Disclaimer: Don't own harry Potter but I do my own LOKI action figure EHEHEHHEHE!
Chapter 28: Captor
Belatedly, I realized that the squeaking stopped. And from not far in front of me I could hear footsteps and a doorknob twisting.
My eyes wide, I backed up as far as I could hoping that if I was going to die I'd at least get one good shot at my captor.
And then the door opened.
My body was tense as the door opened slowly, my eyes had grown semi use to the dark and with major relief I recognized the vague shape of Scorpius.
"A-Al?" Scorpius's shadow croaked quietly.
My entire body tingled with relief, "Scorpius, I'm right here."
I heard the quiet sigh of relief as he moved into the tiny room bumping into my leg as he maneuvered himself into position next to me, "Are you alright, Albus? That guy who knocked you out was huge."
"I'm fine, my hands though are tied together, but do you have any idea where we are? What the hell happened?"
Scorpius came closer; I could feel his breath on my ear as he fiddled with the ropes that bound my hands together. He spoke quickly in a muted tone as he worked, "Right after you left the park I sat back in the swing, when from behind me some wizard c-crucioed me." I felt Scorpius wince as he spoke about the cruciatus curse, "Merlin, Al, it was so painful like thousands of needles being stabbed into your body. I fell off the swing and screamed. That's when I guess you heard me and came back, thanks by the way, it was a trap. That was obvious. He was so excited when you came back and the lug who conked you on the head, with a cricket- or was it cracket- bat of all things. A couple of seconds after you were out though he stunned me, I woke up about an hour ago, there's a candle in the other room, its bigger than here, this place is a mere cupboard. Yes!"
My hands came apart and I sighed in relief as I rubbed my wrists gingerly. I went to stand but as soon as I tried I bonked my head on Scorpius's. In unison we cried, "Bloody hell!"
"Watch what you're doing, Al." he muttered rubbing at his head.
"Look who's talking."
Scorpius let out an annoyed sigh and carefully grabbed my upper arm, pulling me up with no further head injuries. "Thanks.'
Scorpius gave a grunt and began pulling me to the door, but I stopped him before he could reopen it. "What if this is a trap? What if they waited until you were out of the room to sneak back in so they could attack when we inevitably went into the bigger room?'
The silence from my friend was answer enough; I could feel the sarcasm rolling off of him. And he didn't even speak a word. Which I would like to admit takes talent.
"Al," he spoke carefully obviously not trying to snap, "Either way we're pretty screwed no matter what. So let's find that Potter bravery of yours and walk through the blasted door."
"Well, fine. Don't need to be so snappy." I muttered.
A low growl erupted from my friend's throat and he gave me a rather rude shove into the closed door. I decided despite my annoyance with being manhandled I'd just go with it. I mean if your friends began to growl like some sort of feral animal you'd get away as fast you could, no?
With a bit of a shaky hand I opened the door, I poked my head out to see what was out there but once again it was pretty much dark, so I cautiously stepped out.
I let out a breath and began to walk more confidently as I moved in the narrow hallway. The walls were all stone, from what I could underneath my fingertips, the floor though was made of wood. The squeaking I had heard from before was from the creaky old floor boards that made that head pounding noise every time we took a step.
"How'd you get to m-Ahhh!" I let out a loud yelp as my already sore head connected with the stairs. I had been walking and not noticed the stairway that had come in to view causing a rather embarrassing and painful stumble on the bottom stair.
"Well, I came down the stairs." He laughed at my pain and pushed past me to begin the trek up the stairway, "be careful it's pretty steep, you don't want to fall…Again.'
"Oh, shut up!" I mumbled rubbing my forehead. I had few doubts that I'd be blacken blue by time tomorrow came.
That was the last we spoke for a awhile, the stairs were dangerous while in the dark, one wrong move and you'd never make it home.
That's something I really wish was true. Home. Right now I'm not sure I'd every see it again. Whoever had taken us did it with malicious intent because who the heck would knock a kid out with a cricket bat? Seriously, why would a wizard have a cricket bat? Unless, it wasn't a wizard.
No, no it had to be. Scorpius said he was hit with an unforgivable. Maybe a wizard and a muggle working together? That's possible but unlikely. Wizards are rather wary of muggles and in turn muggles who know about magic are wary of the wizards.
Wait didn't I see that leader guy from the veil room? Yeah I did he was standing over Scorpius.
