Author Notes:
Hi all! Just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. Your comments and opinions are very important to us and keep us going with this story.
This chapter was beta read by Tawny Spytfire, and she has done a wonderful job with it!
Psy_Girl and Angel-Wing
Chapter 2 - Falling Down
A very faint dim of light was the only thing that allowed them to look at each other's faces. They didn't know where the light came from -there was no window in the cell they were in. Each one of them had their arms chained to a wall, and they were sitting in the cold, hard, stone floor.
Leaning against one of the musty walls was Ron, with an expression that was a perfect mix between panic and exasperation. Luna and Hermione were sitting together in the opposite side. Hermione was looking at the floor and seemed deep in thought, while Luna was just staring into the space, as if it was an every day thing to be tied to a wall in Merlin knows where. The group was completed by Neville, who had several bruises on his face and his arm was still bleeding, and Ginny, with her eyes wide open in a shocked expression. There was a set of empty cuffs beside Ron that indicated that someone else was expected.... It wasn't hard to imagine who.
The five of them were very uncomfortable with their arms up. Hermione felt a sharp pain in her back, but she hadn't complained out loud. Actually, she hadn't said much since she had woken up in that place. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Ron's concerned expression that turned to some sort of relief when he saw she was awake. Luna, Ginny and Neville were already there, and they exchanged a few words, telling each other what had happened and wondering where they were. None of them had wanted to ask why they were there...they were too afraid to even try to figure it out.
It was like some kind of surreal dream, and Hermione was waiting for the moment she would wake up screaming with her mum by her side telling her that it was only a nightmare. But denying reality wasn't very wise...she had to face the truth of what was going on and try to think of a way to get out. But panic made it hard to think, and she really wanted to scold herself for not being braver.... But how could anyone blame her? It's not like every 15 year-old girl has to face psychotic killers. She had been beside Harry so long, but it had been only in the Department of Mysteries that she had understood what it really meant to face danger. She had heard him talk about it, but until then, she hadn't been even close to imagining what it was really like to feel that your life could be over at any minute.
Every once in a while, Ron would let a frustrated groan leave his mouth, and he had been shifting and moving, trying to find a weak link in the chains. He was being quite persistent, maybe more than she had ever seen him, but she knew his patience couldn't last long.
Soon enough, he started screaming at the top of his lungs, with a sore voice that startled everyone.
"YOU COWARDS!! ATTACK US AT OUR HOMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!! YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET OUT...."
"Ron, please stop, you might upset them more," said a very tearful Ginny.
"Right, because we aren't in a really bad situation already, huh?" snapped Ron, angrily. "When I get my hands on those Death Eaters, they'll know what is good...."
"I don't think you can stand up to them.... They don't exactly play by the rules...after what they did to my grams…they are not fair people…." muttered Neville with a small voice, his busted lip trembling slightly.
"I know, Neville," Ron said. "It's just that being like this… AAAHHH!!! I can't stand it!! I need to do something!" Then he started screaming and cursing again.
"I think you should keep your strength," said Hermione tiredly, raising her voice for him to hear her in the middle of his futile screaming. "We don't know what is going to happen and you're definitely not helping by leaving us deaf and getting on our nerves."
Ron wrinkled his nose, but he held back his comments. Hermione sighed and let her eyes wander through the cell. Beside her, Luna had started to hum very softly. Hermione couldn't believe that even then she didn't seem to care what was going on.
"Luna, what do you say? Do you think Ron should shut up?" Ginny asked suddenly, probably tired of her humming.
Ron turned his head to look at Luna. He seemed interested in what she had to say, being the one that had remained in silence trough most of the night. She would probably come with one of her strange remarks that....
"We all deal with what's going on in different ways, and if a tantrum is the way for Ronald to express himself, I won't oppose to it," Luna said in her sing-song voice, shrugging.
"I am not having a tantrum…" said Ron, looking very affronted. "I just…well... Fine!!" he exclaimed. "Babies have tantrums, not me…" he muttered to himself, although everyone could hear him clearly.
