Harry dropped the cup, and fell to the ground writhing in unimaginable pain. He screamed his lungs out as it felt for the first time in years that white hot knives were penetrating his skin.
“Expeliarmus!” he heard a voice shout, taking the pain away. Aching all over and gasping for breath, it took everything he had just to stand up on his elbows. “Listen here, I don’t give a damn what your problem with Harry Potter is! The Dark Lord wants him alive!”
Harry was able to turn his head around to look at who was talking. It was a Death Eater holding a wand up at his assailant, and his other hand tossed away another wand. And to his horror he saw that Bethany was on the ground tired up not too far away, and for some reason she was struggling in pure rage. That Death Eater was definitely an enemy, then who the hell had initially attacked?
Then he heard a chuckle coming from above him. “Relax; we’re on the same side.”
The Death Eater slowly took off his hood to reveal a bewildered face. He had a pointed nose and chin, he had a head full of black hair, and his eyes were full of anger and accusation “No you’re not. I saw you get off the barge with the rest of the Order of the Phoenix.”
That last comment made Harry try and look up at his initial assailant, but before he could a foot kicked him onto his back. When he opened his eyes, Harry saw Geoffrey Baxer crouching over him digging into his pockets.
“See,” Baxer said, pulling out the egg that Moody had given him. “If he broke this then it somehow would have helped. Believe me now?”
Then an anger sprung up in Harry, and he lunged up yelling, “You traitorous bastard!”
But the Death Eater shouted, “incarcerous!” Ropes flew out of his wand, binding around Harry tightly. His wand was then pointed at Baxer again. “That doesn’t prove anything. This woman threw one over my head and nothing happened after I heard it break. Show me your Mark.”
A speck of hope then appeared in Harry’s bleak situation. That Death Eater didn’t see the bird fly out of the egg? Help could come soon.
“I don’t have the Mark,” Baxer said, pulling back his left sleeve. “I came to the Dark Lord, and he didn’t give me the Dark Mark so I could join the Order to spy. Since I had no previous criminal record they were happy to let me join.”
The Death Eater then slowly lowered his wand with an eyebrow arched. “So that’s why Severus didn’t send someone after you? I thought it was just because you were incompetent. And how come Rabastan came to my aid when he was supposed to go after Potter?”
“Snape!” Harry shouted through the ropes in renewed rage. He started to struggle in hopes of having another chance to go after Dumbledore’s killer. Baxer could wait.
“Oh that,” Baxer said airily. “Yes, I told Rabastan to let me handle Potter, and go aid you since Williams should’ve been a challenge. By the way, where is he?”
“She almost killed him when he jumped in,” the Death Eater said. “But after that I was able to get the upper hand. After that, I left him lying somewhere give him chance to recover.”
Baxer then grinned smugly, and went over to couch in front of Bethany. “You almost killed him? I know you famous for your fighting, but you never went that far.”
Bethany’s struggling doubled, and she was able to get her mouth free. “YOU BASTARD! I swear, I’m going to strangle that scrawny neck of yours when I get the chance!” The rope was then stuffed back over her mouth, and Baxer retrieved his wand.
“Don’t see why she’s surprised,” Baxer said, coming over to Harry. “I mean the only reason she came to me at Godric’s Hollow was because it was my shift to watch you before the fight broke out. Who do you think gave away your location in the fist place?”
Harry’s rage was then focused right Baxer once more. People died because of you! Harry couldn’t speak through the rope.
“But it goes without saying that the Dark Lord wasn’t too pleased that nobody was able to capture you,” he went on. “Then a few days later I redeemed myself when I overheard about those Horcrux things.” Harry then remembered in horror that Baxer was at the meeting where he had told the Council everything. “Oh yes, Potter, the Dark Lord has always known that you knew for quite some time. Unfortunately, letting that Ministry official die led Mad-Eye to make sure I didn’t screw up again, so I couldn’t go to the Dark Lord in time to tell him you were going to that bloody orphanage.”
Harry now realized the significance of the words of Kostas. “All I know is that the Dark Lord began having guards put on the island about eight months ago.” That was around the time they went to the orphanage.
