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<<Chapter Two
Chapter Four>>
Author Notes: Well, once again, thanks for the reviews. Things start getting interesting in this chapter, and I�ll try to get the next one up fast since I know that this one ends on a itty, bitty, little cliffhanger. <ducks head as readers throw tomatoes and other squishy items at author because of understatement> Um, sorry. The next part will be up in a couple of days. I am hurrying, I promise! Please leave a review and tell me what you think of the story so far. If you have suggestions, let me know. I do have to admit that I have most of the main plot already outlined, but minor details are still up in the air and I have no problem with changing my outline if I get a better idea or something. Thank you to everyone who left me fics to check out. I haven�t had time to get to all of them (been too busy writing this!), but I�m looking forward to reading your recommendations Anyway, enough blabbing, on to chapter 3. DISCLAIMER IN CHAPTER 1.
CHAPTER 3 Nightmare Sirius snapped awake with a start, causing a jolt of pain to radiate through his cramped muscles. Remus, sitting opposite him, grimaced in sympathy as Sirius rubbed his neck ruefully. "I imagine you wish you�d gone to bed like I told you when I came in to relieve you, Padfoot. I wasn�t aware that human anatomy could bend in that direction." "Yeah, well, must be the dog in me." Suddenly remembering the reason why he had opted to sleep in a chair, Sirius frantically scanned the room. "Where�?" He relaxed as he noticed Harry in the corner, seemingly unmoved from the night before. "Calm down, he woke up about an hour ago. I think, anyway. I hardly even noticed, just happened to look up and see that his eyes were open. He hasn�t moved. I was about to try to talk to him, but I didn�t want to wake you up." Remus rose from his chair and walked closer to Harry who was staring at the white ceiling. It was rather disconcerting to see, as it looked as if he was looking at a spot or something, but nothing was there. The werewolf carefully knelt near Harry and spoke quietly. "Harry? Can you hear me?" Ignoring the lack of response, he continued. "I know you�re in there, Harry. Please try to communicate with us. We won�t leave you again, I swear it. Marauder�s Honor. Do you remember the Marauder�s Map? Your father�s nickname was Prongs, Harry. He was a stag animagus and�" Sirius had to leave the room as the emotions that he�d been trying to hold back suddenly came to the front. He knew that Remus was doing the right thing, that speaking to Harry of things he might remember was the best treatment for his malady, but it hurt to see Harry have to be told details that he should have known already. He cursed himself up and down. He should have trusted Harry more, he shouldn�t have been so easily convinced, even if all of the evidence had pointed to the guilty verdict. He, of all people, should have known better. A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his self-flagellation and he looked up to see Ron, complete with dark circles under his eyes, a tray balanced in one hand. It must be Harry�s breakfast. "Are you all right, Sirius?" Ron winced at the withering glance that Sirius sent his way. "No, of course you�re not. Umm, I�m here to take my turn, is it all right to just go on in?" Sirius nodded. "Yeah, but don�t expect much, Ron, Moony was trying to talk to him, but there was just nothing going on." Ron took a shaky breath, nodded, and pushed the door open. Sirius caught one last glance of his godson, still on the floor, before the door closed again. He slid down the wall to rest his head on his knees, thinking gloomy thoughts and imagining just what James would be doing to him if he was still alive. Skinning him alive was one possibility that immediately came to mind. Goring him to death with his antlers was another. Ron carefully put the tray on the bedside table, listening to Remus� rather one-sided dialogue with the motionless Harry. "�seeing Hogwarts again. I imagine you�ll get to go yourself in a couple of weeks, Harry. School�s almost out, and once all of the students go home for the holidays, we�ll take you to see the Great Hall and some of the other places that you might remember." Remus looked up and saw Ron, nodded his acknowledgment of the passing of shifts and turned his attention back to Harry. "Well, Harry, I think it�s time for your breakfast, and I�m going to go downstairs to get mine. Stand up, Harry." Once again, at the direct order, Harry obliged. Ron gasped, and Remus explained. "He�ll obey a order, but nothing else, so if you need him to do something, just tell him. We are trying to avoid making him do anything more than necessary, though." Ron nodded, and spoke as calmly as he could to the blank eyed man who stood silently in the corner as if awaiting instructions. "Harry, come over here and sit down." Harry complied, and Ron took the cover off of the tray and continued. "Eat the food, Harry." Harry numbly picked up a fork and did so. Remus ran a hand through his graying hair and sighed. "Well, good luck, Ron. Remember, keep it as upbeat as possible, and don�t let it get you down." He clapped Ron on the shoulder. "We�ll just keep going until we get somewhere." With those words, he exited the room, nearly stumbling on Sirius in the process. Feeling slightly better at Remus� encouraging words, Ron turned back to Harry who was methodically cleaning his plate. Sitting on the bed, the redhead watched him for a moment and then, working up his courage, ventured into the world of talking to an utterly unresponsive person. "So, Harry, guess what? The Cannon�s might actually have a chance this season. They�ve just signed a new seeker, not as