Chapter 70: Time for a long break.

Harry lay as close to the base of the tree as he could. He looked up to see beams of illumination from the helicopter's searchlight poking through the trees. He could not see the helicopter itself, as the tree tops were too thick with leaves. Harry hoped it was as hard for his pursuers to see him. The constant buzzing of the rotors, and hum of the engine changed pitch, and the shadows produced by the searchlight moved about as the helicopter changed positions to look for him. For a long moment it hung above him, and he thought he had been spotted. But it eventually left, its chopping sound fading in the distance.

Pain began to set in, as the adrenaline began to stop flowing through his body. Harry was in a bad way. He had a bloody gash in his head which had smashed against the window of the helicopter, his back still hurt from where the skid had slammed into it, and he had several bruises and a broken arm from falling through the tree branches. The branches had hurt him severely, but they were the only reason he was alive as they had broken his fall. Nonetheless, he was still in sever pain, and the intensity was steadily increasing. The oversized coat was keeping him warm, but did nothing to dull the pain. Harry began to cry. it was too much. He was being driven insane by the lot of it. People wanted to kill him, he had gotten his friends in trouble, people were dying all around him, and he was being blamed. How much more could he take? Harry just lay there for what seemed a long time. He looked ahead and thought he saw movement in the shadows. Something coming towards him. A loud chirping type sound began to fill the air. He could make out a figure approaching him. Suddenly a voice called out to him, it seemed to be coming from the one cufflink of the jacket.

"Potter, Potter, what are you doing?" came the voice of Severus Snape. Harry glanced back to the approaching figure slowly moving towards him. The chirping was getting ever louder, and he could now make out a massive body.

"he... Help. Help me." Harry said weakly.

"What are you at Potter?" came the voice. Harry repeated his plea for help.

"Professor Snape. Help me please." Harry requested. The cufflink was silent. The object was not getting closer. Harry could not make out a giant spider moving closer to him. Ever closer. Spiders suck all the fluids out of your body when they kill you. What a horrible way to die. Harry thought to himself. But what could he do. He was not resigned to die in such a horrible way, but was too weak to move. What a bad year it's been. The worst so far.

"Professor help." harry pleaded. No answer. The spider was moving closer now, and started to move faster. Sixty yards away... fifty... forty... this was it. this was how it ended for Harry Potter. Thirty yards... twenty... he wanted to close his eyes, but he could not take them off the multi-eyed monster. Ten! Suddenly a cloud of black smoke filled the air in the small space between the spider and himself, and he heard a shout of "AVADA KEDAVRA!" A loud crack and a bright flash, and suddenly Professor Snape and was in front of him and the spider was on it's back, its legs coiled up indicating certain death. Professor Snape turned and walked over to him. Knelt down, and examined his arm and head.

"Are you hurt anywhere else Potter?" Snape asked emotionlessly.

"Everywhere, but mostly my lower back." Harry said. Snape nodded.

"Can you move?" Snape asked. Harry shook his head.

"No sir. I'm sorry." he replied. The pain was too much for him. Snape raised his wand to Harry's head. And spoke a chant, Harry blacked out immediately.

Harry awoke slowly. Everything was blurry. He was laying in a bed. A nightstand was nearby with his glasses on them. He put them on. He was in a small room that somehow looked familiar, but he could not place it in his mind. Snape. Walked in with some a bottle of potion in his hand. He presented it to Harry, he tried to lift his left arm, but winched from pain as it was still broken. He then took the potion with his right hand. Harry did not question what it was, if Snape wanted to kill him he could have done it in the forest. He drank heartily, and surprisingly the potion had a pleasing flavor to it. He placed the bottle on the ground next to him, and looked up at Snape.

"Professor, where are we." Harry asked.

"The shrieking shack. The only place i could think of that would not be searched. I've sent word to the Order to send a healer for your wounds. Now while we wait, you're going to tell me exactly what happened after you left Hogwarts." Snape said. He pulled a dusty old chair up to the bed and set down. Harry began to relay his story to him. The Reddish glow, the green glow and fireworks, the mysterious figures on brooms, the helicopter, and the death of the ministry officials, everything. Snape listened intently, stroking his chin, and seeming to be strategizing the situation. He stood up, walked over to the boarded up window, and peered out of a small hole in the board. Without turning back to Harry, he spoke.

"We're getting you out of here as soon as the healer can fix your wounds, and you're going to have to be a fugitive from justice for a while. It's clear that the ministry cannot protect you right now. You're going to Grimmauld Place, and you're going to have to stay there. No one can know where you are aside from a very few members of the order." Snape said emotionlessly.

