94 Diagon Alley

screamed, "Did that dirty goblin in the dungeon help you?"

"We only met him tonight!" Hermione sobbed. "We never got into your vault...it's not the real sword! It's a knockoff, just a knockoff!"

"An imitation?" Bellatrix screamed.

"It's easy to find out!" Lucius said, "Draco, get that goblin, he can tell if the sword is real or fake!"

Harry rushed to Griphook, who was curled up on the ground.

"Griphook," he whispered into the goblin's pointed ears, "you must say the sword is fake, and you mustn't let them know it's real, Griphook, please—"

Harry heard someone rushing down the dungeon stairs, and then Draco's trembling voice came from outside the cell door.

"Stand back, stand in a row against the wall, don't try to act rashly, or you will be killed!"

They complied. When the keyhole turned, Ron pressed the deluminator, the ball of light quickly flew back into his pocket, and the dungeon was pitch black again. The door opened and Draco entered, wand held up in front of him, looking pale and determined. He grabbed Griphook's arm and dragged the goblin out. The cell door slammed shut, and a loud bang echoed through the dungeon.

Ron pressed the deluminator, and three orbs of light flew from his pockets into the air again, illuminating Dobby the house-elf who had just Apparated into their midst.

"More—!"

Harry slapped Ron on the arm, preventing him from shouting. Ron also seemed terrified of his own mistakes. Footsteps passed over the ceiling, and Draco escorted Griphook to Bellatrix.

Dobby's eyes were wide open like tennis balls, trembling from his feet to the tips of his ears. He returned to his old master's house, visibly petrified.

"Harry Potter," he squeaked very faintly, "Dobby has come to your rescue."

"But how did you—?"

A horrible scream drowned out Harry's voice: Hermione was being tortured again. He quickly picked up the most important thing and said.

"Can you Apparate out of this dungeon?" he asked, and Dobby nodded, clapping his ears a few times.

"Can you take people out?"

Dobby nodded again.

"Okay. Dobby, I want you to take Luna, Dean and Mr. Ollivander and bring them to—to—"

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

The elf nodded a third time.

"Then come back," said Harry. "Can you do it, Dobby?"

"Sure, Harry Potter," whispered the elf. He hurried to the almost unconscious Mr. Ollivander, grabbed the wand maker's hand, and offered the other hand to Luna and Dean, neither of whom moved.

"Harry, we want to help you!" Luna whispered.

"We can't keep you here," Dean said.

"Come on, you two! We'll see you at Bill and Fleur's house."

"Come on," Harry pleaded with Luna and Dean, "Come on! We'll come later, let's go!"

They grabbed the outstretched hand of the elf. With another pop, Dobby, Luna, Dean, and Ollivander disappeared.

"What is that?" Lucius Malfoy shouted from above. "Did you hear that? What's up with that noise in the dungeon?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other in horror.

"Draco! Go check it out!"

Footsteps crossed the upstairs room, and then there was silence. Harry knew that the people in the living room were listening to the dungeon again.

"Have to deal with him," he whispered to Ron. They had no choice but to die if someone walked into the room and found the three prisoners stumbled. "Don't turn off the lights," Harry added. Hearing someone coming down the stairs outside the door, they leaned against the walls on either side of the door.

"Stand back," Draco's voice came from outside the door, as if it could be heard upstairs, "Stay away from the door, I'm in."

The door opened. For a brief moment, Draco stared at the seemingly empty dungeon, three little suns dazzling in the air. Harry and Ron pounced, Ron grabbed Draco's arm holding the wand, forcing it up, and Harry put his hand over his mouth to keep him from making a sound. The three fought silently.

"What's the matter, Draco?" Lucius Malfoy called from above.

"It's all right! Dad." Surprisingly, although Draco blushed and squeezed Harry's hand, he still shouted through his fingers, "Everything is fine! "

Harry could barely breathe.

"You're strangling me?" Draco struggled, trying to snap his reasonable fingers. "After I saved your life? Potter!"

