Update Dec.21,2004 10:30am (+8:00GMT): I hope I can post the next chapter within the next three days. It is still incomplete (7,500+ words and counting) and will undergo several edits to improve the flow. The next one will be the last regular chapter and there will be a long epilogue after that in the form of an additional chapter in Portkey. Sorry for the delay. Thank you.
Author's note: Thanks very much for waiting for this new chapter. I know I'm long overdue for an update and this took longer to be posted than average, sorry about that. But I hope this chapter will be worth your wait and I hope you'll enjoy it.
Thanks very much to PottersPrincess, Musique, and LadyBlazey, for your valuable reviews!
I forgot to thank RetroRose for the his/her review of the previous chapter, and for pointing out the specific mix-up with the uploaded chapters. Without that, I would have never known what Andy B meant before about the problem. Thanks!!!
Whrrrrr… (that's the sound of the reel spinning).
Please Note: This chapter contains depictions of violence.
Chapter 20
Scissors Against Rocks
Harry watched Hal and the rest of his little band of warriors as they sat down to have the chance to relax before moving out. (They were still in their cave - Willard and some other scientists assigned with him have already left a few minutes ago ahead of them.) Harry could see on the faces of the scientists that they were visibly fretful about what was to come in just a short while. They didn't look tough to Harry in any way - that wasn't surprising for him at all. They were just scientists. They were trained and used to handle test tubes and chemistry sets most of their lives, not spears or crude sharp objects to fight some enemy.
But Harry had to hand it to them - even though they were mostly geeky, they were willing to shed that trait for a while to take up arms against Voldemort. They were determined to fight break free from his captivity. The common dictum of "liberty or death" rang throughout each of their minds.
What was more striking was that they seemed to have put their full trust on their leader, Hal. Harry had never heard them complain or whine about anything for the short time he had been with them. They had accepted Hal's authority without question. He had found that truly amazing for it was a small feat for Hal to apparently have success in leading a group of intelligent people like them collectively. Harry knew that stereotypically, people like these had the natural inclination to push for his own "better" idea and might try to overrule Hal with his, but they hadn't.
That was probably the easy part. Their resolve and discipline would be put to the ultimate test in a few minutes.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione whispered. She sat beside him on a spot on the floor away from Hal and his men.
Harry glanced at her with a smile and returned his gaze to the group of scientists talking themselves out of their anxiety. He replied in a hushed tone, "I don't know…just by watching them, I have a bad feeling about what we're going to do."
Hermione looked around and nodded. "I just about feel the same thing as you do. Do you think they're up to it?"
"To tell you the truth," Harry hissed, "I think they don't, but we can never be too sure. They're desperate - they know they won't last long here, so I think that's what drives them. I just hope they know how to use those bats and pointy spears they're holding - but they're a pretty disciplined and will follow Hal's orders from the looks of it. I hope they could still carry that out when the pressure's proving to be too much."
Hermione nodded, and she wore a worried look on her face. She took another good look at the scientists, but dropped it and hugged Harry's arm tightly. She didn't know if the people whose faces that rapidly embedded in her mind would be dead or alive after this was all over. And that reminded her of the possibility that they won't survive this encounter at all, too. She and Harry hadn't gone to know what their names were, but it was perhaps a good thing. Getting attached to them would hurt much more so if, Heaven forbid, they were killed in the fight. All together, it was not the best time to be pessimistic when her life and Harry's was on the line, but she was only human and they had to get ready for anything.
To take the time off to wait for their next move out and remove their thoughts about these things, Harry and Hermione talked about what would be happening with the Wizard world now that Voldemort had announced his return by revealing his Dark Fortress to everyone. The only bright thing they could think of was what to make of Cornelius Fudge who had adamantly denied and stifled any talk of Voldemort's existence and Xanthius.
"He's probably gone into hiding from an angry mob right now," Harry said, managing to laugh this time.
"Serves him right," Hermione grunted. "Now everybody knows who's telling the truth, huh?"
"Yeah," Harry replied. "After all the false talk and measures he imposed. I wonder if he'll pardon the people he ordered arrested some weeks ago."
"He has to. He doesn't have much choice - I'm sure he's been disgraced already. I just wish he resigns and let other people do his job…"
"Right," Harry said. He looked at Hermione for a moment. "You look like you don't have something with you to use…"
Hermione nodded. "If you mean I'm unarmed then that's true," she groaned. "I dropped my wand back there in the throne room and there aren't spare wands here at all. I looked everywhere!"
"D'you want me to ask them to give you your own spear - or do you prefer a small club?" Harry offered, jerking his head towards Hal.
Hermione looked frightened. "Uh, no, I don't want to kill anyone at all - even Death Eaters, mind. Disgusting - but I don't mind them using it for themselves. They're just Squibs. Spears and sticks against magic. I guess they wouldn't do much damage against the Death Eaters even if they were pretty accurate. If I were them, the Death Eaters, and a spear came zooming my way, I'll just yell `Repulso'." She shrugged. "But it's better than nothing, right? I don't know - but maybe these folks have a fighting chance if they do it right. I hope the Death Eaters would get stupid…"
Harry took out his wand and showed it to Hermione. "Want to use my wand? You're better with magic than me, I think…"
Hermione she looked grateful to Harry for offering his, but gently declined. "No, thanks. It's your wand, and you can do proper magic with it - I can't. Besides, you're getting much better with Defense. I'll just be your extra eyes at the back…I'll warn you of what's coming from behind you."
Harry nodded and smiled at her, but he sure did wish she hadn't lost her wand. Being her lookout was a big help, but if she had her wand with her, too, they could do better and wonderful things together.
They listened in to a few snippets of conversation between some scientists. One of them said, "No, no, no, don't use it like a knife - you do a thrust forward with both hands…if you could bend your legs forward while doing it, it'll be much better."
Another one snapped back, "No, I've seen this on the telly one time. This guy broke his stick in two and used both sticks to knock the bad guys cold…it looked pretty easy…"
"Forget it - you can't even raise your legs higher than you belly. Just remember what Hal taught us - you're watching too much Bruce Lee, Richard," said his companion.
Hermione looked suddenly troubled again. "H-Harry," she whispered after a few moments of silently observing the scientists.
"Yeah?"
"Remember what I said back then when we fought the Oarling?" she said, putting her head on his shoulder.
Harry nodded and pressed his cheek on Hermione's forehead, and she could feel her shudder.
"I said that you and Ron are the best things that ever happened in my life," she sighed. "I'm not marginalizing Ron in any way, but I'm glad I got to know you - you're so special to me, you've always been…"
Harry knew why Hermione wanted to say that. It showed she was beginning to have some doubts again of the outcome this adventure after hearing the scientists bicker about the proper way to use their spears. She wanted to make sure she'd say everything she wanted to say to him before, well, before she might die for real. Harry, however, wished she didn't have to entertain that kind of thinking. He wanted her to be strong. He wanted her to stand up to extreme adversity, which will surely come staring down on their faces later, with a stiff lower lip.
"I love you, Hermione," Harry whispered, kissing her forehead. "I really do…"
"I love you, too, Harry," she replied softly, hugging his arm more tightly.
"I'd really want us to spend more time together after this breakout, to get to know each other more deeply and I know you'd wish for the same thing. Do you believe we both deserve it?"
Hermione paused for a little while to think about it, and eventually nodded.
"Me, too," Harry sighed, "Me, too. But Voldemort seems to have no other wish for us but to die in one form or another - would you like to give him the satisfaction?"
Hermione breathed, and she blew hot air out of her nostrils heavily. Now that she thought about that again, she had learned how to hate Voldemort after what he had done to her. He didn't have the right to dictate what to make of with their lives. She had now appreciated how Harry looked at him since their first year - before that she trembled at the sound of his name. But not this time. The new hatred she now felt for Voldemort underscored her courage to stand up to him the next time they met.
"I think you're right, Harry," she said. "I don't why, but I was a little gung-ho minutes ago and I kind of drifted off for a moment…"
"You almost snuffed it a few times before this, and I think you're getting used to it, it might be nothing…" Harry said but paused abruptly.
