Harry Potter and the Slytherin Connection

Chapter 6

Breach of Contract

Harry stood up. "It isn't Christmas break, Voldemort."

Harry felt the wand move to the front of his neck and he stepped over the bench to stand facing the Hall in front of Voldemort.

The entire staff table had stood up but Voldemort kept Harry in front of him like a shield. The Hall was dead quiet.

"Give me a reason, Albus," sneered Voldemort, tightening the pressure of the wand on Harry's neck.

"You won't hurt him and you know it," said Dumbledore.

"We have a Breach of Contract," shouted Voldemort. "His precious Sirius Black has escaped me. I could kill him right now."

"You won't," said Dumbledore. "Let him go."

Harry looked to Ron and Hermione, both staring back looking worried. He waved his hand from the wrist.

"He's mine now, Albus," said Voldemort.

Ron finally got the idea and pulled out his wand.

A bang from the foyer got everyone's attention.

Voldemort put a hand in front of Harry's head (over his scar) and moved his wand.

"Crucio!"

Sirius hit the floor at the doorway to the Great Hall, screaming.

"Don't make me put you in agony in front of the whole school, Harry," hissed Voldemort in Harry's ear as he moved his wand back to Harry's neck.

"Voldemort, I won't let you take him," said Dumbledore.

It was the distraction Harry needed. He summoned Ron's wand and ducked Voldemort's arm. Spinning around, yielding the wand, Harry was surprised to see nothing. Voldemort had vanished. Another turn showed nothing but the apprehensive faces of his schoolmates and Harry raced towards the door.

"Sirius," yelled Harry.

Dumbledore was busy calming the students as Harry helped Sirius to his feet.

Harry paced the common room of Gryffindor tower. "See, they aren't telling me anything."

"But-"

"Hermione," Ron cut her off, "He's right. They're in Dumbledore's office now discussing the whole thing and Harry is here." Ron looked at Harry. "Something wasn't right about that scene."

"Exactly," agreed Harry. "Voldemort could have taken me out of the Hall right away, but he didn't."

"It's a test," said Hermione.

"What?" said Ron.

Harry stared at Hermione. She was right. Voldemort had been testing him all summer. But a test of what?

"It's a test of Harry's honor," Hermione told Ron. "To see if he will correct the Breach of Contract."

"That's mental."

"No, Ron. I think she's right," said Harry. "Voldemort was talking to Dumbledore about the contract to see if I was paying attention. But the contract was with me not Dumbledore. I'm the one who has to negotiate a new contract."

"But-"

"Don't you see," said Hermione. "If what I understand of their agreement, You-Know-Who could've just grabbed Harry and left. But he didn't. He challenged Harry's honor."

"Right," said Harry. "Another one of Voldemort's tests."

"So what do we do?" asked Ron.

"I've got to go back. Now."

"Now who's being mental, Harry?"

Hermione had a look of sheer anguish on her face. "He does," she choked.

"Hermione!" Ron almost shouted, in complete shock. He looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione. "You two can't be serious."

"Ron," said Harry, "I have to re-negotiate the deal, otherwise he more or less owns me."

"No way."

Hermione turned to Ron. "Breach of Magical Contract is very serious Ron. Why do you think Harry HAD to compete in the Triwizard Tournament?"

Harry glanced at his watch. It was a little after midnight. "Look, I'll be back by Transfiguration Class at 9 tomorrow morning. This shouldn't take long if what Hermione and I expect is true."

"Be careful, Harry," said Hermione.

"I will," said Harry. "Ron, wait for me outside class in the morning, ok?"

"I'll be there."

Harry nodded and pictured the campfire in his head. Another nightmare. He thought.

He could see the campfire from a spot just inside the wall of trees. Voldemort was no where to be seen. Several Death Eaters where moving around the compound.

The minute Harry stepped into the perimeter of light, two large men grabbed his arms.

"So we caught you," said one.

"Easier than I thought," said the other.

"I need to talk to Voldemort," said Harry.

"Sorry, but the master has retired. He doesn't like to be disturbed."

Harry looked from one brute to the other. "Don't be ridiculous. He'll see me."

"I don't think so," said Lucius Malfoy who stepped in front of him. "He'll be very glad to see you in the morning, but for now-"

Lucius Malfoy had a very powerful right hook. Harry would've probably been thrown by it if he wasn't being held up. He could feel a trickle of blood flow from his left brow.

"Look," said Harry, "I have to-"

A fist the size of a Virginia Ham hit Harry in the ribs and he heard at least one crack and felt himself double over.

Lucius muttered something and Harry felt the ropes being fastened around his arms and ankles and the gag being fastened around his mouth. He had been magically tied up. He couldn't apparate back now. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.

