The Knights Of Walpurgis

Chapter Twenty-Eight: ...But It Pours

The Fat Lady's portrait swung open and to Harry it seemed as though everyone in the Tower turned to look at him.

"Harry!"

Hermione exploded out of her chair, nearly tearing Ron's arm from its socket as she forgot to let go of his hand. She slammed into Harry, nearly knocking him over as she wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug.

"We were so worried," she said, through the tears that were starting to fall.

"I'm alright," Harry said, feeling rather awkward. "Hermione, I need to get something. Hermione!"

She let go of him slowly, as though rather afraid that he might disappear as soon as she let go of him. Ron had followed her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she stepped back. Ginny was close behind, looking outwardly calm, although the twisted and torn piece of parchment in her hands belied that. Seeing where Harry was looking, she quickly put her hands behind her back.

"Where were you?" Hermione asked.

Harry was going to reply, but he stopped and looked around the common room. All of Gryffindor, it seemed, was there. Harry was sure that somewhere among the ranks were people who were loyal to Voldemort either through choice, like Malfoy, or through fear, like Blaise Zabini's father.

But most of them aren't. Most of them are good, honest people. A lot of them are in the HA.

"Death Eaters have kidnapped Susan Bones," he announced. "They want me in exchange. That noise you hear is a warning that the grounds have been invaded. It's a pack of mountain giants, and the staff are taking care of them. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, I need you to come with me upstairs. There's some stuff I need you to do for me."

With that, he swept through the common room and up the stairs to his dormitory, Ron, Hermione and Ginny trailing in his wake and a thousand questions left unanswered behind him.

With the door shut behind the four of them, Harry held up his hand to forestall any questions.

"I saw the rest of the dream. Slytherin turned on the other founders. It was the battle where he revealed the Death Eaters, although they were called the Knights of Walpurgis back then. Gryffindor and Slytherin both used the Killing Curse on each other, but Gryffindor's sword-" he gestured with it "-partly blocked it both times. Voldemort has Susan. We don't know if he knows that she's an heir, or just took her because she's Amelia Bones' niece. It seems to have been by chance, anyway. I have to go into the Forest. Ron, Hermione," he said, walking over to his trunk and lifting the lid. He reached in and pulled out the silvery Invisibility Cloak. "I want you to follow me under this."

"Of course," they said at once.

"What about me?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry dubiously. Harry was grateful that she didn't indulge in histrionics about being left behind.

"I need you to stay here and organize everyone," Harry said. "Floo the other houses, let everyone know that we may need to fight. Find a way to get the younger kids into the girls dormitories, maybe. It might help protect them for a bit."

"I understand," Ginny said, slowly. "I'm sure that Neville will help."

"Good idea," Harry said. He paused, his stomach churning as he looked at her.

"Ginny, I--"

"Don't," she said. "Anything you say is only going to sound like goodbye."

"I'll be back," Harry said.

She nodded. Harry turned away.

"Okay, put the Cloak on," he said, handing it to Ron. He nodded, and swept it around himself and Hermione. Harry was relieved to see that nothing showed through.

"Good. Be careful, okay? I... I'm glad that you're coming with me."

"All the way, mate," Ron said. Harry could hear a slight rustling that suggested that Hermione was nodding, her bushy hair rubbing against the Cloak as though she didn't trust her voice right then.

"We know what's in the Forest," Harry said. "So we should know what we're up against. It's a bit like the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament," he said grimly. "But we have a better idea of what we're up against. The centaurs won't like us being there, but they'll like the Death Eaters less, I hope. The unicorns should stay out of our way. The giant spiders..."

He paused. He didn't want to think about Aragog and his family.

"Let's stay out of their way. And Grawp..."

He paused again. If the giants were running wild, then Grawp was either with them or against them. Despite his fear of the giant, Harry couldn't help but feel a certain fondness for him, another one of Hagrid's rescuees, and rather hoped that he wasn't going to be hurt, whatever happened and whatever side he'd chosen.

"Let's go," he said, leading the way downstairs.

The other Gryffindors seemed to have been waiting for him to re-emerge, because he was immediately met with a barrage of questions to the point where he couldn't hope to pick out one to answer, even if he'd been inclined to.

"Ginny and Neville are in charge," he repeated, over and over. "Ron and Hermione are upstairs. Ginny's in charge."

He slowly pushed his way through the crowd, wondering if any of them noticed the invisible hands parting them and allowing Ron and Hermione passage. He stopped at the portrait hole and looked back to Ginny, who was still standing on the bottom step of the dormitory stairs. Watching her, he felt horribly guilty for not talking to her before now, regardless of what he thought she might feel about him. It had been a month since the Ravenclaw match, and somehow the topic had never come up, even if they had shared a long embrace only the day before. It seemed to Harry as though it had been much longer since she'd confronted him in the Room of Requirement.

"I'll be back," he said, too quietly for her to hear. She nodded, nonetheless.

