Remus was frantic, he could not find Harry anywhere since the alarms went off alerting the school a student had been forcibly removed from the castle or castle grounds. (If a student was removed from the school forcibly the school would alert the headmaster (or headmistress) via an alarm. It only worked if the student was not possessed, they had to be physically taken and that is exactly what had happened). Remus saw Sirius carrying a student at nearly a run to the infirmary and Remus saw the tow head of Draco Malfoy. He followed Sirius into the hospital wing and refused to leave, Poppy grumbled and was about to throw them out when the doors opened and Severus came storming in. He saw Draco and went very pale and took out his wand scanning Draco. There was a look of murder on his face and Sirius understood, this was his godson and Severus would want to kill whoever did this to him.
"He will be fine Severus, he has a fractured arm, two cracked ribs and a concussion but he will live." Poppy said, "I am afraid he will need a new wand."
"That is suppose to make me feel better?" Severus snarled getting Poppy to look at him with concern not anger. "If he dies I will find whoever did this and tie them to a tree by their entrails!"
"He will not, not for a good long time." Poppy said as she set the young man's arm and Severus changed his school robes for hospital pajamas Draco woke as Severus was getting him to take his potions, Draco made a face and tried to turn away.
"Hush little one, this will make you better." Severus said softly to Draco.
"Godfather, I tried to stop him, I did but he took Potter." Draco said, "I am sorry I did not want him hurt."
"I know Draco, you did good." Sirius said sitting by his cousin, "can you tell us a bit about who took Harry?"
"Tall, clad in black robes, death eater mask." Draco said.
"You took on a death eater and lived? Many do not get away so lucky." Remus said and Severus turn on him anger on his face, "look he is alive, and here now we just need to find Harry."
"The dark lord has him." Severus said, "he will kill him!"
"Any idea where he would take him?" Sirius asked.
"No, normally the ritual to bring him back to full strength would be done at his father's home, but as Remus fixed that problem he cannot."
"He has his portkey, let's hope he gets a chance to use it." Remus said.
All Severus could do was nod turning back to his godson tucking him in and watching him as he fell asleep. Sirius turned to Padfoot and curled up by Draco and Draco curled around the large dog gaining comfort from the shaggy beast. Severus allowed it as Sirius did mean well by this child who had fought bravely. Now they just had to find Harry and get him back safe, he hoped Harry would be in a condition to get back safely. One thing was on his mind, who had betrayed them to allow Harry to be captured? The answer to that would haunt a whole family before the night was out.
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Harry woke slowly and realized two things, one his head really hurt and two he was bound and gagged. He remembered meeting Penny just after he had finished his last OWL exam and walking with her. She was dating Percy and was really a lot of fun and a great match for him. Harry had seen the large form of a death eater come from the woods and realized two things before he was forced to defend himself. One was that Penny had port keyed away and two Draco had joined the battle of the very large death eater before them. Harry had seen Draco fall before he was finally brought down and stunned. He opened his eyes and found himself bound to a stone pillar in what looked like a dark and evil cave.
He had a front row seat to a very evil and horrible ritual and he realized what had woke him, Wormtail stood before him and had woke him with his wand. Oh joy he wanted a bit of fun and Harry was not going to beg or cry out with pain no matter how he was hurt. With that resolve he glared at Wormtail as he cut his arm and took blood from him. The cut was very deep and Harry had to call on his magic to slow the bleeding and finally stop it. He was already weak and did not need to lose magic to a stupid cut. He forced himself to focus and realized that Bellatrix was performing the ceremony and he knew what it was having read one of the many horrible ways Riddle could come back. Sirius had not been happy to see him reading that certain book but had been impressed at why Harry had read it.
Harry had no choice but to watch Riddle rise from the cauldron and Harry realized how ugly this man really was. He was very thin, chalk white and had a hairless snake-like head with red slits for eyes. Bellatrix helped him with his robes and cap and Harry was forced to watch as Riddle called back his followers. He motioned the tall form of the death eater who had captured him walk up and remove the gag from Harry. Harry just glared at Riddle refusing to show fear, only hatred and disgust. He heard the pops of Apparation and saw more black robed masked figures come to the area. It was then Harry had to listen to the whole "woe is me" speech by Riddle and he snorted at the end before he could stop himself getting Riddle to turn on him.
