Chapter 1: The Warning



Ginny sat silently in bed waiting for sleep. No matter what she seemed to do, sleep could not find her. She waited patiently as her mind filled with thoughts of him. Like any girl she mulled over everything he had said to her, trying to figure out if he liked her or not. But mostly she could remember his bright piercing green eyes and the way that his black hair fell just so on his forehead. Ginny sighed as she turned over in her bed.



She was still puzzling over the words he had told her that night before she went to bed. Harry had specifically stated, “Sleep well Ginny, and be careful!” What did she have to be careful about? She was in her house, and no harm could come to her while she was in the Burrow. Ginny looked around in the dark examining everything in her room. Hermione slept peacefully on the cot next to Ginny’s bed. Nothing seemed out of place as she suspiciously looked around. If something was going to happen, how did Harry know about it? Ginny could not find an answer to that question as it surfaced in her mind.



Her mind raced towards the next day, they would all be boarding the Hogwarts train and heading back to her fifth year at school. Of course for Harry it would be his sixth year. Looking up, Ginny realized that Harry slept right above her. ‘He must look cute in his pajamas, ’Ginny thought to herself as she smiled in the darkness. She jumped as Hermione giggled in her sleep and said, “Oh Ron!” Ginny held back the laughter that tenaciously desired to come out. Quickly she jumped out of bed and quietly left the room, trying not to wake up Hermione with her laughter.



In the hall, after the laughter subsided, Ginny decided that since she was out she might as well get a drink of water for her parched throat. She laughed quietly as she climbed down the stairs in her house. In the kitchen she retrieved a glass from the cupboard and filled it at the sink. Ginny gulped the water down graciously. She walked past the fireplace on the way back to her room. It was then that she noticed something.



In the fireplace a small blue flame burned. Ginny had never seen a fire with a blue flame in her fireplace. Knowing that even if Ginny was to return to her room she knew she would never go back to sleep. Accepting her fate, she decided to sit by the fire and watch the blue flame. Sitting there in a cozy chair near the flame became almost mesmerized. Suddenly out of the flame came two hands that latched onto her arms. Before Ginny could do anything, the hands pulled her into the flame.



* * * * * * * * *



Harry lay in his bed awake. He looked at Ron, who was out cold and even snoring. Harry examined the Chudley Cannon’s poster on the wall. He still couldn’t figure out why he had told Ginny, hours earlier, that she needed to be careful. It was only a dream, but his dreams were not like normal peoples dreams. He hadn’t told anyone of the dream, for fear they would not believe him. But mostly he didn’t want to let them know why Ginny was in the dream. Harry couldn’t explain it himself, so how could he explain it to his friends or Ginny. Warning her, was the best protection he could give Ginny. Hopefully she would heed his words.



Harry pulled the sheets around tighter as he prepared to go to sleep. Yet, sleep did not seem appealing, especially if he was going to have that dream again, and see Ginny dead. He stopped that train of thought and remembered the last time in the Chamber of Secrets when her body was so lifeless. Harry didn’t want to see her like that again, pale face and body so cold. He would have never forgiven himself if he had let her down back then, or even now.



A small screech shattered his reverie. He looked over at Ron who slept soundlessly. “Ron? Did you hear that?” Harry whispered. Ron smiled in his sleep and raised an eyebrow. “Ron?” Harry tried one more time. No answer. Harry shrugged off his friend, more curious about who or what had made that noise. Harry slipped out of the room and cautiously walked down the stairs. He pulled his wand out of his sleeping robe.



When he reached the fireplace, it was lit with a bright blue flame. He looked around cautiously, thinking that he would find Mr. or Mrs. Weasley sitting in one of the chairs watching the fire. To his surprise nobody was there. Shrugging, Harry moved to sit in one of the chairs. He watched the blue flame mesmerized by its movements. It seemed to call to him, almost as if he could hear his own name.



“Harry!” Ginny’s voice urgently whispered. Harry jerked his head around searching for Ginny. She was no where in the empty room. Her voice echoed in the room strangely again. Harry, this time, moved around looking behind the chairs wondering why Ginny would hide from him. “Harry!” Ginny called again a little louder. He followed the sound to the fire place. Looking down Harry noticed the blue flame flicker strangely.



“Ginny?” Harry asked as he moved towards the fire. He knelt before it waiting for Ginny to call him again, wondering why the flame moved when she talked. Suddenly Ginny’s face appear in the fire, Harry jerked backwards with surprise. “Help me Harry! It’s...” she cut off as her face disappeared back into the flame.



“GINNY!” Harry yelled into the fire. She appeared again, “Hurry, it’s only a matter of time before...” Ginny disappeared and then reappeared. Her face filled with terror as she looked back, a hand clasped her hair and jerked her back. A laugh echoed in the room as Harry stared worriedly into the fire. Without waiting a moment more he put his hand into the blue fire and felt as though he was being sucked through a large blue straw.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * *



Hermione shook Ron awake. He turned over mumbling, “It’s too early. Go back to bed Harry.”



“Ron, it’s me, Hermione. Wake up!” Hermione whispered fiercely as she tore the blankets from Ron’s grasp.



“What do you want?” Ron asked confused as he sat up in shock.



“Ginny’s not in her bed and it looks like Harry’s gone too,” Hermione answered her voice etched with worry.



“Well why don’t you find them and let me go back to sleep,” Ron grumpily answered trying to retrieve the blankets.



“I would but I’m not going without you,” Hermione replied embarrassedly. Ron looked over at Harry’s empty bed in surprise.



“I don’t want to go alone. I heard something downstairs.”



“It’s probably them,” Ron sighed. “Can I have my blankets back?”



“Not until you come downstairs with me,” Hermione firmly demanded.



“Alright, alright. Let’s get this over with,” Ron shook his head with frustration as he slid his legs over the edge of the bed and put his slippers on. “You’ll see they’re just getting a midnight snack or something.”



“I hope your right,” Hermione said as she opened the door and pulled out her wand. Ron rolled his eyes as he walked out the door. Hermione glared at the back of his head as she followed him out of the room.



Ron lead the way down the stairs with his wand drawn. He had relcutantly pulled it out knowing that Hermione would feel more comfortable. It was his own house and nothing could go wrong within the walls of his home. His parents were here and that was enough for him.



Hermione was close on his heels with her hand nervously squeezing his shoulder. She hadn't dreamed up that noise. It scared her even more when she found that both Harry and Ginny were missing.



“See there is nothing down here,” Ron quietly whispered as they stepped onto the main floor. Although the fact that nobody was on the main floor, made him a little more apprehensive. He was sure that if Harry and Ginny were out of bed that they would be in kitchen. Yet in the blue light Ron could see that the kitchen was empty. “Wait a second we’ve never had a blue flame in….” Ron began to say but was interrupted.



“Ron! Look!” Hermione gasped as she pointed to the blue flame. A foot quickly disappeared into the blue flame. “It was Harry, he didn’t see us. He just got sucked up into the blue flame!”



“You’re seeing things Hermione,” Ron accused as he rubbed his eyes and looked at the blue flame. “When has there ever been a blue flame in my fireplace?”



“Ron, that’s not normal. Something is terribly wrong. We should go and wake your parents,” Hermione replied looking frightened at the flame.



“It’s just a blue flame. Maybe mum’s got a new blue flame that burns at night instead of the normal color flame,” Ron shrugged off her suggestion. "You women are always getting fashionable things that are so worthless."



“We should wake your mum and dad,” Hermione stated as she watched the flame.



“Harry’s not in trouble. He’s just out for a walk with Gin’. See look this fire is safe,” Ron told her plainly as he put his hand towards the flame. “It’s not even hot. Besides a little blue flame cannot suck people up, you need floo powder for that.”



“Ron wait!” Hermione yelled as she grabbed his other hand, as soon as his fingers came near the flame, they were both sucked into the flame. Their last cries of surprise gone, leaving the Burrow quiet and peaceful.

Chapter 2: The Forest



Ron grunted as he hit something hard, which he assumed was the ground. Seconds later Hermione came screaming down behind him. He heard her softly moan as she also hit the ground next to him. He sat up and moved over to help her. “Are you alright?” Ron sincerely asked as he knelt next to her picking up her hand. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t expect this to happen.”

“I’m alright,” Hermione groaned as she sat up. “Don’t worry about it. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just fine,” Ron replied. He was still a little angry at himself for not suspecting something more about that blue flame. Ron wondered if the rest of his family at home would be safe. He left go of that idea. Looking around he wondered what kind of trouble he had gotten himself and Hermione into. He tried not to look worried as he saw Hermione’s scared face examine their surroundings. “Where are we?”

“I don’t know,” Hermione answered as she rubbed her head. She slowly stood up with Ron’s help. Hermione blushed as she wobbled and Ron steadied her with his hand on her back. Looking away from Ron’s face, Hermione tried to ascertain the strange world around them. They stood in the middle of strange room. It was dark, but the pale moonlight streamed through the windows, lighting the room. As her eyes adjusted to the rather dark room, Hermione noticed the walls were thick trunks of trees and the ceiling a thick knot of intertwining branches.

“Ron,” Hermione whispered quietly. He looked at her expectantly. She nodded towards the other side of the room. A hunched over darkened figure stood at the door.

Ron started at the figure wondering who or what it was. As his eyes adjusted he could make out a familiar image. “Harry!” Ron called out as he crossed the room to his best mate.

“You found the blue flame too huh?” Harry asked as he turned to his friends. He was surprised to see both Ron and Hermione standing there, but it was an easy assumption how they both came to be standing there.

“What’s going on?” Hermione asked as she came to stand beside Ron.

Harry felt guilty for not telling them about his dream, yet he couldn’t tell them early since he doubted that even them, his friends, would understand. Would now even be the time to explain to them? Harry wondered as he looked at his friends. “Well,” Harry began lamely. “Back at the Burrow, I couldn’t fall asleep and I heard someone scream. I went down stairs to check out what was going on and then Ginny’s face appeared in the fire. I knew she was in trouble and so I followed her here. Ginny was gone when I arrived. I did see someone go through that door but I can’t open it.”

“Where are we?” Ron replied staring at the door.

Harry had also pondered that when he first arrived. It was a room out trees that had grown closely together and had interwoven their branches together at the top. A room built out of nature could be anywhere and Harry had no idea where they were. For all he knew they could be outside of England. His friends looked at him expectantly.

“I don’t know where we are. I don’t really know what is going on. Ginny just said in the fire that we have to hurry before something happens. She didn’t say what,” Harry told them with a shrug hoping that they wouldn’t want more from him.

“Do you think that it has to do with you-know-who?” Ron steadily asked voicing his fears. He had tried to keep his emotion under control when he put forth the question, and felt that he had succeeded. Ron was worried most about frightening Hermione, but his words didn’t seem to cause any stir.

“I don’t know,” Harry mumbled thoughtfully. He had already pondered this question and hoped against it. Ginny in Voldermorts’ hands was not something that he found comforting.

“That wasn’t the normal Floo Network that we went through,” Hermione said. “I’ve read once that for Voldermort to get his younger supporters to him, he used a system like the Floo Network. The Ministry searched for network but could never find it.”

“Why did Voldermort need a Floo Network?” Ron asked confused.

“Younger followers can’t apparate,” Hermione replied rolling her eyes. She was slightly frustrated that Ron once again didn’t listen to her. In a dangerous situation like this she at least expected him to pay attention more.

“Wait, why would Voldermort use younger supporters?” Harry questioned.

“They are less likely to be discovered, and make good spies,” Hermione answered, rolling her eyes again. Frustrated she quickly explained, “The details aren’t important. You-know-who might be around her somewhere, that’s all I’m trying to say. We should be very careful”

“Great, so we’ve traveled through a system that Voldermort uses to get his younger supports to him. That’s not the greatest news for us, now is it?” Ron put forth deflated.

“I just said that!” Hermione replied exasperated.

“We don’t even know if Voldermort has anything to do with this. Besides, Voldermort would not kidnap Ginny, he would have just kidnapped and killed me,” Harry said as he turned to the door and tried to open it. Hermione opened her mouth. “I’ve tried all the spell’s I know. The door won’t open.”

“What if we try a different way?” Hermione asked looking pleased with herself.

“What do you have in mind,” Ron wondered doubtfully. He looked to Harry who shrugged in return.

“Step aside boys, I’ll open the door.”

With one spell that Harry had never heard of, Hermione blasted the door open. It almost seemed too simple to Harry, but he shrugged off the idea, only hoping that his dream would not come true. He hoped that Ginny was still okay.

Harry ran through the open door only to find himself standing in a large forest. Ron and Hermione who were on his heels, stood silently taking in the scenery. Harry sighed; it was starting to become familiar. He looked down and just like in his dream; he saw footprints in the muddy ground. There was a small pair, that Harry knew had to belong to Ginny and larger footprints that were indistinguishable.

“We have to go this way,” Harry pointed into the forest.

“How do you know?” Hermione asked perplexed. She looked in that direction with a face of uncertainty.

“The footprints.”

“But how do you know they are Ginny's?” Ron inquired of Harry.

Harry shrugged. He really didn’t want to tell him about the dream. Not yet, he wasn’t sure if it was even real or not. A few things that had happened already were the same, but some things were been different, like having Ron and Hermione with him. But Harry would know soon enough about his dream. They would be running into the creature any time now, if it was becoming true.

“Come on, we don’t have much time. We have to save Ginny!” Harry informed them as he started to run through the forest following the prints. His two friends nodded determinedly and then quickly followed him into the dark forest.

In the darkness behind them a shadow loomed, quietly stalking them with an evil smile across its face. The plan was working.

Chapter 3 Erlking Encounter

Deeper and deeper they went into the forest following the footprints. The forest around them was dark and foreboding which didn’t help their hopes for saving Ginny or making it out alive themselves. A darkness of mist seemed to loom around them making them walk close together. They spent most of their time wondering if Ginny was alright, and why anyone would want to kidnap her. All of them had come up with ideas and voiced them to keep away the creepy feeling of the forest, but mostly as time went on they seemed more and more absurd.

“Maybe Voldermort wanted a girlfriend,” Ron forced himself to laugh trying to ignore the images his imagination was creating the mist around them.

“Voldermort wants a girlfriend. Ron, that’s crazy,” Hermione glared at him. “Be serious. We need a real motive.”

“Hey look,” Harry said and he pointed at the trees ahead of them. There was a door standing strangely in front of them. It was a wooden door with a big golden handle. Harry was sure that this was the strangest thing he had ever seen. He could tell by the looks on his friends faces, that they all shared his thoughts.

“What is this place?” Ron repeated with a worried look around him. “All this time I thought that we have been outside.”

“Although I don’t think that this whole time I’ve heard anything other than us in this forest. No other sounds, no crickets, rabbits, bears, wolves, or anything. I don’t think this is a real forest,” Hermione concluded looking around uncertain.

Harry cleared his voice, his eyes and mind on something in front of him. He stated with apprehension, “I don’t think that we will get through that door until we kill that Erkling.”

“What!?!” Hermione gasped as she turned to look at the Erkling standing menacingly in the doorway.

Harry had only seen pictures of Erklings in his books at school and never in real life. He was sure they were doctored up for the text books. The Erkling was only three feet high with a pointed face. This one in particular was green and fairly ugly. Harry had learned that these creatures have a high-pitched cackle that entrance little children. When the Erklings lure the children away they eat the children. Harry was unsure if it was this that had lured Ginny away, but to see this creature made him worry further for Ginny’s safety.

“What do we do?” Ron asked Hermione without taking his eyes from the creature.

Hermione stood next to Ron visibly shuddering. Her mind was worried for Ginny, Harry, Ron and herself. She could not voice her fears as she started at the creature. Hermione was frightened and all she could do was inch closer to Ron.

The Erkling smiled making his face even more pointed. As it began laughing its high-pitched cackle, its dark green eyes lighted with a fury black.

“Cover you ears!” Harry yelled as he shoved his hand over his ears trying to block out the sound. Harry was unsure if the cackle would affect them or not, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. Looking over to his friends he could see that they had followed his lead. Hermione looked at Harry with a face that said ‘do something’. Harry turned to the Erkling, who had by now stopped its laughter.

“Where is Ginny?” Harry asked taking his hand off his ears put leaving his arms up. The Erkling turned its head to the side and laughed again.

“What’s a ginny?” the Erkling asked. “Is it tasty?”

“Have you seen a girl with red hair come through here?” Hermione questioned trying to ignore the last comment from the Erkling. She thrust away a horrible mental picture that its words invoked. Hermione started hard into its eyes, making sure she wouldn’t break the eye contact it suddenly made with her.

“Yes, red hair girl, went through door,” the Erkling replied sadly. “I wish I could have had meal off of her.”

“Will you let us by?” Harry asked hoping that the Erkling wouldn’t put up a fight. It did seem helpful since it answered their question, but wasn’t too hopeful since it did make some off colored remarks.

The Erkling in reply smiled even larger.

“Where are we?” Ron asked hoping to get something more out of the creature.

The Erkling did nothing but stand like a soldier at his post, but this time he licked his lips with a brown slimy tongue.

“You will let us by,” Harry replied taking out his wand. He knew that Erkling intended to have meal of them and he wasn’t going allow that. Harry decided already that he would do everything he could in order to save Ginny, and that meant killing the Erkling.

The Erkling didn’t wait a moment longer to jump forward and bite Harry’s hand. Harry cried out as he threw the creature with a reflex of swing of his arm. The Erkling hit a tree and rolled on the ground. It jumped to its feet at the last minute and licked the blood off its face. Harry did wait for the Erkling and shouted out, “Rictusempra!” The spell hit a tree as the Erkling dodged it. In a second the Erkling took flight and headed for Hermione.

Ron seeing the path of the creature, jumped in front of her. Without thought he punched the Erkling in mid air. As his first connected with the Erkling, pain shot down his hand as he heard a cracking noise come from the Erkling’s body.

“I don’t think so!” Ron yelled at it as he punched the Erkling. It hit another tree and this time instead of rolling, used the momentum and sprang back at Ron, it’s face bloody with a disfigured nose from the punch. The Erklings teeth sunk into Ron’s arm and he cried out in pain. But a spell from Hermione knocked the Erkling to the ground, paralyzed.

“Why didn’t you do that sooner?” Ron shouted as he turned around holding his shoulder. He didn’t mean to be so harsh with Hermione, but he couldn’t take back his words. Guilty he turned away from her and angered at himself, scanned his wound.

“I would have if you hadn’t got in the way,” Hermione snapped back. She was angry that he couldn’t just thank her and instead just be thankful.

Ron didn’t answer as he stood trying to apply pressure to his wound. He turned to see Hermione watching him with a worried look. Not wanting her sympathy, he walked over to Harry pretending that he was okay. Ron smiled at Harry and then seeing Harry’s hand asked, “You alright mate?”

Harry examined his hand closely. The teeth marks were not too deep but blood still covered his hand. He ripped a piece of cloth off his sleeping robes and tied it around his hand. He looked up to see Hermione examining Ron’s shoulder. The wounds in Ron’s shoulder were deep and with a worried glance from Hermione, Harry knew that they had to find Ginny fast and get out of there.

“Are you alright?” Hermione asked Ron from behind him.

“Yeah, my shoulders a bit keen though,” Ron answered as looked down at his shoulder. “I think I’ll be fine. It hurts quite a bit less than when Siruis broke my leg.”

“Here,” Hermione stated as she ripped her own sleeping robe and began to bind Ron’s wound. “This should help stop the bleeding.”

Ron allowed Hermione to wind the bottom of her robe around his wound tightly. After she finished he quickly said, “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine, we have to find Gin’ first.” She nodded quietly and then turned to Harry as though she was waiting for him to say something.

“He’s right you know, we can’t leave without Ginny,” Harry repeated to Hermione. She determinedly nodded. “Let’s go!” Harry commanded as he ran over to the door. Ron and Hermione on his heels.

Harry’s hand touched the doorknob and he felt a shiver up his spine. He feared this would be the door in his dream, it would be coming soon. Harry now knew with the appearance of the Erkling that his dream was becoming reality. Ignoring the overwhelming emotions, Harry reminded himself that they needed to save Ginny. He gallantly pushed open the door and stepped through.

