Hello readers! Here's lovely Ch. 15, and I hope you enjoy it. I'm SO sorry it took so long to update. I've had major writers block on this Ch and just recently got back into school so things have been hectic.

I've received mostly positive feedback for this story and have recently past 10,000 visitors to it (I don't know tbh if this is a good or bad amount).

No need to keep you waiting any longer, so here you go!

Warning; violence.

Ch. 15: Time's Up

Harry Potter soon found out that escaping from a dark wizard cult in the middle of nowhere with no wand was easier said than done.

Still, he had been through worse, hadn't he? Though he knew to get out of this he would have to at least set the basis of a plan (whether he used it or not would depend on his luck).

To begin with, he had to find an escape route, and wand. Preferably he would like his own back, but again, that would depend on his luck. And all of this would have to be done soon, for he had heard several guards speaking of the veriserum arriving in two days time.

When his mind wasn't clouded by the Conpesco potion Harry was able to form ideas, but now Harry found himself ingesting more contaminated food in hopes of getting some of his former strength back. He would have to invade one of the ravager's mind to find out an exit and where his wand was being kept, and if need be, pocess them so they could undo his restraints (the last option sickened Harry greatly, but he couldn't think of any alternative). Though once in their mind Harry would have to be wary, for he didn't know how well they were protected and how different their transformations made their minds to a humans.

This, Harry decided, was his best chance of escape; he held no illusions about the risks. There was a small chance of success, but even greater odds for death. But luckily for Harry he wasn't alone.

It was when Harry was returning to his cell for the night did he alter his plans (if only slightly). Compared to his other days at 'Shade Manor' this one had been lighter on the whole human torture thing. The man in charge of him today seemed to be one of the younger ravagers (only a year or two older than himself) and was still mostly human in appearance. Harry figured the boy must of felt pity for him (as much as he could anyway), and was grateful when he left him be in his cell without a new dose of the Supressio curse.

Looking around his small enclosure, Harry hoped this would be his last time seeing this place. If everything went according to plan, he would be out of there that time tomorrow, but when was anything easy for him?

Just as Harry was slowing down his heart beats for meditation did a noise jolt him from his concentration. He looked over across the room and saw his roommate, a hundred foot(at least) dragon, trying yet again to rip himself free of the chains tying him to the stone walls. The poor thing had been at this since Harry had arrived, and while new cracks appeared at each attempt, the chains didn't seem to budge.

Now staring at the magnificent creature, Harry was hit with guilt; how could he leave this horrid place without its other prisoner? Though their were obvious differences from him and a dragon. Stealth would be out the window, as would size. But they would have the element of surprise, and brute force. He would have to find a larger exist to fit both through, and Harry would also have to get one of the men to perform the counter curse on its chains.

Harry shook his head to organize his thoughts again. He was getting ahead of himself; he wasn't even sure if the dragon would agree to help him, let alone how to talk to it. There always is... no! No, Abe told me not to even attempt it until he said so for saftey, Harry thought to himself. But another voice (that had a slight resemblance to Ron) interjected Safety! I think caution was out the window when you were abducted by walking snakes! Harry sighed and rubbed his temples; his friends weren't even here and yet their imaginative fights still gave him a headache (for he had no doubt his initial thought was because of Hermione's influence on him). But this time, he decided to side with Ron. Hopefully Hermione would understand later.

Taking a deep breath, Harry looked at the dragon, who was still trying to free itself, and whispered, "Legimens." The familiar feeling of breaking through a wall of ice swept around him for a brief second before immediately being replaced by a feeling he hadn't felt before; it was as if he was brushing against sharp spikes, and if he deviated from that path an invisible force knocked him back. This was a much different sensation than one Harry would get from entering a humans mind. Instead of feeling pushed together by a soft but forceful bubble, he was being closed in by a wall of thorns; now he saw why Abe wished him to wait, for Harry had to keep maximum concentration and strength to keep from just slipping away.

As if on cue the creature's defenses sensed the invasion and started to swarm closer (if possible) towards him, some even beginning to break his skin. Out of reflex Harry began to push his magic against the impending danger, which seemed to only heighten the attack. To, literally, save his own skin, Harry mentally addressed the beast's conscience yelling, I'm a friend! I mean you no harm!

