Marked

There was blood streaked down the walls. It was the first thing that caught Neville's attention, but he was too weak to recoil from the sight of it. Splatters and rivulets had dried beneath hooks placed about six feet above the floor--with no sign of the person who had left them. Nothing but the faint stench of rotted flesh and dried blood. Bellatrix shoved Neville forward until he was standing beneath the hooks. Wincing, he leaned against the stained wall and willed his knees to lend him support until he could be lucky enough to pass out again.

"This is the boy Dumbledore expects to destroy me?"

Neville looked across the room to the bed where Voldemort lay; the faint red glow of his eyes illuminated his face from the shadows. As Neville watched, he sat up in the bed and reached for a vial of potion on the table next to him.

"My lord, as I have told you, he is far too weak to be any sort of threat to you. Is it not possible Dumbledore deliberately let you hear a false prophecy?" Bellatrix asked.

Voldemort stood from the bed and began crossing the room. "Severus informed me of this years ago. I viewed his memory as confirmation. While it is true that my first attempt to kill this child had a devastating affect on my physical person, it came nowhere close to killing me. I have yet to see how such a ridiculous claim could be true." He frowned as he stopped in front of Neville. His eyes narrowed. "I don't believe this weakling could so much as scratch me, let alone kill me on his own." He bared his teeth in a small smile. "Dumbledore has finally gone senile."

He knows a hell of a lot more than you, Neville thought.

"Does he?"

Neville flinched when he realized Voldemort had read his mind without even picking up his wand. Gathering his strength, he attempted to focus long enough to block the older wizard probing his thoughts.

"I wouldn't bother, Mr. Longbottom," Voldemort said. He raised one long-fingered hand and trained his wand on the teenager. "If you fight me, I will just have Bellatrix subdue you until I can get a clearer picture of what you know." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Now that I think of it, she has not had the chance this morning to attempt persuading you to talk of your own volition. Shall we try that first?"

"No." Neville's voice was barely above a whisper, but the sound of it inspired a small laugh from Bellatrix. She clutched at his hair and jerked his head back.

"I think I'll take my pleasures when you're done with him," she said. "There may not be much left when I'm through."

"Very well." Voldemort bared his teeth again. He glanced up at the hooks spotted with dried blood. "Hang the boy and I'll begin."

It was the touch of a hand that woke him. These days, Harry didn't feel there was much to make him smile, but a comforting touch in the midst of all the pain was the one thing that could briefly take his mind off what had happened. What continued to happen. He opened his eyes and blinked at the brightness of the sunlight streaming through the window near the bed. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light.

"What do you remember, Harry?" Hermione sat next to him and continued to stroke his hair back from his forehead. Harry looked to the other side of the bed where his mother sat. Lily picked up his hand and held it between both of hers.

"How long was I out?"

"Two hours this time," Lily responded. Harry tensed at her frown. "You said something about being cut, but I couldn't read your thoughts."

"You don't want to," Harry said. He pushed himself into a sitting position. It had been nearly a week since Neville had been taken and Harry's visions had gotten more frequent and more intense with each passing day. Rather than worry everyone with exactly what Neville had been going through, the only people he told the full truth to were Hermione and Dumbledore--the latter of whom was becoming more preoccupied every time there was news.

The search for Neville had turned up no results. With Draco missing as well--and nowhere within Neville's vision--the only hope they had was that somehow a Death Eater would slip up and reveal their location. Or that Harry's connection to Neville would lend itself to a break that even the Aurors couldn't track. It was becoming harder for Harry to ignore the sadness in Lily's eyes every time she looked at him. He could tell what she was doing easily--counting the days until she'd have to say goodbye to him for the last time.

"Would you like to have lunch now?" Hermione asked. She motioned to a plate on the table next to the bed. "It'll only take a second to heat up."

Harry closed his eyes and saw a vision of Neville's hands, covered with his own blood and vomit. He opened his eyes and shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat something," Lily and Hermione said simultaneously. "Neither of us is going to leave you alone until you do," Lily added. "Humor us."

"Fine." He reached for the plate of food Hermione had just reheated and began picking at the chips on it. "Have you heard anything from Dumbledore?"

"The Department of Magical Transportation says some sort of complicated concealment spell was used to hide the destination for the Portkey in your dorm," Hermione said. "They're still working on determining the location. Also, they think--" She paused and glanced over at Lily. As Harry watched, his mother nodded.

