Not Just an Empty Emotion

Chapter 16- The Second Rising

"What-the-fuck-have-I-just-heard?" Ron stuttered. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me I heard it wrong."

"Ron...look, mate-"

"Don't you call me 'mate'!" he yelled. "Don't you dare! Explain to me what you have just said to each other!"

"Ron, look-" Ginny started.

"Shut up," he spat. He pointed at Harry with a shaking finger. "You. You explain."

"I...we..."

Ginny caught Harry's arm. "Look, what can we do? We're going to have to tell him. He's heard enough to guess. He'll find out eventually anyway."

"No!" said Harry, pleadingly. "No, not like this, please, Ginny."

She just shook her head at him. Harry sighed. "OK," he said resignedly. "OK. Ron, come inside and tell us what you think you heard and we'll tell you if you're right."

Ron looked as though he'd rather do anything but step into the room, but seemed to force himself to do it.

"I heard that Ginny fancies a girl. Is that right? Do you?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said. Her voice was shaking but she held his gaze. "Yes, I do. Ron don't be angry. I can't help what I feel."

"So you're gay?"

"Bisexual," she said. "I've known for a while. You can't be angry, Ron. Are you going to cast me out just because I fancy a girl?"

"Why not? Why shouldn't I?" he asked viciously. "Don't you think our family-don't you think I have been through enough? And now you...you're telling me you're Bi-fucking-sexual?"

"Ron, don't say that. What does it matter if I fall in love with a woman or a man? It doesn't change who I am, and it won't affect my relationships with anyone else- unless you decide you want it to. Do you want it to?"

"No. But I don't want a sister who has a girlfriend- people already give us shit because of who we are, this will make it so much worse!"

"OH WELL I'M SO SORRY, RON, TO BE AN INCONVENIENCE TO YOU! I'LL JUST CHANGE MY SEXUALITY THEN, SHALL I?" Ginny stood up and screamed at him, turning a deep shade of red. "I'LL JUST LIE TO MYSELF ABOUT MY FEELINGS, AND ONLY DATE BOYS EVEN IF I FALL IN LOVE WITH A GIRL? CHRIST, RON, YOU'D THINK YOU WOULD WANT TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY TOGETHER AFTER PERCY BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT!"

Ron blinked at her with his mouth hanging open. "Don't...don't be so ridiculous!" he stuttered.

Harry pulled Ginny back onto the bed next to him and stared at Ron.

"She's not being ridiculous. I'm sorry but it's you who is. Ron, you have to accept it. It doesn't change who she is, she's still Ginny, and you've still got to protect her because she's still your little sister. And you love her."

Ron said nothing.

"Don't you?" Harry pressed.

Reluctantly, Ron said, "Yes." And fell silent. He still looked furious, but the anger that had first presented itself to them did not seem present in his eyes any longer.

Was it possible that Ron had not realised what he'd heard about Harry being gay too? Was it possible that Harry was allowed a bit longer to decide how to break the news to his best friend in the way that he chose?
No.

"I don't know what you're grinning at, Potter," Ron spat. Harry was taken aback; Ron had never called him 'Potter' before.

"I-"

"Don't even try to make up an excuse. Ginny is one thing- I can accept that. Just about. What the hell were you talking about? YOU? You can't be gay- you'd have told me, I'm your best friend, surely you.... you can't be. It's not possible. Harry Potter can't be gay," his voice was raised, and his tone harsh.

"Ron..."

Ron shook his head. "Don't. It's pathetic. You're pathetic. Anything for attention, eh?"

"What?" shouted Harry. "How fucking dare you? You bastard! You don't even know what you heard Ron, what did you hear, eh? How much?" his anger was total, and he felt a rush of dislike towards Ron. But it could not disguise his fear that Ron had heard the part about Malfoy, too.

"I heard...." Ron was breathing hard as he recounted what he had heard, trying to remember everything, "you said...something like, 'we've made arses of ourselves ... we thought the other one could never feel the same...and we'd be at it like Kneazles if we could be! We're over the guilt, and the feelings of shame that we're gay.' That's what I heard isn't it? I heard right? Please tell me I didn't..." For the first time there was a note of plea in his voice.

Harry thought, for a fleeting second, about lying to him, but he wasn't a liar. He had tried lying to himself and he couldn't do that, so he wasn't about to start lying to Ron. He took a deep breath, and braced himself. He noticed also, how he had started to shake slightly with nerves.

"Yes. Yes you heard right." He deliberately avoided Ron's eyes. He didn't want to have to face him.

Ron was silent for a second, then, "How?"

"What do you mean 'how'?" asked Harry angrily. "By being attracted to M- to another guy, that's how."

He had almost slipped and said "Malfoy". He didn't think either Ron or himself could stand Ron knowing that just yet.

Ron stared at him with fury etched all over his face, mingling with a sickened look. "Since when?" he sounded as though he didn't want to know at all, as though it sickened him to think about it, but he seemed to be forcing himself to understand it.