“And finally the time came to use that information against you,” Baxer continued, his aura of smugness growing. “At first after I learned that you were going to Kartley, I slipped that house-elf to warn others. And even though that fiasco ended in disaster, it was made worthwhile by learning of Pendle Draker. I was instructed by the Dark Lord to tell Draker to tell you about the forest. Before that he was hoping to get you at Privet Drive after I told him about it, but that also ended in defeat. So, he went along to make the traps in the cabin less lethal so you’d be captured alive.”
How Baxer was able to reveal that much so fast was beyond Harry, but it also made sense. Harry had suspected that Draker had led them into a trap after the Horcrux there turned out to be a fake. And since Baxer guarded over Draker they must have many chances to talk.
“That didn’t come to pass either. Your luck is only surpassed by your arrogance”at least that’s what Snape told me. But now it’s over, Harry. I risked being late for the meeting at Sunderland to warn the Dark Lord about your excursion here.”
As Harry stared back at that mocking grin he thought it would be impossible for him to be angrier. He was wrong.
“Baxer!” a voice that made Harry’s blood boil even more shouted. “You were under instructions not to expose yourself!” Harry turned his head to see that Snape was walking up to them flanked by Death Eaters. His robes billowed behind him, his hair was as greasy as ever, he showed no sign that he knew Harry was there. Hermione and Lupin were both then tossed next to Bethany, and both of them looked at Baxer in wonder. “As soon as you were alone your orders were to get off the island without being seen.”
Harry desperately tried to set himself free, but it was to on avail. Everybody above him just went on ignoring him.
Baxer waved it off. “Relax, Snape, it’s not as if anyone here will see the light of day ever again.” Lupin and Hermione’s eyes both widened in comprehension.
“Wrong,” Snape spat angrily. “Why do you think the Dark Lord wants us to take Potter’s allies alive? It’s so that they can be witnesses to Potter’s death, and then they’d be set loose to tell the world what they saw.”
“Oh,” Baxer said, slightly deflating. “Well, um…not a problem. Let’s just erase their memories up to this point, and then turn them in. I’ll leave, and make it look like I barely escaped.”
Snape exhaled loudly, and his head snapped towards the Death Eater that tied up Harry. “How come you didn’t keep Williams out of sight of Baxer, Andrew? It should have been obvious what was going on, especially when I told everyone here that nobody was to be killed.”
“Don’t pin this on me, Severus,” the Death Eater named Andrew said. “If you had warned me beforehand that we had a spy planted in the Order of the Phoenix, then I would’ve done just that. But all I saw was this idiot about to kill Potter, and ruin everything for us.”
“And where’s Lestrange? He was supposed to capture Potter, not you and Baxer.”
“Williams took him out when I sent him to help Andrew,” Baxer answered unsympathetically. “I wanted the fun of getting Potter myself.”
“Yeah,” Andrew said accusingly, “and then I had to disarm Baxer because he was using the Cruciatus Cruse on him.”
“What!” Snape yelled angrily, taking out his wand and looking at Baxer. The other Death Eaters around didn’t look happy either. “We are NOT supposed to harm Potter, Baxer! The Dark Lord wants to kill him at his best, and when he finds out about this all of us will be responsible!”
Damn it where’s the back up Moody promised? Harry asked himself desperately.
Recoiling in fear, Baxer said desperately, “But I didn’t know! Please, Severus, the Dark Lord doesn’t have to know about this.”
“It doesn’t matter! Whether by Legilimency or torture he’ll find out. Why, even Potter might rat you out just to get back at you before he dies.” Snape then looked down at Harry. “Which brings me to you. I’m curious as to know the reason that brings you to this desolate place.”
Harry suddenly gasped as he remembered the Horcrux. Unable to help himself he jerked around frantically until he found it lying on the ground not too far away. Snape saw that, and snatched it.
We need help now! If it didn’t come soon not only would they all be captured, but Voldemort would take back what was likely to be his last Horcrux. Then he might never be stopped.
“Well it obviously has something to do with this,” Snape said. “I don’t see what is so special about this that the Dark Lord would keep it a secret.”
Baxer chuckled. “You may not know, Snape, but I very much do. Trust me that trinket is very important to our master.”
“Well if you know why then tell me.”
“Are you sure we should, Severus?” Andrew asked.