A long silence filled the cell for a while. Hermione moved a little, trying in vain to find a better position, so her arms wouldn't hurt so much. Across from her, Neville had offered his shoulder to Ginny so she could rest her head, and even though he looked very uncomfortable, he did not say a word. Hermione couldn't help but being amazed at his selfless personality.
"Well, at least Harry is all right... I can see by that other set of cuffs that he was supposed to join us in this merry party, but he probably got away..." Ron said a while later, wanting to ease his mind a little. Silence was too overwhelming in that kind of situation.
"I am so worried about him," Hermione said anxiously, as if she had been waiting for someone to make a remark like that.
"Worried about him?! Hermione, in case you haven't noticed yet, WE are the ones who are chained up to a bloody wall in You-Know-Who's basement, dungeon or whatever!!! Not him!! He is probably surrounded by all of the Order right now!! He is not the one to be worried about! We are!!" Ron said in just one breath, his brown eyes looking at his friend in disbilief.
Hermione gave a small, bitter chuckle. "How can I not worry about him, Ron? This is the first time Harry has been all alone..."
"All alone?? Didn't you hear me?? He probably has the whole bloody Order around him!!" Ron said, and a hint of envy could be detected in his voice.
"Hermione, if he's not here, then that means he is safe, isn't he? I don't see your point about being worried," Ginny added, interested in the conversation. Neville was looking at her, too.
Hermione fought the urge to sigh in exasperation. Did she always have to explain everything? "Well…what I meant is…Harry is alone for the first time… I know, Ron, the Order, but that is not the same as having you to talk to. Think, when trouble happens he either comes to you or to me or to… well… you know… he had Sirius, too." She had tears in her eyes now and she hated the fact that she couldn't sweep them away because her hands were tied. "And you know how Harry is.... We all know how he is, and how much he has changed this last time. He is suffering and is too proud to talk to anyone about how he feels!" She hadn't meant to let her own frustration come out, but there was no point hiding it, because she knew that Ron felt that way, too. "And what scares me the most is he is so impulsive, and I am terrified that he might be thinking, or worse, doing, something stupid and having no one to stop him...."
"Like looking for us," Luna said in a strangely lucid tone.
Ron, Ginny and Neville took in what Hermione and Luna had just said and realization hit them all. It was true. The saving people thing was probably taking over Harry's reason and they knew he wouldn't stop to think twice about following his impulses, not even after what had happened to Sirius... In fact, thought Hermione, that would only make him more eager to save us. He wouldn't want to lose his friends to Voldemort too... Oh God, he was probably blaming himself for this.
* * *
Remus Lupin hesitated a moment in front of the boys' room in Gryffindor Tower. He knew Harry was there - Dobby had told him with teary eyes that he hadn't moved from the same spot in a really long time - but he wasn't sure if he should be disturbing him at this moment.
Harry had a tendency to shut himself down when something was troubling him. Remus had spent a lot of time observing him, ever since he had met him three years ago. He had always been a good observer and Harry had caught his interest, first because he was James' son and second, because of his amazingly strong spirit.
Finally he decided to open the door just a little, to have a peek inside. He didn't want to be nosy, but he was worried about him and he couldn't just stand aside and do nothing. He looked through the half open door and spotted Harry, sitting by the window, with Crookshanks in his lap, scratching his ears in an absentminded manner, while his gaze was lost in the sky that could be seen through the window's glass. He had dark circles under his eyes, and Remus guessed he hadn't sleep at all last night.
Remus had never seen Harry like that. He had seen him scared, worried, angry, happy and sad before, but never like that. He looked small, withdrawn, vulnerable.... Too much was going on in his life; first Sirius' death and now his friends' kidnapping. He was somehow surprised that Harry hadn't done something yet... He had thought that Harry would go crazy when Dumbledore explained that Voldemort had taken the Weasleys, Neville and the Lovegood girl as well as Hermione. Considering Harry's personality, he was almost ready to stop him at the Hogwarts' gates and had prepared a speech to make him realize it was better for him to stay in the school and leave everything in the hands of the Order.
Which came to prove that he didn't know Harry as well as he had thought.