Harry shrugged. "I guess...well, it happened just after we got back from summer, really, that's when it all started. And I realised that what I was feeling was more than just..." he gulped; a large lump seemed to be developing in his throat, "than just friendship."

"So, have you got a boyfriend then?"

Harry didn't say anything.

Ron frowned at him. "Yes or no, Potter. Just tell me."

"I don't have to tell you anything. It's my business."

Ron shook his head, and said, "No. That isn't good enough."

Harry didn't want to say. He hadn't expected Ron to take the news well whenever he found out, but this situation was probably the worst it could have been. In any case, it would have probably been better if both Ron and Hermione had found out at the same time- she was usually able to exercise some amount of control over Ron, even when she wasn't happy herself.

"Tell me." Ron's voice was quiet and dangerous.

"Yes. Yes I do. There, happy now?"

"Not really, no! Who the hell is it?"

"It's...I...I can't tell you. It's someone you won't approve of. You will find out in time though, Ron, I promise. Just...not yet. Let me get used to it."

"Whatever. So, it's final then?"

"Yes. I'm not going to change though Ron, no matter what you say. No, shut up; listen to me- I am not going to change. I am what I am and no one else can affect that. It's just my bad shit that I have to be so-called famous on top of it all. I-am-gay, Ron. OK? But it doesn't change the person I was 20 minutes ago, you seemed to like me then so why not now?"
Ron didn't have an answer to this; he opened his mouth and then shut it again.

"Ron?" asked Ginny tentatively.

He ignored her, and turned instead to Harry. "Why can't you tell me who it is?"

"For a start off it's none of your business. What I do and who I like is for me and me alone. Not you. And also because you'll hate me and you'll hate him. You're not ready and I'm not ready and he's not ready. And...well, it could be dangerous if I tell you. I know that sounds like bull right now but it's true, because of who he is. But I know that he is genuine, no one else will believe it. But he is a good person really, if a bit...well, you know what I mean. No one else will believe it. Not even Ginny."

Ron turned to his sister sharply. "You know who it is?" he demanded.

"She won't tell you. But she doesn't like it- she hates him. Thinks I'm mad. And I probably am."

"This is ridiculous. Stay there," Ron said. With that he stood up, walked to the door and turned to go down the stairs. Harry glanced at Ginny once before leaping up and following Ron's trail as quickly as he could. All the while curses and horrible thoughts going through his head.

He caught sight of Ron just as he reached the end of the staircase. Ron was leaning into the common room, looking around.

"Ron-" Harry began, but Ron did not seem to hear him.

"Oy! Hermione! Come here-now," he called. Harry could just see Hermione's frown as she stood up and walked towards the boys' staircase. Ron turned to go back up and pushed roughly past Harry.

"Ron, what do you think you're doing? I'm not some slave at your beck-and-call-you know!" she called after him. There was no reply so she turned to Harry and said quietly, "What is wrong with him?"

Harry shook his head at her in reply as they entered the dormitory.

Ron was slumped in a chair glaring at his sister and Harry. Ginny was still sitting on the bed, tears rolling silently down her cheeks.

Hermione took one look around the room, and seemed to catch the general mood straight away. "Oh, Ginny, come here, Hun," she said gently. Ginny slid off the bed and Hermione held her in her arms. Harry could hear a faint sniffling coming from near Hermione's shoulder. "What's all this about, Ron?" she asked, a trace of anger in her tone.

"I think it's him you should be asking," he replied violently. Hermione turned her head to face Harry politely.

"It's nothing-"

"Just tell her, she deserves to know the truth about you."

"There's nothing to know! For God's sake it's not like I'm a murderer or a-"

"JUST TELL HER!"

"ALL RIGHT!" he bellowed furiously. "HERMIONE, I'M GAY, OK? SATISFIED, RON? ARE YOU OK WITH THAT HERMIONE OR ARE YOU GOING TO CAST ME OUT, TOO?"

Hermione barely flinched. She just looked calmly at Harry, while Ginny let go of her and slumped down against the wall. Everyone in the room was looking at her.

"Oh," she said quietly. "Why does that make a difference? Gay or not it's your choice; the only relationships it affects are your sexual ones. You're the same as you were yesterday. It's no different to you getting a girlfriend. So, since when? Who is it?"

"Since last year and I can't tell you," murmured Harry. Enormous relief had swept across him; he could barely believe that Hermione had taken the news so well. It could not have been more obvious that Ron felt the same; though he did not say anything, was looking daggers at her.

"That's fine," she said, accepting his unwillingness to tell unquestioningly. "Of course it's a shock, I mean, I always assumed you were straight...well, you really liked Cho last year so...but I've noticed you've been a bit weird this year."

Harry smiled grimly. "Cho Chang is as bad as ...as...well, lets just say she isn't in my good books right now."

Hermione smiled. "I'm glad for you. Obviously it'll be hard, it's hard enough coming to terms with it anyway, but with your.... uhm...the way people know you so much...it'll be difficult...who else knows?"