*

Ron and Hermione moved silently behind Harry, only responding to his occasional checks on their position by prodding him in his back or laying a hand on his shoulder. He wanted to say something to them, but couldn't even begin to imagine what.

All too soon, they were approaching the great front doors that led out into the Hogwarts grounds. The sounds of battle had been growing clearer since they passed the second floor, and as the doors opened at Harry's touch, they were met with a wall of sound, screams, spells, war cries, and the sound of weapons clashing. Harry paused for a moment, watching as Madam Marchbanks stood alone, almost toe to toe with a huge giantess who was brandishing a twenty-foot long spear as though it were a toothpick. Marchbanks sidestepped one swipe of the weapon and responded with a spell that forced the giantess to step back. It was a scene played out throughout the grounds, with miniscule-looking members of staff - and Order members, Harry realised with a thrill as he saw Tonks' distinctive clothing and flame-red hair - teaming up to tackle the gargantuan giants. It was almost impossible to say exactly how the battle was going, but even as Harry went to turn away, one of the humans was struck by a blow from a giant, and fell heavily to the ground. Harry heard Hermione gasp, and his fists clenched tightly as he willed the person to rise, but the battle continued around the fallen body, and Harry felt his stomach contract painfully as the body lay still.

"Harry, we have to go," Hermione said from behind him. Her voice sounded shaky, but Harry knew that she was right. The Order was defending the school - and Harry knew that they would do so with their last breath. It was his job to find Voldemort - find him and find some way to rescue Susan. With one last look over the battlefield - he could see Bill and Firenze alongside Kingsley Shacklebolt, all desperately trying to stay out of range of a huge battle-axe - he turned towards the Forest and made his way towards the edge.

"What about the wards?" Ron asked.

"They only activate if something comes through from the other side, don't they?" Harry asked. He didn't want anyone being alerted of their presence until absolutely necessary.

"I'm not sure. But Professor Dumbledore must have set the wards up so that certain people can pass through them - like himself or Hagrid," Hermione said. "And he asked us to come here, so we'll be permitted as well."

"Good," Harry said. The Forest loomed ahead. He thought of all the times that he'd come in here, never really wanting to. Detention in his first year, following the spiders in his second year, trying to save Sirius in his third year, walking with Krum in his fourth year and visiting Grawp and trying to trick Umbridge in his fifth year. None of these occasions filled him with hope that this time would be a pleasant experience.

"Keep your eyes open," he said. "There'll be someone watching out for us, I bet."

"Already seen him," Ron reported. "Probably more than one of them. You know," he added, almost as an afterthought. "Two lifetime's worth of memories don't prepare you for everything."

"Two lifetimes? Ron, what--"

"Where is he?" Harry asked, cutting Hermione off. They didn't have time for one of Hermione's quests for knowledge, although he found it a little comforting that she was as keen as ever to learn new things.

"Your two o'clock," Ron reported. "Big, thick, looks like Goyle dressed up for Hallowe'en."

Harry looked, and saw that Ron was right - and had even identified the Death Eater. It was undoubtedly Gladforth Goyle, father of Slytherin sixth year Gregory and former contender for the post of Minister of Magic, which seemed like a very long time ago. Masked though he was, there was something about his sloping posture and lumbering walk that readily identified him.

"Perfect," Harry said. "Stay close, okay?"

There was no reply, but Harry heard the two of them rustling through the undergrowth behind him as they approached the first line of trees. Harry had forgotten about the wards until he felt a warm tingle wash over him, a not unpleasant sensation rather like being doused in warm seawater. Goyle, Harry saw with a smirk, didn't even see him until he stepped out in front of him. Even then it took a second for the Death Eater to react and come to a halt.

"Good morning," Harry said. "My name is Harry Potter. I want you to take me to Voldemort."

Goyle slowly drew his wand, and pointed it at Harry. If he found anything unusual in Harry's request, he didn't show it.

"You're to come to my master," he said, dully.

"Yes, that's why I'm here," Harry replied. "I'm unarmed."

Amazingly, Goyle took him at his word and didn't bother searching him, or even removing the sword that hung fairly obviously at his belt. It was more than Harry could have hoped for, although he felt certain that his luck wouldn't hold.

They'd gone about fifty metres through the Forest when an arrow hissed through the air and stuck into Goyle's chest. He toppled backwards with a moan, and crashed to the ground. He jerked a few times, and then lay still.

Harry tried to breathe, but felt as though his heart was lodged in his throat. He could only watch as six centaurs faded into view as though they had been invisible. One very deliberately brought a heavy hoof down on Goyle's wand, snapping it in two in a brief shower of sparks.

"You were warned, Harry Potter, what would happen if you came back into the Forest," said the centaur at the rear of the back. He made his way through the group, a longbow in one hand, its string still quivering slightly. His black body and thick, curly hair gleamed with sweat, but he was not out of breath, and although he appeared wounded, with a long cut across his chest, he did not appear uncomfortable.