After the conversation with Dumbledore, the boy had locked himself in that tower. Remus was curious to know what the two of them had talked about, especially if that had left Harry in this state, but he had never been one to meddle in other people's affairs.
Gathering up his courage, he pushed the door and entered the room. Harry turned his head and saw him. Remus managed to smile a little in a way that he hoped would be somehow reassuring. Harry didn't return the smile, and he seemed to sink even lower.
"How are you?" Remus asked, closing the door behind him.
It wasn't a courtesy question. He really meant it. He saw Harry hesitating, contemplating what to say. Finally, the boy let out a deep sigh, staring intently to his hands.
"I'm angry, confused, frustrated, worried and scared," he replied in an openess that surprised Remus. He had expected to hear a plain, "fine". The honesty in that little outburst reached him, and suddenly he felt strangely connected to Harry.
He felt the need to comfort him, so he nodded and sat down beside him. "I just talked to Hermione's parents."
Harry lifted his head to look at him.
"They are terrified, of course," Remus said, slowly. "But they understand the situation and put their trust in the Order.... They are sure Hermione is safe and will soon be with us."
"They are lucky to think like that," Harry said bitterly.
Remus fought the urge to put a hand on his shoulder. He wasn't sure how he would react. "Harry, you can't give up hope. If you do that, then there's nothing left. I'm sure they are all fine. Dumbledore told me that he has an idea of what Voldemort is planning and that does not involve killing your friends...."
Harry didn't say anything. He closed his eyes and stayed like that for a very long time. Remus didn't know what he was thinking, and he would have given anything to know what it was. It would at least give him an idea of what to do and say...he felt helpless. He wanted to support him. It was a strange feeling, but looking at the raven haired boy, Remus realized Harry was the only person he had left; his best friend's son. Someone he needed to protect and guide... a reason to keep going.
"Listen, I know that we are not as close as you were with Sirius," he said in a very soft voice. Harry stiffened a little at the sound of his godfather's name. Remus knew how he felt. He still couldn't think of him without feeling a chill. "But... I was your father's friend, too, and I care about you. So if you need anything..."
He let the words fade and tore his eyes away from Harry's. He spotted a toad in a crystal cage on a night table. He recognized it as Neville Longbottom's pet. Remus could have sworn that it looked sad and depressed. He then saw Harry's snowy owl and Ron's too, standing together on the edge of one of the beds. Remus had seen Pigwidgeon the summer before in Grimmauld Place and he knew that the fact that he was now quiet and still was a proof of the situation they had at hand. It seemed as if the pets of Harry's friends were trying to join Harry in his misery.
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said suddenly, and the sincerety in his voice was impossible to miss.
Remus smiled at him and stood up. "We are having breakfast in a couple of minutes. You should go down and eat something."
Harry nodded and then turned to look at the window again. Remus walked to the door and gave a last look at him before going out of the room.
* * *
Back in the cell, Hermione woke up when she heard a clanking noise.... She slowly opened her eyes. When had she fallen asleep? The events of last night and early morning came rushing to her mind. Her wrists were sore, well, her whole body was in pain at this point.... What time was? Was it day or night? It was hard to tell when she couldn't even see outside. She realized only then that someone had removed her watch. She turned to look at her friends and found that they were asleep too.
She heard the clanking noise again, and suddenly, two metal trays appeared in the floor with...
"Food!" she said a bit out loud.
This, being the magic word in Ron's vocabulary, was enough to wake him up in a second.
"Huh…Wha…Who said….Food!!" he exclaimed when he finally saw one of the trays by his side.
The chains of the cuffs became magically longer and they were able to lower their arms to grab the trays. Three more had appeared, one for each. Ron took his tray with a smile across his face. Everyone else started to wake up with Ron's outburst; Ginny blushed a little when she realized she had used Neville shoulder as a pillow.
Despite the fear and uncertainty, their eyes lit up with the sight of food.
"I'm not sure if we should eat this," Hermione said, and Ron stopped with the plate almost touching his lips.
"Why not?" he asked.
She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron! Death Eaters are giving us this.... Didn't you learn anything from Moody? It could be poisoned."
Ron looked as if he was about to cry. "But... it looks perfectly normal to me."
