(A/N: I thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Did you want to know what I've planned for Harry and Hermione? Here we are then…)
Chapter 13. THE DARK LORD
....
Know me
My loyalty
Today You know, that I would die for honesty.
Know me
Know my name
You are the only one to know
If it's true or not
That I believe in God.
....
"Thoughts and Words" by Lucio Battisti
The sun was slowly rising, though the sky was still gray; a storm was approaching.
Harry and Hermione were sitting next to each other, their backs against the wall, eyes lost in space, uncertain about their fate. Then Harry turned to his friend and broke the silence which had fallen between them.
"You didn't tell me yet how that SNAKE Viktor Krum managed to bring you here."
"You and Ron were right. Viktor is on Voldemort's side. I didn't listen to your warnings, and I'll never forgive myself for this!"
Hermione was feeling so guilty, but Harry could not blame her.
"NO, Hermione... you couldn't have known that Krum had changed so much."
"Yeah... I'm such a silly girl! Anyway, I should have realized it from the beginning! When Viktor met me by Madam Puddifoot's, he wanted to go out immediately. He said that there were too many people there, and that he wanted to talk to me in private. Then he headed to the Forbidden Forest... and he started to talk oddly. He was saying, for example, that someone had helped him to open his eyes and to understand what was really important in life... that many things had changed since the last time we met."
Outside the window, the storm had arrived; rain was falling heavily. Even though it was morning already, the sky was dark and full of gray clouds. Hermione paused, and then spoke again.
"I was just starting to notice something very odd about him... then he suddenly pointed his wand at me. He kept saying that he was sorry for that, but betraying his friends was the only price he had to pay if he wanted to gain all the rest. Then, I looked for my wand and got ready to act... I tried to make him listen to reason. I told him that Voldemort couldn't give him happiness, only misfortune and suffering. Anyway, he was insisting that he had to be thankful to Voldemort for the fame, wealth, and power he now had."
Hermione paused again before speaking.
"Suddenly, a group of students passed by, and I took advantage of this chance. I started to run as fast as possible into the depths of the forest. Viktor followed me, casting a bunch of spells in my direction. In the end, one of those spells caught me, and I fell down. I only remember waking up in this room, and noticing that my wand was missing."
Something came to Harry's mind abruptly.
"I brought it... your wand, I mean... it's in my pocket."
Harry's hands were still tied, so he turned on his side to allow Hermione to take her wand. She smiled at him, and then looked at her wand with affection.
"You found my wand... and kept it safe all this time."
"Yes, I thought you'd be glad to have it back."
Hermione stared at him thankfully, but Harry lowered his gaze in great embarrassment, thinking how he had another
reason: that wand reminded him of Hermione, and he had decided to keep it until he'd be able to give it back to
her.
"What happened afterwards? Where's Krum gone?" He changed the topic, trying to sound as natural as possible.
"Since I've been here, I haven't seen him."
"He is such a poisonous SNAKE! He did the dirty work and then left." Harry made this comment aloud, without trying to hide his disgust. Then he looked Hermione directly in the eyes, and spoke again.
"Did you see him? I mean... Voldemort!"
"No! I've only seen Lucius Malfoy. He came several times to question me. He kept asking about the Prophecy. Even though I told him that it broke, he didn't want to believe me. He said that, for sure, you should've told me something important about it."
Harry felt guilty for that: Hermione didn't know anything about the Prophecy, but Voldemort would have never believed it.
"Hermione, listen to me! There is something I should have told you a long time ago..."
But she cut him off, pressing her fingers against his mouth.
"No, YOU listen to me Harry... I don't want you to talk about that now... it's not wise, you understand me?"
Harry nodded; Hermione was absolutely right. Suddenly, the door opened, and Nott entered the room. They both turned to face him with deep scorn in their eyes.
"Get them!" he ordered to the other two Death Eaters, who immediately grabbed Harry and Hermione's arms, lifted them up, and then dragged them out into the corridor, heading back down to the second floor.
Here we are... now I'll meet my mortal enemy again... face to face... Harry thought, while feeling a mixture of anger and fear rising inside him.
The two Death Eaters had dragged them to the door at the end of the second floor corridor. With great disgust, Harry saw that in front of the door, a huge snake was curled up, looking directly at him, hissing. Suddenly his scar started to burn.
Nott knocked on the door, and then slowly opened it. The two Death Eaters pushed Harry and Hermione inside without saying a word and closed the door behind them. The room was just like the one Harry had dreamt about: large, dark, and lit only by the fireplace.
Horrified, Harry saw that the two people he hated most, aside from Voldemort, were present: Wormtail, his parents' traitor, and Bellatrix Lestrange, who had caused Sirius's death.
At the far end of the room, Lucius Malfoy was standing by the fireplace and was looking at them with his arms folded. Harry glared at him with hate, but then his attention was drawn by Voldemort's cold and clammy voice.
"I wish to thank you for coming, Harry. It's been a long time now that I've been trying to meet you again."
Voldemort ended his sentence with terrible, blood chilling laughter. Harry could not yet see him because he was sitting in a great armchair, the front of which was turned to the fire. His scar was now throbbing unbearably as he glared at the back of the armchair, his hands still tied behind him.