"What?" He dropped the food back to the plate. "What else?"

"They found a book under Draco's bed. They thought it was nothing and didn't bother investigating it at first, but Tonks finally read some of it last night. It seems a lot like the enchanted diary Lucius Malfoy had given Ginny Weasley."

"That's how they were communicating," Harry supplied.

"Right. It's also possible that's how he was taken from the school," Hermione said.

"You mean he was sucked into it like I had been sucked into one of Riddle's memories?" Harry put the plate back on the bedside table and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. He took several deep breaths until the slight dizziness cleared. "That would be the best way to make his escape."

"Tonks doesn't think that's what happened," Hermione said. "Draco had been writing in it that night, telling his aunt that he wanted information on his mother before he'd agree to help her with anything. Then he just left off in the middle of a sentence. Tonks thinks she was monitoring when he wrote in it and used the book to get him out of school when he wouldn't be prepared to fight. He probably had no idea she could do that."

"So he hadn't agreed to help her?" Harry asked.

"That seems to be the case, " Lily said. "He was wearing down towards the end, but he had not betrayed you and Neville." She paused, giving her son time to digest the information. "Because of you, we know that Neville is still alive, but Tonks has told us we should not expect the same for Malfoy."

"What does Dumbledore say about that?" Harry asked. He stood from the bed and stretched. He flinched from a pain just beneath his shoulders. It was gone soon after it had begun.

"He said we shouldn't worry about it," Hermione whispered. "He wanted us to tell you to just concentrate on what you and Neville have to do. He was so cold." Hermione looked down at her hands. "He said the only thing you should worry about at this point is being ready for the fight of your life. Nothing and no one else."

"You can't be surprised that's how he feels about it, Hermione."

"It surprised me," Lily said. She stood from her chair and walked around the bed. "I expected Dumbledore to give a damn that his plan has possibly gotten one child killed already and he barely reacted when he heard of it. I hope he doesn't have the same attitude towards the two of you."

"Mum, you know he fully expects us both to die," Harry said.

"Don't say that," Hermione admonished him. "The odds may not be overwhelming, but--"

"Hermione, I can't do this right now," Harry said, cutting her off. "I know you want me to think positive and act like I'm going to come out of this whole, but I just--I don't have the energy right now." Without another word, he crossed the room and shut himself up in the bathroom. After he heard both of them leave the room, Harry leaned against the sink and succumbed to his tears.

"Now, this is truly delicious."

Neville sagged against the wall and tried to focus his remaining energy on mentally blocking the pain of the hooks ripping into his skin and muscles.

"Another boy, a bit of me inside each of you," Voldemort tapped Neville's leg with the tip of his wand, "and a connection you cannot break while remaining in your mortal body." Voldemort laughed. The soft, hissing undertone of it sent a chill through Neville's body. "Dumbledore sent you on a suicide mission and you accepted it? Noble?" He chuckled again. "No, merely stupid. One would think even a child your age would be intelligent enough to refuse."

Voldemort turned to Bellatrix. She was gazing at Neville with her arms crossed, a small smile curving her lips. "Or did he think I would not have the capacity to kill you while you harbor a piece of my soul? More fool him. And you, you pathetic little pawn."

"Will you kill him now?" Bellatrix asked.

"No, I think it would be better to lure Potter here first. That may be one thing Dumbledore had right, that the boys must die together." Voldemort folded his hands together and began pacing.

You're too weak to do anything yourself, Neville thought. He flinched minutely as Voldemort turned to him, scowling. You'll never be able to kill both of us.

"So you'd like to believe after hearing your friend's heroic tales," Voldemort said. He raised his wand and aimed it at Neville's chest. "I assure you, I am not too weak to do what needs to be done." His smile returned as the boy began to whimper. "Shall I give you a proper demonstration?"

"I'm tired."

Sirius looked up from the newspaper in his lap and patted the seat next to him. "I'm not surprised. You've been spending your days at home keeping Raven busy and your nights here worrying about Harry's nightmares. It was bound to catch up with you."

Lily stepped away from the Floo and sank onto the seat next to Sirius. She picked up the front section of the paper and scanned it absently. Hands shaking, she quickly put the paper down and turned to him. "I think I'm afraid to close my eyes for too long. I keep imagining that if I do, I'll wake up and he'll be gone."

