Labyrinth of Illusion

Racing down the path, Ron felt his heart pound as Hermione's voice became more and more panicked.

"I'm coming!" Ron shouted. "Don't worry, Hermione! Just calm down!"

He came to a halt in an alcove. Hermione was spinning around, her pale skin bathed in moonlight, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"HERMIONE!" Ron ran to her, shaking her. "Hermione, open your eyes."

She shook her head frantically. "I'm not going to look at you! You can't hurt me if I can't see you! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"OPEN YOUR EYES," Ron commanded. He shook Hermione hard.

Her eyes fluttered open as she trembled. "R-Ron?"

He smoothed a hand over her hair. "Yeah, Hermione-- It's me."

She shook her head, a tear running down her cheek. "You're not real. You're not real. You and Harry aren't here."

"It's just me," Ron whispered, then smiled softly. "It's just me. We're okay. It was Yasha. She was just trying to trick us."

"I'm okay?" Hermione sniffled. "I'm not a horrible, bossy, silly little girl?"

"Of course you are," Ron kissed Hermione on the forehead. "Doesn't mean you're not my best friend."

Hermione gave him a weak smile. "Where are the others?"

"I don't know. We need to find them. Quickly. I have a really bad feeling."

**

Snape had Harry by the collar, tugging him along. The Potions Master was stumbling as he tried to run.

"ProfessorÉ" Harry stammered, panting. He forced Snape to stop. Snape leaned against the wall, groaning. "You're injured. You can't run."

"We have to!" Snape snapped, trying to get up. "Those Kitsune are after us!"

Harry was about to respond when the small Japanese woman came racing towards them.

"Yasha!" Snape rasped, looking around to find something to defend them against the Kitsune.

She came to a stop. "Harry! Severus!" Falling to her knees, the woman let out a muted cry.

Snape found a rock, picking it up with a trembling hand. Lip curled in a snarl, he moved closer. He was about to bring it down on the Kitsune's bowed head when Harry brought his hand up, gripping his Professor's wrist. "Stop."

Yasha was again dressed in Miss Tsukino's clothing. But something... something was different.

This woman looked very different from the one Harry had known all year. While still pretty, she was not the stunning beauty she had been before. She was painfully thin, as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. Her dark hair was streaked with grey. Her face was lined, scars and weariness now clear on her features.

Harry knelt next to her. "Miss Tsukino? Is that you?"

She gave a slight nod. "I'm afraid my better half is loose," Sakura sighed deeply. "Voldemort decided she would be of better use without me getting in the way." Harry moved to help her up. "Come on--" Snape halted him. "Wait, Potter... This could just be Yasha trying to trick us."

"Snape, you haven't changed!" Sakura took deep, laboured breaths. "Baka Yaro!" She stood up slowly. "Listen, we're trapped here; and none of you have your wands. I have my fan." She held out her metal fan. "I also have these." She placed several pieces of paper in Snape and Harry's hands. "Here. Take these."

"What are these?" Harry asked, shifting through the papers. Each of them had a different black character written on them.

"They're Mayoke. No self-respecting Japanese Auror would be caught without them. They're charms against evil. They won't kill Akkei or Yasha, but they should slow them down. Yasha was a little too arrogant, keeping my arsenal in tact."

"I still don't trust you," Severus snapped.

Sakura stood on trembling legs. "Well, Baka YaroÉ For once we're even. Come on."

***

Hagrid blink once. Twice. "Norbert?"

The large, black dragon raised it's head, letting out a roar.

"NORBERT! 's me! 's Mummy!" Hagrid grinned, holding his arms open. "Recognize me? I raised ye!"

Tears welled in Hagrid's beetle black eyes as he stared up at the scaley, raven-coloured dragon. The dragon opened his mouth, showing off gleaming white teeth.

"Lookit you!" Hagrid blubbered. "Ye gotten so big! Yer beautiful!"

