The former-living-room-turned-impromptu Quidditch Chamber (with one of the more expensive non-custom Tables in the center) at Riddle Manor was almost filled to bursting as Lucius moved to sit at Voldemort's left side, glancing across to where Pettigrew was almost preening on the other side of their Master's throne.
Accepting a goblet of the finest wine from one of the followers who had been press-ganged into acting as part of the catering staff, hesettled himself into his seat as the Quidditch models started to stir into life, then the voice of the announcer sounded.
"Ladies and Gentle-wizards, welcome to the final Quidditch
Match at Hogwarts on this lovely Sunday afternoon! The last
match of the season and it is the decider as to who will claim
the cup this year, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw! Slytherin put up a
good showing this year, but the Seekers Percy Weasley and
Cho Chang proved to be just too good, relegating them into
third place.
And the teams emerge, ready to play! Gryffindor lead with
their Keeper and captain, Oliver Wood, followed by the Chasers
Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Ron Weasley. Behind them
are the Beaters Fred and George Weasley and their seeker, Percy
Weasley, living up to the standard set by his older brother Charlie,
considered to be one of the greatest Gryffindor Seekers in the
last century!
Now come the Ravenclaws, led by their captain and Chaser Roger
Davies, flanked by fellow-chasers Anna Gedes and Ginny Weasley,
the first Weasley in generations to not be in Gryffindor! Behind them
are the Beaters Jason Samuals and Duncan Inglebee while Seeker
Cho Chang and Keeper Harry Protego Potter bringing up the rear!
And listen to the cheering!
Madam Hooch enters the pitch and places a box down on the
grass. She opens it and releases the Snitch… there it goes! The
Bludgers are next and then she picks up the Quaffle!
The teams move into position… and she throws it!
Ginny takes control, barely dodging her brother as he tries to
snatch it from her grasp! A roll to avoid a Bludger and she dives
to pick up speed… what a climb! A perfect Racing Rocket takes
her above the action and gives her a free run at the hoops… Cho
Chang moving in to parallel her, now moving ahead and… what
a move! Duncan grabs Ginny's hand and spins her round with
her speed intact while Cho rolls to flare her robes… Ginny shielded
by Samuels as she moves round and passes to Gedes! Gedes does
a Ghost Pass to Davies below her as Ginny breaks right to distract
the Lions… Davies takes the shot… and Wood saves it! Caught by
surprise yet still able to block it!"
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"Nice try, Ginny!" Arthur shouted from the box where he and Molly had been sitting beside Sirius and Remus. Molly looked rather torn, unsure of who to cheer on.
"You should be proud of them all." Remus offered and Molly nodded.
"I am." She smiled. "I am."
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"Quite a game isn't it?" Voldemort laughed as the little models performed various acrobatics. "Almost a shame that it'll be the last one that young Potter ever plays."
Lucius nodded in agreement, then his eyes moved almost against his will to the window outside which a Dementor had glided past, having been assigned guard duty by Voldemort.
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"You're doing great!" Davies called as Ginny looped round ready for Harry to throw the Quaffle back into play after his impressive save. "Okay, let's do a Twisting Weave on them!"
Ginny nodded, as did Anna and they moved into position as Roger caught the Quaffle.
"One, two, go!"
Ginny accelerated forwards and if their brooms had left a trail, she would have sketched out one half of a double-spiral down the center of which Roger raced, then all three dived at the same instant, switching positions as they performed several stealthy passes in quick succession.
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"…and Wood pulls off another incredible save, keeping the
score still at zero points each! Once again the Quaffle comes
back into play and… the Snitch has appeared! Cho Chang and
Percy Weasley are both diving for it, straight down through
the Chasers and Beaters who dodge out of the way!
Cho slightly in the lead as they pull up, in hot pursuit of the
Snitch, but Percy's slightly faster S-3 Broomstick gives him the
advantage in a long chase… the Snitch darts round the posts
and Cho uses the opportunity to do a grab-turn… as does Percy!
Percy comes out of the turn with a higher velocity and pulls up
to beside Chang… they both try to grab it… and the match is over
but who has the Snitch?
Both of the Chasers seem to have a grip on it… Madam Hooch
moves in and examines their hands… the crowd goes silent…
Ravenclaw wins! Cho Chang made contact with the Snitch first!
Ravenclaw wins one-fifty to zero after a hard-fought match
that could easily have gon the other way! This has to be the
hardest-fought match ever! The last Double-catch was back in
1742 between the Tutshill Tornadoes and the Chudley Cannons!
Ladies and Gentlewizards, this has been history in the making!
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"I still don't know how I managed to win." Cho admitted as the celebrating Ravenclaw team finally made it to the changing room tunnel down which the Gryffindors had already vanished. "I mean, I thought that Percy had won, it was that close!"
"But you got there first." Roger pointed out, his grin so wide that Harry was half-expecting his head to fall off. "None of us could get past Wood, he's good. Almost as good as you, Harry."
"I saw." Harry agreed. "Some of those saves, I still don't know how he pulled them off, or even knew that they were incoming."
"That was the greatest game ever!" Ginny laughed. "We beat my brothers!"
"We sure did." Harry agreed, then suddenly a flash of white engulfed them.
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"Excellent." Voldemort gloated as the cabinet at the end of the room burst open, Pettigrew emerging from it before dragging the insensate form of Harry Potter behind him. The doors swung closed, then opened again to let Nott out.
