30

Previously on Little Dragon...

"So have you heard back from your Gran yet?" Harry asked as they neared the stack of barrels which hid the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room.

Just as Neville began to reply a bright red light streaked down the hallway and hit Neville in the back causing him to crumple to the ground in a boneless heap.

With his heart pounding in his chest Harry whirled around as he pulled out his wand fully intending an attempt at recreating that night in the forbidden forest. Before he could make out their attacker a blinding pain exploded in the side of his head and turned his world dark...

Chapter 30: Confrontations and Cowardice

Harry woke to the feeling of floating. Though this was not the floating he had grown used to over the years, this was not floating in peaceful oblivion where all of his aches and pains were gone. No, this was very different and Harry did not like it!

Instead of feeling weightless and at peace his head was aching as though Vernon had shoved his head through the wall again and there was something heavy and rough tied around his arms, torso and legs. Focusing on keeping his breathing easy Harry cast out his senses to try and determine what was going on.

Just in front of him there was what sounded like footsteps, muffled and rushed, as though someone were trying to hurry without drawing attention to themselves. The sound of a cloak dragging along stone floors, so he was most likely in Hogwarts, that was good. Up ahead there was the soft grating and rumbling of the staircases as they were about to move.

So whoever had him was floating him, likely had him tied up and they were heading towards a staircase. Lovely.

Okay, think back Harry, what all can you remember?

They had just finished up their last exam for History of Magic that morning before lunch. At lunch they sat together and then, while everyone else went outside they had gone up to the library since the lawns were rather crowded and Hagrid had to help Professor Sprout to harvest some of the more vicious plants in bloom from the greenhouses. They spent the rest of the day in the library since it was empty and had decided to head to their common rooms after dinner instead of going back to the library or outside as they usually would. Everyone was tired and they wanted to sleep.

He and Neville had just said goodnight to Blaise and Draco before turning into the hallway that lead to their common rooms but before they got halfway down someone had attacked them. Neville was taken down by a stunner and when Harry had turned to confront their attacker he had been hit over the head by something hard and heavy and had only caught a faint glimpse of purple...

Who did he know that wore purple?

Only two people came to mind. Albus Dumbledore and Quirinus Quirrell and both were easily identifiable by there scent. Where Dumbledore smelt as though he spent his days in a sweet shop Quirrell smelt heavily of garlic, musk and a faint rotting smell...

Taking a discrete breathe in through his nose Harry's senses were immediately assaulted by the cloying scent of...

Neville woke with a groan as the cold hand against his cheek continued its assault.

"Thank Merlin," A voice breathed from above him as two cool hands came to rest on his cheeks. "Are you alright Neville? What happened?"

"Wha...?" With a low moan Neville lifted himself into a sitting position and looked around the corridor confused before turning and meeting the concerned eyes of Cedric Diggory. "I... I don't know? I was just talking to Harry... Where is he?"

"Harry was with you?" Cedric asked, his eyes going wide before turning and searching the corridor around them as though there would be some clue as to where the small boy was. "Come on, lets get you into the common room and call for Professor Sprout, she'll know what to do. Can you walk?"

"I think so," Neville said with a nod before allowing himself to be lifted up off of the floor and back onto his feet. His mind slowly clearing as worry for Harry began to set in.

Together Neville and Cedric slowly walked the remaining length of the corridor with Cedric helping to support Nevilles weight and to steady the slightly stumbling boy.

When they had finally made it inside of the Den they were quickly surrounded by worried house mates.

"What happened?"

"Are you alright?"

"Should we get the Professor?"

A cacophony of voices rang out, each heavily laced with concern for their first year house mate.

"We don't know what happened, someone get Professor Sprout. Use the floo. This house is on lock down until we figure out what's happened. Has anyone here seen Harry since dinner?" Cedric said quickly but firmly as he watched one of the sixth year boys head for the floo to call for their head of house.

This was one of the reasons that Hufflepuff should have been feared. They rallied quickly and weren't afraid of what was ahead of them. Professor Sprouts words of wisdom which she gave at the end of every year quickly played out in his mind as he watched the others discuss the last time they had seen Harry.

'Hufflepuff house should be the most feared. Always remember that we are no door mice. We are as smart as the Ravenclaws, as brave as the lions, and in most cases more cunning than the Slytherins. Hufflepuffs are seen as weak and that works to our advantage for no one will see us coming. We are badgers, fierce strong and protective. Remember that, and you will be able to overcome any obstacle in your paths.'

