Labyrinth of Illusion

"For Merlin's sake, Dumbledore... Are you going to start talking? We've been here twenty minutes and you haven't said a damn thing."

Dumbledore eyed the lanky, longhaired escaped convict. "Sirius, you haven't changed since you were a student-- do be patient and *shut up*."

Giving a weak chuckle, Remus slumped down in his chair.

"Remus, will you be all right?"

He nodded listlessly. "Just a bit tired, Professor. I'll be fine."

The door was flanked with two guards. Snape watched over the office, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Sakura was on the other side, her iron fan clutched tightly in her hand.

"When is Mundungus to arrive?" Sakura asked quietly.

"He should be here...." Dumbledore was cut off as the statue in front of his office moved. "Right about now."

Mundungus Fletcher appeared to be the least likely person to protect Harry from Voldemort. He was a plump, bearded man, with dark hair and sparkling brown eyes. His robes were ill fitting and tattered

. "I'm so glad you could come, Mundungus," Dumbledore said, nodding to the new arrival. "I hope the trip wasn't too bad."

"It was fine. I haven't flown over Hogsmeade in years." He held out a leather-bound file. "It took a lot of work to get this. Getting a file out of the Department of Mysteries is like taking a dragon's temperature."

"I appreciate it, Mundungus." Dumbledore accepted the file, looking over it. "Very good.... Very good."

Mundungus surveyed the room. "It seems we're just waiting on Arabella."

"I have Arabella on business with Machka of the Kalderash Gypsies. I'm afraid it's just the seven of us."

Sirius turned to Dumbledore, the colour draining from his face. "You have Arabella *where*?"

Dumbledore walked forward, placing a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Calm down, Sirius. We have important matters to discuss."

"What about Gwendolyn?" Mundungus asked. "I heard she was here."

Severus let out a growl. Dumbledore put up a hand to hush the Potion's Master. "That is actually the matter at hand. I would rather keep Gwendolyn out of these conversations. Does anyone know where she is right now?"

"I believe she is at the Quidditch field," Sakura offered. "The Gryffindor team was practicing today. I think she wanted to see young Harry play."

Dumbledore nodded. "I have become aware of some peculiar events involving Miss Maclay."

"Peculiar?" Mundungus echoed. "Surely you don't believe *Gwendolyn* is up to anything sinister? She has always been an ally! She's the one who persuaded Severus to our cause."

Severus glared at Mundungus. "No one persuaded me. I came of my own volition."

Dumbledore narrowed his gaze, giving Severus a disapproving glare. "Gwendolyn has been away sixteen years. While I sense no truly dark intentions in her...."

"What do you sense, Headmaster?" Remus asked.

Giving a great sigh, Dumbledore leaned back. "Nothing."

Sirius sat up. "What do you mean 'nothing'?"

"Good, evil.... It all leaves a distinct aura around a wizard. It takes a powerful spirit to suppress their intentions."

"Do you think she's a danger?" Mundungus asked.

"It is.... A distinct possibility."

"If you thought she would be a danger," Severus snarled, "Why make her a teacher?"

"I will admit that was an error on my part. However, to remove her from the position now.... I am afraid it would damage Harry. I would hate to anger him."

Severus turned away; gripping a crystal ball Dumbledore had on his shelf. "Of course, we wouldn't want to disturb poor Harry. Really, Headmaster! I knew the woman was a traitor the moment you hired her!"

"A traitor whose picture you keep buried in your bureau," Dumbledore challenged, "Severus, please keep your personal feelings *out* of this matter."

Sirius smiled nastily. "You should have known that any woman interested in *you* would come to her senses and head for the hills."

Severus turned back to Sirius, rising to full height. "So how is Savori doing, Black?"

The colour again drained from Sirius' face.

"I thought I told you two to be civil," Dumbledore warned. Sirius and Severus glared at each other. "Just *try* to act like grown men."

"Now, Sakura... I would like you to speak to Gwendolyn. I believe you may be able to glean some information."

"Information on what?" Sakura asked.

"Where she has been for the past sixteen years." Dumbledore opened up the book Mundungus had given him. "I will research what the Ministry of Magic has written."