Letting out a burst of flame, Norbert narrowed his gaze on Hagrid. He stared at the half-giant, not moving. He started to move forward, opening his jaws.

Hermione and Ron stumbled down a passage, stopping when they saw the hulking beast. "Hagrid!" Hermione shouted. "Run!"

Hagrid turned his head to look at the two new arrivals. "Ron, HermioneÉ 's Norbert! Don't you recognize him?"

"We do," Ron panted, leaning against Hermione. "But he doesn't recognize you."

"Yes 'e does!" Hagrid whooped joyfully. "'m 'is Mummy!"

"Hagrid, he's a dragon," Hermione stressed. "He doesn't recognize you. He's going to *kill* you. We have to go. NOW! Please! Sirius and Remus need our help!"

Hagrid looked at Norbert, then to Ron and Hermione. He bit his lip, wringing his hands. "I don't want to leave him!"

"We'll get him later!" Ron yelled. "Come on, Hagrid. We'll get him later! I promise! Let's go get the others."

"Bye Norbert," Hagrid said softly, running to Ron and Hermione. The great dragon was bringing his claw down, crushing the wall behind Hagrid.

Hermione threw her arms around Hagrid, sighing in relief. "Oh Hagrid, I'm so glad you're all right."

"Back down this way," Hermione said, tugging Hagrid along. "We've got to find Sirius and Professor Lupin before Yasha gets to them."

They doubled back the way Hermione and Ron had come, running away from the large Norwegian Ridgeback.

"I don't think we're going to be able to get to Professor Lupin." Ron looked up to the sky. "The moon is full."

Hermione stopped, looking at Ron. "But it's not real. It's just an illusion. I mean, he can only be affected by the real moon."

Ron sighed, forging ahead. "It's as real as we want it to be. If Professor Lupin believes it's the full moon, then we've got a full grown werewolf to deal with."

Hermione stared up at the full, white orb. "Then we're in big trouble."

***

"You don't know how to get out of here?" Severus strode ahead of Harry and Sakura, letting out a growl. "What are you good for?"

Sakura glared at Severus, gripping her fan tightly. "I'm sorry if I can't miraculously, single-handily save the day. Who do you think I am?"

Harry sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Do you two mind not sniping at each other? We have to find the others. Sakura, are you sure you don't know where they are?"

Sakura gave a small shrug. "I was there when Yasha attacked them. I do remember everything she did... But it's not a matter of knowing where you're going."

"Yeah, yeah." Severus scowled at Sakura and Harry. "The more you know where you're going, the more you get lost. I've heard that one before."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful!" Sakura stumbled, leaning against Harry.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked.

She nodded. "Thirty-two years with the Kitsune in me... It's a bit of a shock to not have her around any more."

"Suck it up." Snape stepped up the pace. "We're running out of time."

They turned a corner, facing a crossroads. "Wait... Wait..." Sakura looked around. "I recognize this. Sirius is around here."

"Are you sure?" Harry's eyes went slightly wide. "Which way? Where is he?"

Shutting her eyes, Sakura pointed down the left path. "Down... There? I'm pretty sure."

"Be sure!" Harry yelled. Severus and Sakura stared at each other. "We should follow him." Sakura said.

Severus nodded. "Of course."

***

The tip of the knife began to pierce through Sirius' chest. He arched his back, feeling the pain ripple through his body.

"SIRIUS!" Harry fell to his knees in mid-run, skidding across the ground. "Sirius, stop!" He grabbed at the handle of the knife. "DON'T!"

"All... Disappointed..." Sirius mumbled. "Harry... Prongs... Lily... Da'... Machka..." He fought to push the knife forward.

"Sirius, snap out of it!" Harry shouted, slapping Sirius hard across the cheek. "Come on, whatever it is-- It isn't real!"

"Shouldn't have gotten out," Sirius murmured, "Should've stayed with the Dementors."

