Chapter 10: Revelations of a Time-Traveller
Bellatrix Black sighed gently as she worried her lip, the feeling of frustration and confusion finally becoming too much to push aside as she had been doing over the last week.
A fortnight had passed since the ball and for the most part, it had been some of the best days of her life. Herself and Harry had begun spending much more time together, growing closer with the more they did so, simply enjoying that closeness they were sharing.
They met as they always had, choosing seclusion over places public, although every person in the castle was now aware of them, they were still private people and preferred to bond in solitude. However good things had become, something was bothering the young woman, well, in actuality something was bothering the boy of her thoughts and that in turn gave concern to her.
She couldn't at all fathom what could be causing Harry to be the way he was. It wasn't overtly obvious that something was wrong, but Bellatrix was, if anything, very observant and she could see the subtle shifts in his moods and demeanor. For the most part he was his usual calm and happy self, but there were times she would catch a glimpse of someone lost, someone not quite in the moment and someone who was hiding things.
The was no doubting the kind of person that he was, she had seen that on many an occasion, but the more she pondered her doubts, the more she came to realise several things. As these thoughts crept in to her mind she saw that even though she knew the man he was becoming, she knew next to nothing about him at all and that worried her and she couldn't help but think that she was falling for a stranger.
She only began to notice it after ball and the pair began spending more time together, having more in depth conversations. He seemed eager to learn all about her and would take a keen interest in hearing all about her life, her dreams and those that meant something to her. It was when the roles were reversed that his desire to share equal part of himself was non-existent and his curiosity tamed.
Whenever she would ask about his life before Hogwarts he would suddenly, but very briefly, look incredibly guilty before dismissing it us unimportant. At first she had assumed that he was merely much more shy than she believed, but it soon became apparent that he simply couldn't or didn't want to share, though he constantly looked torn on the matter.
She sighed again and shook her head in exasperation.
To her it seemed that what they had had quickly become one sided. She too was rather closed off usually but she was making a genuine effort of opening up and allowing herself to become vulnerable to the boy but she had almost lost all faith that he was willing to do the same and she found herself questioning her own wisdom in allowing herself to share as much as she had.
The fact is that it hurt feeling that a relationship between the two was an individual pursuit, that he couldn't trust her the same way she was trusting him and that he seemed both unwilling and unable to give the same.
Something had to change and soon because Bellatrix Black did not like feeling exposed the way she was and it was beginning to break her heart, something she would not allow.
She smiled sadly as she came to another realization.
Harry either had to put as much effort into them as she was or she would have to end it as it was, a thought that left her heart sinking into the very pit of her stomach.
She wiped her eyes and schooled her emotions back into the practiced stoic mask before unrolling a sheet of parchment and beginning to write.
One way or the other it would be dealt with.
(BREAK)
For Harry, the two weeks following the ball had been spent cycling through a number of emotions; Stress, confusion and guilt being the primary ones but he was happy for the most part, which only added to his confusion. It was as though the negative he had been experiencing was at first merely an undercurrent, which he had been able to brush aside, but this had quickly developed into something more dominant, more taxing and ultimately more obvious.
Things had been going so well between himself and Bellatrix but he simply had underestimated the level of closeness and openness that a relationship would involve. In any other case this would not have been an issue, particularly based on how much he had begun to care for the girl, but the fact was, as things were, he was torn. He was feeling things he had never felt nor had he expected to but this wasn't the issue. That honour fell to himself, how he was here and the reason for being so.
Confliction. That was the only way to describe what he faced and once more he could thank his naivety in matters of the heart for the position he now found himself in.
Of course he had at times found girls appealing, his awe of Cho Chang could attest to that. But beyond aesthetic appreciation of the opposite sex, he had lacked any exposure to intimacy, true intimacy in which he had begun to know a female both inside and out. Cho had been beautiful, that he had no doubt of, but what he was feeling for Bellatrix didn't compare at the basest of levels. She was beautiful both inside and out, just another thing that confused the teen, but something he undoubtedly wanted to have more and more. For how attracted to Cho he had been, he could only compare that as a whisper in the wind to what Bellatrix did to him. The whisper that was Cho was nothing to the wind that Bellatrix was and the thought left him sighing deeply in his frustration as he once again pondered his predicament.
He rubbed his eyes tiredly and exited the room of requirement, leaving much damage and destruction in his wake, more than he usually would.
The fact was that Harry Potter had been sent here for a reason and that reason was Tom Marvolo Riddle and not Bellatrix Black, as much that thought ached him so.
He shook his head and grimaced at the thought, a wave of sadness halting his step towards the common room.
After few moments more of thinking, that sadness had enveloped him entirely.
The fact of the matter was that no matter how close he himself got to the girl, she really knew nothing about him and never could, a thought that filled him with dread and a new pain, one that sat heavy in his chest, one that seemed to plead with him to not give up on what it was he knew he wanted more than anything else in this moment.
He allowed a sad smile to tug at his lips as he thought of the girl and how patient she had been with him. Naïve in much relating to females he was, but he had seen the look she would shoot him after he brushed off any attempt of her delving deeper into his past, the same look he had experienced from Hermione when the subject of the Dursley's ever came up in conversation, a look that held curiosity and a need to no more, a look Harry had become adept at avoiding.
With Bellatrix though it felt different. He felt guilty for avoiding that look and wanted to open up to her, but what could he say?
His whole life had always been one mess after the other but well documented and believable in his own time. How could he even begin to expose even the smallest amount of the circus that it had been and expect her to either understand or find the truth in his words?
He rubbed once more at his eyes while he considered his own questions.
The fact was, he simply couldn't and even if he could she just would not understand, she was a sixteen- year- old girl after all and more than that, he wanted to protect her from the craziness his life attracted, both past and present no matter how much he wanted to see her in his future.
He wanted nothing more than to kick himself for said naivety but as things were, he simply cursed as his own logic he continued on his way.
But Harry Potter was soon to learn that logic had no place when it came to matters of the heart, a lesson he would never forget. He would rue the day that he underestimated his own heart and that of the violet-eyed witch.
Soon enough he reached his dorm where the rest of the Marauders continued to sleep blissfully but his attention was not on them. No his attention had immediately been caught by the owl that began tapping on the window the moment he entered the room.
He frowned as he allowed the bird entrance and relieved it off its burden before offering it a treat. He unrolled the small missive and frowned further. The note was simple and succinct:
Harry,
Our usual place 8pm
B x
It was odd for Bellatrix to write him a note like this. The pair had met regularly without the need of communications such as these. It had become somewhat an unspoken agreement the days and times they would spend together and 8pm this night was one of them.
He shook his head and sighed gently.
Clearly the girl wanted him to be there for a reason but that reason eluded the boy.
