Author notes: (Warning: Sillyness ahead)
Angel-Wing: *steps in front of the mic and clears her throat* Harry Potter and the rest of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and all the editorials that publish the books... And also to Warner Brothers... Um, what else?
Psy_Girl: *tries to grab the mic* Nooooooo, not trueee!!! They are mine!!! Mine I tell you!!!! Muahahaha!!! Mineeeeeee!!! You can't take them away from me!!!
Angel-Wing: *stuns her* So, on with the chapter...
*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 3 - Trouble Within
The cloaked figure moved through the dark hallways, his steps echoing in the dreadful silence and his shadow dancing on the stone walls because of the faint and greenish light emitted by a few candles. He reached the black door and knocked.
A muffled voice ordered him to come in, and he obeyed, entering the big room, and kneeling down immediately in front of the tall man who was sitting in a high chair.
"The kids have been placed where you ordered, Master," the cloaked figure said, his eyes fixed in the floor.
"Good. Are you sure they are the ones who were with Potter?"
"Yes, milord, we got confirmation." He looked up for a brief moment to see a pleased smile in the Dark Lord's face. This encouraged him to say what he had been thinking about. "Master? What about Malfoy and the others? When will we get them out of Azkaban?"
Voldemort took a while before answering. "Let them stay there for now... A punishment for their incompetence."
"Yes, sir." The Death Eater stood up and bowed, but before he reached the door, he turned around again. "May I ask what are we going to do with the children?"
"Nothing... for now."
The Death Eater felt a chill running through his body as he saw his master smile, a smile that was filled with so much hatred and evil... He turned around and left the room, whishing to never see something like that again.
* * *
Harry was walking by the lake, kicking small stones in the way. Crookshanks trailed close behind, stopping when Harry stopped, and resuming the walk when he did. Harry was so used to the cat's presence by now that he felt that something was missing if he didn't see him by his side.
The cold air in his face had the effect of clearing Harry's head. He felt less numb, more awake and able to actually think and reflect about was going on. It was actually the first time he was understanding what this all meant, the fact that his friends had been taken away... Harry was aware that Voldemort would do anything to learn about the Prophecy. What would he do when he realized they didn't know anything about it?
Too many days had passed. At this rate, his friends could be... They could be... He didn't even want to think about it. He tried to remember professor Lupin's words and keep the hope, but it was hard. He knew the Order was acting, he had seen several members meeting with Dumbledore in his office, and it was driving him mad not being able to enter those meetings. He knew that Dumbledore was still trying to protect him from hearing any news. And no news means good news right? He didn't know if that made him feel more at ease or even more nervous. He had also noticed that Snape was gone. He wished he knew what was he up to.
As for now, he felt completely powerless. His hands were tied; there was nothing he could do. He didn't even know where they could be, and he was sure that Dumbledore didn't either. That little voice in his head - Hermione's voice - told him it was a good thing he didn't know, or he would have probably done something stupid by now. Harry wanted to disagree, but he had the feeling the voice was right. What would Hermione do in his situation? Many times he had tried to solve things on his own, but now he needed her advice and her wise words more than ever, just as he also needed Ron's encouragement...
He sat down under the shade of his favorite tree. Crookshanks quickly settled himself on his lap. How many times he had spent there with Ron and Hermione, he thought as he pulled absentmindedly at small fits of grass. Today was September 1st. The students would be arriving tonight. Actually, Harry thought, looking at his watch, by now they should be getting on the Hogwarts Express, probably very excited to start a new year. If this had been a normal situation, he would be among them, looking for a compartment where he could be at peace only to find himself sitting with Neville, Ginny and Luna who would be probably reading "The Quibbler" in her usual way; while Ron would be making fun at the first years and Hermione would be scolding him for doing that, reminding him of his Prefect status. He dreaded tonight's dinner when once again he would be the main topic of everyone's conversation. He would have to sit in the Great Hall, alone, surrounded by the cheerful mood of the students and the constant looks they would throw at him. Inside, he hoped with all his heart that his friends would be arriving in the carriages, to reveal it all had been just a nightmare. Right. Life is never that fair. If life was fair, he would be in the Hogwarts Express with his friends. If life was fair… Sirius would be… no, he must not go there, he must be strong, for them... They need him strong and he... he just needs them. With that final thought he stood up and walked to the castle with a new determination: he would find them and Voldemort would pay for everything.
