“Wait,” Malfoy said. He had that same crazed look in his eyes as when he had begged Penelope to torture Marietta. “I’ve waiting too long for this.”

“We need to get him to the Dark Lord Malfoy,” she said unemotionally.

“All these years,” Malfoy said, “and finally he is within my reach. Let me.”

“I don’t think I should.”

“Just once, I promise,” Malfoy said. “I would never dream of killing him.”

Harry held his breath as the two of them discussed this. He had no idea what it was Malfoy wanted to do to him, but he could guess. Harry didn’t care what happened to him. Malfoy could torture him, stun him, hell, he could cut him up into little pieces and scatter those pieces all across the planet- all Harry cared about was finding Hermione. And eventually they would lead him directly to her.

Penelope looked at Harry who just standing there in front of her. His face showed no emotion whatsoever and he wasn’t even looking at his wand. In fact, he acted like he didn’t even care about what was happening to him. The bastard, she thought, he’s to prideful to even beg or plead. But she would watch him plead, she had sworn to herself that before she died she would watch him plead before her and her Master.

“Fine,” she said looking at Malfoy. “Just this once. To make him compliant.”

That wide grin spread across Malfoy’s face for the second time that day, this time it contained more joy than Malfoy had ever felt before. This was the moment he had been waiting for for six years.

“Crucio!”

Drowry stopped to catch her breath as she finally exited the Hogwarts grounds. She was now able to apparate. She waited a few more moments to catch her breath, what she was about to do was very difficult and very dangerous. She had to be completely concentrated on her destination.

She stood up straight and emptied her mind. Unlike most apparitions, where a person merely imagined their destination, Drowry had to imagine something else- she wasn’t entirely sure where Voldemort was. She emptied her mind and thought of Voldemort. She thought of his power, of his voice, of his Death Eaters. She imagined herself standing beside him, wherever he was.

She concentrated on nothing but those things and, picturing herself next to him, she apparated.

“Aaahhh!” Harry screamed as his knees hit the hard dirt ground, his knees buckled with the pain, causing his face and body to slam hard into the ground.

Harry continued to scream as his body twisted on the ground. Every thought he had, even his determination to save Hermione, disappeared from his mind. His brain and mind was blackness. Every memory he had, everything disappeared, leaving only blackness and the pain.

Harry’s body continued to convulse, his scream grew louder, earsplitting even. The pain grew more intense. It grew in power and strength until it was Harry. Harry was the pain, and the pain was all Harry had ever known and all that he would ever know.

Harry’s eyes rolled back in his head, he couldn’t breath. The pain was so intense that Harry couldn’t even scream anymore, there was nothing left inside of him to scream. Right now, he was nothing. And the only thing that currently existed in Harry’s life was pain and darkness.

Malfoy, on the other hand, had never felt better. He could feel the power coursing through his body and building in his wand and heart. After all these years of torment and defeat, Malfoy’s hate could finally escape.

That was what caused Harry’s intense pain. It was Malfoy’s intense hate. A hate that had built up and grown for six years inside of Malfoy, a hate that Malfoy couldn’t control anymore, and it had just exloded.

Finally, Malfoy lowered his wand, a triumphant look on his face. Harry lay on the ground gasping for breath, just barely conscious. He lay still for several moments, composing himself from what he had just been through.

Harry opened his eyes and quickly shut them again. Everything was so right, the light hurt him. When he finally gained the strength to open his eys again, he forced his eye lids to stay open. Everything looked fuzzy. He couldn’t see anything clearly. But Harry stood up anyways.

A shooting pain ran from Harry’s knees as he placed his weight on them. He bit his tongue to keep from screaming out and he dug his fingernails into the flesh of his palm to keep himself from falling back down onto the ground. He glared at Penelope through his bleary eyes, ignoring the pain and the blood he tasted in his mouth and felt in his hands. He forced his eyes to look determined and prideful; he refused to let her think that he had been broken- because he hadn’t. He couldn’t and wouldn’t be broken until he found Hermione and killed any bastard who had anything to do with her kidnapping.

“Take me to Voldemort,” Harry said hoarsely to Penelope as she continued to grin and point his wand at him. And he realized, he would start with killing Voldemort, Clearwater, Malfoy and Drowry.

Lupin walked cautiously through the tunnel. He didn’t light his wand; he didn’t want to give any possible enemies the heads up that he was there. Luckily, Lupin knew this tunnel extremely well from his school days. Even in the dark, Lupin found it very unlikely that he would…

“Umph!” Lupin tripped. Damn it, he thought. That was exactly what he was hoping not to do. He lay on the ground for a long while, not moving, just listening. Listening for any sign that he had been heard.

