>>*<<
Chapter Nine
Hermione was sitting with her back against the wood paneling of the Dark Mark, staring ahead of her. She was staring at the keys that were hanging on a peg on a post that was directly opposite her cell. She was hoping that if she stared hard enough, the keys would magically float toward her, land in her hand, and she would be able to get off the blasted boat. She was not going to use proper nautical terms and say or merely think, 'ship.'
Thinking of proper nautical terms had her thinking of Harry, as he had been the one who had taught her them. Thinking of Harry made her heart ache and her breathing become shallow and come in painful, tiny gasps. She had just got to know him, to have him open up, and now she was going to lose him - from her own folly! Thinking she, the daughter of a king, could take on two of the most ruthless and bloodthirsty pirates the world had ever seen.
Hermione was lost in her thoughts, so deeply that she barely registered the sound of someone's footsteps. They were clunking down the steep, wooden stairs that led down to the brig where she was currently kept in. Quick and soft, Hermione wondered if it wasn't someone who would try to take libertines with her. They were acting like they were going to get caught and punished for being down in the brig with her. Hermione quirked her eyebrows and then rolled her eyes. It wasn't like she could do anything to stop them, anyway.
To her surprise and shock (she was expecting some yellow-teethed, slack-jawed mongrel with leery eyes), it was a small man, no taller than herself, with beady and watery eyes. He was quivering visibly and his hands trembled as he reached for the keys to her cell.
"Who are you?" Hermione demanded in her best royalty voice.
The man glanced up at her, squeaked decidedly like a rat, and dropped the keys. He grumbled slightly under his breath, but picked them up and tried to place them in the lock. Instead, they scraped the keyhole, hitting everywhere but the actual hole.
"Are you trying to play with me, or do you really want me to get out of here?" Hermione finally sighed, after watching the man bumble about.
The man offered Hermione a blatantly annoyed glare, but Hermione, with a huff of impatience, reached her hand through the bars, grabbed the keys, and placed the right one into the lock. She then twisted it and listened to the click that signaled her freedom.
"There!" She smiled, "Was that so hard?"
The man took three quick steps back in succession, twisting his hands together as he regarded the young royal. "Most of the crew is sleeping. You should be able to find somewhere to hide."
Hermione raised a quizzical eyebrow, and took a guess as she spoke. "And why exactly should I believe you? You're a part of the crew that kidnapped me! You're a part of the crew that slaughtered my love's parents and left him orphaned!"
The man winced at the accusations. "I… I never meant for it to happen."
Hermione paused. "Excuse me?"
"I never wanted James and Lily to be hurt - for Sirius to die! Oh, God, no. Never!" the man practically wailed.
Hermione scrutinized him, finally putting a name to the man who is had recognized only slightly - but enough to know that he did something wrong. "You're Peter Pettigrew. You're the one who knew where the Potters' were going to be that night." She fixed him with a hard stare as she hissed, "You sold them out."
Pettigrew clutched at his sides and slid to the floor, keening. "I didn't mean to! I didn't!"
"It doesn't matter if you did or didn't, they're dead," Hermione said bluntly, standing with her hands on her hips. "And I want to know why you're helping me."
Pettigrew took in a deep breath and then laid his head back to rest against the wall. "You love Harry. I took all that once made him happy. I will not take you, too."
"So you're helping me escape… slightly?" Hermione clarified as she looked around the brig's dungeon for some sort of weapon.
"Yes!" the short man nodded enthusiastically. "I always knew Harry would pick a smart one!"
Hermione looked to the heavens before finally asking, "So what now?"
Pettigrew looked stumped. "You mean you don't know?"
"Know what?"
Pettigrew fixed his beady eyes on her, lingering. What he said next made shivers run down Hermione's spine.
"Riddle has Harry."
>><<
Ron watched from behind the boulder he was crouching beside, as his best friend and worst enemy were leg shackled with irons and then tousled likes turkeys. Harry's head was lolling about, and Ron clearly understood that he was unconscious. Draco, he was surprised to see, was glaring furiously at his father and Riddle (No doubt wondering why he was also shackled, Ron thought).
"You're sick, you know that?" Draco snarled. Ron started in surprise, nearly falling on his behind. He glanced down to place his hand somewhere secure but his breath caught in his throat when he spied a giant tarantula slowly creeping toward his spot. Whimpering under his breath, Ron counted to ten, picturing Luna in his shirt and sword belt only (it seemed to help calm him down, but caused his blood to flow in another direction entirely).
Finally, the spider moved away, scurrying across dead leaves and twigs, but Ron had missed the majority of the conversation between Riddle, Draco and his father in his fear.
