Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.

Authors Note: It's been longer than I'd like. Sorry about that. Life is a bitch, what can I say? Anyway, here it is, again, a little on the short side. Sorry! But I really do promise this time; the next one will be longer! I guarantee it! If it isn't, I'll share Bellatrix's ugly fate. Haha! Anyway, hope you enjoy.

Harry emerged from thin air outside the gates of Hogwarts. He collapsed to the ground in relief and stared up at the cloudy night sky. His chest rose and fell steadily for over a minute as he basked in the knowledge that he had once again escaped Voldemort's clutches. Then he climbed steadily to his feet and looked at the wand in his hand.

It wasn't his wand - it was the wand of Severus Snape.

His wand he had been forced to leave behind.

He pushed that thought away and stowed Snape's wand in the pocket of his cloak. Then he removed the ring on his finger and studied it. This little bit of charmed jewellery had allowed him to slip past the anti-apparition wards and flee to safety, for which he was eternally grateful, but now it was useless. The protective wards around the Lestrange Manor would soon be torn down and replaced. He dropped the ring styled with the Lestrange crest to the floor and ground it under his heel.

Then he grabbed Snape's wand from his pocket and cast his Patronus to summon help.

Dumbledore sent Hagrid to open the gates of Hogwarts for Harry. Hagrid sniffed loudly into his larger than life hanky, trying and failing to hide his tears. Harry smiled to himself and reached up to pat the giants arm. Hagrid silently led Harry up to the castles entrance, at the moment too relieved to speak and ask all the questions that burned in his mind. Harry preferred it that way.

They said goodbye at the entrance to the Headmasters Office and then Harry made his way up the spiral staircase to knock on Dumbledore's door. The door opened before he could knock and Dumbledore ushered him inside.

For the next hour or so, Harry explained everything that had happened to him since being arrested by the Ministry. He left not a single detail out.

'You're sure the Horcrux was destroyed?' Dumbledore finally asked.

'Positive,' Harry said.

Dumbledore let out a breath and relaxed back into his chair. 'I have to say, you certainly made the best of a bad situation.'

'I lost my wand, though,' Harry admitted.

'Yes, that is a shame,' Dumbledore said. 'Although, truth be told, it would not have helped you against Voldemort.'

'There is that,' Harry agreed. 'Still, it was my wand, you know?'

'I do,' Dumbledore said, raising his arm to reveal his own wand strapped to his arm. 'Most wizards would do anything to hold onto their wands. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to be realistic. Sometimes we must leave them behind.' Dumbledore extended his arm, offering it to Harry. 'Or let them go.'

'What…?'

'Take it,' Dumbledore said. 'Honestly, it is no longer much use to me.'

'I have Snape's…' Harry said, letting the statement hang unfinished.

'Which I am sure you loathe to use,' Dumbledore finished for him. 'Give it a try. I am sure my wand will work much better for you than Severus Snapes.'

'Are you sure?'

Dumbledore took a breath. 'I am.'

Harry reached out and removed the wand from Dumbledore's arm. He took hold of it tightly, felt the powerful pull of magic rush up his arm. Yes, this wand was much more suited for him. He gave Dumbledore a grateful smile, glanced into the wizards tired eyes, then looked to the ground. 'Thank you,' he said sincerely.

'You are very welcome,' Dumbledore replied, smiling to himself. 'Honestly, it seems fitting. I am glad my wand will be the one to defeat Voldemort.'

'You're so sure I'll win?'

'I know you will win,' Dumbledore said, 'and so do you. There is no other option.'

Harry looked back up and met Dumbledore's eyes. 'I…' Harry trailed away again, not sure how to go about expressing himself.

'I know,' Dumbledore said, understanding. 'And I am glad you feel that way. I have always tried my best to take care of you, to shield you, even though I knew eventually…'

'Let's just leave it at that,' Harry interrupted.

'As you wish,' Dumbledore acquiesced. 'Before you go, I must ask, do you have any idea who might have been behind your kidnapping? It seems obvious that the Ministry has been compromised.'

'That surprises you?'

'No,' Dumbledore said, 'but it does cause me great disquiet. We must find the root of it, so if you have any idea…'

'Scrimgeour dragged me to the Ministry the moment he knew you weren't around to protect me,' Harry said, 'but that's probably just because I pissed him off. Still, he might be behind it. He arranged my guard and the room I was to be held in, and I was attacked from behind, so my kidnapper was definitely in the room waiting for me.'