The mood in the Castle wasn't what Harry supposed it would be for the start of the year. Every teacher - except Snape - was there already. Every time Harry met one of them in the hallways, they would greet him with a small nod, their eyes scanning his face. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Tonks had joined them for dinner the past two days. He had spotted Mr.Weasley once, going to Dumbledore's office, but he had avoided him and had quickly gone to his room. He didn't know what he could say to him, as the too-familiar feeling of guilt had surfaced. Harry knew the Order was avoiding Grimmauld Place. They didn't know how safe it was anymore, considering Kreacher had betrayed them and was probably having the time of his life crawling behind the Death Eaters. As protected as the Headquarters were, Dumbledore had decided to leave that place for a while and let Hogwarts be the point of meeting. After all, they didn't have any more troubles with the Ministry.
Harry had met with Dumbledore on several occasions. They had started Occlumency lessons again. Harry was relieved that this time Dumbledore was the one teaching him, although both of them were aware that by doing so they were exposing themselves to a dangerous situation. But Harry wasn't going to give up this time; he would at least make sure to learn how to shut his mind. He wouldn't be vulnerable to Voldemort again. If only he didn't have so many worries in his head, it would probably be a lot easier.
* * *
"AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
The eerie scream resonated through the walls of the Dungeons. It sounded as if someone was being tortured; subjugated to the worst terror and pain anyone could imagine.
"Let me out!!! I want out!!!! Help!! HELP!! I can't take it anymore!!!! I'll do anything!!"
The screams came from someone with red hair, cornered in a cell, his body twitching with terror, his eyes wide open and cold sweat covering his face. If the torture didn't stop, he was going to...
"Honestly Ron!" scolded Hermione, stepping on a little spider that had entered their cell, while she glared at her friend with exasperation.
Ginny and Neville were laughing hysterically, and even Luna was looking at the scene developing in front of her eyes with a glint of amusement. With that, Hermione couldn't help but giggle too. It felt nice to actually be able to crack a smile in that horrible place, and she was surprised they could still laugh. It felt like years since they had been thrown there. She wasn't sure how many days had passed, probably three or four. Time moved too slowly in her opinion.
Kreacher brought them food three times a day, and after a lot of discussion and warning from Hermione, Ron hadn't been able to stop himself and had started to eat. Considering he was still very much alive after eating everyone's meals, they had realized that the food wasn't poisoned after all. To make sure that they weren't using Veritaserum on the meals, Ginny and her had started asking him some awkward questions winning glares from him, but not a straight answer, which meant it was safe to eat.
They removed their chains for the most part of the day, except when Kreacher came down. In those minutes, they magically appeared around their arms and legs. Ron was particularly angry with this turn of events, as every time the house elf showed up he immediately tried to kick him. Even Hermione felt like hitting him, but she wasn't going to say it out loud or Ron would remind her about that for the rest of her life... I wonder how long that is, considering the situation we are in, she thought often.
Malfoy hadn't come down again, or anyone else for that matter. Just Kreacher. He allowed them to go one at a time to a nearby bathroom -which had probably been put there just for them- and only there could they freshen up a bit. Hermione had broken down the last time she had been there, and had cried for several minutes before Kreacher opened the door and told her it was time to go back. If the rest had noticed her puffy eyes, they hadn't said anything.
Ron looked at the dead spider in the floor with a shudder and relaxed a bit.
"Merlin, I thought I was going to die."
Ginny giggled and then her eyes widened. "Erm, Ron, don't look behind, but there's a spider coming toward your head."
"WHAAAAT!?" Ron yelled, jumping from the floor and crawling to the opposite side, panting as if he had just run a marathon. Ginny and Neville burst out laughing again. "That's. Not. Funny. Ginny!" Ron muttered angrily when he realized it had been a joke.
