When I finally woke up, my mouth felt sore and itchy, like I was getting a bad cold, and my head felt fuzzy and my tummy hurt too. I was lying on an old mattress that smelled like a dozen cats had peed on it. The smell was making me feel even sicker, and I sat up, coughing softly.

I was in a small room with faded green paint on the walls and a folding chair and a wooden packing crate. But that was all. Hermione was lying on the opposite end of the mattress and Lexy was on a blanket next to Hermione, her feet were still tied.

I moved over and tried to undo the cord around her ankles, but the cord was strong and I couldn't get it apart. Then I tried summoning my magic to undo the rope, but it wouldn't come to me. I groaned. Why was it my magic came some times and not others? I really needed it now. But after fifteen minutes of glaring and wishing and begging, I gave up. My magic refused to awaken.

It was hot and stuffy in here, and I wished that I was home, safe with Dad, and drinking a big glass of iced tea. I shut my eyes and imagined how good the tea would taste as it slid down my throat, all sweet and lemony and icy. I swallowed, wishing very badly for a drink, my throat felt like sandpaper.

I got up and walked around the room, trying to see if there were any way out of here. But there wasn't. There were no windows, only a door and it was locked. I thought about banging on it and yelling as loud as I could for them to let me out, then supposed that wouldn't be very smart. But I really did want someone to come in here soon, because all of a sudden I needed to pee awfully bad.

I took a deep breath and tried not to think about it, wriggling a bit. If somebody didn't get in here soon, I was going to disgrace myself and pee right on the floor. I knew I shouldn't have drank a whole water bottle at recess.

"Harry?"

I turned around, grateful for any distraction. Lexy was sitting halfway up against the wall, her dark hair all mussed and a red mark across her mouth where the tape had been. "You all right, Lex?" I walked slowly over to her and sat down.

"No. I want my mom," she sniffled, blinking hard. "That man who kidnapped us, Harry . . .he's my dad. He found me and now he'll never let me go." Two tears filled her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. "I don't wanna live with him, Harry. He doesn't love me, not really, even though he tries to act all nice in front of people. He only wants me because he knows it'll hurt Mom really bad if he has me. He's mean and nasty and I hate him!"

More tears followed and I put an arm around her and hugged her. I couldn't do hugs as good as Dad, but Lexy didn't seem to care. "It'll be okay, Lexy. Dad and Grandpa will find us or they'll send the Aurors and they can rescue us."

"You really think so?"

"Yup. Because nobody messes with a Snape. They'll come for us, and they'll chew up your wicked father and spit him out for breakfast."

"Good. He's the meanest man in the world. He's like a wormy apple, looks all shiny outside, but inside he's rotten and nasty."

Just then we heard a key turning in a lock and the red-haired man who'd made me breathe into that nasty cloth entered the room. He looked us over and said, "Good, you're awake. Your daddy's been wanting to see you for a long time, darlin'," he said to Lexy with a fake smile.

She shrank back against me. "No-o-o!" She wailed. "I don't want to see him! I wanna go home to my mom! Daddy's a nasty man."

The red-haired man, Brent was his name, I think, looked at her and scowled. "Now, that's no way to talk about your daddy, sugar. Did your mama tell you your daddy was a nasty man?"

Lexy shook her head.

"Now, don' lie to me, girlie. Your daddy won't be too happy if you do. We all know how your mama's nothing but a lying no-good tramp and you shouldn't believe anything she says."

Lexy's eyes went round with fear and indignation. ‘Don't you talk that way about my mom. Daddy's the one who always lied to me."

"Yeah, you can just go and bugger yourself," I told Brent, I'd heard that expression from Sirius, and one time I said it to Ron when Dad was nearby, and Dad came and washed out my mouth for swearing. But this time I didn't care, whatever that meant the guy could go and do it.

Brent glared warningly at me. "You shut your trap, boy. This isn't your concern."

"Is too!" I insisted, Lexy's my best friend and if she doesn't want to see her dad, she shouldn't have to. He's mean and he hits her for nothing."

Brent snorted. "Oh? And just how would you know that? That's what all you kids today say when you get punished, I didn't do nothin'! Lying little brats!"

"We are not!" I snapped.

Brent drew closer to me. "I done told you once, boy-shut up! Or else I'll tan your backside the way your daddy ought to have done."

"You leave Harry alone, you big dumb idiot!" Lexy defended me.