One of Lucius' henchmen kicked Harry in the side of the leg and he hit the ground. He got another kick before they dragged him over to the cage where they had kept Sirius and tossed him inside it.

"I'm sure the master will be most pleased to see you in the morning, Harry Potter," Lucius Malfoy said as he locked the cage door.

Harry was beginning to become accustomed to awakening feeling aches and pains but this time it annoyed him. Lucius had no right to do this to him. Harry had come here to do the honorable thing and they had beaten the crap out of him.

Harry tried to sit up. His hands were tied (too tightly) behind his back, so it was a struggle until he could lean back against the bars. Then he felt the pain in his chest. His ribs. How many had old ham fist broken? Then felt the pain in his knee. It was bleeding. What the hell had they done to it?

There was a stir within the camp and Harry looked around. He didn't think that this would make Voldemort very happy, but in all honesty, he wasn't sure.

Voldemort emerged from his tent, barking orders. He didn't seem in a good mood to begin with so Harry felt it didn't bode well for him. Maybe if he didn't move...

Harry's green eyes met that red gaze and knew it was too late. Voldemort stared as he moved closer to the cage. He wouldn't release Harry's gaze. Once Harry flinched, Voldemort turned to the camp.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

"Master, Harry Potter has been re-acquired."

Harry wasn't sure which Death Eater had spoken but it obviously didn't please Voldemort.

"Re-acquired?" Voldemort turned back to Harry and his gaze swept over him, studying ever part of him. He turned back to the camp. "And just who re-acquired Harry Potter for me."

The Death Eaters seemed nervous and Harry could have laughed if he could feel his jaw.

Voldemort kept walking amid his Death Eaters and Harry got annoyed. He hit his feet against a bar to get Voldemort's attention and raised his brows expectantly.

"Oh, dear. Sorry, Harry." Voldemort raised his wand and the gag and the binds disappeared.

Harry started to rub the sore spots, his wrists, his ribs.

"Harry, who did this to you?"

"I don't know."

"I think you do," said Voldemort. "But first tell me what you are doing here."

Harry rubbed his jaw. "You said we had a breach of contract. I came to correct it."

"You came on your own?"

"Yes," said Harry. "We need to make a new agreement."

"Give me your wand," said Voldemort.

"I don't have my wand," Harry told him. "Bad protocol."

"You came to me to discuss a new contract unarmed and-"

"I was attacked," said Harry.

"This is very distressing," said Voldemort. "When did you arrive?"

"A couple of hours ago," lied Harry.

"He is lying, Master," said a Death Eater. "It was Midnight-"

"Shut up you fool!"

"Oh very good, Harry," said Voldemort. "The guilty will damn themselves." He scanned his Death Eaters then turned back to Harry. "Just tell me who they are, Harry."

"I'd rather see you punish them all, then see who they turn on," said Harry.

Harry heard that chuckle. "Very interesting idea, Harry."

Harry looked at his watch. It was 8:10. "Can we speed this up? Can't you deal with them later?"

"What is the hurry?" said Voldemort.

Harry sighed. "I have a class at 9 and if I'm late McGonagall will know I've been up to something last night."

Voldemort took a step towards Harry. "You mean Dumbledore doesn't know you've come to me?"

Harry met his gaze. "No. Only Ron and Hermione know I've come."

Voldemort studied him. He dismissed his Death Eaters. "What are you offering?" said Voldemort.

"I offer the same contract without the hostage. I will continue to write to you and will return at the Christmas break - on my own."

"But you have a condition, don't you?"

"Yes," said Harry. Voldemort stared into Harry's face. "You will promise that you will not take another hostage."

"You will trust my word?" said Voldemort.

"Neither one of us has a choice but to trust," said Harry. "If I breach the contract, you have a lot more power than I do to correct it."

"That is true."

"But," said Harry, and his voice took a tone he had never used in his life, "If you breach the contract, it will take more than a hostage to get what you want from me."

Voldemort gave that chuckle again and Harry wished he could wrap his hands around Voldemort's throat. "Is that a threat, my dear boy?"

Voldemort still looked amused as Harry stared into those red eyes. "No, Voldemort. That is not a threat. That is a prophecy."

All humor evaporated from Voldemort's expression. "So the heir finally understands?"

"He does," said Harry. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, Harry. I agree."

Harry felt a small amount of pain as Voldemort took his hand to seal the agreement, then with a nightmarish thought, Harry apparated back to the hallway in front of the Transfiguration class.

"Blimey," said Ron. "You can't go in looking like that."

Harry looked up at Ron. "What?"

"You're a mess."

Harry had forgotten. "Ok," Harry tried to think fast. "Tell McGonagall that I fell down one of the moving staircases and had to go to the hospital wing. I'll talk to you later."