"You dare mock me?" Voldemort hissed.
"Well since I am dead anyway yea I am." Harry said trying to shrug, "it's a Gryffindor thing, laugh in the face of death. I have to set a good example for my house."
"You were very nearly Slytherin." Voldemort taunted him, "yes and now you hold no power over me, I can touch you."
"You know Riddle I think you are a pedophile." Harry said.
He would have continued to speak but Voldemort had come up and touched his scar. Harry glared at Voldemort deep into those horrible red eyes channeling all his hatred of the man into the front of his mind. He was having a hard time focusing as the pain really was reaching unbearable levels. Finally Voldemort stepped back panting a bit and he slapped Harry getting Harry to swear at him in Parseltongue getting Voldemort to step back in shock.
"You do belong in Slytherin!" Voldemort said, "you denied yourself..."
"Nothing, look there is really nothing wrong with Slytherin but well I don't like dark damp dungeons and Gryffindor has the most fun parties. I would invite you but you really are too ugly."
"How dare you Crucio!" Voldemort snarled.
Pain lashed through Harry and it was nearly as bad as when Voldemort had come back last year to a physical form. Yet Harry knew most of the pain from the curse was mental with roughly half physical. He did not scream nor did he thrash about he stood his ground (not hard to do in the bonds) and when Riddle took off the curse he stared at Harry. This was not how it was suppose to go, Harry should be begging pleading for mercy by now. Yet he was still standing and refusing to give in, how dare this brat defy him. No matter he would end this, as soon as he broke Harry.
"We have a new member to introduce, I think Harry here will recognize her." Voldemort said. "Come forth my dear child."
"My Lord thank you for this honor." Penelope "Penny" Clearwater said bowing low.
"Yes now you know how I was able to get you, that pathetic fool..."
"Least he is not a pedophile." Harry said hiding his horror at what was going on.
"Bring the prisoner, my dear you have shown loyalty, now to become one of us you will have the honor to kill this worthless servant."
MacNair brought forward a wizard and Harry stared. It was Karkaroff, he had thought the man in prison, but here he was now bruised bloody and barely able to walk. He was naked and Harry could see the lines of abuse from the lash and he saw to his horror Karkaroff was missing his left arm and no longer had eyes to see with. He watched as Penny walked up, forced Karkaroff's head back and slit his throat. She dropped the body to the ground and turned to her new master kneeling and taking the mark. Voldemort turned back to Harry and was surprised to see the look of rage on the teen's face, well no matter soon he would join his useless parents. He unbound Harry and Harry realized this was his one chance and he had to take it. He would not make it in a duel with Voldemort and so as his wand was shoved at him he did the smart thing, before Voldemort could issue a challenge to a duel he gave the password to his portkey and took one last look at Voldemort before he was whisked to safety.
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Padfoot woke up as soon as he heard someone land on the floor of the hospital wing. He got up and turned human lighting the lamps to see his battered bleeding but very much alive godson kneeling on the floor getting violently sick. He cleaned up the mess as soon as Harry was done and Harry looked up at him white as a ghost. He was a mess, his scar was bright red, he had a bruise across his cheek and his arm was bleeding, yet he was alive. Sirius helped him up to a bed and changed his robes to hospital pajamas just as Poppy came from her quarters to see who had landed in the infirmary. Draco had woke and for once he did not have much to say Harry said him and managed a small smile.
"Never thought I would be glad to see your arrogant face Draco." Harry said, "thanks for trying to save me."
"I would have take that brut out but there was this root, came out of nowhere" Draco replied. "What happened to you?"
"Oh nothing, just that Voldemort is back, full power and all." Harry said, wincing as Poppy tended to his arm, "I had to watch him come back talk about mental scars."
"Did he hurt you?" Sirius asked.
"Well not really Sirius, I am sure he is a pedophile though, he did not take kindly to me telling him that." Harry said then at the look from Draco, "what you think him chasing after me since I was a baby normal?"
"Er you got a point." Draco said.
"Oh and there is more, Karkaroff is dead and Penny, this is going to break Percy's heart." Harry said forcing himself not to cry at the betrayal, "she is a death eater she killed Karkaroff and she betrayed all of us."
"Oh Merlin no." Sirius said softly.
