HARRY POTTER AND THE STONE OF DUMBLEDORE’S MANOR

CHAPTER NINE

Cruel Intentions and A rescue of a lifetime

Harry awoke in a fog. The first thing he felt was cold stone on his hands, as he was laying on his stomach in a dark, deep pit. He sat on his feet and looked around, his eyes still unfocused. He felt around in what felt like hay for his glasses, which were not on his face. He jabbed the hay, and realized it was hair.

“Hermione!” Harry whispered, desperate to have his eyes focus without his glasses. She did not move. He felt around some more, and found his glasses, cracked lens and all, in the corner of the room near a small lamp on the wall. He hurriedly put them on and ran to Hermione, who lay motionless on the floor.

“Hermione! Wake up, please!” He begged her. She still did not respond. A voice rang out from the ceiling.

“She won’t wake up, Potter. She was given a sleeping draught.” Harry looked closer at the face in the hole in the ceiling. To his horror, he realized it was Severus Snape.

“What have you done to her?” Harry asked angrily, his voice raised. Snape smiled evilly.

“I told you, Potter. Sleeping draught, If you dare move one muscle toward me, I will take the girl and administer draught of death. And no use looking for either wand, I have them both.” He said, looking at Harry digging in his jeans pocket.

“What do you want with us?” Harry demanded, still a firm grip on Hermione.

“A place, Potter. You are a vile child, and vile children who disobey the dark lord, shall be vindicated of his disobedience! Your accommodations here are almost fulfilled.” He sneered. Snape slammed the door and Harry heard the lock whirl. He grabbed Hermione and pulled her onto his lap. He rested her head on his arm and leaned against the cool stone of the prison they came to inhabit.
They were that way for what seemed like hours. Hermione never moved, and Harry never let her head hit the stone floor. After a time, Snape opened the door again. This time, it was not for pleasantries. He was not alone as he descended into the pit. Harry held firmly onto Hermione as they approached. Harry looked up into the eyes, of not Snape, but Malfoy.

“So, Potter, you thought you could escape me that easily, and a bonus, how lovely.” Malfoy sneered as his eyes fell to Hermione. Harry held her more firmly still.

“Lay her on the floor and come here.” Malfoy said nastily. “NOW!” He roared when Harry hesitated. Harry laid Hermione gently on the stone pit floor. He got up and walked to Malfoy.

“What are you doing?” Harry said, watching as Malfoy took out a piece of parchment. Malfoy took the parchment and handed it to Harry.

“This, Potter, is why you are here. Why you are being held in this dungeon. We didn’t expect the girl of course.” Malfoy said. Harry looked at the parchment and his throat caught. They had tailed him by his invisibility cloak and anyone who caught him was to get supremacy in Voldemort’s regime after the death of Harry.

“You see, you cannot outsmart the Dark Lord. Did you know we were following you? Did you not see the complication of your travels?” Malfoy said tsk-tsking Harry’s stupidity.

“My cloak? How could you trace me by my cloak? You would need to have touched it.” Harry said his mind a whirling mess.

“You are stupid, boy. We did reside at the place of your friend, did we not? You think I spent all my time in my room? Silly boy, No. While you and your…blood traitors were watching my son so closely, I put a tracing charm on the cloak that you had left out.” Malfoy smiled. He walked around and stopped in front of Hermione.

“GET AWAY FROM HER!!” Harry roared, his voice echoing around. Malfoy turned and looked at Harry.

“Oh my…..I think Potter here has a girlfriend. Don’t worry, she isn’t what we want. We will deal with her. Severus, bring him upstairs. Leave her here. She won’t be waking up anytime soon.” He said, heading for the trap door in the ceiling. Snape grabbed Harry by the arm and roughly lead him up into the door after.


MEANWHILE AT DUMBLEDORE MANOR


“Ron, have you seen Hermione and Harry?” Mrs. Weasley asked. Ron shook his head and turned away from her.