Whatever it was he was sure to find out soon enough.
(BREAK)
Millicent Bagnold sat behind her heavy oak desk in her office waiting for Simeon Jones to join herself and Alastor Moody, who as always, stood with his back against the furthest wall in which he could see the entirety of the room.
Things for the Minister had been rather peaceful since the near tragedy that had been the attack on Hogsmeade, a peace that was certainly welcome. It seemed that the latest Dark Lord was lying low for the time being, giving the woman a respite and the chance to focus on the other responsibilities that her job brought.
Today that responsibility was to finally discuss who would be representing Great Britain in the upcoming European Championships, something that had been a blight on her since the unfortunate death of Antonin Dolohov. But that source of stress would end today. The process to select a new champion had taken longer than she had anticipated, something that did not please her but she had every confidence in Simeon and his team. However, the selection of the champion would finally get the Dueling Committee off of her back. They had been insistent over the past days that she submitted the name of her representative, an insistence that had begun to irk her so.
She was pulled from her musing by a smart knock on the door.
"Come in," she called.
Simeon Jones entered carrying a stack of parchment. The man nodded in acknowledgement to Moody before taking a seat in front of his boss.
"Well Jones, do we have a candidate?" Bagnold inquired somewhat impatiently.
Simeon released a deep breath. "We do," he confirmed with a hint of hesitation.
Bagnold merely raised an eyebrow at the man, inviting him to continue.
"We had six possibilities," he began formally as he waved the parchment still clutched in his hand. "The fact is only one would get past the first round," he sighed.
"I sense a but," the Minister returned with a frown.
"Potter is a hell of a wizard there's no doubting it but he is not a duelist, he has clearly had no formal training in the sport."
The Ministers frown deepened.
"What is it you want to say Mr. Jones?"
The man sighed once more and shook his head.
"I spoke to both Amelia and the Greycloak to get their opinions and that ended with the pair of them arguing on who was going to recruit the boy," he explained shaking his head. "The Greycloak swore that if was certain that he'd never met the kid that he had trained him himself."
"So what is the problem?" Bagnold ground out.
"Potter is not a duelist, he is a fighter," Simeon offered.
Moody nodded his understanding but Bagnold huffed in annoyance.
"Minister, Potter has clearly been taught to battle without the constraint of rules, the rules could be his undoing because they would certainly put restrictions on what he could and couldn't do."
Bagnold finally nodded her understanding.
"So what would you recommend Mr. Jones?"
Simeon looked between the Minister and the veteran auror, not quite believing his own conclusions.
"The fact is Potter is the best we've got by far, hell the kid would probably give old Dumbledore a run for his galleons and the other five are useless in comparison," he finished.
"So Potter then?" Moody broke in.
Simeon nodded.
"He's unorthodox and will upset a lot of the traditionalists who expect formal customs for the event but if we want a chance of winning we need him," Jones responded firmly.
Bagnold grimaced slightly.
The formalities were an important part of the festivities and would be expected to be followed. Great Britain would be a mockery if such a thing were to pass.
"We still have time, can he not be taught?"
Simeon simply shrugged.
"We have to try."
"What if he doesn't want to do it?" Moody broke in once more.
Bagnold and Jones shared a worried look, which led to the Minister frowning once more.
"Why would he refuse? It's an honour."
"Aye but it wasn't long ago you were attempting to arrest him and his friends for murder," the auror reminded her.
Bagnold closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Do you think he could be difficult?" she asked.
It was Moody's turn to shrug. He knew as much about the boy as she did, but he certainly had handled himself well the last time he and the Minister had met.
"Just don't underestimate the lad at the worst I'm sure he would be willing to make a compromise, if he wasn't at all interested he wouldn't have come in the first place," he growled.
Bagnold sighed as the feeling that a hefty price for the service of Harry Potter was almost inevitable in some way.
"Send him an invitation for a meeting, we need to at least discuss some tuition so he can abide by the formalities," she finally conceded.
(BREAK)
After exiting the portrait of the Fat Lady Harry briefly checked the map before heading towards the third floor classroom that himself and Bellatrix had taken for their own. Since the night of the ball it seemed that the Slytherins had simply decided that anyone not within their circle no longer existed and had kept themselves very much to themselves for the time being, certainly a welcome peace for the castle at large. However, Harry was certainly no fool and knew that any peace would be only temporary so had been keeping a closer eye on them. In his experience, times like these were more of a calm before a storm and he refused to be caught off guard as he had so many times in the past.
He entered the room and greeted the girl in his now usual way by sweeping her into his arms and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
The kiss he received in return was as warm and genuine as any other the pair had shared but the smile and squeeze of the hand that followed had an edge of uncertainty, a slight reluctance and even a hint of sadness.
Harry frowned in confusion before taking a seat and looking at Bellatrix a little more closely, noting the doubt still.
"What is it, has something happened?"
For the first time since he had known her she seemed to be lost for words yet her eyes were speaking many.
He rose from his seat and took her hands, a feeling of worry starting to overcome him.
"You know you can talk to me about anything right?"
Bellatrix nibbled her lower lip in response before gathering herself.
"Can I though?" she asked in just above a whisper.
Harry frowned slightly but nodded and Bellatrix pulled her hands away before turning her back on him.
"I'm just confused and… I don't even know," she finally offered.
"Confused about what?" Harry questioned, he himself feeling more confused by the minute.
Bellatrix turned to face him once more and offered him another sad smile.
"I want to know you Harry."
His frown deepened, the confusion becoming more so.
"You do know me."
Bellatrix shook her head gently.
"All I know is the boy that came from nowhere last year and changed my life, the powerful wizard who does things that most would call unbelievable and the sweetest most gentle person I have ever met," she began. "I know the protective, selfless and even terrifying person you can be when you have to be, but I don't know you Harry."
The boy in question felt his stomach drop and a sense of unease begin to settle in but before he could even gather a response, Bellatrix continued.
"Everything about you is perfect but people aren't born that way."
Harry nodded his understanding.
"What is it you want to know?"
"Everything Harry, I want to know what has made you the way you are and I just want to know what makes you tick, I just want to know you the way you know me," she finished almost desperately.
Harry took her hands again.
"You do know me," he assured her.
Bellatrix shook her head.
"I know you but nothing about you," she returned. "I understand that you're a private person but haven't I proven that you can trust me?"
Harry sighed and dragged a hand through his hair.
"It's only been a couple of weeks," he tried.
"No," Bellatrix denied. "This has been going on since the day we were paired together in Defense, I know it hasn't always been like this but it's been there, you know it just as well as I do."
And this was something that Harry could not deny. Despite the fact that things had been up and down between the two, there had always been something there and each had proven it in their own ways. Harry had fought for her and her family without any true obligation to and Bellatrix had been forgiving with him and more than receptive to him.