Harry didn't expect him to say this, surprised, but still put his hand over Draco's mouth. He saw his nemesis boy gasping for breath and looking complicated. As if struggling to punch him or really let him go.

After a while, he rubbed his back molars and mumbled a few words, "...I"

"What?" Harry asked.

"I said," Draco said through gritted teeth, "stun me."

Harry had never heard such a request, and Ron's jaw was about to drop to the ground. But Hermione's screams kept coming, and they didn't have time to find out if Malfoy in front of them was a member of the Order of the Phoenix who drank Potion.

"Okay, sorry." Harry snatched the wand from Draco's hand, "passed out."

Draco regretted not finding a softer place to fall in the last second before he fell unconscious. And watch the **** Potter leave the dungeon with his wand.

I should have beaten them first. Draco thought.

Draco Malfoy's eyes were closed, his face paled, and he ended up lying motionless on the ground.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, then left him in the dungeon and rushed up the stairs into the dark hallway leading to the living room. They moved forward cautiously and quietly, and came to the door of the living room. The door was ajar, and Bellatrix was now clearly seen looking down at Griphook, who was holding the Gryffindor sword in his long hands. Hermione lay at Bellatrix's feet, barely moving.

"How?" Bellatrix asked Griphook, "Is the sword real?"

Harry held his breath, trying to resist the sting of the scar, waiting for him to answer.

"No," said Griphook, "it's a fake."

"Are you sure?" Bellatrix gasped, "really sure?"

"Yes," said the goblin.

Her face slackened and all tension disappeared.

"Very good," she said, flicking her wand and drawing another deep cut in the goblin's face. He screamed and fell at her feet, kicked away by her. "Okay," she said, triumphant beyond words, "let's summon the Dark Lord!"

She rolled up her sleeves and pressed her index finger to the Dark Mark.

Suddenly, Harry's scar seemed to be torn again. The real thing around him was gone, he was Voldemort, looking for something in an unfamiliar place, he was being played with by an old guy, but he was still sure he had it. He felt the calling and was irritated - he had warned them, at least they had to catch Potter to call him, if they got it wrong...his anger was almost uncontrollable...if they called him back without a good reason, they would all be punished...

"I think," said Bellatrix's voice, "we can get rid of this mudblood. Greyback, take it if you want."

"No—!"

Ron rushed into the living room. Bellatrix turned her head in surprise, then pointed her wand at Ron's face—

Harry, who was behind Ron, received it. Lucius, Narcissa, and Greyback turned sharply, and Harry shouted, "Passed out!" Lucius Malfoy fell by the fireside. Beams of light erupted from Narcissa and Greyback's wands, and Harry fell to the ground and rolled behind a sofa to hide.

"Don't kill him, the Dark Lord wants to live Potter." Narcissa screamed at Greyback. "That's Draco's wand - what did you do to him!"

"Stop or let her die!"

Harry gasped and looked out from the edge of the sofa. Bellatrix was holding the seemingly unconscious Hermione, holding a small silver knife at Hermione's throat.

"Put down the wand," she whispered, "Put it down, or we'll see how dirty her blood is!"

Ron held Draco's wand, dumbfounded. Harry straightened, still clutching Bellatrix's wand.

"I said, put it down!" she screamed, pressing the blade against Hermione's throat, and Harry saw beads of blood come out.

"Okay!" he shouted, dropping Bellatrix's wand on the ground at his feet. Ron dropped Draco's wand too. Both raised their hands.

Very good! "Bellatrix squinted. "Greyback, go pick it up!" The Dark Lord is coming, Harry Potter! You are dying! "

Harry knew that the scar was bursting with excruciating pain, and he could feel Voldemort flying far away, over a black, choppy ocean, and soon enough to use Apparition Now, Harry couldn't think of any way out.

"Now," Bellatrix said softly, "Cissy, I think we tie these little heroes back up and let Greyback take care of the mud