Chapter 4: Some Answers, More Questions



Harry stepped into the brilliant light. The sun shone brightly above them and Harry instantly felt hot, but quickly tried to ignore that fact as his mind jumped to finding Ginny. Looking around, Harry was shocked by what he saw. It had not been what he expected at all. They all stood in front of a huge pyramid. Ron stood gaping at the huge pyramid, Hermione looked quite confused, and Harry shook his black messy hair. It didn’t make any sense to him. He had a dream about all the things that had happened leading up to this. Of course he didn’t dream about the blue flame, but he did dream about the Erkling. The pyramid was not what he would have expected to come next. Harry was sure that he did not dream about this.

“We can’t be in Egypt!” Ron stated disbelievingly. “I know I’ve been there before. And this doesn’t look right at all.”

“Why not?” Harry asked confused by Ron’s statement.

“Because all the pyramids are made out of limestone and granite, not a tan marble,” Ron answered as he still studied the pyramid. Harry looked back at the pyramid and did notice that is was marble.

“Ron’s right! I’ve never heard of marble pyramids!” Hermione informed Harry as she looked around worriedly. “We should go back and get help!”

“We are not leaving Ginny!” Harry firmly replied. He felt his words were a little harsh as Hermione’s face fell. “You can go, but I can’t let Ginny down. She’s in trouble and I won’t leave her.”

Hermione looked at Harry for a moment. She seemed to be debating things in her head, but then nodded and turned around. “The door’s gone!” She gasped. “We can get back!” The door they had all stepped through had disappeared after they had walked through it. None of them noticed since their eyes were diverted by the huge pyramid before them. Where the door once stood only mountains of sand dunes could be seen.

“Great! Now where stuck in the middle of nowhere in a desert!” Ron complained. He turned back the pyramid. “How are we going to find Ginny? If she’s even here.”

“She’s here somewhere. It looks like we’ll have to go through their little maze first,” Harry told them looking straight ahead at the open Egyptian doorway that led inside the pyramid.

“This is obviously and altered reality. We should all be careful,” Hermione informed them. She looked inside the pyramid wondering what dangers lay ahead for them. Although she had decided to return to get Ron’s parents, it came to her that her friends may need her help and besides there was no longer a way to return. She glanced sideways at Harry.

Harry nodded his head his eyes still on the pyramid. His imagination raced as he thought of what was inside. Taking a deep breath, Harry looked down at the ground. Again he saw footprints in the sand. A small pair that he knew belonged to Ginny and another pair of larger footprints that belonged to an unknown. Glancing back up at sand in the doorway to the pyramid something glinted off the sunlight catching his attention. In the middle of the doorway was a silver necklace with a heart charm on it. Harry moved forward and picked up the necklace. Upon closer examination he noticed blood splotches on the necklace. A little diamond set in the middle of the heart instead of looking white was a deep hue of red, covered with blood.

“What is it?” Ron asked as Harry straightened.

“Does this look familiar?” Harry questioned Ron as he held up the necklace.

“That’s Ginny’s! She never takes it off,” Ron exclaimed. His face became instantly worried as he saw the blood on the necklace. “If anything happens to her….I”ll….” Ron stopped as he became very angry. He would kill anyone that harmed his sister. Ron hadn’t even really believed Ginny was here, until he saw her necklace. His face was pale with fear, and knowing that he could not help her more than what they were already doing stated quietly, “I hope she’s alright.”

“Is that blood!” Hermione asked frightened. As she watched Harry shake his head, her knees began to tremble. Ginny had always been like a close sister to her. She never imagined that something terrible like this could happen to her fun loving Ginny. Her heart sank as she entertained the thought that maybe Ginny was already dead. Shaking her head, she drove that thought out of her head.

“If anything happens to her I will make them pay!” Ron finished his threat, his eyes still watching the necklace closely.

“We don’t even know who ‘them’ are Ron,” Hermione told him gently. His love for his sister was very sweet and touched her heart. “We have to find out where Ginny is and go from there. Come on!” Ron glared angrily at the door the pyramid and resolutely walked through the doorway. Hermione followed him looking quite worried.

Harry looked down at the necklace in his hand and then watched his two friends walk inside the pyramid. He looked down at the blood stained necklace again. Making sure his friends did not see Harry undid the latch and put the necklace on. He slipped the charm under his clothes and walked into the pyramid after his friends.

Inside the pyramid was a dark corridor lit by torches that didn’t give off much light. The air inside was cool, but still warm. The smell in the air was like they had just stepped into a musty old basement room. Ron was leading the group with Hermione right behind him, clutching his shoulder. Harry brought up the rear, glancing behind them every so often making sure nothing was following them or going to attack them. They twisted down the corridors of the maze. Every turn and every hallway looked the same.

“I think we’re going in circles,” Hermione told Ron worriedly. He turned his head to look back at her and gave her an annoyed look.

“We’re in a maze! Of course it looks like we are going in circles!” Ron said with a disgusted look on his face. “Everything looks exactly the same!”

“Well, sorry but I just wanted to point out that since you are just taking right hand turns we going to end up in circles,” Hermione informed him with a matter of fact tone, frustrated that he wasn’t being smart enough to figure it out himself.

“I am not!” Ron denied. He glared at Hermione. “Mind you, there haven’t been any other ways to turn.”

“Yes, there was!” Hermione replied angrily. “See you can turn that way!” She pointed to a wall. Harry and Ron exchanged glanced at each other and then looked back at Hermione skeptically.

“That’s a wall Hermione,” Ron said gently as though he were telling a mental insane person.

Hermione looked glared at her two friends and then without another word walked straight through the wall. Harry blinked as he saw her now standing down the passage he could not see earlier.

“Bloody Hell! How did you do that!?!” Ron exclaimed rubbing his eyes.

“I didn’t. It’s been here the whole time,” Hermione smirked. “Hey look there is an arrow on the wall. I bet this point us to the way out!”

“Great let’s get out of this place,” Ron replied and went and joined Hermione.

“Wait, why is it that you can see it and we can’t?” Harry asked perplexed, not trusting the situation.

“My only guess is that sometime there are spells that only work on the opposite sex. Which means a girl cast the spell and was not expecting any other girls to go through,” Hermione explained. She stopped to think about her own words, wondering who put this strange illusionary world together.

“But why the arrows?” Harry questioned. He was still uncertain about following them. Harry worried that it could possibly be a trap. He wasn’t going to follow unless he was sure that it wouldn’t lead them into trouble.

“I dunno,” Ron answered. “Who cares? If it helps us to find Ginny faster, than I don’t care!”

“I bet she didn’t plan on Ron and me,” Hermione began quietly. “I bet she only planned on talking Ginny and Harry. Ron and I stumbled into this unexpectedly. Why only Ginny and Harry? What’s Voldermort trying to do?”

“Hermione, Voldermort can’t be doing this. Remember it must be a girl,” Ron reminded her and then stopped to think himself. Wondering who was doing this other than Voldermort.

“That’s right!” Hermione replied. “But who could it be?”

“It’s Bellatrix Lestrange,” Harry venomously spit out the name. He still hated her for killing Siruis. She would never be forgiven for her murder and Harry would make sure that Bellatrix would get hers in return, by his own hand if necessary. Maybe it was for this purpose that she had taken Ginny. “She’s here somewhere. Waiting.”

“What is she waiting for? Why take Ginny?” Ron asked still trying to fill in the pieces of the puzzle. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“Cause she knows I will come for Ginny,” Harry determinedly stated. Ron looked at Harry as if he had never seen him before. Harry ignored the blank stares from his friends. “I bet she made the arrows so that she could get through the maze faster. Hermione lead the way,” Harry commanded. He was no longer worried about a trap, but about Ginny’s safety and finding Bellatrix to avenge Siruis.

Hermione nodded without question and then turned around and started following the arrows.

Ron and Harry followed her for a long time. They twisted down corridors that they did not see at first. Finally Hermione stopped in front of a large statue head that’s chin rested on the ground and hair touched the ceiling. Something sat in the statues mouth, guarding the way out of the maze. Harry stumbled backwards a few steps and Hermione screamed as they looked at large creature.

Ron simply shuddered and scarcely whispered, “I hate spiders!”

Chapter 5 Spider Fight




The giant spider sat in the middle of its web carefully repairing the damage that had been done. It looked as if someone had brushed aside the web and walked through the door on the other side. The large spider was not like the one Ron and Harry had encountered in their second year. Its body was the size of a fat four year old child and its eight long legs extended outwards. There was a large red skull mark on the back of the spider. The giant spider did not seem to notice Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It was too enthralled in its meticulous work in string back together its web.

Harry stood silently looking over the situation. It was to their advantage that the spider had been too busy to notice them. He looked over at Hermione who stood on his right side. Hermione nodded her head as if to tell Harry she didn’t know what to do. He looked over at Ron who looked petrified and his eyes never leaving the spider. It was as if he look away from the spider, it would come and kill him. Harry turned back to the spider, ascertaining the situation, wondering how they could get around the spider without its notice. Before Harry could come up with any plan to surprise attack the spider Ron’s whimpering brought the spider’s attention to them.

“What do you want?” its deep voice boomed and echoed off the walls of the maze surrounding them. “Come to destroy my web again. I will not let you do that.”

“We don’t want to destroy your web,” Hermione told the spider gently, but her unsteady voice gave away that she was very frightened of the large creature in front of her. “Is there some way we could get by before you finish fixing it that way you won’t have to fix it twice.”

“My beautiful hard work destroyed in seconds. You think that I will allow you by to destroy it again. Strange and stupid creatures you are. Just like the two that came through here only minutes ago ruining my web,” The spider complained as it finished fixing one strand and moved onto the next.

“Who were these two people?” Harry asked quickly. He hoped to gain some sort of knowledge about who was behind all of it. Deep down he knew it had to be Bellatrix but Harry wanted to know for certain not just a sure guess.

“An older looking and a younger looking creature. The same beautiful hair as that creature there, but longer.” The spider said moving a few of its eyes too look at the children, while it kept the rest of its eyes on its work.

“Can we get through your web please, it is a matter of life and death,” Harry told the spider urgently. It looked at Harry then began fixing the web again and ignored the three of them standing there. Harry nervously ruffled his messy black hair. He wanted to do this without a fight, but he was sure they couldn’t move the spider peacefully.

“Why can’t they ever just let us in? Why does it always have to end up like this?” Ron asked as he wined looking at the spider then back at Harry and Hermione.

“What are we going to do?” Hermione questioned as she looked to Harry again. Her face was frowning with fear and worry.

“Do you have any useful spells Hermione?” Harry whispered back and smiled hopefully at her. He encouraged her with an assured nod that she was the smartest witch of her class. Her face smiled and her eyes lit up but quickly died as the booming voiced interrupted them.

“What are you whispering about?” The spider replied tying a strand of web together.

“Why should we tell you?” Ron angrily spat back. His fear seemed to turn to rage towards the spider, but the fear seemed to still be there as his eyes never moved from it.

“I’ll let you pass only if I can eat one of you. I’m hungry and one of you would do. Not too much to pay to get by and save another,” The spider bargained.

“No way!” Ron cried out venomously. He glared at the spider with a mixture of rage and repulsion. His body seemed to shiver with fear every so often.

“Fine, then I will enjoy all of you for a meal,” the spider answered as it angrily clicked its pincers. It jumped from its web and landed on top of Hermione. Harry quickly sent a spell at the spider, the aim was off and the spell hit the wall making it crumble and crack.

Hermione laid on the floor screaming as she kicked and hit the spider in any ways she could. She kept dodging the venoms fangs as the spider kept trying to bite her. Hermione’s wand had been knocked to the ground and out of her reach, trapped by the legs of the spider. Harry sent another spell towards the spider. At that moment Hermione rolled to the side to dodge the fangs and luckily knocked the spiders’ legs causing the creature to fall and the spell to hit the wall.

Harry cursed and looked to Ron who stood there petrified. “Ron get moving!”

“It’s a spider!” Ron replied frightened as he shivered looking at the spider that still held Hermione captive.

“Ron do something!” Harry roared at him. Ron just blinked his face a pasty white. Harry hopelessly shoved his wand into his pocket and did the last thing he could think of. He rand over and charged the spider and trying to push it off Hermione.

Hermione screamed louder as the spider’s pinchers and fangs came closer to her face. When Harry charged the spiders, it jerked its head to the side. Hermione cried out as she felt her face get cut. With that last scream from Hermione, Ron jumped into action.

“Move Harry!” Ron shouted as he stepped forward. His eyes determined as his jaw stern. Harry leapt back from the spider. Hermione screamed again with horror as the spiders’ fang came closer to her face and this time there was no escape for her.

“Hermione hold still!” Ron said as he raised his wand at the spider. Without waiting for a reply, Ron sent a spell at the spider. It hit the spider and knocked it into the wall. As the spider fell to the ground it bounced back up as though it had fell on springs and was ready to fight. Hermione by this time had gotten to her feet and snatched up her wand. She stood ready with her face filled in anger, pointing her wand at the spider. The spider, who was charging at her, stopped mid-stride with a glance at Hermione face.

“I swear right here and now, if you don’t let us through that web, I will kill you,” Hermione threatened. The spider didn’t wait a moment shied away to a dark corner away from the door.

“My web is not hard to fix,” The spider began to reconsider from the dark corner. “You may go through it.”

“Wait,” Harry called out to Ron who was already climbing through the web. “We should ask it some questions.”

“Good, idea!” Hermione replied, her face bleeding a bit from the wound she received. She would have been normally scared to question a dangerous spider, but now that it was under her control she wasn’t too worried at all. Hermione pointed her wand at the spider that hid in the dark corner.

“Just hurry it up, I don’t want to be around that thing any longer than I have to,” Ron said. He eyed the spider suspiciously.

“Alright, I think you know more than you are telling us. Who was it that ruined your web the first time?” Harry demanded forcefully pulling out his own wand.

The spider looked from Hermione’s wand to Harry. The wise spider eyed them both for a moment and then quickly told them, “It was Bellatrix and a red-haired girl.”

“Why did Bellatrix kidnap Ginny, the red-haired girl?” Harry interrogated. His mind was on a roll now. He knew for sure that it was Bellatrix doing all of this, but he still couldn’t put together why and what her motives were.

“I don’t know,” The spider replied. It pulled itself further into the darkness afraid that its answer wasn’t enough.

“How can you not know? You’re obviously working for her!” Ron exclaimed disbelievingly. His fears seemed to be gone as his desire to know about his sister over took him.

“I do work for her, but I don’t know what she is doing. She told me just to stall you,” The spider answered nervously. A few of its legs fidgeting with fear.

“Is that all,” Hermione asked acidly. Her wand menacingly pointed at the creature.

“I know nothing more, I swear,” The spider nervously clicked its pinchers.

“I think he’s telling the truth,” Hermione answered looking at Harry.

“Let’s go,” Harry sternly replied.

Ron nodded and quickly went through the web and opened the door. Harry looked at Hermione.

“Go ahead, I’m right behind you,” She replied backing away from the spider towards the web. Hermione stood there waiting with her wand ready and Harry motioned her in. She smiled and went through the door. Harry still pointed his wand. At the spider and with one quick glance at the spider in the corner, he followed Hermione.

“She will find your weakness in the end and then kill you!” The spider suddenly threatened. Harry could hear those words, but it was too late to stop and asked what the spider meant. The door was closed and the words were all Harry had. Words that made him frightened as he never had been before.

Chapter 6 Stuck




Harry woke up with Hermione and Ron over him. Their worried faces bearing down on him. Hermione’s blood stained face was mixed with tears and Ron looked pallid. As soon as Harry opened his eyes, Ron let out a sigh of relief and Hermione smiled through her tears. Harry was so confused, his head ached and he couldn’t remember anything. He sat up slowly and looking down noticed he was sitting in sand. Before he could ponder what was happening Hermione attacked him with a hug.

“I’m so glad your not dead!” Her words echoed loudly in his ear.

After a moment or two Harry felt a little light headed from the hug. “Hermione?” Harry asked.

“Oh, sorry!” She replied embarrassed and pulled away. Her face was blotchy from crying. Her brown eyes were puffy and swollen. Hermione swallowed hard as she looked at him with a smile.

“Are you alright Mate?” Ron asked apprehensively.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Harry replied rubbing his head, the pain was still bothering him a bit. “What happened?”

“We don’t know. You just suddenly fainted.” Hermione told him tactfully.

Harry stared at her for a moment. He didn’t know what to believe. One second he was following Hermione through the door and the next he saw Ginny lying on the floor in the Chamber of Secrets. He relived the whole ordeal in the Chamber of Secrets. It was as if someone was reading his memories, but who and why. Harry looked up as he felt two pairs of eyes examining him. His two friends still sitting next to him, looking even more worried.

“Are you sure your alright?” Hermione asked again. She sat kneeling next to him, her pallor face filled with concern. Her lower lip trembled slightly as if she had been crying for a while.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Harry mumbled, his mind still on the images he had relived. All the feelings had coming rushing back to him and Harry felt even more worried about Ginny.

“You don’t look alright,” Ron stated dubiously, bringing Harry out of his reverie.

“Where are we?” Harry asked trying to distract his friends attention from him. He looked around him only to find that his dream was still coming true. He had seen this place before.

There were large deep puddles of water littered around the sandy areas. The pools of water were wide enough for a middle sized adult to fit into. Harry sat on one of the large sandy areas, with a pool of water to the right and left of him. He noticed that there were no mountains, no trees, or any other vegetation except for the dry seaweed that sat on the sand, even off in the distance. The sky above them was overcast and gray. Harry looked closer at the water and found it to be a turquoise color and as it went deeper became a dark royal blue.

Harry stood up slowly and then wobbled for a moment. His eyes still on the water, a movement in the distance caught his eye and something stirred slowly in between the water pools on the sand. Harry nudged Ron and pointed at the moving figure.

“What is that?” Ron asked as he squinted at the figure.

“It looks like a…” Hermione trailed off as she put a hand over her eyes. “It’s a Fire Crab!”

Harry had never seen a Fire Crab. They resembled tortoises except their shells are made out of jewels. Fire Crabs also shoot out fire from their rear end, but for the most part they are not very dangerous. Harry had read about them in his textbook and was eagerly hovering over the pool, trying to see it. As the Fire Crab came closer the trio gasped as they saw the shell. Like in the books the Fire Crab had a beautiful shell made of sparkling jewels. The assortment of colors and the design on the Fire Crab’s shell was gorgeous.

“Wow!” Hermione breathed, her eyes glowing with excitement. “I never knew they were so stunning!”

“Yeah, now I see why wizards would want to use their shells as cauldrons,” Ron answered amazed.

“Ron!” Hermione complained as she turned to him with her hands on her hips.

“What? I didn’t mean that I want one,” Ron told her innocently.

“Where do you think we are suppose to go?” Harry asked them ignoring their bickering and looking across the empty horizon. “I mean there is no door that I can see in the distance. How are we suppose to get out of here?”

“That’s a good question,” Ron replied trying to change the conversation with Hermione. He followed Harry’s lead and looked around.

“We aren’t stuck here are we?” Hermione worried aloud, the bickering forgotten. She looked to Ron at his shoulder and then felt the deep gash on her own face. “We have to get back soon.”

“There isn’t much more we can do Hermione. We have to go through whatever Bellatrix left behind for us,” Harry said.

“We aren’t even sure if it is Bellatrix. The spider could have been lying,” Hermione informed him softly.

“I do, I’ve know from the start,” Harry replied. His two friends looked at him quizzically. He sighed. Was it was time to tell them? He stared back at his friends and then nodded his head. It wasn’t the time quite yet to tell them. Harry wasn’t even sure if they would believe him. He had to wait until he was sure he could divulge that information.

“Come on, let’s go,” Harry commanded as he stepped forward hoping that they would find a way out of this place and that his two friends wouldn’t ask anymore questions.

“Where are we going?” Ron asked skeptically.

“We’re going to save Ginny,” Harry answered putting his hand over the heart shaped necklace that still lied underneath his robes.

“Do you think the Fire Crab could help us?” Hermione wondered aloud.

“I doubt it could talk,” Ron shrugged.