"But Albus--" Mundungus put his hand on top of the book he had brought. "This is a book about the Labyrinth of Illusion.... You're not suggesting.... "

The sharp sound of shattering glass filled the room. Shards of crystal fell to the floor around Severus.

"Oh dear," Dumbledore stood up, moving quickly towards Severus. "Severus-- Please go to--"

"She was there," Severus muttered, dropping the crystal that remained in his hand. "She told me. Voldemort took her to the Labyrinth. He's known I've been spy... Since the beginning. He took Gwendolyn because I wasn't loyal. For my disobedience."

Mundungus sat down slowly. His eyes were wide. "If- If that's where Gwendolyn was, I'm surprised she is at all coherent."

"The Labyrinth?" Remus rasped, "I'm afraid I've never heard of it."

"Ever heard of Hell?" Severus' lip curled. He tightened his fists, blood dripping to the carpet.

Dumbledore touched Severus' arm. "Please... Go to the hos--"

Severus' black eyes glittered menacingly. "This is worse. No one knows where it is... It doesn't exist in this world. It's-- elsewhere. Nothing there is real.... But it is real enough to kill you. It's filled with the most terrifying creatures imaginable. To be sent into the Labyrinth is to be given a death sentence.... It makes Azkaban look like a child's playground. Any Auror who ever disappeared, any wizard who crossed Voldemort and vanished later... that's where they went. It became a sport for Death Eaters. We-- They would place bets on how long it would take the latest victim to be massacred. *If* someone got out, they would never be the same."

Dumbledore looked over the wizards before him. They were all in stunned silence, unsure how to respond. He placed a hand on Severus' shoulder. "You should go see Madame Pomfrey. You've hurt yourself badly."

Severus shook his head. "I don't feel anything."

**

"Divide and conquer," Voldemort rasped, pacing back and forth before the altar. "That's how our task is accomplished. The friends he's made.... They keep him tied to that world. Turn him against them.... My greatest foe could become my greatest ally, Wormtail."

Wormtail cowered in the corner. "Does-- Does that thing have to be here?" He raised his trembling, silver hand to point at the shrouded figure. Its dirty hood hid the terrifying features of the Dementor.

"Does it frighten you, Wormtail? Does it remind you of the life you condemned Sirius Black to? Worry not. It will not strike against you. It is a present, liberated from Azkaban."

Wormtail hugged himself tightly. "A-- A present? A present for who?"

The dark-haired female glided in. She cast a disparaging look at Wormtail, before moving to Voldemort's side. "You called for me, Master?"

"Ah yes...." Voldemort put an arm around her waist. "I've brought you a little pick-me-up."

Her gold eyes stared at the Dementor. A smile spread across her lips. "It's.... It's all for me?"

"All for you." Voldemort ushered her to the Dementor. "Do what you need."

Bringing her hands up, the unearthly woman pushed the Dementor's hood off its face. Wormtail let out a shriek, covering his head. The scabby, rotten face of the Dementor did not phase either Voldemort or his companion. She cradled the corpse-like face. "I can feel it.... The power surging through.... It's intoxicating..."

Leaning forward, she clasped her lips over the Dementor's gaping mouth. The shrieks and moans began to escape the dead creature as the female gave him an unrelenting kiss. The Dementor's face began to cave, black veins covering it. It struggled with the woman, failing miserably, quickly going limp.

Pulling away, the woman dropped the Dementor. The body turned to dust as it hit the ground. She licked her lips. "Mmmm.... I haven't eaten so well in a long time." She licked her fingers, grinning. "Potter will never know what hit him."

**

Harry sat up, gasping from breath. His chest heaved as he looked around. Professor Flitwick was giving him a disapproving glare. "Mr. Potter! If you don't mind staying awake, I was just about to explain the Handfasting Charm."

Harry looked around the classroom. It seemed like all eyes were on him. Had he yelled out for help? He had just seen something powerful enough to kill a Dementor! Something that was allied with Voldemort...

"The Handfasting Charm is used to join two magical individuals in marriage," Flitwick explained, writing on the blackboard.

"Hey Harry," Ron learned over, "What's wrong?"

"--A very complex charm, the handfasting charm joins the couple in body, soul, and magic--"

Harry shook his head. "It's nothing. I just drifted off." He inked his quill, making notes on his parchment.