"I've told you everything there is to know about me, can you not do the same?"
Harry met her eyes and could see the pleading in them and yet, as much as he wanted to, he just couldn't speak. It wasn't that he didn't trust her it was because, for the first time in his life, he was scared about pushing someone away. The fact was that he could not see her understanding him or what journey he had taken to get to where he was and even believing him for that matter. His story was farfetched at best and he didn't even know where to begin.
"I just don't want there to be any secrets between us, I've seen that and no matter how much you care for someone it ruins things just look at my parents," She tried.
The weighty, nervous feeling in Harrys' stomach doubled and he shook his head. He just didn't know what to do but he couldn't share things, not yet.
"I can't," he whispered, the pleading look he had seen in her eyes now marring his own.
Bellatrix swallowed and nodded before approaching him and kissing him gently on the cheek.
"I'm sorry Harry, I know it seems selfish but I need more than that, I really thought you could trust me."
With that she turned and exited the room leaving behind a Harry Potter trying to pull together his once more broken heart.
It felt similar to the night he had lost Sirius back in his own time and his reaction matched it. He was hurt and angry and needed to vent. Without a second thought he raced through the corridors to the seventh floor and in to the room of requirement to blow off a lot of steam.
Once the anger had subsided he simply swallowed his emotions the same way he did that night leaving him feeling hollow, just as empty and focused on one thing: the ending of Tom Marvolo Riddle, by any means necessary.
It was after a sleepless night that the opportunity to make some progress would come as a letter from the Ministry arrived acknowledging him as the representative of Great Britain for the upcoming championships, if he could meet certain requirements.
This part of the letter had made him frown, yet a feral grin spread across his lips as he realized that he would be able to negotiate with the Minister herself and he had no doubt that he would be leaving her office with exactly what he wanted. If they required anything extra from him then he himself had some demands they would need to meet.
(BREAK)
It was two days later that found Harry sat in the Ministers office with the lady herself, Simeon Jones and oddly Alastor Moody, though the latter was not an unwelcome addition.
The past couple of days could be described as difficult at best for the teen. Although he had managed to swallow his hurt rather well and vent it when needed, it was still there and he new that people around him were noticing the shift in his demeanor. Smiling through it was near impossible for him and the fact he did not laugh certainly had alarm bells ringing particularly with James. Harry was just pleased that the other boy had not attempted to pry information from him or press the matter but he had caught him offering a knowing and worried smile.
In truth Harry felt miserable, angry and just a little bit broken and he only had himself to blame this time around, a very bitter potion to swallow indeed. Throughout his life he had been able to point the pain he had felt towards others, but not this time. This time Harry James Potter only had to look in the mirror to see the source of his misery. Above his own pain that of the witch who constantly plagued his thoughts was an entirely different wound he did not know how to handle. The only encounter the pair had shared since 'that night' had been a brief glance at the emotionless mask the other wore, which spoke more volumes than the agony they were both feeling could express. Bellatrix was just as broken as himself and he knew it, this thought only making him feel worse than ever. He had spent the past couple of days cursing his life and very existence whilst simultaneously wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms, apologise for his stupidity and fix them both, something he saw as impossible.
Instead of wallowing however, Harry used that emotion he was feeling to motivate him in wreaking havoc on Tom Riddle and those that would follow him. His training sessions were now a blur of fury as what he had had to deny himself was at the forefront of his mind as he cast spell after spell, destroying dummy after dummy with magic that shook the room of requirement to it's very core.
As it was, Harry had thoroughly trained this morning so that he could be as composed as he possibly could for this meeting; he knew that he needed to come across as mature to get what he wanted. He cleared his throat before he addressed the woman in front of him who was undoubtedly trying her best to read him but obviously drawing a blank as she looked upon the stoic face of the young man.
"According to the letter you sent I must meet certain requirements to be offered the chance to compete, would you care to explain these?" he asked, leaning back in his chair casually.
Bagnold shared a look with Jones and offered the man a nod to proceed.
"Mr. Potter, how much formal training have you had in the art of dueling?"
"None."
Jones nodded his understanding.
"Well what training have you had lad?" Moody broke in.
"I'm not at liberty to say exactly," Harry began and held up a placating hand to quell any interruption. "But I demonstrated to Mr. Jones what I am capable of and I assure you there is much more where that came from."
Jones raised his eyebrows almost comically.
"You have more than impressed me with your skill Mr. Potter our only reservation is that there are certain protocols we must abide by in the formal arena."
He then removed a fairly thick book and handed it to the teen who frowned as he read the title.
The Art and Etiquette of Dueling
By Tarquin Mellor
"As you can see, there is much to be done, it is not as simple as defeating opponents,' Jones needlessly pointed out.
Harry became more and more mortified as he flicked through the work and absorbed some of what would be expected by him, finally a look of disgust overcoming him.
"Yeah, this doesn't appeal to me at all," he decided as he rose from the seat and placed the book on the desk before turning to exit the room.
He had just reached out to grab the handle of the door when the Minister finally spoke up, her voice carrying more than a hint of desperation and with that, Harry smirked. He knew he had her.
"Wait Mr. Potter, we can help you with this stuff."
He schooled his features before turning back to face the trio, two of which looked worried whereas Moody was watching him with a contemplative stare.
Harry shook his head.
"It's a lot of work even with help and will take up time I'm not really willing to give."
"What do you want boy" Moody questioned, clearly getting the hint.
Alastor had no time for irritating political games. He himself preferred straight to the point talking and his experience of the Potter lad had shown him that he appreciated the same.
Harry smirked once more towards the auror before responding.
"After I defended my fellow students in Hogsmeade you all attempted to vilify me, I want assurance that won't happen again should I ever find myself in a similar situation."
Moody frowned in confusion, he knew there was much more to it than that.
"And?"
Harry narrowed his eyes bur could respect the perception that Moody offered. He hadn't climbed the auror ranks by being a fool that was for sure.
"The truth is Auror Moody the only reason I came back in the first place is to protect my family from what is going on out there."
"Protect them from what Mr. Potter?" Bagnold interjected.
"You know exactly from what, Voldemort and his movement."
The Minister and Jones both winced at the harshness of his tone and the casual manner in which he used the mans name.
"That man is nothing more than a nuisance, something we are dealing with," the Minister assured.
Harry shook his head irritably.
"A nuisance that has already murdered innocent men, women and children in Hogsmeade and set a horde of Dementors on Diagon Alley," Harry returned. "He is more than a nuisance and you know, it he's a terrorist trying to seize power by any means necessary."
"You seem to have rather intimate knowledge of his ideas," Moody growled, the accusation clear in his voice.
"It doesn't really take a genius to work it out when you have the darker family children in school who can't keep their mouth shut about the coming revolution," Harry replied.