They are probably upstairs snogging. He thought bitterly. He hadn’t seen Hermione since he saw her talking to Tonks. And Harry, he hadn’t seen him since Ginny was buried. Ron wondered if he should check on Hermione. After all, he didn’t really mean to be that angry with her. He trotted upstairs and to Hermione’s bedroom door. He knocked. When no answer came, he opened it. What he saw made his stomach do a flip.
Her things were still hanging and her trunk still on the floor, but beside her bed, there were her Hogwarts books. Ron knew Hermione would never go anywhere without them. He had hope that she was still here, perhaps in one of the spare rooms. Ron left the room and started opening doors in the spare rooms. He had searched 3 floors before he realized she was nowhere in the manor, and neither was Harry. They had left without him.
Ron ran into his room and gathered his wand from the bed. He knew where Harry had taken Hermione to, Hogwarts. How could he endanger her like this? Ron thought. He felt a pang of guilt as he rushed from the room. He hadn’t the slightest idea how he was going to get there, only that he needed to rescue the girl whom he had loved forever. The one he would die for. He silently (without his mum noticing), made his way to the front door. Wand in hand, he stepped into the cold wind that had swept in. He was going to save his girl from danger and from Harry.

Ron set out in a brisk pace. He could see Hermione dead so vividly in his head, that he had to shake it several times. He started down the path that Hermione and Harry had taken earlier, only he kept on the street, and did not venture into the tall trees as they had. After some time of walking, Ron came to a path that led into a deep embankment. He did not know why he felt a sudden urge to follow, but he did. He set down the path and down the steep embankment.
When Ron came down to the bottom he immediately noticed a small, one-windowed cottage nestled in the trees that enveloped the embankment. Slowly, Ron made his way to the cottage that was not well lit. He turned right and went around the side, where the window was. A light inside caught his eye. He looked closer inside, and was horrified.

“I won’t ask you again!” Malfoy yelled, striking Harry for the third time. “Where is the stone? We went through your things, and it was not among them!”

“I’m telling you! I put it in the trunk!” Harry yelled his nose bloody. Snape sneered. “I’m not lying!” Harry yelled, when Snape hit him in the face.

Ron backed away from the window in horror. He knew Hermione had to be in there also. He went around the back of the cottage (he could still hear Harry being hit). Along the edge of the grass, Ron caught site of a small window. There on the stone floor, laid his one reason for leaving the manor.

“Hermione!” He mumbled softly. He took out his wand and tapped the glass. Unable to remember the spell, he silently cursed himself for not paying more attention in class. He rapped the glass again, this time he caused a crack to develop. He took the tip of his wand and played at the crack in desperation. He got the crack to bust, and in silence, the glass hit the grass. Ron looked at the hole in disappointment. It was too small for him to fit through. He backed away when he saw the ceiling door slam open.

“Get in there you stupid boy! I will personally deal with you later!” Malfoy yelled, throwing Harry down into the pit. He slammed the door shut as Harry thudded to the stone floor. Harry grunted in pain, but made his way over to a motionless Hermione.
Ron tapped on the window lightly. Harry gazed up at the sound and his eyes widened in shock. Ron lowered his voice as Harry stood up slowly and straggled his way to the window.

“Ron? What are you doing here?” Harry asked.

“Is Hermione ok?” Ron said, looking down at her lifeless form. He turned back to Harry.

“Sleeping draught. She has been this way since they caught us. Do you think you can get us out of here? Malfoy and Snape took my wand.” Harry said, his face inches from the glass.

Ron thought. Then he slid his wand into the crack he just created. Harry grabbed the wand just as it was about to hit the floor. Harry looked at Ron again.

“I need you to stand back. I am going to blast this window open.” Harry said, pointing the wand at the window.

“Harry! They will hear that!” Ron said, looking alarmed.

“Get away! I know what I am doing!” Harry said. After Ron moved hesitantly, Harry pointed at the glass.

“Muffliato!” Orange sparks flew in a bubble around the window. Harry smiled weakly. He again aimed at the glass, but stopped. He lowered the wand and ran to Hermione. Lifting her like a groom to his bride, he moved her away from the window. He again aimed the wand at the window.