"Appearences can be deceiving...."
"Who is there?" Luna's voice asked suddenly, interrupting Hermione and making everyone turn to her.
"I don't see anybody," Ron said, raising an eyebrow.
"Who is it?" Luna repeated.
"Ahh, the pure blood traitors have woken up at last!" said a familiar voice.
Soon enough, a small creature materialized behind the bars, his eyes examining their faces carefully and his ugly lips curled up in a smirk.
"Kreacher," Ron said through gritted teeth. "You bastard! How you dare show your ugly face! After what you did to Sirius!! Filthy scumbag, let me out!" he started moving around trying to reach the little house elf through the bars.
"Kreacher, what are you doing here?" asked Hermione in a calm tone.
"Kreatcher has not to answer the filthy mudblood, he is with his Mistress now.... Yes, Mistress knows how to treat Kreacher.... She's worthy of her name...."
"Why you… let me out of here… you little piece of…."
"I would not finish that sentence if I were you, Weasel," a new voice said.
"Malfoy?" Ginny asked, sitting straighter.
Draco Malfoy appeared behind Kreacher, a smug smile plastered in his face. His hands were behind his back and he looked ecstatic. His cold grey eyes travelled from Ron to Ginny, to Neville and Luna and finally to Hermione.
"And what are you..." Ron started, but he didn't finish that sentence. "Right, why should we be surprised? Your father is a bloody Death Eater... Your mum, too, probably... And now you're following their steps, right?"
"The traitor shouldn't talk about the Young Master like that..." Kreacher said, looking at Ron with a hateful expression.
"Shut up, you blasted creature... You sold Sirius out! And now you're working for a slime ball, good-for-nothing ferret!!" now Ron was on his feet trying to reach Kreacher through the bars.
Kreacher hid behind Malfoy, away from Ron's range.
"That's enough, Weasley... For one, this creature is the one who brings you the food, so if you keep trying to kill him everytime he comes near… Well, there won't be any more food… And that would not be nice for you and your friends, don't you think?"
"You think we are stupid enough to eat this?" Ron asked. "It's probably poisoned..."
Malfoy shrugged and grinned evilly. "It's your problem if you don't want to eat. But if they wanted to kill you, they wouldn't poison you... That would be too boring, don't you think? I believe you are indeed stupid if you think they took the trouble to bring you here just to kill you."
Ron glanced at Hermione, who was staring at Malfoy with a thoughtful expression.
"By the way, I was wondering... We have the mudblood, of course, and two of the Weasels. I can understand why you are here, but what about Loony and Longbottom? What can they want with you?"
Hermione had an idea of what they were doing there already, but she needed to be sure. "What are you doing here anyway, Malfoy? I know that you are close to the Dark Side, but I didn't think you'd be a Death Eater... You are the one in charge of us?"
Malfoy's expression when she said 'Death Eater' didn't go unnoticed for her. If she didn't know better, she would say he flinched... He regained composure in less than a second though, and his eyes were the same as ever.
"Nah, if it was up to me you would be in the lower dungeons, my personal favorite place, where the torture chambers are... I would love to hear you squeal, to see if you are all so brave as you claim to be."
"Your favorite place?" Ron asked, frowning.
"We are in your house, aren't we?" asked Hermione almost at the same time.
Malfoy didn't reply to any of the questions, but by the look in his face, Hermione was sure they were in the Malfoy Manor. "Well, I just came to see if you needed something..." Malfoy said, smiling again. "Any request from Diagon Alley? As you probably know, I have to buy the new books. You wouldn't want me to be unprepared for the school year now, would you? I mean we will be back at school in no time… Oh… let me rephrase that… I will be back at school... But don't worry, I'll tell Potter you said 'hi'... If he hasn't jumped from a window yet."
Ron moved forward, but Malfoy had already disappeared, with Kreacher behind him, leaving the five friends alone again. A dreadful silence invaded the cell and even Ron was quiet.