"… You knew what the plan was," snapped Riddle, "and you failed. You will suffer the consequences this time, young Dragon. I stepped in for you once before, but no longer. Now, as you decided to make your own, adult decisions, you will face your won adult penalties."
"Potter is just a figure to you!" Draco snapped back. "All he is, is something that represents his father - someone who beat you using your own methods!"
Methods? What?? Ron pondered, wincing as Malfoy senior's closed fist struck Draco smartly on the side of his head. Draco crumpled to a heap next to Harry.
Riddle gazed down on them for a few moments before saying, "Take them to the Dark Mark." A grin split his face in two. "We'll deal with them there, along with the princess."
And then Riddle and Malfoy disappeared into the thick foliage, Draco and Harry being dragged along behind them.
Ron stood on shaking legs, his eyes darting all over the place. Odd sounds and creaks from the jungle were louder than ever, and every pop and crack sent Ron tumbling and spinning around, his pistol waving around the air aimlessly.
"Oh, hell, this is just plain stupid, Weasley," he admonished himself quietly. He replaced his pistol and slapped himself a few times on the face.
"Okay, okay," he muttered. "Harry's captain, but he's taken. Draco seems to be a good bloke after all. Hermione's been kidnapped for real, and Riddle is going to use her for something."
Ron slapped himself once more, before his eyes lit up in the darkness. He nearly tripped over his own feet as he raced down a beaten trail to where Luna and Ginny were waiting.
"Help. Help, I need help," he said between ragged breaths. "And Wood and D'Orrlyon are just the ones for this mission."
>><<
Oliver Wood wasn't a pirate. He was just a simple Scottish Laird who happened to one day meet Harry Potter and the Richmondshire princess, Hermione Granger. He hadn't asked to have Hermione kidnapped from his own home - just as he hadn't asked for Blaise Zabini, one of the most (rumored) ruthless pirates to ever exist, stumble over his words and ramble on until Oliver realized that he was in some serious trouble.
The first thing Oliver needed, he realized, was help. And that help had come in the form of the high-ranking Duke, Albus Dumbledore. With him had been his wife, the Duchess, Minerva McGonagall-Dumbledore (Oliver had great respect for the former Scottish woman who could trace her family back to the days when the British and Scottish were at the highest peak of animosity to each other), Sir Remus Lupin and Sir Severus Snape.
Blaise, Oliver was slightly amused to see, had been very surprised at Severus Snape's appearance, as he kept mumbling, "traitor, spy… no, betrayed?" over and over.
"We thought that something like this might happen," confessed Remus sadly. "The King has told Severus and I that we are to do whatever it takes to get the Princess back, even if it means declaring war."
"I will not come to that, I believe," inputted Dumbledore. "I have a meeting with our King of England, and I can… ah, persuade him not to accept open warfare against Richmondshire."
"Well, that's one step in the right direction," murmured Severus sardonically. "But that doesn't tell us what will happen next."
Minerva shook her graying head. "Riddle thrives on predictability. He does everything in patterns - in routine. He won't not do routine, because he wants people to know where he is, what he's planning. He's never really been secretive. He knows what he wants and goes after it." She paused, settling on what might have been a memory and continued in a softer tone, "He'll want us to find him and try to stop him. Because he wants the attention."
Oliver took all this in and then said, in what he knew to be a very wry voice, "Are you trying to tell me that Captain Riddle is just a little lost kid inside who wants someone to appreciate him?"
Dumbledore nodded. "In essence, yes."
"Well, bugger me!" Blaise's off-comment dispersed the tension in the room.
"Yes, well said, Mr. Zabini," laughed Dumbledore. "I suppose this means we'll have to ready the ships for battle?"
Oliver nodded. "Apparently."
And that was why he found himself as a guest on the Dragon, watching Blaise captain the ship toward the Caribbean, hoping they could make it on time. Hermione had only been kidnapped two days ago to Oliver, meaning Harry was likely to not even know of her disappearance yet as he was currently sailing toward the Caribbean himself.
That meant that Blaise, Oliver, Dumbledore and his crew (which consisted of government spies and misfits and Riddle's traitors) might - might - have a chance of helping should the worst happen.
Oliver thought that wasn't very bloody likely.
>><<
The smell of salt and unwashed bodies made Harry choke and gag when he first regained consciousness. The creaks and groans of various moorings and ropes straining told him that he was on the Dark Mark, the prisoner to the man who murdered his family.
Opening his eyes, Harry took in his surroundings; four pirates who were carefully watching him were guarding him. One was even sharpening his cutlass with exaggerated, sharp movements that made Harry gulp. A groan from beside him made Harry glance to his left.