"Hello, Bane," Harry said. "I'm not here by choice." He didn't point out that in killing Goyle, the centaurs had badly affected Dumbledore's plan. It didn't seem like a wise thing to say with so many weapons visible.

"But you are here, young wizard, and your presence brings these," he gestured at Goyle's body. "They show us no respect. You at least have the decency to be scared."

"If I'm successful, they'll go, and hopefully they won't come back," Harry said. "I'd be perfectly happy to let you and Aragog have this Forest to yourselves again."

"Aragog," Bane snorted. It sounded like a horse whinnying, but Harry decided to keep that thought to himself. One of the centaurs peered more closely at him, nonetheless, and Harry did a quick check to make sure that his shields were in place. He had no idea if centaurs could or would perform Legilimency, but he had the uncomfortable feeling that his mind was an open book to them.

"Aragog is here because he breeds like nothing else on this planet or in the heavens," Bane said. "Believe me, Harry Potter. We would not share our Forest with him if we had a choice, but the heavens seem to require his presence, and that of his spawn."

Bane pawed at the ground. The other centaurs had formed into a ring around the group now, facing outwards, alert for the presence of others.

"The invaders have your mate, as we understand it," Bane said. "I understand your presence here, Harry Potter, although I am surprised at the risk that you have taken by attempting to sneak two more invaders into our domain."

Harry started in surprise, and was only just able to stop himself from looking over his shoulder in Ron and Hermione's direction.

"An Invisibility Cloak, no doubt," Bane said. "Your father and his friends had one - I suppose it is the same one?"

Harry nodded.

"We are not happy with this invasion, Harry Potter. You have been warned before about what would happen if you came into this Forest again."

With that, Bane lifted his bow again. Reaching over his back, he pulled a long arrow from the quiver strapped there, and notched it to the bow string.

Drawing back, he paused. The other centaurs also raised their bows, and Harry counted three arrowheads aimed at him. Each seemed as big as a fist, and the short distance between the centaurs and him all but guaranteed them a hit. He risked a glance at Goyle's body. The arrow had neatly pierced the man's heart, and that had been a difficult shot through trees and bushes. He looked up again. Bane and two of the other centaurs were still aiming at him. The other three held their arrows pointed behind him, at Ron and Hermione.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter," Bane said.

"Wait," Harry croaked. "We'll leave, we'll leave!"

Bane's arrowhead dipped slightly, and Harry was able to focus instead on his face.

"Now? I confess that your presence here is less insulting than that of these invaders," Bane said, nodding slightly at Goyle's body.

"No. We have to find Voldemort first," Harry said. "I'm sorry. I know you don't like us here. But he has my friend, and I can't let him hurt her."

Bane looked at the other centaurs, and there was a dangerous pause. They seemed to communicate without words, and it was clear that at least one of Bane's company did not want Harry and the others to go any further. At last, Bane nodded.

"Today, Harry Potter, we have a common enemy," he said. "So you are to be granted safe passage. But be warned, I do not speak for all centaurs. We will let as many as we can know that you walk through this forest with our permission, but there are those who will not acknowledge that."

Harry nodded gratefully.

"As for your friends who sneak through our forest and attempt to hide from us, I shall not ask them to reveal themselves, not today," he said. "Go then, Harry Potter."

He bent down, bringing his wide, expressive face to Harry's level.

"I give you my good wishes for your quest. When harm comes to one's mate, it is not surprising that one would risk the wrath of the heavens themselves. But be warned. You set yourself against forces far more powerful than you know."

"What do you mean?"

Bane looked up, and Harry followed his gaze.

"Venus in the morning sky," he said. "Great suffering is upon us, Harry Potter. You were warned, that night we first met. Mars was bright then. Now these things are coming to pass."

Bane looked down again.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter. We leave you now, and good luck," he said again. This time, even more so than before when he had been on the verge of shooting Harry, Bane's words had the hollow finality of closing tomb doors. Harry shivered as Bane led the other centaurs slowly away.

"I think I'd prefer it if we didn't do that again," Hermione said eventually.

"Yeah, me too," Harry said.

"I dunno," Ron said. "They seemed okay. It's not like we're alpha males challenging their territory or anything."

Harry turned in surprise, but then remembered that he couldn't see Ron. He shrugged, and turned back.

Being careful not to follow the route taken by Bane and his company, they pressed onwards. They were careful to keep an eye out for Death Eaters, but there didn't seem to be anyone else in their area of forest. Harry wondered if the centaurs had killed everyone else, or if they were just managing to miss the Death Eaters that they were, unlikely though it was, seeking out.

They walked for what seemed like a very long time. Harry didn't dare to check his watch in case someone - or something - took advantage of his distraction. Occasionally he heard rustling in the undergrowth, but nothing came of it except for once when a young, silvery unicorn plunged out onto the path. It stopped and pawed at the ground nervously, staring at Harry as though trying to decide whether he was a threat or not. Harry liked unicorns, but he knew that they didn't much like human males, and he well remembered how Hagrid had described them once, "Horses. Horses with horns, but horses all the same. Nice enough if you get to know 'em, but those hooves can crack yer skull open, and that horn'll go through you like a hippogriff through a sack of ferrets."

