20. Ice of Hatred
A figure seemed to almost glide towards Harry from out of the shadows as chilling terror struck through him. Tall and thin, robed in black with an inhumanly white face, and venomous red eyes that shone eerily against the darkness that lurked behind him. His slit-like nostrils flared slightly as he closed in on Harry, a satisfied smile sitting lightly on his thin lips as he stopped close enough to touch Harry.
Harry's scar burned furiously as he closed his eyes and tried to apparate out of his bonds, but nothing happened. No familiar compression, no suffocating feeling. When he opened them again, he was staring straight at Voldemort.
Harry's wide eyes and rapid breathing appeared to be amusing Lord Voldemort.
'You cannot simply appear and disappear in here.' He said in his cold, rasping voice. 'What would be the point of setting such an elaborate trap?' He had all three of their wands grasped in one hand, and his own in the other, and without taking his eyes off Harry for a second, he spoke to someone in the darkness behind him.
'Take these!' he said aggressively, holding the trio's wands out to the side of him 'And do not be foolish enough to leave them in here.' Harry watched as a much shorter, slumped figure emerged. It was the woman from the orphanage. She approached Voldemort in a semi-bowed position, and after taking the wands, backed away from him subserviently.
'Yes, My Lord' her crackling voice shook in fear as she disappeared through a narrow, arched doorway opposite the one Harry had come through.
'Harry?' Ron's voice came from the pit, squeaky and unsure. Harry suddenly felt sick. He knew Ron couldn't possibly see who was standing in the room with them from where he was, and he had never heard Voldemorts voice before. Voldemorts eyes left Harry's slowly, his head tilting in the direction of the pit as his faint look of amusement dissolved.
'The-The old woman, sh-she was a traitor!' Harry accused Voldemort desperately in an unsteady voice. It was the first thing that came to mind to stop Voldemort from turning his attention on Ron.
Voldemort's sinister eyes flicked back to Harry.
'Sh-she told you we were here.' Harry continued quickly 'She betrayed us. She betrayed Dumbledore's trust, just like Snape!' Anger was seeping into his voice now, though he was still filled with terror.
Voldemort's smile returned, his harsh lips parting as he let out an indulgently icy laugh that sent chills down Harry's spine.
'It would seem your famous protector had it wrong yet again. But alas,' Voldemort flicked his hand airily as amusement sparked in his eyes 'that is not the case. The woman from the orphanage was loyal to Dumbledore … to the last.' He was still smiling evilly as Harry shrunk under Voldemort's gaze.
'Wormtail!' Voldemort called, but yet again, did not remove his eyes from Harry. Harry saw the old woman return, her eyes nervously on the floor as she approached, not looking at Lord Voldemort, or at Harry. Harry waited for the treacherous Pettigrew to show, dreading his return.
Then he understood.
The figure standing half-hidden behind Voldemort was not the woman Dumbledore had entrusted to mind the orphanage. It was Peter Pettigrew who was fidgeting nervously with his hands.
'Yes Master?' the old woman's voice came out because of the polyjuice potion, but with the realization, Harry only saw the man who had betrayed his parents to their deaths. His fear was being overcast by his rage at Pettigrew. Still wincing from the pain his scar ached with, Harry's jaw stiffened and his eyes narrowed and he could feel his blood burning with fury.
'Ah yes,' Voldemort hissed softly. He was watching Harry's every reaction intently. 'Now you understand. I see the desire that fills you. I wonder,' He paused to flash a look at Wormtail. 'If I were to release you and give you your wand, would you kill him?'
Harry's eye's turned on Voldemort as hatred coursed through his veins. 'Do it, and find out.' He ground out, his gaze being drawn back to the dithering figure of the old woman who was shifting extremely nervously.
'An amusing idea, granted.' Voldemort was looking at Harry appraisingly. He lifted his hand suddenly and traced his cold white finger along Harry's scar. The second it touched Harry's skin, the pain that had plagued his scar as soon as he had entered the dungeon turned into intensely overwhelming, skull splitting agony. Harry clenched his jaw in an effort to quell the groans that escaped him, feeling like his forehead was readying to burst open, and then abruptly, the finger was gone. He gasped as the pain settled to a throbbing pang.