In response an almost chuckle shook the defenses around the wizard before he was formally addressed by a deep, powerful voice. Hmph, friend? I have no friends; especially not ones who capture and control me. You are no friend of mine.

No! I'm not part of the group that took you. Harry insisted trying to the great creature trying to repel the spikes impaling his sides. They got me too. The group, the Shade, used you to get to me. My name his Harry Potter. I'm sorry you were dragged into this, but I think I can get us out-

Ha! Don't make me kill you now, wizard, the dragon growled out. Harry Potter is known throughout all races, not just yours; only a fool would think otherwise.

I am? Harry thought to himself, forgetting for a moment his thoughts were echoed in the dragon's mind as well (the sharp edges of the needles brought him back to focus). Look I'm not lying! Let me show you.

Harry began sliding memories of his various encounters with danger that couldn't be altered or false, Voldemort resurrecting in the graveyard, Dumbledore battling him in the Department of Mysteries, and himself finally finishing off at the final battle.

The dragon spent a moment scrutinizing every detail of the memories before replying (begrudgingly), It seems you speak the truth. Forgive me, Mr. Potter, my situation doesn't allow me the luxury of having powerful intruders enter my mind unchallenged.

As he finished his apology, the defenses around Harry began to fall back until they were a safe distance away from Harry. That's alright, I should've introduced myself at the beginning I guess, Harry chuckled. Not to be rude, but how do you know who I am, and who are you?

Even in his subconscious Harry could feel a puff of smoke leave the nostrils of the beast. My name you ask for? It is not something any human or wizard could comprehend. But you may call me... Roldan. The dragon, Roldan, stated amused. As to how I know you? The Dark Lord tried to recruit my race during the First War; when we refused he began to hunt our younglings which were already few in numbers. You, Mr. Potter, killed him twice, something not even our best could do. For that me and my race owes you its allegiance.

Harry was dumbfounded by this information. Even though he had been dealing with it for year it still shocked the little boy in him every time praise was given. Guess the Hungarian Horntail never got that message.

Oh-well thanks, Roldan. Now back to what I was saying, I think I know a how to get us out of here... But I'm going to need your help.

Roldan looked hesitant at first (Harry doupted he had ever taken orders from a human before) and he was sure the dragon would refuse, until he mournfully looked at his restrained tail, and then with full certainly grumbled, I am at your service, Harry Potter.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Even though he wasn't given the Supressio curse the night before, Harry found himself not receiving a much better sleep without it; he spent most of the night conversing with Roldan on the contents of their escape.

Luckily he remembered the way he had entered the Shade's lair, and through a flash of his memories Harry was about to see where it was as well. There is a problem with leaving through their though, Mr. Potter, Roldan revealed to Harry. The entrance is enchanted; whenever an enemy of the snakes try to leave or enter, it collapses burning and suffocating its prey. One of my kin who followed me here was the first to discover this, He finished guiltily.

It took them a while before they could come up with a solution, but eventually they came to the understanding that to leave they would need to bring one of the men with them(hopefully one important enough to the Shade that they wouldn't sacrifice him). After that was sorted out most of the other parts to Harry's plan Roldan agreed to be necessary, but Harry was nervous bringing up the notion of him riding on his back. To Harry's surprise, he too thought this to be the only practical thing, but asked him to not speak of it to another dragon if he came upon one saying, It would end in more fire and blood than I would care to admit.

For the first time since being captured, Harry felt some hope in his escape. All he needed was a lazy guard, and a pinch of luck on his side. But as we all know, luck is almost never on his side.

Harry found himself being greeted that morning by not a random snake-breathed beast, but the king of them all, Apep. He inwardly cursed at his poor luck; there was no way he would be strong enough to influence him.

Apep smirked at the pitiful state of his prisoner, and distastefully threw a piece of bread into the cell, which Harry let drop to the floor. This only increased the glee on the leaders face as he said to him, "Don't worry little one, there'sss no potion in there today. No, I want you at your bessst for thiss special day."

Whatever appetite Harry could muster was set aside as fear began to clench at his stomach.