There was nothing. No sound anywhere and no movement in the dark. Lupin couldn’t believe that he had tripped. Finally, after waiting for a few more minutes, Lupin decided to chance it. He wa curious as to what he had tripped over.

“Lumos!” Lupin spoke quietly, still sitting on the ground. “Shit!” he cried out as he jumped back and hit the opposite wall of the tunnel. No wonder I tripped, Lupin thought. Because there, lying on the floor ws the cold, lifeless body of Cho Chang.

Drowry was somewhere she had never been before. It looked like a large dilapidating shack. Everything was falling apart around her, and everything was covered in a very thick layer of dust. But no Voldemort.

She sighed. She hadn’t apparated right, she must not have been concentrating on him enough. If she had gotten it right she should be standing directly beside…

“Hello again, my daughter.”

Drowry turned around and looked at Voldemort and his arms which were stretched out in welcome of her.

“My Lord,” she said walking into his arms. Voldemort had referred to her as his daughter for as long as Drowry could remember, and indeed, he had taught her everything she knew.

“I was just about to summon you to my side,” Voldemort said as she stood in his arms. “My plan is coming to a close tonight and I wish all of my followers, especially my most beloved,” he said grinning that wicked smile at her, “to be here and witness my triumph.”

“So it’s true?” she asked him, he eyes bright with a false enthusiasm. “Harry Potter is here?”

“He shall be arriving momentarily,” Voldemort said. “Why don’t you go and prepare for the ceremony.”

Drowry nodded, smiling. Then she looked around once again.

“Where are we Voldemort?” she asked him.

“In the most obvious and convenient place,” he said laughing. “Right under that idiot Dumbledore’s nose- the Shrieking Shack of Hogsmeade. Now go change out of those stupid school clothes,” he said laughing.

Drowry smiled and walked away. Right now everything depended on Lupin and his reaching Dumbledore. Drowry could not leave, and while she was an extremely powerful being, she did not find it likely that she and Lupin would be able to take on Voldemrt’s army of Death Eaters on their own.

At least I know they’re heading this way, Lupin thought.

“Mobilicorpus!” Lupin said pointing his wand at Cho. He had to get to Dumbledore and tell him where Harry and Voldemort were, he might as well get this girl’s body out of here at he same time.

Lupin sighed as he walked back towards the opening of the tunnel with Cho’s body. Once again they had been wrong. Amanda and he had first suspected Marietta of being Voldemort’s heir. But they had realized that Marietta was only being controlled by the heir. That had immediately led Amanda to believe that he heir was someone close to Marietta, someone close enough to possess her several times- mainly, they had suspected Cho.

But now Cho was dead, and Lupin found it unlikely that Harry could have overcome her so quickly, and Lupin found it extremely hard to believe that Harry would kill anyone.

The heir could be anyone.

The important thing now, was to find Dumbledore. Amanda would look after Harry while he brought back help.

“Expelliarmus!”

Lupin fell to the ground once again, this time on his back, and Cho’s body fell to the ground as he was hitin the chest by the spell.

“Lumos!”

Ten yards away the wand of a Death Eater lit up as Lupin’s wand flew into his other hand.

“Malfoy!” Lupin growled, recognizing the voice behind the mask.

“Lupin,” the masked man answered. “are you growling because it is that time of the month again or because you truly are more animal than anything else?"

Lupin didn't answer, he just stared straight at Malfoy.

"Forget the dead girl and forget your stupid Dumbledore," Malfoy said. "You’re coming with me.”

“Penelope, you will go prepare yourself,” Voldemort said as Harry fell to the floor. “Draco,” he then said just as affectionately, “go with her. She shall sow you where you can change. A Death Eater mask will not be required of you, you are one of my champions.”

Draco smiled, nodded and walked out of the room following Penelope.

“Harry,” Voldemort said. The sound of his voice made Harry’s flesh and blood freeze, his heart seemed to stop in his chest; but worst of all, it reminded Harry of the pain and blackness he had experienced a short time ago. Harry couldn’t help but shiver visibly at the sound of Voldemort’s voice.

“Good,” Voldemort continued, “I’m glad to see you fear and respectg those who deserve it.”

“You don’t deserve it,” Harry managed to say. “No monster deserves it.”

Voldemort sighed. “Harry, we meet for the last time. The sooner you realize this the easier it will go for you and her.”

“Hermione!” Harry said standing up. “Where is she? Have you hurt her?” Harry shouted.