'Still hurts you so?' Voldemort said mockingly.
'Harry?' Ron was trying to pull himself up so he could see out of the grate, but was unable to see where the three of them were standing.
'SHUT UP RON!' Harry snapped. His anger and pain had driven him to yell so abruptly, but it was his fear for Ron's safety that had urged him to say it. An awful dread started to fill Harry as Voldemort looked impatiently in the direction of the pit.
'Oblige Potter, Wormtail.'.
Harry's heartbeat pounded against his chest so strongly he was certain everyone in the room could hear it.
'No!'
The old woman smiled wickedly to her self and moved slowly towards the pit. Harry's anger had been flooded by utter terror once again. He turned on Voldemort who was watching him with sadistic pleasure as Ron's fingers disappeared from view.
'NO!' Harry started struggling violently against his restraints.
'NO...' being all that would come to mind.
'NO!' Each more desperate than the last as he continued to throw himself against the iron that held him. 'Don't!' His eyes were beginning to sting with tears. He felt utterly wretched as he continued to pull with all his strength at his bonds, knowing what was about to happen, knowing he could do nothing to prevent it.
Voldemort was not smiling anymore, his stony expression unfathomable.
The old woman drew a wand from the front pouch of her floral apron.
'Please ... please, please don't!' A bitter tear spilled down Harry's face.'Please...'
She pointed it into the pit.
'Wormtail.' Voldemort's cold voice immediately stopped the woman in her tracks. 'Do not kill the boy.' He said, eyeing Harry.
A flash of red light shot out of Pettigrew's wand and there was a dull thud, and Harry knew Ron was lying in heap on the floor of the pit. Alive.
He slackened exhausted against his constraints, sickened by the fact that he had shed a tear in front of Voldemort. Sickened that he had begged for Ron's life. Voldemort's evil voice hissed.
'You see? I too can be merciful.' Harry wearily raised his head to meet his gaze. 'You will understand soon enough.' He narrowed his heartless eyes. 'Yes ... soon enough.' He lifted his wand, pointing it directly at Harry who instinctively winced. He felt warmth run through the metal that held him in place as it glowed briefly, and then summoning Wormtail, he entered the narrow archway, his billowing black cloak disappearing from sight.
Harry hung from the clamps, feeling utterly drained. He looked up to see Hermione still lying on the bottom of her cage; glad she had remained unconscious. His scar still seared with heated pain and his wrists and ankles burned as blood seeped slowly through his clothing, but he barely felt the throbbing. Suddenly he was so tired.
It was some time later before the now recognizable Pettigrew emerged from the doorway. Harry found as he watched him approach through heavy eyelids, he couldn't help but smile. He was still wearing the drab dress and bright floral apron.
'Drink this!' Pettigrew held up the cup he had been carrying with his silver hand and tried to place it near Harry's mouth.
Harry turned his head away, his hatred of the man returning.
Pettigrew smiled poisonously. 'It'll help you feel better.'
Harry kept his face away from the cup. A struggle ensued as Pettigrew tried to force the drink into Harry's mouth, grabbing his head and thrusting the cup to his face, but Harry managed to avoid the silver hand. Eventually Pettigrew let him go and Harry relaxed, but there was a flash of light and a searing pain shot through his stomach. Harry slumped forward, barely conscious. His head was roughly yanked back and freezing cold liquid ran down his throat.
When he next opened his eyes, it was to Ron and Hermione's quiet voices.
'We cant apparate, and without our wands, we don't have a hope' Ron half whispered.
'Just keep looking for a way to get it open. If one of us can get out, maybe we can retrieve the wands if they're not too far away.'
There was an awful ache coming from the back of Harry's head, and pain was shooting up his arms as he tried to support his weight on his feet. There were dried bloodstains on his clothing around his wrists and ankles from his earlier struggle, and yet though pained by his injuries, he felt oddly refreshed now he had come to, and his scar no longer burned. He looked up to see Hermione running her hands around the floor of the cage, and turning on the pit, he could see Ron's fingers searchingly inspecting the edges of the grate.
'It's no use.' Harry said. Hermione clawed her way to a standing position to look at him and he could see Ron trying to pull himself up again. 'Voldemort set the traps, you wont get through them.'
