Disclaimer: How many times have we gone through this? I own nothing that you recognize, for Merlin's sake!

Chapter Summary: Harry and Ron visit Hogwarts while Sirius and Remus attend a newly reorganized Order of the Phoenix meeting...

A/N: Wow, it has been some time, hasn't it? Firstly, I must apologize for not updating sooner. You all have complete right to kill me where I sit. –Sighs- I have no truly good excuse, for I easily could have updated on the time that I should have, but I decided against it. "Why!" you ask? Well, HBP was coming out and I thought to myself, 'I should read it first before posting again because it will give me a lot of new information to work with'. And did it ever! I must say that I absolutely loved the book. –Grins- I loved the new characters, the story line, the plot, and the ending twist. But anyway, I really shouldn't be posting a review for the book here, should I? Haha. You all came to this page to read a fanfic not a review. My story from here on out will be taking HBP into account. So, the characters you met in Book 6 will also exist in my fic as well and the reason why Voldemort didn't die when he attacked Harry that fateful night will be the same in my fic as in HBP. Just thought I'd give you the heads up. So, now, without further ado...

Chapter 21: The Dark Forest

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"My patience is growing thin, Xantos, you have yet to come through for me," hissed the cold voice of the Dark Lord as he paced the dimly lit chamber in his current bodily possession of choice.

"My Lord, you know as well as I that trust in another is not built in a day," said Xantos respectfully from where he stood, having bowed when he had entered. An oddly amused smile came across the Dark Lord's face as he stopped his pacing and fixed his menacing gaze on Xantos.

"Yes, it would seem all Potter's are the same...are they not?" Voldemort questioned, giving Xantos dangerously pointed look. Xantos looked taken aback slightly but nodded and looked down.

"So it would seem, My Lord," Xantos replied, hiding the reluctance in his tone. Voldemort's eyes narrowed on Xantos before giving a curt nod and resumed his pacing.

"You've had three weeks, have you made no progress?" Voldemort inquired threateningly. Xantos chose his words carefully.

"The boy is not quick to trust me, Master. No doubt his wariness of me is thanks to his underdeveloped senses. An Elemental's senses try to warn them of danger, but he does not know how to interpret it. Hence the reason for my acting now, it is only a matter of time before he falls," Xantos stated confidently. No other Death Eater had read or knew more about Elementals than Xantos, and he knew it.

"You better hope you are right, Xantos. You are dismissed."

Xantos bowed respectfully and exited the room, letting out a shaky sigh once he closed the huge sound proof doors.

"You don't look well," came the sly voice of Severus Snape catching Xantos off guard the moment he had turned around. "Problems?"

"None that you need to be made aware of, Snape," Xantos retorted, angry with himself.

"A bit touchy today, aren't we, Potter?" sneered Snape. Xantos glowered at Snape before passing him and proceeding down the dark corridor. The Potions Master watched him until his back disappeared into the darkness then turned back to the large doors. The doors opened of their own accord and gave him entrance to the chamber beyond.

"What news do you bring, Snape?" Voldemort drawled almost lazily after Snape had bowed before him. Snape opened his mouth to speak but Voldemort cut him off warningly.

"It better be news that will help me form a new plan to get my hands on Potter rather than this time consuming one I must currently have."

Snape was slightly unnerved by this pronouncement, but kept his composure and raised his Occlumency shields as Voldemort's ruby eyes narrowed dangerously. Snape had not been informed of the current steps his Master was taking to gain control over the Potter boy. Only the Dark Lord's right hand knew of it, and very few selected Death Eaters even knew his name.

"I do believe the news I bring will be quite invaluable to you, My Lord," said Snape silkily.

"Do not overestimate your information, Snape," hissed Voldemort threateningly. It was occasions like these that the Death Eaters had to be re-taught their place, for some of them would tend to forget. Xantos was a prime example.

"...Forgive me."

