Spider's Blood

Chapter Fourteen

"Just bring her back to me, Potter. I don't know how much you know...she is my godchild...and she means a great deal to me. I'm not naïve enough to make you bring her back unarmed or even alive. Just bring her back...if you find her, bring her back."

"I will," Harry promised and began to race towards the common room, his slippered feet echoing in the quiet halls.

He ran up the stairs frantically and found it difficult to wake up Hermione, Ron, and Neville without rousing anyone else. He pleaded them to hurry up and get dressed, keeping an eye on his watch as his precious fifteen minutes began to tick away.

He was clamoring down the stairs, shoving his invisibility cloak into his bag as he walked and tried to explain as calmly as he could.

"And then Snape asked me to look for her," Harry said finally as his foot hit the stone floor.

"And how are we supposed to find her if we don't know where she is?" Hermione asked as she tied her hair back. There were circles of exhaustion under her eyes as well as the other two boys. Harry wondered if he too had dark circles under his eyes as well. But none had commented it was a stupid idea or impossible. In fact, they had all been willing to get out of bed at after one in the morning to go on with the hair brain scheme.

"Well," Harry began as he started thinking on this, "I don't really know. But I have a feeling she left something behind to follow her."

"How do you know?" Ron asked as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands.

"I don't...I have a feeling," he replied with a sigh, wondering if it sounded as ridiculous as it was.

"So...we're going to find someone, who we don't know where she is, but is with You-Know-Who and that's about all we know...oh! And a monster with legs took her?" Ron asked as he frantically rubbed his eyes.

"Are you saying you want to call it off and stay?" Harry asked, feeling a little hurt by their sudden apprehensiveness.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then back at Harry. "No," they replied in unison.

"All right then, let's go. Neville, just keep everyone from leaving. If a professor asks...say we're sleeping or something."

Neville gave Harry a nod and the trio headed out the portrait hole.

"How much longer do we have?" Hermione asked as they walked down the corridor.

Harry looked to his watch and replied, "Ten minutes," and he began to quicken his steps.

"Harry, where are we going?" Ron asked at Harry's side after a while.

"Slytherin common room, it where she was taken from," Harry replied as he began to run.

Harry could see flashes of the halls around him. He could sense something familiar. It took him a moment to realize Zora was waking up and remembering the path around his feet. Harry arrived at what he recognized as the common room door from his second year. He stood just in front of the door and felt a twinge of pain in his right hand. He looked down and saw that his scar what turning red across his palm.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, out of breath from trying to keep up with Harry's speed.

"My scar...on my hand," Harry said as he peered at it.

He turned from the door and looked around the hallway. He suddenly got a flash and saw Zora being dragged down the next hallway. He ran to the hallway he saw her being pulled down and stood, a twinge in his hand let him know he was going in the right direction. He stood in the hallway and received another flash in the next direction. He followed the visions and the twinges in his hand all the way, Ron and Hermione following silently a few steps behind.

Harry followed obediently and did not question his visions until the Infirmary door appeared in front of him.

"This can't be right," he muttered to himself, but the twinge in his hand and a flash of Zora's black hair trailing on the Infirmary floor could not lie.

He pushed the door open. The beds were empty, much to Harry's surprise. It was not common for the Infirmary to be without at least one injured student. Harry looked further between the two rows of empty beds and saw a black square at the very end where the wall once was. Harry darted immediately down towards the square, which grew larger and appeared to be an open door as he approached.

"Harry!" Hermione called behind him. "Wait! This isn't right! Why would they just leave it open like that? It's a trap! It has to be!"

"It's not! I know it's not...she's in there somewhere, I know she is...she has to be! She's scared and she leading us to her. She needs our help and she's still alive. That's good enough reason for me to go."

Harry ran into the square and fell through into a green light. When he touched the ground, he found himself in a corridor of smooth marble shinning all around him. Behind him was a closed door of wood and before him was a long stretch of endless white marble with doors and windows appearing every so many steps. Harry looked back to the door and saw Hermione's hand protrude through the wood. Soon, her entire body had passed through the door and Ron quickly followed her. The three of them stood for a moment. Harry noticed that Hermione and Ron were looking intently to him to continue his guidance.

"Where do we go now?" Hermione asked gently.

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt as though his mind was being flooded with new information. He saw flashes of rooms and of green drapes surrounding him. There were hooded men coming towards him and a golden throne before his eyes. He did not understand what it meant, but he could sense feelings of urgency...Zora's present feelings. She was trying to tell him something, she knew something was going to happen, but couldn't tell him what. She wanted him to be safe; he knew that. She wanted him to hide until it was safe for him to help her.