Harry stood as still as he could. He wished that the others would throw the cloak over him, but he also thought that this might provoke the unicorn into charging at where he had been. He knew no spells to stop it if it decided that he was a threat.

Fortunately, the unicorn appeared to decide that Harry wasn't dangerous, and after a long moment in which Harry's chest began to hurt from holding his breath, it plunged back off the track and back into the undergrowth. The noise it made was soon lost among the deadening silence that surrounded them.

Harry continued on. Ron and Hermione were silent behind him, the only indication that they were still there the occasional grunt of exertion as they clambered through a particularly overgrown section of path, or the unusual sight of a branch bending backwards for a few moments after Harry had passed it. Harry would have liked a little more evidence that he wasn't alone, but he knew that he couldn't risk revealing Ron and Hermione's presence to anyone who might have been watching him. And he also wasn't sure what to say to his friends after they had so readily volunteered to follow him into such a dangerous situation.

Again, Harry sighed.

Harry found his thoughts turning back to the battle between the Order members and the giants. They'd only been in the Forest a short time when the heavy growth had completely muffled all sound from the outside. It was almost like walking on another planet, so removed did he feel from what was going on elsewhere, but Harry knew that not very far away there were people fighting for their lives, and maybe the fate of society.

He shook his head. As terrible as the battle that the Order was fighting was, it had fallen to Harry to face Voldemort, and that was the fight that would have the furthest-reaching consequences.

Now, maybe I shouldn't be slapping saviours, Ginny's voice rang in Harry's head, and he smiled. Her tone of voice had let him know exactly what she thought about his portrayal of himself as such. He desperately hoped that she wouldn't be called upon to fight. He knew that she was a good fighter, but he didn't want her at risk.

I don't want any of my friends at risk, he thought, a little belatedly.

They trudged on for a little while longer. It had long since grown dark - so thick were the trees in this part of the Forest that they blocked out most of the light. Harry was tempted to bring out his wand and light it, but he had a feeling that he was still being watched by the centaurs, and he didn't want to give them any reason to attack him.

At last he heard voices up ahead. Careful not to make too much noise, he moved towards the sound, not wanting to walk in on an argument between centaurs, or to surprise any of Aragog's children. He didn't know how many of the giant acromantulas could speak English, but some of them certainly could, so there was no reason to think that Aragog hadn't taught all of his children.

But as he pushed through the undergrowth, he saw that he'd found exactly what he'd been looking for. Three Death Eaters stood together, one of them arguing with the other two.

Now all Harry had to do was make sure that Ron didn't do anything to give himself and Hermione away, because the Death Eater defending himself was Percy, his white hood removed and his red hair looking wild and untamed - a sight so unusual that it almost seemed stranger to Harry than seeing him in a Death Eater's robes.

"You think that it's easy to walk away from what I had?" Percy was saying. "Be realistic, Nott. I had a family that Dumbledore would protect with his life - and Albus Dumbledore is powerful enough that we could all attack him and he'd win. Only our Master stands a chance against him."

"How do we know you're not a double agent, Weasley?" one of the others asked. "You could be working for Dumbledore, if you think so highly of him."

Percy turned on the Death Eater with an expression of contempt.

"And if I was, would I have stood with that fool Fudge last year?" he asked. "Just like you, Gallipoli, all I want is the chance to put things right. I won't get that chance if I'm not allied with the right people, will I?"

The Death Eater squared his shoulders, and looked set to draw his wand on Percy, but the other one - Nott, Harry realised. Theodore's father - laid a hand on his arm.

"The Dark Lord likes this one," he said. "Wouldn't do to go killing his pet Gryffindor, would it?"

Percy bridled at this comment but held his tongue.

"If you're on our side, Weasley, then it's time you proved it. I've seen you on raids - you don't kill, and you don't torture."

"Those we leave alive spread the word," Percy said. "And those who we don't torture into insensibility are still left terrified of what we can do. It really is quite simple, if you have a brain to think about it. With my way, more people hear about us, and more people will be scared of us. We don't need to go on so many raids, and we don't put our lives at risk."

Nott laughed. "You see, that's what makes us Death Eaters, Weasley. We accept that we have to put our lives at risk for our Master, and we understand that killing off Mudbloods and Muggle lovers is the best way forward. Who wants power over that filth?"

Percy's eyes narrowed. "Be careful, Nott. You're treading on dangerous ground."

"You sound like a Muggle lover, Weasley."

"Hardly, Nott," Percy said. "But you shouldn't question me. I have our Master's ear, while you are beneath his notice."

"Then I suppose that killing you for your plans to supplant him would raise me in his favour, wouldn't it?"

"What plans- You fool," Percy spat. Nott had drawn his wand so quickly that Harry had not even seen the movement. "He can read minds, and he'll know that you're lying."

