Lord Phantom

Chapter 20: Congratulations, Mr.Black

Black shapes were emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way left and right; eyes glinted through slits in hoods, a dozen lit wand tips were pointing directly at their hearts.

"It's a trap!" Danny's companions stared at him, "C'mon, haven't you watched Star...of course you haven't"

"To me, Potter," repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he held out his hand, palm up.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry said.

Several of the Death Eaters laughed; a harsh female voice from the midst of the shadowy figures to Harry's left said triumphantly, "The Dark Lord always knows!"

"Always,"echoed Malfoy softly.

"Except proper ways to hide his soul, but that's not important," Phantom said, grinning.

"HOW DARE YOU..." the woman, Bellatrix, shouted. Danny lifted his hand with pocketclock and pressed the button. He came right to her and punched her into gut. Hard. Then Danny returned on his place, pressing the button again. The woman dropped on the ground, gasping for air.

"And now you have witnessed what my family is so famous for," Phantom grinned.

"Enough, give me the prophecy, Potter"

"I know Sirius is here," said Harry, though panic was causing his chest to constrict and he felt as though he could not breathe properly, "I know you've got him!"

More of the Death Eaters laughed.

"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter," said Malfoy, "Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands"

"Go on, then," said Harry, raising his own wand to chest height. As he did so, the five wands of Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna rose on either side of him. Danny was still leaning on his cane. The knot in Harry's stomach tightened. If Sirius really was not here, he had led his friends to their deaths for no reason at all.

But the Death Eaters did not strike.

"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt," said Malfoy coolly.

"Yeah, right!" Danny said, "He gives you this...prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you? Rule number one, folks, never trust bad guys. Plus you are still walking because I want to," Death Eaters didn't laugh, they were present in Gaunts' shack.

"So," said Harry, "what kind of prophecy are we talking about, anyway?"

He could not think what to do but to keep talking. Neville's arm was pressed against his, and he could feel him shaking; he could feel one of the others' quickened breath on the back of his head. He was hoping they were all thinking hard about ways to get out of this, because his mind was blank.

"What kind of prophecy?" repeated Bellatrix, who finally got up, the grin fading from her face, "You jest, Harry Potter"

"Nope, not jesting," said Harry, his eyes flicking from Death Eater to Death Eater, looking for a weak link, a space through which they could escape, "How come Voldemort wants it?"

Several of the Death Eaters let out low hisses.

"You dare speak his name?" whispered Bellatrix.

"Yep," Danny said, popping 'p', "Voldie, Voldie, Voldem..."

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked, "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare..." Danny laughed.

"Didn't Baldie tell you that his daddy was muggle?"

"STUPEF..."

Danny yet again repeated the trick to shut Bellatrix up.