"Watch it, missy. Or else your father will be mighty displeased with you."

Lexy shivered, then said bravely, "You shouldn't of taken us here, mister. When Harry's dad and grandpa find out, they're going to kick your butt from here to the Antarctic. And so will my mom."

Brent sneered at her. "Think so, missy? You're forgetting one thing. First they've got to find us. And your daddy made sure we couldn't be found. Not no way or no how." He shook a finger at her. "So you just remember that, and behave yourself."

I spoke up then, unable to keep silent any more. "Umm . . .I gotta pee really bad, mister, and if you don't let me use the bathroom, I'm gonna go right here."

Brent glared at me like I'd asked him for a million Galleons. "Christ Almighty, but you kids think you're in some resort or something. C'mon, I'll show you where you can take a leak, then I'll be back to take you to your daddy, Miss Chase."

He grabbed me by the back of my shirt and dragged me off the bed.

"Hey!" I yelped. "I can walk, y'know."

"Let's go, kid."

"My name's not Chase anymore, it's Montague." Lexy called as we were leaving.

Brent locked the door and then half-dragged me down a long dim hallway to the bathroom, which was the size of a closet.

Not that I cared. By that time I was just grateful I hadn't had an accident.

Dad, where are you? We're trapped by the meanest man in the world and I really wanna get out of here.

Two minutes later Brent tapped on the door. "You done yet, kid? I haven't got all day."

I washed my hands and came out, he marched me back to the room and shoved me inside.

Then he called Lexy over, she came very slowly, biting her lip and sniffling.

"Move it, missy! Lord, y'think you were goin' to your own execution! Little drama queen!" Growing impatient, Brent reached out and grabbed Lexy by the back of her shirt and pulled her out the door. I could hear her protesting all the way down the hallway.

Hermione woke up soon after they left and she was scared and wanted her mum and dad. I couldn't blame her. I wanted my dad and grandpa too. "What are they gonna do to us, Harry?" she cried. "I don't wanna end up on a milk carton for missing kids."

"Me either. Lexy's dad is the one who took us, and I think he only did it so we wouldn't tell anybody what we saw."

"Like a witness to a murder?"

"Yeah, only nobody died. I don't know what he'll do to us, but I'm scared too." I admitted. Then we both hugged each other and cried.

* * * * * * * *

Later on, about an hour or so later, I had a watch so I could tell time, the door opened and Lexy came in, followed by the man I knew now to be her father, Daniel Chase. He had a hand on her shoulder, but I could tell she didn't want him to touch her by the way she was holding herself, stiff and awkward.

"Go and take a seat next to your friends, honey," Dan said, sounding as if we'd been invited over for a play date, not been kidnapped and locked up. He placed the folding chair in front of us and sat down, giving us all a brilliant smile. If I didn't know better from what Lexy had said, I'd of thought he was a nice man, from the way he smiled. He acts nice in front of other people, but he's really a wormy apple.

"Hello. In case you don't know, I'm Lexy's father, Daniel Chase. I'm rather sorry you two got involved in this, but you see Lexy's mom has been keeping me from seeing my little girl for over a year now and I got tired of calling and writing and never getting an answer, so I hired a detective to trace where my wife had taken Lexy, and once he located her, I took the first plane out. But I knew Lexy's mother would never let me see her, Alaina's jealous of the fact that Lexy might come to like me better, seeing as how I can give her anything she might want. Right, buttercup?" He smiled at Lexy.

"Yes, Daddy," Lexy answered, but I knew she was only agreeing with him because she was scared not to.

"So I had to hide and wait for my chance to take Lexy here, and I guess you misunderstood my intentions when I did that. I couldn't have you running and telling anybody, so I took you along too." Dan continued, flashing us another of those phony smiles.

I didn't misunderstand anything, you evil old git, I wanted to say. You kidnapped Lexy because she would've never agreed to come with you otherwise and you're holding us prisoner for the same reason.

"Please sir, when can I go home?" Hermione inquired timidly.

"Well now, sweetie, that all depends."

"On what, sir?"

"On whether or not my ex-wife agrees to cooperate with me and give me custody of my daughter." Dan said softly, but there was an edge to his tone that made me quiver. "If Alaina agrees to relinquish custody to me, then I'll let you go home as soon as I can. But if she won't, you may be here for a while longer."

"How long? I don't want to stay here!" Hermione bawled. "I want to go home. I miss my mother and dad, and I want to sleep in my own room, not on this dirty old mattress! It stinks like dead cats!"

