the hope that the Order would get to them first."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise at this confession but Snape sneered coldly, "I also realized that the red-haired girl the Dark Lord saw in your mind could only be Ginny Weasley; but I withheld this information from him. He needed you alive and if he discovered who she was, he would use her to bring you in so very easily. What I had not counted on was Wormtail finding all of you in Romania. His discovery of your whereabouts, not to mention the identity of your red-haired girlfriend, coincidentally fit well with his search for Mohamier."

Harry continued to stare at Snape in disbelief, all the while thinking Snape had to be lying; he had to be playing some kind of trick to give Voldemort the advantage.

Before Harry could comment Snape said, "You and your friends were quite safe while you were in Romania. The Dark Lord has discovered the means to break nearly all protective wards the Ministry sets in place and he has shared this knowledge with a few trusted Death Eaters so they can lead the attacks. However, it would have taken some time for his forces to breach the ancient defenses placed on the building where you were staying."

Harry felt the bottom drop out of his stomach and his anger was temporarily replaced by a mounting feeling of guilt.

Harry asked, "Is that why Arthur and Percy Weasley were killed? So I would come back to England?"

Snape looked at him coldly and said, "To my knowledge, no. I'm afraid Arthur and his son were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Dark Lord decided their funeral would provide a logical and public venue for your capture. Unfortunately, the plan for the attack was put into place too quickly for me to attempt to find a way to warn the Order."

If what Snape said was actually true, Harry could take some solace in knowing he had not been the cause for Mr. Weasley's death; but his mind still refused to accept that Snape was anything other than a Death Eater and a faithful servant to Voldemort.

"I can't believe you think I'm mental enough to believe any of this rubbish!" Harry said. "Why has Voldemort told you to convince me you want to help me?"

Snape replied, "All I have told you has been the truth."

Harry tossed him an angry, skeptical look and Snape said, "I see you have come into possession of a vérité ring. You can prove to yourself whether I am lying or not."

"Sure," Harry answered sarcastically. "Perform magic with the ring so you can watch the collar choke me again? No thanks."

Snape eyed Harry with irritation and raised his wand so suddenly that Harry instinctively stepped backward as far as the chains would let him. A satisfied smile touched Snape's lips when he saw the alarm in Harry's eyes.

Harry warily watched a faint red light emanate from the tip of the wand; the collar around his neck became warm for several seconds, and then the sensation was gone.

Responding to Harry's questioning stare, Snape said, "The curse has been removed; however I hope you have enough sense to ensure that no one else becomes aware of this fact, including Weasley and Granger. I doubt either of them is capable of concealing their thoughts from the Dark Lord."

Harry remained suspicious but if he used the ring, at least he would know one way or the other.

Taking the chance, he held the ring up toward Snape as far as the chain would allow him and asked, "Has everything you told me today been the truth? Vérité."

"Yes."

Harry watched the stone in the ring carefully as he braced himself to feel the collar constrict around his neck; but the collar did not react and the color of the stone remained blue.

Snape raised one eyebrow and gave Harry a superior 'I told you so' look.

Still refusing to believe him, Harry asked, "Are you loyal to Dumbledore's cause or Voldemort's? Vérité."

Snape replied, "I have been and remain faithful to Dumbledore's wishes."

The stone remained blue.

Harry asked, "And you want to help me? Vérité."

Snape hesitated and he then replied, "My objective is to ensure the one to whom the prophecy refers remains alive. Much to my… extreme irritation… that happens to be you."

The stone remained blue but Harry could not stop his next questions before it left his mouth, "Why do you hate me? Vérité."

Snape replied curtly, "That has no relevance to this conversation. Suffice it to say I am committed to doing all I can ensure that you remain alive."

The stone still did not change color and Harry tried another question, "With everything you have done, why did Dumbledore trust you? Vérité."

Snape replied, "That has no bearing on the current situation, either. I have truthfully answered your other questions which should be more than enough to convince you I have always remained loyal to Dumbledore."

Harry asked, "Why the sudden revelation?"