Hermione stared at him. "How can you say that, Harry?"
"Sorry…" Harry gulped. "I didn't know what I was thinking."
Hermione, however, laughed.
"What's so funny?" Harry said, not knowing if he had to smile about this.
"Forget it…I know you're just trying very hard to make me feel better and strong," she said. "Very hard you don't know what you're saying." She laughed again. "But thanks…and thanks for being my hero, Harry. I trust you very much with my life…"
"You're very much welcome," he replied, inhaling deeply and beaming at her. It was only natural for him to keep her strong when she was weak. He didn't want to make her feel alone and defenseless. She was Hermione, and she was more than his best friend. She was now half of him. He can't afford to lose her, and when he'd show weakness to her she'd grow weak, too, they'll both suffer. Without her he knew he'll feel very worthless. They had to be strong together, to rely on each other's strength especially when facing apparently insurmountable odds like escaping Xanthius for a second time. Harry knew Voldemort may have learned his lesson the last time they slipped out of his fingers and would make it difficult the next time around to attempt the same thing. If not difficult, it could prove impossible.
After thinking about that, Harry admitted he couldn't blame Hermione for feeling beleaguered then and run out of hope. It was as if they were now spending the last moments of their life together. He didn't know what would happen after they moved out - anything can. So it was this that he tightened his embrace with her, squeezed her hand, and hope for the best for both of them, and for certain degree, the people around them. One last good long kiss from her was the thing he wanted to have with her, and Hermione gave it to him readily.
"Stay with me," Harry said, after they ended their kiss. "No matter what happens we must be together…I promise I will never leave you."
Hermione nodded, her brown eyes locked on Harry's green ones. "I'll stay with you - but know this…I won't die for you, Harry - I will live for you…"
Harry then felt a tear pour down his cheek. It was these words that gave him a reason to live on rather than die trying. "Same here, Hermione. Same here…"
"It's time to move, Harry," Hal said after he crouched beside him and Hermione. "I'm sure Willard and the others are almost where they needed to be. Are you both ready?"
Harry and Hermione didn't take their gaze away from each other when they both smiled and nodded.
"Let's go," Hal said gently and finally. "We'll have a little walk towards the rendezvous point, and we'll leave for the portal room." Harry and Hermione stood up from the floor.
"Okay," Harry said, walking abreast with Hal in the narrow tunnel, Hermione's hand in tow. "I'll support you in any way I can, Hal."
"Yeah, thanks," Hal said, smiling at him. "We're all counting on you. Your skills will make a huge difference for us."
For a fifteen year-old, Harry was really grateful that Hal and Willard recognized what good his contribution for this effort could bring. Other people would most likely discount the skills of kids around his age because they'd always think that he was `too young to do a man's job' and insist that he stay way back from the action. But they didn't and they trusted him. It was this more than anything else that made Harry strive to do the best and all he can to make this thing succeed.
The way towards the rendezvous point was hot and humid because of the narrow single tunnel that led to it. The air around them was getting hard to breath due to the lessening amount of oxygen. Hal instructed everybody except for the people he would bring to the portal room to stand by and wait for them. Harry saw a freshly dug part of the tunnel with a stone ceiling about seven feet high, ready to be broken apart. A makeshift ladder was pre-positioned just under it to allow them to emerge out on whatever part of the fortress on top of them was. But that had to wait until Hal came back from the portal room to give the "go" signal. It was pointless to move out now when they had no means to exit the fortress.
Except for Harry and Hermione, there were about seven people in Hal's little group to raid the portal room. Hal thought that having more than that would probably prove counter productive as it was pretty difficult to order around a larger group of people when something went awry. There was also a danger of being ambushed on the way and if he brought everybody along, they would all be wiped out.
The walk to their emergence point took several minutes. Everyone was sweating, but they didn't take off their robes because they knew how cooler it was when they got to ground floor level. Harry saw the end of the dug tunnel up ahead and they stopped when they reached it.
"This was as far as we could afford to dig," Hal explained to Harry. He took out his map of Xanthius. "We're about right here," he said, pointing to one part of the map, "and the portal room is about more than a hundred meters away from where we'll pop out. We'll be going through a lot of hallways and pathways so things might become confusing. Just stick with me and you won't get lost - I've memorized the way to and back."
Harry and Hermione nodded at him, and they gripped their hands together even more tightly. Harry took out his wand.
"Ready, everyone?" Hal asked the group and they all nodded with teeth gritted. "Right, then, let's move out quietly. Remember we must minimize any form encounter from anyone whenever possible - be it Death Eaters or other creatures. Speak out only when absolutely necessary."
Bruce took out his knife and pried the loose wooden planks on top of him off its mount. Harry and everybody welcomed and breathed the fresh air that wafted in towards the tunnel. Harry volunteered to be the first one out of the hole on the floor; he looked around, wand pointed at the ready. Harry saw that he was in a gloomy corridor adorned by paintings of sleeping dark wizards on wooden walls. He warned Hal about this, and he nodded.
Harry waited for a few seconds and there was no one in sight and he heard no sound of footsteps nearby. Quietly he climbed to the ground floor and crouched, still looking around for any threat. He beckoned everyone out of the hole - Hermione went next, then Hal, and the rest of the group.
"Okay," Hal whispered and pointed to the north. "That way - move quietly. Don't wake the paintings up…" He led the way to the end of the corridor where a single door was. He opened it, and peered out. There was no one around.
They navigated through a few more connecting hallways and rooms. Hal really knew where to go, and Harry and Hermione felt lost already. The amazing thing was there were no guards around. Harry didn't know if that was a good thing because it was mighty peculiar when the Death Eaters weren't on alert when there were escaped prisoners around who were potentially dangerous for them.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Harry hissed at Hal, but he merely nodded back at him. Hal was busy concentrating on the route towards the portal room in his mind. They passed through more halls and alleyways and soon they were upon a double wooden door in a large hall lit by many torches. Hal signaled everyone to crouch low, taking out his map.
"The next room will be a long hallway, bounded by rooms," Hal said quietly, pointing at the spot on the map. "At the end of it will be the portal room - it's this large room right here. I don't know how many people are guarding it, so we must be ready to fight if needed be."
Everybody understood, breathed, and nodded their head at Hal. Hal tucked the folded map, stood upright and opened the two doors slowly. He peeked into the open gap between the door and saw the other door at the end of the long hallway open. There were several other doors flanking the hallway, and he didn't have any idea what the other rooms there were right here. He saw some shadows moving about the portal room.
Hal looked back at the group and said, "The room's got Death Eaters inside them - I don't know how many. Let's stick to the walls…Harry, you stay with me…"
Hal moved in first and Harry followed next with Hermione. They quickly flitted to the wall to their left - with their eyes fixed on the open door at the end of the hallway, they moved forward. The last man in the group closed the double door behind him.
Halfway towards the end, they heard excited talk and shouting from inside the portal room. Hermione gripped Harry's arm tightly. The talk grew more urgent, and the shadows long dark shadows from inside went frantic.
Hal looked back to his group and said as quietly but urgently as he could, "Quick, inside this room!" Hal opened the door behind him - luckily it was open. He urged everyone in quickly with his eyes staring apprehensively back at the portal room doorway. When the last man of the group went in the room he had chosen, Hal closed the door in time before the first Death Eater had gone out of it. It was dark inside the room they got in but no one wanted to turn on the lights for obvious reasons. The only light they got was from the corridor projected from the bottom of the door.
Harry pointed his wand towards it in the dark, ready to curse the first Death Eater to barge in, but the sound of running footsteps and anxious talk went harmlessly past them. He counted at least more than ten sets of feet running out of the hallway, and soon it was silent again. They all decided to wait for a little while before getting out of the room again just in case there were still others who'd follow, and all the sound they heard were the crackling of the fire from outside and of their breathing.
