AN: I am going to try to shoot for updates every Friday. I've found that working on this story actually helps me consistently write for The Dark Lord's Equal. Also, very glad to know that you all have appreciated the development so far. I may not respond to all reviews but I read and consider each one, especially if they frame something in a way that I've never considered before. Kudos for making me laugh, too.
JK owns everything.
Harry's eyes widened in horror at the approaching shadows that could be seen circling outside the tent. Neither him nor Hermione were foolish or desperate enough to think for even the briefest of seconds that Ron had returned to them.
These people had to be Snatchers; witches and wizards that earned their coin by rounding up those who the Voldemort's new administration labeled as unsavory in some way.
Which usually meant either Muggleborns, half-bloods, or the so-called blood-traitors, who were Purebloods that had allegedly forsaken the noble dignity and Merlin-given place atop the wizarding hierarchy because they thought all witches and wizards were equals.
Unfortunately for Harry and Hermione, they also just so happened to be the most wanted individuals in all of wizarding Britain and a prize that these Snatchers couldn't have even imagined when the Taboo Curse that Lord Voldemort had cast led them straight here.
Simply put: Harry and Hermione were in trouble and they had to think quickly if there was any hope of escape; or at the very least, survival.
With precious seconds already wasted, the pair turned their heads away from the open flap and shared a look, an unspoken understanding passing quickly between them: it was time to put contingency plan number three into effect.
Hermione was the first to have her wand in hand and she pointed it directly at the table they had just been sitting at.
"Wingardium leviosa!" She said quickly and purposefully.
She willed the table upwards with her magic until it was over their heads and then twisted her wand to the left so that the table floating in mid air tilted to the side. Simultaneously, she also brought her other hand so that her fingers were fully extended upwards, with her palm a few inches behind her wand. Then with a swift outwards motion she banished the table towards the opening so that the table's legs were now sticking out of the tent, leaving the entranceway mostly blocked.
It would buy them at least a few more seconds.
Harry meanwhile had not been sitting idly by, for the moment that the table tipped and gravity began to pull the Locket towards the Earth, Harry hastened the Horcux to him with a swish from his own wand.
"Accio Locket!" He commanded from where he was still sitting on the floor.
He didn't even wait for the Locket to fly into his outstretched hand before he turned ninety degrees to the right and aimed his wand once more.
"Accio Hermione's bag!"
As Hermione's impressive and feather-light bag with an undetectable Expansion Charm came careening towards him from across the room, Harry let go of his wand, allowing it to fall into his lap, thus freeing up his hand to grab the bag out of the air.
The incineration of the table that stood between their assailants and them did little to distract Harry as he stuffed the Locket into the bag before snatching his wand and transfiguring the bag into a small ring that he discreetly placed on his right hand as the Snatchers entered the tent.
Once the Locket – and all of their earthly possessions – were safely hidden, Harry turned his wand towards the front of the tent to support Hermione who was sending hex after hex towards the incoming Snatchers.
Spells flew about the cramped space in a heated frenzy that charged the air in an electric haze. But Hermione, and especially Harry who was still sitting on the floor, were at a tactical disadvantage.
It was inevitable given that they were outnumbered ten to two, and eventually Harry was just a fraction of a second too slow to deflect the stunner that Fenrir Greyback had sent his way.
The red spell connected with his chest and Harry slipped from consciousness.
Knowing then that she was beaten, Hermione's last act was to ready her wand to send a Stinging Hex straight at Harry's head. Unfortunately, she too was just not fast enough to get the spell off before a stunner slammed into her side and she knew no more.
"Get them!" Greyback growled.
He pointed his wand in the direction of his fallen victims but then something caught his eye that got his full attention. When his team originally had responded to the utterance of the Taboo he expected this to be like any other tagging of half-bloods or Muggleborns on the run… but now he realized they had struck gold.
The ends of his mouth curled upwards in a predatory smirk while his eyes shone with unholy glee.
"…'ello there poppets!"
The other Snatchers noticed the excitement in his voice and Greyback couldn't hold his laugh in anymore.
"Seems that today is our lucky today, boys," he said in response to the eager expression on their faces. "Why, I do believe that this here is Undesirable Number One and Two. Change of plans boys, it's straight to Malfoy Manor…"
Their cheers were echoed in his dark laugh, and the combined sound of jubilant malice reverberated throughout the tent even as the distinctive pops of Apparition sounded and the forest became silent once more.
Harry blinked his eyes open to a most unwelcome sight. For there, on the other side of the expansive hall with dark oak paneling, was Bellatrix Lestrange.