"Just me, him and Ginny. And I wanted to keep it that way, too..." Here he glanced at Ron. Hermione looked around too.

"Ah," she said in a low voice, "I see. Could you and Ginny give us a minute, please?"

Harry was taken aback for a moment but said, "OK...sure," and led the way out of the dormitory, closing the door behind Ginny and himself.

Once outside he leaned against the wall, with Ginny next to him. "Are you OK?" he asked her.

"Yeah. I will be. I just can't believe he's being such an arse! Actually I can't believe he's found out.... oh God this is such a mess."

Harry nodded in agreement. "What do you think they're doing? Do you think he'll come round?"

"I hope so. Hermione usually talks some sense into him. I was surprised how well she took it- I knew she wouldn't react like him, but I expected her to be a bit more...disbelieving."

"Me too. She doesn't know about you yet, though does she?"

"No. I think she may have an idea though...I'm probably less subtle than you and no doubt Ron will tell her now."

Harry laughed bitterly, and they fell silent.

*

They did not have to wait long for Hermione to open the door once again and allow them access. As Harry passed she deliberately avoided his eye and closed the door hastily.

Ron was still sitting on the chair, arms folded, and looking sulky. Eventually he began to speak. "What you are doing is disgusting, you know that? It makes me sick. You know what makes is so much worse? Apart from the fact that you're meant to be my best friend, and I thought we told each other everything, you have slept in my room! I sleep in the same dormitory as you every single night! How do you think that makes me feel, eh? Shall I tell you? I makes me want to either throw up or kill you, I can't decide which-"

"Ron!" said Hermione in a weak voice. "Ron stop it-"

"Why? Why the hell should I? Don't tell me you're OK with this, Hermione!"

"It's not up to us to decide what Harry can and can't do! I don't see the problem with it at all. I- no, shut up, Ron- I'm not talking sides in this, all I'm saying is I'm not going to fall out with Harry over who he kisses!"

"It's OK for you! You're safe! You're not what he wants Hermione! You aren't the one who has to sleep in the next bed to him every single night-"

"Well what do you want me to do about that, then?" said Harry, angrily. "If you think I'm going to go after you, fantasise about you, stare at you, then forget it! I'm not. Just because I like some boys, doesn't mean I like all boys. It's not like you fancy every single girl in existence, is it? And besides, after tonight if I'm going to fancy anyone then it certainly won't be you!"
"Well good! You know what, Potter? Stuff you! I'm not sleeping in the same room as you!"

"Ron!" Hermione was almost shouting. "Ron, that's ridiculous! What do you think he's going to do, come on to you in the middle of the night? Or do you think you'll turn gay if you're near him?"

"Don't be ridiculous," he spat.

"I'm not being ridiculous, Ron, you are."

"This is unbelievable! Are you not even slightly upset by this?"

"Of course I'm not saying 'wow, great, how fantastic, Harry's with a guy!', no! But I'm not being completely homophobic about it either, like you are!"

"I'm not a homophobe-"

"Really?" Harry interrupted. "Not what it looks like to me."

Ron faltered here; he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Are you going to be this horrible to Ginny, too?"

"Of course not."

"Well then stop behaving like a complete arsehole towards me then."

Ron had had enough. He stood up and strode towards the door. When he reached it he turned around and stared Harry in the eye. "Be careful, Potter. Very careful. There's nothing to stop me telling this whole school about how the famous Harry Potter is a queer. And wouldn't we all just love to see the looks on their faces? Oh, and..." his face lit up suddenly, maliciously, "I wonder what Malfoy would make of all this, eh? I'm not joking, Potter. Got it?"

He walked out of the room, and slammed the door behind him.

Hermione's hand was covering her mouth, and Ginny was sobbing into her shoulder again.

"I'm sorry Harry," said Hermione. "I'm so, so sorry. I tried but he just wouldn't listen-"

"It's OK. It's not your fault. Do you think he will tell anyone?"

"I'm really not sure...I doubt he will right now, he can use it as a...a weapon against you or something...but you'll have to be careful not to upset him."

"I think I've already done that."

Ginny stood up straight and dried her face with her robes. "He'll be OK, Harry. But right now I am so ashamed to call him my brother." She glared at the door for a moment. "I'll see you tomorrow, OK?" She gave Hermione one last hug, and smiled sadly at Harry before leaving.

"This is horrible," Hermione said gently.

"I know. I wish I could have told him when I was ready...shit WHY does he have to do this? Why?" he burst out suddenly.

"I have no idea. Are you going to be OK?"

"Yeah...I'll have to be won't I?"

"Can you talk to your.... your boyfriend?"

"I'm not sure...I might be able to. Thank God Ron didn't hear the bit where I was talking about the guy..." Harry had only just realised how easy it would have been for Ron to have heard that...if he had come to the door a second earlier he would have heard the word 'Malfoy'...