good as you, but pretty good, and they just had a game against the Falcons earlier this week�" Ron was replaced by Hermione, who gave way to Molly, who was followed by the twins, who insisted on taking their shift together, mostly so that they could finish each other�s sentences. Harry was led around the house, outside, to the makeshift Quidditch pitch and anywhere else anyone could think to go. Charlie arrived at the Burrow and dutifully took his turn, eventually having to be evicted from the room by Sirius. Charlie had the tendency to get rather long-winded about his dragons, and he had been in the middle of reminiscing about the different characteristics of a Hungarian Horntail as compared to a Chinese Fireball when Sirius had finally lost patience with the topic. Nothing anyone did or said had any effect on the object of their attentions. Evening had fallen, and Harry was sitting quietly in a corner of the living room, as a somewhat stilted conversation was being held around him. Stilted because at least four people were always watching Harry, who was seemingly content to stare at the third brick in the fifth row from the top of the fireplace. The topic had just moved from the disturbing lack of progress in Harry�s situation to the game plan for tomorrow, when to everyone�s horror, a peculiar vibrating feeling passed through the room. Everyone knew instantly what had just happened. One of the wards had fallen. Perhaps it was unlucky that everyone�s gaze was taken away from Harry for a moment, or someone would have noticed a sudden tenseness that permeated his body at the sensation that the falling ward made. Had they been looking, they might have noticed that Harry suddenly didn�t look very blank anymore. Dangerous, maybe, but definitely not blank. However, by the time anyone thought to look at Harry again, the mask had been replaced and Harry had resumed his meaningless gaze at the brick. Around his motionless body, pandemonium erupted. Wands drawn, Sirius, Remus and Ron surrounded Harry and faced outward, ready for attack. The other Weasleys ran to various windows and doors to try to see what was going on outside. Suddenly there was a thump and everyone but Harry whirled to face the fireplace, where someone had just flooed in. Dumbledore stood before the grate, looking grave and dangerous. "It�s Voldemort." Those two words caused everyone�s heart to sink. How had the dark lord found them so quickly? Once again, Voldemort seemed to be two steps ahead of his opposition. Options were quickly discussed and discarded. The remaining wards were falling quickly, and the floo connection had been severed only seconds after Dumbledore had arrived. Aurors were supposedly on their way, but it was quite obvious that they would not get there in time, if they showed up at all. Apparation was out of the question, as Voldemort had no doubt erected his own anti-apparation wards around the house. Portkeys were present in almost every person�s pocket, but did not work. Voldemort was blocking the paths by some dark magic. In short, the occupants of the Burrow were trapped. Just then the door blew open with a bang, and the battle began. Dark, hooded figures spilled into the room and began shooting curses in every direction. Noticeably absent was the sound of the unforgivable curses. Voldemort obviously wanted the occupants of the house to be taken alive. Curses began flying from both sides, but one by one, those who fought for the light fell. They fought bravely and ably, but for every death eater that fell, it seemed as if two more took his place. Even Dumbledore himself, although fighting valiantly, took an immobilizing curse in the back as he tried to defend Harry�s corner from six death eaters. Finally, the sound of shouted curses and frantic yelling ceased. The floor was littered with bodies from both sides, with Harry the noticeable exception. He still stood silently in the corner, not moving or breaking his well-kept eye contact with the brick fireplace. Unsure of what to do with him, the death eaters waited for their lord. They did not have long to wait, as the door soon swung open again and Voldemort himself entered the Burrow. Surveying the wreckage of the Weasley�s living room with pleasure, Voldemort waved his wand, binding the unconscious and wounded defenders tightly. He then removed his own fallen, sending them away to be healed. More death eaters filled the room, surrounding the dark lord. Finally, Voldemort waved his wand again and woke the stupified members of the Order from their unnatural slumber. The snake eyed wizard only smiled at their struggles against his unbreakable bonds. There was no doubt that he had won this battle. With one sweep, Voldemort would be able to rid the world of many of his biggest stumbling blocks on the way to his intended world domination. Voldemort was having a good day. It was about to get better. The dark lord swept over to where Harry stood silently in the corner, eyes on the floor, shaggy hair mostly obscuring his face. Sirius struggled against his bonds, desperate to do something, anything to protect his godson, but was not able to gain any purchase against the rough ropes. The mass murderer looked his one time opponent up and down. "So, Harry, are you as insane as they think you are?" His mocking voice echoed through the room, sending shivers up and down the backs of those bound. Harry lifted his head, hair falling back to reveal eyes that resembled ice, they were that cold and hard. Life was in them once again, if you could call it that. To be honest, the light in them resembled death, instead. "Not at all." He paused slightly, and then finished, "My lord." Sirius managed to sum up the entire light side�s thoughts in one whispered expletive.