Hermione smiled and sighed. With the show they were pulling it was really weird that no one had come down to see what was going on. She wondered if they were being observed... She had been very careful with what she said in that cell for fear someone could be listening to her. She really wanted to discuss all her suspicions with Ron and the rest, but it was better not to give any information to the Death Eaters.
If at least someone told them why they were there... She was getting impatient. She almost wanted one of them to come down and start doing whatever it was they were planning to do with them to stop the waiting. Were they waiting to get Harry first? Was Harry safe? How was he feeling? What was he doing? Hermione would have given anything to at least know how he was.
The laughing slowly stopped and the group fell silent for a while. Hermione knew they were all anxious and scared, but after all the time they had spent there, they were more relaxed than the first day. They had desisted thinking of ways to escape. There was no way they could leave that cell, especially not without their wands... And even if they made it, they would probably meet a bunch of Death Eaters on the way. As Hermione had said, it was obvious they were important for the plans of Voldemort, or else they wouldn't be there... They wouldn't even care to give them food! They just had to hope the Order would find them before those plans were put in motion...
"I hope Grams is all right," Neville said after a while with a small sigh. He was probably just thinking out loud, because he wasn't looking at anyone in particular. But his words were enough to remind everyone the situation they were in.
"I'm sure she is fine, she is a strong woman, isn't she?" Ginny said, smiling warmly at him. "I wonder how everyone back at home is doing... Mum must be hysterical," she added, sighing as well.
Luna lowered her eyes. Hermione realized she was probably worried about her dad... Like Neville, she had only one person in the world and would be lost without them. She thought about her own parents, whom, because of their Muggle status, were probably really confused and scared... However, her thoughts ended up drifting to the very same person she thought about all the time. Harry.
* * *
Harry had indeed been the center of attention that night in the Great Hall. However, he had been wrong about one thing. There was no cheerful mood. In fact, he didn't remember one time where the mood in the castle was darker than the one of that night. And there had been some times... During the events of the Chamber of Secrets in his second year, after Cedric's death in his fourth year... But this time, it was different. This time, there was something in the air. And not even the muffled whispers or the sound of plates, forks and goblets could do anything about it. The Sorting Hat had sung a suitable song, repeating his advice of the previous year, but also predicting worse times would come. Harry hadn't even been able to feel happy when Dumbledore had announced Lupin's return as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I heard the Ministry protested... Fudge had a meeting with Dumbledore... He accused him of ignoring the opinion of the Minister... But of course, Dumbledore got his way. No one is going to contradict him at a time like this. That's what my Aunt told us, Harry had heard Susan Bones telling Hannah Abbot in a hushed voice before they parted for their respective common rooms. He knew that Dumbledore wanted to have only people he could trust fully in the school... And he also suspected that professor Lupin wanted to be close to Harry. He appreciated his concern, and he felt some sort of relief to have someone like him as his teacher.
Dumbledore had mentioned them. He had said their names and houses. Ronald Weasley, Gryffindor. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor. Virginia Weasley, Gryffindor. Neville Longbottom, Gryffindor. Luna Lovegood, Ravenclaw. Missing. Of course, everyone knew already, it had been on the cover of the Daily Prophet. Harry had lowered his head, but he had still felt every eye on him. Lavender had whispered something to Parvati, and Dean had patted his shoulder. His Gryffindor companions were very affected too. After all, four of them were in Voldemort's hands. Harry had gazed briefly at the Ravenclaw table to see if there was some reaction to the name of Luna. Her words were still fresh in his mind... They hid her things... They called her Loony... He caught a glimpse of Cho sitting beside Michael Corner. Both of them looked as gloomy as everyone else.
The Slytherin table was the only one which didn't look that depressed. Still, Harry had to admit that for common Slytherin standards, they were acting very decent. They were quiet and serious. He looked at Nott, Crabbe and Goyle, to see if there was a reaction from them; after all, their fathers were Death Eaters. None of them was doing anything unusual. Malfoy himself was eating in silence beside Pansy Parkinson, who was whispering with one of her friends and looking at the Gryffindor table every once in a while. Harry didn't understand why Dumbledore let those people come back to school. What if they were spying for their parents? What if they were there only to ruin everything? He had asked Dumbledore in the morning, after he told him that Draco Malfoy was certainly coming back to school this year. We can't judge people because of their bloodline Harry. You should know that better than anyone else, he had said. Harry had just stared him in disbelief. Was Dumbledore that naive to think Malfoy could be a nice person after all?