"Looks like the diversion's on," Hal mused quietly. "Willard's on the move…"
Suddenly, they heard a toilet flushing, and hurriedly went out a lone Death Eater from an adjacent bathroom. The Death Eater had gone a few feet from the bathroom door when he realized he was not alone in the room anymore. He stared at every face that was illuminated by the bathroom light, and he failed to act instantly. Harry didn't know who was more surprised - the Death Eater or them as neither side made the first move. It was only then that a commotion ensued after everyone had snapped off from their shock.
The Death Eater tried to draw out his wand, but Harry got to him first by bellowing "Expelliarmus!" The Death Eater flew back violently from the force of the disarming spell, losing hold of his wand. He hit the floor hard on his back but he ignored the pain. He quickly found his wand just beside him and pointed it to the first person he saw. An errant curse flew when Hal snatched the wand from his hand, and it ricocheted a few times in the room though harmlessly.
Hal moved in quickly from behind the struggling Death Eater and locked his arms around the Death Eater's neck. In an instant, Hal twisted the Death Eater's head. With a sickening crack he broke his neck, killing him instantly. Hermione covered her eyes too late to prevent herself from witnessing a murder.
Hal breathed heavily and he took a long time to let go of the Death Eater's head. Harry and the other scientists stared at him, shocked to see what he had done. Sensing everyone's stare around him, Hal explained, "I had to do it…lest he'll kill one of us. I know that these Death Eaters won't spare your life at all…that's why they called that."
There was a moment of silence and everybody eventually murmured in acceptance of Hal's actions, all except for Hermione and to a lesser degree, Harry. Harry had seen Cedric Diggory get murdered by Voldemort the past year, but seeing someone get killed by another one's bare hands was quite more disturbing than seeing it done by magic (though it was a grisly act for him just the same). But Harry knew Hal had no choice but to do it - unlike Voldemort who killed for pleasure, Hal did it for survival and the safety of his companions. His act somehow helped his fellow scientists accept that the fact that they had to do such a violent thing and not to take long to think about it when their lives were on the line.
Trying to ignore what she had seen a while before, Hermione asked Hal for the Death Eater's wand. "C-can I have his wand, please, Hal?" she said, trembling a little. She couldn't help but look at the lifeless face of the Death Eater. He wasn't wearing his mask, but she didn't know who this particular wizard was.
"Yeah, sure, I think this'll be useful for you," Hal replied, handing the wand over to her.
"Thanks. One good thing this little encounter has brought us is another wand," she added. "I'm against any form of killing, but that Death Eater didn't deserve to live, Hal. I'm ready to go again…"
Hal smiled gratefully at her and said, "Thank you - yes, I guess one less Death Eater in this world would be good for all of us but I really don't take any pleasure killing anyone. C'mon, we've wasted some precious time with this bloke - we still have to get to that portal room."
"How many Death Eaters d'you think are left inside there?" Harry asked when they moved for the door.
"I don't know," Hal replied. "But we should act fast and put them out of action before we play with the orb…I suggest we charge quickly from here - any objections?"
Nobody voiced any opposition and Hal nodded, knowing what his proposal meant for everyone. "Okay, don't hesitate to kill if necessary - remember, it's either you or them, understand?"
"Wait, I have an idea," Harry said, and began removing the Death Eater's robe and mask. He then started to wear them. "I'll go in first with this, and you all barge in at once from behind me."
"Good thinking," Hal said, grinning at Harry. "That'll put them off guard for a few critical seconds…C'mon, let's move."
They all filed out of the room to the hallway quietly and faced the door at the end. Harry, disguised as a Death Eater, breathed and began walking towards it. Hermione followed closely behind him with Hal and the other scientists. Within feet from the door, Harry hastened his pace and he had gotten inside the portal room in a would-be casual manner.
The portal room was a large, windowless, and carpeted room. To the left of the doorway was the blue shimmering orb that controlled the only means of transportation from the outside world to Xanthius was held by a pedestal in the middle on top of a square platform, and about four Death Eaters were standing just a few feet from it. At first, they thought Harry was one of them who had gone in the portal room, but they skipped a breath when they saw Hermione and Hal with angry-looking spear-wielding and club-brandishing men right behind Harry charging toward them.
"Stupefy!" Harry bellowed.
"Repulso!" Hermione said a split second later.
Two Death Eaters had already fallen within the first two seconds of the encounter. The last remaining two had managed to raise their wands and curse one of Hal's men and he fell to the floor. The other curse slammed against the wooden wall, exploding it and sending wild splinters and thick dust flying around the room. Some scientists were injured with the blast; Hermione slipped and landed painfully on the floor. Harry, however, kept his balance and attention towards the remaining Death Eaters. Hal and the scientists kept charging, and the two Death Eaters felt they were about to be overwhelmed and tried to flee to a more secure spot in the room for cover.
"Lartigo!" Harry shouted. His electrical whip caught one of the escaping Death Eaters and electrocuted him unconscious. The last Death Eater tried to curse his pursuers behind him blindly, but a spear flew from one of the scientists, hitting him at the back, and the spear went through his chest. Harry grimaced at the sight of it - even the scientist who threw the spear gawked soundlessly in the middle of floor after realizing what he had done. The Death Eater croaked for the last time, his chest on the floor, and he died.
Harry removed his disguise and looked for Hermione. She was all right and he helped her up from floor but she had her full attention to the lifeless body of the Death Eater a few feet ahead of her.
"You okay, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine - I just avoided being hit by that curse and slipped," she replied, brushing off wood splinters and dust from her robes and hair. "But, you know, I've never seen this much killing upfront in my whole life…" she moaned.
"Me, too," Harry said, and he looked around when he heard a grunting sound.
"Martin's dead," announced Bruce who had checked on the fallen scientist. He stood up and cursed, scratching the back of his head while other members of Hal's group bowed their heads in sadness. Hal, Harry, and Hermione looked at Martin's dead body speechlessly. He was their first casualty ever.
Hal inhaled a large amount of air in his lungs and proceeded to the orb at once. "C'mon, let's not make Martin's death all for naught…he would've wanted us to succeed. We have more work to do - Bruce…"
Bruce strode up the raised platform to stand in front of the orb while the other scientists proceeded to straighten Martin's body to a more dignified posture. Hermione, meanwhile, went over to the unconscious Death Eaters and conjured ropes to tie them up securely. She kept avoiding seeing the two dead bodies while she did so, especially the Death Eater's on his own pool of blood.
Harry stood just beside Hal and Bruce at the platform to observe them. He could see the layout of the fortress from inside the orb, and Bruce placed both hands on it, concentrating hard.
"Open the portal up just twenty feet from where we'll get out from the underground," Hal instructed.
"Yeah," Bruce grunted. "I'm t-trying." Harry, however, thought that Bruce couldn't do it as no portal had appeared on the orb.
"Please hurry up!" Hal urged after a full minute had passed. Bruce was sweating and shaking heavily as he stared and increased his concentration at the brightening orb. "C'mon, c'mon…"
Hermione walked over towards the double door. She then looked back and wore an anxious look on her face. "I think someone's coming at the end of the hallway!"
Harry dropped observing Hal and Bruce and ran toward Hermione. She pointed out where she saw some movement and Harry spotted some shadows moving about at the end of the hallway, apparently Death Eaters going towards them. He looked back to Hal and said, "Hurry up! They're coming!"
"A-Almost there…" Bruce muttered. His eyeballs literally protruded out of his sockets and it was extremely bloodshot; his face looked like a madman with his teeth gritted hard. "Almost there…."
Several Death Eaters had alighted at the end of the hallway and ran towards the portal room. Harry and Hermione knew what to do and shot a few curses to stop them - a couple of them fell down to the floor but the Death Eaters had sent their own volley of curses. Hermione saw the Harry was recklessly exposed almost at the middle of the doorway and she grabbed the back of his robes to take him in for cover behind the wall. If she hadn't done so he would've been hit.
"Thanks!" he said to her, and he peered out again from behind the doorway to send out his own spells.