Immediately, Harry growled. "Bellatrix!"
Without thought, he prepared his body to charge at the maniacal woman before him.
Only, he couldn't; he couldn't move either his hands or his feet. The confusion stayed with him for less than half a second before the realization of the previous events in the tent and what that meant came to him.
They had been caught and taken straight to the enemy. Malfoy Manor if he had to guess seeing as how Lucius and Narcissa were standing off to the side with a comfortable but decidedly relieved expression on their faces.
Harry then looked upwards and then to the ground and noticed that he was suspended in the air, magical ropes binding his outstretched arms over his head at a forty-five degree angle. The same with his feet, only spread out below him and bound to the floor.
That awareness, combined with the fading anger upon being in the same room with his Godfather's murderer, allowed his mind to numbly appreciate the impossible position that he now found himself in.
Bellatrix cackled with the look of panic and dread that settled onto Harry's face.
"Hello itsy, bitsy, wittle Potty."
Harry continued to struggle against his invisible bonds while she inched towards him, twirling her hair with her slightly curved wand.
With the immediate shock over he was able to notice just how similar the woman looked to the last time he had seen her. From the way her tight, and form-fitting leather bodice flowed into her fringed dress with knee-high black boots to her half-styled hair that was barely contained with a simple pull back, Bellatrix Lestrange looked like a high fashion model that was about to go to war.
After checking out of rehab, of course.
Her look was crazed but somehow it didn't take anything away from how regal and expensive her overall image projected.
And she knew it, knew that she carried herself as a daughter of the House of Black that screamed how much better she was than everyone else.
Harry thought she had no right to look this… happy; not after what she had done to Sirius or to the Longbottoms.
It enraged Harry how unfair life was, and he hated her even more because of it.
"Harry," Hermione's quiet, weak voice broke through his depressing thoughts of grief and rage.
With a quick turn of his head, Harry gazed upon his friend who he saw was bound in a similar state.
But there was only fear in her eyes.
"Hermione," he returned in a gentle whisper.
It nearly broke him that she was in this position with him, that she had that look about her.
And he thought he understood what was going through her mind. He had been in these sorts of situations before; he was used to them. However, it didn't detract from his current state of being in an impossible 'it looks like I'm about to die' situation any less frightening, but it did at least lessen the blinding panic that could overwhelm a person not accustomed to these sorts of things.
Which meant that Hermione's prodigious and capable mind was not going to be of much use to them for the foreseeable future.
Which also meant that it fell to Harry to think of a way out of this.
With that thought Harry closed his eyes and did his best to center himself, he needed to call upon any and all mental faculties that he possessed. If for nothing else than a last attempt to save his baby. And he needed to so quickly because the seconds were ticking away and their chance of getting out of their latest predicament unscathed was dropping precipitously.
Not that escaping was likely to begin with but he had to try something to delay their deaths.
Harry was not one to give up until the very end and that was before he had found out that he had a baby to protect.
Now he had even more to lose and thus more of a reason to fight; he would do anything to protect his unborn child, regardless of whether Voldemort was the other biological parent.
His will to fight was stronger now, and as he opened his eyes a plan came to him.
It was a very Slytherin plan and one that he was going to milk for all it was worse. And if that failed, well, then he was sure he could think of something Gryffindorish on the fly. When all else failed perhaps he would simply take a page out of his mum's book and invoke the same protective magic that she had done for him.
Anything to keep his baby safe.
After suppressing his Slytherin side for so long Harry wasn't surprised at how easily the right mask slid onto his face. He had been fighting it for so long that of course it was more than ready to play.
"Hello Bella," he stated haughtily, causing the witch to cock her head to the side.
"Wittle Potter does know how to play…"
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at him with evil approval.
"I know something you don't know," he teased with a smirk.
From his side, Hermione looked on in horror. She was convinced Harry had gone off the deep end.
Bellatrix's eyes then shone with a gleeful wickedness. She was all too happy to indulge the boy with a little game if that's what he wanted. It was always more fun to play with one's food.
"And what would that be little bitty Potty? Not trying to stall the inevitable I hope; the Dark Lord will see to your death and that of the Mudblood himself any minute now."
The deranged woman moved closer to them and decided it was time to up the stakes. Her wand was soon inching threateningly across Hermione's cheek.
Harry's mask remained firm, even as Hermione was losing her battle to remain strong as the tears were now flowing freely down her face.
"Ah ah ah," Harry chastised, "I'm not sure the Dark Lord will appreciate you harming her. Not after what she has done for him."