“Yeah, let’s just leave already,” another pleaded.
“No,” Snape told them, looking down at Harry. “If Baxer won’t tell us what’s so special, then perhaps Potter will.”
Knowing what he meant, Harry immediately shut his eyes and looked away. Voldemort might have already known what Harry was up to, but it was better if Snape never found out.
“I don’t want to risk being tortured if you hurt him, Severus,” he heard Baxer say in hesitation. “The only reason I know is because I was doing my job.”
“Shut it, Baxer. Alam, hold Potter up.”
Harry then felt himself being hauled up to a sitting position, and his eyes were forced open. Snape then stood over him with a smug look and his wand drawn. “The situation maybe different from the last time, Potter, but trust me the results will be the same. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get a glimpse of whatever you were doing the night I killed Dumbledore”other than getting beaten up, of course.”
Harry leaped forward in rage in hopes of at least being able to head butt him, but he was being held back. He then tried to clear his mind, but it was too seething for Harry to hear Dumbledore’s name come through the lips of that murderer.
“Everyone stand back,” Snape ordered, rolling up his sleeves. After a brief pause, he pointed his wand and said, “Legilimens!”
And like a film strip, memories started to flash right in front of Harry’s eyes. Dudley and his gang were chasing Harry around the school yard…. Harry was desperately trying to avoid eye contact with the Basilisk…. Hundreds of Dementors were floating over the lake…. Sirius was falling through the veil…. Harry was reading the note from R.A.B. over Dumbledore’s body…. A fellow Order member was being struck down at Kartley. As all the memories flooded through Harry kept on trying to think of a way to get out it. But he was tied up and without a wand.
Then all of a sudden the flashbacks ceased, and Snape came back into view.
“Enemies!” a panicked and tired voice cried not too far away. Harry turned his head to see a Death Eater running towards them. “They’re coming! Six of them are getting off the barge as we speak.”
Finally! Harry thought in relief. He had almost given up hope.
“If they see me I’m done for!” Baxer squealed.
“Incarcerous!” Snape shouted, conjuring ropes that wrapped themselves around Baxer. “Grab hold of one of the prisoners, and use them as a shield! We drop Baxer before getting on the barge, and take everyone else with us. Andrew, you hold this.” He then tossed the cup to him.
“What about Rabastan?” one of them asked.
“Forget him. It’s his own fault that he got hurt even when he had the upper hand.”
“Come on, Potter,” Alam said, hauling Harry up in front of him. On his left he saw Hermione and Baxer being picked up. Bethany put up a huge struggle as Andrew tried to put her in front of him.
Forcing Lupin in front of him, Snape said, “This is only fair, Remus. You once tried to kill me, now you will keep me from harm’s way.”
The hostage takers then moved off the rocky beach back to towards the main facility. The captives were trying their best to allow the help that was on its way a good enough target for them to hit. But all too soon spells erupted in front of them, and Order members appeared around the buildings in front of them.
“Shoot to disable only!” Harry heard Moody’s voice call out. “They’re using our people as shields.” From what he could see there were only three others at his command, but that should be enough.
Damn it, someone hit Baxer hard! Harry thought angrily. He tried to look at Hermione and Lupin, and they were both probably thinking the same thing. But he knew the Order would be careful not to since they didn’t know about Baxer’s treachery yet.
There were then many shouts of, “Avada Kedavra!” The Order members ducked out of the way, and the Death Eaters continued on the harbor.
“Portego!” Snape shouted, deflecting a spell aimed for his face. The Order was on the verge of flanking them, and Snape was rapidly becoming frustrated. “Alam, split up and take Andrew with you around the other side of the facility. They won’t put preference on Potter as long as I have more hostages.” He then shot a few Killing Curses to his left to make the people there move out of the way, and took the remaining Death Eaters that had hold of Hermione, Lupin, and Baxer.
“This way!” Alam ordered, making for the nearest building in the facility.
When they were half way through the room with blood smeared walls, the doors behind them opened again. There were just two shouts of “Stupefy!”
The Death Eater holding Harry immediately dove out of the way, and then turned all the way around to put Harry in the line of fire. “Avada Kedavra!” Moody lunged himself behind an old wooden crate.