A heavy volume of curses from the Death Eaters went through the doorway and slammed inside the portal room, breaking down walls and torches. Luckily, no one was hit or injured. Hermione put out the fire on the floor with gushes of water with her wand. Harry glanced at Bruce, and he was glad he hadn't broken up his concentration despite the shock and noise. When he looked back in the hallway, the Death Eaters had covered almost half of its length. He didn't know if he could hold this out much longer and resumed shooting curses.
Bruce suddenly collapsed from the platform and on to the floor!
"Bruce!" Harry shouted.
"No, no. I'm okay, it's done!" he panted, and several scientists ran over to him to help him.
Hal hurriedly read the orb to determine where Bruce had placed the portal. His shoulders dropped, suggesting that something was wrong but he didn't seem to dwell on that and ran towards Harry and Hermione to see what the situation was. Harry and Hermione had apparently succeeded in delaying the Death Eaters' advance - they were stuck halfway through the hallway now down flat on their chests and using their fallen friends' unconscious bodies for cover. There were still more Death Eaters out there than what was left of Hal's group, including Harry and Hermione.
"The portal's not where I've wanted it, but it's better than nothing," Hal said, peeking out of the doorway. "We must go now - there might be more Death Eaters coming after this lot and that would be bad…"
"But we're trapped inside of this room with no way out but that way," Harry said, firing off a few curses. "We can't risk it…if we all charge out of here we'll be all wiped out!"
Hal pursed his lips. The rest of the scientists back at the tunnels were waiting for him. They had to get out of here fast.
"Wait, I've got an idea," Hermione said. "But I can only this spell once - it demands too much strength from a witch like me even with my proper wand and…"
"Just do it!" Harry urged Hermione.
"Okay, watch this," she grinned. Hermione closed her eyes and concentrated hard. She made a very elaborate wave of her wand, pointed it out of the hallway, and bellowed, "Liggid Battor!"
"Whoa!" Harry exclaimed. A very large round boulder, which covered the hallway from floor to ceiling, suddenly appeared in front of them. Hermione swung her wand again, pointed it to the boulder, and said, "Flipendo!"
A thick beam of red light zoomed out of her wand and hit the boulder. It began to roll away from them and on to the path of the Death Eaters! Harry could hear panicked screaming from the other side of the boulder when it went rumbling down toward them. The Death Eaters were now probably trying to outrun it.
Harry saw the opportunity to run through the hallway safely if they followed the rolling boulder closely behind it. "Hal - let's make a break for it out of here!" he yelled back. Hal nodded and beckoned all of his men out of the portal room - they all ran quickly out of there. Harry looked around for Hermione and he saw her dropping down to one knee on the floor, her hand on her head.
"Hermione, you okay?" he said, running back to her and helping her up.
"Yeah, j-just suddenly felt weak after that big spell…" she groaned. "That cost more than half of my mana for today…one more of that and I'll be out cold."
"That was excellent," he said, and Hermione stood up.
"Exceptional spell, Hermione," Hal said to her. "Those Death Eaters were like helpless pins being run over by a large bowling ball!"
Hermione beamed at him, and she saw all the Death Eaters they had fought earlier now lying flat on the floor unconscious after being rolled over by the large boulder, which had already vanished. The path was clear, and she grinned once more with extreme satisfaction.
"Wait…" Harry said before they moved. He looked back at the portal room and pointed his wand toward the double doors to close them. When both doors slammed shut, Harry conjured a few planks and nailed them magically across the doorway to seal it.
"Good idea, Harry," Hermione said.
The other scientists had reached the other end and signaled the coast was clear and they beckoned Harry and Hal to hurry up. As soon as they reached the rest of the group, skipping over the unconscious Death Eaters, everybody hurried up to retrace their steps back to the tunnel where they came from. They had already entered the maze of hallways when they heard more running footsteps from within the last room they had been.
"I hear more of them coming behind us," Harry said anxiously. "They might be going for the portal room…"
"If we go deeper back through where we came, they will lose us," Hal said confidently, though he took up the pace.
Hal was right - it was easy to get lost in the labyrinth of pathways and soon Harry didn't hear anything from behind them at all. They had slipped away into relative safety, and for the first time since it all started Harry had breathed a sigh of relief. But it wasn't over yet.
That was just the start and they still had to fight their way out to reach the portal wherever it was, if indeed Bruce hadn't managed to place it near where they wanted. Harry then thought it was entirely possible that the Death Eaters had discovered the open portal and were already guarding it. That would make their last encounter out of the portal room seem like a walk in the park.
At last they had reached the hole to the tunnels from where they came and hoping the Death Eaters had not found it yet, they all entered it. They had all survived this dangerous task minus one of them.
The trip back to the rendezvous point in the tunnels took some more time but the good thing was that they hadn't encountered any Death Eaters who would've investigated the tunnels along the way. When Hal and company had reached it, several anxious looking scientists cheered upon seeing them. Harry and Hermione settled down to sit on the ground to take a short breather.
"We thought you didn't make it," an anxious looking scientist told Hal. "We were getting very worried…"
"We met some resistance on the way back," Hal told them. "Kelly Martin's dead."
Everyone went silent and it was deafening. Harry thought that their fallen colleague was pretty popular around with the guys. He didn't know how that would affect their morale.
"He fought bravely," Hal added. "We had to leave him to get back to you - I was pretty worried I can't reach you. It looked like it we couldn't, but thanks to Harry and Hermione here with their magic, we've succeeded in opening the portal and we've escaped."
Despite their feeling of loss for their friend Martin, all the scientists clapped their hands in applause and appreciation for Harry and Hermione. Harry, however, craned his neck to look for any sign of Willard - he wasn't around.
"The diversionary team had not checked in yet," reported a scientist. "I don't think they made it…"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other with deepening concern.
Hal looked extremely disappointed. He looked at his watch and said, "We can't wait for them any longer. We must move out and fight our way out now or the portal closes in less than twenty minutes, I reckon. The Death Eaters, I assume, have already found it and they'd be guarding it heavily. They probably know why the portal's open, and they might be ready for us. That's the worse case, and we can't afford to be complacent. We have to be ready to fight."
Hal then looked at Harry slowly who looked very upset. "Harry, you know we must - and we need your help with this. I'm sorry about Willard, but without you…and Hermione's magic…we're all going to perish before we go within a few feet of the portal. Can we count on you once more?"
Harry tightened his lips. He strongly wished Willard could join them; Harry didn't want to leave him yet but Hal really needed all the magic he could get to escort all of the scientists out to freedom. Careful not to let Hal notice his reluctance, he nodded his head.
"Thank you, Harry," he said, smiling and putting a hand on his shoulder. "You and Hermione had done very well back there beyond my highest expectations. I hope you both still have the strength for the next stage."
"Yeah, we're ready to help you as much as we can," Hermione assured, standing up from the ground at last for another round. She looked at Harry next and said, "Are we, Harry?"
"That's right," he replied.
Hal nodded gratefully and turned back to his men. "I'm telling the truth that my foremost concern now is to take all of you out through the portal - even if I die in the process. But I'm afraid that some of us might not make it. The portal wasn't where I planned it to be - it's been moved back a hundred meters or so from out of our exit hole but it will still be visible from where we'll end up ahead."
Almost all of the scientists groaned in disappointment and growing unease.
"We only have to run a little farther to reach it, and fight towards it if necessary," Hal went on. "I'm very, very sorry about this. We should've done better. But we mustn't blame Bruce for not putting it near our starting point because the pressure was just too high for him to produce the portal back at the portal room. For a man who's almost a Squib, it's a very remarkable feat for him to operate the orb."
"Yeah!" shouted a scientist at the back, and everybody roared in agreement.
Hal breathed and looked around all the men in front of him. "I just want to take this precious opportunity to tell you that it's been great working with you all. Thank you for agreeing to go against You-Know-Who and trusting me to be your leader. It's been a privilege to serve you. Good luck, everyone, and God speed. Meet you all at the other side…"
Everyone gave Hal a thunderous cheer, and they beat the end of their spears and clubs on the ground to reiterate their desire to break free from Voldemort's slavery and to signify their tremendous appreciation for Hal's efforts to facilitate their escape. Tears of pride then fell from Hal's eyes, which Harry had spotted.
