A/N: Alright, before we start this chapter, I just wanted to say THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH! To all of the wonderful people who review my story! My writing has matured so much thanks to you guys! I also want to thank those who read, but are too shy to review. I know you're reading my story! It IS troublesome to need an account before you can review, so I can sympathise. Thank you too, because when I see so many people have read my story, I can go to school with a little smile on my face(which is rare, trust me!) Alright, enough of my blabbering! On to the story...
“How truly pathetic,” Lucius Malfoy said, walking towards Harry. Harry stood up, his heart still aching form seeing DUmbledore. “I will see to it personally that all of your disgusting emotions are wiped clean. Destroyed.” Harry nodded. Then, without warning he whipped out his wand.
“EXPELLIARMUS!” he yelled, and Malfoy flew backwards. Harry ran past Malfoy, and then realized he had never left a pensive on his own. He didn’t know how. He ran out of Dumbledore’s office, and slammed the door closed behind him just as Malfoy got back on his feet.
“Damn you! Come back here!” Malfoy yelled. Harry ran as fast as he could. What was he going to do? He turned a corner, and saw Filch and Mrs. Norris. Instinct told him to stop and explain himself, but he remembered that he couldn’t be seen, and kept running. He could hear Malfoy panting heavily behind him. He ducked as a spell form Malfoy zoomed over his head. It slammed into the wall in front of him and stone went everywhere. Harry turned the corner sharply.
“Stupify!” Harry yelled, pointing his wand over his shoulder. He looked back to see if he’d gotten Malfoy.. The spell missed Malfoy, and he raised his wand.
“Pyroticia!” Malfoy yelled, and the floor in front of Harry burst into flame, blocking his path. Harry looked around, his only option was through the flame. “Stupify!” Malfoy yelled, and Harry ducked. He had no choice, he decided, and he ran through the flames. He felt pain licking his legs, but he knew that it was much better than Malfoy most likely had in store for him. He made it through the flames and kept running. It wasn’t long before he realized his robes were on fire. He ripped off his robes, and left them behind.
“Damn!” Malfoy yelled, and then Harry heard him mutter a charm to extinguish the water.
“Petrificus Totalus!” Harry yelled, trying to get a good shot as Malfoy ran towards him.
“Protego!” Malfoy blocked, and then, “Expelliarmus!” Harry was hit hard in the back by the spell. His wand flew out of his hands, and he slammed into the wall. His head hit hard, and he thought he would lose consciousness. But no, that would be too merciful. “Accio wand,” Malfoy muttered, and Harry’s wand flew to Malfoy, who pocketed it. “Not looking too hot, now are we Potter?” Malfoy said.
“Go to hell,” Harry retorted, spitting blood out of his mouth.
“CRUCIO!” Malfoy yelled, and Harry was hit with such pain, he felt as if his skin was being dragged across a field of razor blades. His head was being pounded with hundreds of hammers as his ears rang and his hair pulled. His fingers curled into fists as he flopped around on the ground, which was suddenly made of fire, burning his entire being. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he thought they might pop out of his head. Please, let me die, he thought. It seemed to last for hours, but in actuality, only lasted a few minutes. Harry was gasping, his head bleeding from hitting the wall. He was shivering, and his teeth clanked together. He couldn’t move. Malfoy laughed in disgust.
“That’s what I thought you’d say,” he muttered. He walked over to Harry and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off his feet. The next moment, they were back in the corridor of the castle that used to be Hogwarts. Harry looked around to see at least twenty Death Eaters, and two were holding Ginny and Hermione, who looked as if they had gotten the Cruciotus Curse at least once. Ron was slumped unconscious and laying to one side of the room against a wall. As soon as Ginny saw him, she struggled to get away from the Death Eater who held her.
“Harry! What did he do to you?!” she asked frantically, pulling with all her might.
“Crucio,” one Death Eater muttered as though bored. Ginny dropped to the ground, writhing and screaming silent screams.
“GINNY!” Harry yelled, turning to punch Malfoy. His fist connected with Malfoy’s jaw and he was let go. Harry then rounded on the Death Eater, leaping on him. The spell broke, and Harry was rolling on the ground, trying to beat the Death Eater senseless.
“Harry!” Hermione yelled desperately. Malfoy wrenched Harry off of the other Death Eater, and threw him against a wall.
“You don’t like him doing it? You will then!” Malfoy yelled, and then, “IMPERIO!” Harry felt wonderful. He was floating blissfully, warm and comfortable. Everything was going to be alright.