Snape replied, "I cannot take the chance that you will most likely not survive the rituals and other activities the Dark Lord has planned for you tonight; and I am convinced you can shield your knowledge of my true allegiance from him, if not for my safety then for your own. In addition, if I am to get you out safely, I cannot have you fighting me along the way. At great risk to myself, I have already set into motion a means to—"

Harry said immediately, "I go nowhere without Ginny, Ron and Hermione!"

Snape replied firmly, "My priority is getting you to safety. You are the 'Chosen One' and therefore your life is more important than any other until the prophecy has been fulfilled."

Harry said stubbornly, "I will not leave them behind to be tortured or killed by Voldemort!"

Snape's frustration with Harry mounted and he asked, "I assume at some point you have informed them of the details of the prophecy and what it means?"

Harry answered curtly, "Yes."

"Then they understood the risk they undertook when they agreed to follow you."

This so closely mirrored what his friends had said to him that Harry could not reply. Snape took Harry's silence as confirmation of his words. "Then you know what must be done, no matter the cost."

Harry gave Snape a hard look and he said adamantly through gritted teeth, "If you are really serious about helping me, you will have to find a way to get us all out. I will not leave them behind!"

Snape shot back angrily, "Always the hero, aren't you Potter? Perhaps it could be arranged, but it will be difficult enough to get you out before the Dark Lord is ready to use you tonight for—"

Harry interrupted, "If I were to escape, he'd kill them! I won't let that happen! Either you help all of us to get out or I'll face whatever Voldemort has planned and take my chances! If I seem to be willing to do what he wants if he releases them, maybe he'll—"

"Negotiate with the Dark Lord?" Snape interrupted looking at Harry in disbelief. "Even you can't be that naïve and brainless, Potter!"

"I can fight him then—" Harry replied even though he recognized the desperation in his own voice.

Snape answered in a stern, cold voice, "You do not have the strength nor the training required to consider fighting him; and even if you were prepared to confront him, other circumstances still exist that will prevent you from successfully destroying him completely."

Harry stated, "The last Horcrux."

Snape raised an eyebrow and nodded, "I have not been able to devise a means to deprive the Dark Lord of his pet, Nagini, without raising undo suspicion. He has taken to keeping her very close to him at all times now."

"I don't think the snake is the Horcrux," Harry said.

Snape looked at Harry and started to say dismissively, "Dumbledore was certain—"

Harry cut in, "Before he died, Pettigrew told me Voldemort moved it."

Snape said incredulously, "You believe something that whiney, treacherous rat told you?"

Harry answered, "I'm not sure whether I believe him; but he thought the information was his way to repay his life debt to me."

Snape insisted, "There is no way to change a Horcrux vessel once it has been—"

He stopped in mid sentence causing Harry to look at him in surprise.

Snape said almost to himself, "Unless… the captured Aurors… and of course, if anyone might know, it would be Pettigrew. The Dark Lord never considered him a threat…"

"He was telling the truth, then?" Harry asked and then he demanded, "and what was that about the Aurors?" 'that you also did not find a way to help' Harry continued silently in his mind.

Snape replied, "A Horcrux can only be created through the murder of one or several wizards or witches and the use of very powerful dark magic. After your success at destroying the other Horcruxes, the Dark Lord would have to assume you might also suspect that Nagini was his last. Of course he would want to change it if he discovered it was possible. Perhaps by capturing Aurors who had been trained to hone strong magical powers, he could have used their deaths to move the Horcrux into something else. Did Pettigrew know what he moved it to? "

Harry started to answer, "He said something about—" but he halted suddenly when they heard the sound of the main chamber door being opened.

The two guards stepped aside to admit Jacob Blunt. "The Dark Lord has requested that I bring the boy's blood."

He picked up the caldrons and continued, "He will be pleased. I see you have managed to collect as much as our master needs and you have ensured that Potter survived the presentation of his… offering."

He chuckled as if he had just made a joke and then he turned to survey unconscious forms of Ron and Hermione.

Blunt asked quizzically, "Did you have a problem?"

"No, there was no problem," Snape replied with his best sneer. "I decided it was time I had payback for wasting too many years of my life being forced to teach the brats." He inclined his head toward Ron and Hermione's cell, "And for putting up with nearly six years of their insufferable cheek."

