After Harry knocked Bellatrix’s wand out of her hand, Lucius had endured their antics long enough.
“What are we waiting for?” he asked crisply, he then murmured something with a grin on his face. Thick black smoke emitted from his wand, and soon the room was full of smoke. Harry couldn’t see more then his own hand in front of his face, and he couldn’t imagine how that helped the Death Eaters any. He wasn’t sure whether he should cast a spell or not, if he did, he might hit someone unsuspecting, but if he missed then they would hear him and know where he was. For all he knew he could be surrounded by people now. He crept towards the staircase, trying to get above the fog, and backed into someone.
“You fool of a boy!” cried Bellatrix. “Lucius, you are an idiot. I can’t see a thing in this smoke, and if someone breaks my wand, there will be hell to pay.”
Harry grinned, she didn’t have her wand, now was his chance. “Petrificus totalus,” he bellowed, and she went completely rigid. Harry didn’t realize the consequence of hexing her though, because a well-placed spell came flying right at his chest and he got flown back into a wall. Luckily, he was closer to the wall, than he thought otherwise it would have been more painful. Harry gritted his teeth painfully as she stood up shaking slightly, the hex was powerful, but not hindering at least. After that, the whole place seemed to come alive somewhere in the smoke.
“Get your bloody hands off me!” yelled Ron. Following that, there was a grunt.
“Conjunctivitis,” screamed Hermione from the opposite direction as Ron. After that, Harry heard cursing from a male victim, and then Hermione shrieking.
“Get off of me! Harry help!”
Harry shook back to life, he had been just sitting there listening frozen to the wall. He didn’t know how he was going to find anyone in this smoke, but as he wandered through it, he noticed it was starting to slowly thin away.
“Hermione,” he called through the smoke, this time making sure he had a shield up, before calling. This time there was a muffled scream, and it seemed to Harry to be heading away from him.
“Ron?” he called this time, trying to find help, anyone on his side. As he noticed now though, the Death Eaters had become deadly silent again. They were stalking the two boys like prey. Harry was now thankful that Ron had the sense to keep silent but what about Hermione? Harry felt a lump in a throat, he had a distinct feeling he was surrounded now. He actually was sure he could see figures in the smoke. Where was Ron? Did he leave to get Hermione? Harry felt very alone, with all these Death Eaters closing in on him. He saw a small gap and hoped they couldn’t see him; Harry tried to make a break for it. Two pairs of arms held him back throwing him to the ground. Now the group was so close, he started to recognize faces, Crabbe, Lucius, Nott.
“Imperio,” muttered a chilly female voice directly behind him. Harry felt very relaxed, all his muscles seem to loose their tenseness.
“Get up Potter,” ordered the same female voice. Harry didn’t feel any reason not to so he got up from the ground.
“We are going to see the Dark Lord now, so you follow us,” she whispered in his ear cruelly like she enjoyed being in charge.
Now the dream, to Harry, didn’t seem too pleasant. He didn’t want to see Voldemort, he didn’t want to follow them. It would just be easier to go with them though; he'd have to meet him anyway. Harry tensed up again. You’re walking right into a trap. Fight them. They’re leading you into a trap… I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go, no, no, I won’t go. I’m not going to follow you.
“Move it Potter,” yelled the voice from behind him, she was beginning to feel the strain on her wand.
“No!” yelled Harry, breaking the curse, but falling down on his knees again.
“You idiot,” yelled Lucius dejectedly, at the woman behind Harry. “Who put you in charge anyway? It is not you that is assigned to take him. You are a stupid, incompetent, and worthless girl. Everyone knows Potter can break an Imperious Curse.”
“I’m sorry,” muttered the girl apologetically. Harry recognized her voice, but didn’t have time to think about it, because now he found himself under the Cruciatus Curse, and he doubled over on the ground in pain. He tried to fight this one too, but it was so much harder. His scar was igniting in pain, and he felt every muscle tense up, he gritted his teeth trying to get his mind to disobey the curse. It was too much though, the pain seemed to numb every part of him, his mind could think of nothing but the pain. It seemed like hours of torture, when it really only lasted a few minutes.
“Are you quite ready now Potter?” asked Lucius impatiently from above him. Harry just shook, not really wanting to answer the question. He didn’t want to go, but he didn’t want to go back in the curse again.
“He’s ready,” remarked Lucius, motioning for two Death Eaters to take him by the arms and drag him. Harry felt so weak, he couldn’t see Voldemort like this, he would be killed instantly. He couldn’t save the wizarding world.
***
Ron crouched behind the couch, praying he wouldn’t be seen. He wasn’t stupid enough to launch attack on them after they had taken Hermione. He had wished to follow McNair out when he had taken her, but he didn’t want to be caught either. It had taken everything he had not to choke Kira to death while she held Harry in the Imperious Curse. He hardly breathed as they now carried Harry out. As the Fat Lady closed behind them, Ron waited wanting them to get a head start so he would be caught. He wasn’t that patient though. If they got to Voldemort before Harry had time to recover, they were all fated to disaster. He looked over at Bellatrix who still seemed stiff as a board, and snuck of the common room. Ron’s heart was pounding hard against his chest, so many questions and now he was all alone. He’d give anything to have Hermione, Ginny, or anyone with him. They were all alone, Hermione and Harry captured, and probably Ginny too. If the order doesn’t get back soon we are all done for. Ron waited for the Death Eaters to turn the corner, and ran swiftly after them. He had no idea where they were going yet. He had to follow them quietly and out of sight, he was their last hope, or so he thought.