“Well, everything else we have ran into seems to be able to talk, so why can’t a Fire Crab talk?” Hermione reasoned.

“It’s worth a try to ask for directions especially if it gets us closer to saving Ginny,” Harry stated thoughtfully.

Harry carefully and cautiously made his way towards the Fire Crab. Hermione was a step behind him and Ron followed them reluctantly. On closer examination, Harry found that the Fire Crab’s shell was more beautiful than he had thought earlier. With a gasp behind him, Harry knew that Hermione and Ron also felt the same.

The Fire Crab had it’s behind to them and Harry didn’t want to be roasted. He walked around another blue pool of water and then stopped directly in front of the Fire Crab. Clearing his voice Harry started out lamely, “Excuse me, have you seen young girl with red hair come by here?”

The Fire Crab looked up at Harry then back at the seaweed at its feet and then continued to eat it. Harry threw a look over his shoulder at his friends. Ron shrugged and Hermione nodded him on.

“Do you know how to get out of here?” Harry said loudly, making sure that the Fire Crab would hear. It again looked up lazily from its meal and started at Harry as though to say, I’m too busy to be bothered.

“I don’t think that he talks,” Ron answered. “It’s not worth spending our time here talking to a Fire Crab that won’t tell us anything.”

“It was at least worth a try,” Hermione shot back. Ron just shrugged again. Harry ignored the two and began straining his eyes to find something, anything to help them out. His dream had encompassed this place, but he didn’t remember how he got through it.

“Were there any footprints in the sand?” Harry asked looking hopeful at his two friends.

“I’m sure there are,” Hermione responded. “There would have to be.”

“If there were, we just walked all over them,” Ron solemnly told them, looking back from where they had been earlier.

“We can’t give up,” Harry stated, carefully watching the sand walking back to where they had stood. He looked at the sand hopelessly, there were no footprints. Not even their own. It was as though the sand just covered their tracks. “Nothing,” He called to his friends angrily.

Hermione and Ron still stood by the Fire Crab admiring the beautiful shell. Hermione sighed at Harry’s call. She wiped her face and looked down at her hand that was now covered in blood. Looking down at the pool, she leaned over and washed her hand in water.

“Hermione don’t do that!” Ron chided irately. “You don’t know what is in that water or where it has been. It could be poisoned for all we know.”

“Don’t be foolish! Of course it is not poisoned,” Hermione refuted, but her voice unsteady. Uncertainly she glanced at her hand making sure it was still okay and then back at the water.

Harry by this time had made his way over to them. His mind still busy with the possibilities of trying to leave this puzzle they were stuck in. “There are no doors, no exits, no footprints to follow, a Fire Crab that can’t talk, and just these strange pools of water,” Harry assessed the situation. “What are we suppose to do?”

“I don’t know,” Hermione mumbled examining her hand closely again.

The water in the pool beside them gurgled as a few air bubbles reached the surface. Hermione jerked around to look at it. Ron put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back away from the pool.

“Something is not right about that,” Ron replied tensely watching the water hole.

Ripples disturbed the waters surface. They all held their breath, waiting for something to happen. After several moments, the water calmed again and nothing happened. Ron relaxed his hands that still encompassed Hermione’s shoulder. He began to furiously blush as Hermione turned to look at him. Harry smiled at the two of them.

“It’s okay Ron. Thanks for protecting me, even though you didn’t need to,” Hermione smiled at him. Ron blushed even deeper matching his red hair. Hermione giggled into her hand.

“Alright, so how do you think we get out of here?” Harry proposed again bringing them all back to the main problem.

Suddenly a strange sort of monkey emerged from the water pool. It looked like a monkey although it had no fur, but instead scales like a fish. Harry stepped back a few paces. Hermione suppressed an urge to scream. Ron quickly snatched Hermione back as they looked at the strange creature. It smiled at them revealing two rows of sharp teeth.

Chapter 7 Solving the Puzzle


“It’s a Kappa!” Hermione gasped as she looked at the creature. Her mind reeled with worse case scenarios as she stared at the creature with horror. She looked to Harry, whose face was expressionless. It seemed to Hermione that he had anticipated expected the creature to be there. She knew there was something that he was not telling her, but she could not figure out what it was.

“A what?” Ron questioned blankly.

“It’s a Kappa,” Harry repeated.

“Oh, right, that strange creature that if you feed it a cumber with the persons name carved into it, then the creature won’t hurt you,” Ron answered with a smile. “I think that’s the only fact I remember about it cause it seemed so absurd.”

“Not, to be rude Ron, but we don’t have any cumbers,” Hermione pointed out. Ron shrugged but was stopped mid-shrug.

As Ron was shrugging, the Kappa had climbed up Ron and started biting his already open bleeding shoulder. Ron cried out in pain and fell to the sandy ground. Standing up again, he wiggled his shoulder trying to knock the Kappa off balance and at the same time desperately swing his arms at his shoulder. The Kappa was much more nimble than expected and dodged the oncoming attacks.

Hermione watched distraughtly, as the strange creature with a strange head that looked as though someone had shoved a bowl under its skin over its skull. Looking over her shoulder, Hermione looked to Harry, who was making his way towards them.

“Hermione, how do we defeat it?” Harry called as he came running towards her. He knew that she would have the answer to save them again.

“Give me a second it will come to me,” Hermione replied her face contorted with a mix of worry and deep thought. Her mind racing through the words and passages that she could remember from the books that she had read. With all the stress she was drawling a blank. She kept telling herself to calm down, yet it didn’t work as she saw Ron’s face contorted with pain.

Ron twisted and writhed with pain as he struggled to pull the Kappa's teeth that once again embedded itself into his shoulder. The Kappa did not loosen its grip. Ron face turned to horror as he felt the strangest thing. It was as if the blood was rushing out of him. “It’s drinking my blood!” Ron cried out, his face slowly going pale. With renewed strength from his sudden anger, Ron awkwardly pried open the Kappa’s jaws and threw it on the ground.

The Kappa landed on its butt and a little bit of water trickled down its forehead. Hermione watched the water fall as if it was in slow motion. As the drop of water hit the ground it dawned on her what to do.

“Ron, trick the Kappa into bowing. Remember the Kappa have water in their head. The water will run out of the hollow in its head and remove all its strength,” Hermione yelled to him with urgency and excitement that she remember and could help him.

Ron looked at the Kappa before him. He was sure that Hermione had lost it. Ron could not think why it would lose all its strength if its water was poured out. He thought to himself that at least he had nothing to lose. Hesitantly he bowed with his head slightly up, enough to still see the Kappa in case the creature attacked him again.

Ignoring Ron’s gesture the Kappa once again latched itself onto Ron’s shoulder, slipping through Ron’s defenses. Ron cried out in pain and angrily yelled, “Good advice Hermione.” He danced around waving his arms trying to get the creature away from him . Hermione blushed and then looked to Harry.

“Do something Harry!” Hermione begged. Ron staggered about again almost falling into one of the pools of water.

Harry stood there with his wand pulled, waiting until the Kappa was not on Ron. He didn’t know what else to do. Harry knew the Kappa had been coming, but hoped that even now his dream was wrong. He smarted as he remembered what lie ahead for them all if the dream was true.

Once again, Ron pulled the Kappa’s jaws off his shoulders and threw it away from him to the ground, headfirst. In midair the Kappa flipped up and again landed on its butt with only a few more trickles of water down its forehead. Except this time the Fire Crab was right next to it, and in fear the Fire Crab turned around and shot out a large stream of fire. The Kappa jumped as soon as the fire touched it. A bit of its tail was singed as it quickly made its way back into the pool and went underneath the water.

Harry angrily shoved his wand into his pocket. He didn’t have enough time throw a spell at the creature. But then an idea came to him. He joined Ron next to the pool of water.

“I was hoping that Fire Crab would have killed it,” Ron bitterly answered. He looked at the pool of water waiting for the Kappa to return. Ron gently touched his shoulder that was bleeding again. He tried to tie the loose shredded bandages together, but was unsuccessful.

“Here, let me do it,” Hermione said as she moved forward and began trying to tighten the bandages. She felt guilty that her plan hadn’t work. Hermione realized that knowledge isn’t something that can always be relied upon.

“Well it’s gone now, nothing we can do, but I’d feel better if it was stunned,” Harry grumbled a bit frustrated. He came and stood next to Ron looking down the endless abyss of water.

“Come on let’s get out of here,” Hermione prompted finishing with Ron’s bandages. Her eyes darted nervously around the strange land they were in. She didn’t want to be anywhere near that Kappa, yet she could not think of a place to go or to hide. She also worried that there might be more than one Kappa, especially with all the millions of water holes around them.

“Where do we go?” Harry asked as though repeating Hermione’s own thoughts. His eyes distrustfully watching the water.

“Anywhere but here,” Hermione replied apprehensively.

The Kappa jumped out of the water at Ron. Hermione screamed, and Ron staggered backwards. This time Harry was ready. He leaped forward and caught the Kappa in midair. The Kappa felt slippery in his grasp and though it tried to escape, Harry tightened his grip. In one swift move, Harry turned the Kappa upside down. Water began to pour of the top of the Kappa’s head. With each bit of water gone from the Kappa’s head, the less struggling Harry had to fight against. Finally the Kappa lay motionless in his hands.

“Is it dead?” Ron asked with eyes wide. He was worried it might still be alive, waiting to jump out of Harry’s hands and back on his shoulder. Harry nodded his head at Ron.

“No, just powerless,” Hermione answered. Then she instructed Harry, “Don’t put it in the water, just leave it in the sand. We don't want to it to regain its strength.”

“I know Hermione,” Harry responded and then seeing the hurt look on her face added, “thank you though.”

“So with that solved where do we go?” Ron hopelessly looked around. He wasn’t particularly fond of this place. So far he had been bitten by a Kappa and didn’t really want to stick around to find out if the Kappa had brothers or sisters.

“We could start traveling out a bit further,” Hermione suggested with a doubtful shrug.

“I’d rather not chance meeting another Kappa,” Harry returned, scanning the distance around them. Harry knew this place was a puzzle but he could remember the way out. Its simplicity was all that he could remember. And his own instincts told him something else. “Besides I think the exit is somewhere close around here,” Harry confided.

“Not a usual door then?” Ron ascertained with one eyebrow raised.

“What if…” Hermione began thoughtfully but stop short when nothing came to mind.

Harry then finished, “One of these pools of water will be out way out.”

“But which pool?” Hermione questioned her eyes skimming over the fast endless view of pools.

“How about the one the Kappa came out of?” Ron put forth with a look of “why not” on his face.

“It’s worth a try,” Harry shrugged. The idea rang a bell in Harry’s mind.

“What if there’s more Kappa’s in the pool?” Hermione wondered aloud. Ron was already badly hurt she didn’t want to see Harry the same way. They would never all make it out alive if they did be careful. And yet Hermione worried that if they didn’t hurry they would also die.

“They all would have come out by now,” Ron answered putting Hermione at ease.

“I’ll go first,” Harry bravely told them.

“How will we know if there is a door? Or come after you if you are hurt?” Hermione worriedly inquired. Harry shrugged again. Ron looked very dubiously at the pool of water.

“Good luck mate,” Ron told Harry skeptically.

Harry nodded and climbed into the water. It was warmer than he expected. The temperature was perfect. He took in a deep breath and then submerged himself under the water. Noises of water filled he ears, as he pushed himself deeper and deeper into the water. Harry knew this had to be the exit, there was no where else to go. He was going head first down the hole. His lungs began to burn as his pushed himself on further.

A light shone from a large hole in the bottom. Harry put his arms through it first. His hands felt space. He pushed his head through and breathed deeply as his nose met air. Harry looked around. His head was sticking out of a large pipe that ended into a room that had a door to one side. The water around Harry’s neck did not drip down. It was as though there was unseen barrier that stopped the water from falling. Harry smiled to himself he had found the way out. With another deep breath he returned to his friends.

When he emerged back in the strange paradise land, his two friends looked at him. “I found the way out. Come on follow me.” Harry told them with a grin.

Hermione nodded and started to get into the water. Harry again submerged himself and made his way down the pipe. Hermione was right behind him, and although he could not see Ron, Harry as sure that Ron was right behind Hermione.

Harry hung onto to the sides of the pipe and pulled himself out of the pipe. Flipping himself over he hung with his feet down and then fell to the ground that was only two feet from his dangling feet. He waited and then Hermione’s head popped out of the pipe. Hermione face was full of confusion.

“Here I’ll help you out,” Harry told her and then instructed her how to get out. As her feet hit the floor Ron’s head appeared.

“Bloody hell, this place is strange!” Ron exclaimed. And then pulled himself out the same way Harry had done. Once they all stood on the stone ground. They took in their surroundings.

It was a small room ten feet by ten feet and all the walls, ceiling, and floors made of stone. Two large torched were anchored to wall on either side of them and provided a bright light. The wooden door they had all become familiar with stood in the corner.

“I wonder where we are off to next.” Hermione thought aloud. She looked at Harry hoping to drag his hidden secret from him. Harry was lost deep in thought and didn’t seem to acknowledge her statement.

“Who knows,” Ron replied not noticing anything.

“I do,” Harry answered without thinking.

“Harry what are you talking about?” Hermione asked with curiosity.

Harry looked at his friends and sighed. He really didn’t want to tell them. He had worried about what they would have thought that held him back from explaining. Harry realized that they were all stuck here and the least he could do was give them the bad news that was coming. He knew that if it was him, he would have liked to know. Harry again looked at his friends. Their faces full of wonder. It was time to tell them.

“I’ve had the same dream for a week.”

“Like the one of the Department of Mysteries?” Ron asked interested.

“It could be from Voldermort again,” Hermione warned.

“This is why I thought nothing of it. The dream could be another trap. So I did nothing about it. Well…except for one thing, I warned Ginny to be careful. That could have triggered all of this and maybe not,” Harry sighed as he looked at his two friends.

“This isn’t your fault. You have to stop blaming yourself for what happened even with Sirius’s death. But don’t stop living because others die. Harry you have to move on,” Hermione compassionately tried to help.

“I know! While you two were off together this summer, I spent my days talking with Ginny. She helped me get over my grief and helped me not to blame myself,” Harry said.

Hermione quickly examined her feet and Ron’s face went as red as his hair.

“We didn’t mean to leave to out Mate,” Ron protested.

“I’m so sorry, we just got caught up and all,” Hermione replied embarrassedly.

“Don’t worry about it. Ginny and I became better friends,” Harry answered without malice. “Anyways, I warned Ginny and obviously it didn’t help.”

“Why didn’t you say anything to us?” Ron inquired and looked a bit hurt.

“Well, I didn’t think that it meant anything,” Harry answered not telling the whole truth again. Harry couldn’t even admit it to himself. How could he admit it to his friends? Harry became quiet with worry.

Hermione stood across from him. She knew that he was finally about to tell them what he had been holding back since the beginning, but now he had stopped. Hermione looked to Ron. She didn’t know how to prompt Harry.

“Will you tell us the dream?” Ron pried nervously. He only wanted to steer the conversation away from the happenings of summer.

“Tell us all the details, maybe it will help us get out of here sooner,” Hermione said hopefully.

“Okay, here’s my dream,” Harry began looking at his friends.



A/N I've tried to give it more "flesh" so to speak. I hope that it is better. Let me know how I am doing. Thanks for all the reviews and advice. ;)

Chapter 8 Bellatrix



Ginny watched silently as Bellatrix Lestrange paced the room back and forth, waiting for the bell. The woman muttered angrily under her breath. Bellatrix threw an angry glare at Ginny, defiantly she glared back. With a snort, Bellatrix looked away. Ginny quietly sighed, reminding herself to stay calm. In an attempt to escape her logical thoughts, Ginny examined their surroundings.

The room they were in was beautiful. If Ginny wasn’t so worried for Harry’s and her safety, she might have enjoyed the room. It had very large tall windows decorated by giant red curtains etched with gold trimming. Over each window was fancy tooling. The floor beneath them was made of smooth white marble with black mixed in here and there. Tiles were set so that it made a pattern that was very unusual. There was something very familiar to the pattern, but Ginny could not place it. Tables with candlesticks stood in between the four large windows. The door that Bellatrix had dragged her though was also as elegant as everything else in the room. Intricate carvings adorned the door. It was a tall door made of dark wood, Ginny didn’t know what type of wood but, she did know that it was a gorgeous color. The door knob was half golden and half old fashioned glass.

The only thing that stood out about the whole room was the large black coffin, lined with gold that sat in the middle of the room. Ginny eyed it warily, hoping that nothing terrible waited within the confines for Harry. A cough from Bellatrix brought Ginny’s mind from the horrible coffin.

She looked at Bellatrix wondering what was in store for herself. Ginny lightly touched her left arm and it throbbed with intense pain. Death loomed at the back of her mind; she pushed it away hoping that Harry had followed her here. Ginny had no idea why Bellatrix had lured Harry and herself to this place. She knew that Bellatrix could have used either Hermione or Ron for bait.

“What are they doing?” Bellatrix angrily spat looking at the door as if she was expecting it to open. Ginny looked at the woman as she said those words. Bellatrix glared back, “Idiot child, don’t look at me like that!”

“Why are you doing this to me?” Ginny threw back her confidence growing slightly at the sight of Bellatrix’s frustration.

“Isn’t obvious, I want Potter!” Bellatrix smiled evilly, as she tightening her grip on the wand.

“You’re a liar,” Ginny accused. “There’s more to it than just that!”

Bellatrix anger flared, Ginny had pushed her too far. Looking around for a weapon of any sort, Ginny’s eyes landed on one of the candlesticks. Bellatrix lunged at Ginny, who fled across the room and snatched the candlestick off the table with her right hand stained with dried blood. Bellatrix looked at her with a mischievous smile pasted across her face.

“Remember last time?” Bellatrix said, but the words seemed to hold an intensity that frightened Ginny. Looking down at her left arm, Ginny noticed how it hung limply beside her. She tightened her grip on the candlestick glaring at Bellatrix wanted revenge.

“I guess you haven’t forgotten. I can break the other one if necessary,” Bellatrix threatened. Ginny dropped the candlestick. “That’s right. Come here child.” The acidic words dripping with hate.

Ginny looked at the woman with fear. She had tried everything to escape from Bellatrix. Before they entered the strange pyramid, Ginny had held onto the doorway with her right hand. The door had shut unexpectedly with Ginny’s fingers still clasped to side. Bellatrix had to perform a spell to make the door open again. Ginny’s hand was returned to her soaked with blood. Bellatrix had then irately jerked Ginny into the pyramid. It was at that point that Ginny ripped off her necklace in hope that Harry would find it and not give up his search.

The next escape attempt happened within the strange paradise world. Bellatrix was again waiting for the bell. Ginny was standing on the right side of her. When the bell rang, Ginny snatched the wand from Bellatrix’s hand. Ginny held the wand with her left hand and pointed at Bellatrix’s neck. As Ginny opened her mouth, ready with a spell, Bellatrix viciously grabbed Ginny’s arm and twisted it. Ginny could still hear the hollow cracking sound and feel the keen pain that shot through her arm. She had dropped the wand as the intense wave of pain hit her. Bellatrix retrieved her wand and smiled revengefully at Ginny and then snatched her other arm dragging Ginny along again.

So it was with apprehension that Ginny approached Bellatrix. Ginny examined the evil woman as she took a step near. She feared disobeying Bellatrix, but was also frightened by the prospects of following the woman’s commands. Bellatrix watched Ginny as she stopped three feet away.

“I will kill you next time you try to escape!” Bellatrix threatened. Those words echoed in Ginny’s mind. Something occurred to her.

“Why don’t you? I’m not very important. If you only want to kill Harry, why bring me into?” Ginny demanded defiantly. Bellatrix looked furious. “You can’t kill me, you need me for something more than bait, what is it you want from me?” Ginny shouted angrily. She was mad that this was happening. Mad that she was being used as bait. Mad about being ruthlessly abused. Mad that she couldn’t do anything to save herself. Ginny was shaking with anger.

What happened next was so fast that Ginny could do nothing to protect herself. Bellatrix pointed her wand at Ginny and shouted, “Crucio!”

