Puzzle to a Frozen Heart

Chapter 23

(Repeating History)

"So, long time no see. You don't write, don't call, and you didn't even visit! It was as if you had vanished off the face of the earth! Imagine my utmost disappointment when I found out you were still alive," Voldemort admitted in a nonchalant tone.

"Go to hell," Harry replied, quickly searching under his pillow, only to find that Voldemort had the object that he was so desperate to have.

"Looking for this?" he asked, showing Harry his wand as he snapped it in two. "Oopsie, I guess it's not here any more," Voldemort shrugged before continuing his taunt, "So Potty boy, a question. How does a Jedi Wizard defend himself with no wand and, more importantly, how does he defend his charge, the famous Heir of Gryffindor, who also escaped death when I burned her house?" Hermione wriggled in his gasp at that statement, tears stinging her eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, was it something I said?" Voldemort laughed maniacally, throwing Hermione against the wall.

Harry got out of bed faster than lightning, but Voldemort was even faster. He pointed his wand at Hermione, who was enveloped by iron chains in an instant. To Harry's horror, Voldemort levitated her into the air, holding the body still just a few inches from the window.

"I really wouldn't move if I were you." Voldemort halted any plan of movement that Harry had at that point "You know, accidents can happen when one losses his focus, wouldn't you agree Potter?"

Harry just stood there, maintaining his ground. Voldemort was right. He had lowered his guard and now he was suffering the consequences. Hermione was currently in mortal danger, with no backup in sight and no weapon to defend her. He had just done the same mistake he vowed never to do, his father's.

"What, no sassy remark? I thought you would at least beg for her life or does she mean nothing to you?" Hermione struggled against the chains at Voldemort's sarcastic inquiry, trying to signal something to Harry, but her Jedi wizard's eyes were not focusing on her at the moment.

"What do you want me to say? Let her go? We both know that is not going to work. So, what is it you want?" Harry finished, his eyes scanning the room for something he could defend himself with.

"Well, I wanted your life but alas, it didn't work. So now, I get to kill the girl. After all, I doubt she can come back from the dead too." The Dark Lord chuckled as his wand moved Hermione's body nearer to the window, her bare feet making contact with the cold glass.

Suddenly, the door slammed open. Oliver Wood made his about time appearance, his blue lighsaber shining in the dark room.

"Let her go!" he demanded, earning a chuckle from Voldemort himself.

"Oh, if it isn't the Quidditch boy! What are you going to do, hit me with a Quaffle?"

"How about slash your head through the middle?"

"Really now? That coming from the boy who's afraid of blood?" he taunted, his gaze focused on Oliver.

Harry seized the opportunity, grabbing his bed lamp and striking the Dark Lord with it. Voldemort fell to the floor, but his wand remained steady between his fingertips.

"Wrong move Potter."

Before Harry had time to react, Voldemort recited the dreaded incantation, making Hermione's body crash against the window, breaking the glass and falling out into the cold night.

"'Mione!" Harry screamed, running towards the window and almost falling too if Oliver hadn't grabbed hold of him.

"Tough luck Potter. 'Till next time!" With a loud POP!, Voldemort had once again vanished into his world.

Oliver dropped Harry onto the floor as Hermione's screams were heard, seizing with a sickening thud.

That got Harry up in a flash. He ran to the window as fast as he could, tears flowing freely down his face.

"Harry, it isn't your fault. He..." Oliver tried to say, but Harry would hear none of it.

"The hell it isn't! Just do me a favor and shut up, will you?" He leaned further against the broken window, afraid of what he was going to see next, but nevertheless tried to focus his sight on finding Hermione, wherever she was. "What the ..? Oh, my God!" he suddenly gasped, watching Hermione's limp body being carried back inside the castle by non other than Brad Forte.