Suddenly, he became aware that Hermione had grabbed his arm, and she was now trembling like a leaf.
"You know what, Harry? At the Ministry, last time we met, I didn't like your attitude very much... so hostile, so hot tempered. You should try to control yourself when you are at the presence of... LORD VOLDEMORT!"
As he said his name, Voldemort got up and turned to face them. He was tall and more threatening than ever, his catlike eyes as red as the fire, his face pale as the dead. His cloak was black like a dementor's, the only difference being that two white, cadaverous hands were coming out from the sleeves, ending with long, twisted fingers.
Hermione raised her hands to her mouth, horrified, while Harry was still glaring at his enemy directly in the eyes, trying to hide his fear.
If I'm going to die, I want to do it with honor, standing tall and with my head up, just like my father did, he thought.
Then Voldemort spoke again.
"Are you afraid of me, Harry? Yes, I am feeling it... even though you are trying your best to disguise it. I am aware that you know everything about the Prophecy... don't deny it... now I want you to tell me... IT'S AN ORDER!"
But Harry didn't say a word, and was still standing there motionless, challenging his enemy.
Voldemort should have known that Harry wasn't going to surrender so easily.
"Very well... if you want it that way... your nice mudblood friend is here with us for a good reason..."
Voldemort pointed his finger to Hermione, and suddenly, Harry felt his blood boiling inside and lost his temper.
"DON'T YOU EVEN TRY TO TOUCH HER! YOU... MONSTER!" Harry shouted at Voldemort, who only laughed amusedly at him. Then, the Dark Lord turned to his Death Eaters.
"BELLATRIX! You know what to do."
"With great pleasure, my Lord!"
On Voldemort's order, Bellatrix Lestrange reached for Hermione, and grabbed her arms tightly.
"LEAVE HER ALONE, YOU DAMNED WITCH! IF YOU EVEN HURT HER, I... I..."
Harry was extremely furious now, and was struggling to release himself, though not succeeding.
"YOU'LL WHAT? I suggest you calm down, Harry, or maybe it's not enough for you to have been the cause of your parents' deaths? And what about Sirius Black's death?
Harry thought that his brain was going to explode for the terrible pain he was feeling, but he didn't care, and turned to Voldemort with rising anger and hate.
"YOU ARE THE ONLY CAUSE FOR MY PARENTS' AND MY FRIEND'S DEATHS... YOU ARE A MURDERER, AND I HATE YOU WITH ALL MY STRENGTH!"
"STOP TALKING NOW! We have something more important to do... prepare yourself to let me get inside your thoughts..."
Harry turned to Hermione, who was now looking at him with fear, her eyes wide open, her face pale; he then turned to face his enemy again, and he realized that he had no other choice.
Voldemort was now slowly approaching the center of the room with his arms stretched out like antennae, his eyes closed in deep concentration.
Harry closed his eyes too, and just like an Occlumency lesson with Snape, he started to see images from his memory darting in front of him at great speed. He saw himself in Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione... then he was flying on his broomstick during a Quidditch match... now he was sitting in a desk during a Potions class.
Voldemort was skimming through Harry's brain as though it were a picture book; Harry wasn't able to resist him, even though he was trying with all his strength.
Harry was still seeing his memories darting in front of him like a videotape being rewound, and then everything had stopped. He now found himself in Dumbledore's office, after his rescue at the Ministry of Magic.
Dumbledore was now talking to him about the Prophecy, but Harry tried again to repel the attack. Voldemort absolutely COULD NOT watch that memory...
"NOOOO... I DON'T WANT IT!"
Harry shouted in pain and in anger, but he soon realized soon that it was impossible to resist Voldemort's attack.
Suddenly, against his will, Harry saw Professor Trelawney in trance, who was repeating the prophecy.
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...
Born to those who have thrice defied him...
Born as the seventh month dies...
And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...
And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...
Harry fell exhausted to the floor, half conscious to what was happening around him. He was now completely depleted of all strength, as though his enemy had sucked away his soul.
"STOP IT! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"
Hermione's worried voice resonated throughout the room, but Voldemort didn't pay any attention to her.
Then Harry heard Voldemort's terrible laugher, followed again by his clammy voice, and slowly he raised his head, trying to look his enemy in the eyes.
"It's been very interesting... really interesting. According to the famous prophecy, I should fear you, impertinent little boy... even though now you're more like a helpless little birdie to me. I almost feel pity for you... but unfortunately, I have to get rid of you and finish the task I wasn't able to accomplish a long time ago. The only difference is that now your beloved mother won't be here to protect you.... Now, prepare to die, HARRY POTTER!"
Voldemort laughed again, but this time Harry didn't care. He felt suffocated by the horrible weight of his guilt. He had given up. He hadn't been able to fight Voldemort, he hadn't been able to rescue Hermione, and now, they were both going to die. He wouldn't ever again see Ron, Mrs. and Mr. Weasley, Remus Lupin, Dumbledore, or all his friends who had trusted him.
Now, he felt that his end was approaching.
"NOOOO, LEAVE HIM ALONE!"
Harry just realized that Hermione had shouted desperately. Then he heard a terrible boom and his vision suddenly clouded.
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