Ginny felt the worst sensation, that she had ever felt surge through her body. It was as if her whole body was on fire, with every nerve writhing with pain. Ginny could hear screaming, but she didn’t care, she wanted the pain to stop. Her arms and legs were tense with acute pain. It was pain worse than she had ever felt in her life that was gushing through her body. Someone was sinisterly laughing. Time seemed to drag and the pain seemed unbearable. Ginny was sure she would curl up and die at any moment.

The pain deadened but her body was still convulsing. Ginny found herself on the floor, the screaming had stopped, but the sinister laugh still filled her ears. Her body was weak as though she had been sick for days. Ginny wiped the tears off her face that she didn’t even realize she had cried. Her head was pounding, her eyes burning, her broken arm smarting, and her nerves still screaming out with pain. A voice filled her ears.

“I will use that curse again,” Bellatrix emphasizing the word “will”. Ginny closed her eyes as the voice continued. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you into insanity, like the Longbottoms.”
Ginny rubbed her head. Images of Neville’s parents raced through her mind. Ginny pushed them away like the thoughts of death. She had to be strong and brave, giving up meant death. Ginny knew now how far she could push Bellatrix, but she also knew a little more. She knew that Harry wasn’t alone. Ginny hoped it was Hermione or Ron. Another thing she noticed was every time she had brought up Harry and herself, Bellatrix became furious. Ginny knew that Bellatrix’s plan included them both, but why and for what, that was the biggest problem. With all her strength, Ginny pushed herself up from the floor and stood to meet Bellatrix.

“You’re not as weak as I thought you were,” Bellatrix told her viciously and then added, “But next time I won’t make that mistake. I’ll make sure your pain last longer.”

Ginny opened her mouth ready to fill Bellatrix’s ears with word that had spilt from her brothers’ mouth. At that moment a bell rang. Ginny had heard that bell ring so many times. Never saw it, but heard it. She figured that it was a signal to Bellatrix that Harry was coming.

Bellatrix grabbed her right arm and pulled her to the door. With a flick of her wand the door opened and she jerked Ginny through the door. Ginny looked back hoping that she might get a glimpse of Harry, but the door slammed shut leaving her in darkness with Bellatrix.

Chapter 9 The Dream




Harry examined Hermione and Ron. They eagerly awaited his tale. He took a deep breath and then began to tell his dream.

The night was warm, and the sweat fell down Harry’s forehead as he rolled in his sleep. Finally he sat up and slide out of bed. His mouth was parched as he headed down the stairs from Ron’s room. As he past Ginny’s room, he heard a strangled yell. Without thinking, Harry burst into the room. Hermione was dead asleep and Ginny’s bed was empty.

Worriedly Harry looked around; Ginny was not in the room. The strangled yell came again, this time Harry knew it came from downstairs. Taking the stairs two at a time, Harry reached the bottom quickly. A red flame burned in the fire, and it was slowly sucking Ginny into the flame.

“Help me!” Ginny cried as her torso disappeared into the flame. Harry panicked and grabbed Ginny’s hand. As soon as
Harry touched Ginny, the flame sucked them in instantly. Ginny’s screamed filled Harry’s ears as they were falling down a tube of swirling red and black. Harry grunted as he hit a hard dirt floor. He heard Ginny moan beside him, Harry quickly turned his mind away from his own pain to Ginny’s.

“Are you alright?” Harry asked worriedly.

“I’m fine,” Ginny replied sitting up blinking her eyes fast several times. “Harry look out!”

Harry turned to see Bellatrix Lestrange stand over him laughing. Bellatrix knocked him over and then snatched up Ginny. Harry jumped up ready to fight Bellatrix, but she had disappeared through the forest, dragging Ginny, who was kicking and screaming. Harry ran as fast as his leg would allow. But like all terrible dreams, Bellatrix stayed a step ahead of him. Finally Bellatrix stopped in front of a door. Before Harry could catch them an Erkling jumped out of the woods and attacked him. Bellatrix disappeared through the door with Ginny. Harry was left to battle the Erkling alone.

Harry didn’t have his wand. Looking to the forest floor a few large rocks caught his eye. He pelted the Erkling as it jumped from tree to tree. With one last stone Harry knocked the Erkling out, and sprinted to the door. He opened it hopeful that Ginny was there with Bellatrix. Instead he found the world of endless paradise. The round pools of water extending to the continuous distance. Harry walked forward hoping to find where Bellatrix had taken Ginny. He couldn’t find an escape, so he closed his eyes to think.

Harry opened them to find himself in a cave. Shocked Harry frantically ran down the cave passages fighting off bats and a strange large spider. By this time, Harry was worried and was shaking with fear for Ginny’s life. His mind filled with why and how. As he ran through the darkness Harry stumbled and fell into a hole.

He cried out as his stomach lurched. Harry felt as though his fall would never end, it was at that point that he fell onto a pillow. He examined his surroundings. The room as elaborately decorated with large windows and a coffin in the middle. He didn’t see anymore for his eyes only searched for Ginny or Bellatrix. When he did not see either he ran to the nearest door. Wrenching it open, Harry walked through confidently.

He stood in a huge room. Ginny was standing in an enormous bubble. She cried for help and then stopped as though her oxygen was low. Harry ran to the bubble and tried to break it. He pounded on it and even threw a rock at it. Bellatrix was laughing again. Ginny fell to her knees, her face pale and filled with horror. Harry beat at the bubble with all his might. Her laughter echoed in his ears as he realized that there was nothing he could do. Harry was irritated, angered, and scared as he saw Ginny lie on the floor. Her eyes turn glassy and her body stop twitching. Bellatrix face filled Harry’s vision and her laugh, mocking his existence.

“What happened next?” Hermione asked curiously. Her eyes scanned Harry carefully as though hoping to find more information. The dream seemed too contorted and short. She wondered if Harry had purposely left information out. Hermione couldn’t figure what he would be hiding from his two best friends. Ever since they had all arrived in this strange place, Harry had been acting strangely. First he seemed to know what was going to happen, and then hiding the dream from them. And now she was almost positive that he had not told them the whole dream. She waited patiently for him to answer her question. Hermione could see his mind working as though it battled to tell or not to tell. His face cleared.

“That’s all of it. The dream always stops there and I wake up,” Harry shrugged. He sighed and then wondered if he had done the right thing. It was fear that was holding him back. They were his best friends, but he couldn’t tell them. He was afraid of their reactions, afraid of their rejection, afraid that they would tell him. It really didn’t matter. Besides he couldn’t let himself become so vulnerable again. Harry had fought those feelings all summer, and now they had surfaced against his will.

“Well…Hermione I don’t think that will help us that much,” Ron replied going over in his mind the events of the dream. He couldn’t see much that would be useful. Ron looked around at his two friends, both deep in thought. He cleared his voice, and the two just silently stayed in their reverie. Ron wanted them to distract them. He was worried about Ginny, deeply worried about Ginny. His sister was one of the most important things in his life and once again she was in serious danger. He had tried to make a light joke of it earlier, only to lift his heavy heart, but to no avail. Ginny, couldn’t be dead. What did Bellatrix want with Ginny anyways, and why only bring Harry along? Ron shook his head.

“Well it does help us know that Bellatrix did only expect Harry,” Hermione replied. “And it tells us what could be ahead.”

“But what has happened to us so far isn’t all in my dream,” Harry pointed out.

“Then why give you the dream?” Ron asked.

“Harry did you have more than one dream?” Hermione looked at him.

Harry hesitated and then said, “Yeah, I think I did, but if so they were all the same.”

“What is that suppose to mean?” Ron shrugged his shoulders. “Big deal he had more than one dream, how is that going to help us?”

“I don’t know,” Hermione paused. “It has to give us some sort of clue.”

“We know that Bellatrix is going to try and kill Ginny,” Ron pointed out.

“Why Ginny though? Does she know something or have something that Bellatrix wants?” Hermione wondered aloud.

Harry didn’t voice the thoughts that floated in his head about Bellatrix luring him there. Why not just take Ginny without bringing him. Harry couldn’t make it fit. He sighed and finally said, “I guess we won’t know until we run into Bellatrix and Ginny.”

“She better be alive.” Ron threatened. “Come on guys, we need to keep moving.” Hermione awoke from her reverie.

“Are you okay Ron?” She asked sincerely looking into his eyes deeply. Hermione was worried about him. Ron blushed and then smiled.

“I’m fine, I’m worried about Ginny,” Ron answered taking Hermione’s hand.

“Me too, let’s find her and soon,” Hermione replied comforting Ron. She hated to see Ron so worried, but it made him more endearing. He was so adorable, worrying about his little sister. Hermione hoped in her heart that he would worry about her that way too, only different.

Harry looked at his two friends and rolled his eyes. The necklace felt strangely heavy. He touched it unconsciously. His mind reeling at the feelings that were overcoming, Ginny seemed to fill every thought and emotion. Harry couldn’t explain away this feeling and couldn’t understand it. But the feeling came across him as this.

For some reason, he missed Ginny, deeply.

His mind flashed back to the summer day at the burrow.

Ginny sat before him; the dying rays of the sunlight illuminated her beautiful fiery red hair. Her eyes watched him with sorrow but behind that was encouragement. It was that night that he had told Ginny his deepest thoughts, fears, and desires. Harry had told her all about his emotions about Sirius and his death. He divulged to her about how it felt to grow up without loving parents and the cruelty of living with the Dursleys. Harry thought that he would never tell anyone about the prophecy, but that night he found himself telling Ginny all about the prophecy and his fears of killing or being killed. He even told about how he was afraid that his friendships would bring danger to those he loved most.

Ginny had listened to all of it intently, comforting, reassuring, and mostly encouraging him. He remembered the way she looked, how her hair lay across her shoulders. The way she cried with him about Sirius. Harry had thought that it was bad enough to see Cho cry. It was worse with Ginny. Harry wasn’t sure if the tears were all for Sirius or if a few had been from the sad tearful face of Ginny.

The feelings for Ginny he had repressed that day again filled his heart. He tried to smother them again. Harry reminded himself that she had moved on, Ginny’s heart loved someone else. Sadness took over. He couldn’t believe that Ginny could or would ever like him again. Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. A thought popped into Harry’s mind. Whether or not Ginny loved him, Harry knew his heart would never rest until she was safe.

“Come on guys,” Harry called to his friends. His two friends snapped out of their love trance. They looked at Harry, his face resolute. “We have to save Ginny.”

“We’ll save her, Harry,” Hermione replied with a reassuring look. “She’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

Harry watched her for a moment, afraid that she might have seen into his soul and saw his fondness for Ginny. Hermione’s face didn’t change. He hadn’t given her any signs. There was no way she could know. Harry’s secret was still his. He nodded at Hermione.

“Harry, Gin’s strong. She’ll get the best of Bellatrix,” Ron told him. Although Harry was positive that Ron was reassuring himself.

Harry smiled at his friends and gave them a hug. He turned and opened the door. Harry walked into the Hogwarts long hallways. His mind reeled. How in the world did they arrive at Hogwarts?

“How did we get here?” Ron asked as he looked around.

“This may not even be the real Hogwarts. We can’t have walked that long to get here,” Hermione replied apprehensively. “It’s not possible. It’s another illusion. Nothing else explains it.”

“I think you’re right,” Ron answered as he looked at the wall in front of him.

Harry was looking at it too. It was as if it was a nightmare. He couldn’t believe his eyes. On the wall words written in blood, “Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber for ever.”

“I’m so confused,” Hermione said as she looked at the wall.

“Harry?” Ron waited for a reply. Harry didn’t say anything. His mind was on other things as he fearfully stared at the wall with disbelief.

“Does this mean we have to go to the Chamber?” Ron asked. “Will a Basilisk be there?”

“I hate snakes! I’m not going!” Hermione said hysterically.

“I don’t think that we have any other choice,” Harry answered. He headed towards Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Harry was afraid of what he might find in the chamber. Would Ginny be there dead this time? He couldn’t face seeing her so helpless on the floor again. He moved his mind to other things. If this was really an illusionary Hogwarts then maybe, just maybe, Moaning Myrtle would not be there. Harry could handle that.

Chapter 10 One Thing


Harry pushed open the door to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. He didn’t see her anywhere. Although the bathroom looked exactly like he remembered, the night he had gone to save Ginny. Harry looked hesitantly at the opening to the Chamber of Secrets.

“You went down there?” Hermione asked disgusted.

“Yep,” Ron answered with a shrug. “But this time I have a feeling that it won’t be as easy. Something is down there, waiting for us.”

“What do you think it is?” Harry questioned hoping that Ron wouldn’t voice his owns thoughts of what the Chamber contained.

“I don’t know. But I have a bad feeling about it,” Ron said
blankly.

“Do you think that we shouldn’t go in?” Hermione inquired.

“Is there any other way to go?” Harry wondered.

“Probably not,” Ron replied defeated.

“We could try and of the doors in the hallways,” Hermione insisted.

“They’ll probably just lead us back to here,” Ron told her plainly.

“Ron’s right you know. Bellatrix wants us to go only her way. I doubt that we could deviate from her path,” Harry said.

“I’m going to at least try,” Hermione informed them as she walked from the bathroom.

“Hey wait up! I’m not letting you go alone,” Ron shouted as Hermione left the bathroom. Following her, Ron disappeared out the door.

Harry stood all alone in the bathroom. He knew his two friends would show up in a minute, walking through the same door thinking that it would lead them somewhere new. The Chamber of Secrets stood behind him almost beckoning to him. He had to know if Ginny was down there. Harry had to know if she was safe. He didn’t want to wait for his friends. There was too much on the line to play around with the strange illusions that Bellatrix kept giving them. Harry shook his head and jumped down into the Chamber of Secrets.

Everything was just as Harry remembered as he walked through the dark caves under the school towards the Chamber of Secrets. As he came closer the door was already opened into the Chamber. He cautiously walked in, remembering what Ron had said only a few minutes earlier. His heart was beating fast and for some strange reason his hands were sweaty. He nervously wiped them on his pajamas. In his mind over and over again he repeated these simple words, “She can’t be dead.”

His eyes focused on the small pale figure in the middle of the floor. Harry held his breath as his eyes fell onto the figure. As soon as he recognized the flaming red hair, Harry ran towards Ginny’s body. She laid the way he had first seen her in the Chamber of Secrets, except the diary and Tom were missing. Without thinking Harry snatched up Ginny’s hand. “Wake up Ginny. Please wake up!” Harry spoke to her softly. He gently put her head in his hands. Harry gazed at her silent face that was pale and cold. He caressed her check as he quietly spoke to her. “Ginny, it’s me, Harry. Wake up.” She made no movement. Fear started to build up in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t leave her there to die. Harry moved and situated himself so that he could pick her up. As he slid his arm under her, Ginny moaned. He about jumped back startled. She was still alive but for how long. Harry knew that he had to get her out of here; he slid his arm underneath her back again.

Ginny moaned again. Harry was confused. Why couldn’t he move her without causing her distress? He looked down at her arm and could see that it was broken. She had been hurt. Harry quickly scanned over the rest of her body. He noticed the dried blood on her other hand. It didn’t take him long to decide who had done this to her. Harry angrily looked around for Bellatrix.

“Did you do this to her?” Harry shouted searching the darkness around him. His was furious. Ginny was hurt badly and Bellatrix had done this to her. He was seething with fury. Harry got up and pulled out his wand, hoping that he could get revenge.

“Of all the emotions I expect from you, I didn’t plan on this one,” Bellatrix voice echoed in the Chamber. “You disappointed me. Ah, Harry I guess you must know that is one strong girl. She’s of course deserved all the pain that she has received from me…”

“I’ll kill you if you touch her again,” Harry threatened.

“…And believe me, there is more pain in store for her if the little wench keeps on trying to escape. The silly girl should know better. You are the only one who can save her. I will only let that happen if you give me one thing in return.”

Harry searched the chamber his mind processing what she had said. He hoped to find her and end this nightmare once and for all. Suddenly it had occurred to him what Bellatrix had said. She wanted something from him. What could he possibly have that she wanted? Instantly it was obvious to him. Bellatrix wanted to trade, Ginny’s life for his own.

“Harry?” Ginny said softly. Harry jerked his head to look down at her. Ginny’s eyes were slightly opened. He got down on his knees and again put her head in his hands.

“Are you okay?” Harry asked as he caressed her face.

“Don’t give Bellatrix what she wants,” Ginny whispered. “I’ll be okay.” Ginny’s body shivered in his hands and then went limp again. Harry leaned over her body. He never felt such strong emotions in his life. But he knew what he was going to do. He was willing to give up his own life to save Ginny’s. Harry spent a moment soaking in her features knowing that it maybe the last time he will see her again. He heard a noise behind him. Harry turned to see Bellatrix smiling and then everything faded away.



**************



“Harry,” a voiced called bring him around. “Are you alright?”

“I’m okay,” Harry muttered as he sat up slowly. He didn’t remember where he was. The world around him seemed to spin.

“You shouldn’t have left without us,” Hermione’s voice angrily stated.

“I’m sorry,” Harry said.

“Leave him alone, he’s still trying to get a hold of things,” Ron replied.

The room slowly stopped spinning. Harry looked around. He noticed that he lay on the floor not to far from where Ginny had been. Ginny! Harry jerked his head trying to look around Hermione and Ron to see if Ginny was still there. “Where is she? What happened to her?” Harry asked desperately.

“Who are you talking about? There was no one here but you when we arrived,” Hermione answered confused. Her eyes watched him with curiosity. They had only been gone a moment. Hermione had opened one of the doors that went to a classroom only to Ron and her standing in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. It was then that she had to grudgingly acknowledge that Ron and Harry were right. It was Ron who noticed that Harry wasn’t in the bathroom. They had quickly gone into the Chamber of Secrets to find Harry out cold on the floor. She knew that something had happened and she hoped that this time he would tell them.

“What happened to you?” Ron asked. Hermione was glad that it was not her asking again. She smiled at Ron who in turn grinned broadly at her.

Harry rubbed his head trying to collect his thoughts. When he finally decided what he was willing to divulge, Harry retold his story. He left out many things, but not the important things. Ron was furious when Harry told them about Ginny’s broken arm and that Bellatrix had threatened to do more. Harry told them about Bellatrix wanting something from him. And this fact stumped them all.

“If she wanted to kill you, she had a perfect opportunity to do that, but she didn’t,” Ron pointed out.

“What else do you have that she could want?” Hermione asked.

Harry’s mind was on the necklace round his neck. Maybe it wasn’t just a normal necklace. He didn’t voice his thoughts, afraid of what his friends would say about him wearing Ginny’s necklace. Instead he said, “Let’s go, we can ponder this question on the way. We have to save Ginny before Bellatrix kills her.”

Ron and Hermione nodded slowly.

“Where do we go from here?” Ron asked.

Harry nodded to the door at the statues feet.

“That wasn’t there before.” Hermione said.

Harry shrugged. He didn’t care. Ginny was all that matter. He slowly stood and then when he got his balance, Harry headed over and opened the door. His friends filed in behind him as he walked into the elaborately decorated room. Harry eyed the coffin apprehensively. His worse fears were confirmed as the door slammed shut behind them

Chapter 11 The Coffin


Ron looked at the coffin. His imagination tried to fill it with the worst creature that could fit into that space. He looked over at
Hermione, whose body was tense. Ron, wanting to comfort her enclosed his hand around hers. He gave it a squeeze. She turned her head and smiled lovingly at him. Her chocolate brown eyes catching his attention, Ron felt as though he could be lost in them forever. He felt her body relax a little. His job was done. He had let Hermione know that he would protect her. Ron dragged his eyes away from Hermione and turned his attention towards the coffin. He would have to ascertain what was inside in order to protect her.

“What do ya think is in there?” Ron asked with a shrug.

Harry let out a breath he had been holding since the door slammed. He relaxed his clenched fist. His instincts told him that something had to be in that coffin. Harry tried to remember this room in his dream, hoping that he could solve what was in the coffin. He remembered the coffin, but couldn’t place what was inside of it or even if it had opened for that matter. The suspense was driving Harry mad. He just wanted to find out, defeat it, and get to Ginny as fast as he could. Harry couldn’t wait any longer; he was going to take it by surprise.

“Come on, let’s open it,” Harry whispered to his friends.

