Harry didn't have much time to concentrate on what was going on around him as he felt Dumbledore take his hand. Clutching onto the folder of papers that the goblin had given him he felt the unusual squeeze of the apparition. He had never apparated before in his life and he found the sensation most uncomfortable. Feeling himself pushed through a small tube and unable to breathe for several seconds he could feel his feet hit solid ground before he pitched forward and onto the carpet of a living room.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on whose perspective you took, Tonks had always had a problem with apparition herself. Upon landing in the carpeted room she had lost her footing and fallen flat on top of Harry, pressing his body deep into the dust strewn room. Picking herself up quickly she tried to hide the blush as she could hear her mother, aunt snickering at her clumsiness, and Remus snickering for an entirely different reason.
"Sorry, Harry, you know how I am." She tried to hide her blush as she held out her hand to help him up to his feet. Once he was on his feet though she disappeared out of the room and down a hallway away from the assembled group.
Harry stared around at the dust covered walls and the fading old carpet of the living room of Number twelve Grimmauld Place. Taking time to stare at the aging walls he never thought he would be forced to see again he turned around in a circle to take everything in. Not much had actually changed since the previous summer when he spent time here with the Weasley's and Hermione. Remembering his former friends made him choke up a little, but the others were too distracted to really pay him any attention at the time.
Once they had landed Andy had moved Narcissa over towards a threadbare couch and slowly lowered her down to the cushions. They were speaking in low tones as Dumbledore and Remus disappeared out of the room, presumably to follow Tonks down towards the kitchen to get some food and contact others about what had happened at the will reading. For his part Harry collapsed into a nearby chair letting the folders slide down onto his lap. Taking the first in his hands he started to read when he was interrupted.
"Harry, what about Bella?" It was Narcissa's pleading voice that made Harry look up to see fear in her eyes. "If she was released the same as I was, she could be in great danger. We should get her here immediately. She was at Malfoy manor, but she might have been called away" Harry thought it over and nodded slowly just as Dumbledore was coming into the room.
"Sir, with your permission I would like to have Dobby and Kreacher bring the other Ms. Black here, with some precautions just in case." Harry thought it over and knew just what needed to be done, but he needed approval from the headmaster before he put his plan into action. For his part, the ancient wizard seemed to like the idea, and almost thought along the same lines as Harry did.
"Yes, I suppose that would be all right. It would be for her own benefit of course if she is released."
"Kreacher! Dobby!" Harry called out and felt the reassurance surge through him as the two elves popped into existence. Kreacher didn't bow quite as low as Dobby did for Harry, but noticed the still pale Narcissa on the couch.
"Kreacher's Malfoy Mistress has returned to ancient and noble house. Filthy blood traitors and mudbloods soil the house of her cousins and forefathers." Harry didn't pay much attention to it, but it would seem that the former Mrs. Malfoy did as she stared shrewdly at the elf in question.
"Kreacher, you are a vile little elf. You should have joined your brethren years ago on the walls of this house."
"Dobby is pleased to serve the great Harry Potter. Whats is it that the great one wishes of lowly Dobby and vile Kreacher." The elf shot what could only have been a nasty look towards the aging elf next to him, but Kreacher didn't seem to really notice.
"I want both of you to go collect Bellatrix Black from wherever she is imprisoned. Bring her back here, but in the cellar. I want you to tie her to a chair and take her wand, bring the wand to me when you're done and let me know that you're done."
"Great Mistress Bellatrix severed from her husband of noble house, now filthy wizard wants…" But Kreacher didn't get to finish his threat as there was a soft pop and he disappeared. Dobby was the first to react and followed him immediately leaving the others staring blankly at where the elves had been.
XoXo
Bellatrix knew that she was going to be in deep trouble when her husband had returned. She was in deep trouble regardless of what Rudolphus would think or even really say to her, but she had to think now. This is what found her pacing the floor in her bedroom at Malfoy manor, slowly wearing a trail in the carpet as she went back and forth. After her spill from the bed this morning she had dressed minimally in a dressing robe and her wand holster strapped to her arm. Muttering to herself she continued to pace back and forth as the sun was slowly starting to come up through the windows.
"The Dark Lord will know before too long, Rudolphus will be furious, but why? Then there's Potter, Harry, no, he's still Potter my enemy. I can't hate a child, can I? Longbottom, such a cute baby he really was." Shaking herself violently she sat on the edge of her bed and chewed on her lip for a second. "Cissy, must find her, elves would help."
Her eyes alight with a wild fire that it used to have before her being placed under the curse she removed the wand from the holster and twirled it around her fingers for a few moments before she had finally made her decision. Standing up she moved to the center of the room before calling out for the vile elf that had helped her in the past.
"…to retrieve noble Miss Bellatrix." Kreacher finished as he turned to behold what he believed to be his true mistress. Dobby popped in next to him and moved away slightly from the manic woman before him. Bellatrix stared at the two elves slightly and pointed her wand at Dobby first.