"Thank you, Hermione. I can't believe you're just accepting this so well."

"I've got no choice, have I? And besides, I don't have a problem with it. I'm not jumping for joy, but at the same time it really makes no difference to who you are."

Harry nodded. "Thank you so much," his voice cracked with emotion.

"Oh, come here," Hermione held out her arms and held him, as she had held Ginny. "He'll come round..."

But her face told a different story.

*

Despite the arguments, Ron seemed to have persuaded himself to sleep in the dormitory as usual, though he completely ignored Harry. Seamus and Dean seemed to have noticed the tense atmosphere, but didn't say anything. Harry found himself wondering how long it would be before they, and the rest of his friends and enemies, found out the truth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry couldn't sleep. He was not tired in the slightest, and nothing he did could change that. He had been tossing and turning for what seemed like hours, and he knew it must be well past midnight.

Finally he grew bored of lying there doing nothing in bed and stood up, put on his cloak, and grabbed his invisibility cloak, and padded silently downstairs into the common room, which was deserted. He knew he shouldn't be doing what he was, but he couldn't help himself. He remembered the various warnings he had been given that day, and with a pang of guilt decided to ignore them.

He was running down staircase after staircase, moving almost subconsciously.

He stopped, suddenly. He realised that he must be near the staircase where the Death Arch had appeared. His heart began to beat faster. For a moment he was tempted, he wanted to see if it was there, to discover where it went, he considered moving to where he knew it must be.

No, he told himself firmly, that's ridiculous and you know it. Don't think like that.

Immediately he felt stupid, cursing his ridiculous thoughts, and began to follow a different, and safer, path.

He knew what he was going to do, though he hadn't planned it consciously. He was soon at the top of the marble staircase, and moved swiftly down the stairs and across the entrance hall to the large doors.

A grand marble statue stood right beside the door. Harry looked around to check the coast was clear and then darted behind the statue, ready to wait.

He peered around the leg of the statue, so giving himself a clear view of the whole Entrance Hall.

It was a few minutes before he noticed anything out of place. In fact, it was not until Malfoy spoke that he even realised he was not alone.

"Harry Potter: King of Subtlety," he said simply.

Harry started, and his head hit the marble robes of the statue's form, making him double up again in pain.

Malfoy didn't move, or say anything, just watched Harry with a slight smile playing about his lips.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, his voice, though surprised, showed clearly how pissed off he was about what had just happened.

Malfoy leant in closer. "And Good Evening to you, too, my dearest Potter."

Harry glared at him, "Thanks for that, Malfoy. So glad to see you haven't changed so much as to not be a pain in the arse as often as possible."

Malfoy simply smirked. "You know you love me," he said after a while.

"Yeah...that's the trouble..."muttered Harry. "Ron and Hermione know. I mean...they know about me, they don't know about you. That'd be too dangerous right now. It was hell, and before you start no I didn't do it voluntarily. It was an accident...Ron overheard me and Ginny talking..."

Malfoy had looked shocked, but composed himself immediately. "So, they know? Were they OK about it?"

"No. Well, Hermione was absolutely fine but Ron...well...he's threatened to tell everyone. He's not talking to me, being a complete arse."

Malfoy surveyed Harry for a moment, with an expression that, on any other face, would have been taken for pity. On Malfoy it was hard to work out. "It'll be OK. He won't tell...you've had arguments before, and anyway Granger will keep him on a tight lead...and hey, look at the positives!"

"There are positives?"

"Yeah. All that wasted time you spent with Weasel before...he's not talking to you so you can spend it with me now, can't you?"

Harry said nothing.

"Bit thick though wasn't it? Still, typical Potter, I must say..."

"SHUT UP-" Harry began, but Malfoy stopped him.

"Shh! Shut up! This is what I mean-you're going to get us caught!" Then he pulled Harry up so he was standing straight and they were staring into each other's eyes. He gave him a soft kiss before releasing him, and looking at him once more.

"Well, I'm assuming you're OK, since you're here and you have all your limbs, I am OK too, in case you were wondering. I won't bother asking what you're doing here because I think I'm right in assuming that you're here to see if you can follow Snape, just like me, yes?"

Harry stared at him amazed for a second or two. Then realising he must look stupid he nodded.

"Good. Well I've been waiting for half an hour and he's not here yet, so you can wait with me. Sadly I don't have any food or we could have had a nice little picnic..."

Harry looked at him with his eyebrow raised. "You are seriously weird, you know that?"

"It's been said," said Malfoy, his eyes flashing. He moved back to the wall and sunk down onto the floor, with his knees raised. His voice slightly muffled as he said, "You keep a look out for a bit-I'm bored."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but knew it would be no good; instead he resumed his quiet surveillance of the Entrance Hall.

After fifteen minutes a cloaked figure swept out into the Hall from a side-chamber, and crept across the floor. Harry kicked Malfoy, who got to his feet reluctantly and looked at the figure. It opened one of the front doors the tiniest amount and left, leaving it to swing closed itself.