Before he even had time to form questions that would inevitably remain unanswered Apep was gone. What could be so dangerous on its own that the sadist didn't feel the need to drug him? Did behave a hardy breakfast of nails? Or perhaps he stole a lolly from a child. Whatever it was, Harry was positive him being in a good mood wasn't good for him at all.

Maybe-no, that's scheduled to come tomorrow...But what else could it be? Harry thought to himself. Indeed what else could it be? The more Harry thought about it the more likely it seemed; the Veritaserum had come early.

I shouldn't' be surprised, Harry bitterly thought already admitting defeat. Who was he to overcome a potion that forced even the darkest of souls to confess their deeds of hell. After all nothing like the threat of death to speed up delivery.

Suddenly Harry felt a familiar but still new presence enter his mind. Roldan quickly review the thoughts Harry had put together remaining silent throughout. I as well can't see another alternative, he finally admitted. But do not loose hope yet, wizard, for I sense potential in you; nothing is impossible until proven so.

Potential is one thing, but besting a potion perfected over a thousand years by Potion Masters is another, Harry retorded. Besides, even on the slight chance that I do manage to stop the Veritaserum, they will surely kill me after since I would be no more use to them. What would we do then?

Before Roldan could answer both occupants were pushed out of his thoughts by a rough hand grasp his shoulder. Jerking back into the physical world, Harry looked up to see a ravager's grotesque features staring right back him. His time was up.

Harry was led into the dreary meeting hall once again, but this time was met with not a table or pit of snakes, but a crowd of hundreds of ravagers; each creepy and each enthusiastic for the 'performance'.

Harry, being 'strongly recommended', was sat on a stool on an elevated platform where chains immediately appeared to keep him there. Soon after Apep appeared through the wall of black cloaks and approached him with a vial full of clear liquid in one hand, and a knife in the other. All noise in the room stopped as he reached the prisoner.

Once he was in whispering range, he spoke. "Harry Potter," he hissed. "Thisss is the point where I would usssually explain what thisss is to ssome inferior muggle filth. but you aren't one of thosse!" He finished with a dry laugh. "And I'm quite ssure you already know what this iss."

Harry made no move to reply, and keep his head down avoiding eye contact, which seemed to only encourage Apep. Using inhuman swiftness, he snatched at harry's jaw and forced him to look in his yellow irises. "You sshall look at me!" he snapped. The whole affair left Harry in a natural stage of shock unable to reply which somehow pleased him.

"Now, as I wasss going to ssay before your lack of some sssnarky comment," he continued. "that we could do this the eassy way or hard, but now I ssee their is only one right choice."

Clenching the fingers holding onto the weapon, Apep cleanly moved the blade across Harry's lower lip down to his chin; this caused him to scream in a mixture of shock and pain, which was enough time for Apep to dispense three drops from the vial. But only 2 made it inside his mouth, for Harry spit a mix of the potion and his own blood in reflex onto Apep's sleeve. If he wasn't so close to discovering Harry Potter's secrets he would've knocked him unconscious right there, but too much had been lost to ruin his plans now. So he turned his back to the boy to face his crown of brethren, who began cheering once seeing the sight of blood.

Silently he placed a Sonorus spell on himself and began speaking to the congregation. "My brothersss" he started, unable to keep the glee out of his voice. "Now it isss the moment we have been waiting for. Not only hass our cause, deemed weak by otherssss, managed to catch the Boy-Who-Lived but we have alssso are about to learn hisss own secrets! Something not even the Dark Lord did!" His speech was met by a chorus of applause and a few bows in respect. His master would have to surely reward him for this.

"Now" Apep continued, now returning his attention to Harry, "let us begin. What is your full name, wizard?"

While the ravagers had their pre-celebration, Harry was fighting a losing battle. His mouth was a mix of metallic-tasting blood and bitter potion, neither pleasant to endure, but their was nothing he could to stop the Veritaserum's effects once it hit the mouth. And as the taste lingered in his mouth, a tingling but not a discomfort able one began to cloud his brain until, much like the imperious curse, his mind was wiped from all worries, and only a strong need to speak the truth remained.

Without giving much resistant (or even feeling the need to) Harry freely spoke, "Harry James Potter."