"Harry."
Harry jumped and turned around. Beside him was Seamus Finnigan. Harry hadn't even realized he had reached the Fat Lady.
"Hi Seamus," Harry said. Hadn't he already said hi back in the Great Hall?
"Have faith."
Harry looked at him in surprise. "What?"
"That's the new password," Seamus said, pointing at the Fat Lady that had opened to let them go in.
"Oh," Harry said. It was the strangest password he had ever heard in Hogwarts. "How do you know?"
Seamus looked a little uncomfortable. "I'm um... A Prefect."
"What?"
"Just until... Ron comes back" Seamus said, avoiding his eyes. "McGonagall asked Parvati and me to take this position just yesterday... Sixth year Gryffindor had no prefects..." he trailed off and looked at Harry to see his reaction.
Harry just nodded and suddenly felt the urge to go to his bed, close the curtains and shelter himself from that look of pity he was receiving from everyone. They should be feeling sorry for them, not for me... I'm tired of being the one everyone is always caring about...
* * *
Only very few Death Eaters had been summoned for this particular meeting. Voldemort had chosen them carefully and each one of them was very proud to be there. They were forming a circle around their Master, all with their heads lowered in a sign of respect and submission.
"Dumbledore has done a very good job with the boy, I'll have to admit that. But I can still feel him, feel that he is worried about his little friends. He is getting weaker... My plan is going better than I expected."
One of the Death Eaters bowed and spoke up. "Master, what shall we do about the prisioners?"
"Tomorrow night, I want you to gather all my Death Eaters. We are going to have a feast!"
"A feast, My Lord?"
"Yes! Tomorrow, in front of everyone, I will obtain the rest of the prophecy and we will celebrate the end of Harry Potter's friends."
Whispers of excitement filled the room.
"My Lord, shall I free those who are in Azkaban?"
Voldemort turned to the shortest of the Death Eaters with a smirk. "That's not a job for you, Wormtail. You might end up committing one of you usual mistakes." Wormtail's face was covered by his hood, so no one was able to see his expression. "Bellatrix," Voldemort said turning to the Death Eater at his right. "I'll leave this to you. You better not disappoint me again."
Bellatrix bowed. "I won't, Master."
"Take Goyle and two more of your choice with you. Get ready to do it tomorrow. Now, you may leave."
"But Master, the feast…" started Bellatrix, slightly disappointed. She would like to stay and watch the little Mudblood being tortured...
"Are you questioning my orders?"
"No Master," she said hastily. As she bowed her head again, she saw the face of Wormtail smirking at her. How much she would enjoy getting back at the little rat. She would make sure to regain her place as her Master's right hand. Oh, yes she would.
The group bowed again and left the room... One of them, however, broke from the group and kept on walking till he reached a room, in which he entered, closing the door. Inside there was a fireplace. He took a bit of floo powder from his pocket and stepped inside the fireplace, whispering an address. He was surrounded by a green flame and disappeared.
* * *
Harry was at Dumbledore office, practicing Occlumency with him. This was the third class they had - Dumbledore had insisted it was better to do it every day and not only twice a week. He had to learn to shut his mind as soon as possible. Harry noticed a very slight progress, but it wasn't as good as he would have wanted. He just couldn't shut his mind; he couldn't get a hold of his emotions. It had been hard practicing with Snape because of their mutual hatred, but he found that it was even harder to do it with Dumbledore... It was probably because he knew the Headmaster had so much faith in him that he was too afraid to let him down... That and something else. Harry had the feeling that somewhere in his subconscious he was wishing to catch a glimpse of Dumbledore's mind to see if he found out something about his friend's whereabouts that the old man wasn't telling him, and it scared him to think that way. He had the impression that Dumbledore knew that as well, but he had never mentioned anything. Not even about the things he managed to see in Harry's mind either.
"You need to focus, Harry. Are you ready for one more time?"
"Yes professor, I think so," Harry said, standing up from the floor and getting ready. He was tired, but he wasn't ready to give in yet.