I stared at Hermione in astonishment. I'd never heard her demand anything that way before. Or yell like she was doing. Was she actually having a little tantrum here?

Dan's eyes narrowed, and suddenly the smile was gone. "I can't help that, missy. I didn't exactly have time to go shop at Ethan Allan before I came here. So you're just going to have to deal with it, got me? Sorry this isn't the Waldorf Astoria, Your Highness. Now quit that crying, before I give you something to really cry about." He leaned forward menacingly, and suddenly I was terrified. "Only big babies cry, and you're eight, aren't you?"

Hermione gulped and scrunched away, moving further back on the mattress until she bumped into the wall. She wiped her nose on her sleeve, trying to stop crying.

"Better. Now, we won't have a problem so long as you do whatever I tell you. I like little kids who are obedient and polite, right, Lexy? But if you behave the way you just did, girl, screaming and acting like a high-and-mighty little brat . . .tell them what happens to bad little kids, Lexy darlin'."

Lexy swallowed, then said in a soft voice I barely recognized as hers, "They . . .they get spanked with a slipper on their bare bottoms. Or . . .or put in the dark in a closet."

"That's right. Or worse. There are all kinds of ways I can punish you. So, unless you want that to happen to you, I'd suggest you modify your tone and your behavior, girl. Got me?"

"Yes, sir." sniffled Hermione.

"Daddy?"

"What is it, cupcake?"

"Can we have something to eat and drink? I'm kind of hungry."

"Sure. I'll bring you something in a little bit. Meantime, I'd like you all to tell me your names, so I can call you something else besides girl and boy."

"Hermione Granger."

"Harry Potter," I answered, wondering if I'd made a mistake by doing that. Then again, what did it matter if he knew my name?

"Okay, Hermione and Harry, here's the deal. You get to write a letter to your parents for me. Tell them you're fine and that you can come home when Alaina agrees to give over custody of Alexis to me. Otherwise, it's no cigar. And if they try to bring the police into it or whatever, all bets are off and I'll be forced to do something they'll regret, like sell you to some people I know who like little white girls and boys just your age." There was a nasty gleam in his eye when he said that, and I wished once again that Dad would hurry up and find me. "Yup, they like ‘em tender and young, the better to train ‘em up. So unless you want to be a slave to some man with exotic tastes, you tell your parents to talk to my wife and make her see that her only option is to give me my child. Clear?"

"Yes, sir," Hermione and I chorused.

He smiled again, and now I knew what his smile reminded me of. A shark, baring his teeth for the kill. "Good, now that's what I like to hear. I'll bring you some pens and paper after your supper. You just sit and think about what you're going to write to your parents in the meantime. Remember, the quicker they persuade Alaina to do the right thing, the quicker you'll get to go home."

Then he rose and left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Hermione burst into tears. "I-I can't write a letter like that! It's a lie! I don't want Alaina to say he can have you, Lexy. I want her to call the police and have them arrest his arse!"

I gaped at her. "Mione! You said arse!"

She gave me a rather annoyed look, though how she managed that while crying is beyond me. "So? I do know the word, Harry. I just don't say it all that much because . . .because Mum doesn't like it when girls use bad language. So what are we gonna do? I don't want to write a letter like that. But if I don't . . .I don't want to get spanked with a slipper or sold to some other mean man either."

"Just do what he says, Mione," Lexy said. "Trust me, it's easier if he thinks you'll obey him. You don't want to make him mad. He's the devil when he's mad."

"Besides, you know our parents won't take those letters seriously," I pointed out. "They'll know he made us write them and then they'll be so mad they won't stop at nothing to find us."

"But how can they find us, Harry?" asked Lexy.

"With magic, I guess. Last year, I got lost chasing Inky and my dad found me with a locator spell. I don't see any reason why they can't do that again."

"Does your father know about magic, Lexy?"

"No. Least I don't think he does."

"Good, then there won't be any way he can block the locator spell," I said happily. "They're probably searching for us this minute, and you might not even have to spend the night here, Hermione." How I prayed that was true.

"Oh I really hope so!" she said eagerly.

Then we stopped talking, because the door was being unlocked and a different man than the other three I'd seen entered. He was carrying a tray with a bunch of snack food items, like pretzels and cheese and crackers, cookies and those packages of beef jerky and four cans of soda. It looked like they'd raided a vending machine.