‘ Torture her, Harry. Come on, you can do it,’ the voice said encouragingly. Harry smiled, and nodded, but then stop. He saw Ginny in front of him, lying on the floor. She looked terrified. Harry frowned then.
“Actually, if you don’t mind, I don’t think I want to. Ginny’s my girlfriend. I don’t think she would be very happy with me.”
‘Just do it, Harry. Everything will be so much better,’ it said, more firmly. He was dimly aware of a wand being pushed into his hand. His brain snapped back into action. He had been given a wand! All his pain returned as well, and he could see much clearer. He had to think, they needed to think he was cursed. He raised his wand slowly.
“Harry, don’t,” Ginny pleaded. Harry’s heart broke, knowing that she thought he would hurt her. He had to think. Then he saw Hermione, she was looking at him frantically trying to get his attention. He remembered that she knew he could throw off the curse. She pretended to swish her hair out of her face, while motioning to something behind her. He spotted a large table against the far wall, behind all of the Death Eaters. Perfect. He nodded slightly to her. He brought the wand down swiftly.
“ACCIO TABLE!” he roared. He then shoved the Death Eater holding Hermione to the side, and dropped to the ground beside Ginny. She looked at him amazed as the table smashed into the Death Eaters who weren’t fast enough, and flew over top of them. Harry checked to make sure Hermione and Ron were alright, and then grabbed Ginny.
“Brilliant,” she muttered hoarsely. Harry pointed the wand at the Death Eater holding Hermione, and saw it was Bellatrix Lestrange. She was using Hermione as a shield.
“Malfoy!” Ginny yelled, looking behind Harry, who spun around, but he wasn’t quick enough. The wand he was holding wasn’t his own, and he couldn’t get it to work properly. Malfoy hit him hard with a spell, and Harry dropped to the ground beside Ginny as if he had no bones. He was completely helpless, yet he could still blink and breath. He looked around, and saw Hermione struggling to get to them.
“I can’t believe you idiots!” Malfoy roared. “You should have known better! The boy can throw off the Imperius Curse!”
“Sorry,” one muttered. Malfoy ignored them.
“What about the old woman? What did you do with her?”
“She was already unconscious sir, so we just locked her in a classroom. I have Knott and Goyle guarding the door,” Bella said efficiently. Malfoy nodded.
“Was there anybody else present?” he asked.
“I had the entire school checked sir, not even the House-Elves are here. The school is completely empty.”
“Good,” Malfoy said. “Come on, we need to get a move on. That Prophesy won’t tell itself. Bring Potter.” Harry cursed himself. Of course, they want to know if they could kill him safely, without repeating what happened last time Voldemort had used the killing curse. They needed to be sure it would never happen again. Harry would never tell them. Never.
“What about the others?” Crabbe asked.
“Bring them as well, they might be of some use to us. Put them in one of the empty dungeons. Put as many guards as needed. Potter will not escape this time,” Malfoy said, and started to lead the way. Somebody grabbed him roughly, and began dragging his motionless body. As they walked, Harry could feel the spell wearing off, and by the time they reached their destination, Harry could walk on his own. He and his friends were shoved roughly into the tiny, windowless room. The only light came from a small torch on the side wall. The door to their prison shut tightly, and he heard locking charms being put on it.
“Damn,” he muttered, slamming his fist onto the cold stone floor. He saw Ginny lying on the ground a few feet away, and rushed to her. “Are you alright?” he asked, pulling her towards him. She nodded slightly. The spell hadn’t quite warn off for her. He pulled her into his lap, and hugged her close. He looked over to see Ron still unconscious. Hermione was crying. “What happened to him?” Harry asked frantically. Hermione looked up.
“I’m not sure. They said a spell I’d never heard of before, and dropped unconscious. He’s still alive though,” she said, propping him up against her, into a more comfortable position for him. She moved some of his bright red hair out of his eyes, and closed her eyes tightly. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she said. Harry looked around hopelessly.
“What happened to Fawkes?” Harry asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.
“He flew away right before the Death Eaters got there,” Ginny said hoarsely. Harry nodded. Then he froze, realizing something. The pensive.
“Holy shit,” Harry mutter, slapping his forehead.
“What?” Hermione asked, very startled.
“The Prophesy they want! It’s IN the pensive!” Harry whispered. Hermione’s eyes widened.