"Ready? One...Two..."
Suddenly a knock on the door disturbed their concentration.
"Yes?" Dumbledore said.
"I need to talk to you immediately, professor."
It was Snape's voice. Harry froze in the spot. Snape had been gone for four days. Was he with Voldemort? Did he know where his friends were?
"Come in." Dumbledore turned to Harry and offered him a warm smile. "Harry, I am afraid we will need to continue later."
The door had opened and Severus Snape had walked in dressed in his usual dark cloak. He glared at Harry.
"Potter."
"Sna-" Harry started, until he felt the eyes of Dumbledore on him, "I mean, Professor Snape."
"Please excuse us Harry," the Headmaster repeated, with a suggestive look.
"Right. Well... Good night."
Harry closed the door behind him, but he didn't move. What should he do? He knew he should leave, as Dumbledore had told him. He should head to his room, and get some sleep. Yes, that was the right thing to do. Then why his legs didn't agree?
He knows. Snape knows. He was with Voldemort.
The voice in his head was too loud to make it shut up. Feeling very guilty, Harry looked inside his pockets. He was always carrying one of the extendable ears Fred and George had given him. Maybe it wouldn't even work. It was Dumbledore's office after all. It was probably full of charms and protective spells that...
"...the prisoners were telling the truth…"
He could hear Snape's voice clearly, although with a little interference that made him lose some words. Harry couldn't believe that the extendable ears would work at all. That had to be a sign. He would only listen if Snape had something to say about his friends, and then he'd leave...
* * *
"Psst Hermione, are you awake??" whispered Ron. Hermione mumbled incoherently and kept sleeping. "Guess not," he sighed. He hated the night more than anything else, because the cuffs appeared magically around their arms and legs.
"Can't sleep?"
The voice startled him and he turned around violently to see Luna Lovegood's big blue eyes staring at him with a dazed expression.
"I apologize, it wasn't my intention to startle you," she said.
Ron babbled a few words and then managed to say, "No, I can't sleep."
Luna stared at him, not even blinking. Ron shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and racked his brain for something to say to stop the awkward silence.
"These cuffs are killing me, I'm telling you, it's going to be a while before I ever lift my arms again," he groaned.
"What about when we go back and you would like to answer a question made by a professor?"
Ron looked at her with a disbelieving smile on his face, not only for asking that silly question - anyone who really knew him would know better - but for being sure that they will go back.
"I was just wondering what is going on... What do you think about this?" he said. He realized it was actually the first time he talked to her more than a few words. And now he had asked something that would probably have her talking for hours. What a git he was.
Luna remained silent for a while, her fingers twirling absently. Ron waited for her answer and couldn't help but be reminded of Hermione and how she always lost herself in thought when she was trying to figure something out... Then she would throw a few incoherent words at them and leave for the library.
"There might be more than what meets the eye," Luna said finally.
"Umm... yeah, right," Ron said, puzzled. Apparently, it was a woman's thing to give strange answers to simple and forward questions.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"Er..." Ron paused for a moment. Should he tell her what he thought? Ah, what the hell, it was pretty obvious anyway. "Well, I think that You-Know-Who is trying to lure Harry here."
"That's what meets the eye," Luna muttered and her gaze traveled through the cell.
Ron blinked and shrugged. What else could he expect from a conversation with Loony Lovegood?
"Is that all?" Luna asked then, turning to look at him.
"All what?"
"That's all you've thought about?"
"Well no, I've also thought that any time some bloody Death Eater will come to finish their job with us... I also think a lot that if I make it out of here, I'll definitely show Malfoy what's good. And that bastard house elf too- Why are you laughing?"
Luna shook her head. "You're really funny, Ronald."
"I am?" Ron said, replaying what he had just said in his head. He didn't think he had said anything funny.
"Haven't you thought about a way to get out of here?" Luna asked when she stopped laughing.
Ron shrugged. "I have, but anything good... I think that if Hermione hasn't figured out a way, then there's no way out."
She stared at him with those intense blue eyes of hers. Maybe it was because of the little light in the cell, but Ron could have sworn she looked more focused than he had ever seen her.