A wall of fear Apep wouldn't admit to having broke at the relief he felt to see the potion had worked; even the Savior had his limits.

Harry on the other hand was not feeling very well. Immediately after blurting out his name, the effects of the potion lifted for a millisecond, which was enough time for Harry to gain some of his senses back. What am I doing?

Obviously he was telling the truth, but why was he again? Couldn't he lie?

"Next Quessstion," Apep hissed breaking Harry from his internal battle. "What is your mentor's name, Mr. Potter?"

This time Harry was expecting the rush of the potion effect's and tried to resist. Once he started to though, the meditative and buzzing senses were replaced by a feeling of compression and intense pain as a hammer was beating on his skull. To his credit, Harry lasted a few seconds longer than his first try before he whispered faintly, "Abubakar Krinx."

Despite his rebellion, the serpent master was actually pleased the boy was resisting. After all it gave a better show.

"What has your teacher taught you about us?"

To his relief, since the question was so broad the potion eased (if only slightly) it's control on Harry's answer, so as vaguely as it let him he answered. "That you are wizard terrorists who believe yourself superior to muggles." He was quite proud of his ability to evade the true question, and he even added a muggle phrase to the insult.

Harry wasn't the only one who saw the flaw in the plan. Apep narrowed his eyes at the boy. I underestimated him too soon. He heard quiet whispers behind him; with no need for rumors of his incapability to fly around, he simply raised his hand, which the others immediately recognized as a sign to be silent. It was time to punish him.

"Who is the girl whom visited you often, Harry?" he sneered. Surely this would agitate him.

Fear, no, terror gripped in his stomach. He couldn't let these bastards get a hold of his Hermione! She had already risked and done too much for him; it was one thing for him to be punished, even killed for this, but he would die ten times over before letting Hermione meet the same fate. She was his everything.

With this thought and the passion behind it, Harry fought against the Veritaserum to regain control. Each step he took to forward two steps were sending him back, but he persisted. He was working so hard to lie his pupils began to dilate and his nose began to bleed, mixing with the blood already in his mouth. The jabs of fiery pain now seemed to move in a crescendo belting out, Hermione-Hermione-Hermione-and each beat longed to be spoken, but Harry still pushed on.

After minutes of silently watching Harry Potter's struggle, the Shade finally got a name. "Polkiss!" He gasped out with a new wave of blood. "Peg Polkiss." Harry finished hanging his head in exhaustion.

I did it, I did it, Harry shockingly replayed over his head. He beat the potion; Hermione Granger was safe, for now. Harry didn't know how he had, but he thanked every god that there is and ever was that Dudley's childhood friend, Piers Polkiss' name came into his thoughts (with an obvious alteration).

Oblivious to Harry's relief, Apep accepted his answer as the truth without hesitation. I musst admit, he resissted more than I thought possible. We must find thiss girl.

Keeping the same theme, he asked, "How do you know her?"

"School" was Harry's immediate reply. It seemed once he told his initial lie the potion began to back off, as if the beast was stalking back into its cave.

"Who elssse has visited you and learned about ussss?"

"No one-everyone else just likes me for my name." It was close enough to the truth.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive; can't lie now can I?" Funnily enough, Apep didn't doubt his statement.

"How much do you know about us?"

"Enough"

"Who isss our leader?"

"Lazaras, but didn't he die hundreds of years ago?" Harry mockingly finished, now enjoying the whole affair. He could've easily lied, but where would the fun be in that?

Harry's answer and his vague answers did more to the congregation than Harry would know. He seemingly knew their plans, and that meant he possibly knew how to stop them. There was no doubt now, he would die today.

"Are you going to die here, Mr. Potter?" the leader menacingly spoke, moving closer to the boy.

"Don't know, can't tell the future ye' see." Harry retorted, giving him a smile showing off his blood stained teeth.

"I'm quite interessted in the girl you mentioned, what wasss her name again?"

"Peg Polkiss" it was much easier to lie now; the effects of the potion were virtually nonexistent now.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes"

Now even Apep could see the effects wearing off Harry, and called two especially ruff-looking ravagers from the crowd who began to move towards the boy as well.

"Lassst question." He whispered, just loud enough for Harry to hear.

"Are you going to escape uss, Mr. Potter?"