Hermione's relief at seeing Harry okay could not be quashed by the news. 'Harry!' her eyes were brimming with tears. 'We were so worried … you're alright!'
'Harry?' Ron's more sedate voice came from the pit.
'Yeah?' Harry said starting to pull at his bonds again.
'You alright?'
'Yeah'
'Me too … thanks to you.' Harry stopped struggling as Hermione looked down into the pit at Ron. 'That's two I owe you, mate.' Ron said solemnly.
'What are you talking about?' Hermione asked, the colour draining from her face.
'Nothing. Don't worry about it.' Harry said a little impatiently. He knew very well how she would react to Ron almost being killed and he did not fancy listening to her hysterics.
Harry resumed his seemingly pointless struggle against his bonds, but fresh blood started to seep from his old wounds making him gasp angrily.
'Harry don't, you're just hurting yourself.' Hermione was wincing as she watched him. He stopped at her words, growling in frustration.
'So it is Voldemort.' Hermione said fearfully, settling at the bottom of her cage.
'The old woman in the orphanage was Wormtail using polyjuice potion.' He said darkly 'I thought I could smell something pungent ... he must have had a cauldron of the stuff somewhere.' Harry yanked his arms against the bonds in frustration. 'I should have known that smell was the potion. I should have recognized it!'
'The same is true for us Harry, it's not like we all don't know what it smells like.' Hermione said gravely.
'No point in beating ourselves up about it now,' Ron said glumly 'we have to figure out a way out of here.'
Harry knew there was no way the three of them were going to get out. They were at the mercy of the Darkest Wizard of all Time, and without their wands, they had no chance of fighting back. None at all. They had somehow wound up exactly where Voldemort had wanted.
Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Pettigrew, who had finally changed into his black Death Eater robes and was heading towards him with another cup in his silver hand. Hermione stood up to watch as he approached Harry. At the sight of Pettigrew, Harry's anger bubbled though his vanes.
'Forget it!' Harry said savagely. 'I'm not taking that stuff!'
'You feel better, don't you?' Wormtail tittered, bringing the cup up before him. Harry narrowed his eyes, his anger raging as he looked at the despicable rodent before him. He wanted to rip the chains from the walls and throttle this pathetic excuse for a human being.
'Keep away from me!' he threatened.
'Have it your way' Wormtail said in a sly undertone, and once again Harry was pelted in the chest with a curse that left him almost unconscious. After the icy liquid was thrown down his throat, Wormtail left with Hermione and Ron both yelling in the distance.
'Potter!'
Harry lifted his head and glared into Wormtail's eyes menacingly, his strength returning with his fury at the sight of him. Pettigrew took a couple of steps back warily.
'What's the matter?' Harry asked darkly. 'Afraid of a bound and wandless wizard?' Harry had never felt such hatred as he had for this creature before him. His whole body ached with it.
Pettigrew was holding another cup. Harry eyed it knowingly. It was giving him strength, it did make him feel better and he had wasted precious time resisting it.
'Give it to me.'
Pettigrew frowned and with nervous, jerky movements, he came closer, pulling his wand out as he did so.
Harry let out a low laugh. 'You should be afraid of me.' Wave after wave of anger and distaste flowed through him. 'When I am free, you will be the first one I come for.'
Pettigrew feared Harry, he could see it, and it pleased him. The rat backed away speedily after administering the icy liquid, leaving the room in a hurried shuffle.
'Harry?' Hermione was looking down. He tilted his head back and looked at her, his rage still rippling through him. 'Are you feeling okay?'
Most of the pain had abated from him hanging by his wrists because he had been there so long, they were numb; it was more of a dull ache, though now he was awake and taking the pressure back on his feet, an unpleasant pins and needles sensation was starting to creep up his arms.
'Fine.' He said shortly. 'How long have we been here?' He asked, letting his head drop back on the cold stone, his neck aching from being hung forward for so long.
'I don't know … days I would think.' She frowned at him 'Harry, don't take the potion. It's-'
'Have either of you had water?' Harry interrupted.
'No. Ron was asking for water in his sleep just now.' She rested her cheek against the cold metal bars. 'We're not going to get out of this, are we?' She asked almost reluctantly, sounding defeated. Harry would not lie to save her feelings. Something was slowly changing in him.