"Here. It's not the best, but it's what's for dinner," he said, and gave us a wink.

He was slightly smaller than Dan, with dark hair pulled back into a short tail and a handsome face with light brown eyes. He looked a little younger than my dad, around twenty-four or so, and he was wearing a bright blue shirt with the words Do Yourself A Favor-Ignore Me on it and worn jeans and black trainers.

"Who are you?" I asked. For some odd reason he looked kind of familiar, though I couldn't place where I'd seen him before.

"Name's Magnus, kid. That means great in Latin, in case you were wondering," he said, his tone slightly condescending.

"Your mum must have thought a lot of you then," said Hermione.

He chuckled. "She did that." He set the tray down on the wooden crate and said, "Okay, dinner is served, ladies and gentlemen. Play nice now and make the food disappear."

Then he left the room.

Hermione moved over to the tray and said, "Okay, who wants the peanut butter and cheese crackers?"

When we had divided all the food and sodas up, and had begun eating, Hermione said, "That Magnus seemed nicer than those other men. He actually made a joke there at the end. But maybe it's a trick."

"A trick?" I repeated.

"Yeah, you know. Like good cop, bad cop. One's all nice, so you talk to him and one's all nasty, so you're afraid of him, but in the end you tell them what they want to know. Don't you watch detective shows, Harry?"

"No." I answered. I ate my pretzels and drank my soda slowly. Then I looked at my watch. It was now eight-thirty, bedtime for me if I was at home.

Suddenly I was struck with a wave of homesickness and all I wanted right then was to be home in my own bed with Inky beside me purring and Dad reading me a bedtime story before tucking me in and kissing me goodnight. I felt tears start to come to my eyes and I turned my head away so the girls wouldn't see me crying. I knew it would only make them cry too.

I clasped my hands together and prayed harder than I've ever prayed in my life. Dear God, send someone to rescue us. Please. Before something terrible happens and we end up being here forever or sold to some weirdo. I just hoped God could hear me from all the way up there.

Ten minutes later, Dan returned and handed me and Hermione a sheet of notebook paper and a pen and an envelope. "Now, you write home to mommy and daddy and tell them what I told you before, all right?"

We did, though neither of us wanted to. I wished I knew a secret code so I could tell Dad what was really going on. But I didn't and so I just wrote that I missed him and wanted to come home, so he should talk to Alaina.

Half an hour later, Brent came in and made us throw out the trash from our meal and took us each to the bathroom. "That's the last break you'll have till morning, so if you have to go during the night, tough crap." He snickered at that last comment. He took the letters from us. Then he tossed a ratty blanket at us that smelled like mildew, unscrewed the lightbulb in the ceiling so we were almost in pitch darkness, then left. "Nighty night, brats. Hope the cockroaches don't bite, ha!"

As soon as the sound of the key turning in the lock had died away, Lexy began to whimper.

"What's the matter, Lexy?" I asked softly. "Besides being stuck here, I mean."

"It's dark, Harry."

"She's afraid of the dark, remember?" Hermione whispered, and moved over to hug her friend.

Lexy was shivering and making these soft little moaning noises. "I wish I had Misty here with me. I don't like the dark. All the bad monsters come out then and grab you."

"It's okay, Lex," I whispered, moving over to her other side and putting an arm around her. "There are no monsters in here, just us. Dad says the dark is gentle, like black velvet, like Inky's fur."

"Or like licorice," added Hermione. "Or a pretty onyx ring."

"And the night is beautiful, when the stars come out."

"And the fireflies glow," Hermione recalled.

Lexy was still shivering, but as we continued to name good things about the dark, she relaxed and snuggled into us.

Then Hermione began to sing, and for some reason she was singing a Christmas carol, "Silent Night."

But I didn't bother to question it, it was a peaceful song and soon I joined in and between the both of us we sang Lexy to sleep. It was an odd sort of lullaby, but it worked.

Except it took me a long time to fall asleep and when I did I dreamed of Dan hauling me away in chains to a boat where a man with a whip waited and said, "Ah, a fine one, just the one I've been looking for!"

And I started screaming and crying and Dan laughed and said, "That's what you get for being such a naughty boy, Harry! Traded to slavers and now you'll never see your daddy again. Never!"

I woke up with tears on my cheeks and I buried my face into the smelly old mattress and cried, for I was afraid the dream might come true. But no one heard me crying, and in a way I was glad, and I cried myself back to sleep.