"He rewards ambition," Nott snarled. "And my son will enjoy the benefits of having a father placed so highly in our Master's favour."

"Your son is hardly in the Master's favour now," Percy sneered. "If he were, he would have been chosen for the Becoming already."

"My son is of far more value at the school," Nott retorted. He brought his wand up, jamming the point into the flesh under Percy's chin. "And you'd do well to remember it."

"Ah yes," Percy said, not wavering in the slightest. "Our all-powerful Master can't manage anything better than a handful of children as his agents this year - and all of them children of known Death Eaters as well. How very... encouraging."

Harry turned as the sounds of a slight struggle distracted him. It was clear from the body parts appearing and disappearing from underneath the Cloak that Ron was trying to break free and go after Percy, while Hermione was holding him back. Harry glared at the area they occupied and held up one hand - anything else could have alerted the Death Eaters. Ron seemed to get the message, to Harry's relief, and calmed down somewhat, or at least stopped trying to break free.

"You may not have heard, Weasley, but Lucius' son was nearly able to kill Potter a few days ago, and he's hardly the best of our agents in the school," Nott was saying, as Harry turned back. His wand was still lodged against Percy's jaw. Percy was still glaring defiantly at him. The third Death Eater, Gallipoli, appeared to be wavering between the two, unwilling to take sides.

"No, I suppose that your son is the one that Potter has to watch out for, isn't he?" Percy said.

"Potter trusts him," Nott laughed. Harry started, because he certainly didn't trust Theodore Nott - but he didn't have time to think any more about that as Ron resumed his struggles to break free and this time Hermione was unprepared. Ron lunged out from under the Invisibility Cloak and charged at the three Death Eaters.

Harry had no time to think, he just reacted. He brought his arm up, swinging through the air in front of Ron. It caught Ron across the throat and as Harry winced at the jolt that ran along the length of the arm, Ron's legs carried on a half-step while the rest of him came to an abrupt halt. Ron crashed to the ground, gasping as the air was knocked out of him.

"Sorry," Harry hissed, but he was already moving. The three Death Eaters had turned as one to face the noise, wands drawn, and Harry had no choice but to move.

He darted out of the undergrowth, casting a powerful Stunner with a wave of his wand even as he dived forward. The Stunner flashed across the clearing and hit Gallipoli square in the face, sending the man crashing backwards. Harry's dive took him under a Cutting Hex from Nott and he responded in kind, firing his own Cutting Hex which Nott twisted away from.

And then, as Harry prepared to cast a Confounding Charm, Percy hit Nott in the back of the head with a Stunner that sent the older man crashing to the ground where he twitched a few times before lying still.

Before Harry could process this, Percy had spun around and disarmed him, sending his wand flying up into the air and dropping neatly into his hand.

"And I'll take the sword as well," he said coldly. Harry looked at him in disbelief. Belatedly, a flicker of hope arose in his chest as his mind strove to catch up with events, but it was doused almost immediately by the look on Percy's face.

"My Master will be so proud," he said. "I've captured the very person he wants to kill."

Percy cast a Binding Spell that wound long ropes around Harry's arms and body. He struggled against them as they knotted around him, but he could no more have broken free from a steel straitjacket.

"What no-one seems to remember is that I got top marks on my Dark Arts OWLs and NEWTs," Percy said. "You'll find those ropes quite unbreakable. Now, did anyone come with you?"

Harry had to struggle to prevent the hope showing on his face. Hermione would be able to stop Percy, and set him free. But his hopes were dashed as a large group of Death Eaters crashed through the bushes and into the clearing.

"We heard spells," one said, looking around the clearing. Although Harry couldn't see his face, the surprise was evident in his tone.

"So you thought you'd just crash into the middle of a firefight, with no idea which side was winning." Percy said, coldly. "No wonder the Aurors capture so many of you."

Harry was uncomfortably reminded of the tone of voice Professor Snape used when describing a failed potion in his class.

"You'll show some respect-"

"I'll show you the respect you deserve," Percy snapped, and for a moment Harry saw the famed Weasley temper burning in him. Then he stepped back. "I have captured Harry Potter. The Dark Lord will be grateful to me, and if any of you wish to anger me..."

He left the threat unspoken and turned back to Harry.

"Potter, did you bring anyone else with you?"

"Do you see anyone else?" Harry growled.

For the briefest of seconds, Harry almost thought that Percy had winked at him. But he felt sure that he had been mistaken.

"Very well. You," he turned and pointed at the other masked adults. "Form up in a guard. Potter always has some clever trick up his sleeve - and I want you all to watch him closely."

There was some mutinous muttering at this, but the Death Eaters formed two lines behind Percy as he grabbed Harry's shoulder and started pushing him back into the Forest.

"So, why'd you do it?" Harry asked, as Percy gave him a shove.

"Do what?"

"Betray your family," Harry said. "I'd have thought that your mum would have brought you up better than that."