"So you leave all the planning to Hermione Granger?"
"I usually just mess up with my suggestions... What I mean is, I'm not the brainy one; that is Hermione, she is the one with all the answers... Harry is more of the hero type; well you know that already. Ginny, well she looks every day more like-"
"You are very fond of her, aren't you?"
"Of Ginny? Well yeah, she is my sister after all, and even though I have to say that she does get on my nerves from time to time, always minding my stuff instead of her own…"
"I meant Hermione," Luna interrupted in a soft voice.
Ron's ears turned a little red. "Well, yes, she is my best friend after all... I admire her and care for her."
She smiled and lowered her eyes. "She cares for you a lot too."
"Yes, she does..." Ron said. "But it's nowhere close to what she feels for Harry," he added a little later, in a whisper.
This startled Luna and she looked at him in the face.
"Harry Potter?"
"I don't know any other Harrys," he said with a sad smirk. He was staring at the wall in front of him, avoiding eye contact with Luna. "You should read the letters she writes to me during vacation... She's always asking about Harry... Last year, at the start of the summer, she sent me a letter two parchments long, and all she said was how concerned she was for him. If my memory doesn't fail me, there were two or three lines at the end that were for me… and actually it was more of an interrogation about how my family was or something like that. She cares more for Harry than she is willing to admit."
"Ronald…"
"I never thanked you, did I?" Ron said, this time looking at her.
She gave him a quizzical look
"In the Department of Mysteries, I never thanked you for protecting Ginny and well, I guess.. for rescuing me too."
Luna Lovegood showing a sign of surprised is priceless, Ron thought looking at her expression.
"I only did what I had to... I appreciate Ginny greatly because she is kind to me... I would even dare to call her a friend." She looked at a sleeping figure of Ginny. "My father always tells me to stand up for what I believe and for those I care about." A faint blush appeared in her cheeks. She looked at the ceiling with a dreamy expression.
"He cares for her too, you know? And the funny thing is that he doesn't know that, but he does," Ron said after a pause.
"Harry Potter cares greatly for his friends. That's why Hermione is worried... She knows it's his strength and his greatest flaw at the same time," Luna said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Luna, why did you go with us to the Ministry? Why risk yourself for someone you didn't even know?" Ron asked, trying to change a subject that was a little painful for him.
"...I don't like You-Know-Who."
Ron laughed softly at her remark. "A lot of people don't like him, yet they don't get on thestrals, fly miles to London, go inside the Ministry and fight a bunch of Death Eaters, do they?"
"I'm not like common people." Ron sniggered. "And I told you before I will stand up for those I care," she added more softly.
Ron didn't hear her well, he was yawning now, feeling his eyes heavier. Luna noticed this.
"We should get some sleep; we don't know what might happen tomorrow."
He nodded and sighed.
"Luna?"
"Yes, Ronald?"
"Thanks for... caring."
"...Good night Ronald."
"Night, Luna."
* * *
Harry ran through the hallways, his heart beating fast and his breath coming out in loud gasps. He was still shocked from what he had heard in Dumbledore's office. Calm down, you need to think, he told himself, and stop running. He leaned against a wall, trying to catch his breath. There was only one thing for sure. He needed to act, and fast. He was the only one who could do something about this... He needed answers, and he knew exactly where to find them.
* * *
Draco Malfoy walked slowly through the dark halls of Hogwarts. The night patrols were usually one of the things he enjoyed as a prefect, especially when he found someone to take House points from. This night, however, just like the previous night, he hadn't seen a soul out of their Common Rooms. Seemed that the students weren't in the mood to break curfew... They were probably scared that a Death Eater would attack them in the Halls, he thought, rolling his eyes at their stupidity.
Suddenly, he felt someone grabbing his robes and pulling him into an empty classroom. The action was so fast and surprising that he didn't have time to react. Before he knew it a fist made contact with his face, making him lose his balance and he fell to the floor.
"What the hell...?" Malfoy said, before taking a look at his aggressor. Potter was standing in front of him, looking more furious than he had ever seen him.