They quietly made their way over to the coffin. Ron prepared himself at the foot of the coffin and Hermione at the head. Harry grabbed the edge of the lid. He stood in the middle.
With a glance at his friends he mouthed to them to open on three. Harry lipped his count. On three, they all heaved the weighty lid up and open.

Ron stumbled backwards as the coffin lid swung open. His hand covered his mouth and his face was pale. He could only walk away hoping against all hope that his eyes were deceiving him. That what he saw was not true. There had to be an explanation, but nothing came to mind. He could only stare with horror. Ron stood plastered to the wall, his stomach upset. Tears welled up in his eyes.

Hermione screamed and instantly burst into tears. Her mind filled with horror of what would happen to them. She panicked and began to sob uncontrollably. Hermione glanced at Ron who looked as though he would die from shock. She wanted nothing more at that moment except to be enveloped in his arms. A few quick strides across the room and she flung her arms around his shoulders. He pulled her in tight and she began to cry on his shoulder. Hermione felt safe there but the pain was not gone.

Harry stood over the dead body of Ginny Weasley. Her face was pale and lips white. Ginny’s hair was still radiant but now colored with blood that gushed from her forehead. She had been alive not too long ago. Harry shook with anger and deep depression. He blamed himself for stopping to explain his dream to his friends. If he had just ignored their demands then Ginny might have still been alive. He slammed his fist into the ledge of the coffin. The force disturbed Ginny’s lifeless body. Harry hated himself more for causing her unrest. He looked at her and tears began to pour down his face.

It was as if his whole world was falling apart. Ginny was gone, there was nothing to live for, he couldn’t live without her. He needed her to survive. Harry decided that this was the end for him; he could never continue to live in a world where she would not be there at his side. Tears streamed down harder as he thought he would never hear her laugh again, that she would never smile at him again. Her precious life was over.
She would never fulfill all the dreams that she had told him about that summer. She would never be able to start the family she had always wanted. Ginny would never be able to sit with Harry and watch the sunset again.

Harry looked away from her. Not wanting to remember her with a big gash in her head, the darkened eyes, the white lips, and pallor face. He wanted to remember her being alive, smiling, laughing, and full of vibrant energy like always. His eyes fell on Hermione and Ron who cried on each others shoulders. His heart felt the greatest pain in his life as he realized that Ginny would never again be there for him when he needed her. Harry dropped to the floor, pulled his knees in and cried uncontrollable.

There was nothing for him to live for. His mind instantly replied with a, yes, there is something more. Bellatrix. She had to die. She had to feel the pain that he felt at that moment. He had to hunt her down and make her pay for the deaths of two people he loved the most. Harry stood up, anger seething through his body. He pulled out his wand glaring at the door with hate as though Bellatrix stood on the other side.

Ron shouted out something that caught Harry’s attention. He turned as the word slowly registered in his mind.

“Riddikulus!” Ron’s face was full of determination, hope and fear. He had only one hope as he shouted those words. He waited what seemed like eternity to him. What would he tell his mother if Ginny was dead? He would blame himself for the rest of his life. Ron knew he would never feel complete. This was his only hope. It couldn’t be Ginny in that coffin. It just couldn’t be.

Hermione stood next to Ron aghast. She watched and waited staring at Ginny, hoping that Ron was right. Her eyes had skipped over Harry. She did notice that she had never seen his face filled with such hate or anger. But she didn’t have time to worry about that. Ginny was all her eyes could see.
Harry stared at Ron for a moment and then turned to Ginny’s dead body. He looked over the coffin edge watching her. Harry held his breath, waiting, and hoping that Ron was right.

Suddenly Ginny’s clothes began to change. She now wore a long black and red cape. She grew fangs like a vampire.
Harry blinked as he watched the wound on Ginny’s forehead disappear. The thought came to him that she looked like a ridiculous but beautiful vampire. He stared at her for a moment more, only to rethink that it wasn’t Ginny. He let out his breath. It felt as though a weight was lifted from his shoulders. Ginny was alive somewhere out there. He didn’t know if she was safe, but she was at least still alive. His heart was full of joy and complete happiness. It was a boggart, not Ginny. A boggart left by Bellatrix. More anger flared up. He was furious that Bellatrix had tricked him. Livid that his emotions were tricked into thinking that Ginny had died. He should have known that Ginny wouldn’t have given up so easily. She was a fighter. Harry looked determinedly at the body.

Hermione slammed the coffin lid shut. Harry jerked up his spine rigidly and stared off into space. She angrily wiped the tears off her face. Hermione chided herself for not thinking of a boggart sooner. She tried to calm down her emotions and remind herself that Ginny was still alive. Hermione slowed down her breathing, and tried to turn her thoughts on something else. Her mind was reeling once more. It must have been Harry who had caught the boggarts attention. Or was it her fear, maybe even Ron’s greatest fear. Although Ron’s afraid of Spiders, Hermione was sure that his sister’s death was more frightening to him. Yet what stumped Hermione the most was why did Bellatrix leave a simple boggart to scare them to death. Boggarts would not be even near the list of dangerous creatures. Hermione rub her forehead with frustration. None of it made sense.

“Why?” Harry asked venomously, staring at the coffin lid. Hermione shrugged. Ron walked and shook his head slowly.

“Bellatrix is playing some sort of game,” Ron replied distantly. Hermione approached him and hugged him again.

“She’ll pay for this,” Harry promised with hate.

“She won’t pay for anything if we don’t find her or Ginny,” Hermione reminded him. “We need to keep going.”

“Wouldn’t it be safer to try and figure out what Bellatrix is after?” Ron questioned.

“We don’t have enough pieces to solve the puzzle,” Hermione simply stated.

Harry looked away from his two friends. He had an inkling of Bellatrix’s plan. Yet he couldn’t tell his friends. Harry was sure that they would laugh at him. Maybe they wouldn’t believe him. And if they did believe him, then what would they do? There was no way to stop it from happening. Besides it wasn’t a very logical plan. It had flaws and maybe that was what would save them all.

“Shall we?” Ron shrugged pointing to the door across the room.

Harry nodded. He would find Bellatrix and Ginny. If Ginny was hurt at all he would make Bellatrix pay for everything. He walked forward and grabbed the door knob. Suddenly he felt as though there was a hook in his navel pulling him. Harry knew that the doorknob had been a portkey. He wondered what would happen to Hermione and Ron. We’re they right behind him? He figured that Bellatrix had finally gotten what she wanted: Harry all alone. His mind raced wondering where she was taking him now. He didn’t care, just as long as he would find Ginny and see her one last time before he would die for her. That was how his dream always ended.

The Choice

As soon as Harry fell to the ground, he sprung to his feet; ready with his wand in hand. To his surprise he stood alone in a strange small room. There was a chair and a small desk and no other door. Harry’s first instinct was not to trust his surroundings. He hesitantly examined the desk looking for any sort of traps. A large file sitting on the desk caught his eye. As he looked closer his heart skipped a beat. Ginny Weasley’s name was written in big letters on the side. Looking around again, Harry wondered where he was. The little room made Harry feel slightly claustrophobic. His fears were overcoming him, in realization he pushed them down and gained control. He reminded himself that his fear for Ginny’s life could not overtake him and it was only a file, nothing more. He stared blankly at the file.

The file seemed to beg Harry to open and read it. Harry guiltily glanced around. He knew that nobody could read his mind, but he felt someone’s eyes upon him. He shrugged off the feeling and sat in the chair. His curiosity got the better of him; he wanted to know who was keeping a file on Ginny. Upon opening the file Harry realized that it was Ginny’s journal. The front page read, “Ginny Weasley’s Thought of Harry Potter”. He quickly shut it knowing that she would be mad if she knew. Harry set the file back down on the table.

The off-white folder called to him, begging to be opened. He fought himself on whether he should read the contents. His reasoned that it was okay to read since it was about him, but that idea quickly sank. Harry swallowed hard as a thought entered his mind. He wondered if any information in there would help him find her. His thoughts jumped to conclusions and finally he picked up the large folder and began to read.



Today I spend another whole night talking with Harry. I wish there is more I could do for him to ease his pain. I hope that when he does confide in me that it will help him. I told him that he can’t blame himself for Sirius death. Anyone could have made the same mistake. I’ve old him that loads of times and yet this time I think is sank in.

Something strange happened tonight. While the sun was setting, I was talking to him and all of a sudden his whole face changed. His face was so gentle and kind, I hesitate to say it, in fears of getting my hopes up, but even loving. I’ve dreamed of him looking at me like that. I’m not sure if I really saw it or if my mind was playing tricks. I’ve loved Harry and although I’ve date other boys, none of them compare to him. No matter if Harry loved me back or not, I will always love him.

Ginny Weasley


Harry sat silently stunned for a moment, soaking up the words of Ginny’s diary. Ginny still loved him. He felt his cheeks become warm. Harry couldn’t figure out why he was blushing. He was extremely embarrassed that Ginny had said those things, or was it something more. Harry wasn’t sure. It donned on him that the whole file was filled with things that Ginny felt about him. His mind was reeling, he couldn’t figure out what Ginny could have written about. Harry blankly looked down and knew that he would read it all. He had to know. Turning the page Harry immersed himself further into Ginny’s heart.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Ron watched as Harry disappeared before his eyes. “Oh great! Now what?” Ron asked defeated. The door before them had no doorknob. They were stuck in a room with a coffined boggart. He looked to Hermione dubiously.

“I don’t know!” Hermione answered hysterically. She was sure that since Harry was gone that he would be dead soon. There was no way that she could explain her feelings but she had a suspicion that Harry would easily give his own life to save Ginny’s. Her eyes locked with Ron’s, but she really didn’t see him. Her mind was working hard, trying to find the missing pieces to Bellatrix’s puzzle.

Ron stared back at her with a determined face. Without Harry, Ron felt as though he need to be the leader. Yet, Ron had no idea what to do. Hermione’s blank face stared at him, waiting. Ron opened his mouth, but instead of saying what he had planned instead he replied, “That really hurts.” Everything went black.

Hermione caught Ron just before he hit the floor. She laid him slowly down crumbling beneath his weight. His face was pale and ghost like.

“Ron?” She urgently called out, kneeling next to him. He didn’t respond. Hermione raised her voice, “Ron!”

Again, he made no reaction. She looked to his shoulder only to find it was bleeding worse than ever. It was bubbling with green slime that she hadn’t noticed before. The affects of the Erkling. Tears began to pour down her cheeks as she ripped a long strip of cloth from her robe and began to bind his wound. She called to him as she cleaned up the puss.

“Ron, Ron!” She begged watching his body hoping that he would move. “Please, Ron get up!”

His lips seemed to turn whiter. Hermione couldn’t stand it and began to panic. “Please,” She whispered putting the finishing touches on the bandage. Then she quietly continued as though it were revelation, “I love you…I love you so much. I have to tell you, I want you to know. Please Ron, I love you!”

The doorknob less door swung open behind Hermione, revealing Bellatrix. Hermione was so engrossed in Ron; she didn’t notice Bellatrix enter the room.

“If only it were so easy,” Bellatrix announced as she raised an eyebrow at Hermione.

Shocked, Hermione jumped to her feet, wand pointed at Bellatrix’s throat. “He’s going to die!” Hermione shouted. “I’ll kill you, if he dies!”

Bellatrix smiled her evil smile. Hermione wavered in her piercing stare. She knew that look on Bellatrix’s face. Somehow once again Bellatrix had the upper hand on the situation. Something bad was going to happen.

“If you kill me I won’t be able to save his life,” She sneered.

Hermione froze with confusion. Why would Bellatrix save Ron? She waited a moment wonder if it was a trick. Her mind couldn’t grasp the concept. Bellatrix had put them through several death traps and now promised to save Ron. Hermione looked at her waiting to see if Bellatrix would give away some secret. She couldn’t believe her, but Ron lay dying. Hermione trembled with fear. Her mind torn down the middle, with Ron at the center, she didn’t know what to do. Bellatrix might just kill him, or she might save him. Either way Ron was dying and time was running out.

"Help him!" Hermione told Bellatrix sternly.

The Outcome

Hermione watched Bellatrix with a careful eye as she leaned over his pale body. She was unsure of her decision, but there was nothing she could do. No amount of knowledge and spells would save him, and Bellatrix offered a solution. Filled with apprehension, Hermione stood over Bellatrix with her wand pointed at the back of Bellatrix’s head. “If he dies, you die!” Hermione threatened.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and then she pulled a bottle out of her pocket that looked familiar to Hermione. It dawned on her that it was one she had seen Madam Pomfrey use in the hospital wing. Bellatrix uncorked the big vial of orange colored liquid and knelt next to Ron. She put the vial to his lips and poured it in.

Taking a step back, Hermione situated herself to give a deadly blow if necessary. She watched as the liquid slowly drained into Ron’s mouth. The orange liquid was quickly disappearing. Hermione waited in horror for Bellatrix to pull the vial back. Once half of the liquid was drained, Ron’s body began to twitch. Hermione gasped and jumped forward afraid for Ron’s life. She intended to snatch the bottle away from Ron’s lips. But Bellatrix was one-step ahead, by the time Hermione had gotten to vial she had snatched it away and replaced it in her pocket. Hermione glared at Bellatrix and shaking with anger, forgetting her wand she lunged forward punching her eye.

With a grunt Bellatrix stumbled backwards, shock spilt across her face. An instant later Bellatrix was pointing her wand at Hermione. Before Hermione could react, Bellatrix shouted out, “Rictasimpra!” Hermione slammed into the wall and crumbled to the ground unconscious.

Bellatrix smiled walked over to Hermione’s crumpled body and kicked her once. With a revengeful laugh, Bellatrix went to the door. She pulled out another door handle from her pocket and magically placed it on the door. “Alohomora!”


* * * * * * *

Ron opened his eyes to see Hermione not far from him on the floor. He tried to get up but his body would not respond. His eyes searched around trying to ascertain where he was. They were no longer in the room with the coffin. It was somewhere else. Ron rolled himself onto his back. A keen pain shot through his head. He couldn’t remember what had happened. All he could remember was Harry disappearing. He looked at Hermione’s crumpled form on the floor beside him.

“’Mione?” He hoarsely called to her. Her clear beautiful pale face seemed frozen in time and was sad and helpless. Ron wanted to get to her, but his body was still not responding.
He breathed heavily waiting for the pain in his head to go away. Seconds later he realized that his shoulder no longer hurt. Rolling his head to one side he saw his makeshift bandage lying on the floor beside him and his shoulder no longer wounded, but coated with dried blood. Curiously he stared at his shoulder even more confused. Ron rolled his head back to look up. A large ceiling loomed before his vision, it looked familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Looking to Hermione again, he called out her name. She didn’t respond. Waiting a moment more, Ron then gave it all his strength and sat up. His head suddenly throbbed with pain. He ignored the agonizing pounding in his head and pulled himself to Hermione’s side. Lifting her up gently he held her in his arms. “Hermione?” He spoke to her gently.

She groaned in reply. Her small body moved in his arms. Ron sighed relieving all the worry knowing that she wasn’t dead. He called to her again, “Hemione are you okay?” With his hand he moved a few strands of her hair out of her face and tucked them gently behind her ear.

“Ron?” she whispered fluttering her eyes open. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. How are you?”

“Ron, you’re alive!” Hermione cried out. She sat up and threw her arms around his neck. Strangely her ribs were painfully sore, but she ignored that, happy to be in Ron’s arms.

“Careful!” Ron warned as he spoke into a wall of frizzy hair. “I’m still not perfect yet.” He wobbled a bit, losing his center of gravity.

“Oh!” Hermione replied and moved back trying to steady him.

“What happened?” Ron questioned rubbing his head tenderly.

“You suddenly fainted. I think from loss of blood. Then Bellatrix appeared and gave you some medicine,” Hermione paused. “I punched her and then she blasted me with magic. I don’t remember anything after that.” She stopped and looked around. “Where are we?”

“I dunno?” Ron answered with a frown. “Bellatrix helped us?”

“I know I don’t understand,” Hermione replied confused.

During their thoughtful silence, Hermione took in their surrounding, not sure they were real. They both sat in the middle of the Weasley’s family room, before the fire. Everything looked as though it had when they left. Hermione wasn’t sure whether to trust her eyes or not.

Ron looked around, uncertainly also played across his face. It seems like his home, looked like it, but it didn’t feel quite right. The blue flame was missing from the fireplace. Ron swallowed hard worried that maybe Bellatrix had sent them back. He turned to Hermione.

“Do you think that she sent us back? Do you think that this is real?” Ron asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” Hermione replied standing up. She examined the details around her. “It’s your home, you should know.”

“I can’t tell,” Ron protested also rising. He took her hand instinctively, still not trusting his surroundings.

“You worried?” Hermione asked looking down at his hand clasping her own.

“I don’t trust it.”

Hermione nodded in agreement. She figured it had to be a trick. They were both out cold. Someone had moved them or the room had been magically changed. She didn’t know what to do or how to figure out where they were.

“Let’s try the doors,” Ron suggested looking at Hermione expectantly waiting for a reply.

“Why not?” Hermione shrugged, afraid of what might be waiting up the stairs.

Ron walked to the nearest door, which happened to be his back kitchen door. Still holding Hermione’s hand, he reached out with other hand and turned the door handle. The door lock clicked ominously and echoed throughout the room. Ron was taken aback and jerked his hand back. The click noise of the lock reverberated against the walls as though it was explaining they were locked in. Ron could feel Hermione shudder behind him. He felt the same urge to shudder, but overcame it quickly.

“That was disturbing,” Hermione finally broke the silence of the last click fading from hearing.

“Unnerving, for sure,” Ron answered quickly, his eyes still laid on the doorknob. “There’s no inside lock.”

Hermione looked at the door noticing that Ron was right. There was no lock on the inside. She knew this wasn’t Ron’s home. She had been there several times and the lock was always there. Hermione felt suddenly scared.

“Should we try….” Hermione trailed off holding up her empty hand. She suddenly realized her wand was gone. Her face blanched, as her mind understood what her mouth could not say. She turned to where they had been on the floor and fell to her knees, searching with her hands the dark colored spots on the carpet. Desperately she crawled around.

“What’s the matter?” Ron asked with one of his eyebrows arched. He watched her wondering if her mind had been muddled.

“My wand,” She called from the floor.

Ron’s eyes grew wide. He quickly searched his own pockets, hoping the weightlessness was just his imagination. His hand grasped at emptiness in his pocket. A dreaded feeling sunk his heart.

“There gone Hermione,” Ron admitted defeated.

“We have to get out!” Hermione shrilly answered, more fear building in her.

“Let’s try the front door,” Ron said. She nodded at him silently gaining control. He took her hand and walked forward towards the front door. His mind filled with doubts and fear. He knew if it was open that they had no real way to protect themselves from any magical creatures. Yet, if the door was locked he knew that Bellatrix was their captor. His flesh touched the cold doorknob and his wrist turned.

As Harry shut the file containing Ginny’s journal his mind was busy with so many thoughts and feelings. His first impression was that he never knew that girls were so analytical and observant. Yet the feeling that stood out most was a greater understanding of the girl he thought he knew. Harry had always just looked at her as his best friends little sister, but it seemed now that she was a beautiful young girl who was intelligent, fun and very kind. As those thoughts crossed his mind, his heart burned with a feeling he never experienced before. He stood up resolutely; it was time to rescue Ginny.

A door slowly appeared to the right of Harry as he stood up from the chair. He looked at it with a new determination to find Bellatrix and save Ginny. Leaving the file on the desk, Harry walked up to the door and dauntlessly opened it. He stepped forward with a more confident air than ever before. Ginny had written that Harry was capable of doing anything, and he would prove her right and save her now. Touching the necklace under his robe and he made a promise in his heart that he would not let her down.

Walking through door he appeared in a dark street that was lighted as though flashlights were hung from poles. As Harry looked down the street of houses he realized he was in the neighborhood he hated the most. There down the street he saw the familiar home of his Aunt and Uncle. The place was revolting to him, he had left from that appalling place a week ago and yet it was too soon to see it again. Harry looked at the silent houses, but his eyes were quickly drawn to the commotion at the end of the street. Two figures stood in the darkness; one was struggling and the other seemed to hold up against the strife.