"OK," said Ron. He stepped into the room just as Professor McGonagall stepped out.

"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" she asked.

"No, Professor," Ron said behind Harry as he started to walk away. "Harry had a little accident and needs to see Madam Pomfrey."

"Mr. Potter," McGonagall called.

Harry turned around slowly, his eyes on the floor, hoping to conceal his face. But Harry found that his knee was more of a problem than he thought. It almost buckled beneath him. "Ma'am?" said Harry. "I fell down the stairs by Gryffindor Tower."

Professor McGonagall approached and raised his chin. "Oh, dear," she said.

She went directly into the class but came out a second later. Ron was shrugging at Harry.

"Mr. Weasley, go back inside and work on the lesson. I will take Mr. Potter to the hospital wing."

"I'm fine, Professor," said Harry. "Honestly."

"I see," said McGonagall. "Did the staircase tie you up before or after it fractured your knee and broke your ribs?"

Harry looked down at himself. His arm was wrapped around his chest and the blood filled gash was very clear around his wrist where the ropes had been too tight. He also noticed the blood soaking his pants down his leg from his knee.

"Um," started Harry.

"Be quiet, Mr. Potter," said Prof. McGonagall.

But McGonagall didn't take him to the hospital wing. Before he knew it, Harry was standing, albeit very weakly, in front of Dumbledore's office.

"Come in."

McGonagall dragged Harry in and two men within turned around. Dumbledore looked up from his desk.

"Oh dear," said Dumbledore. "He did it, didn't he?"

"According to Mr. Potter, a moving staircase by Gryffindor Tower did this to him," said McGonagall.

"Harry-"

"Sirius, please," said Dumbledore. "Minerva, you may return to your class. I will handle this."

"Yes, Headmaster."

As she left, Harry looked worriedly at Sirius then at Remus. But when he met Dumbledore's blue gaze, he flinched.

"Sit down, Harry."

Harry was afraid to sit down with the three of them staring at him. He was afraid to move. His eyes traveled over the room again and he felt himself start to shake. He had never felt afraid in this room before. What was wrong with him?

"Harry, sit down before you fall down," said Sirius, moving toward him.

Harry took a wary step back, hitting the wall and his leg almost crumpled beneath him.

"Harry," said Dumbledore. Harry met the blue gaze and saw him search Harry again as if he was looking through him.

It all spilled out of him. How angry he was for not knowing anything. That no one would tell him everything. That he, Ron and Hermione had decided the scene in the Great Hall was a test. How he had gone back but the Death Eaters wouldn't let him see Voldemort. How they had attacked him. How angry Voldemort was. That there was a new contract now.

Harry still had an arm around his ribs and a hand on the door frame to steady himself as he tried to remain standing. The wall he was leaning on didn't seem as strong as it did when he first leaned on it.

"You wouldn't even talk to me." Pain and the feeling of betrayal made Harry's voice hoarse. He felt the wall he was leaning on sliding.

"Sirius, help him."

Harry woke up feeling totally miserable. Nothing had been settled, in his mind anyway. Sirius had helped Harry into a chair and the best thing he remembered was that Fawkes had flown to him and settled on Harry's leg. The Phoenix' expression was so sad though that Harry felt bad.

"Don't look at me like that, Fawkes," he had said. But when the bird began to cry, Harry understood. The Phoenix' tears healed all of Harry's injuries in a matter of moments.

But that's when Sirius and Remus started to berate him on his stupidity and how he should do as he's told. And then Sirius grounded him.

That was what hurt.

"No Hogsmeades visits and your grounded until Christmas," Sirius had said. "And I mean grounded. No flying. At all."

Harry still couldn't believe it. He'd have to resign from the Quidditch team. At least temporarily and hope they would take him back after the Christmas break. If he was still alive by then. Harry was starting to hope he wouldn't be. Thinking of the break, Harry remembered his contract.

He collected a piece of parchment and a quill and ink and stared down at the empty page.

Voldemort,

I got caught. You should have mentioned to me what a mess my face was because I was hauled into Dumbledore's office. I had to tell them everything, Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus. But Dumbledore still wouldn't talk to me.

Then Sirius grounded me. I think I might prefer your punishment to his. At least the pain goes away. Now I can't play Quidditch for two months. So much for life's little pleasures.

My studies are going well, which should please you. I don't expect anything exciting within the next week so don't expect a very amusing letter from me next week.

Harry

Harry re-read his own words. Voldemort was right. He was becoming a cynic. Harry shrugged it off as he attached it to Hedwig's leg and sent her off. Saturday Gryffindor was supposed to play Ravenclaw.

The youngest seeker of the century is going to lead us to another Quidditch Cup!

Harry felt like crying.