Finding Hope (Book 1)

Chapter 17: Home Again

(AN: I am going to try first person in this chapter to see if I like it better.     

It was my house. A lot smaller than the other houses on the street. When father brought me into the house, almost immediately I was struck with the cruciatus curse. The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that I no longer knew where I was. It felt like hot knives were piercing every inch of my skin, and my head was surely going to burst with pain. I almost forgot how pain feels. And right after Voldemort was finished father took me into my room that had my mattress and my straw pillow.

Think Hope. Think. What can you do to get out of here. 

I curled into a ball not being able to think of anything. One by one tears started poring down my face. I am not a crier by any means, but I couldn't stop. My sobs got louder, and louder. And soon I was out of control. I looked around the room and noticed that everything was blurry because of my tears. I cried for a good 20 minutes when I drifted off to sleep. 

~~~~A week later~~~~

Voldemort was to come back to our house in a few days. And I wasn't looking forward to it. Voldemort was as tiny as a baby but he still held a terrifying aura. He told me all about how he planned on coming back as himself but when he was in Hogwarts, as T.M. Riddle, threw this diary that Ginny had. And that he was using the diary to tell Ginny to do all these bad stuff. He also confirmed my suspicions about the monster being a snake. But if I told anyone that he would kill my dad, Ginny and everyone I hold dear to me. My dad shouldn't have been a reason for him to use against me with everything that he has done to me. But he saw into my mind he knows that I don't hold him guilty. He is still my dad after all.

The hand of my father came down on my face with a slap. Every inch of my body was sore and filled with pain and exhaustion. Other than that first day I haven't been able to sleep. Black was under my eyes, my skin was pale. 

I was starving. I haven't eaten anything for two days and all they gave me was an apple. I wasn't used to this anymore.

I tried everything to get out of here. And the term has started 3 days ago. I wonder if Hermione, Harry and Ron were wondering where I was. 

I was suddenly jerked out of my thinking when my father lifted me up by my shirt. "Where are your precious headmaster Dumbledore now?" Just after he said those words Dumbledore appeared. My father forced his angry gaze away from me and looked at the old wizard. "How-How?"

"You said the magic word." Dumbledore replied. Father looked at him with curious eyes. 

"What?" Father asked.

"Lets just say you are the one who led me here by saying 'Dumbledore'."He replied with a grin. "You will give me the young lady." I've never seen my headmaster look so stern and frustrated. He drew his wand rapidly and with a casual flick, the sofa zoomed forward and knocked the knees out from under my father so that he collapsed upon it in a heap. Dumbledore quickly grabbed my arm. We apparated. I felt my arm twist away from Dumbledore and re-doubled his grip: the next thing I knew everything went black; I was pressed very hard from all directions; I could not breathe, there were iron bands tightening around my chest; my eyeballs were being forced back into his head; my ear-drums were being pushed deeper into my skull. We ended up in the Headmasters office. And once we set foot on the floor, everything around me was going in circles and I didn't know which was was up or which way was down. 

"Professor..." My body couldn't take it. I fell back and passed out. 

~~~~

My eyes fluttered open to see that I was in the hospital wing. My ears where the next thing that woke up. I heard Madam Pomfrey yelling at someone to get out because someone needs rest. Then it was like my whole body jolted awake. I sat up with a start. I gasped for air. My body ached and my muscles sore. My mind was frantic thinking about everything. I swung my legs off the side of the bed. I tried to stand up but my legs we too weak,  they quickly gave out and I sat back down on the bed.