"You know, Dumbledore really does believe Harry and Neville can live through this."

"Believing it doesn't make it true," Lily said. "He can delude himself all he likes, but I'm the one that has to live with the reality if my son doesn't make it."

Sirius put the newspaper on the table and grasped Lily's hands. "We're all in this together. Augusta and the rest of the Longbottoms, you, me, Remus, Hermione--and if there's one person who will have the boys win through sheer willpower alone, it's your son's girlfriend. She's got enough confidence to see anything she wants done."

"No truer words," Lily said shortly. "Speaking of Hermione, I'm surprised she isn't down here spreading her usual sunshine. Did she finally stop fussing over you and Harry long enough to take to her own bed?"

Sirius shrugged. "She's probably keeping your nightly vigil. I doubt she's seen the inside of her bedroom more than a handful of times."

"What do you mean, she's rarely in her bedroom? What's wrong with you? You're supposed to be watching them." Lily stood abruptly, ran across the sitting room and was up the stairs before Sirius could stop her. She opened her son's bedroom door and sighed in relief. Harry and Hermione were laying together on top of the duvet with their arms around each other, fully dressed and fast asleep.

"I don't know what you're so worried about," Sirius said. He reached past her and pulled the door closed.

"You know exactly what I'm worried about," Lily responded. She brushed past him and headed towards the stairs.

"It wouldn't be the end of the world, would it?"

Lily turned to him, her mouth pulled tight.

"Clearly it would," Sirius said in answer to his own question. He sighed as she turned away and continued down the stairs. "Lily, just try to remember what it was like when you were their age and add in all of the craziness in their lives right now. Isn't it only natural that they would turn to each other for comfort?"

"That is not what she's turning to him for," Lily said as she reentered the sitting room. She sat and crossed her arms over her chest, a frown settled on her face.

"I don't think Hermione has ulterior motives where Harry is concerned."

"And you know this after spending how much time with her?"

"You know her better than I do and you weren't suspicious of her until after Snape--" Sirius cut off as Lily's eyebrows drew together. "Until a few weeks ago, you trusted the two of them together."

"Things were different then. He was different." Lily sighed. "It's still hard to believe all that's happened."

"Yes, he's different. But he has been for a while now," Sirius said quietly. "You have to learn to live with the situation. Harry is growing up. You remember what we were like at that age, sneaking around the passages, making excuses to get out of class."

"Don't remind me," Lily said.

"My point is, you can't be upset at them for doing even half the stuff you and James did at about their age. Honestly, if Harry knew what the two of you did that could've gotten you expelled--"

"Shut up!" Lily glared across the room at Sirius. Before she could stop herself, her frown softened into a small smile. "I know it makes me sound like a hypocrite, but I would like him to stay a boy for a while longer. While he still can."

"He hasn't been a boy for quite some time, Lily. You know his story. You know what it took to get him here. You can't save his innocence now. The most you can do is love him while you have him."

"You know, for someone who doesn't have any children, you're certainly full of parental wisdom."

"It's easy," Sirius replied. "I just think of my last two years living with my parents and advise the opposite." He crossed the room and sat next to her, pulling Lily into his arms easily. She leaned her head onto Sirius's shoulder and he leaned back on the couch. "I know it's difficult, but you shouldn't be too hard on them."

"She's manipulating him and there's nothing I can do about it," Lily said.

"You don't know she's done that," Sirius whispered. "He seems to really care for her, however long they've been together. After everything he's been through, I think Harry is smart enough to know when someone is using him." He squeezed Lily tighter. "I also think your fear is coming from another place and it isn't fair for you to put it onto those kids."

"That's just my point," Lily said. She lifted her head. "He's in over his head and I can't do anything to stop what's coming. I would give anything--" She stopped speaking and sniffed hard.

"I know," Sirius said. "We both would. We can't save him from Voldemort and you can't stop them from comforting each other the best way they can, short of locking them both up."

"Don't think I haven't considered it." She smiled to soften the comment. "Still, I'm not imagining the way Hermione's acting towards him. It's downright possessive. She's always in his ear, there whenever he wakes up, supporting him in a way that I can't and I'm his mother. How do I know she's acting in his best interest?"

"Lily, she has as much to lose as you do if something happens to him. You may not see it this way, but the two of you have far more in common than Hermione and Snape."

"I never said she's just like him."