'No ... we're not.'
In the quiet that followed, he could hear Hermione's stifled sobs, which flared his anger. Crying about it wouldn't help! His scar bagan to sting again and unable to control himself, he started pulling against his chains with all his might, ignoring the pain in his fury at being caged. The chains rattled and clanged noisily and he could vaguely hear both Ron and Hermione calling him, but he was lost in his aggressive struggle, unaware of anything, or anyone else in the dungeon, until two red beams of light shot out in quick succession, silencing the voices immediately.
Harry stopped suddenly, panting from his efforts and blinking through his sweat at the figure standing in the middle of the room. His scar was hot with pain and the new lacerations burned under the metal. He felt his overwhelming anger ebb as an involuntary shudder ran down his spine. There was something incredibly creepy about Voldemorts expression as he approached Harry.
'You're anger and hatred will be quenched soon enough.' He said darkly. 'You shall have your wish, when you are ready.' Harry's great hatred was reflected in Voldemorts poisonous eyes, and the realization disturbed him. He was being consumed by his anger. He could feel it eating away at him, overtaking him.
'Wormtail will no longer suffice as your only minder. It is time to send for another.' Voldemort seemed to find something amusing; a wicked smile edged across his bloodless lips as he turned from Harry.
'Water…' Harry croaked, weak now he had stopped struggling. 'They need water.' All of the invigorating strength that had possessed him moments ago was gone.
'But of course.' Voldemort stopped with his back still on Harry. 'I can be generous, as well as merciful.' He left without looking back, leaving Harry feeling grateful to his captor.
It wasn't long before Wormtail brought in two cups. Harry watched him, despising him, hating him more with every slimy movement the rodent made. He went to Ron then Hermione respectively, enervating them back to consciousness. He then levitated the cups to each of them before turning to Harry with his face turned down, unwilling to meet his eye.
'You will have to wait until your potion is due.'
Harry yanked his arms threateningly against the chains and Wormtail seemed to jolt nervously at the sound of it before shuffling out of the room.
'What about you?' Hermione said. She was looking pallid and sickly as she stared down at Harry.
'I don't need it.' He said harshly.
And he didn't. No thirst, no hunger, and little pain considering the black and purple bruising around his slashed wrists. His ankles must have looked the same, though his shredded and bloodstained boots hid what lay beneath.
After they drank their water, Hermione took her turn to sleep, and after waiting for the sound of her steady breathing, Ron expressed his concern about her dwindling condition. But Harry could offer him little comfort in the end. He was starting to fade, the exhaustion had been slowly sweeping over him since Voldemort had left, and he was losing the battle to stay conscious. His head had dropped forward again, and the pressure was lifting from his feet as he sunk further down the wall, his arms and shoulders paining under his weight. Then he passed into darkness once more.
'So … the Dark Lord finally has his prize.'
A horrible rasping voice brought Harry out of his darkness. As he slowly came round, Harry became aware of a stench, a smell he remembered lingeringly at first, then as his mind sharpened, he remembered well. Lifting his head, he opened his eyes in disgust. Fenrir Greyback was standing before him, smiling viciously. The repulsive smell of body odour, sweat and dirt accosted Harry's senses. The hood was down on his filthy cloak, making Fenrir's dirty matted grey hair visible, and his pointed teeth showed menacingly as he disgustingly ran his tongue around them.
'Shame he wants you alive … for now. A taste of the flesh of the "Chosen One" would be sweet indeed!' He then licked his lips repulsively, and Harry felt himself sicken. 'I could take just enough to leave you alive.' His eyes lit up and his yellowed, claw-like fingernails tapped his thumb as if he were readying to pick a delicate morsel of food.
'Yes' he hissed, his eyes widening as if he were convincing himself of the idea. 'You would still be his, if not wholly.' He let out a barking laugh that made Harry wince. 'Wholly' he laughed again 'Holey … Get it?' He seemed to be amusing himself but his vulgar humour made Harry's stomach churn.
'The Dark Lord himself instructed you not to touch him.' Pettigrew was hovering by the archway. The instant Harry saw him his hatred began to surface again.
Greyback grunted as he turned to Wormtail.