Moody nodded.
"He is using the old and pureblood families to push his agenda, that is obvious and it's not for the benefit of anyone but himself," he continued.
Minister Bagnold sighed, clearly frustrated.
"As much as I agree with you Mr. Potter, our hands our tied in this because we can't actually prove that he has had anything to do with the attacks and the only thing that his supporters have been seen doing is having laws changed or amended through the Wizengamot."
"I don't involve myself in politics but things there will be changing soon, that I can guarantee," Harry promised, offering those gathered more than a hint.
Bagnold's eyebrows rose significantly and she even looked relieved that the darker families would finally meet some resistance. If she was taking the hint correctly then it seemed as though certain people would be taking a more active political role, a thought that made her just as nervous as excited.
"All of this is well and good Mr. Potter, but what exactly is it you want?"
Harry sighed, starting to feel the frustration settle in. More than anything he wanted to state his desire to get the first crack at Riddle when he did surface from the shadows, but as things were, that would just raise more questions than he was able to or willing to answer. He knew he had to play his hand very carefully and begin a relationship of trust with the Minister.
"I don't like the idea of what is happening and what will come," he began diplomatically. "I just want assurance that we will not have a repeat of Hogsmeade with yourself and your aurors attempting to send me to Azkaban if I defend myself and those I care about by any means necessary, which I assure you I will."
"We can't just have you killing people Mr. Potter."
"I have no desire to, but I will if myself or my family are threatened by anyone."
Moody looked at him appraisingly and couldn't help but respect the young man. He was playing a very dangerous game indeed, one that was exceedingly risky.
"Excuse us for a moment lad, I think we need to have a private conversation."
With that said the auror then set up a privacy dome around himself and two companions.
"It seems as though the lad has us over a barrel," Moody growled, though there was clearly a hint of amusement in his voice.
"He knows that we need him for the championships," Jones contributed.
Bagnold shook her head.
"We can't give in to him, what the hell will people?"
Moody shrugged.
"The lad will do whatever it is he plans to either way but Albus may have had a good idea when I spoke to him about Potter."
Bagnold frowned but gestured for him to continue.
"He said that it would be in our best interest to use him and I agree, he's only young but we don't need him causing us problems, you saw what he is capable of in Hogsmeade and it's better that we can control that and have him on side."
"I agree," Jones chimed in. "I've seen what he's capable of first hand and we really do need him, the others couldn't ever hope to be half the wizard he already is."
Bagnold sighed once more but conceded the point with a reluctant nod.
"I don't like it at all," she reiterated.
"Me either but both Bones and the Grey cloak seem to think he's already worth recruiting," Moody pointed out.
"You cannot be serious," Bagnold huffed.
"The lad still has another year at school to complete so we can't recruit him, but we can prime him and getting him in unofficially in some way is the best way to keep an eye on him," Moody explained.
Bagnold nodded her understanding and Moody dropped the dome surrounding them.
"Alright lad we've come up with an idea that will help all of us," Moody explained. "If you compete and learn the things you need we are willing to offer you a somewhat hands on internship with the DMLE."
Harry frowned but waited for him to continue.
"You still have a year at school to complete but I'm sure we can work it with Albus so that you can help out if needed," he elaborated, offering the teen a knowing smirk. "But that cannot begin until you come of age."
Harry nodded his understanding.
He knew that for the moment they were simply attempting to appease him and didn't expect much at all from their so-called internship but it was a way in and a way to start cultivating some form of relationships with those he could not afford to be on the wrong side of. He wanted more from the deal but for now he could settle for this until things really picked up and it was an opportunity for him to show his worth and capabilities.
"So when do we begin?" he asked, shooting the book on the desk a distasteful glance.
(BREAK)
James Potter watched Harry climb through the portrait hole for what must have been a dozen times in the last two weeks, a look of misery and exhaustion etched across every feature. As usual, the tired look lastly only a fleeting second before it was schooled into an expressionless mask as the boy made his way across the common room, offered his friends a brief nod and headed up the stairs towards the dormitory.
James shook his head and took a deep breath. Something was clearly bothering the other teen and he had a good idea what that was but Harry just being Harry had spoken to no one about what had him feeling so low. Even the news that he had been made the Great British champion had barely brought a flicker of a smile to him and the more the time was passing the concern in the older Potter grew.
With his mind made up he rose from his seat and prepared himself to confront the boy. He needed to know that he wasn't alone any longer and had people he could turn to when he needed.
"Where are you going Prongs?" Sirius asked as he looked up from his quidditch magazine.
"To speak to Harry."
"Want us to come with you?"
James shook his head.
"No, I don't even think he'll speak to me, you know how he is."
Sirius nodded his understanding.
"I thought he was stressed about exams but they finished last week," Peter chimed in.
"Well whatever it is I'm about to find out."
He made his way across the common room, following Harrys footsteps until he reached to door to their room and pushed it open. Hearing the shower running, he took a seat on his bed and waited.
It was about ten minutes later that the boy in question emerged from the bathroom and made his way to his own bed, not even noticing the other boy.
"So what's bothering you Harry?" James asked causing the unaware teen to almost jump out of his skin.
Upon hearing the voice of James Harry instinctively flicked his wand into his hand and leveled it towards him but quickly holstered it once more when it was clear who had addressed him.
"Nothing, I'm fine," he lied, not at all convincingly.
James swept across the room and took a seat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I know you're a private person Harry but something is clearly bothering you, I'm just worried that's all, we all are."
Harry offered him a weak smile but said nothing.
"You have people who care about you now and that's what family are for, we're here to help pick the pieces up when everything goes to shit," he tried.
A glimmer of warmth and appreciation met his gaze and Harry stood from the bed and began pacing as he dragged his hand through his hair.
"Bellatrix broke up with me," he admitted in little more than a whisper.
James frowned in confusion.
"Then you must have done something very stupid or upset her really badly," he deduced.
Harry himself frowned, a look of hurt and irritation marring his features.
"She wouldn't have done it for no reason, everyone could see how much you care about each other at the ball," James pointed out.
Harry sighed resignedly and nodded.
"She wants to know me, everything and I can't lie to her," he replied.
James frowned again.
"And what is the problem with that?"
"Well I can't exactly tell her can I? I can't just say 'Hey Bella I'm Harry Potter and won't be born for another few years'."
James chuckled.
"Not if you put it like that."
"So you see the problem."
James shook his head once more.
"Not really," he shrugged.
Harry frowned and was about to speak but James cut him off.
"You have been here almost a year now and we both know you can't go back," he pointed out.
"I know."
James stood and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Do you trust her?"
Harry nodded.
"Then you should tell her, it won't be fun but merlin you are miserable Harry and she clearly makes you happy, happier than I've ever seen you."