***
Ginny ran through the corridors from Dumbledore’s office to follow Harry. McGonagall had held her in the office too long, she wasn’t sure if she was going to catch up with the Death Eaters before they got to where they were going. She fumbled with the Marauders map, and tried at the same time to keep the invisibility cloak on while she ran. It was trickier than it sounded. She reached the first flight of stairs up, she tripped over the cloak, and was so tempted to discard it. By the time she had gotten to the third floor she did discard it next to the Charms classroom, hopefully they could pick it up later, if not it wasn’t worth it. She wasn’t going fast enough. Her eyes scanned for other names on the map. Ron seemed to be in hot pursuit of Harry and the Death Eaters, and luckily was not being followed. Hermione was tangling with McNair down on the fifth floor; the Death Eaters were on the opposite hallway on the fifth floor, still descending on the staircases opposite of Ginny. She wasn’t sure whether she should help her friend or not, but quickly decided Harry was more important right now. She made a quick decision and after bolting up to the fourth floor. She cut across the hallways hoping to reach the other flight of stairs. She fell a little behind Ron and Harry now, but didn’t stop her resolve; she was getting closer, and would make it in time. She had to. Ginny looked at the map seriously, and still could not see where they were going; the Dark Lord was nowhere in sight. Which of course was good news to Ginny’s eyes. She now followed behind Harry and Ron down the stairs quicker then ever.
***
Hermione looked down upon McNair breathlessly, her wand pointed right at his head. She had already bound him in ropes, but she needed to know what they were doing.
“Nothing is stopping me from cursing you until you wither away into nothing. Now tell me what your plan is,” she demanded, her hair was frizzy from her struggle with him, giving her a more maddening look.
“What makes you think I’ll even tell you anything?” he growled back, laughing at her from the stone floor.
“Because I know that you enjoy living better than you enjoy serving Voldemort,” she said bravely, her eyes flashing with passion. “Tell me now or the next words you speak will be much more painful.”
He looked at her considering her threat, he said nothing but just stared at her now.
“I don’t have time for this!” she shrieked impatiently. She considered him a minute now, and knew she couldn’t kill him, but hoped that he would think so.
“Opressius,” she said, and he looked at her, panicked. He really didn’t expect her to do anything but threaten him. She kept the spell light, so he could tell her and then she would release the spell. He looked at her calmly and first and smiled, but as the seconds ticked by, she could tell he was starting to panic. As the weight of the spell pressed upon his chest, he swallowed a lump in is throat and looked her pitifully. Hermione would not budge; she forced the hex harder on him. McNair started to choke a little and clutched his chest with agony. Hermione noticed, his face turned from red, to purple. He was starting to lose air; she was about to lift the curse a little when he finally choked.
“He wants us to take Potter to the Great Hall and wait for him there, he won’t be here until nightfall though. He’s going to battle the Potter boy and we were supposed to kill the rest,” he had sputtered out the rest of his sentence, and looked at her painfully, clutching his neck as if to force air into his lungs.
“He, you mean Voldemort?” she asked him sharply, her wand still lightly adding pressure to his chest. He just nodded, wincing now as the pressure became tighter.
“Solotu,” she said, rushed, as she took off, leaving him there. He gasped in relief as the weight was taken off of him. She looked out the window. The sun was nearly set, and Voldemort would be here any minute. She tore off down the set of stairs Ginny had originally taken. She didn’t think she was going to make it time. Please Sirius; please be here, Harry needs you.
***
Ginny collided with Ron, in front of the entrance to the Great Hall.
“What’s going on?” Ginny mouthed. Ron shrugged, Ginny moved to the edge of the closed door hoping to peer around the side. She placed her hands on the edge, and pulled her red hair back so it wouldn’t give her away. She peered cautiously around the corner, and saw around fifty Death Eaters or so, but no Harry. She whirled around to Ron and shook her head. She was planning to take another look when a red and white fox came bounding up to them. Ginny looked at it quite confused, but Ron smiled broadly. The fox crept past them into the Great Hall, Ginny’s eyes followed, the fox stuck to the corners, seemingly to keep out of sight. Ginny’s eyes scanned the large hall, looking for any signs of Harry, he seemed to be surrounded the Death Eaters.
“Ginny…” Ron started. Ginny turned around, and gasped, horrified. Death Eaters were coming towards the Great Hall from all directions, surrounding Ginny and Ron, either forcing them to fight or flee into the Great Hall. Ginny considered the matter quickly, there were at least twenty dementors, too many for her and Ron to vanquish; although once they were in the Great Hall, they could become exposed the Death Eaters. She heard Ron curse under his breath, she grabbed his arm, and they tried their best to sneak into the Great Hall. Ginny wished desperately now she had not discarded the Invisibility cloak. She and Ron snuck over the corner, helping to be hidden by the shadows of the setting sun. So far they had done this without being seen but they were bound to be caught sooner of later; Ginny hoped it was later. How long was it going to take for the Order to get there?