"Yep," said Malfoy, "that's him. Let's go."

They reached the door just in time, Malfoy sliding his fingers between it, and managing to force it back open enough to give them passage.

The cold air whipped their hair and their robes flew out behind them. They tried to keep to the shadows, but it was not always possible. They needed to reach Snape quickly, he was already far ahead of them and they needed to be close to him.

"Should we put the cloak on? The Invisibility cloak?"

"You can if you want, two of us under it would be too slow," panted Malfoy.

Harry did not put on the cloak, but kept it tucked under his arm as he and Malfoy followed Snape's silhouette, dodging in and out of cover.

They reached the front gates and saw Snape slip through them, barely opening them, and disappear into the darkness beyond. Malfoy darted forwards and folded his body through them, beckoning Harry to follow.

Once through Harry leant against the stone pillar of the gates, trying to catch his breath silently. Malfoy was scouring the landscape with his eyes, trying to find some sign of Snape.

"There's nothing there...I can't see him at all!" he whispered, panic evident in his voice.

Harry looked around for some sign of his teacher. "Look!" he said suddenly, pointing. "Look on the ground, over there."

Malfoy did as he was told. The mud around them now they were outside of the castle grounds was dense, and there, close to the wall, was what looked like a fresh footprint.

"It can't be him," he said at once. "Snape's too careful. He'd disguise them, wipe them out..."

"He has done," muttered Harry, bending down to examine the ground. "Come here, feel the air. It's warm, see? That means he has cast a spell recently-"

"Yes, thanks Potter, I know what warm air means," spat Malfoy.

"-he must have just missed this one..." he looked at Malfoy in the dark. "He must be in a hurry."

Malfoy frowned at him slightly in the dark. "Well come on then. We're going to have to follow him. We'll have to follow the warm air...damn, this is going to be hard..."

He pulled Harry upright and dragged him forwards quickly. They followed the trail at a slight run, panicking in case the wind got up and started to blow the warm air away. It seemed to follow very close to the high wall that ran along the east side of the castle, and they were glad of this, because at least here they weren't too exposed. They did seem to be gaining slightly on Snape, though, because after a few minutes their trail was noticeably warmer.

"I think we're close to him now," muttered Malfoy, as they drew close to a slight bend in their path. "I can feel-"

He stopped suddenly and Harry walked into the back of him, nearly knocking them both over. "What is it?" he hissed angrily.

"Shh! He's there. I can see him!"

Harry stuck his head over Malfoy's shoulder and looked to where he was indicating. Snape was standing on an elevated stone base protruding from the wall.

"What is it?"
"Shh! C'mon, quick!" Malfoy grabbed Harry's arm and pushed him against the wall silently, and then noiselessly manoeuvred them both towards the stone base, where Snape's eerie black figure was stood.

Harry resisted, he did not know what Malfoy was planning, but if they were caught...

As they reached the base Snape lowered his head and held his wand vertically in front of him. He began to speak words Harry could not hear.

Suddenly a low note began to sound, growing rapidly higher-pitched and louder at the same time.

"Come on!" yelled Malfoy, abandoning all attempts at subtlety. "He won't hear us until we're on there, COME ON!"

As Harry's ears began to hurt from the sound he felt Malfoy tugging at his arm, and he collapsed onto the base just in time as Malfoy heaved himself up after him. No sooner had they drawn their legs onto the base than a deep, bottle green strand of light had shot into the air from the edge of the base. It was followed by another, and then another.... soon they seemed to be encased in these strands of light surrounding the base. As the note reached a point where it seemed it would be impossible to get any higher or louder Harry felt his body growing weak. Suddenly a thinner strand than the rest had shot from the very middle of the front edge of the base. It seemed to draw all of the others into it within a split second, and the three of them were now within a pointed dome.

As the last light fell into place Harry felt his whole body cripple in agony; he felt as though he were on fire. He was screaming loudly, but he was sure neither Snape or Malfoy could hear him; they both seemed to be feeling pain too, though Snape bore it well. And then the world around him began to fade, and all Harry knew was the eerily silent world that had been created inside the strange stone base and it's light...

*

The silence was as pronounced as ever, and the blur of the outside world had not changed; yet an odd stillness seemed to have entered the light-made cage. Harry had stopped writhing in agony, though the pain in his chest was still blinding, he clutched onto it, grasping, trying to pull the pain away from him.

Suddenly the blur outside seemed to grow clearer, it was as though he had put his glasses on and everything had come into focus. Before he could take in the details of what was outside Snape began to stir. He looked up and stepped forward. Still Harry could not hear, and it was obvious Snape had not noticed that two boys were in this structure also, but nevertheless Harry scrambled as close to the other edge as possible and pressed himself against it. He swallowed a cry of pain down, panting.

The green lights grew stronger for a split second, and then, suddenly, all at once, they retracted back into the base with a ring like that of a sword being unsheathed.