"She...she wants us to hide, I can feel it." Harry looked to the door on his right and opened it. He peered inside and stepped in. It was a bland room that did not match the brilliance of the marble outside in the hall. Although its walls were adorned with the marble and occasional elaborate torches, it was covered in dust and cobwebs all around and appeared as though it had not been used in decades.

"Harry, are you sure about this?" Hermione asked apprehensively as she peered into the room.

"It's what she wants...I can tell," he commented as she and Ron stepped inside, leaving footprints in the thick dust covering the floor.

The door closed quietly behind them and the torches burst to life through the darkness, although their light was dim and barely aided their straining eyes at all. Harry let out a sigh and sat on the ground, finally acknowledging the pain in his back was getting worse.

"Where is she?" Hermione asked. "Can you tell?"

"Ok...I'll be the one to ask...how in the world can you do this?"

"One...I don't know where she is, she's in some throne room or something with green drapes and she's surrounded by Death Eaters...it isn't safe for us to try and help her just yet. Two...it was an accident. I suppose I haven't been completely honest with you two lately."

And so Harry filled in his two best friends on the secrets he had kept from them. It was an enormous release to give up this information, though part of Harry felt he was betraying Zora. The other part of him knew that neither Hermione nor Ron was going to simply follow his lead without some explanation. So, he told them. Of the training, of Snape, of Voldemort, and of her ties with Harry. He explained the cuts and the visions she had. He found it was easy to explain most of the story, probably because he was already accustomed to the idea unlike his two best friends. They gave him questioning looks and gaping mouths, especially when he explained the prophecy and the fact that his untimely death would somehow be brought on by her hands.

"So...she is evil, she's...what? HIS daughter?" Ron asked, looking from Hermione to Harry with a look of disbelief.

"Yes, but...she's not evil. She's just like us, she hates him," Harry commented.

"Let me get this straight," Hermione began as she pushed her hair behind her ear, "you brought us...from Hogwarts, a place where You-Know-Who can't touch any of us and lead us to a place where his OFFSPRING has taken us, a girl who has evil tendencies as well as dark powers, and you expect us to rescue her. Harry, how do you know she's even in danger?"

"Because we can't see visions like that about each other unless it is a life threatening event," Harry explained, although Hermione's words were stinging his idealization.

"How do you know? The only person who told you that was her," Hermione replied.

"I trust her," Harry replied in his strongest voice, although he was beginning to lose his faith.

"Harry, I think we should leave...tell Snape and Dumbledore where she is...they'll come and get her."

He suddenly felt very afraid and felt as though his heart was beating very fast. He raised his hand to his chest and felt that his heart was beating quite calmly compared to how he was feeling. Harry closed his eyes and a vivid dream appeared before his eyes. He was standing in a doorway, looking into a vast marble throne room. He could see cloaked and hooded men and women lining a green carpet leading to one golden throne beneath an elaborately decorated adornment of green drapes and emerald stones gleaming in the candlelight. The throne was cushioned with green velvet to match the heavy drapes that hung all about the room with many shields, swords, and coats of arms that hung between the draped windows. Suddenly, every hooded person fell silently to their knees and an all too familiar red eyed and skull faced man walked into the room and down the green carpet and settled himself on the throne.

"Voldemort," Harry muttered, but no one heard him. No one even knew he was there. Was this a vision? Simply a dream?

"Harry...Harry, what are you seeing?" Hermione's voice called in his mind.

"I'm...in the throne room. This is Voldemort's castle, his Death Eaters are here," Harry replied.

"Where's the girl?" Voldemort hissed to his followers.

"Here, my Lord," a hooded man said from the corner.

Harry snapped his head to the side and he peered in disbelief at Zora.

"I'm seeing it...as it's happening. Like she did with me falling off my broomstick. That's how scared she is," Harry explained to Hermione's voice in his head, not daring to open his eyes and lose the vision. "She believes she is going to die."

The Death Eater had a firm grip on Zora's arm. She was still dressed in her school robes, her hair had been tousled from being dragged through the hallways and her eyes seemed to be full of frightened tears. She gave a glance towards Harry's position in the doorway. Harry got the feeling she knew he was there, as if she had invited his presence and was depending on him to help her.

"She knows I'm here," Harry commented.

"Ah," Voldemort said from his throne with what looked like a pleased smiled draped across his face.

An intense fear filled Zora's heart as she looked at him.

"Unhand her," Voldemort hissed to his follower holding her in place. "She won't be going anywhere."