"Definitely"

Harry felt himself being filled will more energy than he felt since capture; it was as if his confidence and determination were feeding into his magic, replenishing his muscles and raising his adrenaline. It was now or never.

"Posside" he mumbled quietly an clearly, imagining his target.

In a blink of an eye Harry Potter vanished from the three ravager's sights leaving nothing but the chains he was bound in as proof of his existence; what followed ccould be described as an uproar.

Men and occasionally women in the room began to yell at their counterparts, accusing them of helping the prisoner to escape. Some even began to fire curses on one another. Apep meanwhile was still frozen in place, looking at the spot Harry once sat. Anger corroded inside him, but also fear; he knew who was here watching, and he was anything but pleased.

Turning to face his servants, he spun around eyes now a fiery red and yelled in a voice not his own,"SILENCE!"

Every fight and look of shock disintegrated upon hearing the voice; they too knew who was speaking.

Once Lazaras was pleased with the level of silence he continued. "There isss no spell for him to have escaped ssoo easily; he iss still here. Find Him!"

Harry was in fact still in the room. After muttering his spell a feeling much like Apparition but through water took over him; this was the first time he had attempted processing someone. Abe discourage the practice all together and only taught him it to know how to defend another attack. He would have to assume the ravagers learned how to defend themselves from it as well, so that limited his victim pool.

But he had to be fast, for he couldn't remain out of a physical form for long; quickly peeking into the surface of oblivious ravagers, Harry tried to find someone who would put up an easy fight. Finally after what seemed like hours he found the conscience of the same young ravager who relieved him of the Suppressio curse the other night, and to his luck his defenses were weaker than the others.

The boy himself, Hafiz, was standing behind the gathering of the others, mostly to avoid looking at their 'father'. In reality his true father was the one hosting the spirit; not that he would admit it to the others. They already accused him of not being loyal to the cause, this would just fuel the fire. Especially since he didn't know himself.

Suddenly a wave of power touch and broke through his defenses; before he could even hope to defend himself it was too late.

Harry entered the ravager's mind with relative ease, and upon entrance he was relieved to find his shields much more human like opposed to the scaly and slime-filled ones of the others. Of course this didn't mean he gave up control just as easily. Harry felt his walls attempting to rebuild themselves as a vacuum force tried to propel him out. But he pushed on and soon gained the senses and control of the body sending the other presence into the back of the mind; dealing with Voldemort in his head on more than one occasion unconsciously strengthen his ability to power a brain.

Regaining sight of the room once again (which was a great improvement from his own without his glasses) Harry saw yet another man being processed, but he was in no state to spy. Since he didn't have full cooperation with the body, his moves were mechanic and slow. Fortunately the room was dark enough and the occupants were so in tuned to their master no one saw(nor cared) when the leader's son disappeared into the prisoner's hall just before search parties were formed.

Anxiously Harry tried to recall the turns needed to return to his and Roldan's cell praying his escape plan wouldn't fail so pathetically because of the unneeded amount of prisoner holdings. You'd think with so many cells they would have the decency to not board me with a bloody dragon, he thought forgetting his thoughts were being mirrored to the host's mind; only a dry chuckle-sound broke through the lack of thoughts after.

Though again luck was on his side, and Harry soon found himself once again looking upon Roldan (who looked more fearsome with proper eyesight). Upon entering, the beast stopped its vain attempt in pacing with chains on its legs to narrow its eyes and growl at the ravager.

Deciding it was safe, Harry performed the counter-curse and reappeared in his bloodied physical form next to the now unconscious Hafiz. Even though he couldn't see well once again, he didn't need sight nor telepathic communication to tell Roldan was relieved to see him. Having collapsed upon re-entering his boy he met the floor once again when the giant creature began stomping its feet in joy shaking the entire room. "St-stop" Harry managed to choke out in between shock waves. "They-they'll hear you."

Roldan got thankfully got the message and stopped his happy dance and regain his regal composure. Making contact with Harry's conscious he said, I apologize for my behavior; sometimes you forget how large you are.