Sound had returned, and they were free to go.

Snape stepped away from the base, and jumped lightly to the ground to make his way down a dark path. He was still hunched over from the pain that remained in his chest.

Harry jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He had almost forgotten that Malfoy was there.

"You OK?" Malfoy asked.

"I'm not too sure...what is this?"

"I don't know...something dark."

Harry winced as the pain surged through him again.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" asked Malfoy. "At least it's going... even if it takes its time...it'll be worse the longer we stay here, though, come on."

Reluctantly Harry stood up, helped by Malfoy. Supporting each other they jumped down, as Snape had done, onto the floor below. They looked around. They seemed to be in a dark, narrow alleyway, with high walls on either side. At the end of the alleyway they could see a light, it looked like the dim glow of a streetlamp.

"Where are we?" Harry asked quietly.

"No idea...way outside Hogwarts...looks like a Muggle village..."

"Yes," said Harry suddenly, remembering the details of Remus' letter, "it is. This is what Snape was talking about-the raid on a Muggle village-this must be the place! They want to kill...and...torture...the Muggles. Snape's got to try and stop it, without...arousing suspicion...or something..."

"No..." muttered Malfoy, sickened. "How do you know?"

"I was informed," Harry said shortly.

"But, why? Surely the safest thing would have been to not tell you? Didn't they know you'd just come looking?"

"I don't know...the person who told me said he thinks I have a right to know. And I suppose Snape told us because we were wandering around that night-we might have done it again. They couldn't risk it..."

"Come on then...walk."

They kept to the shadows walking slowly so as not to make any noise. Malfoy shivered.

"This is stupid," Harry said irritably. "Let's put the cloak on. It'll keep us warm AND they won't be able to see us."

Reluctantly Malfoy did as he was told and allowed Harry to throw the cloak over them both. It was an interesting moment; they hadn't been this close either physically or emotionally for what seemed like an age...

They reached the end of the alley, and a terrible scene met their eyes, shocking them into silence. They jumped into the shadows; somehow the cloak didn't seem trustworthy enough right now. At least sixty Death Eaters were grouped around Voldemort and a man who must have been a Muggle, while who knows how many more were prowling around the warren of lanes, their cloaks whipping in the wind. They could not see Snape.

They held their breath, watching silently.

"So," said Voldemort maliciously, not troubling to keep his voice down, "who are you Muggle?"

"M-M-Mike Freany," the Muggle stuttered. He did not sound older than 30.

"Well, Mike Freany would you like to tell me why you were wandering around this late at night? Why you felt it necessary to pry in my Death Eaters' business, why you asked us what we were doing here?"

"I-I didn't know. I'm sorry, I just- please, just can't I go home I'm-"

"Home? No, no, no I'm afraid not, Mr Freany. You see you could be a danger to us. You could open your mouth. And besides-someone needs to be the first!"

The Death Eaters around laughed heartlessly.

They heard Freany cry out in terror. "The first what?"

"Why should I tell you, when I can show you?" Voldemort said, his voice full of malicious joy. "My first victim...after almost 16 years...my first real victim...Crucio!"

Freany screamed in agony and they heard him fall to the floor. It went on relentlessly and all the while the Death Eaters were laughing insanely.

"I fell sick. I'm not watching this..." Malfoy said.

"Well, why are we here?"

"I- don't know...I thought...well, maybe..."

"I don't think there's anything we can do. We aren't heroes, we're not Aurors, we can't intervene, there's nothing we can do."

The realisation hit Harry hard. Why had he ever thought that him coming here would be any use to anyone? He had been stupid, as usual.

"No, there's a reason we're here...there's got to be," said Malfoy uncertainly.

Harry looked at him but didn't say anything.

"This is horrible, come on let's go. We're doing no good by just standing here..." Malfoy grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him into a fast walk. They moved quietly, but still Harry's heart thumped; any second now he expected Voldemort to turn around and send a curse their way...

As they passed the circle of Death Eaters that enclosed Voldemort and Freany Harry stopped suddenly, feeling dizzy. He staggered sideways into Malfoy, nearly knocking him over. He pulled him over to the wall, which he leant against, retching as waves of terrible, terrible pain engulfed him, as he felt his scar burn. Malfoy could do nothing other than pray that the Death Eaters were so involved in their own sick activities that they would not notice the odd noises. At last there was a moment of silence when Harry stopped moving, panting hard. Malfoy grabbed his shoulders and began to push him forwards, away from the crowd, as fast as he possibly could.

When they had reached a somewhat safe distance from the group he turned to Harry.

"What was that?" he asked. Harry frowned for a moment through his dizziness, before he realised; Malfoy had no experience of these effects of Harry's scar.

"It happens when.... when Voldemort is near me...-" Malfoy resisted a small flinch, "-it...it's worse than it was before...I'm sorry," he panted.

"Don't be," said Malfoy at once.

Harry managed a small smile under the cloak and was about to say something when-

BANG!

