Fire in the Dark

Chapter 1: My Friend at the Gate

The sun rose and fell always at 5:00, both in the morning and evening. That's the way it had been for several years, ever since he ruled. There hadn't been a day where the sky had not been covered in dark clouds and the sun stayed out late, for it was as if even the large Sol were afraid of Lord Voldemort.

It didn't matter much to those inside A.H. or the former Hogwarts; they never saw the sun anyway. There were no windows in the giant castle and the rooms were magically lit day and night; there was never any darkness. But in a way there wasn't any light, either.

A tall, lean young man crept silently down a long corridor, making sure to stay on the carpet; you could never be sure of what was slithering around on the bare ground. Three long years in A.H. had had an effect on the young man, if it were good or bad is for you to decide. His acquaintances from the past would never recognize him, but that didn't matter much, because his friends were dead for all he knew.

The man was twenty-two and no longer short and scrawny, no longer in need of glasses either. The one thing Voldemort had graced them with before they were shoved inside the hell was sharp hearing and sight, needful in their survival. Voldemort had wanted them to live, but only to fight continually, hopelessly. He no longer wore robes either, but a black pair of pants and T-shirt. Robes were to loose and could catch easily in the mouth of a predator. His face was hardened with determination and impassivity, but behind his veiled eyes was a brief flicker of loneliness, gone the next second. It was very rare that wizards ever met each other in that hellhole; most were dead.

His emerald green eyes flicked around his surroundings quickly, making sure nothing was waiting to jump him. Stubborn black hair stuck around in all directions was about the only thing that had not altered. But it was true enough; Harry Potter had changed. He was no long the boy who grasped at his friend's company for a few moments of normalcy, but was no always alone, with only memories as company. He was hardly the same person except in the very core of his soul, where he was essentially the same.

The castle of the former Hogwarts was overrun with predators of all kinds, from dragons, to chimeras, to simple snakes. Every door that a wizard has passed through was now referred to as 'portals', and Harry was just about to pass through the second to the last portal. After that, he only had the former entrance hall to cross before he had at last reached the Final Portal. But now was no time to get cocky--that was when most people screwed up and failed. Failure was deadly in A.H.

Harry gave a wide berth to a disintegrating skeleton of a wizard who had died there and peered around the edge of the door. No one and nothing were in sight. Cautiously, he stepped through the door--and got jumped on by a person.

Harry bit back a yell that might alert other predators, and threw the figure off him, instantly reaching for his knife sheath (everyone's wand had been taken and locked up in a large cabinet outside the Final Portal).

The woman had taken a knife out as well and was now watching Harry through vigilant eyes. Fights like this often happened, for many prisoners had gone insane within the walls of A.H. and attacked other captives. Still, she seemed surprised to see that he was another human. She had probably been expecting a monster.

The two began to circle each other.

Harry knew he could out wait this seemingly impatient woman. And true enough; she lunged for him in earnest, thinking he was being too confident. Harry dodged the knife narrowly and threw the woman over his shoulder. The woman flipped over and broke her fall, regaining her stance so fast that it was impressive. Harry ran and knocked her down, grabbing her knife away swiftly. He stood and placed his feet over hers, immobilizing her hands, so she could not reach for more weapons, by pressing them firmly against the floor.

"Your fight is lost," he stated icily, giving no pity to his attacker.

"It is. Do as you wish," she replied simply; it had become custom in A.H. to follow this procedure over the years of living there. But he could see the rebellious glint in her eyes, nevertheless.

Harry looked at her one moment and something strange stirred deep within him. Hesitating, he stepped away, allowing her to get up.

The woman dusted her black attire off and then flicked her knife back into its sheath. She glanced vigilantly around her and then turned back to the man before her.

"Who are--" she stopped talking, not able to go on. She blinked once, twice, three times, and still saw the same person in front of her. She couldn't believe her eyes--it was impossible.

Hermione gaped at him in disbelief and fear, her eyes flicked up to his forehead, only there will she be able to find out if--

"Harry?" she asked faintly, almost inaudible, while swaying gently.

Harry's muscles locked up so he simply narrowed his eyes. After all these years he hadn't seen nor heard of any of his old classmates except for a few shaking encounters. He'd met up with Parvati Patil, whom had been driven mad by the endless, hopeless fight for survival and had had to subdue her before she killed him or anyone else. Even if he had met someone, he would most likely not distinguish him or her anyway, for everyone had changed too much.

"Who are you?" he asked warily, looking her in the eyes, while being effectively pinned to the spot by doing so.