The Death Eater immediately dropped her arm and stepped into line with the others. Zora did not move from her spot, she was held by fear.

"You fear me, child...as you should," Voldemort smiled. "Do you know why you're here?"

"No, you're giant...thingy interrupted my sleep and dragged me here, that's all I know."

Harry watched intently on the Dark Lord's expressions, waiting for him to sentence her to death for her rudeness. Harry got the sense she was thinking the same thing, her fear residing slightly. But he only laughed and stood from his throne.

"You are so like me it's uncanny," he said as he walked eerily down the green carpet towards her.

"I'm nothing like you," Zora spat as he stopped and stood in front of her.

"More than you know," he said as he raised a bony hand to her cheek and cupped it gently.

She withdrew her face from his hand and stepped back.

"You fight me, child? Why? Afraid of your past...your future?"

"No...I just don't like the smell of rotting flesh on my face," Zora replied as she wiped her face with the back of her hand.

Voldemort gave a chuckle and began to walk around her, examining her.

"You're stronger than I thought you'd be...I have Severus to thank for that. Training you to fight me was he?"

"Something like that," she replied shortly.

"And are you, child? Are you going to fight me?"

Zora did not answer. Harry felt her mind's knowledge that she was not prepared for this battle.

"Of course your not," he smiled. "I'm glad for this," he said as he took up a section of her long hair. "You have my hair...I did not realize the importance of appearances until after the spell was complete. But I am satisfied nonetheless, although I wish you were more intimidating...or at least for appearances sake. What will happen when you forge ahead for me and are laughed at?"

"I won't have to worry about that, I'm not joining you."

"Oh yes, you will...before this night is over, you will join me, or you will die. I can guarantee that," he smiled.

Harry felt Zora give off a shudder at the word "die", but kept her face controlled and clear of any emotion other than hatred.

"Such a look for your father?" Voldemort hissed.

"I have no father," she replied with a hiss equal to his.

"You deny me...you must deny your mother as well."

"I never knew her, how can I deny what I do not know?"

"She was beautiful and foolish and weak and cowardly, that is all you need to know. If you wish to know her, her portrait hangs in your school. She is contained in it; perhaps you've seen it? The blonde who does not move."

Harry's mind snapped back to all those moments gazing at the portrait of the blonde girl while he walked through the halls. It was Zora's mother. Zora's head turned back to his body in the doorway as if she had heard him and saw his memory of the portrait.

"I know the one," she replied as she turned back to Voldemort.

"Her soul...is forever banished into the paint. She screamed like a child when her life was taken, then again I told you she was weak."

Zora's eyes fell to the ground and her eyes filled with tears at these words.

"My...mother?" she repeated after a long silence. A feeling of hatred mixed with deep sorrow invaded Harry's mind. It was an uncomfortable feeling to be sharing Zora's emotions. Harry could sense that before this moment, despite what she had said, Zora had hoped that her mother was still alive somewhere...she had kept this hope up until just a few moments before. Harry wanted to leave her with her mourning, but Harry was too afraid to open his eyes and break the bond. He wanted to know why he needed to see this. Perhaps it could tell him where she was or how he could help her.

"Let's not dwell on small talk; we haven't much time," Voldemort said as he turned back and approached the green padded throne. He sat gracefully and turned his eyes on Zora.

"Those responsible adults of yours...do they know you're here?"

Her eyes shifted to Harry's presence in the door way as he thought of being in Dumbledore's office and everything that was said. She turned her eyes back to the Dark Lord and said, "They know. They're looking for me."

"They don't know you're here...they won't find you. The door is closed and they cannot get through."

Harry immediately knew this was true as did Zora.

"It cannot open again?" Zora inquired.

"Only those of my mark may open it," Voldemort said as he motioned elaborately to his Death Eaters.

"It was left open before, who closed it? I see everyone is here, no one left," she replied.

"Yes, some cannot be as quick minded as others...like Arachne... the 'monster' as you call it."

"That ugly thing has a name!" Zora burst out in disbelief.

"Of course, I created it...gave it life, gave it its abilities...a name gives me power over it." He gave an unpleasant smile to Zora as he added, "It is wonderful to have access to a place where any potion you want to create for any effect is right at your fingers tips, with a little inside help...anything is possible."

"You took the blood from Hogwarts?" Zora said, her face covered in realization.

"Clever...I like that," the Dark Lord smiled. "Yes, I had help of course, but I needed it, and they should really keep a closer eye on their ingredients...there's no telling who might need them."