"Who are you, elf? Sent by aurors, perhaps by the ministry, yes, I should kill you now."
"Mistress Bellatrix, come to collect you we has, to take you back to Noble house of Black." Kreacher stood in front of the crazy woman and between her and Dobby. This seemed to have the opposite effect that he was hoping for though as she dropped her wand to the floor and grabbed a hold of her head. Sobbing she was able to choke out a few words.
"No, no, haunted. Sirius dead, mother did this to me. Cissy will come looking for me." Unseen by Kreacher or Bellatrix, Dobby had moved down and picked up the dropped wand.
"Mistress Narcissa is at the house of Black once again with Sister Andromeda." Kreacher moved forward and put a hand on her shoulder, almost in a comforting gesture.
"No, no, no. I killed Sirius, not ready to go back. Can't go back, must find new Lord." Her mutterings were getting manic as Kreacher took her arm and popped out of the room. Dobby soon followed.
What met her were complete and utter darkness and the constraining pressure of the ropes around her body as she was gently lowered into the chair. Her body complied, but her mind continually wanted to fight what was happening. It was wrong, she shouldn't be here, and she should fight, laugh, and strike out at anything that moves within the dark. Her body wouldn't comply with her wishes though as she submissively sat down and allowed she to be tied to the chair.
From far away she could hear footsteps coming closer and a light flared somewhere, but it was dull to her eyes. The elves or someone else must have covered her eyes with something when they arrived. The footsteps got closer and she could feel that someone else was in the room with her, but she didn't fight it. Instinctively she gave into the new presence and accepted that it was her fate; either she would die here, alone or she would be free from the Dark Lord and her husband forever.
"You should know that I tried to hate you for so long. I finally figured it out that you were being controlled, but it didn't make it any easier to look at your face again or to hear your name." Bellatrix shivered a little at the malice that was displayed in the words of the man in front of her.
"Please, my Lord…" But she didn't get any further as she felt the man grip her arm tightly.
"Never call me that, ever again. I'm not Voldemort." Instantly she cringed on hearing the name and turned away from the talker as best she could give the constraints of the ropes. Eventually he let go of her and she could feel him move back slightly. "Why did you call me that?"
"If you can command the elves then you are the true Lord of the house of Black. I have no Lord anymore after His influence was removed. He tried to kill me, his most loyal follower." She heard the man laugh slightly.
"He's tried to kill you numerous times and none of you followers have ever cared before." She heard a sigh as the light in the room blinded her momentarily.
Stepping back from the form of Bellatrix Black was Harry Potter holding a blindfold in one hand and her wand in the other. He felt tainted even touching the evil thing, but he knew that it wasn't the wand that was really tainted. He only had to look down at the woman's arm to know that it was her soul and her body that had been tainted over the many years because of what the dark wizard had done to her. Once her eyes were adjusted to the sudden light Bellatrix tried hard not to sneer at the man in front of her.
"Potter, no, Harry, you freed me from his control. You saved my life that night, even after what I did to Sirius." For her part she did look sad about killing her cousin, staring dejectedly down at the earthen floor of the cellar.
"I guess that means that I've saved your life twice now." He smiled gently. "If you are a good girl then I will let you out; however you're not getting your wand back until you can prove that you won't try and kill me or anyone else again." Harry paused for a second thinking over the ramifications of letting her go. He had already talked it over with Andy, Narcissa, and the others, and most agreed that she could reform.
"Yes, of course, no nonsense. You're a good man, Harry. Bella be a good girl." Of course he had already taken precautions against her like locking up her real wand and keeping her on constant surveillance by the house and the others. She couldn't apparate anywhere in the house and the wards would seal her in if she tried. For now, Harry would let her roam free so long as she didn't do anything stupid.
XoXoXo
Leaving the sisters to get reacquainted with one another in the kitchen, Harry had retired back to the living room to go over the papers that he had gotten at Gringots. The pile was still sitting next to the comfortable arm chair that he had tried to rest in before sending the elves to collect Bellatrix. Sinking back into the comfortable chair he groaned a little and rubbed at his eyes to get the sleep away from them. It had been a long day already and it was only dawn. Taking up the first stack of papers he started to read through them. Most were legal documents concerning the execution of contracts under his parents.
Harry had found that his parents were rather savvy when it came to legal matters and ensured his freedom on a number of issues by paying out galleons to some unknown people that never bothered to sign their names. Drops of blood were on a few contracts making them legal binding without the signatures of the people involved, but it unnerved Harry to think that before he was even born people had tried to obtain his power and life.
What interested him the most was in the second folder that held contracts that needed to be taken care of from the Potter and other families that he was connected too. The first leaf of parchment was an extensive family tree that expanded itself the further back he wanted to look. He got a little dizzy looking at all the names so he set it aside for later. Picking up the first piece of parchment he saw what the goblin had referred to by the slave contract. Groaning he felt his stomach clench in fear and his face pale slightly.
"She's not going to like this one bit."