The woman was his age, wearing the same attire except the top was a black tank-top instead, and had pale, almost white skin with dark hazel eyes and thin brown hair to her chin that seemed like it previously was bushy and now was just straight from years of mistreatment.

But without warning, the woman ran to him and before he could bring up any defenses, for he was too startled to do so, threw her hands around his neck and hugged him tightly. Shock jolted through Harry; he hadn't been in contact with another human for years unless you count punching them. It was as if every cell was on fire, making him shake.

"I can't believe it! It is you!" she exclaimed and let go of him.

Looking down at her, Harry finally knew who it was. A spark of his old self came up from deep inside, where he thought all was buried, and transformed his face.

"H-Hermione? Is that really you? I--"

He stopped talking in mid-sentence and tilted his head away. He sniffed twice and then looked around.

"Something's here," he whispered swiftly. Hermione tore her gaze away and scanned the area. Sure enough, something was there. She didn't ask about Harry's sense of smell but instead took in her surroundings as if she had memorized them. In a way she sort of had, because many rooms in the castle now looked identical.

The large and dark room was completely still, but for the dust floating gently through the air, shot through with dim lighting from above.

"Something has been moving around. Look at the moving dust and can you sense the disturbed feeling around the room?" he asked her.

If Hermione had had the time to look at him, she would have done so with her eyebrows raised curiously. Harry was being rather perceptive, but he would have to be to have survived A.H. She didn't have time to think long, though, she was too busy staring at the large dark red gargoyle that just came into view, snarling and staring at them.

"Bloody hell," the two breathed in unison.

* * * * *

His pale white-blond hair and ashy eyes were the only things that showed in the dim light of the staircase. His body was covered in loose black pants and a black jacket over his shirt. He glanced around and walked catlike to the second to the last portal, his supple, leather booted feet padding softly on the carpet.

He had taken a different way than most of the other wizards who wished to escape from A.H. He had taken a way by air, using his power as an animagus to fly across the ground. It was faster, but it was also more dangerous. Many predators flew, and a silver falcon was just another small prey to them.

Draco Malfoy was a wizard who could've had everything, but settled for nothing just because of his own spirit. He could've been free, serving the person his father obeyed, Lord Voldemort. But instead, in the last year of his education, he had united with Harry Potter instead, just to fight that blasted lord.

He didn't view those lives that the wizards outside held as freedom, but just another prison. He wanted to be the master of himself, not follow under a mutated freak like Voldemort. So his enraged father actually pleaded that Draco be cast into A.H., hopefully never to return again. Draco understood that, and he understood what he had done. He had betrayed his father, and disgraced the family name.

Well, to hell with that.

But now Draco was going to get his real freedom, he was going to enter the outside world and live his own life. To be out of this hellhole.

Draco passed through the stairway portal...

... And right into the former entrance hall where a gargoyle was waiting.

* * * * *

Hermione took out several knives and began throwing them expertly at the dragon's eyes, hoping that her aim would prove true. It did once, and soon the dragon had one eye. She was so busy dodging the thing's tail that she didn't notice Harry.

Harry was glad for the distraction Hermione caused and took the time to concentrate on himself. Closing his eyes, he thought only of one thing: wolf. Somehow he had managed to become an animagus during his time in A.H. without the use of a wand. It was as if he had evolved into a different kind of wizard.

Fur lined his arms and legs, and his feet and nose grew. Familiar jolts of energy popped into place while he changed. Crackles of electricity popped around him as he grew into his other self. Within moments, he was a large black wolf.

Whipping around, he growled and bared his teeth.

* * * * *

Draco could hear curses and howls as he edged his way into the room.

This is your chance; you can escape while the brute is busy! Just run and get out of here while you still can! A voice whispered in his ear, and he would have happily complied, but something held him back. He got the feeling that something important would happen if he stayed and fought. Something that might change his future. It was a ridiculous thought, and he even was disgusted with himself for thinking it. But still, he edged nearer. Besides he thought why run like a pansy? Here's a perfect chance for some exercise.

Smirking catlike, he shut out the picture of the gargoyle and concentrated: falcon.

His hands came out, smoothly turned to long wings and grew lined with feathers, while his bottom half of his face hardened, and grew out. Fire sparks jumped out of his body and soon, he was a falcon.

He spread his silver wings and took flight.

* * * * *

Hermione crouched low, quickly holding her broken wrist as she ran out of the way of a dodge from the gargoyles heavy fists. A wolf, which Hermione some how knew was Harry, was clawing a hole in the beast's side.