'I'll have my chance one day ... when he is finished with him.' He started away from Harry, and as he passed Pettigrew and disappeared, Wormtail eyed him with distaste.
Harry let out a harsh laugh.
'You think you're better than him?' Harry bit out. The sickening repulsion he had felt when Greyback had been in the room was fast being eclipsed by the unadulterated hatred that Harry seethed with the moment Pettigrew was in his sights. 'You judge him after what you did?' Pettigrew approached Harry warily.
'You don't know everything … you also judge-'
'I know enough.' Harry cut in loathingly. 'You betrayed your best friends! My mother and father died because of you.' Wormtail swallowed nervously.
'There was a time you had the chance to kill me, and you didn't.' his voice was quivering now.
'I WAS WRONG!' Harry roared, throwing himself forward suddenly and making Pettigrew step back.
'Harry!' A girlish voice pleaded from above.
'Give-me-the-chance-again-and-you-would-not-walk-away.' He said through gritted teeth. Pettigrew looked far more disturbed than he should. These threats were coming from an imprisoned person and yet it seemed he truly feared Harry. Harry started yanking at his chains again out of frustration as Pettigrew made a hasty exit.
'Harry, don't!' The girl said weakly from her cage, he looked up at her and found it repugnant that she had tears streaming down her face.
'Hermione?' The pit voice said. 'Hermione, are you alright?'
'No...' The girl said. Her voice was tired and croaky as she slackened against the cage. 'I'm sick to the stomach.' she said weakly. 'Harry, whatever that potion is, it's changing you, and you have to fight it. You have to see what its doing to you…' her voice was becoming faint. Harry turned his head from her impatiently. He did not understand what she wanted of him.
'It keeps me upright and you want me to fight it? It might be my only hope of getting out of here.' He said tonelessly.
'No Harry.' Her voice sounded dull and hopeless.
'Hermione?' Came from the pit urgently.
'It is a way out.,' She continued wearily, as if almost asleep. 'But not the right one.' Harry looked up to see the girl's eyelids droop heavily. 'Don't lose... what makes you different... from him ... Harry…' Her eyes closed and her face slid down the bars.
'Hermione!' The voice from the pit kept yelling urgently, but the girl did not move. Harry stared at her blankly, unable to feel, to care. Yet something niggled at him annoyingly. He searched the floor lazily in front of him for what it was that was trying to fight it's way through to him.
He looked back at the girl in her dangling cage, listening to the other boy's calls getting more and more urgent. But he felt numb.
After a while, he realized the boy had been calling his name for some time.
'HARRY!' he sounded hurt and angry. 'WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS HAPPENING TO YOU?'
He didn't answer.
'HARRY! ANSWER ME!' The boy's calls went unheeded as Harry stared out in front of him blankly.
It was a long time before the boy finally stopped trying to rouse the girl or get Harry to answer him. He pounded on the stone walls of the pit before eventually falling quiet. Harry must have dropped off because he found himself awoken by Wormtail pushing his head up with his silver hand. Fenrir was standing not too far behind.
As Wormtail pushed the cup to his lips and started tipping it down, Harry recognized immediately that the warm liquid was not the same potion he had been taking. He tried to thrust his head away, but the silver hand that gripped his face and held his jaw open, could not be moved. He choked down the liquid and was about to start viciously accusing Pettigrew of trying to poison him, when he felt a scorching heat in his rib cage. The pain from it overwhelmed him and he collapsed into darkness.
When Harry came to sometime later, it was not as before. He was weary, not the least rejuvenated by whatever it was Wormtail had given him, and the pain... He eased his weight onto his feet again and let out an involuntary groan as his neck and shoulders seared with burning heat.
'Harry?' The boy called from the pit. Harry glanced at it to see fingers poking through the grate, but he did not answer. He was tired, and angry; so angry that Wormtail had not given him what he needed, what he sought, what he craved. He did not have the strength to struggle with his bonds so he stared blankly in front of him, waiting.
'Harry, what's going on with you?' The boy continued to talk in a quiet tone. 'Hermione hasn't woken for hours, and you act like you don't care.' The voice from the pit seemed to drone on slowly, and quietly. 'Hermione was right. You need to stop taking what ever it is they're giving you. It's changing you. You need to remember why we're here in the first place.'