"Well, this is a fine sight." Snape and Sakura had just arrived. Snape had his arms crossed over his chest. "So much easier this way, isn't it, Black? You can't help the Potters, so you're going to off yourself. I thought bravery was a Gryffindor trait."

Sirius blinked. He shook his head, then raised his eyes to Snape. "You... Git..."

Harry threw his arms around Sirius, hugging him tightly. "Sirius, are you all right?"

Sirius' hands were trembling as he touched Harry's head. "The Dementors... There were Dementors. They were taunting me. They sounded like... They were telling me to die."

Sakura moved forward, she put her hand on Sirius' chest. "You're bleeding, Sirius."

He jumped backwards, bringing his hands up. "Yasha!"

"Sakura," she amended. "I got better."

"No time. Come on." Harry helped Sirius stand up, keeping an arm around his waist.

"We should go find Voldemort." Snape glared at Sirius, Sakura and Harry. "Before he and Akkei handfast. There will be no stopping them once that happens."

Sakura shook her head, looking around. "There's going to be no danger of that."

Snape glowered at the small woman, his dark eyes trained on her through a curtain of greasy black hair. "And just why would they deviate from that plan? It's the smartest one."

"Who said Akkei was smart?" Sakura snapped, moving forward, Sirius and Harry walking with her. "She's a Kitsune. If there's one thing I know, it's the Kitsune. They're petty and vengeful. If you and Harry got away from her, she's going to be furious. She's going to want to play with your guts before she marries Voldemort. As long as you two are alive, I don't think there's a danger of them getting handfasted."

"RON!" Harry shouted. He cupped his free hand around his mouth. "HERMIONE! HAGRID! REMUS!"

Snape's jaw dropped. He raced forward, grabbing Harry's hand. "Are you mad, Potter? Do you want Akkei to know exactly where you are?"

"I want to find my friends!" Harry quickened his pace, hauling Sirius along. Sakura was right in step with them.

"RON! HERMIONE!"

"Sirius? Professor Lupin?" The call was faint, but unmistakable.

"HERMIONE!" Harry gently pushed Sirius into Sakura's arms. The tiny woman let out a grunt as she tried to support Sirius. Harry didn't notice. He had already broken into a run, trying to figure out where Hermione's voice had come from. "HERMIONE!"

"Sirius! Professor Lupin!" The voice was stronger now.

Harry was fueled now. He grabbed onto the wall, digging his feet into it. Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself over. He didn't care what was on the other side. It could be a Nundu, or a Dragon... He didn't care. He knew Hermione was nearby he was going to find her. He jumped over the stone wall, bracing himself as he hit the ground.

He quickly got to his feet, plowing towards the voice. He kept yelling Hermione's name. She kept calling out to Sirius and Remus until--

"Harry?"

Harry looked up. There was Hermione, Ron and Hagrid staring at him. Harry pulled himself off the ground. He raced towards Hermione.

Hermione pulling back, grabbing onto Ron. "You're evil."

"No, not anymore." Harry said. He frowned when Hermione didn't move towards him. "I'm not evil. I swear! Yasha brainwashed me."

"You're either evil or you're not real," Hermione whispered, shutting her eyes, "I won't listen..."

"Please Hermione..." Harry implored.

"Hermione," Ron stepped forward, "It's Harry. I can... Tell."

"No," Hermione whispered.

"We don't have time for this!" Harry yelled. "We have to find Remus and get out of here, before..."

"SAKURA!" Hagrid roared, pushing passed Harry and grabbing the frail woman.

"I'm on your side!" Sakura shrieked as Hagrid shook her.

"How do I know tha'?" Hagrid asked

"HAGRID!" Snape yelled. "Don't kill her yet! We need her! We have important things to do!"

"Where do we start?" Ron asked.

He was lifted from behind. He was whirled around, facing a pair of gold eyes. He was tossed easily against the wall, falling into a crumpled heap. "How about a good scream?"