Well, he wasn't the only one who learned some magic in A.H. Without his wand, Hermione thought grimly. Concentrating on her broken wrist, she felt shards of magic energy gather there and begin to heal her bone, knitting the shattered bone back together.

Then, standing, she drew out a short sword she had kept hidden and ran at the gargoyle.

Something screeched, and suddenly a shining falcon soared into view, raking at the thing's other eye easily.

The gargoyle now screamed; it was blind. It's arms and tail flailed wildly, as if hoping it would hit one of the three attackers by chance. Its wings, however, seemed to have a life of their own and raised the creature up in the air so that its limbs would indeed hit them.

The black wolf ran up and began to claw at its wings, and the falcon began to dig at them with its talons in the sensitive skin on the wings.

The gargoyle shrieked again and thrashed about to shake them off, sending the wolf slamming into a wall opposite. The falcon was knocked off course and was hurled onto the floor with a crash. Hermione stepped back and watched as the gargoyle look blindly around. She looked for an opening...there it was!

Sprinting forward she sank her small blade into the creatures belly, then drove it upwards so it cut a large gaping wound through its chest. The gargoyle thrashed about once and then collapsed, apparently unconscious. Hermione let out a breath of relief and then turned to face the two animals.

Harry reappeared from behind the creature's body fully human and the two waited for the falcon to do the same. They waited in vain, for the silver bird stared at them for a few moment without blinking it's pale eyes and then took flight, heading for the edge of the entrance hall: the Final Portal. Hermione didn't ask about Harry's animagus power; that could wait for later. Right now they had to escape A.H. The words alone sent exhilaration shooting up her spine.

Draco knew without having to guess whom the two back there were, and yes, he could've talked to them and try to be friendly. But, then he wouldn't be Draco Malfoy. Even if he despised Voldemort, he still didn't take a liking to Harry Potter. And Hermione Granger? He couldn't care less about her either way. He had become a loner, a fellow who didn't want to rely or depend on anyone but himself. That's what A.H. Had made him, and he supposed, everyone else who survived it.

Draco pushed aside any thoughts about the two and sped towards the Final Portal. That was his objective, to get the hell out of this wretched prison. He reached the threshold and transformed back into human.

Breathing quickly, he placed his hand on the doorknob. And then he froze. Literally, he couldn't move. The moment his skin had came in contact with the door; every cell in his body came into suspension.

"You didn't think they were going to make it that easy for you, did you?" a certain know-it-all voice asked behind him. Even years of torture hadn't taken that irritating tone away.

If Draco could stiffen or move his middle finger he would've done so, but instead he just stood there, unable to stir. Okay, he thought to himself, I was wrong, I do have a feeling about Granger, and I hate her.

Hermione and Harry stepped up to the threshold beside Draco and Hermione examined the knob and door.

"Without our wands we can't open this door without getting paralyzed," she said at last. She grabbed Draco's hand that was on the knob and wrenched it loose of the handle. Slowly motion came back into his body.

Turning around to face both Hermione and Harry, he shook his head in contempt, "So what? We're just stuck in here?" Apparently a bit of his voice still held his old school self in it because as he spoke Harry and Hermione's eyes widened in recognition.

"Malfoy?" they asked in unison, Hermione's voice surprised, Harry's distasteful.

He ignored them, vaguely thinking about wasting time with acting surprised at seeing each other, and continued to speak almost to himself, "No thanks, I think I'll take another route outta here." He turned and walked a few feet to a window without any caution of being attacked. It seemed as if once they had beaten the gargoyle, the entire room becomes almost normal. Placing his finger experimentally on a window and finding himself not frozen he began to slide the window open.

"OW!" he yelped and snatched his hands away, waving them in the air in an effort to cool off the smoldering sensation. Turning to speak to the other two he explained, "The bloody window burnt me!" His hands were a dark red and shiny from a second-degree burn.

Hermione walked over and without hesitation placed a hand on his shoulder. Before he could snap at her and demand to know what she was doing, his hands were washed over with a sense of coolness and the red marks gone.

Draco didn't thank, but merely began cursing about how to get out of the portal. He would have to ask about that healing thing later on. Hermione didn't expect any thanks and began pondering over the problem herself. Harry was picking up a chair and running at the door with it.

Draco turned his head and drawled coolly, "What are you doing, Potter?"

"Uh, Harry, I don't think that's going to work," Hermione said helpfully.