Cold silence reined.
'What you did to Ginny was bad enough,' It continued more angrily. Harry turned his eyes on the pit as the fingers disappeared. 'But this just might be unforgivable.'
Something in that name the boy mentioned stirred Harry. A pang shot through him, though it was something he did not recognize. Curious, he hung quietly for the longest time, trying to picture her.
'Ginny.' He breathed quietly as he stared at the stone floor. What was it that distantly taunted him in that name?
'What? What did you say?' came the suddenly urgent request from the previously deadened voice in the pit. But Harry was tired, so very tired. He closed his eyes and let the pain wash over him.
When next he woke it was to the feel of Wormtail's silver hand on his jaw again. He did not have the strength to fight; it was a struggle to stay conscious enough to drink. He vaguely heard Wormtail griping nervously to himself about the Dark Lord coming as the cold liquid seeped through Harry, before he let Harry's head sag onto his chest and scurried away again.
After a time, the pain that raked through him started to ease, and before long he could feel enough relief to take the weight on his feet again. His strength returning, he looked around him.
There were no familiar fingers coming from the pit, and looking up to the cage that he had not thought to check last time he was conscious he could see damp hair flowing out through the bottom of the bars.
Something still niggled at him, but whatever it was, proved unreachable; he felt detached; numb. When Wormtail appeared Harry eyed him under his brow threateningly, but all Pettigrew did was look at Harry, as if inspecting him. He seemed apprehensive as he watched Harry's determined stare.
'You still want to kill me, don't you?'
'Let me down and find out.' Harry said darkly. Pettigrew dithered pathetically.
'We shall see. Fenrir will be returning shortly.' He pointed his grubby, claw-like fingernail at Harry. 'He's the one you should be worried about.'
'He's not the one who owes me.'
When Greyback returned he made his way into the dungeon the same way Harry and the others had come. As he passed Harry, his eyes widened in delight and he licked his teeth obscenely at him, repulsing Harry. Amused by the effect he had on Harry, Greyback barked a gloating laugh before retreating through the arch out of sight.
As Harry hung in the quiet, he bided his time dreaming up ways he could dispose of both Pettigrew and Greyback when he got free. Alone and in the silence he waited, occasionally flicking a glance at the pit or the cage, wondering why they interested him so. He half-hung, half-stood there for many hours. Eventually his eyelids started drooping from boredom more than anything else, and just as he was sliding down the wall; his eyes closing for the last time, a familiar feeling swamped him. He lifted his head and snapped his eyes open.
Staring back at him were two chilling red slits.
Harry yanked himself up on his feet, the Dark Lord scanning him suspiciously, lingering on his wounds. Harry had the uncomfortable feeling he was watched for a while before approached. His heartbeat raced as the red eyes narrowed.
The Dark Lord then turned from Harry and walked very slowly and deliberately to the pit. Harry watched in confusion, his eyes dropping to the floor and back again to the black cloaked figure as an unknowable ache ran through him.
The Dark Lord stopped easily on the edge of the grate and smoothly drew his wand, aiming it in the pit.
'Don't.' Escaped Harry's lips quietly. Nervously. Uncertainly. As if he had no idea why he had said it.
The Dark Lord turned his head to look at Harry but did not lower his wand.
'Why?' He asked silkily.
Harry was sweating; he could feel it running down his face as his eyes darted everywhere but at his captor.
'I-I d-don't know, I …'
'Wormtail!' the command went out icily. Pettigrew entered through the door in a half bow, his fingers fidgeting nervously.
'Yes master?' his quivering voice asked.
The Dark Lord had lowered his wand and was heading back towards Harry.
Harry, fearing the consequences of his actions, avoided the red eyes, and instead focused on the pathetic, hateful rodent that trailed behind his master.
'I am losing patience.' The Dark Lord sounded gravely displeased. His tone was enough to cause a wave of dread to envelop Harry. 'Concentrate the last dose.'
'Yes, my Lord!'
'And get the other two on their feet ... They will be the ultimate test.' Whatever this meant, Harry could tell it almost soothed the Dark Lords anger. Wormtail squirmed and wriggled away quickly, Harry's loathsome, penetrating gaze following after him.