"Nott, dismount the doors." Voldemort ordered and the smirking Death Eater nodded before kneeling to begin partially dismantling the cabinet. "Bella, the manacles, please."
Bellatrix reached into her robe and pulled out the iron chains in question, placing them into Voldemort's waiting hand. The Dark Lord stepped forwards and carefully locked the collar and cuffs around Harry's neck, wrists and ankles before straightening up.
"Bring him." He stated and several pairs of hands picked up the stunned boy. "Is my throne in position?"
"Yes, My Lord." Lucius bowed deeply, awed by how his Master had set things up so that no-one knew where there hero had gone.
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"Alert!" Jor-El's voice echoed from both Neville's and Hermione's watches, causing everyone around them to look at them in confusion. "Alert! Lord Potter has been stunned and kidnapped! His current location is unknown!"
Without hesitation, Hermione started pushing her way through the crowded stands, Neville close behind her.
"What's going on?" Padma called as Hermione almost ran past.
"Harry's in trouble!"
"What?"
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"Ginny! Wake up!"
Ginny forced her eyes open and looked round blearily. "Luna? What happened?"
"I don't know, but Harry's gone!" Luna almost cried.
"What happened?" Hermione half-shouted as she sprinted into the tunnel, followed by Neville, Sirius, Remus and most of the teachers. "Jor-El said that Harry's been kidnapped!"
"They were hiding in that cupboard…" Ginny managed to answer as she failed to make it to her feet and Neville darted past, dropping down to look at it.
"Dammit, I recognise those runes! This is a Vanishing Cabinet…"
"Like the Switching Rooms?" Hermione asked and Neville nodded.
"Yeah… we need to find him!" Neville confirmed and Jor-El spoke again.
"I am already beginning the search."
"Try the Riddle Manor." Albus suggested, his normally kind face tight with anger. "It's in Little Hangleton… Tom's father used to live there."
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Harry woke, feeling as if his body was on fire. Waves of agony crashed through him, then they suddenly stopped, leaving only echoes of pain behind.
"Welcome back, Lord Potter." An amused voice said, causing a wave of laughter and Harry forced his eyes open. For a moment, he simply looked around himself, seeing the crowd of masked wizards and rough-looking people wearing tattered clothes and furs. Behind them, giants loomed up against the afternoon sky, watching with mild curiosity.
"Over here, Potter." The voice prompted and Harry slowly levered himself into a sitting position, a process hampered by the chains that someone had put on him. "Welcome to my home."
Harry stared at the improbably-handsome man lounging on a golden throne.
"Should I know you?"
"Well, it has been a bit over a decade since we last met," The man mused as he rose from his throne and stepped forwards, his cloak billowing dramatically. "I suppose you could be forgiven for not recognizing me. After all, we did only meet once… and briefly at that."
"Voldemort." Harry stated and the man nodded, looking pleased.
"Oh, very good, Potter. Very good indeed. Yes, I am Lord Voldemort. Do feel free to grovel."
"I don't see a reason why." Harry shot back, flexing his legs slightly as he considered whether or not he had recovered enough to stand up.
"How about this?" Voldemort asked almost lazily as he pointed a wand at Harry "Crucio."
Harry bit back a scream as the waves of agony coruscated through his body again for what seemed like an eternity before stopping.
""That's… not… much… of… an… argument…" Harry panted as he lay on the grass.
"Really?" Voldemort sounded almost surprised. "It has carried the crowds so far."
Harry rolled onto his side, then his eyes caught sight of the wand holster still strapped to his wrist and the wand sticking out. Summoning all his strength, he grabbed it and aimed at Voldemort.
"Bombarda!"
"Oh, well done, Harry." Voldemort clapped politely as the spell failed to work. "Straight to a spell meant to cripple me in the hopes that you could get away in the confusion. I am impressed. However, as long as you are wearing those chains, you cannot perform any magic."
Long fingers snatched Harry's wand and Voldemort held it up.
"I may as well remove the temptation from you, though. Who knows what mischief you may try if I let you keep this?"
A loud snap echoed as Voldemort snapped Harry's wand, then he let the pieces fall to the ground.
"Oh dear, how clumsy of me." Voldemort joked and the assembled watchers laughed. "You know, I had for a while considered giving you the chance to serve me, but then I realized. With that old fool Dumbledore overseeing your childhood, there is not a single chance that you would switch sides, so I will not insult either of us by making the offer."
Harry ignored Voldemort as he looked at the masked figures surrounding them, focusing on the faces just behind the masks. Several were unfamiliar to him, but he memorized them anyway. Lucius Malfoy was stood just beside the throne with Peter Pettigrew flanking it on the other side and a woman with a startling resemblance to Professors Tonks and Malfoy just behind it, her expression eager as she watched. To one side stood Professor Snape, his expression one of self-loathing and despair as he looked at Harry.
"…and so it is almost time for your life to end." Voldemort finished as Harry managed to sit up again, his hands cupped in front of him. "Before you die, is there anything that you wish to say?"
"Actually, yes." Harry replied without looking up from his hands, earning a surprised look from Voldemort. "just a short thing though… how did it go…"
"Now you're just trying to buy time." Voldemort scoffed as he raised his wand. "Goodbye Harry Potter. Aveda Kadavra!"
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Author's Afternote - If you're reading this on the day I've posted this...
You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what happens!
Bwahahahahaha!