"You know all those wizards that attack other wizards, Granger? That's right--" BANG! "--The insane ones? I think Potter here has--" BANG! "--Joined them." BANG! BANG!

"Harry, that's a magically door, it's not going to work."

Harry placed the chair down and sat on it, looking fairly forlorn. He placed his head on one of his fists and sat quiet. He refused to think that after years stuck in A.H., he'd be unable to get out of a door.

"Well now what?" he asked after a few moments of contemplative silence.

"Here, let's try this." Draco picked up one of his knives and started digging at the doorknob, careful not to actually touch it.

"Draco, if a chair didn't work, I doubt a knife will have any effect either," Hermione pointed out. She inwardly cringed; the only reason she called him by his first name was she was holding on to a tiny bit of hope that he had changed.

"Says who?" he spat contemptuously and suddenly pushed the door softly open with the hilt of his knife. Hermione and Harry jumped up, hardly daring to believe it. The door swung open, and each of the three had their own euphoric moment of finally getting out of the castle.

They rushed out, eager to see beautiful, picturesque landscape and a cheerful terrain after years of seeing nothing but dark, drab staircases and walls.

"What happened?" Hermione breathed as the trio stared out at the land before them. Not even Draco had any insulting to say. They were all speechless.

Before them was a cold, barren landscape with tufts of yellow weeds growing here and there through cracks. The sky was an angry gray with even darker moving clouds. Trees were just limp skeletons, pitiful reminders of what it used to be. There was not a soul in sight.

But the one thing that made it all the worse was the noise. It was a deadly quiet, only interrupted once in a while by the caw of a black crow flying overhead.

A chilly, wheezing wind ruffled the escapees' hair, and would've sent shivers down their spines if they had not been already frozen in horror at what lay before them.

"I- I don't understand. What happened here?" Hermione whispered, almost as if she were speaking to herself. Draco said nothing because someone else already summed up his answer.

"Voldemort," Harry said through a clenched jaw. His fists shook at his sides as he peered out over what used to be the Hogwarts grounds. "This is all Voldemort's doing."

"I never-- imagined that You-know-who could do such a thing," Hermione muttered softly.

Draco's eyes flicked from the land to Hermione to Harry, then he said carelessly while turning around, "Well, let's not waste any time shall we? I'm getting my wand, it's in this cabinet somewhere." Draco didn't have to see it to know that Harry and Hermione had just exchanged glances and glared at his back. So they thought him an asshole--did it matter? He hadn't seen or spoken to them in years so it definitely did not.

You would think that the cabinet that holds all the good wizard's wands would be larger but there was no need. When a wizard dies, his or her wand disappears as well. There were a lot of wands gone from that cabinet.

Draco pocketed his wand, Harry checked to make sure there were no jinxes on his, and Hermione polished hers after checking it.

"Now what?"

Draco instantly replied, having had years to ponder over what he would do if he ever got out, "I'm going to the world capitol, see what kind of life I can scrape up." Seeing the intensified glares he added angrily, "I'm not going to become a fucking Death Eater." He returned their glares times two with an icy voice to match. Hermione shivered.

Harry spoke with reluctance, his voice still hoarse from disuse. "Well, we'll go with you, but I'm going to do something about Voldemort. We just have to. I'm going to find Dumbledore." At the sound of his name the three fell silent.

Ah yes, Dumbledore, the one wizard who is said to be Voldemort's one fear. Dumbledore had not been sent with the rest to A.H., instead he had just disappeared. No one knew where Dumbledore was or if he was even still alive. Some of them didn't really want to know the answer.

"You two can come or not--I don't care. I won't be with you for long, anyway." Malfoy spoke casually, but was slightly not unhappy of the prospect of actually having company for a change. Even if it was bad company.

"That's it then, we're going to the capitol," Hermione said.

"Let's stop at Hogsmeade--" Harry began.

"If it's still standing that is," Malfoy interrupted.

"Shut up, Malfoy."

"Oooh, great retort there Potter."

"Asshole."

"I'll pretend not to have heard that shall I?"

"Go ahead, I don't care-- asshole."

"Would you two quit fighting like children? You'd think three years of being in hell would change that."

"Look, now it's two against one, hardly fair odds--"

"Shut up, Malfoy!"

"Make me." Malfoy took the most immature route for the argument.

"Argh." Harry could never figure out what to say to that.

And so the three walked down the cracked, battered gray steps and forever away from the school that used to be known as Hogwarts, School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. And for the first day in several years, the sun stayed up past five o'clock and all around the world the clouds were a little less dark.