Potter's Girl / Butterfly Effect.

104. Back To The Old Times

CHAPTER ONE-HUNDRED AND FOUR;

BACK TO THE OLD TIMES

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Dobby?" said Harry, disbelief written in his features. "But... how did you—?"

An awful scream drowned out Harry's words: Hermione was being tortured again. They were running out of time; everyone knew it.

"You can Disapparate out of this cellar?" he asked Dobby quickly, who nodded, his ears flapping. "And you can take humans with you?" Dobby nodded again. "Right. Dobby, I want you to grab Luna, Dean, Mr. Ollivander, Atticus, and Cassie, and take them— take them to—"

"Bill and Fleur's," said Ron. "Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!"

"And then come back," said Harry. "Can you do that?"

"Of course, Harry Potter," whispered Dobby. He hurried over to Mr. Ollivander, who appeared to be barely conscious now. Dobby took one of the wandmaker's hands in his own, then held out the other to Luna, then Dean, then Atticus, and finally Cassie; none of whom moving towards him.

"Go!" Harry beseeched them. "Go; we'll follow, just go!"

Luna, Dean, and Atticus took hold of the elf's outstretched fingers. Cassie raised an eyebrow at Harry, and he exhaled a sigh. He nodded to Dobby.

   Atticus met Cassie's eyes and gave her a mock salute, mouthing "Stay safe," before Dobby Disapparated away with a crack.

"If you thought for a second I was really going to go with Dobby," Cassie said scornfully, "leave you here? You're mental."

"No, I really didn't think you would, but shh," he said, and Cassie shut her mouth, but the voice of Lucius Malfoy rang through the cellar:

"...what was that? Did you hear that?" There came a few footsteps, but Lucius said, "Draco, no! Call Wormtail, make him go and check!"

Footsteps once again crossed overhead, and it was completely silent for the first time since they had entered the cellar.

"We've got to tackle him," Harry whispered. Cassie agreed silently; they had no choice. Once anyone entered the room and noticed the absence of prisoners, they were lost. "Leave the lights on, Ron. Cassie, you get the wand when we knock it out of his hand."

She got into position; behind Ron, on the other side of the cellar door from Harry, and drew in a short breath to stabilize herself.

"Stand back," came Wormtail's voice from the other side of the door. "Stay away. I am coming in."

The door opened. For a moment Wormtail gazed into the seemly empty cellar, at the three floating balls of light from the Deluminator. Then Harry and Ron launched themselves upon him. Ron seized Wormtail's wand arm and squeezed his hand as hard as he could; the wand fell to the floor with a clatter. Cassie ducked beneath Wormtail's now flailing arm and picked it up, taking a step back, outstretching her arm. She could not get a solid shot at Wormtail without threatening Ron or Harry, so she stood, aiming the wand at the thrashing wizards, feeling quite paralyzed.

"What is it, Wormtail?" called Lucius Malfoy from above.

"Nothing!" Ron called back, in a passable imitation of Wormtail's wheezy voice. "All fine!"

Cassie watched in horror as Wormtail's silver hand enclosed around Harry's throat and squeezed; squeezed until Harry began coughing and choking.

"You're going to kill me?" Harry gasped. "After I saved your life? You owe me, Wormtail!"