If the situation was different Harry might've laughed at the beast's antics. "It's alright" Harry responded aloud. "But right now we need to hurry." Roldan understood that his questions would need to be answered later and moved so Harry cut away his imprisonment. He dashed up from the floor and ran across the room hoping to make up for lost time when Roldan hissed, "His wand! You forgot his wand!"

Too flustered to head back, he merely summoned the dark black stick from the ravagers pocket so it flew into his hand. Without wasting a second he yelled, "REDUCTO!" A large red spark flew from the tip of the wand and traveled the remaining distance and made perfect contact with the chains in the wall holding his friend hostage.

Immediately upon impact the main chains disintegrated to red dust and soon created a domino effect onto the others until Roldan was free. Harry could feel him give a sigh in pleasure as he stretched his aching muscles; leaning his head down to Harry's level his light blue opals looked into Harry's emerald, and he knew the dragon was forever gratefully for this act of kindness.

Both were drawn back to the present when they heard a groan from behind them. On instinct Harry turned on the spot and aimed the wand at the now standing ravager. "Don't move" He hissed, not noticing that his anger was making him speak in Parseltongue.

The young man just nodded his head and raised his hands in defeat; he knew the tales of the great Harry Potter.

"You have two choices." Harry said narrowing his eyes at one of his torturers. "You can either help us willingly, or I could pocess you again. Both ways you are going to come with us."

Hafiz shivered at the thought of being invaded again, but thought about the ultimatum. Either way he was leaving this place... whether he was happy or sad about that he wasn't sure. But he be damned if he'd let his pride be damaged again by his own prisoner.

After a few seconds the ravager slowly nodded his head and said, "I'll help you." Seeing that Harry was still not lowering his wand he continued. "I sswear on my magic that I will help you escape to the best of my ability."

Roldan gave his approval to Harry and he lowered the wand. Both sides stood staring at the other for a few moments until voices were heard approaching their room. Hafiz immediately took the lead.

"Quick!" he snapped. "There'ss another way out."

With no better option but to trust the young ravager Roldan and Harry followed him as he led the pair to the stone-wall opposite from the entrance. Explaining their unanswered question he said, "It wass put in here in case of an attack, it should sstill work."

Hafiz began chanting something in Arabic Harry quickly lost track off, but he was not fast enough. Three other ravagers entered the chamber and saw the three trying to escape. "There! Why you traitor!" one of them (who Harry was almost positive was Ralof) yelled. Hafiz ignored the three approaching and continued his spell leaving Harry and Roldan to deal with the group.

The dragon spent no time hesitating before he began extending his revenge on his capturers. With a hardy roar Roldan swished his tail from behind him and knocked the slower two ravagers strait into the opposing wall with a mighty crack, leaving Ralof to Harry. The slightly shorter man sneered at him and pointed his wand at Harry.

"You won't escape thiss alive, Potter!" During this tirade Harry noticed something; that the wand being pointed at him was his! With a newfound determination Harry didn't even waste time retorting to the man and sent a silent disarming spell towards him, who unfortunately blocked it in time.

Both traded off spells to the other, but neither gaining an edge; Harry wasn't as strong without his own wand and his wand wasn't as strong without him. Vaguely Harry heard his reluctant partner finish his spell as the wall behind him began to crumble. He dived out of the way of a boulder about the smash him only to hit his opponents own Expelliarmus.

Harry was forced to watch as the ravager gracefully caught the wand, now in pocession of two and stalked toward him. "Harry Pot-" he stated hissing, but didn't finish because a claw the size of Harry's arm impaled his side, killing him instantly.

Hmph, pathetic wizard Harry heard Roldan think to him but he paid it no mind, dead set on regaining his wand.

Running towards the fallen snake, he felt a sickly feeling in his gut. Not at the sight of the man's blood and the gaping hole in his stomach, but at the crushed phoenix-feathered wand lying in the wreckage. Just by seeing the splinters still stuck to Roldan's claw he could tell how it broke; there was no hope in repairing it this time.

Stubbornly Harry picked up as much of the wood as he could and stuffed it into his pocket; he also distastefully picked up both his opponents wand and the one he took from the young ravager.