"I know that you're awake Potter," A familiar voice sneered from in front of him, and yet, it was unfamiliar as well. No longer did the voice contain the horrible stutter which had graced it for the entire year previous.

With a jolt of fear shooting down his spine Harry finally began to struggle in a desperate attempt to free himself of his binds. Opening his eyes he glared at the man that had taught him this year as he opened his mouth to yell only for dread to fill his stomach as he realized that he had been silenced.

How was he going to get out of this!?

What did Quirrell even want with him!?

Trying to draw breath into his lungs as the ropes binding him suddenly constricted tightly Harry looked on through misty eyes at Quirrells now smirking face.

He would not back down! He wouldn't let Quirrell win whatever game it was that he was playing. Harry would be strong, he had to... For Charlie.

Charlie hissed as the pendant around his neck turned as cold as ice and pulled him from the conversation he had just been having with Mary and Darius.

"What is it? What's wrong!?" Mary asked in worry as they watched Charlie quickly reach inside of his shirt and pull the dragon pendant out.

All three of their eyes widened in horror as they took in the changed appearance of the pendant before they were all rushing to Sefs hut as fast as they possibly could.

The flames, which Charlie had taken to checking every few hours, were pitch black in terror and the normally still dragon was thrashing as though in pain.

Something was wrong with Harry and Charlie would be damned if he let it continue!

"What is the last thing that you remember Neville?" Pomona asked gently as worry for her smallest badger built within her and settled in her stomach like a stone.

"I-I don't know," Neville said in frustration as he forced himself to remember every detail of what happened. "Harry and I were walking back to the common rooms from dinner, we walked back with Draco and Blaise most of the way and said night to them. We rounded the corner and Harry asked me if I had heard back from Gran and then... Nothing."

"I found Neville passed out in the corridor," Cedric chimed in worriedly, "There was no sign of Harry, or of a struggle."

"That is odd... Would you mind if I performed a diagnostic charm Neville?" Pomona asked the young first year as she drew her wand. When Neville meerely straightened his back and gave a firm nod she felt pride well up for her young badger. "Very well, hold still, this will be over in just a second since I'm only looking for the last few hours."

Quickly performing the scan Pomona was shocked to see the single vertical red line that symbolized the use of a stunning spell.

Thoughts began to rapidly chase themselves through Pomona's mind as she though of the best thing to do to help her young badger. Finally with a steadying breath and a deep calming breath she stood and headed to the floo where she withdrew a handful of powder and turned to address her badgers.

"This common room is on lock down! No one is to come in or out without a professors assistance. All those currently not inside of the common room will be given notice to head to the kitchens where one of the house elves will escort them back using their own means. One of our own has been hurt, we will not take this laying down. Any who come through that portrait not accompanied by one of the four heads or a house elf is to be detained. Keep each other safe and watch your backs. I shall be back soon."

With that the professor disappeared within the emerald flames a look of cold fury settled over her usually benevolent face.

Tears were streaming down Harry's face as he was forced through the trap door which Fluffy had been guarding.

Fluffy who was currently laying in a bloody heap against the far wall where Quirrell had blasted him. Fluffy who had attempted to tear off Quirrells head when he saw Harry tied up and dragged into the corridor. Fluffy who's pained whine was still sounding in Harry's ears and Fluffy who even now trying to crawl over and help him.

As Harry fell down through the darkness he could feel his soul crying for his friends pain. He didn't care that he was falling into who knows what or where, that he was alone with someone so obviously deranged. He could feel a numb emptiness settling in much like that which he had hidden behind when his uncle had decided to 'play'.

This was his only protection now, he couldn't risk succumbing to unconsciousness and Charlie wasn't there to help him. All he could do was wait, wait and hope that he could find a way out of this situation somehow.

Harry was no idiot, yes he might be above average in the magic department but he was still just a first year. There were no matches for him to change or feathers to levitate. All that he had was intent and magic and right now he couldn't use that. It wasn't safe. He would have to wait and hope...

With a cry of pain that no one could hear Harry landed on something firm. They were at least a few floors down from where they had begun their free fall and Harry had no control of how he landed so he instead found himself landing painfully on his left arm which gave a sickening crunch as evidence of the break which had just occurred.

Vaguely, despite the pain currently thrumming through him, Harry was aware of his bracelet going cold as ice against his skin before heating back up...

"Oh thank Merlin!" Pomona called in relief as she flood back to the teachers lounge and found the other three heads of house had indeed remained where she had left them when Uley had flooed her telling her that it was an emergency.