Snape knew that another word from his mouth at this precise moment would earn him nothing but a 'Crucio', so he vouched for silence as the Dark Lord glared at him. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife but with a terse nod from Voldemort, Snape felt he could continue.

"I have recently been informed of the location of Potter, Black and Lupin's residence," Snape divulged. To his surprise however, though he did not show it, Voldemort's eyes flashed with anger.

"And why have you not informed me of this earlier?"

"..I would have, My Lord, but the old fool Dumbledore gave me no time to do so," Snape corrected smoothly. Voldemort could trust few of his Death Eaters, only those that had proven themselves beyond comparison had been given the right of belonging to the Dark Lord's inner circle, and Snape was one of those few. Voldemort gave Snape a searching look but could detect no lie in his words.

"Then taking the boy should be an easy feat."

"If you can get around the main charm..." Snape replied. Voldemort did not like to be spoken to if he had not given the permission for it, but he let this one slide. If he Crucio'd Snape now, he would not get his answers as swiftly as he desired them.

"Charms can be undone."

"...Not this one."

"How so?"

"The boy cannot be taken away from his guardians unwillingly without everyone in the Order getting wind of it immediately."

"Dumbledore's handiwork," Voldemort snarled. "He would be the one to make things difficult."

"But not impossible, My Lord."

"...Continue."

"He cannot be taken unwillingly, but can easily be taken the other way around. Once he has gone willingly, then it will matter not that he is unwilling when at the new destination for he has willingly gone in the first place. Quite the loophole..."

Yes...quite. It seems that Xantos' plan will continue...

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"Come on, Harry!" Ron pleaded with his friend, but was greeted with a firm shake of the head.

"Padfoot and Moony said to stay while they talked with Dumbles."

"Yeah, but they didn't hafta mean stay in here," Ron pouted looking around the classroom disdainfully.

The two boys were currently situated in an unused classroom at Hogwarts while Sirius and Remus attended a newly reorganized Order of the Phoenix meeting in Dumbledore's office thanks to the unnoticed comeback of Lord Voldemort into the wizarding world right under the Ministry's nose. Molly and Arthur Weasley were being initiated, as were a few other people, and Sirius and Remus were planning on hanging back when the meeting was over to ask their old Headmaster a few choice questions. They had planned on asking him sooner but Dumbledore had not had time these past few weeks, with school starting up again soon, to speak with them.

The three peaceful weeks that had passed since Harry's release from St. Mungo's had been anything but uneventful, however. Ron had spent the night at Harry's that weekend and Harry at Ron's the following. The two had quickly become inseparable and did everything together when together. They would talk about everything, especially when they were in bed but not tired. Ron would tell Harry more about Wizards and Harry would tell Ron about Muggles...good Muggles, anyway, never about his Aunt and Uncle even though Ron would talk about his. This weekend Ron was spending the night at Harry's again while his siblings stayed with an aunt of theirs.

"They did mean stay in here. If not," said Harry, walking toward the door. He tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. "…they wouldn't have put a child-safe spell on the door. …They how much I wike to explore…" Ron groaned at this and threw himself down on a chair. Harry felt the sadness coming off Ron in waves and could not help but feel bad. After a few seconds of pensive silence Ron's head shot up and he looked at Harry.

"Can't you open it?" he inquired, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Harry looked at Ron, stunned, before slowly shaking his head 'no'. Harry knew what Ron was talking about for he had told Ron more about himself and his powers than he had even told Padfoot and Moony. Making him promise not to tell anyone, first, of course…but Harry rarely put this power to use, hence his reason for not being as comfortable with it as he was with Fire.

"Pretty please, Harry, just this once?"

"But what about what Padf-?"

"They'll never know. We just gotta get back before they get done. Fred and George do it all the time," Ron coaxed, a mischievous smile spreading across his lips when he saw Harry's resolve weakening.

"But what if-?"

"Amber is here, right? You said you met Amber at Hogwarts, Harry. Let's go see her!" Ron interjected, grinning. Harry sighed in defeat; there was no disillusioning Ron once he got started, that much Harry knew.