Poppy quickly put curtains around the bed and Draco pretended to go back to sleep. If Harry cried over this he would not look badly at him, but it would do no good for Harry to know Draco knew. He lay there as first Mrs. Weasley came, actually stopped by his bed to see how he was doing then went to Harry. The rest of the Weasleys came and each one thanked him for what he had done, he started to feel bad as he really did not feel he had done nothing. He had been defeated in battle and had not saved Harry! He wanted to know what was going on behind the charmed curtains but knew it would not be right for him to spy. So he lay back and did his best to go to sleep.
Meanwhile Molly came into the walled off area of the hospital wing to see Harry sobbing in his godfather's arms. Sirius was doing his best to comfort him and he too was in tears. Something was horribly wrong, she could feel it deep inside. Percy walked up and checked Harry over with his wand. He let Poppy check his readings and she smiled at him, he was becoming quite the healer and now worked at the school as apprentice to Poppy. Harry did his best to calm down but when Ginny sat down by him he clung to her and sobbed even harder.
"What is wrong what did he do to him?" Ron asked very nearly starting to panic, his best mate was not the kind to break down ever! He felt helpless as he watched Harry fall to pieces before him.
"It's not just what Riddle did." Sirius said looking much, much older. "Percy please take a seat."
"What happened to Penny?" He asked, "is she alright he did not harm her?"
"I want a truth serum for Harry, get the headmaster." Sirius said, "oh never mind he is here."
"Yes I am, I have the Veritaserum, for Harry?" Dumbledore asked and Harry forced himself to gain control as right next to the headmaster was Scrimgeour.
"Lord Potter I would normally wait until morning but we don't have the time." Scrimgeour said quietly.
"I can do this, let's get it over with please." Harry said using the handkerchief Sirius handed him to dry his face.
The use of Veritaserum was Harry's idea, if he were captured (as he had been) then the Veritaserum could thwart any attempts for the enemy to keep him from telling the truth. He went through the whole horrible ordeal he had gone through and when he got to Penny's part he knew how badly this would hurt the Weasleys. She was family, suppose to marry Percy and she had betrayed them all with this act. Remus had come in just as Harry told his tale and he sunk to his knees by Harry refusing to give into his powerful emotions here. Harry needed him strong now and he could mourn later, he knew the news of Penny was tearing the Weasleys to pieces as they had trusted her and made her part of the family.
Penny came from a muggle family and for her to do what she had done shocked more than one person. She had been raised by a loving family who embraced the magical world and her part in it as she had two older siblings, a brother and sister who had gone to Hogwarts. This would break their hearts to learn what their daughter had done. Penny and Percy had dated on and off for years and she had slowly become part of the Weasley family. Sirius stopped Percy from leaving the hospital wing and helped him take a seat. He saw all light had left Percy's eyes and there was a numb stunned look on his face, tears were making their way down his very pale face.
"Percy look at me." Sirius said putting his hands on Percy's shoulders and Percy managed to look up into Sirius's eyes. "It is not your fault, you could not have known, believe me when I say I have been where you are now."
"I-I loved her sir, s-she, we would have got married." Percy said.
"I know your pain." Sirius said softly, "I know how you feel, I too was betrayed by one I thought family, my former brother Peter Pettigrew."
"Percy it's not your fault." Molly said.
"No, she will regret doing this to you." Fred said a deadly gleam in his eyes.
"Agreed, we will see to it she pays for this." George added.
Scrimgeour had quietly left leaving the family and friends to quietly mourn what was lost. Harry soon fell asleep as he was wore out magically and physically. Severus had left to head to his former master and enter his service once more as a spy. He would not be seen by the side of light for two days, plenty of time for Voldemort to vent his wrath on the potions master for all that had gone wrong starting with Harry's escape.
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Yes Riddle did use the same ritual in the last time, why? Well Bellatrix was able to bring a small vial of saved bones from Voldemort's father's grave on Riddle's request. He is nothing if not cunning and I would like to think he had a back-up plan. Yes having Penelope Clearwater end up a death eater was a bit mean but it will get us to see the Weasleys unite fully unlike they ever have before. Oh and Harry crying as he did? Well there is nothing weak about doing that after what he went through. Best for him to do so now when he is safe and get it out of his system then let it stew inside and cause problems later.