Harry knew his plan was risky but if they were going to die anyways than he was sure this was his best bet. After all, he knew Tom and his followers quite well, and was gambling on using their unwavering loyalty and devotion to him to ensure that both Hermione and him remained unharmed for as long as possible. And then if they survived that then he would worry about what he would say to him.
All without having to undergo any needless crucios that might end up harming the baby.
"You dare speak his name!" Bellatrix screamed.
"His name is not worthy to grace your lips!"
"Yes, yes, Bella, but he will be most displeased to find that any harm has come to myself or the girl. Of that I can assure you. In fact, I can practically guarantee that your life would be forfeited. We both know how protective he can be when something belongs to him…"
Harry had planned on saying more but a look of terror had flitted across her eyes and Harry at once knew that she thought he was talking about the man's Horcruxes. Interesting. Perhaps he had even asked her for help like he had done with Regulus, but instead of betraying her master she had become even more devoted to her Lord.
She stalked angrily over to him and now it was his cheek that her wand was resting against.
There was fear in her eyes.
"What do you know? What do you know!" her screams echoed off the walls in what had to be the grand ballroom.
His plan was working, even if things were escalating rather quickly. But then again, this was Bellatrix and the only way to fight crazy was with crazy.
"Hmmm, I don't know if I can tell you. He is quite protective of his secrets I'm afraid; why, he might just kill you just for knowing."
Underneath Harry's façade of mock concern, and despite her sanity balancing on the edge of a knife, he was quite proud with how much he was getting under her skin. It felt quite satisfying.
Case in point was the way that Harry's words had stilled her hand. There was legitimate concern in her eyes.
And then Harry realized that he had pushed things just a tad too far as her eyes darkened and a feral quality took over her features.
"You lie!" She growled in fury.
Harry was just about to switch to Plan Gryffindor when a new sound filled the room.
"Bella…," the voice of Voldemort warned from the doorway on the far side of the expansive room.
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at the boy before turning and greeting her master with her head bowed.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and put his Slytherin mask back in place; Hermione, however, let out a small squeak as Voldemort fully entered the room and glided towards them.
Underneath his mask Harry understood her shock: this was her first time in the presence of the most evil and powerful dark wizard in history – not counting when the man was a parasite to Quirrell. No amount of reading could prepare you for that… or for the sight of the gigantic serpent trailing behind him.
But Harry couldn't waste time thinking about Nagini or any of that. Now it was make or break it time if he wanted to survive the next few minutes. And he needed to if he wanted any shot at ensuring the survival of his child.
By. Any. Means. Necessary.
"Hello again, Voldemort, most noble descendant and heir of Salazar Slytherin."
Harry dipped his head with all the right notes of sincere deference.
"My Lord," Bellatrix whispered from his side, "something is different about the boy. He has suggested things… of which I am sure he is lying."
"Yes, Bella, I'm well aware of what he has said; I've been listening the entire time."
She retreated to the side and the Dark Lord continued on, stopping when he was about two feet from his restrained nemesis.
"The Boy Who Lived," he followed just as magnanimously. "I'll admit, I'm curious as to your little performance. I didn't think Bella so easy to unnerve. But surely you realize that this time, finally, you have come to the end? And thisssss time," he hissed, "there will be no chance to escape."
His red eyes gleamed the color of blood and his thin mouth curled into a victorious sneer.
But Harry wasn't deterred; this was his chance, his only chance.
"Now Lord Voldemort, is that anyway to speak to a pregnant wizard? Surely, you remember the last time you…"
Harry's voice faltered when Bellatrix's cackles filled the hall.
She dropped to her knees as the diabolical laughter consumed her.
"Oh! My Lord!" She gasped for air. Even Lucius and Narcissa couldn't stop the chuckles that left their throats.
Voldemort, meanwhile, simply had an amused look on his face.
"Harry Potter is up the duff with a bastard child!" Bella cried from behind the Dark Lord, rolling on the ground in ecstasy as if this was the funniest thing in the entire world.
Now that he thought about it more, Harry was sure that their reactions would make his next words all the more impactful. In fact, he couldn't have planned this any better.
"How rude, Bellatrix. Is that anyway to speak about the latest heir of the Greatest of Hogwarts' Founders? Salazar would have your wand for that."
There was instant silence and the Dark Lord would deny the uncharacteristic blanching of his already pale face until his dying day.
With that, Harry dropped the hammer.
"Congratulations, Tom, you're going to be a father."
Reviews are appreciated. Hope that was satisfying. Next chapter will be the fallout from that little announcement. Thanks for reading!