Harry and Hermione felt goose bumps - it was a very touching and morale-boosting scene for both of them. They both kissed and hugged each other for good luck.
Harry then offered Hal a handshake and he took it happily. "It's been a pleasure fighting alongside you, Hal," Harry said.
"The feelings mutual," he replied. "You're sounding that this is the end for us - I beg you please - don't," he said, grinning.
Harry nodded and laughed. "Of course!"
Hal looked back and his men and whirled a finger up in the air. "Let's roll!"
All the scientists cheered again, and they now held their crude weapons with both hands. Bruce climbed up the ladder and looked down at Hal for his signal. Hal nodded, and Bruce pounded the wooden plank on top of him loose.
Harry volunteered to be the first one to get out after Bruce, and when he got to the ground floor up above, he looked around for any sign of Death Eaters. There weren't any. He beckoned Hal to come climb up the ladder quickly.
"Go, go!" Hal said to his men, and one by one the scientists went up the ladder and out of the hole.
Harry noticed that they were now in a wide, long hall with a very high ceiling. The hall was lit by torch lights mounted on the stone masonry walls and some chandeliers. He surmised this was situated at the center of Xanthius, though there were no doors leading to any other room except for two large access ways at each end of the hallway. The access way behind him was closed by a single wooden barrier of the same size, but the far end was open. A little beyond that lay the portal, a green glowing cavity of physical space, shimmering at a single room at end of the far access way. It was waiting for them to cross it.
Again Harry found it strange this part of the fortress was devoid of Death Eaters, but he hoped at the same time that were truly alone and that everyone can escape without any encounter. It took a few minutes for everyone to get out of the tunnel hole. Hermione was one of the last to set foot on the ground floor with Hal bringing up the rear. Harry walked over to Hermione and they both held hands.
"So far so good," Hal said quietly, looking around. "No sign of Death Eaters around - that's good. There's the portal. Let's go…"
Hal started to walk towards the portal, which was still about a hundred or so meters away from their position. Harry, Hermione, and the rest of the scientists followed his lead while on a careful lookout for any ambushes. They had walked almost a quarter of the length of the large hallway. Harry looked around and still saw no sign of any life aside from theirs.
"So far so good," Hal said.
Harry didn't believe the Death Eaters would just let them walk out of here.
"Just a few meters more…"
Harry's hunch was right.
Suddenly, about fifteen masked Death Eaters appeared and blocked their path between them and the portal. Hal and his group stopped on their tracks and stared at the Death Eaters. They had to fight their way through after all. The bad thing was, they still had to cover three fourths of the hallway's length to get to the finish line and they were all dangerously exposed.
All the Death Eaters raised their wands in unison and pointed them towards Hal's poorly armed men. Harry and Hermione breathed heavily, and they both got ready to move at Hal's signal.
A few silent and tense seconds passed, and Hal bellowed, "CHARGE!!!"
Every one in Hal's little army roared a battle cry and sprinted towards the Death Eaters with their spears pointed out. Harry and Hermione charged along with them with their wands pointed.
The first volley of curses from the Death Eaters came zapping towards them, and quite a number of scientists fell. For the few who weren't hit, including Hal, Bruce, Harry, and Hermione, they kept charging. They didn't look back for their fallen friends, and they picked up more speed. There was still time for the Death Eaters to shoot more curses; Harry and Hermione anticipated their next volley and conjured a double shield halfway between them and the Death Eaters to try to protect everybody.
Most of the curses from the Death Eaters bounced off the temporary shield - they ricocheted within the enclosed space on their side and some of their curses hit a couple or so of the Death Eaters squarely, putting them out of action instantly. But then they shot a few different spells against Harry and Hermione's shield and it shattered.
As soon as the shield broke Harry sent out a few disarmament spells to the Death Eaters and he managed to snatch away a couple of wands from their owners. Hermione, meanwhile, snapped a stunning spell at one, catching him and rendering him unconscious. The few remaining Death Eaters now didn't seem to know what to do and fired at will to the fast approaching wave of scientists, knocking out some. Harry was thankful they hadn't chosen him and Hermione who were more of a threat to them.
They had almost finally closed the gap and spears were now sent flying. Quite a few met their marks, three more had fallen, and the ranks of the Death Eaters were beginning to fight back in panic - their spells were now getting pretty inaccurate. A Death Eater picked Harry as a target, but fortunately Harry dodged the spell within inches just in time and it flew off behind him harmlessly.
"Flipendo Tria!" Harry shouted, and the Death Eater who had thrown a curse at him earlier flew back by the force of the triple spell and he disappeared through the portal.
A few deadly curses flew and few more scientists fell to the ground, but that was the last of the Death Eaters ranged attacks. At last, Hal's little army had broken through and a melee ensued!
Almost all of the Death Eaters tried to fight off thrusts of spear attacks desperately with limited magic. With too much to handle they fell back, and most of them had already been stabbed, dropping their wands from the intense pain of spears through their bodies, rendering them unable to fend off more attacks. The scientists vented their anger on them and showed them no mercy. A few explosions were heard, but that was a merely desperate move from the beleaguered Death Eaters to fend off the relentless attack of the scientists but also affected them negatively.
Hermione had been chosen by an unfettered Death Eater to a duel. Her electrical whip met the Death Eater's own with a zapping noise. She struggled to hold off the Death Eater's own whip to reach her - he was very strong for her that she was gradually being forced to the ground!
"Harry!!!" she yelled to him for help.
Harry, who had just knocked out an unarmed Death Eater on the floor with his bare fists, ran up and tackled Hermione's enemy from behind, releasing the locked spell. Hal then came out from nowhere and clobbered the hapless Death Eater with a club he had picked up from the ground. Hal refused to hear the Death Eater's pleas for him to stop, and killed him without remorse.
"Stupefy!" Hermione bellowed at another Death Eater who was about to curse Harry from behind before she could thank him. Soon they all heard the sound of the fighting die down, and all that were left standing were a few dozen shaken scientists. Almost all of the Death Eaters that had tried to massacre them were dead - the rest knocked out by stunning spells and bloodied by being bashed by enormous clubs. Hal and his men had successfully reached the portal but at a heavy price. More than half of wizardkind's brilliant potion masters captured by Voldemort have been killed.
Hermione's legs collapsed and she sat down directly on the cold stone floor, shaking. She looked around the carnage. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had never seen this many dead people around in her life at one time, and she felt sorry for the dead scientists who, just a few minutes ago, desired nothing else but to break free from Voldemort's captivity. At the same moment she felt relieved she and Harry weren't one of the dead - a random curse would have ended their lives in an instant. She looked around for him. Harry also looked spent - he was staring at the dead bodies that lay around him. He might also have been feeling the same thing as her.
Soon, there eyes met. Without saying anything they both ran towards each other and they embraced very tightly for comfort, grateful they were both all right.
"We'd better not linger," a sorrowful Hal said to everyone after a minute or so of recovering himself. "I'm feeling deep regret for our fallen friends, but we can't do anything for them anymore. All the survivors, please, I ask you to cross the portal now or all our losses will be for naught. You'll end up in Hogsmeade - go and ask for care when you get there…"
The few surviving scientists started to queue to cross the portal. One of them fell behind and lifted a couple of lifeless bodies from the heap and carried them on both his shoulders before he crossed.
Hal came to him and said, "You don't have to do that, Casey…"
"Please, Hal," Casey replied. "They were my best friends," he cried.
Hal sighed, bowed his head, and whispered "Okay".
"I-I can't leave them here - even if they're gone," Casey said to no one in particular, walking slowly toward the portal.
"I understand," Hal whispered.
Harry breathed, and he now seemed preoccupied with something in his mind.