"And this door you mentioned earlier, may I open it?" Zora inquired, giving a glance over to Harry very quickly before turning back to Voldemort.

"Look upon your arm...left arm. You're birth mark, is mine. A skull with a snake."

"Always thought it was just a blob," Zora replied with a sneer as she pulled up the sleeve and looked on her left arm. "Still looks like it."

"You are lucky you are my child, or else you would be dead for your rudeness."

"I thought we agreed that you're not my father."

"You're only afraid. You will see things clearly once you join us."

"Join? I'm not joining anything! Are you not listening? Most kids complain their parents don't listen, but that's a little ridiculous. How many times did I just tell you? I'm not joining you."

"You will see soon."

"You're not going to say 'Father knows best' are you?" Zora asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"Something like that. In a few moments, you will be tested."

"I didn't study."

"Do not interrupt me, my patience is wearing thin. As I was saying you will be tested. If you survive, you will join me...if you don't survive then you're free to go."

"So...I have to take a test I'm not prepared for, join you if I live which I already said I wouldn't do...and if I die then I can leave?"

"You're intelligent, you get that from me."

"I get that from books. So, is there a door number 2?"

The Dark Lord no longer looked amused. His lips were pursed in a thin line and his hairless eyebrows were surging disdainfully together.

"No...this is your only option."

"He's making her take some test," Harry said out loud. "To join him...there's a test? Do you know what he's talking about?"

"I need to think," Hermione said and Harry could sense her tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Well, if I only have one option...we're going to have a few problems aren't we?" Zora replied as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Tell you what...you can chose your test? Poison, sword, or drowning?"

"Oh, lovely options, dad," she said with deep sarcasm.

"Chose," he said firmly, his voice echoing through the room.

She gave a glance to Harry before replying, "Poison."

"He's going to poison her!" Harry exclaimed.

"Poison?" Hermione said, still deep in thought.

"Very well, Poison it is...a personal favorite," the Dark Lord smiled.

The Death Eaters gracefully turned and walked to different doors hidden behind the drapes in the throne room, and several walked straight through Harry. When the Death Eaters reassembled, they brought a long wooden table and six identical goblets made of silver out. The table was covered with a green cloth and the silver goblets were filled with water and set on top of the green covered table. Zora was then turned around so that she could not see the table or the goblets. The Dark Lord rose from his throne and added a powder to three of the goblets. Harry watched as he then continued to mix the six goblets around and around. Harry soon lost track of which goblets were poisoned and which were not. Voldemort paired two goblets together, then another two, and another two.

"Bring her," he called.

The Death Eaters turned her and escorted her to the table. The two hooded men left her in the middle of the table and joined the rest behind, a dozen in total on the sides of the Dark Lord.

"One of each pair of these goblets is poisoned. It is Colorless, odorless, tasteless, and especially deadly. In order to survive, you must identify the one of poison and sip the one of water. You may use any means of detection, but use only each means once."

"OK...pick the poison, three detection things, use each only once...yes?"

"That's correct," Voldemort nodded.

Harry could feel his body remotely from where he watched. He could feel the discomfort of his sore back and especially his hand's prickling and burning become more intense. He knew she was close to death, she knew it too. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably and her face was beginning to show her fear.

"You may begin," he hissed.

She rose her hands over the first two goblets, one shaky hand held high over each silver goblet. She closed her eyes and concentrated. One silver goblet began to glow blue. Zora retracted her hands and drank from the blue glowing goblet.

"Very good," Voldemort smiled.

She walked carefully to the next pair of goblets. She placed her shaky hands over them once more and they rose in the air. Harry looked closely and saw that one was settled a little lower than the other. She removed her hands and took the one higher set in the air and sipped from it.

"Clever girl," the Dark Lord smiled in approval, although Zora looked as though she did not hear his compliment at all.

Zora stood before the next pair of goblets and simply stared.

Harry didn't know which was poisoned; he couldn't send his the answer to her. She was clever to use the spells she did: one making water glow blue, the poisoned water was no longer plain water anymore and it did not glow; the other potion reveled that the one with poison in it was a bit heavier than the other. Now Harry racked his brain, trying to think of another spell to reveal poison. If only he had paid closer attention in his lessons, he might be able to communicate the spell to her somehow as she had been communicating with him about hiding in the room.

She stood still, glancing every so often to Harry over her shoulder and back the identical goblets. One held death and the other imprisonment. He suddenly knew she was not judging which was poisoned...she was judging which was better.

"Harry, what's happening?" Ron's voice interrupted. "What's going on?"

"She...she's trying to decide if she wants to die or not," he replied.