Harry Potter And So It Begins

The next evening Raven awoke from his sleep with a start. Quickly jumping out of his bed he cast a dressing spell before Teleporting. A few moments later he's in the middle of a fight between Tonks and several Death Eaters.

"Nymph," he yells over the exploding furnature. "Go to the Island, I'll cover you."

"I can't," Tonks replies dodging a stuning spell from one of her attackers. "The necklace is in the bedroom and I can't get to it."

They continue to fight off the attackers as he tries to make his way towards her. As he reaches her Lucius and Greyback both fire killing curses at Tonks. Raven shoves her out of the way and takes the full force of the combined curses as Tonks is suddenly engulfed in flames.

Raven prepares to teleport away when his world suddenly goes dark. A hooded figure looming over top of him holds a leg from the destroyed coffee table. "Take the Half-Breed to the Dark Lord and be quick about it." The figure instructs the others.

Tonks arrives at the Mansion in a blaze of fire and franticly looks around for anyone still awake. She is greeted by Athos and orders him to wake the others. A few minutes later everyone assembles in the living room and she tells them what happened.

"We have to do something." Harry says.

"There's nothing to do." Remus tells him. "As long as Voldermort beleives he can get information out of Raven he'll keep him alive."

"What about us?" Hermione asks. "If Voldermort's able to force Raven to tell him where we are he'll send his Death Eaters to attack. We need to start setting up defences now."

"There's no need," Relina tells her. "This Island is well protected and Raven would never reveal its secrets."

"If Raven's the secret keeper then wouldn't the spell end once they killed him?" Neville asks.

"That's just it," Charlie interupts. "He's not. The spells protecting the Island are ancient blood rituals that tie the Island's magical defences to the Ravenclaw bloodline. It allows members of the Ravenclaw family to reveal the Mansion's location only with the permission of the current Lord or Lady." He leans forward in his chair, resting his his elbows on his knees. His head hangs low as he looks down at the floor. "Even if they were to kill him," he begins. "All that would happen is the magic would just pass to the next heir in line."

"But Raven is the current Lord," Ginny says. "If they force him to tell them how to get here then we're all in danger."

"That is only half of the Island's defences." Tonks replies as Pompfrey tends to her wounds. "They would still have to get past the creatures and animals in the Forest before they could even reach the Grounds. After that they'd need to get by the Creatures on the Grounds to reach the Mansion."

"But we didn't have any problems coming through the Forest." Susan interjects.

Remus takes a breath before he speaks. "That's because you were accompanied by a Ravenclaw. The animals and creatures of the Island, like the House Elves, are loyal to the Ravenclaw family. If you would have tried entering the Forest unescorted things would have been very different."

"Then how come we're able to move around the grounds without an escort?" Angela inquires.

"They know your scent," Rene says. "After each of you arrived the House Elves took an artical of your clothing around to to creatures on the grounds so they'd know not to attack you."

"That makes sense," Hermoine replies. "But let us assume that they did manage to find a way to get past the Forest and across the Grounds, then what?"

"If by some miricale they managed that then there's still the Mansion's own defences to contend with." Billy informs them. "No, we're safe here for the time being."

"As long as Voldermort has use for him, Raven will be alright for now." Professor McGonagall reminds them. "We'll wait for Snape to report in and tell us what's going on."


The throbbing pain in his head causes Raven to wake up. His thoughts are clouded and fuzzy as his eyes try to adapt to the torch light in the room. The ache in his shoulders and wrists alert him to the fact that he's currently chained to a wall.

"Good evening Lord Raven," a voice calls out from the shadows. "So kind of you to join us."

Raven squints as he tries to make out the person talking to him. All he can see is the shadowy outline of a cloaked figure and red slitted eyes. Even through the cobwebs he recognizes the man. His sharp Ravenclaw wit begins to function as he speaks. "How could I resist such a compeling invitation Tom."