When the last scientist departed, Hal walked to Harry. "It's really - hard - for a leader to lose even just one of his men," he sniffed. "I feel responsible for them," Hal added, looking on sadly at the dead scientists…"
"It's not your fault, Hal," Hermione said softly. "You did you best to lead them out of here - I think if they had a different leader none of us would've made it."
Hal smiled at her, though he was still teary eyed. "Thanks, Hermione. But I'm sure I'll still have sleepless nights ahead of me…"
A stunned Death Eater stirred, and Bruce immediately walloped him on the floor with a large club - Harry and Hermione didn't know if he killed him. Bruce merely shrugged at them.
"Oh, I think we better go," Hal said. "There might be more of them coming…After you, Harry and Hermione."
Harry looked at Hermione for a moment and then back to Hal. "Uhm, I think I'll stay…I still have to do something important here…"
Hal was taken a little aback. "I'm sorry?" he said. "But this is now your opportunity to walk out of here alive, Harry."
"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked.
Harry hesitated for a moment and said "I'm sorry, Hermione, but Willard is still somewhere in this fortress. I-I just can't leave him behind. I owe it to him. He also has someone very important…someone who could be the only one who could help our side defeat the serum of Voldemort. Francs Girbeaux."
Hermione groaned a bit. Harry had the unpleasant habit of always trying to be the hero - even to risk his own life for it. They had fought hard and risked being killed to reach the portal, and now that they have, Harry was now unwilling to cross it without Willard. They were almost back to freedom, and he's risking being captured - or worse, killed - by Voldemort, again. Hermione knew she could not let Harry go alone even if that meant they'll have to expose themselves to more danger.
She, however, now understood how Harry felt about Willard, and it was one proof of Harry's loyalty to anyone he cared for, including her. Additionally, she also understood the importance of saving Francs, not just because she would directly benefit with his work against the serum, but for the good of wizardkind as well. If it was Harry's wish to go back to try to find Willard, he had her full support. She was ready and willing to be one with him.
At last she nodded at him. "I'm going back with you," she said.
"Please, Hermione," Harry said. "You don't have to - you have to get out of here. I can do this alone. I don't want you to get hurt anymore."
"Neither do I!" she said. "Didn't we just agree to stay with each other no matter what happens? If you go, I go. Stay, and I'll stay. No more arguments, Harry."
Harry considered her statement for a moment. Remembering his word and seeing Hermione cannot be forced to escape without him, he nodded.
"Are you sure about this, both of you?" Hal asked. "I have to tell you as an elder I'm against your decision to forego this portal and I have the responsibility to take you both to safety - the portal will die out in less than ten minutes. If you can't make it back here before that, you'll have to fight to get to the portal room again, which I'm sure is now heavily guarded."
Harry and Hermione both said "yes", making Hal exhale deeply.
"Okay," he said. "I respect your decision - to me you are mature enough to know the risks. Here, have the map. This will help you not to get lost. I'm very sorry if I can't go with you if I wanted to - I can't abandon my men. It's my duty to look after them and they still need me."
Harry took the map gratefully and said, "Thank you, Hal. You know, I admit I had serious doubts about your men, but I was wrong and I was impressed by their bravery. You're a good leader, Hal."
"Thank you, Harry, for those kind words," Hal said proudly. "But you should know that without both your precious help, none of us would have reached this point. Even the best leader is no good if his men are lesser than him. I'll wait for you at the other side, and I'm praying for you. Be careful and good luck."
Harry and Hermione nodded at him again with thanks, and they set back out for Willard and Francs. Hal didn't want to cross the portal until he saw the last of Harry and Hermione; he looked at them seriously and sighed while they ran off.
Harry and Hermione had now gotten back in the tunnel through the hole on the floor, and they retraced their steps back to the underground cave. Harry opened the map while they walked to navigate through the tunnels. While he did, he glanced back at Hermione and said, "You know I'm still really against letting you join me…"
"And I'm against leaving you to yourself looking for Willard and Francs," she interrupted. "Please, Harry, we've already talked about this, and there's no point in arguing about it now. I have to help you whether you like it or not…Besides, I'm doing this because…because I love you."
"Thanks," Harry smiled gratefully and Hermione smiled back at him. "All I'm asking from you now is to please be careful…"
"Likewise, Harry…"
They have reached the former secret hideout of Hal. Harry remembered the tunnel where Willard had disappeared to look for Francs, and he and Hermione naturally took it. The map showed that they wouldn't get lost - there was only a single tunnel leading to the dungeons. The tunnel was narrow and with a low ceiling, suggesting that this was dug for the purpose of escaping the dungeons to the underground caves. It was ironic that it was used again by Willard and his companions to get back there.
They both walked - rather, crouched - toward the entrance to the dungeons with wands out. Harry and Hermione felt their leg muscles strain being bent almost double all the way. It took them a little more than a quarter hour to reach the end of the tunnel where the dungeons could be accessed. If Hal was right about the portal, Harry, thought, then by this time it was gone. But that didn't stop Harry from hoping Hal was wrong.
Sometimes they had to magically remove a few dead bodies of Death Eaters along the way who were victims of Hal's ingenious and deadly traps. Harry and Hermione couldn't handle the stench of death wafting along the tunnel, but they knew they had to hold on to their guts to pass by them to reach the dungeons.
When Harry guessed that they were at the end of the tunnels and were about to climb out of the hole the scientists had dug, he said to Hermione, "Be ready for anything…"
Hermione nodded and gripped her wand tighter.
Harry popped his head out of the floor and looked around. They were in a prison cell, perhaps the same place they had been when they were brought in here by the Death Eater Burton. It was apparently abandoned. Harry slowly climbed up to the floor and gave Hermione a hand to help her up from the hole.
"What do we do now?" Hermione said, her eyes scanning around the place. Her face was shiny with sweat and specks of dirt littered parts of her cheeks.
Harry put a finger on his lips and signaled Hermione to follow him. They both emerged from the cell (the iron cell door was open, and it looked like it was blown up with a small bomb) and proceeded to the open door leading out of what was apparently the prison wing of this fortress. There were other cells on both sides of this wing and they were all empty.
When they were out of the prison wing, they found some steep stone steps that lead further downwards. They had no other place to go but to follow it and down they went. They had walked down the steps about fifty or so meters when the stairs ended and the floor had leveled off straight to a long and narrow passageway with a lone steel door at the end.
"More tunnels," Harry hissed.
Along the way they found a couple of bodies sprawled on the floor; Hermione checked on one of them and turned him over. She jerked back when the lifeless and bloodied face of one of the scientists came staring straight at her.
"Take it easy, Hermione," Harry said.
"I'm sorry, Harry," she breathed. "But I saw this man earlier today - he's one of the scientists who went along with Willard…"
Harry stared at the dead body for a while and he felt something probably went wrong with Willard's group and that's why they hadn't returned at all. However, that didn't stop him from hoping that Willard might still be alive, and that he was still somewhere around and he needed to be rescued. "Let's go," he said. "Keep an eye out for trouble…"
They both kept close to the walls when they walked the length of the narrow passageway. After a little while, Harry and Hermione had gotten to the foot of the lone door at the end. Harry pressed his ears to try to listen what was outside, but he didn't hear anything. Perhaps it was because the door was made of steel.
"Shall we open it?" Hermione asked him quietly. Harry nodded and he turned on the knob, which was fortunately unlocked. He slowly opened the door (Hermione pointed her wand up ahead), and they both gasped when they saw several bodies strewn around in a large steel-walled room with more stairs leading somewhere on each side. The bodies were both of the scientists and Death Eaters who looked like they had a very deadly fight in this room earlier. A large black dog the size of a bull lay dead at the center of the room, which Harry knew as one of Voldemort's feared hybrids.
Hermione closed her eyes and squinted at the sight of the carnage. She felt she could never get used to seeing such horrifying results of extreme acts of violence in her life. There was one person that caught her eye who was actually still breathing and sitting up at the far corner.
It was Willard. He was badly injured but was holding a broken spear as if he was still expecting an attack.
"Willard!" Hermione exclaimed, and she and Harry ran towards him. They both stopped and dropped to one knee on both sides of Willard.