“Let our people go, and I’ll consider letting you leave with your arm intact!” Moody growled from behind the crate.
“No matter how you look at it we have the advantage, Mad-Eye!” Alam yelled. “Reducto!” The spell hit the crate blasting it apart. It was swiftly answered by out of aim Stunning spells.
“Impedimenta!” Andrew yelled, throwing his jinx at the other Order member. He earned himself an angry glare from Alam.
“Damn it, Andrew, we need a bloody jinx to get these pests off our backs!”
Harry then saw Andrew take a deep breath, and then yelled, “Avada””
Then all of a sudden the ropes that were holding Bethany seemed to blow apart. Andrew was blasted back, and the cup and his wand escaped him.
“Stupefy!” she shouted, sending the Stunning spell and Alam and Harry.
“Protego!” It was easily deflected, but Bethany used to the distraction to make a dash for the cup. She scooped it up and ran from the battle.
“No you don’t!” Andrew yelled. He grabbed his wand, sent a barrage of spells her way, and ran after her.
“You didn’t check her for a second wand?” Alam called after him in anger. “Don’t you know that she’s famous for fighting with both”” CRACK!
Seizing the opportunity, Harry bashed the back of his head against Alam’s nose hard, causing an agonizing cracking sound to issue from it. He dropped Harry, and staggered back in agony holding his bloody and broken nose.
“Stupefy!” Moody shouted. The spell found its mark, and Alam fell to the floor unconscious with his nose still bleeding.
“Diffindo!” the other Order member yelled. The bonds holding Harry were then cut, and he was set free. “You hurt?”
“No,” Harry answered, rubbing the back of his head and grabbing Alam’s wand. “Look, you two go help Lupin and Hermione. Beth has the Horcrux, so I should go help her.” As much as Harry wanted to go after Snape he had to make sure the cup was secure”meaning back in his own hands. And he trusted that Moody would let nothing would happen to Hermione and Lupin.
“I understand, Potter, but whatever you do don’t get in the way! Derek, let’s go.”
“Wait!” Harry called back, suddenly remembering. “Keep Baxer tied up, he’s a traitor trying to look innocent.”
Both Moody and Derek stopped in their tracks, and looked back in surprise.
“What do you mean, Potter?” Moody asked slowly.
Harry gave them a dark look. “He’s responsible for Godric’s Hollow, Kartley, and this mess. He even planned the failed search at the forest.”
“You’re kidding,” Derek said, confused. “Baxer? Geoffrey Baxer? He barely has the courage to speak up.”
“Why would I make this up?” Harry told them. “If you don’t believe me then ask Hermione, Beth, and Lupin. They were all there.” And without another word, Harry turned around and went the same way that Bethany had gone.
When Harry got outside he realized that Bethany and Andrew could’ve gone anywhere on the island. But since she was carrying the Horcrux he went left in hopes of finding her.
After a minute or two of running he had found that one of the buildings had a door slightly open. Harry might have ignored it were it not for the fact that it was blasted open. He slowed his pace to reduce the noise of his advancement, and Harry flattened against the bit of wall next to the door.
“Damn it all,” he heard from inside. Harry poked his head through the opening in the door to see Andrew with his back turned, he was running his fingers through his hair in frustration.
Deciding to take out the Death Eater first, Harry crept inside and was able to sneak up behind him. “Don’t move,” he ordered, pointing Alam’s wand up at the back of Andrew’s head. He jumped and then turned on the spot in surprise. There was no escape.
“When did you”?”
“Doesn’t matter, I have you now.”
“Then how come you didn’t just Stun me?”
“I owe you one for stopping that traitor Baxer from torturing me,” Harry explained, “so I’m giving you the chance to come quietly.”
Andrew’s surprised face then broke a small grin. “Please, Potter, for Baxer to have been a traitor he’d have to have been on your side in the first place. Besides, I’m under orders to keep you alive, so letting that windbag have his way wouldn’t be good.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you lifted the Cruciatus Curse,” Harry told him. “Now, are you going to come quietly, or will I have to do it by force? Either way you won’t have time to use your wand, so just drop it.”
“Sorry, Potter,” Andrew said coolly, “but I’m also under orders to get captured. I have to make far better use of my time.” All of a sudden with his left hand he threw something down on the floor causing thick smoke to come out of nowhere.