“Harry!” Ginny’s muffled call sent him running down the long street to the other end. The figures seemed to fight against each other, suddenly Ginny cried out in pain and the contention ended. Harry in fear ran as fast as his legs could take him.

“LET HER GO!” Harry yelled angrily with his wand ready and his eyes flashing with anger.

“What will little baby potty do to me?” Bellatrix spoke in a child’s voice mocking Harry. She laughed. “Go on Potter, I dare you to try anything!”

Harry stopped at those words. He was only a few yards from where Ginny stood. Her eyes were large with fear. It was not a fear for herself but for him. Harry looked at her pallor face that seemed to beg him to not come any closer. He looked up into Bellatrix’s face that held a wicked smile as though waiting for a finale.

“Come on Potter, save your little bratty girlfriend,” Bellatrix taunted him. Her eyes watching him closely as a strand of dark hair fell into her gaunt face. When Harry didn’t move she continued, “I could cast a quick spell on this beastly little girl and she would do anything I say…”

Without knowing it Harry had flinched causing a reaction from Bellatrix.

“What’s the matter? Are you worried about this little minx that will die, that is if you don’t do what I want?” Bellatrix snarled.

“What do you want me to do?” Harry yelled exasperated.
Ginny’s eyes watched Harry carefully. It was as though she was trying to tell him something.

“You’re a stupid idiot if you haven’t figured it out yet!” Bellatrix snapped back. “I’ll kill you here and now. Not exactly the plan but the Dark Lord will make me his right hand when I return with you and your friends’ dead bodies.”

At that moment Ginny’s eyes glowed with a fire of fury as Bellatrix yelled out her last word. It was this moment that Ginny had been waiting for, she couldn’t escape without help, but with Harry in the room she had a chance. She had spent the last hours figuring out exactly how she could escape but it involved a second person that she didn’t have. It was time now to put it into action. Ginny winked at Harry as she prepared the hardest struggle she had done yet.

Bellatrix’s arm held Ginny in front of her own body. The arm was solid tight against Ginny’s two hands that were pressed tightly against her chest, but since Ginny was quite skinny she quickly wiggled free and slipped out of her grasp. A wrenching pain seized her whole body as her broken arm was jolted by the escape. Falling to the ground at Bellatrix’s feet in pain, Ginny looked up at Harry and smiled at the success her escape. She saw Harry’s face become determined as he called out, “Stupefy”.

Bellatrix was so surprised by the rapidity of Ginny’s movements and her being able to wiggle free, that she hadn’t even thought about Harry’s attack. In moments the red flash of the spell hit her and she fell unconcious to the floor with a dull thud.

Ginny sprang up from the floor and ran to Harry giving him a hug. He still stood with his wand ready for Bellatrix to move, as Ginny hugged him with one arm.

“Oh Harry, I was so scared!” Ginny told him with relief.

“It’s alright now. Are you okay?” He asked without taking his eyes off of Bellatrix.

“My arm is throbbing, but before we fix it, let’s get out here,” Ginny tugged gently on his pajama sleeve with her good arm.

“We need to find Hermione and Ron,” Harry told her looking at her for the first time. His green eyes seemed to gently smile at her.

“They’re here?” Ginny asked shocked.

“Yeah, but I don’t know where,” Harry said quietly. He turned his eyes back Bellatrix who was still frozen. “We should get out of here quickly.”

“But how?”

“Let’s try the Dursley’s door,” Harry stated. “We should hurry though; I don’t know how long she will stay that way….” He paused. Harry's eyes grew hard and face becoming darkened with intense emotion. “I should kill her.”

“No, Harry, don’t! Please don’t. Let’s just get out of here,” Ginny begged. She knew he could easily kill Bellatrix for murdering Sirius, but Ginny also knew that he would regret it for the rest of his life.

He looked at her and she could see a mix of anger and love in his eyes. Harry seemed to be fighting a battle in his mind and as Ginny begged him. “Please,” Ginny tenderly pleaded.

Harry’s emotion seemed to stop as he saw Ginny’s eyes fill up with tears. He couldn’t kill Bellatrix in front of her. Besides he had never killed anyone before and that scared him. The anger that took over him was almost stronger than him, but he quickly quelled it as he looked at Ginny’s soft beautiful features. He gave in with her last plea. Grabbing Ginny’s hand, they ran to the Dursley’s door, leaving Bellatrix behind.

Harry held tightly to Ginny’s hand as he walked through the door. He had lost Ron and Hermione; he was not going to lose Ginny now that he had found her. Harry kept to himself the fears about escaping this place that they were, and ever finding Hermione and Ron. He didn’t want to scare Ginny, but he was worried himself. Deep down inside he feared that none of them would ever return alive.

As Ron turned the handle, fear almost over took him as the door knob would not twist any further and the door would not budge. He swallowed hard and looked back at Hermione who stood in anticipation. Her eyes were full of hope as she watched him. Ron knew that she was relying on him, and he couldn’t let her down. He turned the knob with all his strength only to find that it wouldn’t turn further and the door was solid as a cement wall.

“It’s locked,” Ron told her defeated as he walked away from the door. He dropped himself into one of the cozy chairs by the fireplace.

“Let me try some of the spells I know, “Hermione told him hopefully. She began trying every spell that she knew that could possibly open the door even the one she had used earlier that had surprised Harry. With each spell that rebound off the door it crushed her hopes further and further. No matter how low her hopes were she continued to try everything against the door, Hermione worked with a fervor. She didn’t want Harry or Ginny to die, but mostly her thoughts were of Ron. Hermione didn’t know why, but she was more worried about him than she was about her own safety. She wouldn’t give up, she just couldn’t.

After a long while of Hermione trying all her spells on both doors, Ron said, “Give it up ‘Mione. Bellatrix made us her prisoners. We have to wait for our next move.”

“But why? Why not kill us?” Hermione angrily asked throwing another useless spell on the door.

Ron’s eyes were glazed over with deep thought. “I’m sure that Harry is in some serious trouble…Ginny too. I don’t know why, but I think we are the insurance if anything happens to Ginny.”

“That’s crazy!” Hermione crossly retorted as she walked over to him. “Ginny’s not going to die and neither are we. We’re going to find a way out of here.”

“How?” Ron replied blankly. He had accepted defeat and waited patiently for Hermione to realize that there was nothing more they could do but wait. Bellatrix had something more up her sleeve and he was going to wait for the right moment to save Hermione. He didn’t know how it would work, but Ron didn’t worry about it. The right time would come and things would work out perfectly. All he needed to do was wait for Bellatrix to show up. He pushed away the fear that wondered if she would ever come.

“What about upstairs? I’m sure there should be a way out up there,” Hermione hopefully thought aloud. She looked at Ron who sat pale and tired in the cozy chair. Angrily she glared at him. “I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make sure that we can’t get out of here. There has to be a way. I’m not giving up and neither should you!”

Ron moved into a comfortable position as he watched Hermione storm up the stairs. He knew she wouldn’t find a way out that is unless Bellatrix wanted them to be free. Ron was positive that they were prisoners, the question was how long? He closed his eyes, extremely tired and knew that a nap would do him some good. Beside Hermione would wake him up if she found anything and if anything happened. He quickly fell asleep, feeling extremely tired.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Harry and Ginny stepped out into a cave that was lit with torches. Harry’s wand was in his right hand ready for any danger. In front of them several passages lead in different directions. Harry looked behind them to see that the door disappeared and behind it was only a dead end. The ground beneath their feet was soft wet earth. An echo of dripping water filled their ears as they took in their surroundings. The cave was damp and cold, Harry could feel Ginny shiver next to him.

“Are you cold?” Harry asked concerned.

“I’m fine,” Ginny answered still shivering. “There is something about this cave that gives me a bad feeling.”

Harry examined the cave cautiously and suddenly received a deep foreboding feeling that seemed to creep throughout his body and chilled his heart. His body involuntary shivered also. He felt as though there were eyes watching him, but he couldn’t seem to figure out from where. Harry still held Ginny’s hand tightly, her soft touch warmed him even though the ominous feeling pervaded. He wanted to tell her that he was glad to have her there, but his mouth couldn’t say what he thought.

“Harry?” Ginny asked quietly.

His eyes examined her brown ones waiting for an answer. Her face was pale still and she wore a pained expression. A tear fell from one eye as she swallowed hard.

“What’s the matter?” Harry frowned with worry.

“My arm, could you fix it? I don’t have my wand with me,” Ginny answered bravely trying to ignore the searing pain that shot through her arm.

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” Harry quickly said. He reluctantly let go of her hand and positioned himself to fix her arm that she limply held out. Harry called out “Reparo!”

Ginny felt the bone move and the pain lessened. She let out a sigh of relief as the pain eased. “Thanks Harry,” Ginny told him quietly. Her checks flushed, but with her head down Harry didn’t see her blush.

"Are you feeling better?” Harry questioned. Worry filling his features.

“I’m much better, but a bit tired.” Ginny frowned. She was surprised herself at how tired she was. Trying to shake off that exhaustion, she walked forward towards the different tunnels.

“So am I, let’s get moving before Bellatrix finds us. Which tunnel do you think?” Harry wondered as he looked at the different passages. Each passageway was the same and there was no difference from one tunnel to the next.

“I think we should try this systematically, let’s start with the farthest one to the right,” Ginny said also noticing that there were not distinguishing factors to the tunnels. “Where do you think it leads?”

“I don’t know, but I hope we find Ron and Hermione before we leave this trap,” Harry answered walking forward to the tunnel that Ginny had indicated. As he moved down the tunnel in front of Ginny he wanted to reach back and hold her hand again, but decided against it. His mind wondered if the file had not been real at all, besides he wasn’t even sure of his own feelings. Harry struggled with these thoughts and other fears. He was afraid at every turn and bend in the cave tunnel expecting to see Bellatrix or some deadly creature.

As they continued, what seemed like a long time following the cave tunnel, Ginny seemed to walk slower and slower. They had found many different forks in the road and Harry could no longer remember which way they had come. Harry worried if they would make it out alive. He had no more hope that they would escape from Bellatrix. Harry tried not to despair but he couldn’t help but losing hope at every turn of the maze. The foreboding feeling did not leave him either, it seemed to have grown. As they continued on and with each step Ginny seemed more and more exhausted. Harry stopped a few times to ask her if she was okay. Her eyes filled with determination and Ginny told him that she could continue despite her growing weariness.

For a no apparent reason, Ginny felt completely exhausted. She could hardly stand anymore or keep her eyes open. All she could do was hope that her feet would continue to follow Harry. With him in front of her she could continue forward, but her body felt weaker and weaker. Her hope died with every turn. Despair seemed to overtake her mind. She wanted to sit down and cry, but she had to follow Harry. Ginny gave her whole strength just to stay awake and follow Harry, but something was wrong, terribly wrong. Her depression was so strong she wanted to sleep. She knew that they would both die, Bellatrix would get them. There was nothing they could do. It was hopeless to do anything. When she finally decided to tell Harry it was too late, her knees gave out and she crashed to the floor exhausted. She saw Harry’s concerned face swimming in a cloud of darkness until if finally consumed by a dark despair that lured her into a depressed sleep.

Harry had turned to see Ginny fall. He had tried to catch her but she had already hit the ground. He sunk to his knees beside her just in time to watch her eyes close. Suddenly everything seemed emotionally too much and Harry was overwhelmed with sadness. He was exhausted, his determination seemed to die quickly, and his hope of escaping was gone. Harry couldn’t understand what was happening to him. He felt defeated and broken. He began to sob uncontrollably. Tears streamed down his face like never before. The feeling of looming darkness filled his soul, it was a different feeling that he had ever encountered with Dementors, but a hopelessness took over him.
As Harry’s mind was only filled with despair, a grey three foot shadow crept out from behind him. The demon had a large smooth grey head that looked like one of the rocks in the cave. With a smug look, the demon darted forward and climbing up Harry’s back. It’s sharp teeth prepared to sink hungrily into Harry’s neck. The demon’s grey eyes lit with excitement as it swung it’s head forward to feast.
Harry had felt the little demon climb his back, but the despair had a huge grip on his heart all he could do was sob. As the demon bit into his neck, the pain jolted him into reality. He looked at the creature on his shoulder and realized that the Pogrebin had caused the despair. Harry grabbed the demon by the neck and wretched it off his shoulder. He threw the Pogrebin onto the ground and quickly pointed his wand at the grayish demon.
The Pogrebin’s eyes grew wide with fear. Its small rock like features held a look of horror. Harry saw a small grey frightened child before him. He tried to remind himself that the creature was dangerous, but the demon’s charm kept working on him. In the end Harry couldn’t hurt the poor little creature, instead he lowered his wand. Just as he did that the creature smugly smiled again as it charged at Harry.
Words came into Harry’s mind as he remembered what his text book had said about Pogrebin. The best way to deal with a Pogrebin is with any attacking hex or a good kick, were the words that came into Harry’s head. He smiled as he prepared to kick the little monster. As the Pogrebin came closer, Harry began to swing his leg. At the last moment the Pogrebin changed directions, heading for Ginny. His leg swung through the air with force, but never connecting with anything. Harry cursed as he saw the Pogrebin’s jaws close in over Ginny’s arm.
Ginny’s eyes opened wide with fear as the pain awoke her from her depressed sleep. Her eyes seeing the demon latched on her shoulder caused her to scream with fear. In reaction she hit the creature on the head with her fist. A keen pain shot through Ginny’s fist as she knocked the Pogrebin’s hard head. In response the creature took a chunk out of her flesh and quickly swallowed it and moved in to take another bit. Ginny’s arm was burning with a searing pain. Her eyes filled up with tears as she sat up trying to escape the Pogrebin. It was faster than she could think and the creature was coming at her again, it’s bloody jaws and mouth open with anticipation. Her mind didn’t react fast enough and she waited for the pain.
Angrily Harry stepped between the Pogrebin and Ginny. His eyes filled with a raging storm of anger. The Pogrebin had forgotten about Harry and did not anticipate this move. Harry’s foot quickly collided with the creature sending it across the cave. With his wand ready, Harry yelled out, “Incendio.” But it bounced off the ground, for the Pogrebin had wasted no time in disappearing around a cave corner.
Ginny ripped off a corner of her pajamas and pressed it against her wound hoping to stop the blood flow. She looked around anxiously trying hard to figure out what she could do. Before she could worry anymore, Harry knelt next to her and began to bind her wound with cloth from his own pajamas. As Harry dressed the wound, he looked up at Ginny every now and then to stare for a moment into Ginny’s eyes. His concerned face filled her eyes and her heart and each look held her captivated. She didn’t move or take her eyes off of Harry.
“Are you okay?” Harry asked as he finished tying her makeshift bandages. His heart was beating fast as her eyes didn’t leave his. He swallowed hard as he thought of the last time he had felt this way. It was when Cho was crying in the room of requirements. Harry felt lighter than he did then, his heart seemed full and he felt happy. Yet at the same time he was very concerned and worried about Ginny.
“I’m…I’m fine,” Ginny mumbled out, her eyes still locked with Harry’s. Her heart was beating fast. She hoped that all of this wasn’t a dream; Harry in front of her and that look of love radiating from him. Ginny didn’t want to move afraid that she would break the spell around them. Her body trembled slightly with excitement.
“Good, let’s keep moving. I don’t want Bellatrix catching up with us. Besides I don’t know when that Pogrebin will return,” Harry spoke urgently breaking the spell. His concern had pushed away all the other feelings he had felt. All he wanted was to return Ginny, Ron and Hermione safely back to the Burrow.
Ginny’s face fell slightly as Harry helped her to stand up. She had hopped too much. It was only concern she had seen in his eyes, not love. Ginny tried not to let him see that she was disappointed, instead she forced herself to nod in agreement. “I don’t think we will have to worry about the Pogrebin,” Ginny answered, trying to sound normal, masking her pain. “When we feel that despairing feeling again, we’ll know that it’s around.”
Harry nodded thoughtfully. He looked down the path through the cave that led before them. His eyes scanned the wall. There had to be a trick to this place as there were the others. Harry thoughtfully lifted an eyebrow as he looked down the passageways.
“What are you thinking?” Ginny asked, still trying to ignore the disappointment that had set in. She looked passed her own pain and noticed Harry’s quiet worried face.
“There has to be a trick to escaping from this place. Bellatrix purposely made it this way. What is she trying to hide? Why is it that she let you go so easily? And what did she want from me?” Harry asked thoughtfully, looking at Ginny. He wondered why he hadn’t thought to ask her before.
“I thought I knew what Bellatrix was up to, but now I’m not sure anymore. I thought that she just wanted to capture you, but she could have done that already. As for the trick to this cave, I don’t know,” Ginny replied, looking around the cave skeptically. “I know a few things but nothing too useful.”
Just as Ginny finished her sentence a bell rang, startling Harry and her. She swallowed hard as she recognized the bell. Her face was pale as she looked to Harry and told him in a whisper, “Bellatrix is coming!”
“What do you mean?” Harry questioned intently looking from Ginny’s face to the cave passages around them.
“When I was with Bellatrix that bell sounded every time you were coming. We had to leave the room through the next door,” Ginny whispered intensely.
“Where’s the next door?” Harry nervously asked as his adrenaline continued to course through his veins. When she her answer came in the reply of a frightened face, he quickly took a hold of her hand and lead her down the passageway of the cave. He couldn’t let Bellatrix capture Ginny again. This time he would protect her from Bellatrix. Harry was going to save her this time.
Harry ran down the cave passages with Ginny closely following behind him. He didn’t really have a plan, Harry just hoped that by some strange chance or luck that he would run into the door that would lead them from this place and further away from Bellatrix. His eyes searched the walls as he tried to figure out exactly how to figure out the trick to the caves. Quite often as he ran forward, Harry glanced over his shoulder waiting to see Bellatrix’s form behind them.
“Harry!” Ginny cried out breathlessly in a whisper. “She’s coming! I can hear her!”
Harry had just turned the corner into another dead end. His mind worked fast, Ginny didn’t have her wand, and they wouldn’t stand a chance in fight with Bellatrix. He needed to hide. Harry looked around the cave didn’t seem to have any nooks or crannies wide enough to hid them both. As Ginny squeezed his hand tightly his eyes fell to the dead end. As he ran forward with Ginny behind him, he could see there was a space large enough for them both to hide behind a boulder that jutted out from the side of the wall. Harry brought Ginny around and squeezed her against the wall and then hunched over her protectively as he could hear the echoing footsteps of Bellatrix coming closer.

Chapter 17


Ron awoke with a start. He looked around at the familiar room of his home, but something didn’t feel quite comfortable about it. His mind was hazy as he stood up wondering what had disturbed his sleep. Ron could hear a soft sobbing that at intervals became very loud and then softened quickly. Wondering who would be crying, the memories came to him like a slap on the face. A fear grew in Ron as he worried about what could have happened to Hermione while he was sleeping. He cursed himself for being so stupid to leave Hermione by herself. Anything could have happened to her while he was asleep.

He scrambled around the room trying to find the source of her crying. At least Ron hoped it was her crying, he would hate himself for the rest of his life if he had let anything happen to Hermione. He suddenly remembered that she had gone upstairs. Taking the stairs two at a time, Ron tried to keep a level head. At the first landing there was no sign of her, only the closed doors. He quickly ascended the next set of stairs, toward the top of the tower. Upon reaching the last step he could hear the sobbing more clearly. He looked into the tower room where normally the ghost in his house would be, but found it empty except for Hermione who sat kneeling with her knees outward crying into her hands. His fears melted away, all he wanted to do was to comfort Hermione.

“It’s okay,” Ron concernedly rushed forward and put his arm comfortingly around her.

Hermione looked up at him through her tears, her beautiful large brown eyes glistening with sparkling tears. Ron couldn’t help but think that she was sadly beautiful and he would do anything to make her stop crying and put a smile on her delicate lovely face. She turned and threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. Ron held her tightly.

“What’s the matter?” Ron asked gently holding her. He stroked her hair as he spoke to her.

“Ron I’m scared,” Hermione pulled away from his shoulder and looked up into his eyes.

