Insanity

Here's the first chapter. Attempt to enjoy. ;) ~Spirit

Chapter One: Words And Capture

Weeks. Long, dreadful weeks it's been since Dumbledore gave Harry the task of destroying Lord Voldemort's horcruxes, and of course Ron and Hermione agreed to come along, which puts them in danger of the Death Eaters. The Golden Trio was a massive target towards the Death Eaters; Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived who planned to end the life of their leader, Ron is a blood-traitor towards his pure-blood status, and Hermione is a muggle-born or mudblood which was considered a disgrace to the Wizarding World.

It was getting close to dark, and Harry Potter was sitting outside the tent keeping watch with a fire ablaze in front of him. He could feel the heavy, cold chain of the horcrux around his neck. It gave him a cold emotion that coursed through every bit of his brain. He felt bitter, hopeless, and furious. The three cycle the horcrux around to deal with the horrible, never-ending feeling it gives off. Harry noticed that the horcrux affects Ron and Hermione differently than it does him. Ron is filled with anger, hatred and is explosive, so Harry and Hermione make sure he wears it for the shortest amount of time for obvious reasons. Hermione is the least affected by it. She becomes quiet, down, and simply isn't lively. Hermione insists she wears it the longest or when its previous wearer needs a brake because it doesn't effect her as much. But Harry wonders if it really affects her how she shows it, because Hermione is known for hiding her feelings. He decides not to argue with her for both of their sake. After many wasted weeks, they have yet to rid themselves of their metal burden. And that makes Harry even more furious. Just thinking about it makes him want to scream in frustration.

Harry picked up a stone and threw it into the fire, making the hot coals crackle. Moments later, Hermione peeked her head out of the tent before walking fully out. She shivered when she was hit with the cold air. She sat down beside Harry and scooted closer to him, searching for his warmth. Harry couldn't lie; he enjoyed Hermione close to him, he could swear she warmed the cold emotion out of him. They sat without any words for a while. Hermione turned towards him and backed away a bit so she could look at him. Harry internally groaned when her warmth was replaced with the familiar horcrux coldness. "Harry, go on in the tent and get some rest. Who knows the last time you've actually gotten any rest. Besides, it's my shift with the horcrux anyways."Hermione smiled.

"No, I'm fine" he said bitterly.

Hermione's smile disappeared. "Harry, I know you aren't fine. I can see it in your eyes. You need rest and it's just stressing you out more than you need to be."

"Even more reason to figure out how to destroy it." Harry glared at her. "So why don't you make yourself useful and search for the damn solution."

Her eyes widened in shock. "I'm doing the best I can."

"Well, your best isn't enough." he growled through his teeth.

"Harry, take it off. Please. Your eyes, Harry. Their empty. Lifeless-"

"Just like my mother's, huh?"

"No! Harry, please! I hate what it does to you-"

"Maybe, you don't know me then."

"Harry, this isn't you! You're acting like-"

"Who, Hermione?" he shouted. "Who am I acting like?"

"Harry, please take it off!" she cried.

"Voldemort? Am I acting like Voldemort, Hermione?!"

Hermione gasped. He actually said his name. Does he realize what danger they are all now in? "Harry!"

"Well if you haven't noticed already, there's a piece of Voldemort's soul around my bloody neck, you idiotic Mudblood!"

Hermione couldn't move. She been called a mudblood dozens of times by the Malfoys and the other Death Eaters, and she hasn't let it get to her since second year. But her best friend, the person she was supposed to trust, called her that vile name that still hurts her on the inside. She sat there staring blankly, until she felt tears in her eyes.

By now, Ron was awake and heard everything that needed to be heard. "Bloody hell, Harry! What was that for? And... you said his name." Ron's statement become a whisper near the end.

Harry, finally noticing what he just did, looked back at Hermione again, who was still staring blankly with damp eyes. "Hermione I-"

He was cut off by cracking sound of apparition, when five Snatchers appeared just a few feet in front of them. Harry instantly identified two of them to be Greyback, a horrid werewolf, and Scabbior, the lead snatcher.

Scabbior took a few steps towards Hermione. "'ello, beautiful."

Almost at the same time, the trio ran off in a sprint. "Well don't just stand there, snatch 'em" And with that, Scabbior and his gang sprinted after them.

Harry never ran so fast in his life. He couldn't think. His main and only focus was to run. He could see Hermione running and throwing curses behind her in the corner of his eye. He could also see Ron on his opposite side. Harry dare not to look back, he would lose momentum. Curses and stunning jinxes missed him by inches.

A snatcher shot a binding spell and it hit Ron square in the back. Ron fell to the down and started struggling, determined to break free. "Harry! Hermione! Run!" Ron yelled. The snatchers ran past Ron and left him in the dust. He only hopes that his best friends make it out.

It took Harry everything not to turn back to Ron. Ron will be fine. He'll be fine. We'll go back for him, Harry thought. In the distance, four more snatchers could be seen in the direction he and Hermione were running. Hermione bolted in front of him and shot a stinging jinx straight at his face. Harry fell down with the impact and could feel his face swelling. Hermione crouched down beside him and reached around his neck for the horcrux. "Sorry." she said quietly as she put on the necklace and stuffed it under her jumper. Moments later, the snatchers reached them, followed by Ron.

A snatcher pulled Hermione up from the ground, away from Harry.

"Don't touch her!" Ron bellowed as he made a move to get to her. He was rewarded with a punch in the stomach which caused him to fall to the ground.

"Leave him!" Hermione began to struggle. "Get off me!"

"Your boyfriend will get much worse than that if he doesn't learn to behave himself." Scabbior said.

Scabbior walked toward Harry as he struggled with the snatchers holding him. "What happened to you ugly?"

Greyback growled. "No, not you." Scabbior pointed. "What's your name?" He stated to Harry.

Harry said the first name that came to mind. "Dudley. Vernon Dudley."

"Check it." Scabbior made his way over to Hermione, who has not stopped struggling.

"And you...my lovely, what do they call you?" Scabbior said in a sick, soft voice.

"Penelope Clearwater. Half-Blood." Hermione said almost instantly. Scabbior got uncomfortably closer to her, just mere inches away from her face and caressed her cheek. On the inside, Hermione was terrified, but she kept a blank face. Whatever this man was thinking about doing, Hermione knew it wouldn't be good. Harry and Ron cringed. It was killing them to see someone acting so sick to Hermione, but they dare to say something to make the situation worse.

"There's no 'Vernon Dudley' on 'ere." A snatcher called.

He turned away from Hermione, who began to panic even more. "You hear that, ugly? They say you're lying. How come you don't want us to know who you are?"

"It's wrong. I told you who I am."

Scabbior looked closer at Harry. "Change of plans, we're not taking this lot to the Ministry."

And with that, Harry felt the familiar feeling of disapparition.

This is my first shot at writing anything, really. What do you think? Let me know if you have any suggestions or what are your thoughts on the first chapter.