Harry Potter and the Secrets from the Past

12. RIDDLE HOUSE

...

What do you know about a child

Who was stealing

And only in the dark was playing

And about the sun, which pierces through the attics, what do you know?

About a world, all closed in a street

And about a periphery cinema...

What do you know about our railroad,

What do you know?

...

"Thoughts and Words" by Lucio Battisti

The Thestral was flying really fast, and soon it went a very high distance: thousands of lights of Muggle cities were shining far beneath Harry.

During the trip, he tried to figure out a good plan to get into the house without being taken, at least not so soon. But he was so nervous and excited that his thoughts were chasing each other without rest: first, he thought of getting inside with the Thestral, crashing a window on an upper floor, but he realized that this plan was too risky and not so practical.

Then he thought of landing on the roof, hoping that nobody would notice him, but the roof probably wasn't practical either.

Suddenly the magical creature started to descend, and Harry realized that they were already there. He shuddered all over when he saw the large dilapidated mansion: it was just like in his dreams, the same broken windows, the same unkept garden, the same gate, but there was still something strange, and Harry wasn't able to understand what.

Then he realized that the temperature was suddenly getting colder: his teeth started chattering and his mind was flying to the moment in which Sirius was falling behind the veil.

"No... it isn't possible... they can't be right there!"

Harry looked more closely at the mansion, and horrified, he saw two very tall hooded Dementors flying around it: surely they were waiting for him, and that confirmed Ron's suspicions that it was a trap. But Harry had already known that he was going to risk everything in this adventure.

Cautiously, he decided to land on a nearby hill, and as soon as the Thestral touched down, Harry got off and patted the magical creature on the head. Then he turned to Riddle House and got mentally ready for what he was about to face.

He put the Invisibility Cloak on and headed to the mansion; as for the Dementors, he hoped not to be forced to use the Patronus Charm, so as to not attract the Death Eaters' attention.

The closer he came, the more he felt the Dementor's devilish influence on him; Harry felt an endless sadness, and the confusing images of the night in which Sirius lost his life were starting to float in his brain.

Trying to fight against his feelings, he reached the surrounding walls, and peeked inside, waiting for the right moment. The two Dementors were slowly flying around the mansion, crossing their paths in front of the main entrance.

"As soon as they are far enough, I'll run as fast as I can and get inside," he thought, though he was starting to feel sick and weak.

"I'll have to think something happy. I'll think about the moment I'll go back to Hogwarts with Hermione - yes, when I'll finally rescue her." The more Harry's strength was abandoning him, the more he was trying his best to concentrate on a happy thought.

Suddenly he felt his legs trembling and leaned his back on the walls for support, panting heavily, his face sweaty.

He glared at the Dementors, and he realized that they were both turning behind the mansion.

"Here we are... It's the right time," he thought, passing through the huge gate which was wide open. He ran over the garden as fast as he could, and stopped in front of the main entrance, which was firmly closed.

"Alohomora!" he whispered, and the door opened. Once inside, he looked around him: the main entrance was just like in his nightmares, huge and dark, lit just by the moonlight coming through the large windows and a few candles were lit here and there.

Then, as in his visions, he headed to the right stairway and climbed it slowly, with his ears ready to listen at any noise; he stopped abruptly by the first floor. At the end of the corridor, he saw two hooded Death Eaters standing in front of one of the last doors.

He shuddered all over, but then he realized that nobody could see him, since he was still wearing the Invisibility Cloack.

"Hey, Nott! You're on guard for the whole night?"

"Yes... Malfoy just told me that! He also said that we should be ready, in case the young Potter shows up."

Harry gasped. "They are ready to give me a good welcome," he thought, and tried to listen more.

"Anyway, he couldn't pass the Dementors' guard. Surely they will catch him first."

A revolting laugh followed, and Harry's hand went off his wand. Then he heard the sound of steps coming from the left stairway, and turned to check who was coming.

"Nott, you should come down!" called a third Death Eater worriedly.

"What is it?"

"The Dementors... they are trying to tell us something, but you are the only one who is able understand them."

"Yes, I'm coming!"

The three Death Eaters went down the stairway and exited the house. Harry couldn't wait for a better chance, so he ran up the stairs and reached the last door at the corridor's end, hoping that Hermione was kept inside.

"Alohomora!" he whispered again, and the lock opened with a "CLICK". When he entered the room the darkness weighed heavily on his eyes, since there was just the moonlight coming from the window.

As soon as his eyes got used to the dark, Harry looked around, and finally he saw a small figure squatting in a far corner, just beneath the window: Hermione was holding her legs bent to her chest, and her head was leaning on her knees.