The Dark Lord studied Harry, frowning. 'I will return tomorrow.' He said to himself. Harry shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, strangely aware that his scar no longer bothered him in The Dark Lords presence. The black cloaked figure turned from Harry wearing an evil smile on his thin, washed out lips. 'You shall start with something easy.' he said as he walked away. '…Wormtail … I think.' A slow, evil laugh came from him as he disappeared through the archway.
Harry was left staring after him in relief, glad The Dark Lord had not punished him in his displeasure.
Shortly after, Greyback and Wormtail entered the room. Fenrir stood eyeing Harry as Pettigrew administered potions to the other two occupants of the dungeon. As the two prisoners slowly started to revive, Wormtail approached Harry with a cup. Harry did not move, he did not fight; he knew without it, his body would give in. He gulped the freezing liquid and waited for its effects.
Once their jailors left, Harry, who was beginning to feel very tired, having not slept in he didn't know how long, let his eyes close. But as he was drifting off, voices interrupted him.
'Hermione? … Hermione?' came the voice from the pit.
'I'm okay.'
'What about Harry? Can you see him?' There was a creaking of metal followed by the caged voice again.
'I can see him, but he looks like he's passed out again.' The voice was wobbly as it added 'At least, I hope that's all it is.'
'I don't know that he deserves you worrying over him.' The pit voice said gravely 'He wasn't too worried about you.'
'It's that potion!' the caged voice sobbed in between words as it spoke. 'Its not Harry!'
'I don't think Harry even exists anymore.' The pit voice said quietly. 'I think we've lost him, Hermione.'
'Don't say that!' The caged voice said desperately. 'There must be some way we can reach him! There must be…' it trailed off desperately.
They both seemed to go quiet, and Harry finally felt himself edging into darkness.
'Maybe there is a way.' The pit voice said slowly, 'I mentioned Ginny earlier, and I think he was about to say something but he passed out again…'
At the sound of her name, her image flashed before him, and Harry opened his eyes.
'Ginny?' the girls voice said. 'Of course! Harry! Harry! Are you awake?Harry!'
Harry ignored the calls, though something was stirring inside him uncomfortably.
'Harry! Wake up!' The girls voice was getting more determined.
'Harry! HARRY!' came from the pit. 'Snap out of it!'
He listened, but did not act.
'It's not working … maybe he isn't just sleeping…' the girls voice began to sob again. There was no answer from the pit. 'Oh Ron … what if none of us make it? Our parents, your family…' the girl seemed highly distressed.
'We'll make it.' The boy said gravely. 'Somehow, we'll get out of here.'
'Imagine … imagine when they t-tell Ginny…'
The uncomfortable feeling in Harry's chest surged at the mention of her name again.
'She's going to lose all of us at once! Her brother ... I've known her so long now, we're like sisters! We've always been so close because of Harry. Ginny never used to shut up about him!' her sobs we're almost a laugh.
A frown was slowly creasing across Harry's brow as he listened.
'I thought it was a bit of an obsession at first. I told her to g-get on with her life ... n-n-not to wait for him to notice her. But she never cared for anyone the way she c-cares for Harry.'
Harry could not move as he listened. An ache was swelling painfully where there had been only emptiness.
'A-and when I saw them together last year, I knew she m-meant it. She did love him ... even after J-Julie' the girl's voice kept stumbling on hurriedly. 'She was so hurt ... but she said that if-if it made him happy, she would let go. Ron ... you should know ... she-she told me she only wanted him to be hap-happy. She said she'd go on loving him no-no matter what happened.' she rambled on.
The pain swelled rapidly in Harry and he began to feel sick.
'That's the kind of lo-love you'd give everything for! Re-real love. I don't think he understood ... I don't think he ever kn-knew…' she trailed off as she wept.
It was like someone reached in and took a hold of Harry's heart, shattering the ice off it. Almost like it hadn't been beating until now. With a rushing intake of breath, painful tears swelled in his eyes as he thought of Ginny. How they had parted. What he had done to her. How she would remember him. It was as though his soul was thawing, and everything that had slowly drifted away came flooding back to him.
Harry was raising his head to talk to Ron and Hermione, when several loud noises seemed to come through the door to the cavern. It was the unmistakable sound of curses hitting solid rock.