Ron wiped away the tears that were slowly trickling down her rosy cheek. “It’s okay nothing will happen to us. Don’t worry I’ll find a way out of here.”

“Its not just that,” Hermione tried to speak, but her voice sounded funny. She couldn’t say what she wanted to say. Hermione looked at Ron wanting to tell him how she felt about him, and that she was worried that he would die. That scared her the most. She could handle dying, but for Ron to die it would be too much.

“What is it?” Ron asked sweetly, he smiled caringly into her eyes.

His kindness was too much, and she began to cry again, afraid that she would lose him. Her eyes filled up with tears again. She embraced him tightly and cried into his shoulder. Hermione didn’t know how to tell him how she felt. “We’re going to die,” Hermione muffled voice came from Ron’s shoulder, trying to explain exactly how she felt. “I did everything I could, but I can’t get us out of her. We’re going to die!”

“No ‘mione, I won’t let that happen. I would never let anything like that happen to you. I promise I will protect you and get you out of this mess. No matter what,” Ron whispered into her ear as he continued to hold her tightly.

Those words sent shivers throughout Hermione’s body. That was all she wanted, to feel protected and safe, wrapped in the arms of the one she loved. She closed her eyes wishing that she could stay like this forever, warm, safe and comfortable. Then gently Ron pulled back and looked into her eyes. Hermione was frightened but excited all at the same time. She had never had Ron’s eyes pour so deeply into hers.

Ron looked down into the deep brown sparkling teary eyed face. He had never felt so much love for Hermione before. All he wanted to do was to make her smile again, and he knew one way to do that. He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her sad face to his and gently kissed the perfect light pink lips.

Hermione kissed Ron, feeling herself soar through the sky. She had always dreamed of romantic ways that she and Ron would get together, but nothing as perfect as this. The tears that were streaming down her face were for joy, instead of fear. She had forgotten everything in the kiss and only thought of the one kissing her. Her body tingled with excitement and love. She felt as though a huge weight was taken off her shoulders and everything would be okay.

As Ron pulled away from the kiss he saw the listless smile through the tears of the girl he loved. She was more beautiful than he had ever noticed and he wanted nothing but to be with her all the time. He wrapped his arms around her again, holding her tightly, never wanting to let go. The kiss had been as beautiful as he had always daydreamed about. His face was beaming with love as was the face that rested lightly on his chest. Ron gently pulled the hair from her face. “I love you,” He whispered into her ear as he caressed her face.

“I love you,” Hermione whispered back with her eyes closed. She couldn’t believe this was really happening to her. Her heart told her to enjoy every moment of it while it lasted. She knew that she would never forget this moment no matter what happened. Hermione knew that she would treasure this moment for the rest of her life.

The moment was shattered as a huge explosion shook the Burrow. Ron held Hermione tightly as he watched the tower dangerously sway about them. Hermione clutched Ron, her eyes wide with fear as her mind wondered what could cause such an explosion. She waited for death to find them, and even if they were going to die at least she was in arms of the one she loved. Ron had the same thoughts cross his mind, but as the tower stopped it’s swaying he stood up quickly and helped Hermione up and than ran to the closest window.

Outside it was bright and looked just like the surroundings to his real home, except something was missing. A large hole filled with clutter and all sorts of other junk was all that was left of his garage where his parents had once kept the Angelina Ford.

“Ron! You’re garage is gone!” Hermione gasped as she looked at the crater in the earth.

“What could have possibly caused that to happen?” Ron asked as he searched the grounds around the house. It didn’t make any sense to him to have someone blow up the garage. If Bellatrix wanted to have killed them, she would have known that they were in the house not the garage.

“Strange, I don’t think that explosion was meant for us,” Hermione remarked looking through the window intently. Her fingers dug into Ron’s shoulder as her eyes fell on something that moved next to the garage in the bushes. “Ron! Look!” Hermione pointed out. Her face scrunched with fear.

Ron’s eyes searched the place that Hermione was pointing to, at first he saw nothing but what seemed to be a large grey rock. He couldn’t see what was wrong with a grey rock, but then he realized that there had never been a large rock there before. As the creature lumbered out of the bushes Ron realized one thing: that they could escape, that is if they could survive.

Harry’s heart thumped so loudly that he was sure that Bellatrix could hear it. He crouched over Ginny protectively, holding his breath as her footsteps came louder and louder. Ginnys face was pallor and her eyes wide watching Harry. He could only look at her knowing that saying anything comforting to her would give them away. Instead he determinedly watched her, hoping that she could see he was confident that they would make it. Ginny’s body trembled slightly and Harry could feel it since he was so close to her. He slowly released the breath he was holding and then he slowly in took air as quietly as he could. The footsteps stopped and it sounded as though Bellatrix was on the other side of the boulder.

“Sonorous” Bellatrix’s voice cut through the silence.

Harry shuddered as he looked up to see the back of Bellatrix’s dark purple robes and her thick dark hair. He tried to further push himself and Ginny into the wall and out of her view. Ginny looked like she was a bit frightened, but at the same time there was a determination that radiated from her as though she would never allow herself to give up. Harry weakly smiled at her, but he couldn’t console her, his mind was too worried about the insane, bloodthirsty woman who stood a few feet away from them. He wanted to fight Bellatrix, but with only one wand between the two of him, Harry wasn’t sure that he would win. If Bella knew they were there, it would be enough of an advantage over them. Harry wasn’t willing to risk Ginny’s life and for the moment they seemed safe, if she didn’t see them.

“You won’t make it out of this maze alive, unless you return that girl!” Bellatrix’s nasty voice echoed loudly in the cave as she called out. “It will only be a matter of time and my little Pogrebin will find you again. The creature will kill you both the next time it finds you.”

There was a pause as though Bella expected them to come out and surrender. Harry again held his breath. He could feel Ginny doing the same. As the pause grew longer, his curiosity nagged at him, he worried that Bella could see them. Or worse that she was right behind them ready to kill them both on the spot. Yet he didn’t dare move, afraid that the movement would catch her eye and they would be found, if they hadn’t been seen already. The pause was long and painful as Harry’s mind imagined the horrible possibilities that could be happening behind his back.

“Harry!” Bellatrix voice rang out piercingly loud. Harry sort of jumped at the abruptness of his name along with they way it echoed through the cave. Silence pervaded for a moment after the echo died. “Bring me the girl and I will let her live….or you will both die!” Her venomous voice dripped with malice.

Harry threw the hollow threats out of his mind, they were only made to frighten him into doing what Bella wanted, and he would never give up Ginny, not without a fight. He knew that one Pogrebin wouldn’t be enough to kill them. Harry could easily handle the creature, especially since he knew it was there. His mind fell upon a frightening idea. Everything in this strange world was not normal, maybe Bellatrix had done something to the Pogrebin and it wasn’t the normal creature they suspected.

There was another long pause in which the dripping of water echoed in the cave. Harry was nervous, but he did everything he could to hide his emotions. He didn’t want Ginny to become frightened. She was crouched in front of him, her face was not too far from his own. Her once determined eyes were now pensively looking into his own. Harry could tell that she was planning something. A couple of minutes later a large grin spread across her face and a sparkle lit her eye. Harry watched her closely wondering what her plan was but astute enough not to ask Ginny her thoughts. He turned his mind back to the malicious woman.

Bellatrix was still silent. She hadn’t moved as though she were waiting for something to happen. Harry heard Bella curse quietly, he quickly grinned at Ginny. Bella hadn’t seen them, which gave him more comfort than he thought was possible. Ginny’s smug smile still beamed on her face, her brown eyes glistened with excitement.

Suddenly footsteps filled the air as Bella moved away from their hiding spot. Ginny’s face quickly filled with concern, she moved her lips close to Harry’s ears and in barely a whisper said, “We need to follow her!”

Harry was taken aback by her words. Following Bella was not exactly his idea of plan. He gave Ginny a frown in reply. Ginny quickly nodded vigorously. Quickly Harry thought up reasons why following Bellatrix would be a good idea. He could easily attack her from behind, but she could quickly turn at the sound of his voice and defend herself from any spell he threw at her. Harry was mostly worried that Bellatrix would hear them, at least they would have a chance sitting in a spot that she already checked, yet how would they ever get out of the maze. In a moment Harry figured out what Ginny was up to. Standing up slowly and quietly, he helped Ginny up. Still holding her hand he led her down the cave tunnels at a safe distance behind Bellatrix.

He smiled as he looked back at Ginny. She had been smart to know that eventually Bella would think that they weren’t there and had found a way out. Bellatrix would then lead them to the next door and Ginny and Harry could escape the cave for good. Harry only worried that Bella would catch them before that, but he was cleverly devising plans for each scenario that ran through his head.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Harry and Ginny crept in the shadows slowly following behind Bellatrix. They kept a far distance behind her and were extremely careful not to make any noises. Harry still doubted if it was a good idea, but he could not come up with anything else that would be better. He had thought of hitting Bellatrix with a spell from behind, but Harry was nervous that she would block it and counter. Harry was too worried that Ginny would be captured again and he wouldn’t let that happen again. Although it wasn’t the best plan it was the safest for now and Harry knew that sooner or later Bella would think that they had left and lead them to the way out. He kept his mind off of what they would do once they went through the next door. Harry had already wondered which would be the best, to follow Bellatrix through the door as fast as they could, or just wait a few minutes before using the door. He hadn’t decided on what exactly to do, and thought it was best to wait and see what would happen.

Ginny walked slightly behind Harry, he had done this purposely so that he could protect her if Bellatrix turned without warning. As they stood waiting behind a corner for Bellatrix to continue moving forward and stop searching small crevices, Harry looked at Ginny. He was proud of her for holding up so well. She had already been through a lot, he couldn’t imagine what torture she had been put through being Bella’s hostage. Harry looked at the makeshift bandaged he had tied tightly around Ginny’s wounded arm, the blood had already soaked up most of the bandage. His eyes met Ginny’s which smiled at him hopefully and trustingly. She didn’t seem to notice the pain, Harry never realized she was so brave. Her determination matched his own, which greatly impressed Harry.

Bellatrix suddenly spewed forth a fountain of curses, which brought Harry back to watching the black haired woman. His whole body tensed at the sound of her fury as Bellatrix anger flared out of control. Harry had seen Mr. Dursley become extremely angry, but never to this extreme. It frightened him a bit as he watched Bellatrix scream, curse and destroy the cave around her. Her rampage was so great that she almost cause a cave in. Ginny’s hand held tightly onto Harry’s, letting him know that he was not the only one a bit taken back by Bellatrix’s tirade. It came to Harry how Bella could torture the Longbottom’s to insanity, her full fledge temper could destroy anything or anyone. As a few of the larger rocks began to fall around her, Bellatrix seemed to gain her composure. With a quick growl of anger, Bellatrix continued forward without searching anymore.

Harry was sure that she had finally given up. They had been following her a long time, but now it paid off. Bella was definitely stalking forward with intent. Harry held onto the cold hand that clung to his own, as he moved forward following Bella. The woman lead them back to down a small passageway that only one person at a time could walk through. Harry waited a while and looked down the passageway to see that not far into stood the door. Bellatrix without even looking back walked through the door, purposefully.

“Is that the way out?” Ginny whispered from behind Harry. She also leaned over looking around the corner of the cave.

“I think so, but we should wait a bit before we follow her. What if she is just waiting on the other side?” Harry explained thoughtfully. “It could be a trap of some sort. She could have known that we were following her.”

“It doesn’t matter much, because there is only one way out,” Ginny reminded him. She thought for a moment and then added, “What we can do, is be prepared if she is waiting for us on the other side.”

“There has to be another exit though, don’t you think?” Harry asked her with hope. “She had to have made more than one exit in this place?”

“I don’t know,” Ginny answered shaking her head confused. She wanted to say that there was a safer way to go, but what if there wasn’t. They could be stuck in the cave forever. Ginny didn’t know what to say. She was afraid that if they left this spot they would never find it again, but she also feared that Bella was waiting on the other side of the door, to kill Harry. “I think our best option is just to be prepared for Bellatrix to trick us. At least we stand a fighting chance, whereas we could be lost in this cave forever.”

She watched Harry’s face become deeply pensive. He turned away from her, Ginny knew him well enough that she could tell that he agreed with her, but was trying to find a better option something that would be safer or more reasonable. Ginny knew there was nothing else they could do either what for Bellatrix to return, or follow her and prepare for a fight. Harry tuned back to her.

“Okay, let’s follow her, but I go in first and then you just wait with the door open. If anything happens I want you run back in here and hide. Don’t worry about me I will find you,” Harry told her.

“Alright,” Ginny agreed knowing that she never intended leave Harry behind in any situation without help. She wasn’t going to tell him that though. Instead she nodded just in agreement to see a bit of relief on Harry’s face. As she followed Harry through the small corridor and waited for him to enter into the door, Ginny prepared herself for the worst.

Hermione’s voice faltered as she asked, “Is that really an Erumpent?” Her eyes flowed over the animal that closely resembled what Muggles would think was a rhinoceros. Its long rope like tail swung violently cutting long blades of grass that surrounded the creature. The Erumpents large sharp long horn that sat on its nose was aggressively tossed around exerting its hostility even more.



“As always you are right,” Ron smiled down at the girl he loved. He couldn’t help grinning down at her since he had just thought up a plan to save her. Ron was happy to protect Hermione and he wondered also if the affects of the kiss was still lingering with him. He looked back at the window, his face becoming serious once more. The Erumpent must have been provoked, but Ron failed to see why. His eyes carefully scanned the familiar landscape around them. Nothing else seemed to stand out to him as unusual.



“Ron what do you think infuriated the Erumpent?” Hermione asked with a frown, her eyes also examining the grounds around the house.



“Dunno ‘Mione, but I have an idea,” Ron told her confidently. “If we could lure the Erumpent to ram into either the front or back door, we could escape.”



Hermione gave Ron an outraged glare. “Are you crazy! It could kill us!”



Ron quickly rethought his plan wondering what was wrong with it. He looked at Hermione, who waited for him expectantly. Ron felt himself become a bit angry. He held back his anger thinking better of it and quickly explained, “I don’t see anything wrong with it. True the blast might kill us, but if it doesn’t then at least we’re free….” Ron paused as he saw Hermione’s exasperated glare. Before she could say anything, Ron quickly added, “It’s better than waiting around for Bellatrix to come and torture us to death. I’d rather die by my own hands instead of giving her the benefit! Besides we need to help Ginny and find Harry.”



Hermione stood next to Ron, her mind thinking about what he had said. There was truth in it, she had no intentions of waiting for Bella to come and kill them and Hermione would rather not die by Bella’s hand. The hope of escape lured her closer and closer to accepting Ron’s plan. Although it was extremely dangerous, it might actually work if they could find a place to protect themselves from the explosion. She thought back on the things she had learned at Hogwarts in their Care of Magical creature’s class. The words of the book popped into her head like a picture and she could read them. Hermione knew that the blast could be dangerous, but only if the Erumpent was extremely provoked. The smaller the provocation, the explosion would be less powerful and dangerous. Hermione thought deeper trying to remember the list of things that she had remembered for a test that slightly irritated Erumpents. She smiled to herself as the whole list came to her mind. There had to be one of those things on the list that was there in the Burrow.



Ron waited patiently next to her wondering what she would say. Hermione had spent the whole time looking out the window thoughtfully. He watched her facial expressions as he waited for her to come to the same answer. They had no other choice.



“Okay, let’s do it,” Hermione told him at last, turning from the window to look at him.



“Alright let’s get started,” Ron answered with a smile. He felt good knowing that he had come up with a plan that Hermione had agreed with, but his excitement was short lived.



“But we have to do it my way,” Hermione told him with a twinkle in her eye.



Ron stood waiting by his front door with bagpipes in hand. The Erumpent had finally wandered right to where Hermione had desired, at the front door. With seconds to go, their plan would go into effect. Ron looked down at the strange instrument in his hands. He had remembered as a child the hideous noise it once made when Fred and George had practiced. Ron was sure that when his mum had forced Fred and George to take music lessons, she never expected them to pick instruments that would purposely make her think twice about forcing them to be musical. The twins had only taken three lessons of bagpipes before his mum made them quit and put the bagpipes away in the storage closet. He had taken it out of the closet several times as a child and played the bagpipes while his family was away, but he had never gotten good. Ron sighed hoping that Hermione’s plan would work and wishing they would make it back safely.



“Ron?” Hermione called from around the kitchen corner. “Are you ready?”



“Yeah, except how long do you think I have to play for? I told you already I don’t know how to play this thing,” He hopelessly eyed the instrument in his arms.



“Ron, you didn’t listen to me did you?” Hermione asked and then rolled her eyes accompanied by a small giggle. “I told you to do what Professor Quirrel did to the harp to make Fluffy sleep. Cast a spell to make it play by itself.”



“Oh! That’s why you were talking about Fluffy!” Ron smiled and gently nodded his head. He winked at her and then sheepishly said, “I don’t know that spell.”



Hermione smiled at him and laughed again. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it.”



“Alright, but I’ll let you run down the stairs into the cellar before me,” Ron grinned as Hermione walked up to him. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”



“We’ll be fine. I’ve figure out that the bagpipes slightly irritated the Erumpent, so the blast won’t be as strong as the one that demolished the garage,” Hermione replied with smile. “Thanks for the thoughtfulness.”



Ron grinned from ear to ear as he handed over the bagpipes to Hermione. For once he was glad that Bellatrix had been very thoroughly detailed on her replica of his house and with his idea and Hermione’s plan they would be free from their prison in no time.



“Are you ready now?” Hermione asked a bit nervously.

“Yep, but just in case, I want to let you know that I love you,” Ron told her gently, he awkwardly fidgeted wit his fingers. He couldn’t look her straight in the eye, but he wanted to her to know if anything to them.



“I love you too!” She answered her cheeks bright red and large smile on her face. Trying to hide her red face, Hermione quickly turned around and set the bagpipes on the floor and quickly cast the spell and the instrument came to life playing the loud squeaky noise. Hermione nodded to Ron who stood not to far away. She quickly ran into the kitchen and through the door, down the stairs, into the cellar. Ron was right behind her as they tore down the stairs two at a time. The musty smell of dirt filled their nostrils as they panted in the cold air. They rushed forward toward the spot that they felt was safest, and crouching down they waited for their plan to work.



Hermione had been sure that Erumpents were sensitive to loud noise and hoped that her memory wasn’t wrong and that the bagpipes would only slightly anger the creature for a smaller blast. She and Ron had positioned themselves in a corner furthest away from the front door that the Erumpent would expectedly charge. The bagpipes filled their ears loudly enough to disturb their thinking. Hermione waited with her hands pressed to her ears. Ron was crouched next to her doing the same thing. She hoped her plan would work and that she wouldn’t let down Ron or herself.



Suddenly the Burrow shook again. The shelves full of jars and boxes fell to the ground around them. Glass jars filled with fruits, vegetables, and potion ingredients shattered upon the floor. Ron protective threw himself over Hermione as a nearby shelf came crashing down over them, luckily the boxes that tumbled over them were empty. The house groaned and moaned with anger. As quickly as it came, the storm stopped. Ron stood up pushing the boxes off of them.



Hermione stood up carefully and looked at Ron. “Are you okay?” She asked as a dust cloud descended from above.



“Yeah, I’m fine….the bagpipe stopped,” Ron replied looking up at the ceiling as thought he could see through it.



“That explosion was bigger than I expected,” Hermione said as she examined the mess of debris.



“Even if it was a bigger explosion, I hope it worked,” Ron answered, his face full of doubt.



“I doubt that Bellatrix imagined that we would use the Erumpent to escape, so she probably didn’t put any protection spells on the Burrow in such an event.”



“We don’t know that, she seems to have planned for everything. I just don’t want you to be disappointed if it didn’t work,” Ron explained as he looked around the cellar.



“Well let’s go see then,” Hermione hopefully suggested as she moved forward.



“Let me lead the way just in case the Erumpent’s ready to charge again,” Ron answered quickly holding Hermione back. He moved the boxes and things around them, making a path through the debris and up the stairs to the kitchen.



“I wish I had known that you had ingredients for potions in your cellar. I could have brewed up something to save us,” Hermione told him thoughtfully as she climbed the stair behind him.