"Willard - you look hurt!" Harry said, not knowing if it was okay to touch him.
"H-Harry…Hermione…" he groaned. "What're you two doing back here?"
"We came back for you," Harry replied. "Hal and most of the others had escaped, but you hadn't…what happened here?"
"T-Terrible," Willard shuddered. "Ambushed by Death Eaters and the black dog…I killed the black dog…" Willard looked slightly traumatized, but he was thinking straight. "There might be more coming…"
"We'll get you out of here, Willard, come on," Harry told him. He and Hermione grabbed both of his hands and got ready to put his arms around their shoulders.
"Harry - a Death Eater has Francs," Willard rasped at him. "Please, you got to stop him from killing Francs - he's the only hope for the anti-serum…"
"Where'd they go?"
Willard pointed at the stairway to his right. "They haven't been gone long - if you hurry you might still catch them…"
"O-Okay, you sit tight," Harry said. "Hermione, please stand guard for Willard while I go after for Francs…"
"What?"
"Please, Hermione, don't argue with me this time," Harry implored her. "Willard's completely vulnerable alone in this condition. He needs your protection."
Hermione nodded reluctantly and said, "Okay, be careful, Harry - if you don't come back in five minutes I'll go looking for you…"
"Okay, fine," he said. "I'll be back." Harry left Hermione with Willard and ran down on the stairs. Whoever was bleeding, he had left a trail of blood this way. Harry chose not to tread carefully knowing that each second counted for the life of Francs Girbeaux, and he ran full out through the passageway.
After a couple of minutes running, he heard running water as he neared the end of the passageway. He felt the air cool for every step he took, and Harry surmised he must be heading to another underground cave with a river in another part of the fortress. Then he heard someone pleading for his life up ahead.
Soon he saw the end of the passageway. Beyond it was a long stone bridge crossing towards a far wall of a large cave to the mouth of another tunnel, lighted with a gloomy blue hue. At the center of the bridge was a lone Death Eater manhandling a white robed man that Harry bet was Francs Girbeaux. He was a petite, balding, and aged man, and he looked powerless against the Death Eater who seemed about to throw him down from the bridge.
"You have no use to the Dark Lord now, Girbeaux," growled the Death Eater, holding the shaking Francs by the collar. "You've lost your usefulness - we have all we need to know about the serum, and you've been working on an antidote, I hear…"
"No, No - please don't kill me!" Francs pleaded.
"Let him go, Death Eater!!!" Harry shouted when he alighted out of the mouth of the passageway, his wand pointed at him.
The Death Eater slowly looked over his shoulder to Harry and grinned. It was Peter Burton. "So, we meet again, Harry Potter," he wheezed. "About the play the hero again as you always do, I presume?"
"This is the end of the line for you, Burton," Harry told him angrily. "Surrender Francs to me or I'll curse you!"
Burton laughed out loud. "You? Curse me?" he guffawed. "And risk killing this little man I know has the answer to make your little precious Hermione well again?"
Harry narrowed his eyes at Burton. He didn't like it being taunted about Hermione. "I warn you, Burton!" he pressed.
Burton heaved Francs up and dangled him dangerously out of the bridge. Harry was caught off guard and he didn't dare to curse him or else Francs would fall down to his death. He looked over the side of the bridge and saw that they were hundreds of feet above a rampaging rocky river. Francs yelled and flapped his feet in fright.
"I demand you take him back over the bridge, Burton!" Harry shouted. "Now!"
"Or what? Curse me again?" he laughed. "You, Potter, are not in a position to offer me a choice. How about this…you have five seconds to drop your wand and surrender to me, or I let go of this scientist you find so important."
Harry shifted uncomfortably on his spot.
"Five…"
"Take him back over the bridge now!!!" Harry yelled.
Burton grinned. "Four…"
"I'll curse you!"
"Three…"
Harry was at a loss on what to do next. He hoped Burton was bluffing, but he knew it was now him who was at a disadvantage. He knew he needed Francs to stay alive - or Voldemort will have free reign with his new weapon.
"Two…"
Harry quickly put his wand on the bridge's floor.
Burton laughed. "You're so weak, Potter. Thank you for heeding my warning, but I changed my mind…say goodbye to your only hope against the Dark Lord's wonderful serum…"
To Harry's horror, Burton let go of his hold of Francs. Like in slow motion, Harry watched the scientist begin to plummet to his death. Burton then had drawn out his wand to point it to Harry.
Harry didn't know what he was thinking and did something really crazy. He bent down, grabbed his wand from the surface, and dove recklessly after Francs who was already twenty feet down ahead of him! Burton's curse missed him for a few inches.
Harry plunged after Francs, and he pointed his wand towards his falling target.
"Carpe Retractum!" he shouted. A long cord jutted out of his wand and caught Francs around his torso. "Retracto!" Harry said next, and the cord retracted, pulling Francs towards him as he had expected the spell to do. Harry caught Francs tightly in midair with his left arm and he immediately let go of his spell.
Still plunging towards the river below, Harry struggled to look up to find the bridge up above him. It was fast breaking away from him, the long span looking thinner with his sight as he kept falling. He had only one chance for this; he fought extreme pressure to do this right - Harry aimed at the bridge very carefully and grunted "Carpe Retractum!"
Another long cord jetted up from his wand and it seemed to take forever to reach the bridge up above. While the cord kept on extending, Harry began to worry that this spell had a limited range that he didn't know of.
"C'mon!" he prayed, glancing down to the fast approaching river below. Soon, he felt a soft tug on his arm - his spell had successfully grappled the bridge! Like hanging on a bungie cord, he floated up and down with Francs along with the elasticity of the spell; Francs had gone down a few inches of his grip with Harry and was holding on to him for dear life. It was lucky for them Harry's gambit had worked; they had gone almost within a hundred down to the river below. Harry let out a huge sigh of relief. He vowed to himself never to do something crazy like this ever again.
Soon, the long cord relaxed to a stop, and Harry looked down on a pale-faced Francs. "You all right, sir?"
"Yes, son," he whimpered. "Th-thanks for that!"
"This isn't over yet," Harry told him. "Better hang on tight!"
Francs nodded vigorously back at him and tightened his hold on Harry. Luckily, he was lighter than Harry, but the strain on Harry's arms holding Francs and the wand were now took a toll on him. Harry knew he had to act fast to get back to the bridge before he could not hold on to his wand anymore.
He looked up and said, "Retracto!" He felt another tug and the cord began to retract rapidly. Harry felt he was now elevating back up to the bridge with Francs. He knew Burton might be still be there waiting for them, so he got ready for him.
Soon they had reached the bridge and Harry struggled to heave Francs back to the surface. It was very difficult to do. Francs knew Harry was losing strength, and he used Harry to climb back toward the bridge's surface and pulled him in. Harry had just barely gotten back on top of the bridge when Burton was on top of him.
"Crucio!"
Burton had cursed Harry from behind before he could stand up. Harry screamed from the excruciating pain brought about by the curse. Francs frantically crawled away from the screaming Harry, his face contorting in terror.
Burton was laughing like a madman while he kept on cursing Harry. "Suffer, Potter, suffer!" Burton cackled. Then he let go of the curse.
Harry shook all over as he struggled to regain his footing to face Burton and fight back.
"I see you made a very risky decision back there," Burton told him while Harry fumbled for his wand on the bridge. "I'm impressed by your boldness, Harry. You really want your lovely friend to break free, don't you? Crucio!"
Harry dropped his wand again before he could raise it, and it rolled dangerously close to the edge of the bridge. He slumped back on the surface to absorb the next round of the Cruciatus Curse. Burton let go of the curse again and approached Harry slowly.
