Chapter 1


Capture

A young man stumbled along the dark streets of Paris. It was raining heavily, and he was getting soaked to the bone. He was carrying what appeared to be an old book in his arms, and he was trying to shield it from the raindrops that threatened its ancient pages. He looked lost and confused, a tip-off that he was not native to the area.

A sudden loud crack filled the night. The man stopped, his eyes wide with fear. Then he began to run as quickly as he could, towards the darkness of the city. But then suddenly he was tripped by something unseen. He gasped as the book fell out of his arms and onto the wet ground. He was about to reach for it when he heard a voice that he knew all too well.

"Ah, but Jonathan, I do not think you want to do that."

Jonathan got up from the ground and turned around. Sure enough, it was the man he thought it to be. "What do you want, Lucius?" he demanded. " What are you doing in France? Shouldn't you be in Britain, scaring the Ministry officials out of their wits?"

Lucius gave a dry laugh. His wand was pointed directly at Jonathan's throat and his cold grey eyes were focused on the book lying on the ground, getting wet. "You know why I'm here. I was sent here by the Dark Lord," his eyes narrowed as Jonathan snorted. "He gave me a very important mission that I don't plan on failing."

"What could your precious Lord," the word was spart scathingly, "want to do with me? Or does this concern the book?"

Lucius snarled at him and shouted, "Stupefy!" Jonathan fell to the ground, paralyzed. Lucius bent down to pick up the book and then leaned over Jonathan. "You're lucky I didn't just kill you. But the Dark Lord gave me specific orders to keep you alive, for whatever reason. He seems to want both and book and you." Lucius's breath was hot on Jonathan's face and smelled horrible. If he was not paralyzed, Jonathan would've probably thrown up.

Lucius grabbed both and book and Jonathan and then disappeared with a loud pop! The spot where they were both standing was now empty; there was no sign of them even being there. And that's exactly how Lucius had intended it to be.

"My Lord," Lucius said silkily, bowing low to the ground, "I have completed the mission." He waited anxiously for an answer, but heard none. The only thing he heard was the loud crackling of the fireplace. Voldemort's armchair was facing away from him, so he could not see his reaction.

Lucius was unsure of what to say. "My Lord, what do you want me to do with Jonathan Gates, and the book?"

"Bring them both to me," was Voldemort's simple reply. Lucius stood up and left the room. Minutes later he returned, dragging Jonathan, who was bound by ropes, and carrying the book. He placed Jonathan next to the armchair and handed the book to his Master, who was holding his hand out expectantly. Voldemort took the book and then said to Lucius, "Leave." Lucius bowed and left the room, looking slightly affronted.

Instead of looking frightened, Jonathan was actually glaring at Voldemort. He snarled, "What do you want, you bloody bastard? What could you possibly want with me, and the book?"

There was a loud hiss as Voldemort's snake, Nagini, slithered around the armchair. Joanthan, who had not noticed the snake before, twitched slightly. Though he could not see Voldemort, Jonathan could hear the pages rustling. What does he want with the book?

"So," Voldemort began after minutes of silence, "you want to know what I want with this book? Well, let me ask you a question, Jonathan. What were you doing with this book?"

"Trying to hide it from you," snapped Jonathan, struggling with the ropes that bound him.

When Voldemort did not answer, Jonathan spoke, "I don't know anything about this book. I was just told to keep it away from you. What is contained inside this book that you so desperately want?"

Jonathan had not been expecting an answer, so he was not surprised when he didn't receive one. He watched Nagini wind herself around the chair over and over again. Bloody bastard doesn't even have enough decency to answer my questions.

Voldemort rose from his chair and walked over to Jonathan, the book clutched in his white hand. He waved the book in front of Jonathan's face, smirking. "Are you talking about this book, Jonathan Gates? The very book Lucius Malfoy was able to so easily take from you? This book has some very powerful spells contained in it. And detailed descriptions on how to use those spells." His cat-like red eyes gleamed maliciously in the darkness of the room. Jonathan had never seen Voldemort face-to-face, so he was a bit unnerved by the whiteness of his face, the red eyes, and the snake-like nose.

Voldemort waved his wand to make the book float over to the chair and place itself on it. Then he looked at Jonathan and laughed softly. "It's useful to have an Order member in my possession. I can just imagine all the secrets I can find if I were just to penetrate your puny brain. But for today I think I'll just give you a taste of what pain will be like if you do not cooperate with me when I interrogate you."

He raised his wand and shouted "Crucio!" Pain shot through Jonathan's body. It felt like white-hot knives were piercing him from every angle, all over his body. Voldemort lifted the spell after a minute or two and laughed cruelly as Jonathan lay, panting on the floor, still tied up. "That was just a teaser," said Voldemort, lifting his wand again and laughing as Jonathan cried out in pain.

This continued a couple of more times until Voldemort got bored. He then left the room, leaving Jonathan all alone, bound by ropes and bleeding heavily. I have to get out of here, Jonathan thought to himself. I have to warn the Order that Voldemort has the book.

The moonlight shone through Dumbledore's office. Two figures were illuminated by it; one a very tall man with long hair and a long beard; and the other with greasy black hair and a hook nose.

"Dumbledore, I think Gates has been captured. He's been gone too long." said Snape, lifting his black eyes to meet Dumbledore's.

Dumbledore looked at Snape. As many times before, Snape had the feeling that Dumbledore was looking into his very soul. It was quite unnerving. "Severus," said Dumbledore after a moment, "I agree with you. He has been gone too long."

"We should alert the Order," suggested Snape. He was shocked when Dumbledore shook his head. "But, he-"

"We must find out Voldemort's intentions first. Then we will alert the Order. Trust me, Severus."

Snape sighed as he looked up at the full moon, knowing well that Lupin was transforming as they spoke. "I do trust you, Dumbledore. I just don't trust the Dark Lord."

And with that Snape left the office, his robes billowing behind him. Dumbledore sighed as the door shut. Please let Jonathan be safe, he thought to himself. Next to him, Fawkes cried softly before bursting into flames and falling to the bottom of the perch. He watched as a tiny bird emerged from the ashes and started crying again. To be reborn again, he sighed softly. What most people would give to have that option.