The noise echoed thorough the narrow streets of the village, and several screams followed it.

"What the-?" said Malfoy.

They turned around just in time to see a new group of Death Eaters joining the original group. In front of them was a large group of Muggles, looking terrified, most wearing nightclothes. Several of Voldermort's followers threw a young woman to the ground. She did not move, just quivered with fright.

"Ahhh..." said Voldemort softly, "finally! The moment has come... I have been waiting for this for so long. You should feel proud Muggles. For this is the Dark Lord's Second Rising!"

He roared the last words into the night, and the Death Eaters cheers rang through the Village. Those grouped around where Freany had stood moved, to reveal the body of a young man, with brown hair, lying on the ground, an expression of twisted agony on his face and a thin trickle of blood sliding from his mouth.

Freany was dead.

"Nooo..." whispered Malfoy, his voice choked, "Noo..."

Harry gripped his arm to support him, trying to ignore the pain in his scar.

There was more noise around them now, and occasionally a light from a spell beam would flash from nearby streets.

"Let's go," Harry said, "we're not doing any good here."

Malfoy nodded beside him and they made their slow way toward the next street, turning into it just as there was a white flash and the woman who had been thrown to the floor was flung backwards a few feet with a scream.

It was quite quiet down here, and was not at all lit up.

"This isn't right..." said Malfoy warily. "Something's wrong..."

As he said the words three cloaked figures appeared walking towards them.

"Something like that," whispered Harry, pointing. The figures walked silently closer to them as Harry and Malfoy stood as still as possible, hardly breathing. The Death Eaters turned in unison when they reached a window of the only house in the street with a glimmer of light present. Harry saw three wands being raised under three cloaks, and only realised what was happening a split second before the spells were cast. He made a sudden movement, but Malfoy's hand shot out and stopped him-

"REDUCTO!" the Death Eaters called, and the glass in the window was shattered with such force that there was an ear splitting crash and a flash of bright light. Screams were heard from inside the house as two of the Death Eaters leapt inside the house as the first waited, motionlessly.

Within seconds the family, a father a mother and a young son, had been dragged through the window, cuts on their bodies, and shards of glass in their flesh. Malfoy was breathing hard next to Harry and now their roles were reversed; it was Harry trying to stop Malfoy from attacking.

Suddenly more swishing of cloaks behind them alerted Harry. He whipped around to see five figures walking toward the Death Eaters. They wore grey cloaks, which covered their heads, and on the left hand side of the cloaks was a large silver letter 'A'. On the other side was also a tiny golden 'O'.

"Who are they?" Harry whispered.

"Aurors," said Malfoy at once. "Do you see the 'A'? But I don't know what the 'O's are...I've never seen them before."

"'O'...The Order!" Harry muttered. "Of course...the ministry's crap, it's down to Dumbledore..."

The Aurors strode straight past them, unnoticed by the Death Eaters, who were making the family do crude things under Imperius. One of them looked up, catching sight of the Aurors. Instead of attacking he gave the Aurors a tiny nod, and one of them nodded back. In an instant defensive spells were shot at the Death Eaters...but the one who had nodded was subtly doing the same. Harry didn't understand. Then-

"Snape!" whispered Malfoy. "It's Snape! He's pretending to help the Death Eaters but he's with the Aurors!"

Though Harry had his misgivings about Snape he had to admit that it certainly looked as though he were trying to help the Aurors...

"Come on then!" he yelled. "They won't notice us shooting defensive stuff at them with all the Aurors around!"

Malfoy nodded and ran forward, shooting stunners and Impediment Jinxes from under the cloak, Harry by his side. What with Harry, Snape and the Aurors against two Death Eaters they were soon defeated, the two and Snape lying motionless on the floor (Snape just pretending), and a figure who looked very much like Tonks bent down over the young boy. Before they could help, however, another five Death Eaters had rounded the corner at a run, and started yelling curses in the direction of the Aurors. From the other end of the street came yet more Death Eaters, some of them were dragging screaming women or children with them, others had men clawing the air, under the effect of some sort of spell. Yet more were duelling with several more Aurors, including Voldemort who was duelling with someone who was limping along, as though he had a wooden leg. The shouts issuing from the sickening crowd were mingled terror and hysteria. From the centre of the human mass a light flared, someone raised their hand and threw their fistful of fire at a house; it exploded, and the blaze engulfed the buildings. In thirty seconds the whole row of buildings was on fire, and it was spreading fast.

The mob of Death Eaters, Muggles and Aurors was surrounding Harry and Malfoy now, and though the two boys shot as many jinxes as they could think of into the crowd, it was not enough. The danger was getting closer, and all the time the fire was threatening to move in upon the crowd.

"We have got to get out- this is far too big, even for us!" called Malfoy.

"NO!" yelled Harry angrily. He had never given up on anything, he'd fought Voldemort, he'd fought Death Eaters, and he'd been in duels and never left without inflicting some sort of damage.