***
Harry felt a little better now; not having to walk down the seven stories gave him some energy back, though Crabbe and Goyle gripped his arms painfully. They hadn’t taken his wand like he had expected then again, from what he heard he was going to have to battle Voldemort, but Voldemort never fought fair. Now the Death Eaters were surrounding him, taunting him, but he didn’t listen. He hardly cared, he was trying to focus through his fear, wondering what spells to use if they did let him keep his wand. Focusing on the anger he had if they took away his wand. Scenes of Hermione under the Cruciatus curse, his friends at the department of mysteries, Cedric Diggory dying, Wormtail framing Sirius, Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets, Ron lying on a large chessboard, and then Harry heard his mom, screaming and saw a green light. Harry looked up warily and saw Dementors starting to enter the Great Hall.
“No! Not now!” yelled Lucius, backing them out of the hall with his wand. Then something in the corner caught his eyes, and he grinned wickedly.
“Look what we have here, Potter. Let him go. I want him to see this,” muttered Lucius grinning coldly beckoning Harry. He only had to stride a few weary steps to see Ginny kneeling down, looking at Lucius bound and determined. Ron sat behind her looking disgusted. This was exactly what Harry had wanted to avoid, his friends getting caught. Lucius noticed the pain upon Harry’s face as he saw them.
“Why, Potter, I thought you’d be happy to see them. Since they’ll be the only people who’ll care when you’re dead.”
“If they live to see him die,” remarked a colder voice from the door. Instead of sending a chill down Harry’s spine, he felt the heat of anger over come him.
“Your battle isn’t with them,” snarled Harry, turning around to face him.
“No, my battle is with you, but what an incentive for you if I kill your friends first. I like a duel with passion.”
Harry just glared at him, with a loss for words. Hatred overcame him; Harry had never hated anyone so much like he hated Voldemort right now. It was enough that he was going to take his life, but to take his friend’s lives right in front of him was malevolence. It was Voldemort that hurt Hermione, Ron, and Ginny; it was him who had imprisoned Sirius. If it weren’t for him, his parents wouldn’t be dead. Harry wanted nothing more than to kill him right now.
“Don’t worry, they can fight if they want, but something tells me their bravery won’t last long. Not to mention, against fifty Death Eaters, it will be a more painful death then they could ever imagine. I should claim a prize though for being so benevolent, and I think I will take our foxy lady over here.” Harry hadn’t a clue to what he was talking about. Voldemort pointed his wand to a fox across the hall that Harry hadn’t noticed. As the blue strip from his wand hit the fox, it transformed like Wormtail did all those years ago. The fox was Hermione, Harry gaped, and his heart fell in his chest. He was going to take Hermione.
“It seems to me that this witch was far more clever then most of my Death Eaters,” reasoned Voldemort glaring coldly at them. “She would be a fair addition to my side, if she didn’t care so much for you.” He paused a moment thoughtfully, “I guess I will just have be rid of her then. Avada Kedavra.”
Harry thought quicker, and shouted instantaneously, “Protego!” Luckily Harry was standing closer and his shield protected her before the killing curse got there, but just seconds before. Hermione had closed her eyes and waited for contact, but when none came she opened her eyes and placed her hands over her mouth. As soon as Harry saw she was okay, he didn’t waste a minute. Apparently neither did Ginny, whom had bravely, or foolishly, flung a hex into the group of Death Eaters. Ron followed, Harry could only imagine the battle ensuing behind him, and he did not wish to see the outcome. His three friends pitted against fifty Death Eaters--they were as good as dead. But Harry knew what he had to do, and he had other intentions.
“Rivarious,” he bellowed, making a slash with his wand across Voldemort’s throat. It had appeared to work, but Voldemort just laughed.
“You foolish boy, do you not think I am stronger than that? Your innocent hexes won’t hold me for long,” he remarked snidely, grinning at his own wit, confident that he could not fail. Harry was horrified, and he felt most of his confidence drain. This was a battle that was bound to kill him and his closest friends. All he had worked for, all of this was for nothing, except the end of the wizarding world.
“My curses aren’t so innocent,” yelled a voice behind Voldemort. Relief swelled through Harry; they weren’t alone. The Order had finally arrived; it was Sirius, Harry hadn’t been happier to see him in his entire life. Then a chill ran through him. Sirius wouldn’t defeat Voldemort, surely he knew that, the prophecy foretold that only Harry could kill him. Sirius was just buying him more time, if he didn’t get killed in the process.
A couple dozen Order members rushed past them into the horde of Death Eaters. Harry prayed his friends were still alive; hopefully they could remain safe. Now near the door stood Harry, Voldemort, and Sirius. Where is Dumbledore? Harry looked around everywhere wildly, but he was nowhere in sight. Voldemort would not be afraid of all of them together, but Dumbledore was another story. If only he were here.