"It's not that simple."
"Yes it is, we've already talked about telling Sirius you can't live the rest of your life keeping all of this to yourself, hell even I struggle with it," James returned hotly.
"What if she doesn't understand?"
"I think she will and if she cares about you half as much as you do her it won't matter at all."
Harry shook his head.
"I'm scared," he admitted. "What if she hates me or thinks I've lied to her?"
"Have you?"
"No," Harry denied immediately.
"Then you have nothing to worry about and at worst you'd just have to obliviate her," he offered with a chuckle.
"I will not obliviate her."
"Then you make her understand."
Harry just stood staring at the other boy, a million doubts running through his mind.
"If you don't do it you'll regret it more than anything but even if it goes bad you have at least tried," he pointed out.
Harry closed his eyes and pondered the situation. He missed the girl more than he ever imagined he could miss anyone and wanted nothing more than for thongs to go back to how the were, or even better without all the secrecy hanging over them.
"Do you lover her?" James cut in bluntly.
"I don't know what that is."
James felt his heart break a little at that declaration.
"How would you feel if she now disappeared from your life, you'd never get to see her again and you didn't try to make it work?"
That thought had his stomaching tied in knots, a heavy weight settling in yet it left him feeling strangely empty and more than a little broken.
Harry opened his eyes and James could see the pain etched in them at the thoughts he was having.
"I have to tell her," he whispered.
James smiled.
"Then what the hell are you doing standing here talking to me? GO!"
Harry reacted immediately and charged from the room, a look of determination settling in.
"That's my boy," James whispered as a bright and proud smile graced his lips.
(BREAK)
Upon exiting the dormitory he cleared the common room in record time before bursting through the portrait hole and realising he had no idea where Bellatrix even was, let alone what he was going to say to her. If Harry was honest with himself, he couldn't even be sure if she would want to speak to him after the way he had acted. He took a moment to steady himself, to clear his mind as best he could and to figure out his next step. Although he managed to calm himself somewhat, the sense of urgency and desperation to talk to her remained unwavering.
Taking a very deep breath and attempting to quell the trembling in his hand, he removed the map from his pocket and activated it. A small smile graced his lips as he found her in their classroom and he moved towards it at a more sedate pace, doubt and nervousness settling in amongst the need to see her and to explain.
After what seemed only a few seconds passing, barely time to contemplate his current range of emotions, he found himself outside the closed door and placed a still shaking hand on the nob before turning it and pushing gently as not to startle the girl within. What he saw had him feeling proud, guilty and completely awestruck. Bellatrix stood with her back towards him but it was what was the patronus in front that had his attention, a creature he was very familiar with.
"A Thestral," he whispered.
His voice caused the girl to lose focus and the creature dissipated as she turned her wand to face him, a look of fury marring her features, a look that had his heart sinking. When she realized that it was he who was standing there the wand dropped to her side and the look changed to one of sadness briefly before she schooled it into one of complete impassiveness.
"What do you want Harry?" she questioned, not completely able to disguise the quiver of emotion in her voice.
HE sighed and dragged his hand through his hair, the nervousness creeping in once more.
"Do you remember what I told you about patronuses and the form they take?"
Bellatrix frowned.
"They take the form of someone you care about deeply or see as protection," she recited.
Harry nodded and stepped forward as he flicked his wand into his hand and held it out to her.
"My wand has Thestral hair in it," he explained.
Bellatrix took the offered wand and studied it up close for the first time. It was a work of art, she could not doubt that but she was confused.
"That could just be a coincidence," she replied as she handed it back.
"Maybe," Harry agreed. "But there's more."
He then proceeded to remove his jumper, exposing his torso to the girl, something, despite how close they had become they hadn't been reached between them.
Bellatrix blushed and forced herself to look in his eyes, not at all prepared for what he had just done.
"What are you doing?" she squeaked uncharacteristically.
Harry smirked slightly and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that I just wanted to show you something else."
He looked down and began marveling in the images that had been created by the Potter family magic and smiled at each one he could see fondly.
After a moment of hesitation, Bellatrix allowed her gaze to drop and follow his, gasping as she took in the form in front of her and gasping even further as she took note of what had his attention.
"When did you get tattoos?" she whispered.
Harry chuckled and shook his head.
"They're not really tattoos, it's a part of the way in which the Potter family magic manifests itself," he explained.
Bellatrix nodded. She understood that all family magic was different and some did have side effects but this was something she had never seen nor heard of, not that she was opposed to it. In fact, she found them more than a little striking. That thought left her blushing once more.
"What do they mean?" she asked.
Harry breathed deeply.
"Each one of the creatures you see, and don't for now, are creatures I have an affiliation with or a bond in some way," he began. "Most I have encountered, the others are a part of my wand."
Bellatrix looked at each of the exposed creatures but still did not understand why he was showing her. The two dragons she could see were undoubtedly beautiful and more than a little intimidating but still didn't explain just why he was doing this. Despite her confusion she could see that Harry truly was making a visible effort by sharing something personal, so she decided to help him along.
"You've encountered dragons?" she asked, a little bit of disbelief lacing her words.
Harry nodded seriously causing the girls eyes to widen.
"The Ironbelly is part of my wand," he explained as he indicated the large reptile on his right side. "The horntail I'm more familiar with," he added as he pointed to the scar on his left arm where it had struck him with its tail.
"Why in Merlin's name did you get that close to it?"
Harry shrugged.
"We will get to that, but it wasn't by choice."
Bellatrix nodded.
"What other ones are there?"
Harry rolled up the right leg of his jeans, revealing the phoenix on the back of his calf.
"It saved my life," he explained cryptically.
Again Bellatrix found her eyes widening. Having not taken care of magical creatures, it wasn't exactly her expertise but she knew enough about phoenixes to know that they didn't just offer their tears to anyone and the person in question would have to be very close to death indeed for them to even consider it.
"After I got bitten by this," Harry continued, this time removing his shoe and sock before rolling up the hem of his bottoms.
"Is that a basilisk?" Bellatrix asked as she took an unconscious step backwards.
Harry smiled fondly at the creature before nodding.
"Sura," he answered simply. "She died, but still got me before I got her," he added as he pointed out the puncture wound on his right arm.
Bellatrix shook her head.
"You killed a fully grown basilisk?"
Her tone was filled with incredulity and not disbelief, which surprised Harry. He fully expected her to protest or claim him to be fabricating stories, just like almost every body else had or would.
"You believe me?"
Her usually pale skin had somehow paled further during the last couple of minutes but she nodded resolutely.
"You're not a liar Harry, you've only ever been honest with me."
The boy felt a stab of guilt at the faith she was showing him and he shook his head but couldn't find how to even begin putting anything he wanted to say into words.