Blunt laughed again and said, "I never realized you were so petty, Severus. No matter, the Dark Lord has requested your immediate assistance with preparations. He will send someone later to escort his guests to the chamber."

Snape answered, "Of course," as Blunt turned toward the door. Snape stepped closer to Harry and positioned his body to ensure Blunt would not see the very slight flick of his wand should he turn around.

Harry realized Snape had place a silencing charm around them when his old potions master said barely moving his lips, "No matter what happens, be ready."

He hesitated slightly and then added, "She is two floors above, second door on the right."

Snape's words momentarily stunned Harry but he hoped he was fast enough to brush this emotion off his face before Blunt turned back to them.

"Sorry to break up your fun, Severus, but our master awaits. You know his lack of tolerance for tardiness."

Without another word, Snape turned on his heel and followed Blunt and the two Death Eaters out of the door.

To say Harry felt like he was in a very strange dream would have been an understatement. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around the fact that Snape was actually working for their side and if it were not for the Vérité ring, he never would have believed it.

It galled Harry incessantly that their only hope of escape seemed to rest with Snape. In Harry's mind, it did not matter what side Snape was on; his anger and hatred for his old potions master ran too deep and Harry could never forgive him for murdering Dumbledore, no matter the circumstance, let alone for his treatment of Sirius.

At least Harry now knew where they were holding Ginny, but he had no idea how he was going to get to her. It sounded like Snape was piecing together some sort of plan to help him, but would he really be able to pull something like that off right under Voldemort's nose? And would his plan include helping Ginny, Ron and Hermione before something happened to them?

As his mind was sorting through his encounter with Snape, a moan from the cell drew him from his thoughts.

"Hermione?" he called.

She slowly sat up and winced from a pain shooting through her arm where she had hit the wall. She looked around in confusion and when she saw Ron lying unconscious next to her, she panicked and started to shake him.

"Ron! What happened? Ron!"

To Hermione's relief, Ron began to stir and he quickly sat up.

Ron looked at her with concern and said "Hermione! Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

At her negative reply, Ron gathered her in his arms in a relieved hug. Hermione reciprocated with a relieved but passionate kiss that only ended when Harry called to them in an exasperated tone, "Uh, hello? Still chained up and being held by Death Eaters here."

Seeing Harry still bound by the chains brought them both to their senses. They broke apart quickly and looked toward Harry in embarrassment.

Ron asked, "What happened? Didn't you wandlessly disarm Snape after he hit Hermione?"

Looking horrified at Ron's words, Hermione said, "Harry, you didn't use magic did you? You know what that collar can do to you!"

Harry hated to admit it, but he had to agree with Snape; he did not think either Ron or Hermione would be able to hide their thoughts from Voldemort if the need arose. Therefore, if Snape really was on their side and he was in the position to provide help in some way, Harry could not let his friends in on what had transpired while they were unconscious.

Harry attempted to come up quickly with a plausible description of what Snape may have done and he replied, "I just reacted after he shot you and then aimed at Ron. Snape could not allow the collar to kill me if it meant he would have to face Voldemort afterward but I guess he couldn't resist the chance to play head games with me. Pretty much all he did was fling his usual insults and try to scare me with what Voldemort might do to me tonight. So are you two really alright?"

Ron answered, "It doesn't seem like the git caused any permanent damage."

Harry acted as if he was unconcerned with what Snape may have revealed of Voldemort's plan for him but Hermione's eyes widened with fear, "Oh, Harry, I don't think Snape was playing with you! You heard what Voldemort talked about doing to you; we have to find some way out of here and then find Ginny!"

Before he could respond, the door to the room opened and the two guards reentered. This time a third man who Harry did not recognize accompanied them.

One of the original guards went over to Harry and said, "I am going to remove the chains. If you know what's good for your friends, you'll come along quietly, 'ye hear?"

Harry gave the Death Eater a scathing look but said nothing. The man waved his wand and both chains fell away from the cuffs. He waved his wand a second time and Harry felt the cuffs pull and secure his wrists together in front of him. The Death Eater then roughly took a hold of Harry's upper arm and let him toward the door.

The other two Death Eaters opened the cell door and one said to Ron and Hermione, "You two, out of the cell. The Dark Lord wants you at the party, too."

