The Traitors [HP6] *EDITING*

Chapter 18

"HERMIONE!" yelled Harry and Ron together, quickly followed by Ak and Malfoy who tore their eyes away from the pile of wealth. Harry ran up and down the corridor, yelling her name, but he couldn't find her.

"Where is she?" demanded Ron, looking frantically all over.

"HERMIONE!" yelled Harry at the top of his lungs one last time. But, once again, she did not show up. The only thing that answered his call was his echo.

"How could she have left?" asked Ak, touching the stones all over, checking for secret passages.

"She was right behind me the entire time," said Ron, joining Ak.

"Malfoy, did you see her at all?" asked Harry, taking one final look down the hall. Malfoy didn't answer him. "Malfoy, did you ?"

Harry turned around, and had to resist screaming in surprise. Where Malfoy was only a few seconds earlier, there was now no one. Harry could hear his heart beating frantically in his chest. Where did they go?

"Ron..." asked Harry impishly. "Malfoy's gone now too..."

There was no response.

Harry turned around, dreading what he was going to see. Sure enough, there was no Ron behind him, only Ak.

"Ak! Where's Ron and Malfoy!" asked Harry worriedly, now almost on the verge of tears. Fear was overwhelming him to the point of absolute terror.

"I don't know," whimpered Ak, darting his eyes up and down the hall. "Ron was right next to me a second ago, then he just... disappeared."

"I don't like this, Ak," said Harry quietly, not letting him leave his sight, not wanting him to disappear as well. "How could they all just disappear?"

"Maybe this treasure is cursed or something," suggested Ak, backing away slowly from the pile of gold that they had all sprinted towards only moments ago. But, that was back when they all were here.

"Alright, I have an idea," said Ak, trying to keep his voice calm. "I'm going to go back to the main group and tell the teachers what happened. Maybe they can help."

"No!" yelled Harry. "We'll get expelled for taking the wrong path!"

"It's better than being killed or trapped in this pyramid forever," said Ak.

"I supposed you're right... but hurry back!"

"I will!" said Ak, beginning to run down the dark corridor.

"Wait!" yelled Harry to him, reconsidering being alone. "Ak,wait!"

It was too late. Ak was alright well out of sight, far into the deep darkness on the other side of the hall.

Harry was all alone.

It's very interesting, how when you're alone, you pay much more attention to the small noises and movements all around you. The dripping of the water on the walls, from the moist stones was like gongs in Harry's ears, and the occasional movement of the golden objects made a massive shadow appear on the wall, making Harry draw out his wand and coil back in fear. Worst of all, it seemed as though the light that Malfoy had summoned was slowly going out.

"Wait a minute!" said Harry to himself. "The light is getting dimmer!" It was as if a cloud was passing over the sun, a very dark and thick cloud. What used to be brighter than the desert outside was now only as bright as a cave, and getting darker with every second.

Harry slowly backed away from the darkening room, but found himself only entering the pitch black corridor from which he came. Only a few seconds later, Harry was engulfed by the darkness. He was drowning in a pool of night, it was devouring him all around.