Hermione's mind was working again, and she was glad for it. She forgot about how uncomfortable and scared she was and started focusing. There had to be a reason why they were there... Malfoy was right; Ron's and her presence there was easier to understand. But why Neville? And why Luna? They had only met her the previous year, and still, no one would say she was a close friend to Harry, except for the time she tagged along to go to the Department of Mysteries...
She knew it had something to do with that. That prophecy the Death Eaters were so eager to get. Neville had told them that it had broken when they were escaping... What was the point? No one had heard it... And certainly no one had cared after what had happened after, with Sirius and everything...
But did she really know everything? Harry had avoided her eyes the only time she had asked further about the Prophecy, and she had decided not to push him... She had thought he was like that because of Sirius' death. But what if there was something else he wasn't telling them, something else that was troubling him?
Maybe she was looking too much under the water. Maybe the Death Eaters were only trying to drag Harry there by capturing the people they assumed was important to them. What did they know about Harry, anyway? But her sixth sense was leading her thoughts to the Prophecy again. However, she decided not to voice what she was suspecting. Someone could be hearing them....
* * *
"I don't think he's coming down."
Remus' words broke a silence that had lasted for twenty minutes in the small table that had been settled in the Great Hall for them to have dinner. Only six places had been set: one was occupied by Remus Lupin. In front of him was Minerva McGonagall, her lips forming a thin line and her eyes holding a dark expression. Beside her, Severus Snape was leaned back in the chair and seemed distant and deep in his own thoughts. Another seat was for Hagrid, who had a very sad face and rubbed his eyes harshly every minute. Next to Remus was Dumbledore, his chin in his hands, staring at the empty spot in front of him.
"You're probably right. We should eat," the Headmaster said.
Only Snape grabbed a bite and ate it in silence. None of the rest were in the mood to have dinner. The air was heavy in the room and it seemed that no one would do anything to make it better.
"Any news from the Ministry, Dumbledore?" McGonagall asked a few minutes later.
The Headmaster adjusted his glasses. "I talked to Cornelius earlier in the morning. Luckily, there were no casualties. There are five Muggles in St. Mungo's. The agents from the Obliviator Headquarters had to modify a lot of memories. Muggle-born parents are receiving guidance from the Ministry now. They are terrified and I certainly can't blame them."
"What abou' Hermione's parents?" Hagrid asked with a shaky voice.
"They are with the Weasleys and Mr. Lovegood. They are all staying in the Ministry tonight. Mrs. Longbottom is still in a delicate state, but she's not in death risk anymore."
Professor McGonagall sighed, slightly relieved, although her frown didn't disappear.
"No new information about where the kidnapped children could be?" asked Remus.
Dumbledore's blue eyes had a sad and tired expression when he answered. "Aurors are working on that... So far, they don't have any useful clues. They could be anywhere..."
"What are we going to do, Albus?" Minerva McGonagall whispered with an anxious voice, not trying to restrain herself anymore. "If anything happens to those kids we..." she trailed off and her eyes travelled trough the table, falling in the empty seat. "And Harry... I don't think he's capable of handling this."
"Calm down, Minerva. I'm perfectly aware of the gravity of this situation, and we certainly must find a solution now, but I'm confident that-"
He was interrupted by the sound of loud steps echoing in the hallway. They exchanged confused looks, and the five heads turned to look at the Great Hall's entrance. The tall form of Kingsley Shackelbolt apperared then.
"Evening," he greeted with a gloomy voice.
"Have a seat, Kingsley," Dumbledore said. "Seems that the sixth person won't be joining us anyway," he added.
"I can't stay, Dumbledore. I just came to inform you about something that has come up."
His expression was not very encouraging and Minerva McGonagall stood up without even realizing it. Remus and Hagrid were also looking at him eagerly. However, Kingsley ignored them and walked to Dumbledore, kneeling down to whisper something in his ear.
The Headmaster's eyes widened in a way that didn't comfort anyone, and he looked at Kingsley in the eyes.
"Are you sure?" he whispered.
"I'm afraid so," Kingsley replied, in the same tone.
Dumbledore rubbed his temples and a long pause followed. "Severus," he said, finally.
The Potions Master lifted his head slowly and met his eyes. No words were spoken, but the message between them was perfectly clear.
"Yes, sir."