“You shall see her shortly, Boy!” Voldemort growled. “Now, seeing as you are my guest, I should see to your comfort.” Voldemort flicked his wand causing several very large chains to spring from the wall and attach themselves to Harry’s wrist’s and ankles. The chains then pulled back against the wall, taking Harry with them. The chains slammed Harry violently against he wall as Voldemort walked out of the room. And it was at that point that Harry’s head fell forward heavily and he lost consciousness.

Drowry walked quietly through the Shrieking Shack. She had already dressed in her finery so that she could have plenty of time to think over her plan. Drowry came to a door and opened it slowly. There, inside, lying in the corner was Hermione’s still form.

Drowry closed the door behind her and walked into the room.

“Hermione?” Drowry asked placing her hand on the girl’s shoulder and shaking her slightly.

Hermione moaned and opened her eyes to look up at her Professor. Hermione had a large bloody cut above her left eye, but other than that she seemed to be fine.

“Professor?” Hermione asked. “What are you doing here?”

“I don’t have very much time to explain,” Drowry said looking around quickly, “just know that…”

“Why are you dressed up like that?” Hermione asked again. “You look all weird, like your getting married or something?”

Drowry looked down at her outfit. It may indeed have been a little bit more extravagant than she liked, but Voldemort treated her and his heir like princesses, and he had this crazy idea that they should look the part.

Drowry definitely did not look her usual self in her large black dress and red lipstick, especially since her hair was all brought up on the top of her head only falling down in a few soft curls.

“That’s not important right now Hermione,” Drowry said trying to get her to focus. “Harry is going to be here soon and…”

“Harry?” Hermione asked. “Why would he be here? Where am I?” Hermione had started to become upset. She sat up and began to look around at the room. She sat in the corner with her arms wrapped around her knees staring at the floor.

“You remember what happened now?” Drowry asked.

“Yes,” Hermione said. “And I know that you’re a Death Eater and you can’t be trusted.”

“That’s not true Hermione,” Drowry said. “Would I be here if I didn’t want to help you? No, I wouldn’t. Yes, I’m a Death Eater. But I assure you that I would never harm you or Harry intentionally.”

Hermione looked up at her skeptically. “What do you want?” she asked.

“Only for you to listen for a few minutes,” Drowry said. “I have a plan…”

The door swung open.

“My dear’s!” Voldemort smiled at Drowry and Hermione. “Getting acquainted are we? Isn’t it a shame Amanda? Miss Granger is so bright and full of potential, if she weren’t so crazy for Potter she could turn out to be a wonderful pupil.”

Drowry smiled at him. Hermione continued to glare.

“Bring her,” Voldemort said to Drowry. “Potter’s here.”

“Albus,” McGonagall said as they walked out of the castle. “We don’t even know where they have gone. How are we to find and save Mr. Potter?”

“I have a very good idea where Voldemort may have taken him Minerva,” Dumbledore said. “In fact I’m fairly…”

“Dumbledore! Dumbledore!” Hagrid came running from the castle to meet him.

“I’m sorry Hagrid,” Dumbledore said, “but I’m afraid you just can’t come. As much as I would like to take you, it would not be very good for someone who is not allowed to use magic to battle Death Eaters. I have asked you to stay at the school and watch over the students.”

“Es not tha’,” Hagrid said shaking his head. “No, I understand what yer mean Dumbledore, but we found somethin’.”

“What now?” Snape asked. “Every minute it’s something knew, a purple mouse this time maybe?”

“Oh no,” Hagrid said rather seriously, “they only come out in der winter. No,” he said shaking his head again, “Mr. Filch found a body Sir.”

“A body?” Dumbledore aked.

“Who is it Hagrid?” McGonagall asked her hand on her chest.

“Es Marietta Edgecombe Sir,” Hagrid said.

Dumbledore nodded his head. This was a terrible thing.

“Go see to the body Hagrid,” Dumbledore said. “I shall contact her parents later, after I have arrived back with Harry and Hermione.”

“Oh yeah, bout tha’,” Hagrid said, “good luck to all of ya, bring em back!”

“We will Hagrid,” Dumbledore said as he walked off again.

“What do you make of this Albus?” McGonagall asked.

“I think we should wait for Lupin to return,” Dumbledore said. “We will give him half of an hour.”

“Hermione,” Drowry whispered as she walked the girl out of the room. “I want you to tell Harry as soon as you get the chance, that the only thing that matters is that Harry gets his wand. Tell him, he needs to get his wand.”

Hermione nodded. She would tell Harry to get his wand alright, and she would make sure that the first thing he aimed it at was her.