Once he finished he saw an even larger group of the Shade running into the room firing spells. Harry turned and ran back towards the now gaping hole in the wall, swerving between large stones to avoid being hit by a spell and firing one off whenever he was able. When he was close enough he heard the ravager helping him yelling at him to hurry and squinted to see Roldan duck his head inside the hole. Panting Harry leaped over a long boulder and crouched beneath it next to his partner.

"Took you long enough" the ravager snapped at him ducking to narrowly avoid being hit by Roldan's tail.

"I was getting something-" Harry retorted back, his voice full of equal malice. "I could say the same to you,-."

"Hafiz" the ravager interrupted. "And it would've been fasster if I have my wand."

Harry ignored the comment to transfigure a wall of thorny vines much like the ones in his Twiwizard Tournament to create a barrier between them and the other wizards. It was a quick curse Abe taught him that worked similar to fieri but didn't rely on the caster's focus letting them attend to other methods of attack. The wall of plants soon grew to cover no only the base of the opening, but also its sides; whoever was unfortunate enough to come to close found themselves entangled and suffocated by it.

"That should hold them for a few minutes." Harry said breaking Hafiz from his awed trance. He got up from his position and headed towards the squished together dragon, and threw back Hafiz's wand over his shoulder.

Hafiz regained his sense and got up as well. "We musst move quickly." he responded. "This doorway is like the othersss; it will soon sensse my betrayal and then nothing can sstop it from caving in.

As quickly as they could the two wizards and dragon made their way to the surface. Fatigued by his large exerts of magic, Harry was forced onto Roldan's back on his insistence leaving Hafiz (whom neither fully trusted yet) to lead them to the surface through the right tunnels and banishing rocks when needed to fit the dragon through. This process would've been quicker if the group didn't need to cover their scents and tracks both magically and normally.

After about an hour of this tedious system all members of the group were feeling the strain. But suddenly little specks of light began to sparkle off the otherwise pitch-black walls; they reached the surface just in time too. The walls began to shake and sand slowly drizzled onto the floor from the ceiling.

"We musst hurry! The walls are collapsing." Hafiz yelled. Filled with new purpose and the sight of light gave enough energy back to the three; Harry and Hafiz worked together to keep the falling rocks from hitting any of them while Roldan sweeped the sand walls quickly building in height to the sides. As time went by both the rocks, sand, and light increased in quantity, and both wizards were forced onto the dragon's back to stay above the sand. The exist was so close Harry could almost see only light now.

Come on Roldan you're almost there! Harry encouraged to his friend, sending all the energy he could spare into the creature. With one final roar of anguish the beast broke through the now sand-filled cave and collapsed on the dry desert floor breathing heavily.

All three were blinded by the sudden onpoar of light since it had been days (months for the ravager) since they had seen natural light. Roldan was the first to recover; regaining his senses he shaked both the remaining sand and Hafiz from his body.

Hafiz grumbled from the ground, still unable to see, mumbling something like, "Sstupid overgrown lizard."

Harry recovered next and immediately turned to look at their escape route. It was now fully filled with sand and rocks began to appear on the surface, completely magically camouflaging it with the barren landscape.

Right then and there Harry gave his first smile in his newly regained freedom and did something completely unprecedented: he laughed. For the first time in what seemed like years, he truly laughed; perhaps he finally lost it.

Once he was finished Hafiz and regained his sight enough to squint at him. "We aren't free yet, Potter." he said, wry of how this crazed man might react. "There's other wayss to leave the Pit. They will already have groups coming to look at where the different tunnel exisst end."

This stopped Harry's laughter for good. "Where are we?" he asked.

"By my people it's called Ta'ala; it means to come with uss. It is the largesst gathering place for us to meet. By your kind it's Aswan, Egypt." Looking at Roldan, who was stretched out on the ground soaking in the freedom he said, "If the beasst lets uss ride it we shall make it back to you and the old man'ss home by nightfall."

Roldan narrowed his eyes at the comment but continued to roll around in the sand, but Harry was confused. "Why are you helping us so much?"

Hafiz merely shrugged and said, "I swore to." Harry knew not to push it more than that.

Re-connecting with Roldan, Harry said, He's right, we need to leave. But you can leave now if you want; your part of the deal has been fulfilled. The dragon stopped what he was doing and started at the human. After a moment of silence harry heard in his head, I have never known a wizard as noble as you, Harry Potter. I shall stay with you until I'm no longer needed.