“Well this was more fun in the end,” Ron smiled at her. He put his finger to his lips to silence her. Motioning for her to stay in the stairwell, Ron peeked around the corner into the kitchen. Through the broken boards, tile, ceilings and other debris Ron could see their freedom.

Harry stepped through the door like he always did, without waiting for to see what was on the other side. With his wand out, Harry step forward determinedly without really watching where was going. He was ready to take on any thing that Bellatrix might throw at him. To his amazement he was surprised to find that he was not as prepared as he hoped. His first step through the door, though confident, shocked him as he realized that his foot found no ground. Harry plummeted into the wide inky black lake. As he fell into the exceptionally warm water, Harry had in his shock dropped his wand and it slowly drifted out his reach to the bottom of the lake. Harry tried to snatch it back but the thick water pushed him back to the surface. He graciously gulped in the air as he surfaced.

Once on the top of the lake’s surface, Harry had planned to dive back for his wand, but as he caught a glimpse of the world around him he stayed. Treading the water he took in the scenery around him. The sky above him was a deep purple hue speckled with sparkling gem colored stars and a large snow white moon that reflected in the water around him. As he breathed in, the air was thick and humid, smelling of sweet spices. A concentrated lush dark green jungle hugged the edge of the lake and its vines, roots and leaves dabbled in the water. Strange jungle noises of monkeys and other exotic animals filled his ears. Yet what made the scenery breath taking was the gem colored stars. Upon closer inspection Harry discovered that it was not the stars, but beautiful tiny people that glowed different colors. He noticed that there were pale stars that shined behind the Sprites. The creatures came zooming towards him, inspecting him.

There were many attractive female Sprites that giggled as they surrounded and flew around Harry. Their golden wings were illuminated in the moonlight and each Sprite gave off a different color as they flew around. A light green one flew right up to Harry’s face, her big green eyes watched him closely. She had on a strange airy green short dress that was sleeveless and looked as though it had been blown ragged in the wind. Harry suspected that the dress was probably white and took on the color the Sprite’s body radiated during flight. The green Sprite tossed its long green half braided hair from off her shoulders and then winked at Harry. Her tiny lips pouted slightly as she flew off and emitted a tiny giggle.

Harry was fascinated by the Sprites that surround him. He watched the tiny, flawlessly beautiful Sprites skate on top of the water around him as though it were solid. Others dived into the inky purple water and sprung out of the water at random around his waist then fly around him as though they were searching him. Harry had completely forgotten about his wand, Bellatrix, Ginny, or anything else. Instead all he could see was the exceptionally beautiful Water Nymphs that danced around him. In the back of his mind an alarm disturbed him, some thought of danger came to him, but he pushed it away as he absorbed himself once more as a beautiful purple Water Nymph flew up and kissed the tip of his nose. He heard a girl voice cry out and then a splash of water, but he didn’t turn. The purple Water Nymph urged Harry to follow her. It was as if she has something wonderful waiting for him. Without a thought more about the splash or the cry, he followed the enticing beckoning of the purple Sprite. His arms and legs were getting tired of swimming, but he urged them on as his desire grew strong and stronger to follow the Sprite toward the middle of the lake.

************************************

Ginny had not expected to plunge into the dark warm waters as she had stepped through the door. She gasped for air as she surfaced. she had swallowed a large amount of water into her lungs, she had only screamed from shock and didn’t hold her breath. Ginny coughed hard as she tried to eject the water she had gulped down into her lungs. Her arms and legs were not functioning right as she was trying to cough and swim at the same time. Ginny’s body sunk beneath the water as her swimming failed due to the heaving coughing and she gulped in more water. She coughed harder when she had pushed herself up with a good strong kick. “Help!” Ginny croaked in between her coughs. She could see Harry, but he didn’t turn. She tried to call out his name, but he didn’t move, he only watched something that Ginny couldn’t make out, but saw was flying around him.

At that moment, Ginny knew that she had to get to the shore or she would drown. She was frightened and angry at the same time as she swam awkwardly towards the shore. Her hope to make it to the shore alive, died with every stroke as she knew that Harry didn’t notice her. He never noticed her, she was always the last person he worried about. Her lungs burned and tears began to pour down her face from so much coughing. Her muscles cried out for air, but she couldn’t appease them. Her lungs strained and hurt as she breathlessly coughed harder. Ginny’s legs and arms didn’t seem to work like she wanted them too, yet she worked harder, determined not to give up. As she came closer to the shore, her hopes brightened with every stroke that brought her closer to keeping herself alive.

As her feet touched the muddy lake ground she rushed forward towards higher ground, still coughing hard. Ginny gasped for air in between fits and finally dropped herself on hands and knees coughing until her diaphragm hurt. When the coughing fit subsided she rolled over and lay on the dirty muddy waters edge breathing slowly. Her head ached from coughing so hard and her body felt so exhausted from lack of air. The water had tasted a little funny to her not the normal tasteless water that she had been use to, it had more of a foreign spice feel to it. Ginny’s mind didn’t linger on that though, as her emotions took control, she thought of Harry and was angered.

She used all her energy to sit up, her wounded arm seared with pain. Ginny glanced to her side noticing that her bandages were soaked with her blood and water and the mixture was streaming down her arm. Trying not to panic, she stood up and tittered a bit. She was infuriated that Harry would let her almost drown, he was an insensitive jerk and how dare he let her almost die. Yet it came to her that Harry wasn’t normally this way, something was wrong. Looking over the inky black water she saw Harry swimming slowly to the middle of the lake with a pack of Sprites surround him. Ginny’s eyes widened with fear. She knew the power that female Sprites had on human men. It all made sense to Ginny why Harry had failed to save her, the Sprites had bewitched him.

“HARRY!” Ginny screamed, her voice carrying far across the liquid surface. She waited for him to reply, watching his figure move closer to follow the Sprites. “Harry, come back! The Sprites they will kill you!” Ginny shouted as loudly as she could, trying to get Harry’s attention. She knew deep inside that it was too late, he was already entranced and would not be awakened by her mere screaming. The Sprites would eventually kill him, but she didn’t want to give up on him, even if she couldn’t do much.

Without a wand Ginny felt helpless. She didn’t know what to do as she watched Harry’s figure disappear closer to the middle of the lake. The Sprites would drown him and she didn’t know how much time she had before he would forget to swim. Ginny could almost see Harry floating down to his watery grave as the Sprites would accompany him with evil laughter. She didn’t want to think about that, but she didn’t know what to do. Determinedly, she decided that it was her turn to save him, and the only way to do that was to swim out to him and bring him back.

Ginny doubted her own plan, there were too many flaws. Harry was stronger and bigger than she was, if he resisted she could never bring him back. He had his wand too, hopefully he won’t be crazy enough to use it against her, but Ginny had no idea. Most of all she was afraid that there would be male Sprites that would possibly cause her to be bewitched. Harry’s head bobbed barely above water and it made her worry even more that he would drown any minute. Against her better judgment she ran forward towards the water.

“Petrificus Totalus!”

Ginny instantly felt her arms snap to her sides and her legs come together like two magnets. Her body was stiff and she couldn’t move. She wanted to scream out, but it was too late, she couldn’t make a noise. Standing stiffly she could hardly stay upright. Ginny knew she was going to fall and tried to put all her weight backwards, knowing that falling in the water face first would be death. Her heart beat loudly in her chest as she waited for her self to fall, wishing with all her might that she would fall backwards. Suddenly her balance was lost and to Ginny’s relief, her body fell backwards into the shore. She landed hard and her body cried out in pain, but no sound could escape her lips, and no hand could soothe the hurt parts of her body. Ginny lay there like a corpse.

Through the darkness and into the moonlight above Ginny, a gaunt face smugly looked down at her it confirmed what she already knew, that it was Bellatrix who had done this. It was all a show in the cave, Bellatrix had known where they were hiding, and was only waiting to trap them here and now. Yet, Harry and Ginny had been so careful, maybe Bella hadn’t know where they were, but knew that they would eventually find the next door and came to wait. For her own pride and for Harry’s she hoped the later, but Ginny knew that either way it didn’t matter, Bella had won again.

Her eyes were aflame with hate as she looked up at Bellatrix, who danced a small victory dance with an evil gleeful giggle of triumph. “You little Doxy! Did you really think that you could escape me? You’re silly little boyfriend will die at the hands of my Sprites, and if not, I have you for insurance,” Bellatrix trumpeted with a sneer.

If Ginny had been able to move, she would have done anything to hurt Bella. Her blood boiled with anger and hate as she watched the woman smirk at the figure in the middle of the lake. Ginny had never felt so much fury in her life, but she knew that Harry would die and it was Bellatrix’s fault. Suddenly Ginny could understand the hate that Harry had felt for Bellatrix after Sirius died. Quickly she promised herself that if Harry did die, that she would seek the most painful revenge on Bellatrix for both deaths.

Bellatrix looked down at Ginny again. The woman stared into her eyes and smiled vilely. As if she had read Ginny’s mind she quickly snapped, “There is nothing you can do brat! I’ll punish you later, you bloody slut!”
Ginny defiantly glared at Bella hoping that somehow her stare could hurt her in a way.

“Wingardium Leviosa!” Bellatrix’s voice rang out.

In an instant Ginny’s body was light as a feather. Her body floated upwards in the air, she could see across the lake. She strained to look past her feet for Harry’s head. Ginny couldn’t see anything, but a swarm of Sprites. Harry was nowhere to be seen. Her stomach lurched, she felt dark, cold and sick all at the same time. A wave of pain hit her as she feared the worst for Harry.

Ginny didn’t even have time to mourn as her body was floating beside Bellatrix, who walked into the dense jungle. She tried to examine the lake as best as she could but the darkness was thick and finally Bella had brought her through the next door and in a matter of seconds the door was shut.

Ron turned back from the opening and smiled at Hermione, her eyes lit up with excitement.

“It worked didn’t it?” Hermione bounced with pleasure as she still waited in the stairwell.

“Yeah it did,” Ron grinned back at her. He turned to examine the opening and the damage. Half of the wall of the Burrow was missing and Ron suspected that it lay about his feet all around him. He could feel a slightly cold breeze coming through the hole. His eyes scanned the debris, wondering why the Burrow had not completely fallen as he had feared early. Ron had been careful not to tell Hermione his fear, and he had not even let himself think about it until now, but there was not much to worry about anymore. The damage was done and the Burrow stood….but for how much longer.

“Come on Hermione let’s get moving,” Ron instructed as he held out a hand to help her over. She had already left the stairwell and had climbed behind a huge pile of debris to look out the back window.

“What happened to the Erumpent?” Hermione asked her face held a great deal of concern.
That thought hadn’t crossed Ron’s mind, but thinking back he did notice that the Erumpent was no longer there with in his vision. One more thing to worry about, he thought to himself as he forced a smile for Hermione. Comfort her, was all he could think. “We’ll be alright.” As he said this, Hermione glanced up at him, and he knew she didn’t believe him. He waited a second for her to question, but instead she climbed down what was left of the kitchen table.

The Burrow let out an eerie groan as the whole house began to sway. Sunlight suddenly spilt onto the floor and seemed to tremble at their feet. With a huge cracking noise, the house again angrily grumbled. Ron looked to Hermione whose eyes were wide with fear. Another loud crack erupted and the floor above began to descend upon them. Without waiting a second longer, Ron scooped Hermione up in his arms. He ran towards the huge opening, dodging debris on the floor along with floorboards, furniture, rugs, clothes, bedding and clutter that dropped from above.
Ron felt a scratch down his back as the bed frame barely missed squishing them to death. It stung badly as he ran forward and out of nowhere a tea cup set that his Dad had kept under his bed hit him on the top of his head. The china shattered loudly about his feet. As he continued to run forward, it dawned on him that it must have been his parents’ bed that grazed his back. His knees began to give away as the floorboards beneath him groaned and shuddered. The floor was going to break underneath his feet.

Hermione tensely clung to Ron, as she looked past his shoulder and watched the huge bed frame with the bedding drop through the main floor to the basement. A few falling floorboards and other things had hit her head as Ron had carried her yet none if caused the alarm that the bed fall through the floor did. At that moment Hermione was afraid they wouldn’t make it out alive. The floor around where the bed had disappeared seemed to fall with the bed and as though there was a huge monster sucking everything down into the basement. Hermione let out a scream as the floorboards quickly disappeared like sand down a hole.

Ron lurched forward shakily, as his knees continued to give out with the shudder of the Burrow. It was Hermione’s scream that finally made Ron determined to escape, he leapt forward as the last floorboard disappeared from under his feet. He had only been two feet away from safety when the bed had come crashing through, and his leap landed them on the ground. Ron’s footing was lost and he dropped Hermione. They both tumbled to the ground as the Burrow behind them caved into the basement. A huge black dust cloud blew past them as the last of the Burrow sunk into the ground.

Sitting up slowly, Ron rubbed his newly skinned elbow, and then gently touched his wounded shoulder as he examined what was left of the Burrow. He arched his back thoughtfully and felt the pain of the scratch he had received from his parents’ bed. Without finding out if he was okay himself, he looked to Hermione who sat up dizzily a few feet away from him.

“Hermione? Are you alright?” Ron asked as he crawled over to her and sat next to her.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Hermione said groggily. “Are you okay?” She added as she put up a hand to stop her head from spinning.

“I’m good, I think. That one was close eh?” Ron excitedly chattered. “We were almost a goner there. Did you see those floorboards? They just disappeared from underneath my feet.” He began to laugh and then continued on, “I couldn’t believe my parent’s own bed might have killed us.” He laughed again.

Hermione shakily glanced at Ron. She was so confused by this chatter and laughter. She didn’t feel like laughing, she didn’t want to talk and all she wanted was to be safe and away from this place. Ron continued to babble on as though it was a great adventure. Hermione had never seen him do that before. Slowly as the adrenaline in her body calmed down, her mind began to think clearly. She quickly understood that Ron had been so frightened that his only reaction was to laugh. What had he been so scared of? Usually they were always in frightening situations, and he had never acted like this before, Hermione thought to herself. As she watched him it came to her that he had been scared for her.

“Ron, its okay, everything is fine,” Hermione gently told him. He looked at her and smiled, it was as if he needed to hear those words because his chattering suddenly stopped.

“It sure was close though?” Ron smugly answered as he stood up. He didn’t understand his own flood of talking that had emitted forth, but he felt better and his mind became keener. It suddenly occurred to him to wonder about the Erumpent. Quickly he scanned the surrounding area, but didn’t see the creature in sight, yet something stuck out like a sore thumb. In the distance behind the Burrow was a nest filled with silver eggs that glinted in the sunlight. Ron decided that they must have earlier overlooked the eggs when they were in the tower or did not notice it at all. Now it was obvious to Ron what had provoked the Erumpent, the mother to those eggs. He didn’t know what creature it was but he knew enough that they urgently needed to find the door and quickly.

Hermione stood up slowly, still holding her head, she could feel a few big bruises and it gave her a bit of a headache. Her mind was still in awe about how much love Ron had showed for her without him even knowing. It had meant a lot to her, but she reminder herself that if they didn’t escape it wouldn’t really matter if they were dead. Swallowing hard, Hermione started thinking about what was before them. She knew that Bellatrix had put them in sort of prison for the time being, but there had to be a way to get back into the strange series of doors. Hermione wondered if Bella would have left another door or portal to get back, but it could be anything and anywhere or destroyed with the Burrow. Hermione hoped against the last as she searched the landscape for the familiar door that they had seen several times through. She first spied the Erumpant that had wandered far off in the distance as though it was sulking. Hermione knew that it wouldn’t be a threat to them anymore. As she continued to search, her eyes fell upon something silver, but she looked past that at a large brown wooden door. Hermione bubbled up with excitement as she pointed out to Ron, “Look there’s the door! We can get out here!”

Ron’s eyes grew wide with amazement. He hadn’t seen the door behind the eggs since the eggs were enough to catch his attention and make him worry. His mind worked quickly as always but he didn’t know what it was that was worrying him.

“Let’s go!” Hermione happily moved forward.

“Wait!” Ron called out firmly. Hermione stopped and frowned at him. “Don’t go over there, I think there is something dangerous.”

“What?” Hermione asked alertly looking around.

“There are silver eggs over there in a nest by the door….”

“Silver eggs?” Hermione repeated confoundedly.

“Yeah, silver eggs,” Ron replied with a shrug. “I can’t remember what animal lays silver eggs.”

“It’s an Occamy! Ron, we have to get out of here quickly,” Hermione answered shrilly.

“Wait aren’t those the fifteen foot snakes with…like…wings?” Ron questioned thoughtfully. He had heard many rumors of them when he had gone to Egypt, several wild stories about the dangers of the Occamy, which killed his desire to ever see one.

“Yes, Ron,” Hermione impatiently answered as she searched the skies above. “I don’t see it, but we have to get out of here before it returns.”

Ron glanced at her doubtfully, “At the rate we’ve been going, I doubt that we could make it without some serious injury.”

Hermione rolled her eyes and angrily through clenched teeth, “Ron, lets get moving!”

He shrugged in reply and held out his hand. Hermione annoyed, sighed, yet she took his hand. Ron knew that she was upset, but he did have a point, and even though she was right, he was worried for her safety. With a quick grin and a wink at her, Ron began to run forward. Hermione grinned as she ran behind him still holding his hand.

They rounded the collapsed Burrow in no time at all. With the large field and garden behind the house, the two wondered if they could make it out past the eggs and into the door before the Occamy returned. The green tall grass licked their legs with wet dew as they ran forward. Hoping against all the odds, they scrambled over the fence and into the back weedy overgrown field.

Hermione tried to keep an eye on the sky for the Occamy, but she couldn’t keep up with Ron and watch the skies, so she eventually gave up. With Ron ahead of her she knew that at least the creature was not coming from the front. She tried not to worry about the Occamy, but as they came closer to the silver eggs, her mind began to panic. Hermione knew that Occamy never stayed far from its nest, and was also known to burry itself in the ground, yet it was a creature who hunted. Hermione wished against the odds that the Occamy was out hunting and not hiding under the ground around the nest.

Ron ran forward, his mind strictly on the door ahead of them. He would get Hermione through this one without a scratch. The nest lay only a few feet ahead of them and the silver eggs glistened in the green weedy field. Ron didn’t bother to look for the mother of the eggs, only hoping that they could escape through the door before anything happened. In a matter of seconds, Ron was running right past the eggs, he could have reached down and touched one, but he didn’t want to, the door was only ten feet away. Just as Ron was sure they would make it alive, a whoosh of air confirmed what he feared, that the mother wasn’t as far away from her children.

Hermione screamed out as the twelve foot Occamy swooped down at them. She instinctively released Ron’s hand and dived to the ground beside the large nest, as the creatures two legs viciously swung at her. Hermione jumped to her feet as soon as the creature was gone. She noticed that Ron was standing also, but that he’s sleeping robes were a bit wet like unto her own. He didn’t wait for her to say anything, but grabbed her hand and pulled her forward towards the door.

The Occamy would come swooping down on them again, but Ron hoped that they would make it through the door before it came back. They ran forward towards the door and covered five feet before the next attack came. Ron wasn’t sure how smart the creature was, but he wasn’t going to take any chances. As the whoosh sound came again, he pushed Hermione to one side while diving into the ground on the other side. The sharp talons pierced the earth between them and then were gone as quickly as it came. Ron didn’t want to think how quickly that attack could have easily impaled them. Instead he jumped to his feet and pulled Hermione to her feet, the door was so close, they had to make it.

Ron’s hand touched the handle he quickly turned it and yanked open the door. The whoosh of the Occamy’s wings warned them of it’s decent upon them. Ron turned to see the strange creature charging forward at them barely hovering above the ground. He could feel the anger of the creature as it speedily made its way forward to kill them. Ron pushed a stunned Hermione through the door and then quickly leapt forward shutting the door behind him.

Hermione had been frozen with fear when Ron had pushed her through the door. The menacing stare of the Occamy had stunned all her facilities. Her body was still tense as she fell through the air. In a strange blur she could see a woman with a body in tow, but like a flash it was gone, and Hermione was surrounded by water. She quickly swam to the top just in time to see Ron fall from the sky and into the water.