They had tied Draco Malfoy up as well. Curious, Harry shifted his body to a sitting position, leaning his back against a wooden crate that smelled of pineapples. He then watched as Draco Malfoy slowly gained his bearings and looked around.
"Bloody hell," he murmured under his breath.
"I quite agree," said Harry, with an amused tone. There was no point looking for an escape at the moment; he was quite content to sit and wait and see what would happen next. Riddle, if anything, was predictable, and Harry knew him. He knew that Riddle would enjoy their prolonged and torturous stay. He wouldn't talk to them, or crow victory. He would let them rot and see how long their sanity would stay intact.
Most of the crew was lounging around the deck, picking at dirt under their nails while others slept. Harry spied at least three on the deck keeping watch, and two in the crow's nest, which was highly unusual.
I suppose they figure that word has been sent out and that there will be people coming after us, thought Harry, confirming it with a mental nod; Ron wasn't with them, and neither was Luna or Ginny. Clearly they escaped and got word to the right people - Remus, Severus, Dumbledore and more. The ministry and King would be involved now, especially Hermione's. Harry paled. Hermione.
Turning back to Draco, he asked, "Where's Hermione? Is she all right? Is she safe?"
The blond frowned. "I don't know. I haven't seen her."
Harry sighed. He bowed his head and shifted slightly his position, but unfortunately, this alerted some Death Eaters nearby that he was awake.
They began to call out jeers and laughter; a group came to where Draco and Harry were and forcefully pulled them to their feet, shoving and poking at them until a ring of the pirates surrounded them. Harry and Draco stood back to back, glowering and holding their heads high.
Finally, the laughter died down. All that could be heard was the sharp smacks of the waves hitting the side of the Dark Mark, and the occasional caw from a seagull. Nervously, a few of the pirates moved aside, their heeled boots making sharp clacks on the floorboards, only to reveal Voldemort standing nonchalantly with his arms crossed.
"Well, well," he said with a smirk. "How the mighty have fallen."
Harry winced but remained emotionless.
"Come, now, Potter," goaded Voldemort, "don't you want to know where your precious princess is?"
"I'm sure you'd tell me even if I don't ask," sneered Harry through clenched teeth. He tossed his head back, similar to a horse, and stared Tom Riddle in the eye. "Go on then. Do you worst."
Voldemort chuckled. "Oh, no, I don't think that will be much fun." He glanced at one of the many pirates around him. "Lucius, please go get our royal guest."
Bowing, Draco's father turned on his heel and disappeared down the hatch, his stride determined and purposeful.
Voldemort decided to move toward the two young men. "You know, it doesn't have to end like this, Harry."
With each word he hissed, his steps grew closer. Harry never took his eyes of his enemy.
"You could join me. Become one of my pirates, my crew, my family. You could be great you know; it's all there in your head, and you by my side would help you along to greatness."
Harry sneered. "You murdered my parents. You took away my godfather; I would rather die than join you! Nothing - absolutely nothing - will change my mind!"
Before Voldemort had a chance to reply, Lucius appeared out of the hatch, his eyes flinching. "My Lord?"
"What is it, Lucius?" asked Voldemort in a bored tone.
Stuttering, but trying not to, Malfoy said slowly, "It seems that the young Princess has… has, um, managed to… managed to fly the coup."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed and he turned to face Lucius. "Say that again."
"The Princess is… um… she's not in her cell, milord."
"WHAT?"
Lucius bowed his head in shame, and Voldemort sneered. "Must I do everything myself? FIND HER!"
While the crew began to search the vessel actively, Voldemort took a few calming breaths and turned his unnatural red eyes on Draco, giving what he thought was a pleasant smile. "And you, my young Dragon? Have you been so turned from me for him?"
Draco didn't say anything, but Harry felt him tense. He knew Draco was more susceptible to Voldemort than he was; he had always been fighting the man while Draco grew up believing he was the best thing since special licenses had been introduced.
"Don't listen to him, Draco, he'll just use you and kill you," muttered Harry, bending his neck slightly to face Draco better. Draco said nothing, his eyes darting back and forth.
"I can give you power, fame and glory."
"He's lying, he can't give you that, you earn it-"
"-You'll always be a traitor to them, they'll never trust you-"
"-He'll just use you, you're nothing to him, just another pawn-"
"-Dragon, make your family proud, make your father proud, renounce Potter-"
"-You know they'll just hurt you, listen Draco, please-"
"-I can give you anything!"
"-He can't, there's nothing in the world that he has that can change your mind-like nothing can change mine…"
"Found her!" a voice called, and Hermione was shoved into view from behind some crates, the pirate grabbing her by her thick hair, while she clawed at his hand and screeched. "Let me go, let me go, you brute!"