"Don't talk about my family, Potter," Percy said. "We were fine until you came along. If it wasn't for you, we'd have stayed out of all this, but my parents seem to think that we're somehow responsible for you. They were too blind to see that you're nothing but trouble."

Percy's words cut deeply. Harry knew that his friends were automatically targets for Voldemort, but having someone that he thought had been among that number throw it in his face... If he hadn't been intent on facing Voldemort, he would have tried to find a way of breaking the bonds and hexing Percy.

"You didn't have to run off and join Voldemort, though?"

"No, I'll grant you that," Percy said. "That was my choice. I did what I thought was best. I want to keep my family safe - and I dare say that handing you over to my Master will ensure that."

"No doubt," Harry said. "I'm sure he'll keep any promises that he's made to you, Perce. He's such a trustworthy person, after all."

"He rewards those who please him," Percy said. "And I think he'll be very pleased with me."

"So when did you decide to turn your back on your family?" Harry asked. He was interested to see if Percy would lose his cool - and he also thought that Ron would want to hear Percy's justifications for his actions. "I mean, even if they're safe, they're hardly going to thank you, you do know that, don't you?"

"I don't expect thanks for what I'm doing," Percy said shortly.

"When'd you do it, anyway?"

"I had hoped," Percy said, stopping suddenly and spinning Harry around to face him. "That after the debacle in the Ministry last year that my family would realise how dangerous you were. Foolish, headstrong, and careless. You even got Sirius Black killed."

Harry felt a surge of anger so strong that for a second his vision was all white. He felt his bonds strain as though his magic were trying to force itself free. It had only been a few hours since he'd performed accidental magic, and he'd come close again just then.

"Seeing you in the Leaky Cauldron with them... Well, it was the final straw," Percy said, continuing on as though nothing were the matter. One of the other Death Eaters shoved Harry to get him moving again and he stumbled along in Percy's wake.

"It wasn't hard to find someone in the Ministry who made their allegiances clear, and it only took a few conversations for someone to approach me. The Death Eaters were delighted to have such a high-profile turncoat join them."

"We just called you a traitor," Harry said. Percy's mouth twitched.

"No more than I expected," he sighed. "I've made sacrifices to make sure my family is safe, Harry. I'm sorry that it's come down to this, I truly am, but I come from a large family. We were unlikely to survive a long war intact."

"You've been dead to them since your front-page appearance," Harry spat.

"They didn't get my best side," Percy said coldly. They lapsed into silence after that. Percy didn't seem keen to say anything more, and Harry was unsure how to talk to him.

Eventually Harry began to hear a crackling noise, right at the edge of his hearing. A little way further on he began to smell woodsmoke, as though the Forest itself was burning.

"What's going on?" Harry asked. Percy said nothing.

They continued on in silence, until Harry made out a flickering glow in the trees up ahead.

"Are you burning the Forest?" he asked, incredulously.

"The Master likes to feel warm," Percy said. "He had us set a fire for him before anything else."

Percy lapsed into silence again, and there was no more said as they approached the glow, which was growing clearer and larger with every step. Harry was able to see that the fire had been set in the middle of what could almost have been called a clearing, but for the fact that several huge trees were gathered in it. As they grew closer, however, Harry realised that it wasn't trees that he was seeing - It was a group of giants who apparently hadn't joined in the fight against the Order.

Finally they reached the edge of the clearing, and Harry swallowed nervously as Percy steered him through the giants and massed ranks of Death Eaters who were gathered there. In his mind, he had always faced Voldemort alone. The thought of facing so many enemies at once had never occurred to him.

They rounded the fire, and despite its immense heat - for it occupied fully half of the clearing - Harry felt a chill trickle down his spine.

Voldemort towered before him, skeletal thin, his skin so pale that it looked like something that had just crawled from under a rock after a lifetime without sunshine. His eyes burned with hatred as he saw Harry, and a flash of pain creased through Harry's scar.

A figure knelt at Voldemort's feet. One glance identified the figure as Bellatrix Lestrange - the woman's image was burned into his memory. Oddly, seeing her made him feel even angrier than seeing Voldemort. He closed his eyes for a moment, squaring himself on the battlements with Sirius by his side. He shared a smile with his godfather, and opened his eyes again.

"Welcome to my new home, Potter," Voldemort said. He was peering intently at Harry, but every few seconds he would glance over Harry's shoulder at something behind him.

"You said you'd exchange me for Susan, so let her go," Harry said.

"So I did," Voldemort said with a smile. "I lied."

Bellatrix laughed, and so did some of the other Death Eaters. Bellatrix stood up and walked up to him.

"Do you love her, Potter?" she cooed in his ear. Harry shuddered at the feel of her breath on him. "Are you the noble hero, sweeping in here to save your true love?"

"Enough, Bellatrix," Voldemort said. "There will be time enough later. But Potter, I understand you've been having interesting dreams of late. Well, so have I, and last night was the most interesting yet. Perhaps I should ask our guests to join us, and we can all talk things through."