“Are you serious?” Ginny said, sitting up slightly. Harry nodded. Ginny started laughing a loud, hollow laugh.
“What on earth can be funny?!” Harry asked.
“Didn’t you see?” she asked. “Right after Malfoy pulled you out of the pensive, they destroyed it!” Harry shook his head.
“Morons,” he muttered. Hermione looked terrible, her face was dirty, and tear-stained. Her eyes were full of terror.
“How do you do this?” Hermione muttered. “You have most likely felt this way everyday since you learned about the Prophesy!” Harry looked at her, and realized that she was describing knowing that you’re going to die. The truth was, he had gotten so numb to that fact, it was hard to tell it apart from his other emotions, the ones he had left anyways.
“You get used to it,” he muttered, and Ginny looked sadly at him.
“No, Harry. Don’t lose hope. We have to find a way to get out of this!” she roared, moving away from him. Harry made no move to stop her; they would all be dead soon anyways.
“Ginny, what do you expect me to do? We are locked in a room with no way out. DUmbledore is dead. Hagrid is dead. Fawkes is most likey dead. Every chance we have of hope is gone!”
“NO!” Ginny yelled again. “The Order will come and save us! They have to!”
“And when they do, we’ll be free. Free to die! Even if we do get out of this hole, Voldemort is still out there. You may not have to deal with him, but my fate includes or ends with him! Him or me, it has to be one of us!”
“Then it will be him! He will die, Harry! You can do it, I have faith in you,” Ginny said, grabbing his hand. Harry started to laugh.
“You don’t understand, Ginny. Everything is not a fairy-tale. There is not always just good and evil. There is the second group, and you don’t know where they belong. You can’t have trust, or faith. You don’t know who you can trust! I lived with Aunt Petunia for sixteen years, and had no idea that she was a witch. For all I know, all of my friends could be Death Eaters. Maybe you’re just a spy! Have faith in what? How can I trust anything?!” he yelled at her.
“Harry...’ Hermione said, choking slightly.
“No, Hermione. Don’t tell me to calm down. Don’t tell me I’m over-acting. Don’t tell me that my super power is ‘love.’ I’m sick of it. I loved DUmbledore. I loved Hagrid, I love you, I love Ginny, I love Ron, but where the HELL has that gotten me?! I have more love in me than any goddamn human on earth, yet I’m the one who’s losing!” he said, his heart bursting with anger. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but closed it in despair. “I’m sorry,” Harry said earnestly, “but I can’t do this anymore.”
“So,” Ginny said hotly, “You’re just going to give them the Prophesy?”
“No, but if they try and kill me, I won’t stop them,” he muttered.
“Oh, that’s a great way to repay Dumbledore!” Ginny yelled. “When you came back from that pensive you were all ready to save Hogwarts. You were going to get us out of there, and now you sit here, wallowing in self-pity.” Harry stopped, looking away.
“Harry....” Harry looked up, and saw that Ron was awake.
“Ron!” Hermione said excitedly, grabbing his hand. Ron was staring intently at Harry however.
“Harry, listen. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Dumbledore. I know you don’t give a damn about your own life right now,” Ron said. Harry didn’t say anything, as Ron was right. He didn’t care if he died or not. “But I also know that without you, Voldemort will take over. Right now, you probably don’t really care if Voldemort takes over the world, but you’ve got to remember, the world is not made up of just you. The world is Ginny, Hermione, Sirius, me...Hogwarts.” This hit Harry quite hard. He looked at Ginny’s ashen face. Harry buried his head in his hand, and started to cry.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “It’s just...it’s hard being the only thing between Voldemort and the death of everybody you care about.” Ginny put her arms around Harry.
“Don’t be sorry. You were partly right. I hope you know that you CAN trust me, Harry. I’ll always be there for you,” she said.
“I know,” Harry said, and he hugged her.
“Isn’t this disgusting,” Malfoy’s sleek voice said. “I hate to interrupt, but me and Potter have to have a little chat. The topic being a certain Prophesy.” Ginny’s hand tightened over Harry’s and she began to shake.
“Leave him alone!” she yelled.
“Maybe I will, if Potter cooperates,” Malfoy said cooly as Harry stood up.
“No chance, Malfoy,” Harry said firmly. Malfoy grinned.
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
A/N:Yes, I know this chapter was a little on the sappy side, but I hope you liked it anyways. The next chapter is full of action, to make up for this more emotional one. Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!