"You don't have to," Sirius said. "It's obvious that's how you feel. And haven't you said it's hurting Harry that you aren't as close to her as you were a few months ago?" Lily sighed and nodded. "Then I'll make you a deal. I will talk to Harry about their relationship if you try to give them a chance."

"I don't think that will help," Lily said.

Sirius brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "It will if you want it to. You're being stubborn. You have no reason to suddenly dislike her other than your own demons. It isn't fair to any of you. Besides, do you want to spend what could be your last days with him harboring all of this unnecessary anger towards his girlfriend?"

Lily leaned back. "You know, I hate it when you make sense. It makes it so much more difficult to argue with you."

Sirius laughed. "I like to think it's my never failing charm that makes it difficult to be disagreeable."

Lily placed a hand on his cheek and leaned forward. "There might be something to that as well." Moving closer, she planted her lips over his. He stiffened under her touch, but Lily didn't move away until after several long moments had passed.

"Lily..."

"I know," she said. "I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me again. Just hold me."

Obediently, Sirius pulled the emotionally fragile woman into his arms and held her tight. He wondered, not for the first time, if she would be able to hold herself together if the worst happened and she had to lose her son again.

Harry sat up in bed abruptly and clutched at his chest, a scream dying on his lips. Hermione sat up and put her arms around him seconds later.

"Is Neville all right?"

"He knows," Harry whispered. A chill went through him as he recalled the way Neville had cried out when it happened and the strange feeling that had passed through his own body when Voldemort had tortured Neville. For the first time since the other boy had been kidnapped, Harry had felt substantial pain from his scar. He didn't know what it meant, but he could only guess it meant the strengthening of his connection to Neville--and Voldemort.

Hermione shook Harry by the shoulder. "Neville knows that you can sense what's happening to him?"

"No." Harry turned to Hermione. "Voldemort. He knows. Everything. And he thinks he's figured out a way to kill us both."

"No. He can't have figured that out," Hermione said. She released Harry and pulled her suddenly shaking hands into her lap. "Dumbledore doesn't think it's even possible."

"The Minister knows as much about it as we do," Harry said. There was a lot going on that he was sure Dumbledore didn't understand at all. Harry closed his eyes and shook his head. He couldn't make sense of the sudden pain, or the blinding flash of blue light that had ended his latest vision. Harry slid to the edge of the bed. "And some of what Dumbledore thinks he knows is just guesswork. I've got to tell someone what's happened. Is anyone awake?"

"Your Mum left a few hours ago and I think Sirius is still downstairs." Hermione stood as Harry opened the bedroom door. "We should send an owl to Dumbledore immediately. It's late, but I think he might still be at his office."

"If the building is empty, I should be able to Floo over myself," Harry said. He waited at the bottom of the stairs until Hermione caught up with him.

"He's already told you, sending your memories will be sufficient."

Harry frowned. "He can't blame me for wanting to get out of this house for at least a few minutes, even if it's just to his office."

"That doesn't mean either he or Sirius will allow you to leave. You're here for your safety," Hermione reminded him.

Rather that remind her how safe it was in the Minister's office, Harry pushed open the door to the sitting room. The sight before him made him stop in his tracks. Hermione promptly bumped into him.

Before she could ask, Hermione's mouth dropped open in surprise as she looked past Harry and realized what had caused him to freeze in the doorway.

Harry clenched one hand into a fist and Hermione pulled him backwards, not letting go until they had reached the stairs and the door had swung shut silently behind them.

He began pacing back and forth at the foot of the stairs. "I'm going to kill him," he said in a low voice.

"Harry, no." Hermione grabbed him by the shirt as he attempted to move past her. "It was probably nothing."

"You're not blind, Hermione. He was kissing her."

"It was just a kiss," she said. "That's all we saw. There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation for it."

"What's perfectly reasonable about Sirius kissing my mother? She used to be married to his best friend. She's vulnerable right now and he's taking full advantage of that."

"We don't know that," Hermione said. "Come upstairs with me."

Harry walked past her. "No, I'm going to--"

Hermione pulled out her wand and stunned Harry just before he reached the door again. Sighing, she levitated him up the stairs as she walked to his bedroom. He would have to forgive her later. There was enough tension all around without Harry picking a fight with his mother and godfather. He could force them to explain when he was calmer. She lowered him to the bed. Lily and Sirius would be lucky if time helped Harry understand.