“Reducto!” Harry said. The window blew apart, but no sound could be heard. Debris went flying into the pit, and Ron was already sliding inside the room He ran to Hermione and turned her to face him. She was deathly pale.

“Harry, we need to get her out of here!” Ron said, touching his hand to her cheek.

“Ok. Stay here.” He told Ron. He made his way to the door in the ceiling. He could hear voices echoing from the cracks in the wooden door.

“You said he had the stone! You are an imbecile! And you call yourself a death eater!” Snape was saying to Malfoy, who was holding fire whiskey in a goblet.

“This from a man who clearly had many chances to do away with the boy who escaped the lord?” Malfoy sneered.

Harry saw two wands lying on the small wooden table behind them. He knew he had this one and only chance to escape. He crept back down and stood a few feet from the door. Pointing Ron’s wand at it, he again used the reducto spell. He ran up and out of the newly blasted open door. He caught them both just as they went for their wands.

“Don’t go near the fucking wands or I will kill you!” Harry said, slowly making his way around to the table. He picked the wands up and shoved them into his jeans pocket.

“But you won’t, Harry. You can’t kill anyone. You tried. Bellatrix is still around.” Malfoy sneered. A sudden movement had Harry ducking. Snape had pulled out a wand from inside his robes, and had planted a curse toward him. Blue sparks hit the couch in which Harry ducked behind and set it to fire.

Harry peeked around the engulfed couch and aimed at Snape.

“Inbedlio!” Harry screamed, sending Snape flying back, where he lodged into the drywall of the small cottage. Harry got to his feet, but Snape had managed to free himself, and had a wand pointed right at Harry’s chest.

“Reducto!” Snape yelled. Harry jumped aside as the spell ricocheted off the wall and hit Malfoy squarely in the chest. With a grunt, he was knocked clear back into the blackened fireplace behind him. Without warning, Harry shot his wand at Malfoy and screamed a curse he never thought he would ever use.

“AVADA KEDAVRA!” Harry yelled, green sparks hit the fireplace. Malfoy opened his eyes wide, looked at Harry, and floated up and out of the chimney. Malfoy would never be seen again. Snape stared in horror. He pointed his wand once more. Harry pointed his wand to the ceiling and yelled, “Defodio!” The gouging charm ripped a hole in the ceiling, as the debris landed with a heavy thud on the man who Harry hated the most.

Harry hurriedly ran back down to where Hermione and Ron were. Harry grabbed Hermione and Ron by the hands, and closed his eyes. As darkness came, he could hear Snape above roar in anger. He floated on, feeling Hermione’s limp hand and Ron’ Sweaty one. Harry landed with a thud. Opening his eyes, he saw Ron and Hermione beside him. When he went to check on Hermione, he noticed blood coming from her head. Ron looked at him, a scared look upon his face. Harry grabbed his wand and turned her on her side.

“Episkey.” He said, pointing at the wound on the back of her head. Ron looked at Harry in anger.

“What the hell were you thinking dragging her along?” He said, standing up.

“Ron, please. We need to get her awake. Can you help me?” Harry asked, the concern on his face making Ron nod.

“Go find some help. Look down the road or something.” He said, rolling her back onto her back.

Ron went down the road where he came to a sign.

Ted and Andromeda Tonks

Wipe your feet,
Flick your wand,
Knock only once,
For more, and your arm will be gone.

Ron looked at the door and was hesitant. The knocker was a big ogre head with big teeth. Ron knocked and was greeted by the sister of Tonks. Ron told the story in two minutes and Ted had raced to Harry and Hermione. He came back carrying Hermione in his arms. He led them inside the neat house and laid Hermione on the bed in the guest room. He spoke to the other two, as he did that.

“I’m sorry. She will be fine in an hour or two, the draught is wearing off. This is the only room in the house, so I’m afraid you will need to all share.” He said, looking disappointed.

Harry and Ron looked at Hermione lying there and they simply smiled. They turned to Ted, and managed a “Yes.” They didn’t know how much of a Yes it would turn out to be……