Bellatrix again noted the internal struggle he was having and sighed slightly.
"So what about the Thestral?"
Harry once more found her eyes with his own and smiled softly before turning his back to face her. Upon doing so he heard her breath hitch in her chest and only a few seconds later felt her warm finger tips caressing his back as she took in the beauty of the creature.
"Amazing," she whispered.
Bellatrix seemed to catch herself and quickly pulled her hand away as she realized what she was doing. She blushed before stepping away and found herself once more staring into Harrys' emerald eyes. For a moment she felt more exposed and vulnerable than she ever had because if what he had said was true about her Patronus then it meant that she saw him as her protector, the one person she cared about more than anyone else, a thought that in the circumstances did not leave her feeling the comfort she once had with him.
She shook her head and began pacing.
"It could be a coincidence," she tried, though even to herself she knew it was a lie. She did see Harry that way, she couldn't deny it to herself but she wasn't ready for him to know it, not how things were between them.
"It could be," he conceded. "But I don't think so."
"It's just a wand core and a tattoo," she bit back.
"Cast it again."
Bellatrix frowned but drew her wand and closed her eyes, focusing on the happy memory that had finally brought forth the corporeal form of her patronus. Ironically it was the memory of their first kiss after the ball. She took a deep breath as she let that emotion wash over, even though now it had become rather bittersweet in the last two weeks.
"Expecto Patronum," She whispered.
Her Thestral sprung from her wand and she opened her eyes to see Harry staring at the creature, his own sparkling in the ethereal light it was giving off.
After a moment of staring he schooled his features and smiled almost apologetically at the girl before he transformed into the very creature he had just been looking at.
Bellatrix again took an unconscious step back as she looked between to the Thestrals, one very real and the one she herself had conjured. Try as she might she could not deny that the resemblance was noting short of uncanny. Her realization had her wand clattering to the ground and the patronus disappearing only a second later leaving her staring at the creature left behind.
Without her being aware of such a thing her eyes had filled with tears and she turned away from the boy not wanting to feel any more weak than she did. She was a Black after all. Her sadness quickly began to give way to the famous Black temper as a million thoughts at once began assaulting her senses. This boy had made her feel vulnerable, yet hopeful and had taken it all away from her without reason.
She turned to face him only to see a look of shock on his face as her fury became evident to him.
"How dare you?" she asked in a dangerous whisper.
Harry flinched at the expression she now wore, more than a little hint of the furious Bellatrix he had encountered in his own time showing through.
"Huh?" he returned dumbly.
Clearly that had been the wrong thing to say as the girl stalked towards him with narrowed eyes before slapping him hard across the face.
Harry didn't even have time to flinch but before he could even consider his next words he saw that the violet eyes that had been so full of fury were now full of guilt and a fresh wave of tears as Bellatrix began sobbing uncontrollably.
He couldn't find it in his heart to even be slightly angry with the girl, not knowing how much he must have put her through over that past couple of weeks without him even seemingly fighting for her. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her and yet she still fought and resisted against his embrace and shook her head vigorously as she pushed him away.
"You hurt me Harry, really hurt me," she whispered. "More than I thought anyone ever could."
Harry closed his eyes and nodded.
"All I wanted was to know you is that such a bad thing?"
This time he shook his head but still couldn't find his voice.
"Why can't you just let me in? Please, I just need to understand."
He opened his eyes and couldn't miss the pleading look. A fresh wave of guilt ploughed against him as the pain she was feeling bored into him leaving his heart a heavy burden once more.
"It's complicated," he managed to mumble.
The begging look did not falter as she stepped forward and cupped the cheek she had recently struck, seeing for the first time vulnerability in him that she never would have believed existed had she not been seeing it for herself. In this moment he looked like a lost and even scared sixteen-year-old boy that he had never exposed before.
He took a deep breath and steeled himself.
"You know that I would never lie to you?"
She nodded firmly.
He closed his eyes once more before he spoke once more.
"I'm not from here Bella," he whispered.
Bellatrix looked at him feeling completely confused.
"What does that even mean?"
He opened his eyes; the most severe and serious expression finding her own confused one.
"Well, I am from here but not here exactly."
Bellatrix shook her.
"I don't understand."
Harry sighed slightly, frustrated with himself that he couldn't put into words what he wanted to say.
"My name is Harry Potter, I have never lied to you about that or anything else only where I'm from."
"Where are you from?"
"Here I guess but just not now."
If anything the girl looked even more confused.
"Now I really don't understand."
Harry smiled weakly.
"I was born in 1980."
Bellatrix frowned before her eyes widened and she audibly choked as what he said sunk in. If not for the expression he wore she would have assumed that this was some kind of sick joke.
"But it's only 1977."
Harry nodded.
"You're a time traveller," she stated incredulously.
"Now do you see what I mean by complicated?"
Bellatrix nodded and took a seat, clearly thinking a hundred different thoughts at once.
"How?" She asked after a few moments of silence.
"That's where it gets really complicated," he sighed. "But I was sent here, let's just say things got really bad to the point it couldn't be fixed."
Bellatrix frowned.
"I don't even know what to ask," she admitted, still clearly processing the fact that Harry was a time-traveller.
"I don't even know where to start."
Bellatrix nodded.
"How about from the beginning?"
"I'll tell you as much as I can and you can ask anything you like, but if I don't answer it means I really can't or I really shouldn't for your own good."
Bellatrix wanted to argue that it should be her decision on what she was allowed to know but quickly pushed that thought aside as she noted the firm resolve etched into his features, a resolve that meant he would not compromise the stipulation put forward.
She finally nodded slowly and Harry visibly deflated as his body sagged in relief.
"I was sent here to stop things getting as bad as they did," he began as he paced back and forth. "What happened at Hogsmeade is only the beginning and if I don't stop him then the damage he does will be irreparable to the point that we will no longer exist in less than ten generations."
Bellatrix's eyes widened at the revelation before she frowned, clearly now deep in thought.
"You mean that Gaunt guy?"
Harry nodded, his expression steely and unwavering.
"Too many people will die."
Bellatrix again pondered the situation before shaking her head.
"But why you? You're still only sixteen, right?"
Harry chuckled darkly.
"I am," he promised. He sighed as he dragged his hand through his hair. "There was a prophecy."
Her neatly manicured eyebrows rose this time, partly from shock, partly from skepticism.
"A prophecy?" she choked in disbelief. "You buy into that?"
Harry again chuckled and shook his head.
"Not usually but this is different."
Bellatrix frowned but waited for him to continue. Harry went on to reveal the contents of what Trelawney had brought forth that and the two remained silent for several minutes after.
"But that doesn't clearly say it has to be you," she whispered as she played the words over in her mind.