Harry counldn't hold back from running to her; his heart was so full of emotion. When he reached her, he bent over, and grabbed her hand tightly.

"Hermione... it's me..."

The girl jumped in surprise and suddenly raised her head; Harry could see that her cheeks were crossed by tears, but she didn't seem wounded, apart from a little cut on her forehead, close to her left eye.

"Harry? It's really you?" she whispered, searching around for her friend, then Harry took off his cloak, and Hermione smiled before throwing her arms around his neck.

"I knew that you were going to come! But how did you manage it?

"I'll tell you later... Are you ok? Did they hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine... I'm fine, but you are in real danger, Harry! We must leave immediately! I have seen Lucius Malfoy, and he asked me about the prophecy over and over again, as if he was sure that I knew something about that. I told him that the prophecy broke up, and... Oh, NO!"

Hermione stopped herself abruptly, and looked horrified at something behind Harry's back.

When he turned his head, he jumped in surprise: a group of about ten hooded Death Eaters was staring at them with lit wands in their hands. Nott, the Death Eater who was guarding Hermione, was standing in front of the others with his hands folded.

"Well, well, well... The Dementors were just telling me this: they saw you slinking inside the house, but they didn't attack you, following the Dark Lord's order. In this way you just fell into our trap."

Nott burst into a disgusting laughter, while Harry and Hermione were slowly getting up, staring at him, horrified. Then Harry had a sudden idea, and he put on the Invisibility Cloak again, disappearing from his enemy's sight.

"What are you trying to do, Potter? Do you want to play hide and seek with us? All right, then... let's play! Go and catch him!"

On Nott's order, the others started to shake their arms in the air, as if they were trying to catch flies.

"STUPEFY!"

A jet of red light coming out from nowhere hit the first Death Eeater directly on his chest and he fell backward, hitting the ground; then came another jet of light, followed by many others, and one after the other, most of the Death Eaters were falling down, under Nott's unbelieving sight. Hermione was looking at the scene in shock.

"Now stop it! And you idiots go and catch him... Come on!"

The remaining Death Eaters were now casting spells in every direction hoping to catch Harry, but it seemed an impossible task for them.

Suddenly a new hooded Death Eater showed up on the door, and remained still, looking at the scene in front of him.

"What's happening here? Nott, how can this stupid young man make fun of you?"

Harry turned toward the new Death Eater, and recognized Lucius Malfoy's clammy voice.

"Now, I'll show you how to take care of underage wizards who think they are too smart! Come on, catch the girl!"

On Malfoy's order, Nott reached for Hermione, grabbed her by the hair, and then pointed his wand on her throat. Harry felt his anger rising more and more, while he stared at Nott with deep hate, tightening his fists.

"Now, stop playing and show us where you are, Potter, or your friend'll have a painful death..."

Nott pulled down Hermione's hair even more, and she screamed in pain. Malfoy spoke again.

"Come on, Potter, I'm losing my patience! You know Nott is a very violent wizard; besides, we don't need your mudblood friend any more. I'm counting to three... ONE... TWO..."

Nott and the other Death Eaters were looking at the scene with deep attention, ready to get into action. Harry had no other choice, and resigned, he took the Invisibility Cloack off.

"Accio Wand!"

In that moment, Malfoy took Harry's wand, and two Death Eaters grabbed his arms tightly enough to stop his blood circulation.

Then Nott pushed down Hermione with all his strength and she fell heavily to the dusty ground.

"Very well, Potter... You're starting to understand who gives the orders here!"

Then Malfoy turned to the others.

"You may go now! You two tie his hands and then tie him together with the mudblood! I must go to the Dark Lord, and give him the good news."

Malfoy headed to the door, and exited the room followed by the other Death Eaters. Some of them were carrying those who had been knocked down by Harry.

Then, the two who were still grabbing Harry's arms cast a spell on his wrists and he felt them joining tightly. Then they exited the room, and sealed the door with another spell.

Harry came closer to Hermione, who was still lying on the ground, glaring at the door with anger. Then he sat at her side, and sighed.

"I'm so sorry Hermione... I didn't... "

"Hush... Please don't say anything."

Hermione raised her hand to his mouth, gazing at him with comprehension.

Anyway, Harry wouldn't have been able to say a word, since he felt a big knot in his throat.

A deep sense of guilt and endless desperation was rising in his heart. It was just like that terrible night in the Department of Mysteries, when Sirius died: Harry had fallen again in Voldemort's trap; he hated himself for this and for his way of wanting to be the HERO at any cost.

If Hermione also was risking her life, it was only his fault.

Then she gently brushed his forehead, without saying a word, and he gazed deeply in her eyes, thinking that maybe they were spending their last moments together.