Harry's whole body went numb. His blood turned to ice in his veins

'Would you mind saying that again please, Hermione?' Harry said in a deathly quiet voice. Maybe this was just a big joke, a completely cruel one, but there's still a chance...

'Ginny's gone Harry, they took her.' Hermione said again, still shaking uncontrollably. Beside her Ron's eyes had lost all focus, and the twins no longer had their mischievous grins. Instead they sported haunted looks, rather like Sirius when thinking of Azkaban. Harry became fairly confident that this was certainly no joke.

'J-j-just take me through what happened!' Harry stuttered, his need to understand what exactly had happened to her becoming overpowering.

'I don't know exactly.' Hermione's small voice came out.

'YOU DON'T KNOW? HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY NOT KNOW?' He started yelling.

'Calm down! Calm down! Look the train suddenly stopped, just like in Third year, remember?' With a very small nod from Harry she continued. 'Well we didn't know what was going on, but then Malfoy came in boasting about how Harry was going to die, and then got really annoyed because you weren't there. Naturally we didn't think much of it because, well, it's Malfoy - it's what he does. So Ron managed to throw him out but when the compartment door opened we heard loads of screams. Death Eaters were everywhere! They were putting imperio on loads of first years and making them beat each other up. It was horrible.' Hermione sniffed, her voice starting to get more steady as she went on. 'When they realised you weren't on the train they were furious, and Neville overheard one of them saying that if they couldn't have you, then they would have to hurt you in the worst way possible - through someone else. And well...Harry everyone knows how close you are to Ginny, we knew she was the obvious choice. We tried to protect her, Harry, we really did! There were just so many of them and they were all so strong!' Hermione's voice was now getting shriller by the second. 'They knocked us all unconscious and when we woke up we were here, and Ginny was gone. I'm so sorry Harry.'

Harry was shaking by the time she had finished. 'No, Hermione, it wasn't your fault, it was mine. I should have gone on the train and then she wouldn't have been taken. I shouldn't have ridden with Sirius'.

As if on cue, a very pale Sirius came up behind him. 'Never say that Harry! If you had gone on that train you could well be dead by now! I'm really sorry about Ginny though, are you alright?'

None of the Weasley's even reacted - they were still in some kind of trance.

'We'll get her back, I promise you,' Sirius started 'I've just had a word with Dumbledore and he's got the whole Order looking for her.'

Hope suddenly filled Ron and the rest of the Weasley's eyes at these words, but they still could not bring themselves to say anything. The memories of Ginny's first year at Hogwarts was still too prominent in their heads.

'That's not good enough,' Harry said quietly. Calm had filled his body. He knew he had to get her back, and now he knew exactly how to do it. 'The Order won't find her Sirius, you know that, not if Voldemort doesn't want her to be found.' Looking at Sirius' confused gaze, Harry started walking towards the Great Hall doors, determination and fury etched into every line of this body. Comprehension suddenly dawned on Hermione and Sirius as they rushed after him.

Harry headed straight through the hallway and towards the entrance. 'She's not dead, she's not dead,' Harry chanted to himself as he walked, the only thing stopping him from breaking down. He stalked through the entrance doors out into the grounds. Most of the students now following him as they realised what he might do. He could hear Sirius shouting at him to stop and felt his hand grab Harry's arm, but he shook it off angrily.

'TOM! TOM! I'M HERE ALL RIGHT - YOU WIN! COME AND GET ME!' Harry screamed at the top of his lungs. The entire school was running behind him, desperate to see what was going to happen. 'TOM!' He yelled again, desperation creeping into his voice.

'Why, Harry, did you call for me?' came a very cold and dangerous voice to his right. Harry whirled around and there stood Lord Voldemort, dressed in complete black robes with his blood red eyes gleaming out from inside his hood. About fifteen Death Eaters surrounding him. With a wave of his wand he conjured a barrier between Harry and the rest of the school, including Dumbledore who had just managed to push himself to the front accompanied by most of the staff.

'I'm offering you a trade; me for Ginny.' Harry stated, his voice steady, not reflecting the terror inside him.

'NO, HARRY, DON'T DO IT.' He could hear Sirius screaming. Through the corner of his eye he could see Hermione sobbing, while Ron looked utterly desolate, not sure to be hopeful for the return of his sister or distraught by the sacrifice of his brother in all but blood. Dumbledore could be seen chanting with his hands on the magical barrier, working furiously to bring it down.

Voldemort stared at him for a couple of minutes before slowly opening his mouth...Harry closed his eyes waiting for the two magical words, 'Avada Kedavra' with which his soul would be stripped from his body. The words Voldemort said were quite different, however no less chilling.

'Bring the girl.' Relief flooded through Harry and he thought he might faint from it - he would see Ginny again! She would be alright! He noticed a Death Eater nod his head slightly, and walk to the perimeter before apparating away.

Silence ensued as everyone waited for Ginny...not knowing whether she was alive or dead.

'Very brave of you dear Harry. You must like her a lot, giving yourself up to me. I promise you'll have a good time!' Voldemort grinned maniacally before throwing his head back and laughing.

The seconds ticked by until there was a loud CRACK and the Death Eater reappeared with his dear Ginny in a death grip. She had tears all down her face and her right arm looked broken, but other than that she looked relatively unharmed.

'Now, Harry, no-one need get hurt if you surrender yourself to me now. I promise I'll make your death quick. Just grab my hand and I'll take you home,' Voldemort said very silkily, the word 'home' sounding so out of place and disturbing, before lifting his stark white hand up into the light and holding it out for Harry.

Harry looked once more at Sirius, screaming through the barrier. Then he looked at Ginny's eyes, widened with fear, while she shook her head at him pleading him not to do it. What choice did he have? Taking a deep breath, Harry closed his eyes, turned his head away and grasped Lord Voldemort's outstretched hand firmly in his.

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Author Note: I am SOO sorry! I know it's been what 6 months since my last update?