"I wish it was true," he whispered in reply. "But it does."
He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting as a morose look took form, followed by one of resignation and finally settling on determination.
"My birthday is July 31st," he began again causing the girl to raise a single eyebrow questioningly. "My parents defied him three times and more than that, he came for me."
"He came for you?" Bellatrix asked worriedly.
Harry nodded.
"October 31st 1981," he replied bitterly. "He heard part of the prophecy and came for me, he killed my parents but couldn't kill me, but he did mark me as his equal," he explained as he lifted his fringe to show what remained of his lightning bolt scar.
Bellatrix's eyes welled with tears as she traced the tarnished skin.
"You survived," she stated.
"The killing curse," he confirmed in little more than a whisper.
The two remained silent and lost in their own thoughts for some time before Bellatrix spoke next.
"So your parents?" she asked quietly.
Harry smiled weakly.
"James and Lily Potter," he returned with pride evident in his voice.
"Evans?"
He nodded and Bellatrix groaned slightly. She had spent weeks wondering if there was something between Harry and the Evans girl, now she felt foolish for even considering it.
"Do they know?"
"James does as do the other Potters, Dumbledore and Arcturus to an extent."
"My Grandfather?"
Harry only nodded and for a moment Bellatrix looked furious before shaking her head.
"I just don't know what to say."
"There's nothing you need to say, but you deserve an explanation of why I am the way I am."
Bellatrix offered him a sad smile and squeezed his hand.
"So you were raised by Charlus and Dorea?"
Harry snorted.
"They both died before my parents did."
That certainly surprised the girl if her now gaping mouth was anything to go by.
"So what happened to you? Who raised you to be like how you are?"
Harry dragged a hand through his hair and sighed deeply.
"I was raised by my Mums sister and husband."
"Muggles? But what about your parents' friends? Surely you had Godparents."
"I did but my Godfather was sent to Azkaban for betraying my parents even though he wasn't their secret keeper and I didn't have a Godmother from what I know," he explained a little bitterly.
Bellatrix worried her lip as she was clearly absorbing what he said.
"That's why you know so much about the Muggle world isn't it?"
"I spent my first memorable years there until I got my Hogwarts letter, before that I didn't know anything about our world."
"So you've only known that you are a wizard for six years?" She questioned disbelievingly.
"As hard as that is to believe, yes."
Bellatrix remained silent for some time but watched him closely as though she was finally seeing him for the first time.
"Did we ever meet before when I was older?"
She noted that his expression became rather pained and a flash of anger became prominent before he schooled his features once more.
"Once," he admitted. "It was not a pleasant experience but something that won't happen again."
"What happened?" She asked worriedly.
Harry sighed not wanting to discuss this particular subject.
"Let's just say that if you did marry Lestrange then your life would've been very different."
Bellatrix frowned and thought on when that possible route was changed.
"Christmas," She whispered. "Is that why you intervened?" she questioned angrily.
Harry held up his hands to placate her.
"Partly, but mostly I wanted yourself and Cissy to be able to choose your own path and not be forced into marrying people you didn't care about."
Noticing her glare he continued.
"We met only once and you were completely insane, you'd spent fifteen years in Azkaban and from what we know now you hadn't acted under your own will and Cissy was just nothing even close to what she is now. She became nothing more than a cold trophy paraded around by Lucius Malfoy."
Bellatrix deflated a little.
"I told you that if you choose to follow Tom then that should be your choice, I won't even stop that now but after spending time with you before and seeing how upset the idea of marrying Lestrange made you, I had to do something and so I did."
"So you only did it to give me a choice?" she questioned skeptically.
Harry nodded.
"You can still make any choice you like," he shrugged.
Bellatrix again returned to her silence but her anger subsided.
"What did I do to end up in Azkaban?"
"I don't know the ins and outs and it doesn't matter now because it won't happen again," he assured her.
Bellatrix looked as though she wanted to protest but any argument she wanted to make died on her lips as she accepted that it was probably best she didn't know. It was things she herself had not done and dwelling on it would only torment her. However, she found herself looking at him once more, searching for any kind of sign that he was not being honest with her and still she found no deception. She pondered the boy in front of her more and more and her heart sunk at the million more questions that formed in her mind. Despite how overwhelming the evening had been so far and despite everything she wanted to know and ask, only one thing truly mattered to her in this moment and she knew that her very own happiness hinged on the answer. For now everything else could wait and she could only hope that Harry Potter would stay to answer. She scolded her self for her selfishness but only for a second as the alternative burned into her very mind and she couldn't care less except for herself and the boy in front of her. She took a deep breath and grasped his hand with a gentle squeeze before giving him a determined yet pleading look.
"What does this mean for us?" she almost whispered. "What happens when you've done what you need to, won't you be going back?"
Harry was slightly taken aback by the vulnerability this time. Yes, he had seen a gentler side to Bellatrix but nothing even close to this. He returned the squeeze of her hand reassuringly and gave her a weak smile.
"There is no going back for me, this is my life now," he answered, his eyes never leaving hers.
A look of relief flooded the girl and she choked back a sob as she threw herself into his arms to be met by his welcoming embrace. She smiled against his chest just as she could feel the happiness radiating from him.
After what only seemed a few seconds, she reluctantly pulled away and took in the boy who had given up and lost so much to be where he was today and she shook her head.
"What about your friends, won't they miss you?"
Harry nodded and snorted slightly.
"Yeah and I miss them too but I have the chance to be born into a world without war, they may not know what I did but I will and that's enough for me," he explained with sincerity.
Bellatrix nodded her understanding as she gazed into his eyes with only one other question on her mind she needed answering.
"What does this mean for us?"
Harry chuckled and shook his head.
Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
Bellatrix sighed gently before kissing him gently, surprising him slightly.
"I don't want to lose you," she whispered.
"You don't have to."
"I understand why you've been the way you have I'm not mad but I am a little hurt that you let it go on this long," she admitted.
"I know and I am sorry, I was scared and just didn't know what to do," he offered. "But there won't be anymore secrets, you can ask me anything and I'll tell you," he promised.
"That's a very long conversation isn't it?" she asked with a little humour in her voice.
"You have no idea."
"Well then, why don't you tell me all about Harry Potter and what makes him who he is?"
"Now?"
"No time like the present," Bellatrix shrugged.
His green eyes met her violet ones and he saw nothing but need within them causing him to drag his hand through his hair as he chuckled once more.
"It's only fair," he conceded. "I guess I should start from Halloween 1981," he sighed as he flicked his wand into his hand and conjured a comfortable sofa. "This will take some time," he warned as he offered her his hand.
She took the offered appendage and allowed herself to be led to the chair where the two would remain for many hours as Harry tried to put into words what had been his rollercoaster of a life until he arrived here.