Once outside of the room, they were taken down the long corridor, past several closed and barred doors and toward a flight of stone steps. Just before they reached the steps, Harry's hands suddenly flew to his scar and he cried out in pain.

Hermione said in concern, "Harry, what's wrong? Is it…?"

Harry ground out through the pain, "Yeah— it's Voldemort… and he's really angry with someone."

The Death Eaters holding Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances. Harry doubled over and cried out again as a new round of pain hit him.

Harry's knees nearly buckled but the Death Eater holding him said, "Keep moving, Potter!" and he leaned over Harry to pull him up.

At that moment, Harry brought his arms up swiftly and swung them as hard as he could at the Death Eater's head. Harry had moved so fast that the Death Eater was caught off guard and the metal cuffs struck him hard on the chin. In one fluid motion, Harry kicked the Death Eater in the stomach, causing the man to fall backward. Harry immediately jumped on top of him and, clasping his hands together, struck the Death Eater several times hard across the face.

Taking Harry's cue, Ron swung his fist as hard as he could into the stomach of the startled Death Eater standing behind him; when he doubled over from the blow, Ron brought his fist upward to strike the man solidly in the nose with a resounding crunch. The Death Eater howled in pain and Ron lunged to grab his wand and shot him with a stunning hex.

The remaining Death Eater had placed an arm around Hermione's neck and he pointed his wand toward Ron and yelled, "Stop or I'll— argh!"

Before he could get the words out, Hermione had brought her foot down painfully on her Death Eater's instep and jammed her elbow into his stomach. She then spun around, brought her knee up, and struck him strategically in the groin.

Ron quickly stunned the groaning Death Eater and he and Hermione turned to see Harry locked in a battle for the remaining Death Eater's wand. The Death Eater, who was much larger and heavier than Harry, had rolled on top of him and was attempting to point the end of his wand in Harry's face; Harry was struggling to keep the wand tip away from him but he was having a hard time since the cuffs bound his wrists together.

The Death Eater shouted a stunning hex and Harry was just barely able to push the wand away so that it harmlessly hit the floor beside his left ear. The next thing Harry knew, the Death Eater collapsed on top of him and he was looking past the unconscious man's shoulder to see Ron standing over them, wand in hand.

Ron pushed the Death Eater off Harry and helped him to his feet, "You okay, mate?"

"Yeah, thanks," Harry replied and they both looked at Hermione.

Clearly impressed, Ron said to her, "You were brilliant!"

Harry picked up the wands the other two Death Eaters had dropped and handed them to Hermione and said, "You both were brilliant."

Taking the wands that Harry offered her, Hermione blushed with pleasure at their complements and said, "Thanks."

Harry asked, "Do you think you can get the cuffs and collar off me?"

Hermione flicked one of the wands and the cuffs immediately fell onto the floor with a loud clang. She then pointed the wand at the collar around Harry's throat but stopped short.

Harry said impatiently, "Come on, I want this thing off!"

Hermione replied hesitantly, "But what if trying to take it off activates the curse and the collar starts to choke you again? We don't know the counter curse."

Harry answered, "Just do it!"

"She's right, Harry," Ron said. "I don't think we should take the chance."

Harry was about to grab the wand and try to remove it himself, but then they would realize that the curse had somehow been lifted. He would not be able to offer them an explanation without revealing what had transpired with Snape.

Thinking it better not to argue, Harry said, "Fine then," and then he asked quickly, "Hermione, are you sure there really is not some way to fool a Vérité ring? I mean like a counter curse or some kind of powerful dark magic or something?"

Surprised by his sudden change in subject, Hermione said, "I'm positive. From what I have read about them, many wizards have tried, but no one has ever found a way to counter them. That's why they are so valuable. Why do you ask?"

Harry answered, "Just curious. Let's go," and he turned to head up the stairway taking two steps at a time.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked as he and Hermione followed closely behind.

"To get Ginny."

Hermione replied, "But we don't know where they are keeping her."

Harry answered, "I have a hunch, come on!"

They arrived at the top of the steps on the second floor and cautiously peered down the hall. There were no signs of Death Eaters but in the light of several torches, they saw a long, wide hallway lined with old, dusty furniture. On each side of the hallway were five closed doors and Harry stealthily made his way to the second door on the right.