Harry didn't know how he had been able to wait for Malfoy in that classroom. His first impulse had been to hex Malfoy until he had no memory of himself. However, his reason had conquered his rage at the time. If he wanted answers, he would have to leave that for later. So he had hidden there, waiting for him. As soon as he showed up, he hadn't been able to control himself, though. Harry wasn't a fighter. In every fist fight he had gotten in, he was always the one being punched by Dudley and his friends. His hand hurt a little, but it had felt good to be able to release some of his frustration on someone he hated so much... Muggle fights felt better than Wizard fights, that was for sure.
Recovering from the surprise, Malfoy stood and picked up his wand, which had fallen to the floor. "I didn't know you had it in you, Potter," he said with a smirk. "Did you finally realize that you can't take me on in a fair fight, Potty?"
"Shut the hell up Malfoy!" Harry hissed, taking his own wand out and gripping it furiously. "I need information and you are going to give it to me."
"Really. And what kind of information do you want from me?" Malfoy said, passing by Harry and sitting on a desk.
"You know perfectly well what I want! So where are they?"
"Who? Oh do you mean your petty little friends?" he asked in a mocking voice, with a thoughtful expression.
Harry walked to him and pointed his wand to his face. "I don't have time for your bloody games."
Malfoy shoved Harry's wand away with his own. "How should I know? I am not a Seer." He waited to see Harry's reaction. He had gotten angrier, if that was possible.
"Look, Malfoy," Harry said, grabbing him by the collar with violence. He didn't know where this strength was coming from, he was just a skinny bloke, but right now he didn't care. "We both know who your father is and who he works for, so stop playing dumb and tell me where they are!!"
"I am not my father, Potter," Malfoy said trying to get away from his grip.
"You certainly look like him," Harry said, summoning all his control to stop himself from punching him again.
"You're getting in deep trouble! I'm a prefect! You're not only violating curfew, but you are also attacking me for no reason. I'd say that's around 60 points from Gryffindor and I'm sure that Professor Snape would love to give you a deten-"
Harry pushed Malfoy away, and he fell flat on his butt. Harry ran both hands across his face... He felt so desperate that his knees gave in and he had to sit down. "Malfoy..." he said after taking a deep breath. "Look, I am begging you... where are they? Please, tell me."
"What? The famous and glorious Potter begging? Now where is a camera when you need one?" Malfoy smirked, dusting off his robes and walking towards the door. His wand was still in his hand, and he kept an eye on Potter just in case he decided to attack him.
"He is going to kill them!" Harry exclaimed when Malfoy had almost reached the door. He stopped walking but didn't turn around.
"And why would I care about that?" he said. "The world would be a nicer place without the Weasel and the Mudblood."
Malfoy was ready to be punched by Harry again after this comment, but Harry didn't move from where he was.
"I should have known there was no point in trying to find some humanity in you," Harry said, his voice resounding in the empty classroom. "You say you aren't like your father, but the truth is you are just like him. You are just like all of them."
Malfoy turned to face him slowly. "You don't know anything about me, Potter."
Harry lifted his wand again. "Then prove me wrong."
Malfoy's eyes were as cold as ever, and after a moment where they both surveyed each other, he turned around again and opened the door. Harry couldn't decide if he should stun him right there or just let him leave, when Malfoy spoke again, with his back to Harry.
"Before I came here, I heard Kreacher and my mother saying that they were going to be taken to a cemetery... That is all I know Potter."
With that he walked out and closed the door.
* * *
Psy_Girl: Hiya! We're back! Sorry for the late update, but you know Angel-Wing was so into the writting of her new chapter for The Proposal, a fic that she loves so much... *hides from the death glares from Angel-Wing*
Angel-Wing: ...Anyway, we'd like to thank our Beta Reader, Tawny Spitfyre, for her wonderful job with this chapter.
Psy_Girl: Yeah!!! She is the best!!!! And we apologize for the cliffies... but we can't help it!! It's sooo much fun!!! Don't you think, Angel???
Angel-Wing: *whispers* Yes, I do, but don't tell them that, they'll think we're mean on purpose.
Psy_Girl: *grins* Stay tuned for the next chapter... Exciting things coming ahead... And we'll try to have it soon (er)!