Chapter Ten – Fight and Rescue
Harry landed hard on his feet, staggered, and fell to his knees. He had just enough time to register that he was in a dark, forested area, surrounded by people in black cloaks and white masks, and that his scar had begun to burn fiercely before he was Disarmed; his wand flew out of his Quidditch robes and was caught by a pale, skeletal hand with abnormally long fingers. Lord Voldemort was standing a mere ten feet away. He stared at Harry with a triumphant, hungry look in his eyes for a moment, and then began to laugh, his high, cruel voice echoing around the clearing. He pointed Harry’s own wand at him, and Harry’s Firebolt shot out of his hand. Voldemort caught the broomstick and held it out to the Death Eater closest to him. “Severus, I’ll give you the pleasure of taking Potter’s things. You have been a most faithful servant.”
“Thank you, Master,” said the voice of Severus Snape, slick with oily supplication, as the double-agent bent into a low bow at Voldemort’s feet. Snape waved his wand silently; Harry’s wand and Firebolt instantly broke into pieces.
“You bastard!” Harry shouted, the words ripping out of his throat. He should have known that Snape had been a traitor from the beginning.
“Language, Potter,” Snape admonished silkily, removing his mask. His dark, fathomless eyes glittered with malice.
“Anything else you’d like to say to young Harry before you go back to Dumbledore?” asked Voldemort loftily.
“Yes, my Lord. “Crucio!”
White hot, burning agony shot through Harry’s veins, inflamed his bones, and saturated his very skin; the pain was so all-consuming that Harry did not even have the presence of mind to try and stop his screams.
Finally, the pain stopped. Voldemort was laughing. Harry was facedown in the dirt; he immediately rolled over, suppressing a groan, and stood back up. As he did so, he heard the crack of Snape Disapparating.
“So, Potter,” Voldemort hissed, “captured once again by my cunning. The Malfoy boy actually succeeded; he was so eager to pay off his father’s debts to me. And Severus Snape has long been a faithful servant; he is now back at Hogwarts telling your protector, the great Dumbledore, that I do not have you. Maybe it was a rogue group of Death Eaters, or maybe it was the Ministry of Magic,” said Voldemort airily, a smile distorting his vile features even further, “there are plenty of my servants within those governmental offices to get the job done.” He began to laugh again, cackling madly, and the circle of Death Eaters surrounding them quickly joined in.
“And now,” he continued, his scarlet eyes gleaming in the near darkness, “I finally have you, and there is no escape this time. No mother to die for you, no Dumbledore to protect you, no Portkey. Your wand is lying broken upon the forest floor.” Voldemort let out another shout of laughter. “You don’t even know where we are, do you, Harry? We are deep in the Forbidden Forest, mere kilometers from the school, from the protections that keep me away from you both physically and mentally.” Voldemort began to pace up and down in front of Harry, who was beginning to wonder, his innards feeling as though they were clenched by an icy cold fist, why Voldemort just didn’t get it over with.
“Here he is, my faithful servants,” said Voldemort, now addressing the Death Eaters, “the Boy Who Lived’ – but not for long.” A smirk crossed the Dark Lord’s face before his eyes narrowed in concentration. “Crucio!”
Harry was lying listlessly upon the forest floor, breathing heavily, his body aching from the relentless Cruciatus Curses cast upon him by Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Slowly, he pulled himself up onto all fours, preparing to stand up again. He had decided a long time ago that he was going to go down fighting. Like his father.
As he made to stand he heard a crack. Someone had Apparated into their midst. Harry raised his head. It was Snape. The Potions master was not alone. Standing beside him was Draco Malfoy. Crumpled at their feet was a third figure, his long white hair glinting in the wandlight. It looked strangely like… but no, it couldn’t be…
Malfoy and Snape were on their knees now, kissing the hem of Voldemort’s robes. “My Lord,” said Snape, “I have brought you the body of Albus Dumbledore. He has died at last.”
“NO!” shouted Harry. No, it was not true, it could not be…
“Silencio!” Voldemort hissed. With a second flick of his wand, Harry lay not only silent but immobile on the ground.
“Well, the great Albus Dumbledore has finally been beaten,” Voldemort gloated. “How did he die, Severus?”
“It must have been heart failure, my Lord. He did not take Potter’s disappearance well when we told him.” Harry struggled fruitlessly against his invisible bonds. No… not Dumbledore…
Harry forgotten, Voldemort and his followers laughed and jeered, rejoicing that their enemy was finally vanquished, and by the one power he had maintained was truly the most powerful of them all…
Another person they had forgotten was Draco Malfoy. The pale-faced boy was edging toward Harry, the pieces of Harry’s broken broomstick and wand in his hands. He knelt down beside Harry’s prone form and waved his wand, whispering, “Finite Incantatum.” He waved his wand again, and this time Harry’s Firebolt and wand suddenly appeared whole, without a mark showing they had just been in pieces. Harry looked up curiously at Malfoy. His eyes were strangely blank, as though he was Confunded, or somehow controlled…
Draco was suddenly illuminated by a bright, green light that was streaking towards them. Harry, who had just sat up, grabbed Malfoy’s arm and pulled him flat to the ground. The Killing Curse flew over their heads; Voldemort had noticed them. He began to stride toward them, his red eyes menacing, when a shout rent the air.
“Tom! Tom Riddle! Legilimens!”
Everyone turned and stared at Snape and Voldemort, locked in what was surely an intense battle of wills. As Voldemort’s faithful followers raised their wands to help their master, Dumbledore suddenly and agilely jumped up and began cursing Death Eaters vigorously. Harry barely noticed Malfoy whisper “Portus,” his Firebolt glowing a bright blue for a split second.
Two masked Death Eaters were running towards Harry and Malfoy; Harry quickly grabbed his wand and Stunned them. As they fell, Harry saw Snape fall to the ground, repelled from Voldemort’s mind; Voldemort looked over at the two boys, and Harry’s scar burned ferociously with the Dark Lord’s anger.
“Potter, the Portkey!” roared Dumbledore. Harry, through the haze of pain and panic, realized abruptly that that man was not the headmaster. Malfoy shoved Harry’s Firebolt into his hands, and the two boys were suddenly pulled irresistibly into a swirl of light and color.
But something was wrong… they were still being transported when Harry’s body was suddenly not just his own… He was wrapped up, suffocating, in the coils of a creature with red eyes…
Harry felt his body smack against hard stone, felt Voldemort rejoice because although he had not yet killed the boy, he had possessed him, and was now staring up at the faces of Hogwarts students…
Harry could not take it, he was dying, again, he could not take anymore, he wished Death would come for him, deliver him from this excruciating agony, holding out an icy cold hand for him to take… but no, he could not just give up like that, could not just let Voldemort have free reign to destroy his friends… friends… Ron and Hermione…
And suddenly, Harry expelled Voldemort from himself with a strength he did not know he possessed, heard someone shout “Repellum!” Harry felt the world turn icy cold, and quickly succumbed to the surrounding darkness.
Please review!
It Had to Happen in Snape's Class by nerd2006
Chapter Notes: Beta read by ddamato.