'But again we find ourselves speculating,' Dumbledore said with a weary sigh.

'Honestly,' Harry said, 'it could be anyone within the Ministry. I'm sure Rufus didn't keep my arrest all that secret, out to shame me and all, so it wouldn't be hard for whoever was behind it to learn which room I was to be taken to. Unfortunate as that little fact might be. So, yeah, I'd say we're back to speculation once again.'

Dumbledore nodded in agreement, then said, 'I'll have the Order look into it. In the meantime, I'm sure Mister Malfoy and Miss Granger will be glad to know you are safe. Take care Harry.'

'Thank you sir,' Harry said, placing Snape's wand on the table before he left.

Dumbledore stared long and hard at the wand of the wizard who had betrayed him.

Harry headed straight for the Heads chambers.

The portrait of Willow the Veined glared down at him as he told her the password, but she moved aside all the same. Harry stepped into the spacious, well decorated room, only to find himself on the wrong end of Draco Malfoy's wand.

'Harry!' Draco gasped out in shock, his usual drawl forgotten in his surprise.

'Hey,' Harry said coolly, giving Draco a smirk as he gestured to the still very much pointed wand, 'do you mind?'

Draco dropped his arm and took a few steps towards Harry. He thought about embracing his friend, but only for a second. Instead, Harry offered his hand, and they shook.

'Damn,' Draco said, plastering a smirk on his features, 'I should have known you wouldn't let those morons beat you.'

'You thought I'd let them win that easy?' Harry asked, mock offended. 'I'm shocked, really, it's like you don't know me at all.'

They shared a smirk and a laugh, before Draco released his hand and Harry took it back. Harry looked towards the open door to Hermione's bedchambers. 'Go on,' Draco said, 'you can tell me all about it later. Go comfort your girl. She's been heartbroken since you vanished.'

Harry took that little morsel in, and then gave Draco a goodbye nod. The platinum haired Slytherin watched Harry as he silently entered his girlfriend's room. Then, fingering something in the pocket of his robe, he left the Head's common room, his destination unknown.

As Draco made his way through the silent and empty halls of Hogwarts, Harry eased into Hermione's private chambers. He closed the door softly behind him and crossed to her bed. She had her back to him. Her hair was frazzled from tossing and turning, the blankets pulled up close to her chin and wrapped around her snugly. He was close to her bed when he heard her tearful sniff.

She was awake. And crying.

He didn't let her suffer for even one more second. 'Hermione,' he said, getting her attention. She turned sharply in the bed, blankets twisting around as she moved to stare up at him with wide, teary eyes. Her adorable mouth hung open in surprise. He smiled comfortingly. 'Hey.'

'Harry?' she squeaked.

'Yeah,' he said, sitting down on the bed, 'it's me. Don't worry, I'm okay.'

'Harry!' she cried, flinging herself into his arms. He wrapped them tight around her as she cried into his shoulder. 'I was so scared! I thought… I thought…'

'I know,' he said soothingly, 'but I'm fine. Really. I am.'

'How?' she sniffed.

'It's a long story,' he said, smoothing out her frazzled hair, 'and one I'd rather not go into right now. I promise, I'll tell you all about it later, but for now, I just want to know… are we… okay?'

Hermione pulled back a little to look him in the eye. 'Yes, of course we are,' she whispered, with only a little hiccup.

'You sure?'

She just nodded, rubbing her nose close to his.

'I'm sorry I…'

She silenced him with a brief kiss. 'Let's just forget it,' she said. 'I don't even want to think about it.'

'Okay,' Harry said, taking her word for it. He kissed her this time, easing her down onto the bed and lying down beside her.

'Harry?' Hermione said, interrupting his kisses.

'Yeah?'

'I love you,' she said, 'so much. And I don't want you to ever think that I don't. I won't ever stop loving you. Even when you do something I don't like, I can't help but love you, and that's why it… but that doesn't matter. What matters is that I do, and I always will, and I want you to promise never to forget it.'

'I promise,' Harry said softly. 'I won't ever forget. And you?'

'Me too,' she said, as he kissed away her tears. 'I promise.'

Draco left Harry and Hermione to their no doubt emotional reunion and started to make his way carelessly through the halls of Hogwarts. He had no destination in mind, so he just walked and let his feet decide his course.