"Pomona, what is it? Why were you called away by mister Uley?" Filius asked in concern as he quickly got up from his seat so that Herbology professor could take his place only to be ignored as Pomona instead slammed her fists onto the table in an unusually aggressive action.

"Harry Potter is missing and Neville Longbottom was stunned!" Pomona said quickly as she watched the others pale in terror.

"How long ago?" Severus asked, obsidian eyes flashing in a mixture of anger and worry for the young man who had managed to worm his way into Severus' cold heart.

"Less than an hour, Neville was stunned not even fifty minutes ago and he said that everything was fine before then. I have put my house into lock down with orders to detain any who don't follow our procedures, but what are we going to do!? Harry could be anywhere with anyone!"

"We start with the two who would have the greater reason to take the boy," Severus said firmly as his mind automatically concluded on who would be the most likely.

"Albus and Quirinus," Minerva all but growled as her eyes narrowed into slits. "Very well. Severus, you, and Pomona go and get Albus. Filius and I will head up to the third floor. When your done meet us there. I don't care if he's stunned and bound or otherwise, as long as he's not able to interfere. Send a patronus if you require assistance and we will do the same."

"Take Hagrid with you, you'll need him for the beast," Severus warned before he and Pomona quickly made their way to the Headmasters office.

Minerva gasped in horror at the sight that met them upon reaching the third floor corridor as Hagrid let out a howl of grief.

The large cerberus which Hagrid had so lovingly named 'Fluffy', the one which Harry Potter had gained special permission to visit with, a picture of which was nestled safely inside of her desk, was lying crumpled and bloody against the wall. It's great chest rising and falling with each pain filled breath it took.

Out of the corner of her eye Minerva could see an equally shaken Filius casting a patronus and sending it off while Hagrid attempted to staunch the flow of blood from the large wound in the beasts side.

Casting a patronus of her own Minerva quickly sent it to Poppy with instructions to bring enough supplies for the injured cerberus before walking to Hagrids side. She hated to be so stiff and rushed when her friend was obviously torn between helping Harry and helping the animal that he had raised from a pup. It would be unfair to force him to decide between the two so Minerva instead chose for him.

"Hagrid you stay here and wait for Poppy and the others, Poppy will bring what is needed to help... Fluffy. Tell Severus and Pomona that we have already gone down. We'll dismantle all of the traps that we can save for the Devils Snare. We'll leave that for them so that there's still something to land on. We'll go after Harry, you wait here and come later if you can."

Severus and Pomona had just reached the top of the spiral staircase and had thrown the solid oak door open without a seconds thought only to enter into chaos.

The portraits on the wall were running between each other and screaming profanities at insults as Fawkes attacked a large black chest with what appeared to be chains wrapped around it almost desperately, some of the portraits were even cheering him on and offering advise while still others appeared to be trying to leave their portraits and growing frustrated as they only came into their neighbors frame.

"What in Merlin's name is going on in here!?" Pomona finally managed to yell above the din and for a single second all was quiet as every inhabitant of the room turned to face the pair.

That is until Fawkes flew at them with a screech and began to unceremoniously pull on Severus' robes, flapping his powerful wings and effectively dragging Severus towards the large chest as the portraits once again began to scream what was obviously meant to be an explanation.

"QUIET!" Pomona called out with a sonorus charm efficiently amplifying her voice. Once the portraits had all fallen silent she cast a quick 'quietus' before continuing. "Now, Headmaster Sinclair, could you please explain to us what exactly is going on here?"

"Dumbledore has fled!" Headmaster Amicus Sinclair all but screamed, his usually calm and collected disposition replaced with one of hysteria and panic.

"He's somehow managed to block us from leaving this room, even to go to our other portraits," Phineas Nigellus spoke from the opposite side of the same wall.

"What exactly is in this trunk?" Severus asked suspiciously as Fawkes yet again attempted to push him closer to the blasted thing.

"The Sorting Hat," Henrietta Marcbanks spoke from beside the door. "Albus has kept him there since the beginnings of the year."

"Why has Albus fled?" Pomona growled as she watched Severus begin to cast charms over the trunk.

"One of the schools monitors activated!" Dunamis Pritcher croaked out from where he was almost hidden behind a tapestry. "It alerts of when a teacher attacks a student and who. He saw it and knew that he was done for so the coward fled."

"He's gone!?" Severus snarled as he kicked out at the chest in frustration.

"Yes, made himself a portkey and left the country. He's not in the UK anymore," Armando Dippet said with a scowl.