Harry tried the handle, but found it locked. He nodded to Hermione who looked at him questioningly and he said in an urgent whisper, "Unlock it!"

Hermione whispered back incredulously, "You don't honestly think a simple unlocking spell is going to work, do you? Besides, we don't know what's in there—"

Harry said, "Just try it!"

Harry's sense of urgency was infectious and she stepped closer to the door and whispered, "Alohomora!"

To Hermione's surprise, they heard a click that sounded extremely loud in the quiet hallway. Harry grabbed the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

The room looked like an old library because shelves filled with dusty books and knick-knacks lined the walls. There was a small lamp burning on a table next to an old leather couch indicating that someone must have been in the room recently, but Harry saw no one now. He opened the door a little wider and slowly took a step into the room.

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when something grazed the side of his head and shattered loudly against the doorframe directly beside him.

He heard an irate shriek, "I thought I told you if you came back in here you'd be sorry, you foul, …" another object sailed by him and shattered, "stinking…," Harry had to duck quickly as a as a third object sailed straight at his head, "PIG!"

Harry looked up to see a figure quickly duck back down behind a large chair on the other side of the room and then reappear. It looked like the figure was winding up to throw something else at him.

"Ginny! It's me!" Harry hissed loudly, although he was afraid her yelling and the sound of the shattering objects had already alerted every Death Eater in the place.

Ginny froze and Harry heard her surprised intake of breath.

"Harry?" Ginny said in disbelief as Harry stepped fully into the room. "Oh, Harry!"

This time she was the only thing that flew at him and she practically launched herself through the air. She jumped on him as sobs of relief started to wrack her body.

Harry held her tightly and buried his face in her hair, echoing her relief that he had found her seemingly unharmed.

He stepped back from her so he could look into her eyes and then he could not stop himself from immediately pulling her back to him; his lips slanted across hers in a crushing kiss that further bruised and hurt his split lip, but he didn't care.

Their kiss continued until Harry heard Ron's voice from behind him say, "Uh, hello? Still in a mansion full of Death Eaters here. Perhaps you should wait to snog my sister until later?"

Harry couldn't help smiling at Ron's comment and he gently stroked Ginny's face, taking in her every feature. "Thank heaven you're okay."

Harry noticed where Blunt had hacked off a large section of her hair and he continued almost angrily, "What else did they do to you? Did they hurt you?"

Ginny gave him a trembling smile but answered, "No. They couldn't even stun me because of the pendant. But they stunned Ron at the church and threatened to kill him if I didn't go quietly with them."

The relief was evident on her face when she looked at her brother and then Hermione who both seemed unharmed.

"When we got here, they dragged Ron off somewhere else and then they took me to him… to V-Voldemort," Ginny felt Harry's grip on her arm tighten and his expression changed to a combination of deeper worry and anger. "He…he touched my face."

The trembling in her body increased as she thought back to the fear that had gripped her when they forced her to stand before Voldemort. Then she could not suppress a shiver remembering the feel of his cold fingers on her skin and his red eyes closely examining her features.

She continued, "And he smiled…but it was frightening… he told his Death Eaters he was pleased; he said I was the one he saw in your mind and so he knew I would be useful because I'm…"

Ginny looked away from him.

Harry's already mounting anger flared at the thought of Voldemort touching her. Even though he already knew what she would say, he placed his finger under her chin so that she would look at him.

He pressed, "Because you're what?"

Ginny answered quietly, "…yours."

She saw the fury burning in Harry's green eyes before he swore under his breath and it was his turn to look away from her. She took in his swollen lip and the collar that had obviously caused the ugly bruises that she saw on his throat; she hated to think about what they had already done to him. She reached up and gently caressed the darkening bruise on his jaw.

"They've hurt you," Ginny said ruefully. "And they used me to capture you, just like you were afraid they would. Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry!"

Harry put his arms around her and he placed his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes as he allowed her presence to calm him.

He said reassuringly, "It wasn't your fault, love. All that matters now is that we've found you." He pulled back slightly from her and looked with deep concern into her eyes, "Voldemort didn't do anything else to you?"