"I've gotten already tired of this little curse," Burton said lazily. "I didn't know it would ever get so boring. But I'd never miss the chance to do the killing curse any time, especially on you, Harry Potter. Say goodbye to your life, then…"
Harry looked up at Burton in horror - the Death Eater's wand was now pointed straight at him. Burton's eyes went as wide as it could get with glee; he gave Harry a last smirk and muttered "Avada…"
Suddenly a spear came out of nowhere and went through Burton heart's in front of him! Dropping his chant and realizing what had happened, Burton stared at the spear for in disbelief for a moment and looked ahead of him with horrified eyes. He saw something fast coming towards him (Harry didn't know what it was since he didn't take a look back) and while he desperately gasped for air, he muttered another curse at his unknown attacker. His wand had fired, and Harry heard a grunt from behind him. Soon, Burton's assailant had skipped over Harry, grabbed Burton by the robes, and pushed the Death Eater over the railings!
Burton plummeted from up the bridge down to the river below to his death.
Harry rolled upright and then he found out who had attacked Burton, and saved his life. It was Hal Rodd, and he lay flat on his chest. Harry crawled over to Hal quickly and rolled him over.
"Hal!"
Hal's breath was uneven. His eyes looked glassy, and he rolled it towards Harry. He looked like at the brink of death. "H-Harry," he coughed. "You okay?"
"I-I'm fine…but you're hurt!"
"I'm glad to know you're okay…I came back for you or else you would've died from that Death Eater," he smiled weakly.
"Hal, please don't talk - hold on…we'll take you out of here…"
Hal shook his head. "P-please don't - I will only slow you down. Is Francs (cough) alive?"
"Hello, Hal," Francs said slowly, coming over to him.
Hal smiled broadly when he saw Francs. "Th-That's good. Please do the anti-serum when you get out of here, will you?"
Francs nodded and said, "I will, Hal, I will…"
"H-Harry," Hal said next, his breathing getting choppier.
Harry took his hand and grasped it. "Yes, Hal…"
Hal smiled quickly and concentrated on getting what he wanted to say before he passed away. "Please tell my men…when you escape…that I'm sorry I didn't come to them…tell them I-I had to go back, for Francs and the good of wizardkind…Willard was right - Francs needed to be saved…our hopes to defeat You-Know-Who's weapon is on his hands…It's been an honor fighting alongside you, Harry…"
"I'm blessed to have known you, Hal," Harry said sadly, starting to weep.
"H-Harry, please…Tell my men, I'm very happy many of them survived. T-tell them I'm sorry I didn't do all I can to prevent the deaths of their friends…tell them not to worry about me…T-Tell them…T-tell them I've found my freedom…in death…" Hal breathed his last, and his eyes closed for the last time.
Harry yelled with the death of Hal. He had learned how to respect him after being awed by his leadership, but now he was dead.
Francs put a hand over Harry's shoulder and shook it gently. "C'mon, Harry," Francs whispered. "There's nothing we can do."
Harry looked back to the passageway with tears in his eyes, and he saw Hermione supporting Willard by holding his arm around her shoulder at the end of the bridge, looking back tearfully at him.
"H-Harry," Hermione cried. "I'm at a loss on what to say for Hal…" She left Willard then ran towards Harry, fixed his face and hair with her hands for a moment, and embraced him.
Harry sniffed and hugged her, feeling thankful for her effort to comfort him. He knew she was grateful for Hal by saving his life, and understood she felt that he didn't need to die. Willard sighed and gestured with his head that they still needed to keep moving.
Harry refused to leave Hal's body behind in respect for his sacrifice to save his life. He, therefore, carried him over his shoulder. There was a time to regret his loss, and Harry knew they still had to get out of the dungeons to get to the portal in time - if it was still there.
Slowly they went back to the battle site where Harry had the portal was still at. Francs and Hermione both supported Willard with his arms over their shoulders while Harry brought up the front. Hermione kept glancing concernedly at Harry; Harry often assured her without saying any words that he was all right.
Finally they had gotten out of the hole from under the ground back to the main fortress hallway. There were no signs of new Death Eaters, and Harry felt relieved the portal was still up where he left it because they had taken more than twenty minutes to find Francs and Willard and bring them back. The portal was supposed to disappear minutes ago according to Hal.
"My Lord…Did this really happen here?" Willard said, struck at the sight of the bloodbath brought about by the battle for the portal.
Harry nodded to him. Fearing that the portal might really disappear for real any moment, Harry said to everyone, "C'mon, let's move double time to the portal."
"Harry, what do we do when the Death Eaters'll block the way to the portal again?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"No choice but to fight," Harry simply replied.
Hermione and Francs nodded and took up the pace as they grunted against Willard's weight. Harry looked around for new threats - his shoulder was getting tired from carrying Hal's lifeless body, but he didn't mind. In a few minutes they'll be out of Xanthius and back to Hogsmeade.
Almost halfway to the portal, Harry heard a rumbling noise and felt the floor underneath them vibrate. They all stopped on their tracks and looked around.
"Harry - w-what's happening?" Hermione said, looking scared.
"I don't know," he replied nervously. He thought of looking back from where they came from and that was where he found the answer to the question.
The large wooden barrier behind them rose up to the ceiling. Soon, hundreds of imps like the ones Harry had fled from the last time he was here with Ron and Ginny crawled slowly towards them, their large red flaming eyes staring menacingly at them. Harry knew what the presence of these imps meant.
"Oh, hell, no!" Harry exclaimed. "Not them!"
Both sides of the intersecting hallways closed with a big bang, shaking the ground tremendously. They knew they had nowhere to go but straight towards the portal or else they would be run over by the imps soon.
"H-Harry!" Hermione whimpered.
"Run," Harry gulped.
Without warning the imps sprang off towards them, and they all went rumbling down towards Harry, Hermione, Willard, and Francs!
"Run!" Harry shouted this time. "Get to the portal, quick!"
Despite the weight of Willard and Hal's lifeless body that burdened them all, they all ran as fast as they could towards the portal. If they could reach it before the imps were all over them, they could get out of here alive.
"Don't look back!" Hermione panted. She struggled to run as fast as she can while carrying half of Willard's weight with Francs. Willard didn't heed her advice and looked over his shoulder.
The imps at the back of the horde scaled the walls to go in front of the pack, and they were dangerously gaining on them. Willard fought the pain on his legs to give Hermione and Francs a much needed boost by skipping his foot on the ground. Harry was losing breath, and he desperately shot a few spells behind his back.
"Repulso! Repulso!" he cried, and a few imps yelped when they got hit that sent them flying off backwards. But Harry knew that was doing too little - there were hundreds behind them. Up to now he never thought of a way to deal with Voldemort's frightening imps.
Still, they ran for dear life. Judging by their speed against the nimble imps, Harry thought they would've been swamped by them right now, but strangely they haven't been yet. After a few more running steps, they were almost a few feet to the portal. Just a little more pain and they would be safe on the other side…
However, when they got within ten meters from the portal, the floor beneath them opened in two, sending Harry, Hermione, Francs and Willard down a floor level from the ground and onto a very large pit!
Hermione yelped in surprise; they all collapsed down to the floor from the shock of their landing. Harry shook his head and looked up - the imps were now looking down on them but strangely they didn't jump down into the pit to finish them off. They just shrieked loudly above them and jostled for a ringside view of Harry, Hermione, Willard, and Francs who all looked dazed from the sudden fall.
"Expelliarmus!" a voice exploded from somewhere in the pit. Harry and Hermione's wand flew off and landed on the floor a few yards away from them.
Hermione screamed loudly when she looked behind her.
"Like scared mice in a trap," Lucius drawled, pointing his wand at Harry and Hermione. About twenty members of Voldemort's top circle of Death Eaters including McNair, Crabbe, Goyle, Dolohov, Avery, Bellatrix Lestrange, and the ever-excited Wormtail grinned at them, also aiming their wands in a sinister way.
"Thanks for being where we want you all to be, Potter," taunted Lucius. "I knew you'd still walk straightly towards the portal even after what you've gone through up there earlier - but I just wanted to make sure you did by releasing my imps. One sudden move among any of you and you're all dead."
-o0o-
Chapter 21 coming soon.
A/N Thank you for your continued interest with this story! Please kindly leave a review. Thanks!
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