Lord Voldermort steps out of the shadows and into the torch light. The malice in his eyes is reflected in his voice as he addresses his captive. "There is no need for the last two surviving heirs of Hogwarts' Founders to address each other so informaly. Now is there Lord Raven, surely someone of your breeding understands the need for proper protocol in situations such as this."

"I understand them perfectly Tom." Raven responds. "However, given that both of us are Half-Blooded Wizards I think that we can forgo the formalities and speak freely, Ton. I'm sure your Muggle father Mr. Riddle would agree. Now stop being an impotant bastard who tortures and kills cause he can't get laid and get to the point."

"YOU FILTHY BEAST HOW DARE YOU..." Voldermort roars as he hurls curse after curse at Raven, each with the force of a dozen stunners.

Raven howls in pain as his body convulses from the torture. Finally after what seems like an eternity Voldermort stops the assult and leaves the nearly broken Raven dangling from the wall.

For several days they continue their dance as Voldermort tries to extract information out of Raven. Each day Voldermort asks his questions and each day Raven provokes another assault resulting in Voldermort storming off without answers.

Dispite the constant pain he's in, Raven manages to anaylize the situation and figure out where he's being held. Judging from the constant humidity, sounds and scents he picks up he's certain he's being held in an Island Fortress somewhere off the Scottish Coast.

Following yet another session with Voldermort, Raven finds himself wondering just how much longer he can endure the torture. "I can't keep this up for much longer," Raven tells himself. "Eventually he'll end up killing me, whether he intended to or not."

"Then just tell him what he wants to know," a voice says from the doorway. Snape walks into the cell and continues "Spare yourself this pain and just give into the Dark Lord."

"I can't do that." Raven says wondering what the other man's thinking. "I won't betray Dumbledore to that psycho."

"Wise up Raven," the Potions Master says. "Dumbledore's abandoned us to die. You're a smart man, surely you must have realised that by now. Save yourself and stand by the Dark Lord's side."

"You traitor," Raven yells as realization dawns on him. "You've sold us out."

"As sharp as ever Lord Raven." Snape gloats. "But your famous strategies and tactics can't help you now."

"That's why he has me," a seductive voice says behind the traitor. Snape turns around just in time to see a pale fist before his world goes black.

"Good timing Sasha," Raven says as the woman steps over their former Potions Professor. A gothic beauty with pale white skin and blood red lips, her long mane flows like a river of midnight to the small of her back. Sasha blasts open the cuffs binding his wrist, allowing Raven to fall limply into her arms.

"Never did like that git." She says before reaching into her pocket and handing him a small metalic stone. "You look like you could use this."

Raven takes the stone and holds it in his hand as a faint blue glow covers his body. The Fae magic in the stone flows through his body restoring his lost strength and power. Straightening himself up Raven massages his stiff shoulders as he speaks. "How long till the others wake up?"

"About three hours." She answers.

"Okay," he says. "I want you to get Holly and go to the Mansion. I'll meet you there when I'm finished." He tells her before looking down at the knocked out traitor at his feet. "Tell the others I'll be there soon."

She can see the murderous intent in his eyes and it scares her. "Don't take too long," she warns him. "The others will be worried." She gives him a peck on the cheek before he Teleports her to her destination.

Once alone he kneels down next to Snape and speaks into his former teacher's ear. "You made one fatal mistake when you betrayed Dumbledore." Raven places a hand on the body as his continues. "You should have killed me first."

The body is consumed by black flames as Snape wakes up screaming in pain. Raven stands back as the traitor runs out the cell door screaming for help. Everything Snape touches is soon engulfed in the same black flame and all attempts to put the fire out results in the flames spreading even faster.

"Roast in Hell asshole," Raven says as the entire Fortress is soon consumed by the black fire. The dying screams of several Death Eaters along with the pops of the Disapperating survivors fills his ears as Raven Teleports to his first destination of the evening.