Turning his back on his friend the Potter heir gazed at the door. He reluctantly concentrated on it until it began to rattle. His eyes widened slightly and he took a few steps back for good measure. He knew he was not putting enough effort into it. He looked back over at Ron who looked a little startled but nodded. Harry's eyes moved back to the rattling door, figuring if he was going to do it he might as well do it right and get it over with. A few more seconds and the door was banged from the other side as if hit hard by something and it immediately swung open and slammed against the opposing wall with a resounding boom. Harry and Ron were greeted with an unceasing gust so intense that Ron toppled off his chair and was pushed along with desks, chairs, stands, and an alarmed Harry back against the wall. No matter how hard the boys tried to move forward in any way shape or form the wind was too strong and it rang deafeningly in their ears. Throwing self-control to the winds, and thinking of nothing but how he disliked this power for his lack of control over it, Harry yelled,

"Stop, stop, STOP!"

And just like that the wind died and the room was quiet and unnervingly still. After a minute of taking deep breaths and gazing incredulously at the open doorway, Harry came to himself and looked down to his left were Ron should have been, only to find three chairs. Worry enveloping him, the young Potter quickly moved them out of the way to find the ginger haired boy crouched on the ground covering his head with his hands. Harry quickly got on his knees so he would be at his best friend's level. The ringing in Ron's ears dying, he looked up from his position, straight into Harry's worry filled emerald eyes and broke out into a grin, shocking his friend to no end.

"That...was...WICKED, Harry! You've got to do it again!" Ron exclaimed gleefully as he shakily got to his feet, trying to maintain his balance which felt thrown off slightly. As Harry stood, he let out a breath he had not known he had been holding. He had almost been sure Ron would yell at him or be scared of him or act in someway totally different than the way he was currently acting.

It took Harry a few seconds to realize Ron was still talking for he had become lost in the happy thought that Ron was not upset with him in at all, even though he had been pushed off his chair.

"...oody brilliant and if Fred and George were here-"

"Ron, didn't you want to leave this room?" Harry asked, a smirk playing at his lips. Ron's mouth snapped shut as he looked at Harry in surprised before smiling widely.

"Oh yeah! Come on, let's go," he said, remembering for the first time in minutes the reason he had wanted the door open in first place. The two exited the room and Harry tentatively closed the door behind them to make it look like they were still located inside.

"Amber's gotta be outside," Harry told Ron as they walked down the long corridor.

"You know howta get there?" Ron asked and Harry nodded.

"Race you there." And with that, Harry darted down the corridor. Ron had not been expecting that, but took off right after him anyway. Ron was a pretty fast runner himself, if not, how could he get away from his brother's evil pranks? Harry rounder the corner, Ron close behind, but hit something solid, lost his balance and fell hard to the ground on his behind. "Oww..." he groaned just as Ron came around the corner and stopped at the site of the accident. Harry was on the ground with a tall man with greasy black hair that curtained his face towering over him.

"Watch where you're going!" the man snarled viciously. "I'm late enough as it is." Harry practically jumped to his feet at the tone of voice used and the hatred it held, and backed away a few steps, fear in his eyes.

"I-I-I d-didn't..." Harry stammered.

"Silence, I never said you could speak," the man snapped angrily. "I don't have time to listen to your bumbling apologies. If I catch you running through these halls again your going wish you had never met me." The man stalked off furiously in the direction he had been going and Ron had the feeling that the man had already been annoyed by something and that all he had needed was one more push to go ever the edge and explode like he just had.

Or maybe he just wanted to yell...either way...he probably didn't even know who he was talking to... Ron thought to himself before rushing to Harry's side. The messy raven haired boy was trembling slightly and stiffened when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you...okay, Harry?" Ron inquired concernedly. Harry's eyes were glazed over and had a far-away look in them as though remembering something he did not want to. Gaining no response from his best friend Ron got in front of him, put his other hand on Harry's other shoulder and shook him gently.