"We can't do this! We're not trained, we're restricted under the cloak and-!" Malfoy twisted his body suddenly to avoid a red beam as Harry yelled, "Fructimensa!" and the nearest Death Eater doubled up in pain.

"You're not listening, Malfoy! I can't just leave this!"

"You have to! We've got no choice! This is too dangerous!"

"I-" Harry began. But before he could finish his sentence a jet of orange light had shot through the cloak and hit Malfoy. He threw back his head and yelled, as the sleeve of his robe became soaked with blood. Malfoy was white-he was losing a lot of blood fast.

"Shit!" Harry cried. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine...don't fuss...you're like a mother or something...but now do you see why we can't do this?" Malfoy panted through the pain.

"Come on," said Harry. He knew it was over, they could do nothing, it had all been totally pointless, and now Malfoy was hurt. He knew they had to go. He pulled Malfoy closer to him, so they had less chance of bumping into people. They moved slowly guiding themselves through the immense numbers of people, several with injuries, and trying to ignore the tormented bodies of Muggles on the floor.

At last they were able to break away from the crowd and make their way as fast and as far away as possible from the battle. The turned a corner- and stopped dead. Voldemort was crouched over a figure wearing a grey cloak. He was talking to it in a hushed voice.

"So...you work for Dumbledore? You thought- you honestly thought- you had a chance with me? You thought you would be able to beat my Death Eaters and I? You foolish woman. It isn't possible. However I would hate for you to die with the feeling that you have failed. I will send you away with something invaluable- something Dumbledore would love you to know. He would love you to tell it to him, too, but unfortunately you will be dead before Dumbledore even sees you again.

"You see, I know Dumbledore is looking for a reason of why I could possibly have put a Death Arch in the School- apart from the obvious explanation of wanting to cause as much devastation as possible. You see that Death Arch works both ways- not only does it bring the dead back to the living, it takes the living to the dead..."
Harry felt his blood run cold as Voldemort went on.

"That Death Arch is in that school for a reason- Harry Potter. If my plan works he will be taken via that Arch to the place I need him most. The place where he will be most vulnerable. The Arch does not kill- it simply weakens the victim. Do you know how? No. So I will tell you. It takes them to the Land of Dead, where I can finish him off. Just as I am going to finish you off now. You see why I told you, don't you? You have precious information...Dumbledore would be so pleased to hear it...you have done so well finding it out.... such a shame it's too late..."

Voldemort stood up and the face of his victim was placed suddenly in the light, the hood of her cloak was pulled down.

"Nooooo.." cried the woman. "Nooo, please don't...please I-"

And it was then, as Voldemort raised his wand that Harry realised who the woman must be. She had the sandy coloured hair, large blue eyes and an Irish lilt which was a carbon copy of that of Seamus Finnegan; it could only be his sister.

Voldemort raised his wand just as Harry darted forwards. "Avarda Kedavra!" He screeched, and the jet of green light shot into her chest. Malfoy's fingers were tight on Harry's shoulder, restraining him once more.

They heard more footsteps and turned. Another Death Eater had appeared behind them, a Muggle child in his arms.

"My Lord," he said in a cold voice, "the child tried to escape...I thought-"

"You thought right, Malfoy. Well done."

Lucius Malfoy placed the child on the floor at Voldemort's feet. Voldemort raised his wand.

"You bastard!" whispered Malfoy, next to Harry, his voice choked. "You bastard!" He made to run at his father, but Harry tried to restrain him. Malfoy seemed too full of hatred though, and Harry was forced to follow him, barely hindering his progress. Malfoy stepped out in front of his father, still under the cloak and raised his wand, just as Voldemort brought his own swishing down to meet the child.

Harry, though, was in the way, and the spell which was meant for the child hit Harry with an even greater force instead. He tried to scream but found he couldn't. He staggered into Malfoy who steadied him, his own wand back inside his robes, and took him in his arms. He whispered a word of comfort and encouragement to Harry, before taking him away, heaving him as far away as possible. Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy seemed not to have noticed the spell had not fully hit the child, and that not far away Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were panicking, for the child was still writhing in pain, even though less of the spell had hit it.

It felt to Harry as though his lungs were boiling, his eyes were aching with images flashing before his eyes, he could feel blood beneath his robes, seeping from his chest. He tried to breath, but the fire in his lungs was too intense. He made a rasping sound and then vomited all down his robes and Malfoy's.

There were tears in Malfoy's eyes and he could barely speak as he tried to cry out for help.

But no one came. They were too far away, too involved in stopping the Death Eaters.

"I'm sorry Harry!" Malfoy managed. "It's Dark but it's the only way.... I'm sorry! It'll take us back..."

He pulled from his pocket a black piece of metal, twisted like a rune. He put his fingers in the grooves around it, and held Harry tightly to him, before muttering the spell.

The last thing he saw as dark spells and symbols began to surround him was the glittering green formation of the Dark Mark, high above them in the sky.