Voldemort waved a slim, white hand, summoning forward a group of Death Eaters who marched forward in formation. Harry could make out more people in their midst. Some of them were clad in red, and Harry realised that these were the rogue members of the Dark Arts Defence League. There were others in the group as well, but Harry could not work out exactly who they were. His mind flashed back to the message that Dumbledore had received - it had said that Voldemort had more leverage. Harry couldn't imagine who it was.

"Dumbledore is growing careless in is old age," Voldemort said. "We were able to enter this grounds of this school, despite his wards, after all, and as for hiding something as valuable as a True Seer in a common tavern... We have spies everywhere, Potter. Clearly Dumbledore's reputation is as exaggerated as your own."

Harry's heart fell into his stomach as he recognised Voldemort's prisoners. First, and looking as though she were trapped in her worst nightmare, was Susan, tied even more securely than Harry. As soon as she saw Harry, her face lit up with hope that died almost as soon as she took in the bonds pinning his arms to his side. Harry felt much, much worse for raising and squashing that hope than he had done when he had first heard of her capture. He snarled as the Death Eaters guarding her shoved her to the ground where she lay, unable to move enough to push herself back upright.

The second of the prisoners was Aberforth, beaten and bloodied, his beard stained red and his head hanging limp. The toes of his boots trailed in the dirt, and it was clear to Harry that he had been beaten into unconsciousness.

"He's an old man," Harry breathed, as he remembered the light in the window opposite the Hog's Head, and the owl hooting shortly afterwards. Someone had sent Voldemort a message to let him know of Harry and Dumbledore's late arrival at the pub, and as soon as Harry and Dumbledore had left, the Death Eaters had attacked. "He's not even that good of a wizard."

"He had some... ingenious devices in his tavern," Voldemort said. "He claimed the lives of two of my loyal followers before we were able to subdue him."

Harry was pleased that Aberforth had been able to resist, but sorry that it hadn't amounted to much. He didn't suppose that the thought of surrendering had even crossed the old man's mind. Harry winced as he was dropped to the ground beside Susan, the Death Eaters showing as much concern for him as they would a piece of meat.

The last of the prisoners brought forward was Rose, and while Susan had appeared to be terrified, and Aberforth had been insensible, Rose was looking around her with interest.

"Hello, Harry love," she said warmly. "Come to rescue us, have you?"

"Silence," Voldemort said. "If you have any hopes of rescue, woman, abandon them now. Potter is here for one reason only - to suffer the death that he escaped fifteen long years ago."

"Then it won't matter if I have a bit of a chat first, will it?"

Voldemort sneered at her.

"I must say, I was hoping for a bit more. Albus and Hagrid, at least. Not that you're not welcome, of course."

"The giants have attacked the school," Harry said, marveling at the old woman's composure. He could see how much she was enjoying chattering away under Voldemort's nose, and wondered how she could be so cool under pressure. An unbidden thought came to Harry's mind. She's a Seer. She can tell the future. Maybe she knows how this turns out.

"Yes, I do," Rose said, making Harry jump. She suddenly appeared sad, and Harry felt a mounting feeling of dread.

"No," he said. "You're wrong."

"Wrong? What is the Seer wrong about, Potter?"

"Remember Delilah Ramsbottom, Harry?" Rose said, her voice low. "My children are happy, and so are their children and grandchildren. Life has been kind to me, all things considered."

"Really?" Voldemort asked, seizing her roughly. "No more, though. Seer, tell me about these dreams."

He laid his wand along Rose's throat, the tip pressed into flesh under her jaw.

"What do you want to know?" Rose asked, her tone light and pleasant again. Harry's mind was reeling. Rose had told him...

"Why have I been having them? And why has Potter?"

"Because you're the heirs of Slytherin and Gryffindor," she said. "And whoever the heirs of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are have probably seen them as well."

"Potter knows who the heirs are. And we have another one here. I imagine that it is important for us to have all the heirs here?"

"Oh, undoubtedly. It would show everyone that Slytherin got things wrong, and ended up with you. The others got it right, and--"

Voldemort swung Rose around and backhanded her across the face. She stumbled backward to the ground landing heavily. Harry lunged forward to try and catch her, forgetting that her arms were bound. She lay sprawled on the ground, her chest rising and falling, but completely unconscious.

"You," Voldemort snarled. He gestured at the massed ranks of the Death Eaters. "All of you. Go now and bring me the heir of Ravenclaw. It is a girl in Ravenclaw house by the name of Luna Lovegood. Then the four of us will discover what the dream means together. Blatherwood," he added, pointing at one in particular. "You have always said that there was a Weasley you wished to see dead. Well, you will find him fighting our giant allies. If you wish to kill him, you have my permission."

The Death Eaters turned without a word and disappeared among the trees. If the odds against him had not still been so great, Harry would have felt relieved. Nearly all of the Death Eaters had gone. Only Percy -- looking rather pale -- and Bellatrix remained in sight, although Harry thought that he saw movement in the shadows away to one side. But Voldemort remained, as did the giants, who had watched the whole affair up to that point in silence, although they shifted restlessly.