Not for the first time, he found himself wishing he had a way to contact Ginny, but she was shut up inside Gryffindor tower, probably fast asleep by now. He continued to finger the object in his pocket as he stopped walking and leant against the wall of corridor. He slowly eased his back down the wall until he was sitting with his feet stretched out before him. Then he removed the piece of parchment in his pocket.

It was an advertisement for the newest in magical accessories.

He casually began flicking through the pages, an idea blossoming.

He was dreaming, but this was no dream.

He was sitting, wrapped in dark cloth, enthroned before the pitiful weaklings who worshipped him. They cowered under his piercing gaze - especially the woman. She knelt before him, her disfigured face lowered to the ground in supplication as she begged and rambled for forgiveness. He had no mercy for her.

He interrupted her. 'Tell me, my sweet Bella, why you thought it wise to bring Harry Potter here, under the same roof as my valued possession.'

'You… I'm sorry, my Lord, but you commanded…'

'Are you imply that this is my fault?' The venom in his voice was there, but it was hidden underneath his smooth, composed tone.

Bellatrix Lestrange flinched as if she had been whipped across the face. 'No, my Lord, I…'

'Be silent,' he commanded calmly. 'I told you to remove my possession from your vault - the very prized possession I entrusted you with as a sign of faith - and hide it, not bring it here and display it in your trophy room, for all the world to see and marvel at. Did you think to brag, sweet Bella? Here, everyone, see how much my Lord values my service! Was that your intent?'

'N-no, my Lord,' Bellatrix stammered.

'You do not comprehend what you have cost me,' he said, indolently running one long finger along his wand. Bellatrix couldn't help but follow the movement with her one remaining eye.

'I'm sorry, my Lord, please, forgive me!'

'Do you think you deserve my forgiveness?'

'I… I have been… punished, my Lord,' Bellatrix said, very uncertain.

'Oh, you have,' he said, as if suddenly just noticing. 'Yes, of course. Your pretty face is no longer quite so pretty, is it? Those burns do not become you, nor does that puss filled hole that used to cradle your right eye. And the hair, my, it has seen better days.' There was a scattered few chuckles, hastily muffled. He paid them no mind. 'Yes,' he went on, 'you have been punished, but I ask you… is it enough?'

Bellatrix was shaking with terror and shame. She kept her head lowered and replied, as he wished, 'no, my Lord. I fear… I have not.'

'Come here,' he said, 'crawl to me, sweet Bella. You know I do not want to do this, but I must.' He smiled mockingly down on her as she crawled to him like a dog, up the steps to his throne. She knelt at his feet. 'Prove your devotion to me, Bella. You know what to do.'

Bellatrix Lestrange closed her one eye and lowered her head to her Lord's bared feet. She placed several subservient kisses to his revealed feet, the smooth flesh of her left cheek colouring with shame as she capitulated to her own humiliation. He did not laugh, but his smirk was markedly shared with the rest of his faithful Death Eaters. Those same Death Eaters lacked his class. They had no trouble laughing at Bellatrix's misfortune, only adding to her disgrace.

'Enough,' he commanded. 'Rise Bella.'

She got slowly to her feet, glancing quickly to her left, and meeting the compassionate eyes of her sister Narcissa briefly.

'Take your wand,' he said, watching as she did as instructed. 'Point it towards yourself. That's my good girl. Now, perform the Cruciatus Curse.'

Bellatrix tried to hide her shock and horror, but not very well. He saw it and it made his lips quirk with amusement. She closed her eye, wet her lips with that soft and nimble tongue of hers, and then, with a grimace on her now ugly and tortured face, she cast.

Harry woke to the sound of Voldemort's laughter in his ears.

He only realised it was mixed with his own when Hermione clutched at his arm, asking what was wrong.

He calmly himself as quickly as possible while sweat ran down into his eyes. He wiped it away.

'Harry?' Hermione pressed urgently, worriedly.

'I'm fine,' he said, getting his breath back.

'Was it? Did you see?'

'He's really angry with her,' Harry said.

'Who?'

'Bellatrix Lestrange,' Harry replied. 'She's being tortured. He has her imprisoned in her own dungeons, at the whim of every other Death Eater.'

'Why?'

'Because she cost him another Horcrux,' Harry said.

Hermione gaze him a puzzled glance.

'I think it's time I told you what happened to me.'