"Harry, it's me Ron, stop looking like that, you're scaring me."

At Ron's words Harry seemed to come to himself. He took a shuddering breath then focus his gaze on his friend.

"I'm sorry…" Harry rasped.

"Naw, it's okay, you just scared me that's all. You weren't talking," Ron explained. Harry nodded dejectedly.

"...You alright?"

"I-I'm fine."

"Don't lie..."

"...Ron."

"Uh-Huh?"

"...I...don't wanna talk, let's just...go outside…" Harry did not wait for a response, knowing Ron well enough to know that he would not let the subject drop if he did, before brushing past him and continuing down the corridor. The only thing Harry had never talked about…with anyone other than his Guardians, he thought suddenly…was how he had been treated at the Dursley's. He preferred, personally, not to talk about it. It hurt to remember, too much so, for it felt like yesterday to him. That man Harry had bumped into had brought back horrid memories to the boy. After a few minutes of walking in silence and going down a flight of stairs Harry reached the open oak front doors, Ron a few paces behind him. Stepping into the bright sun Harry shivered involuntarily and wrapped his cloak tighter around himself even though it was warm. He could almost sense Ron's eyes burning into the back of his head.

I'm sorry, Ron…I just…I just…can't…

Ron gave a sigh; he did not want to be annoyed with Harry for not telling him. It would not be a fun day if he was.

If Harry doesn't wanna talk about it…well, then he doesn't wanna talk about it, Ron told himself. He was saddened by the fact Harry would not trust him enough to talk about what ever he was feeling, but he would not push it…for now, anyway. That's not what friends did. So, working up his Gryffindor courage, Ron ran past Harry, down the front steps that led into Hogwarts. Stopping at the foot of them he turned around and looked up at his friend.

"You coming, or am I supposed to recognize Amber by myself?" he asked good-naturedly with a grin on his face. Harry sighed mentally with relief before grinning back; they were going to forget the earlier incident like it had never happened. It was times like these that Harry really appreciated Ron as a friend. They really understood each other a great deal. The two crossed the grounds heading toward the lake where Harry had sat with Amber months ago.

"That castle was really big," Ron stated seriously, throwing himself onto the ground once they reached their destination and looking up at the sky.

"You have no idea," Harry responded as he too threw himself to the ground.

"It's bigger than I saw?"

"A lot bigger."

"Hmm…"

"It's fun to be here again."

"Told you it'd be better than staying in that stuffy room."

The two grew quiet as they watched the clouds, but were brought back to their senses by a loud bark. Sitting up quickly both saw the miniature white tiger, white wolf with shimmering snow white fur and amber eyes bounding toward them.

"Amber!" Harry squealed, delighted. The creature jumped at Harry and toppled him to the ground licking his face. Harry could not stop giggling.

"She likes you, that's for sure," Ron chuckled, but before the red-head knew it, he had been tackled too for the creature's same purpose. The two boys laughed and played with the female creature. Ron found a stick and it turned out that Amber was great at fetch and loved to chase the piece of wood.

A half hour later found Harry and Ron gasping for breath having just chased Amber around the lake twice because she had refused to return the stick.

"You…think…she's gonna…give it back?" Ron panted. Harry smiled slightly and shook his head 'no'.

"Nope…I think…she wants…to keep it," Harry panted back holding a painful stitch in his side.

"W-Where…is she going?" Ron asked curiously, for Amber had just dropped her stick, sniffed the ground, then darted for the forest past the hut Harry knew to be Hagrid's.

"Dunno…" Harry replied sadly, he had wanted to play with her more.

"Let's follow her!" Ron voiced, having finally caught his breath, before scurrying after Amber.

"But…!" Harry tried but knew it was useless. Against his better judgment Harry dashed after Ron, his mind practically screaming 'bad idea, bad idea'. Harry had never gone into that forest before but it had a feeling of forebodingness about it and Harry could tell it was not a place to play around.