"--Once the charm is cast, the pair can access each other's magic, and feel the other's emotions--"

"Come on, Harry.... You yelled out. What happened? Does your scar hurt?" Ron pressed.

"I feel fine," Harry insisted. It was true. He felt no pain in his scar. In fact, it felt almost icy. "Just-- Let me take my notes."

"--It is one of the most complicated charms in the wizarding world, and one not to be cast lightly. To break the spell is to tear the souls apart. Neither wizard is ever the same. Which is why divorce is so uncommon in our world."

Professor Flitwick droned on about Handfasting Charms, how and why they were cast. Harry ignored Ron, who kept poking him in the shoulder. He focused his mind on the parchment.

Soon enough, the bell rang. Harry collected his books and began to head towards Gryffindor Tower. Ron and Hermione ran up to him. He shrank down, shoulder slumped.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," Harry muttered. "Just... Leave me alone, okay?"

"Harry, we've got to talk...." Hermione insisted. "It's about Norbert."

"Hagrid's dragon?" Harry looked over at her. "What happened?"

"Norbert disappeared. Someone took him."

Harry shrugged. "There's not a lot we can do, is there? Just leave it up to the Ministry." Pulling his books close to his chest, Harry looked down to the ground. "I just want to go talk to Gwendolyn."

"Harry," Ron cut in. "We have Quidditch practice, remember? You scheduled it two weeks ago."

"Oh yeah. I forgot. Okay... I'll go get changed and meet you on the pitch." He strode ahead, leaving Ron and Hermione behind.

"He *forgot* about Quidditch?" Ron asked Hermione, looking flabbergasted.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione asked, shaking her head sadly. "Harry's not right. Something's happened to him."

"Well, what are we going to do, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione snapped. "Maybe find out? Ron, he's your best friend!"

Ron shrugged. "I really don't know where to start Hermione! I've got to get changed. I'll meet you after practice. We'll talk about what's going on, okay?"

"Fine, just go off." Hermione stamped her foot as Ron walked off. "I'll do this by myself!" She shook her head fiercely. "There's something wrong going around here. Maybe no one else cares but I do."

**

"Gwendolyn?"

Gwendolyn looked up from her desk to the door. Harry was standing there, dressed in his crimson Quidditch robes. His face was slightly pale.

"Harry?" She took her glasses off, cleaning them on her robes. "Is there something wrong?"

He walked slowly into the classroom. "I-- I can't stay long. I have Quidditch practice. I just needed to talk to you."

"Of course. What is it?"

"I had a dream." Harry said, sitting down at one of the desk. "Or a vision. I've had two of them this year. Both of them were about Voldemort."

"Oh?" Gwendolyn look very interested. "You've been having nightmares about the Dark Lord?"

"Yeah.... But they're different than usual. When I had visions of Voldemort before, my scar would burn. Now.... Now I don't feel anything."

"What happens in these dreams?" Gwendolyn asked, leaning against her desk.

"He's with a woman. She's... She's very beautiful. But I don't think she's human. She's got strange ears and two tails. Voldemort seems to... Love her."

"You know Voldemort is incapable of love, Harry." Gwendolyn assured him.

"That's what I thought. She loved him, I'm sure of that. But he... He treats her very well. He gave her a Dementor... And she--"

"A Dementor?" Gwendolyn cut Harry off. "What did she do with it?" she couldn't hide the intrigue in her voice.

"She killed it," Harry whispered. He shut his eyes tightly. "She kissed the Dementor. Instead of her soul being sucked out.... The Dementor started to squeal and then weakened.... Then it turned to dust. I didn't think anything could kill a Dementor."

"Not much can," Gwendolyn said. She stood up, pacing. "It seems to me, Harry.... You're just having nightmares. You've been through more than most people ten times your age. Your subconscious is trying to deal with that trauma through bad dreams. That's why things that can't happen are occurring in them. And why your scar doesn't hurt. Because it isn't real."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked shakily.

"Very sure." She enveloped Harry in a hug. "It's okay.... It really is, Harry." She looked deeply into his eyes, smiling softly.

Harry blinked sleepily. A dazed smile dominated his features. How come Gwendolyn was able to make everything okay?

"It's magic," she murmured softly.

Harry smiled. He hadn't realized he had asked out loud.