Harry sat up. "What did Dumbledore say?" he asked. Snap turned to him, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Dumbledore doesn't know. He's been compromised." Snape said. Harry looked at him blankly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked. It means you do not try to contact him. Or anyone else for that matter. There are only going to be three people who will know of your location. Myself, Lupin, and Miss Tonks. The healer has agreed to have his mind wiped of the events after he takes care of you. But know one else is to know anything of you. Not your Masters, nor any other order members, and not your closest friends. Anyone who knows is in danger. Do you understand Potter?" Snape finished. Harry nodded. He lay back in bed staring up at the ceiling, lamenting his predicament, and hoping the healer would arrive soon. Snape had given him some charms for the pain, but his arm still hurt some, was only given a basic splint, and he had an unsightly gash from slamming his head against the helicopter window. Marietta Edgencombe, when next we meet, I'll be ready for you. But that must be some time away. He was in no condition to fight, and would be happy to recover after everything he had been through. It was time for a long break. Just have to wait for the healer. He could not come soon enough, harry thought. He took the opportunity to pass out. He could ask snape later, there was of late no pain in sleep for him over the last few weeks, and he was relishing the experience of unconsciousness and proper, nightmare free sleep as much as he could.

Marietta finished retelling of her experience to Professor Watson. He listened intently throughout. After she had concluded, he rubbed his eyes in anguish, not in mournful anguish, but stress.

"My best Wizards, my four most Elite, irreplaceable wizards. How depressing." he lamented. He then gave Marietta a stern look. "A body brought back would have been better." he said intently. Marietta nodded.
"Yes, perhaps. But I didn't want to hang out and wait for a slew of Ministry officials to start showing up. Plus, I didn't have a broom, and there was no room for the helicopter to land." she said casually. The Professor nodded.

"What happens now? On your end?" he asked. Marietta sighed.

"Absolutely nothing. I have to take a break for a while. To many eyes on the school, and I have to concentrate on my schoolwork, and head girl duties. This whole thing has taken it's toll on me. I need a break from planning." I'll be ready to start again in two months..." She went on, but was cut off.

"Two months?" Professor Watson shouted. Marietta rolled her eyes.

"What have you got to worry about it? Dumbledore's contained, Potter is dead, and the Ministry will thank he's escaped. It's all going our way, we can afford to slack off for a time, and rest on our laurels. Just let me get some stuff done and not have to stress out about the Order."

Professor Watson nodded.

"Very well, you have done well. I must say I had my doubts, but you have really shown your up to the task. When I'm Minister of Magic you alone will be my right hand. The hand I will use to crush the half bloods and muggle-born. Something, I'm of course sure you look forward to." he finished. Marietta smiled a sinister grin.

"Of course. But for now, time for a break."

"Cho Chang sat in the hospital breakroom reading through the Daily Prophet front page article for the fourth time. Still no sign of Harry Potter. Who had disappeared two weeks earlier under mysterious circumstances, along with the two ministry officials who had been sent to bring him to the Ministry of Magic. Tears fell on the paper, smearing the ink. She wiped her eyes. She had been to the Ministry itself trying to find information about what had happened, but no one was talking. She had not received any comique from Harry, and though she had called about ten times a day on his mobile, she had never gotten a response. It was driving her mad, and the stress was noticeable to all that she worked around.

"Ever gonna tell me what's bothering you?" came the voice of Carol Kenyetta, Cho's nursing friend. Cho lowered her head.

"It's... personal." Cho whispered softly. Carol nodded.

"Yes, almost everything is with you Cho." she said. "You know, I can tell you're really stressed, and I have a solution that might help. Tomorrow, I want you to bring your gym bag and track suit with you. I have a surprise for you." she said smiling. Cho looked up at her curiously.

"What is it?" she asked. Carol smiled. It's a surprise. Just be ready after work. Gym bag and sweats, and a desire to get rid of all that stress.

"I don't know Carol, I've got to look after mum, and study some books, and..." she started.

"No, no no." Carol stopped her. I've had it with excuses. You're mum is being well looked after, and you need to get your head out of those books for a while. Promise me that you will go with me after work tomorrow. Girls night out." Carol demanded. Cho looked at her blankly.

"Girls night out... in tracksuits?" she asked. Carol's smile widened.

"Trust me." she said with a smile. "Just know it's time for a break from your sobbing, and stress. I promise you will not regret it."

"Ok." Cho said weakly.

"So, any of your mates from school coming here?" Carol asked casually.

"To hospital?" Cho asked. Carol chuckled.

"To London. Schools are letting out for Christmas holiday, surely you have some mates from here? You do remember Christmas holiday don't you?" she said.

"Oh, yes. I. I guess I just... I just... sort of lost track." Cho said.

"Well, it's just a few weeks away. Don't wait to late to buy all the things on your list. The shops are going to be full to capacity. And we're drawing names out of the box Tuesday for the Christmas office Party, don't forget." Carol finished. Cho nodded. Yes, I'll take care of it in a couple of days." Cho finished.

"And Cho. I'm serious about tomorrow. You need a break from this constant vigil at your mum's bed. You two just argue too much of the time anyway about you going back to your school. Doesn't all this stress you out at all?" Carol asked. Cho nodded.

"What do you do to relieve it?" Carol asked. Cho shrugged.

"I just sort of hold it in." she finished. Carol.

"Well, like i said. You need a break from all this. Get some rest tonite, and be ready to head out tomorrow night after work." she smiled.

A break. Cho thought to herself. Aye, I need that for sure. she had to admit to herself. The same routine had been very draining.