Change the Future

DH 18

"We'b lebt," Ron said.

"Left, 'ave you, ginger?" Scabior said. "And you decided to go camping? And you thought, just for a laugh, you'd use the Dark Lords name?"

"Nod a laugh," Ron said. "Aggiden."

"Accident?" There was more jeering laughter. "You know who used to like using the Dark Lord's name, Weasley?" growled Greyback, "The Order of the Phoenix. Mean anything to you?" 

"Doh."

"Well, they don't show the Dark Lord proper respect, so the name's been Tabooed. A few Order members have been tracked that way. We'll see. Bind them up with the other two prisoners!" 

"None of the Order members would ever show that snake face respect" George says looking at Charlie and Rory who both agree with him.

Someone yanked Harry up by the hair, dragged him a short way, pushed him down into a sitting position, then started binding him back-to-back with other people. Harry was still half blind, barely able to see anything through his puffed-up eyes. When at last the man tying then had walked away, Harry whispered to the other prisoners.

"Anyone still got a wand?"

"No." Ron and Hermione said from either side of him. 

"This is all my fault. I said the name. I'm sorry"

"Harry?" It was a new, but familiar voice. And it came from directly behind Harry, from the person tied to Hermione's left.

"Dean?"

"It is you! If they find out who they've got! They're Snatchers, they're only looking for truants to sell for gold" 

"Not a bad little haul for one night." Greyback was saying, as a pair of hobnailed boots marched close by Harry and they heard more crashes from inside the tent. "A Mudblood, a runaway goblin, and these truants. You checked their names on the list yet, Scabior?" he roared.

"Yeah. There's no Vernon Dudley un 'ere, Greyback." 

"Interesting," Greyback said. "That's interesting." He crouched down beside Harry, who saw, through the infinitesimal gap left between his swollen eyelids, a face covered in matted grey hair and whiskers, with pointed brown teeth and sores in the corners of his mouth. Greyback smelled as he had done at the top of the tower where Dumbledore had died, of dirt, sweat, and blood. "So you aren't wanted, then, Vernon? Or are you on that list under a different name? What house were you in at Hogwarts?"

"Slytherin," Harry said automatically.

"Funny 'ow they all thinks we wants to 'ear that." leered Scabior out of the shadows. "But none of 'em can tell us where the common room is."

"It's in the dungeons." Harry said clearly. "You enter through the wall. It's full of skulls and stuff and its under the lake, so the light's all green," There was a short pause.

"Well, well, looks like we really 'ave caught a little Slytherin." Scabior said. "Good for you, Vernon, 'cause there ain't a lot of Mudblood Slytherins. Who's your father?"

"He works at the Ministry," Harry lied. "Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."

"You know what, Greyback," Scabior said. "I think there is a Dudley in there."

"Well, well." Greyback said "If you're telling the truth, ugly, you've got nothing to fear from a trip to the Ministry. I expect your father'll reward us just for picking you up."