Ginny shook her head and said reassuringly, "No. He actually told the Death Eaters that I was not to be hurt; although one of them still got a bit fresh before he locked me in here."

A slight grin played at her lips and she continued with satisfaction, "but I don't think he'll try that again anytime soon."

Harry couldn't help grinning back at her and he took her hand into his, "That's my girl! Now we have to get out of here before someone comes looking for us."

In his relief at finding Ginny, Harry had almost forgotten Ron and Hermione were in the room with them but he now turned to them and said, "It seemed almost too easy to get in here."

Hermione nodded her agreement, "I would have thought they'd have had someone guarding the halls."

Ron said, "Well, we can't just stay here." He took one of the wands that Hermione was still holding and handed it to his sister. "Just be ready to hex anything that moves."

Harry poked his head cautiously out of the doorway and looked up and down the hall; it remained empty.

"Come on," he said and they quietly headed toward the stairs.

When they arrived on the first floor, it was also deserted. They had just started across the hall toward the set of heavy doors that lead out into the courtyard when they heard voices coming toward them from one of the rooms at other end of the hall. Harry noticed a door to their left was slightly ajar and the room within was dark. He pulled Ginny with him, opened the door just enough for them to slip through and then Ron and Hermione quickly stepped into the room with them. Harry carefully closed the door but left a crack large enough to allow him to peer through. Three Death Eaters walked past their hiding spot and into another room at the other end of the hallway.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief but just as he was about to head back out into the hall, the torches on the walls suddenly came to life. The four of them jumped in surprise and they turned to look around the room.

The room was very large so the torches only provided a minimal amount of light; but they could see it was completely void of furniture except for a heavy wooden table across from them on which sat many liquid filled vials and two large cauldrons. Harry felt his nerves grow taut as his eyes traveled around the walls; symbols like the ones he had seen on the ancient tablet covered each wall in dark, fresh paint that still glistened in the torchlight. His breath caught in his throat when he looked at the floor and he recognized the freshly painted symbol of the old dark mark.

The others recognized the mark as well and Ginny felt Harry stiffen next to her.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and whispered, "Come on, let's go."

Ron opened the door and seeing that the hallway remained void of Death Eaters, he motioned for the others to follow. Harry had continued to stare at the old dark mark on the floor and Ginny had to give his arm a tug to get him to move.

She whispered reassuringly, "It's okay, Harry, we'll be out of here soon."

Ron, Hermione and Ginny kept their wands out and ready. Harry followed behind Ginny and the four of them stealthily crossed the hall to the doors that lead out of the mansion. Ron tried the handle and, finding it unlocked, he opened one of the doors and stepped outside.

Ron had only taken a few steps when he stopped short causing Hermione to stumble into his back. When Ginny and Harry walked through the door, they froze in confusion as well. Instead of finding themselves outside and headed into the courtyard, they had reentered the large room that they thought they had just come out of on the other side of the hall.

Harry turned quickly to go back through the door, but to his surprise, instead of finding the door handle, his hand touched an area of wet paint that covered the wall. The door had disappeared.

Harry was about to wipe the sticky paint from his hand, but he brought his hand up to look at it more closely. A feeling of foreboding gripped him when he realized what he had thought was paint, looked very much like blood. His eyes quickly traveled to the cauldrons sitting on the table across the room.

Hermione had been staring at Harry's hand before she followed his gaze over to the cauldrons.

With a sickened look on her face, she whispered, "Oh, Merlin, Harry! They've painted the symbols on the walls and the floor with your blood!"

Ginny looked at Hermione in confusion but her question caught in her throat when she heard Harry's sharp intake of breath and his hand flew up to grasp his forehead. The doors reappeared and Death Eaters began to file into the room, stationing themselves along the walls surrounding them.

A door behind the wooden table opened last and Voldemort entered the room followed by Jacob Blunt and Snape.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny turned their backs to Harry so they could surround him and shield him with their bodies. They each raised their wands, but they had been too slow to react. Voldemort had already brought his wand up and their wands flew out of their hands toward Snape, who easily caught them.

"It is so good of you and your friends to join us, Harry," Voldemort said. "Now we can begin."