Harry began to cough and gag; throwing spells and curses in every direction. When it finally cleared he found that Andrew had disappeared. At first he wondered how come he hadn’t knocked out and taken Harry, but he soon realized that it probably would have been next to impossible. To do that Andrew needed to see clearly through the smoke, and it he’d have to somehow dodge all those spells Harry was throwing. It most likely would mean a lashing from Snape and Voldemort, but Andrew seemed to have thrown in the towel.
It was then that Harry decided to go back in search of Bethany. She may not have been in danger, but she still had the Horcrux. As he went back outside near the shore he kept a keen eye out for any enemies. It was very possible that they had also called for help without their opponent’s knowledge.
“Oi, Potter!” he heard her call from the beach. Harry then saw Bethany running up to him from behind some rocks. She then ginned, and withdrew the cup from her robes. “I believe that this is what you want.”
“Yeah,” Harry admitted, taking it into his possession, “it is.” He then turned around to look at the other side of the island where the fighting was still likely going on. He handed it back, saying, “Hold onto it for now. I’m not running away with it, and if I get captured I don’t want this to also end up Voldemort’s hands.”
Behtnay flinched at the sound of the name, but she took it back. “If you say so. Now let’s go, I doubt the rest of the Order got anywhere if Remus and Granger are still in trouble.”
“Find yourself another wand, I can go ahead.”
She instantly produced it. “Why the hell do you think I came here after getting rid of that creep Andrew?” Bethany started to run, and Harry followed.
Some of the fighting was taking place near the shore on the other side. He was hoping that they might have gotten somewhere. All the Order members had congregated behind a large rock, and that’s where the situation was explained to Harry.
“The three of them got separated, and they’ve taken cover for a while now,” Moody said, pointing at three rocks in the distance. “We can’t risk getting any closer or else our people could get killed.”
“Well you have to think of something,” Harry demanded, but he was surprised that Snape hadn’t killed Lupin straight off.
All of a sudden out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw the Death Eater that was holding Hermione making a break for it. Barely a second passed before no less than four Stunning Spells hit his back. There was then a mad dash to secure Hermione before danger found her again.
“Diffindo!” The bonds holding Hermione were then cut, and three pairs of hands helped her up.
“You okay?” Harry asked.
“She can answer later,” Moody told him hastily. “Derek, get her away from the fight!” Derek nodded, and took her some place else.
Harry began to say, “Now we have to make sure Lupin is””
“Severus!”
Looking around, Harry saw Andrew running towards where Snape was. Then the nearby Death Eater that held Baxer dropped him; and went to where Snape and Andrew were. Knowing what was going to happen, Harry was about call attention to it, but it was too late. A cloud of thick smoke rose into the air and they were gone.
“No!” Harry shouted, running to the spot where they disappeared. Snape was indeed gone along with his chance for revenge. To Harry’s relief, they had left Lupin lying on the beach tied up and unharmed. “Diffindo!”
Lupin pulled off the ropes over his mouth, and said, “Thanks. Did we get the Horcr”?”
Harry didn’t pay attention, and immediately headed in the direction of the harbor. Fancy vanishing trick or not, it was the only way off the island. Behind him followed some of the other Order members. They all passed through the sorting station, and hurried down the steps with their wands at ready.
But they were too late. Already they could see the barge in the distance making its escape with the three remaining Death Eaters aboard. Knowing that there was no hope in going after them, and that the Horcrux was in their custody, Harry automatically went back to the safe. There he reclaimed the wand that he had dropped, and snapped in half the one he took from Alam. After that he met back up with the Order who were all gathered around something.
Hermione and Lupin both smiled at him, and Bethany walked up to him with the cup in hand. There were three injured Death Eaters lying not too far away, but everyone else was looking down at something else with scorn. “Nobody got hurt, so we decided to cut to the chase as soon as you got here,” she said, handing him the Horcrux.
“Thanks,” he said, taking it.
On the floor in the middle of the group Geoffrey Baxer was still tied up and squirming, his eyes full of fear.
“Well, Geoff,” Bethany said casually, crouching down and putting her wand against his temple, “I believe you have some explaining to do.”