But if Ron is going… Harry reasoned. Ron had gotten a good head start on Harry and entered the forest ten seconds before him. The amazing daylight began to dim the deeper Harry went until it disappeared completely leaving him in utter darkness. A trickle of fear gripped the Potter heir's insides as he ran; he could no longer see the youngest Weasley male ahead of him.

"Ron?"

No answer.

"Ron?" Harry called out.

Nothing.

Harry suddenly stopped running, he had heard something…or had he sensed it? He did not really know anymore with this darkness pressing him in on all sides.

I should've stopped him from coming in here… Harry thought to himself.

"Ron!" he yelled hoping beyond hope that his friend would answer him. Fed up with the darkness and wondering why he had not done it sooner, Harry created a ball of fire in his hand that lit up his surrounding area. He could see nothing but trees in the distance.

"Harry!!" came Ron's strangled scream from far off. Harry would have been happy to hear his friend's voice again, if it were not for the amount of fear behind it. Dread filling him, Harry took off in the direction he had heard Ron's cry.

"N-No…no…" Ron pleaded.

"What's wrong boy, scared?" came a new voice to Harry's ears, it was harsh and rasping. The moment Harry's small amount of light made out the cloaked figure holding Ron and the red-head himself, the person whipped around, dropping Ron to the ground. Harry could no longer move, he felt rooted to the spot with the fear that enveloped him. The person looked like a man but his eyes were golden, like that of an animal, hidden beneath his hood, and he had long yellowish nails. He was tall and lean with a strong build. He had the look of someone who did this often. He smirked evilly at Harry, his eyes coming alive with a hungry, almost ravenous, look in them.

Run half of Harry's mind told him. But what about Ron? the other half demanded. Leave him! the first half yelled. But he's my friend! the other half countered.

Resigned to the worst Harry fought his fear and threw the small fire he had made at the monster. The light went out on contact, pitching Harry and Ron into darkness again, and the monster did nothing but laugh a laugh that sent a tremor of fear down the Potter's spine. Harry heard the thing begin slowly toward him and heard a sob come from Ron. Harry wanted to yell, scream, make some sort of noise that would help them be found but he found his mouth dry and his throat tight. He wished over and over again in his head that he had not opened that classroom door with his power as he heard the footsteps drawing nearer. And then an idea hit him. His power. Snapping his eyes shut Harry concentrated solely on the monster of a human in front of him. He felt the wind pick up around him gaining strength as it blew; messing up even more, if that were possible, Harry's raven black hair.

"What are you doing?" the man demanded abruptly, almost uneasily. Harry said nothing, concentrating harder. The young Potter raised his hand and waved it backhand in the man's general direction. As though hit by an unknown force the monster man was thrown fifteen feet and was slammed hard into a tree. Harry let his concentration falter when he heard the man groan and surprisingly the wind stopped. Harry had been able to control it enough to make it stop; it had never been that easy before! Harry took a step toward Ron, but felt suddenly dizzy.

No! Harry told himself sternly. I need to get Ron out of here.

Harry did not know how he managed it but he got to Ron and hurriedly helped him up.

"Are you alright?"

"H-Harry! H-he…he…"

"Let's go," Harry interrupted firmly. Ron nodded vigorously, wiping his eyes of stray tears. Both boys made a run for the direction in which they had entered the forest.

"Did you kill him?" Ron asked worriedly as they ran.

"N-no, at least…I don't think I did," Harry answered, dizziness threatening him again, but it was not as bad this time and he fought it off. "What happened?"

"I-I ran to find Amber, and after a bit I saw that you weren't with me anymore. I was scared so I stopped and called you but you didn't answer me. Then I felt something and bent down, it was Amber cuz I felt her soft fur and she had a new stick in her mouth. I guess she wanted to play again. Then she ran back towards where you were."