The night they spent in that room was both long and emotional on many levels. She held him close to her as he first explained what had happened the fateful night that Tom had marked him as his equal and she seethed at hearing what had been done to him in the following years at the hands of his so-called family. More than once he had to restrain her from finding the Dursleys and ending them as the once familiar temper of the older Bellatrix surfaced, though not terrifying to him, it was a sight to behold. She chided and even scolded him for his foolishness during his years at school but pulled him ever tighter as she felt her heartbreak over and over for him as he explained all of those experiences and what they had done to him. She wept along with him as he explained what happened to Sirius and even though she knew he was not revealing everything, what she saw was enough.
She was astounded and in awe of the young man beside. Astounded that one could suffer so much yet remain a beautiful soul deep down and in awe that he had the fortitude and desire to go on and become what he now was. From what she learnt about said young man in the hours they spent this night only made her respect him more, yet now she saw him as a human, one with feelings and one with flaws just like all people and it only made her want him more.
Bleary-eyed and exhausted after the night he had spent Harry allowed his gaze to meet hers for the first time not at all knowing what to expect to see from the girl. The smile he saw was weak and uncertain in many ways but not false and her eyes held a new warmth that he did not know could exist within her and even more than that, there was a need and desire that melted him as she fell into his arms and sighed contentedly, pulling him ever closer for a passionate kiss.
"Is there anything else you would like to know?" he asked tiredly but not without a smile and felt her head shake in response.
"Nothing that won't wait," she whispered.
"Well in that case maybe we should head to breakfast."
"Breakfast?" She asked confusedly.
Harry nodded and flicked his wand to cast a tempus charm to prove his point causing Bellatrix to sigh, less contentedly this time.
"Ok, just give me a minute."
She removed her wand and cast a few spells on herself to tidy her hair and hide the prominent swelling under her eyes.
"Ready?" Harry asked amusedly with a cocked eyebrow.
Bellatrix responded with a gentle glare but nodded.
Harry took her by the hand and with a wave of his wand he undid the wards and locking charms he had placed on the room before leading her towards the Great Hall, pausing just out of sight of the door.
"I'm sorry," he whispered genuinely. "For letting things get how they did."
Bellatrix huffed gently and frowned before leaning in to him for a final kiss.
"I understand, just don't shut me out," she almost pleaded. "And remember you're not alone anymore, you have people who care for you, me especially."
Harry smiled softly at the sincerity of her words, the weight he had been carrying all these months having been lifted considerably.
"That doesn't mean you're off the hook yet though Potter, you still have lots of making up to do," she warned with a mischievous smirk as she led him through the doors, kissing him one last time and making her way to the Slytherin table leaving a dumbfounded Harry Potter in her wake.
After shaking himself from his thoughts he made his own way to his house table only to be met with an expectant look from James who was sat with the rest of the Marauders, Lily, Marlene and Alice.
"Well?"
Harry simply nodded and sunk into the vacant seat next to him receiving a pat on the back as he did so.
"No curses?"
Harry frowned and shook his head this time.
"It was a close thing though," he admitted.
James smirked triumphantly and held out his hand in the direction of Sirius who dejectedly handed over 5 Galleons.
"I thought he'd at least be hexed," he grumbled.
"You were betting on my relationship?" Harry asked disbelievingly.
"Yep," James replied, pocketing the coins before being slapped on the back of the head by an angry Lily.
"Prats," she hissed at the four other boys who at least had the decency to look slightly ashamed.
Harry chuckled and began buttering some toast knowing he shouldn't have expected anything less from the others but offered Lily a grateful smile for her support.
Sirius sulkily speared a sausage on the end of his fork and took a more than aggressive bite from the met while glaring at James.
"Oh cheer up Padfoot, fair and square."
"How the bloody hell did you not get cursed?" he whined pointing his half sausage at Harry.
"Because I'm not a filthy mongrel like you and choose my words carefully," he retorted with a shrug.
Sirius scowled and went back to eating his food, still mumbling to himself.
"Or maybe he's just jealous that he wanted Bellatrix for himself, Merlin knows he's gone through near enough every available witch in this school and it's not like the Blacks aren't known for stirring their own cauldrons," Peter piped up casually earning a disgusted glare from the boy in question.
A split second of silence followed his statement before Sirius found himself being sprayed by the contents of Remus's mouth, thankfully only pumpkin juice, which nonetheless had the rest of the table laughing also.
"Or maybe it's Harry he wants," James offered. "I do still hear rumours about you."
"But he has calmed down with the cologne thank Merlin, although those trousers are still worryingly tight," Harry broke in. "Sorry Sirius, I told you at the beginning of summer, you're just not my type."
Before the boy could reply the hall was interrupted by the arrival of the morning post as a hundred or so owls swept across the room to deliver packages and what not the staff and students alike.
Harry took advantage of the distraction and leaned in closer to James.
"We will tell him when we get home," he said, nodding towards Sirius. "Probably Remus and Peter too."
James visibly sagged in relief and placed a grateful hand on his shoulder before giving it a squeeze.
The two were dragged from their moment as an eerie silence fell amongst them causing them both to look around only to find students sharing worried looks as they took in the headline of the morning paper.
Harry frowned and pulled a copy closer to himself so that he could see what had caused such a reaction. What he read left him shocked and cold with his fury starting to take precedence over all other emotion. He had been expecting it to happen, not this exactly and not so soon but he knew it was a strong possibility. He glanced at the picture accompanying the article and began to seethe, already plotting his next cause of action in retaliation for what Tom had done. The man had been quiet for too long but now his silence was over and he had announced himself in a huge way, a way that left Harry feeling uncertain for the first time since he had arrived. He desperately wracked his brains for any knowledge of this incident and yet, he knew that this had not happened before and he was now in the waters of uncertainty and unknown.
He caught the fearful glances of his friends around him and even the look of deep concern from Bellatrix as the paper began to smolder in his furious hands. He looked upon the picture of several people hanging from shop signs by crude nooses and the figure stood in the middle of the street surrounded by dozens of corpses, his glowing red eyes prominent even in the black and grey image. He took a final look at the headline before it disintegrated in his hands his face now a pure mask of hatred and promised vengeance.
"I Am Lord Voldemort"
A/N
Apologies for the delay guys but if you read my author page you will understand why this has taken so long. I'm still not decided on whether or not this will be continued as is or written in a sequel so your thoughts on this will be much appreciated but for more info have a look at my page which also explains my next work in progress a little more.
As usual please follow, favourite and review and I feel that I need to reiterate the fact that I will ever abandon a story I begin to publish on here. I know it has been a while but my mantra stays the same and you can expect the first chapter of my new story in the very near future, so watch out for that. I of course recommend following me so you get notification of that as soon as it is up.
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