"Weasley, come here," Voldemort said, oblivious to Rose lying injured at his feet. Percy stepped forward smartly, and stood beside Harry. Voldemort looked closely at him, his wand clenched in one fist. Harry felt his eyes begin to sting, and at first he couldn't understand why, but then he realised that Voldemort was trying to use Legilimency to read Percy's mind and Percy, incredibly, was resisting.

At last Voldemort leaned back, and the sensation faded. Percy appeared remarkably unfazed.

"You resist me still, Weasley," Voldemort said. "Why will you not let me into your mind, as a truly loyal Death Eater would?"

"My Lord, at every turn I try and prove my worth to you. I know that there are those who say that I cannot be truly one of you - I am from a poor family, and they have associated themselves with Dumbledore. But I am strong, and my resistance of your efforts to read my mind proves that my strength is adequate. I am a pureblood, and my loyalty is to the right cause, no matter what others might say."

"Yes, that much I can tell," Voldemort said, his eyes intent on Percy's. "Your mind is not completely closed to me, Weasley. Lord Voldemort has had a long time in which to become skilled in the art of Legilimency, and as talented as you are, you are nothing more than a gifted amateur. I could rip your shields to pieces, if I so wished. Remember that, Weasley."

"Always, my Lord," Percy murmured, bowing deeply. He gestured at Harry. "What do you want me to do with him?"

"There is no rush," Voldemort said, silkily. "Wormtail, come here."

Peter Pettigrew came forward from the shadows, hunched over under his dark robes.

"Wormtail, you were this one's loyal companion for many years, were you not?"

Wormtail was shivering before his master, but managed to nod.

"Is he as he says? Does he seek power?"

"Yes, my master," Wormtail muttered. "He wants to escape from his family. He would say so, when he spoke to me."

"And yet," Voldemort's face twisted, "I suppose he loves them."

"Yes, my lord. He would say so."

"And if one of his family were in danger, Wormtail, would he place his life at risk to protect them?"

Wormtail seemed to consider this for a long moment. Harry wondered what Voldemort was doing. He decided that it couldn't possibly be good.

"Yes, my lord. I think that he would," Pettigrew said at last. "It is obvious that he still cares for them deeply."

"Such is often the undoing of lesser, mortal, men," Voldemort said. "When you are certain of your immortality, you see that forming an attachment to anyone or anything is pointless. You learnt that lesson, didn't you, Wormtail?"

Pettigrew didn't answer.

"Speak, Wormtail. You betrayed your friends, didn't you?"

Pettigrew stood before Voldemort, shaking. He glanced over his shoulder at Harry, who was glaring at him in pure hatred.

"Wormtail..." Voldemort said, his tone of voice a warning.

"Yes," Pettigrew replied at last.

"See how easy it is," Voldemort said, turning away from the shaking man. He faced Percy and Harry, seemingly talking to both of them at once. "Someone you trust, someone in whom you place your faith, someone worth risking your life for... Accio," he hissed, "Invisibility Cloak."

Harry's jaw dropped, and he turned in place to see the Cloak whip off Ron and Hermione and soar through the air. His friends were huddled together, holding each other and trying to present as small a target as possible.

"Run!" Harry yelled, knowing even as he did so that it was hopeless.

"Do not," Voldemort said, and his quiet words carried the force of a bellowed order. "So, these are the long standing allies of the great Harry Potter. Unless I am much mistaken, you are Hermione Granger and," he smiled, his tongue flickering over his thin lips, "Ron Weasley."

Harry glanced at Percy, who was also looking at Ron and Hermione, a look of anguish on his face.

"You have spoken, I believe, of how Potter constantly places your family in danger, Weasley, Well, here he has brought your brother to face the greatest, most powerful wizard alive. Wouldn't you say that deserves punishment?"

Percy was speechless, looking from Ron to Voldemort and back again.

"You hold in your hand the sword of Gryffindor, Weasley," Voldemort said. "I cannot use it - it would fight against me. But you, a true Gryffindor, one willing to risk their lives for others without a second thought, one brave enough to willingly enter into the service of he who is claimed to be the most evil being alive, one who is willing to risk everything for one chance at victory, one chance, perhaps, to defeat that evil being..."

Voldemort tailed off. Percy had gone completely white - as white as he had seemed when plunging into the lake to help Ron after the second Tri-Wizard task in Harry's fourth year.

"Weasley, as you will not let me into your mind, this is your chance to prove yourself loyal to me. You have a choice. You may kill your brother, and save the life of the supposed saviour of the wizarding world, or you can kill Potter, protect your family, and forever place the wizarding world under my rule. Many years ago, a prophecy was made, Weasley - only Potter can defeat me, no other. Kill him, and-"

Percy spun, the sword of Gryffindor singing from its sheath, catching the light from the fire as it sliced through the air. Harry didn't even have a chance to gasp as the point sliced down his front, cutting through everything in its path.

To be continued...