"I thought I had heard something," Harry stated pensively. "But, then what happened?"

"That…m-monster man. He came outta no where, Harry. He said he was…" Ron shuddered as he ran. "Hungry...that it had been a while. I yelled for you." Harry nodded, remembering this.

After a few seconds Harry stopped without warning, and Ron continued, not having noticed.

What's this feeling? Harry asked himself not realizing, himself, that he had stopped running alongside Ron. I had it earlier…why do I have it again? …What does it mean?

Harry was harshly brought back to reality when he was rammed into the ground, a body landing on his, very nearly knocking the air out of him.

"You…radiate with it…" rasped the same harsh voice, golden eyes gleaming as he sniffed Harry. The young Potter instantly felt petrified, he could not move at all. Not because he did not want to, but because of the weight, and his wrists were being held forcefully down by the man's strong hands. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks.

I'm so dumb! The feeling was telling me I was in twouble! Harry thought furiously at himself. He tried desperately to wiggle his hands free but the man only chuckled darkly.

"Ah, ah, ah, we wouldn't want you to use those things again," the monster jeered. Harry's concentration was shot, and he doubted whether he would have been able to do magic again even if he had control of his hands. He had used a lot earlier and he knew it.

"Yes…yes, it emanates from you," he murmured to himself as he sniffed the boy.

"W-What d-does?" Harry asked, thinking, 'if he's talking, he's not killing me...or eating me'.

"…Energy, power, it comes off you in waves…" he whispered near the Potter's ear, a low growl at the back of his throat. "I don't think I have ever had one quite like you… Too bad it's not a full moon; you would've made quite the werewolf… Pity."

"Y-You're…Y-You're a werewolf?" Harry breathed, a shiver coursing through his small body, biting his lower lip, more than a little shocked.

Is this how werewolves 'act'? Moony never…Moony would never…would he?

"Why, yes. You can call me Fenrir…heh, not that you'll be calling anyone anything here in a second," the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, rasped amusedly. "That was some attack you pulled earlier…" The monster's voice felt closer than before, Harry suddenly realized with a sinking icy feeling in his stomach. "I don't take lightly to pain and I must say that that tree was no soft landing, Potter," he growled dangerously.

The Potter heir had no idea how the werewolf knew who he was; Harry had never seen him before. And the fire that had lit up the area when Fenrir was going to eat Ron had only lasted for a brief moment; the werewolf could not have gotten a good look at him.

The young Potter vainly struggled to free himself again, but froze once he felt hot, greedy - hungry - breath at his throat, a whimper escaping his lips. He wanted Padfoot…he wanted Moony…he wanted them both more than ever, but he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he would never see their smiling faces ever again…

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A/N: -Evil laughter- Wonderfully long chapter, just what you had wanted from me, but a horrid, horrid cliffhanger to go along with it! –Grins- What's that one saying? "Be careful what you wish for"? Well, yeah, that.

-Sighs- Anyway, now that I got that out of my system, how'd you guys like this chapter? Too long? Not long enough? Bad? Good? Hope so, I sat down for forever to get it done. Hehe. I really wanted to make it up to all of you since I hadn't posted in almost three weeks. I felt really bad, especially since you all give me those wondrous reviews that make me smile so often! Don't expect gifts like this all the time, kk? Occasionally, though. Anywho, here it is for you all. See how nice I am? But then…well, there is that cliffhanger ordeal, but I do believe you'll find it somewhere in your hearts to forgive me for that…as well as my initial delay in typing this up. –Smiles hopefully-

Sooo, -chuckles nervously wondering if her readers are planning on her assassination at this very moment and decides to change the subject- how'd you all like reading HBP? Hope it was as fun and idea giving to you as it was for me. Next chapter soon, faster than this time around anyway. I'm back on the normal schedule with my updating, no worries. I'm hoping for lots and lots of reviews for this chapter, it has a lot of information, if you know how to look for it, and it's one of my favorites so far. –Grins-

Until next time…