Harry was touched by his display of loyalty. But! he continued. I won't have that-thing-on my back. If he's coming then he'll be held in my claws. Harry gave Roldan's proposition to Hafiz, who was appalled at the thought of trusting the dragon so much, but given the alternative was pocession, he saw no way around it.

So Harry performed a sticky charm onto his torn trousers hoping it would to something to help him stick to the spell-repellent dragon hide while Hafiz took all his energy to keep from screaming (Harry couldn't help but notice his skin beginning to get a greener tint than normal) as Roldan held him in his claw reluctantly in the air. Harry greedily breathed in the fresh air the elevation brought, not all bothered by the height.

All went well for the first half-hour until Roldan nose dived (causing the ravager to scream his head off) without warning almost sending Harry off the front. About a hundred feet from the ground the dragon seemed to regain his senses, and shook off the unwelcome feeling that came over him and started gaining altitude again.

What was that? Harry yelled to Roldan which despite being a mental thought could barely be understood through the strong winds. He's-he's back, the creature gasped.

The sorcerer is back! At first Harry didn't understand what his friend was talking about, but suddenly he felt an unfamiliar presence in Roldan's mind. Something small, but dark growing in the corner that could easily be overlooked if you didn't know what you were looking for. Immediately upon seeing it Harry knew what he was talking about.

Focusing completely on helping him, Harry said, Roldan! You can fight him... you are stronger than him.

I..I can't he groaned, his eyes flickering from their normal light blue to the eerie blue color of the Imperious Curse then back every few seconds. Yes you can! Harry insisted. I'm right here, I'll help- their line of communication was severed when a jab of pain on his forehead forced him to focus back on his own senses. But by returning the small pain felt in Roldan's mind multiplied ten-fold when he was on his own.

Harry felt as if his forehead was being pried open by someone's bare hands; he vaguely heard Hafiz screaming his name from somewhere. Still clutching his head in pain, Harry tried to find the source of danger.

What he failed to see was Apep and a few other Shade members flying freely around them much like how Voldemort did surrounding the group. One ravager was quietly chanting and keeping eye contact with Harry making sure the boy remained impaired. Meanwhile the other three circled around the claw holding Hafiz trying to land a spell on him.

Apep flew above the others watching the attack unfold. He approved of what he was seeing, and landed onto Roldan's back in front Harry who was in too much pain to notice.

Father give me strength to finish thisss, Apep thought to himself before he too began to say an incantation. If correctly performed this spell would kill the boy; he wouldn't risk a killing curse on him.

Whispering in Parseltongue, a black ball with sparked electric sides formed at the tip of his wand and grew in size until it Apep deemed it sufficient. He looked one more time at the boy, who seemed to get enough control over himself to understand what was about to happen and simply stared into the ravagers own eyes. "Goodbye, Harry Potter" he sneered before releasing the curse.

But at that moment, the beast began to dive towards the ground again and gave a mighty roar in conquest. Apep was forced to watch as his perfectly formed spell was steered away from its original coordinates to instead hit the wizard in the eyes; in response Harry screamed, feeling like his eyes were being corroded away by an acid. All thoughts but the pain were driven from his thoughts until all he wished for was death to end his suffering. Unfortunately, harry wouldn't get it from the spell. While extremely painful, the spell in his eyes would not be lethal.

Cursing his bad luck, Apep decided to indeed fall back on a killing curse (after all he couldn't escape it three times?), but was struck from his concentration when he heard his brothers beginning to scream. Looking around, he saw they were being attacked by other groups of wizards on brooms. All of them were retreating back South to their headquarters, leaving Apep also no choice but to return with them unless he was to be killed. Leaving only Harry in pain as a sign of him ever being their, he was gone.

Harry still screamed in pain, tears streaming from his eyes and was only kept on Roldan's back by his poorly executed sticky charm. The dragoon too was in pain, still battling mentally with the dark forces, who only saw escape through crashing.

The last thing Harry heard before completely blacking out was the cry of a Phoenix.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Yay finally after weeks! And the longest yet! Don't expect them all to be this long, but you all deserve this much after the wait. Please review :)