Harry felt the bottom of his stomach disappear and knew that instant that his last uttered words were a lie. The only thing that would ever change his mind was Hermione safety: something he knew that would now be in jeopardy.
Tears were in Hermione's eyes at the rough handling of her hair and body, as she was shoved onto her knees before Voldemort. She refused to look at him, but a quick glance at Harry's now pale face gave her all the information that she needed. Both he and Draco looked pale, tired and worn out; there was no way either of them would be able to fight the whole crew, even with her help and the few fencing lessons she had.
"You were saying, Potter?" Voldemort asked coolly. "Nothing would change your mind?" he mused out loud, walking slowly around Hermione. She closed her eyes and counted her breathing, hoping to not become any more scared than she already was. The wrong move, the wrong word, and everything could go wrong.
"Leave her out of this, Riddle," said Harry forcefully. "Don't you hurt her!"
"Why, Potter? Why should I? You're nothing but a thorn in my side, always wanting what is rightfully mine! That treasure is MINE! Do you understand that? That is my gold!" the pirate leader began shrieking. "I taught your father everything! Everything! Do you know what it feels like to have everything that you taught an ungrateful brat be used against you?"
"No, I don't," replied Harry. "You took that from me."
Voldemort sneered and, grabbing a fistful of Hermione's hair, yanked her head back making her gasp. He unsheathed his sword and looked at Harry, who was now struggling against his bonds and the two pirates who were holding him.
"What are you going to do now, Potter?" asked Voldemort softly. "Can you save her now?" He glanced down at Hermione. "Stand up, girl."
Hermione did so slowly, never removing her eyes from Voldemort's face. "Now, turn, and walk toward the plank."
Heart in her throat, Hermione did so, all the time aware of Harry's eyes in her back.
"Leave her alone, Riddle, it's me you want, not her! She's nothing to this, just another victim of yours! Let her walk, let her be!" Harry was shouting.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," intoned Voldemort cruelly. "You clearly have feelings for the girl, so what a better way to break you than to make you watch her walk the plank?"
Harry sneered. "You do that, and I promise you, I will rip you to shreds."
"I'd like to see you try," laughed back Voldemort.
Hermione turned around, only to see the glittering point of a sword pointing at her middle.
"Walk." Voldemort commanded. Hermione didn't need any extra nudge. Slowly, she placed one foot behind her, edging her way to the end of the plank.
"Stop!" Harry's voice was filled with despair.
Hermione, Voldemort and the rest of the pirates turned to look at Harry questioningly.
His head was bowed, his black hair covering his face. Draco, next to him, rolled his eyes skyward and then, too, bowed his head.
When Harry raised his head, Hermione bit back a cry. His eyes were rimmed red from trying not to cry, and his lower lip was caught between his teeth, a trail of blood running down to his chin. "I will join you if you promise to leave Hermione alone and set her free."
Draco huffed in annoyance next to him.
Voldemort lowered the sword pointing at Hermione and tapped it thoughtfully against the wood flooring. Glancing at Hermione, he motioned two of his guards to pull her back onto the ship and bind her.
"I won't agree to your terms, Mr. Potter," said Voldemort coldly, "But I promise, on my word as a pirate and on pain of death, that there will be no harm to Ms. Granger until you are dead."
Harry nodded slowly.
"In that case," Voldemort laughed, "give this boy back his sword." His eyes glittered madly in the fading light as a fast wind caught the crew and rocked the ship, dark clouds spiraling in from the north.
Only when Harry caught his sword and his bonds were cut, did Voldemort speak again. "And now… we duel."
>><<
AN: [Feb.09.05] Um… *cowers* please don't hurt me! I am SOOO sorry that it has taken me so long to get this chapter out. University is a LOT harder than I thought it would be, especially when October and December came around and it was midterms and exams. Also, I met my boyfriend at that time, and the evil TV shows like America's Next Top Model and Lost began as well, both of which I promptly became addicted to.
This chapter is much shorter than the usual 10 pages I aim for - it's only 6… but I hope that it's enough to tide you over to chapter 10, the last chapter… and then the epilogue, which you all might want to know is already finished. Please excuse any style differences or noticeable changes, as the last time I wrote this chapter was probably in the summer. *cries* Since then, I personally have changed, my style has changed, and my music taste (damn my boyfriend and my close friend both!) has changed from rocker-ish to trance.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, for those who have waited and kept checking for new chapters. I hope I haven't disappointed any of you - and I hope the next, and last, chapter will be out before exams in April. Reading Week is coming up (if I survive my first clubbing experience at Destiny 49's "Together as 1" on Saturday-Sunday and Valentine's!) so I hope to have more time to write the last chapter.
Cheers - Kneazle