I clenched my fists, that man tortured my best friend to just get my attention? How sick was that?
"Al, I can see a bit of light up ahead. The door is coming up, don't trip into me and fall back down on your head."
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men tried to put Humpty back together again.
Wasn't that the old nursery rhyme his sister use recite all the time? Something similar to that I believe.
Scorpius scrambled for a moment as he blindly reached for the door knob. Moments later the door opened and dimly lit room shown from beyond the threshold.
I blinked away from the light. I had been in the dark for awhile but not long enough that the light hurt me but it was still a slight shock.
I followed my friend into the room and glanced around. It looked like an attic, with its odd low curving ceiling, wooden floor and dozens of boxes scattered about. Three Crates sat in a corner of the room, on the one in the middle sat the gas lit lamp. I felt as if I stepped back in time or into a grandmother's attic.
I took my eyes away from my surroundings and looked at Scorpius.
I gasped in horror.
His pale face seemed grey and had dark black and blue circles under his eyes. His nose was crooked, dried blood crusted underneath from where I threw a punch at him.
"Merlin, Scorpius, you look awful."
"Thank you." He responded dryly.
"You look tired." I offered quietly after a few minutes of awkward silence. I really hadn't thought about the argument until I looked at him. But now that I had it all came back to me clearly. I wasn't really and now but I still felt bad. It was my fault we got into this mess after all.
"Albus," My head snapped up and gazed at the messy haired boy next to me, "I'm really sorry. I was a prat earlier. All that seems stupid now. You forgive me?"
"Only if you forgive me?"
"What?" he asked incredulously.
"I overreacted".
"But you were right, I was wrong."
"No," I sighed, "you were right about a lot of things you said."
"Oh, well I guess its ok then."
I grinned a rather fake looking smile that came out to be more of a grimace; Scorpius seemed oblivious, "Excellent! Now how to escape?"
"Tut-Tut, I don't believe either of you will be doing that for awhile." A smooth voice interrupted.
Scorpius and I both jumped up and searched for the person but couldn't see anyone.
"Show yourself!' I yelled.
"Now, Now Mr. Potter no need to be rude. We'll see each other in due time but for now you are simply a pawn in a much larger game. Hopefully I will not be forced to take you, and I sincerely hope your father doesn't take the road his mentor took for him."
I clenched my jaw, "What does that mean?"
I asked but I think I already understood.
"Why Mr. Potter, I believe sacrifice is the right word, is it not?"
"He did what he had to do. Dumbledore was a good man. My Father is an even greater one."
The disembodied voice chuckled, "Indeed, all great men must fight for the greater good, do they not?"
I paled at his choice of words. It was not the first time someone said something bad about Dumbledore and his questionable past. Contrary to belief many people did not like the old man because of all the dung Rita Skeeter put in her stupid books. But of course the public heard a juicy story and the man wasn't here to even defend himself so they just took to it like flies to three day old Thai food that's been left out on the counter. My father did as much as he could to retract many of the lies that Rita put in her books but still today many resentments still resided in people's minds when it came to Dumbledore.
I personally always took some sort of offense when they spoke about Dumbledore badly. I was named after him, my father worshipped the ground Dumbledore walked on until the day he died and even after all his delusions were broken about the old wizard he still respected him and cared fro him enough to name me after him.
Quietly I answered, "Sometimes people have to make decisions that affect more than just themselves. They need to think about others too." Silently to myself I thought, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. I knew Star Trek would come and bite me in the ass.
It was quiet, I felt as if I surprised him but he recovered so quickly I couldn't tell, "It makes little difference, we will speak again. Do not attempt to leave. I wouldn't want to have to go after that lovely sister of yours."
"Don't you touch her!" Scorpius shouted as I felt my stomach drop to the floor, would he really hurt Lily?
Yes. Yes he would.
"Aw, does the young Malfoy love a Potter?" The voice cackled, "How…endearing."
The voice was gone.
I slid to the floor my head on my knees, hoping my dad would save us soon.
Authors Note: Hey one and all you are not being Loki'd it's really me. I've been lazy, and lots of tests and did I mention lazy? The reason this is up is due to Vitzy, seriously all her. I may have typed but she and Master Dobby were demanding I write. And I did! So I need reviews to encourage me to write something other than crappy drabbles which I think you all should go read and review. Really. REVIEWS ARE LOVE. I'll give you lots of cyber candy but don't eat it you aren't supposed to take candy from strangers.