A/N: Well another update, sorry it is so late. There were a couple of places I had some difficulty with. I would like to again thank everyone for the comments and suggestions. Your responses mean much to me, and I value the input.
I think I'll swing Bellatrix between somewhat chlldish and fully rational. Appropriate for someone who has been traumatized.
Warning: There is mention of rape in this chapter, no details but some context is given.
I do not own Harry Potter or any other publically recognizeable characters or places. Wish I did.
A/N 2: For some reason my chapters have not been retaining their formatting when I post them. Trying to update that again to show scene divisions, hopefully it holds.
Chapter 10
"No!" Fleur and Nym screamed in unison as they watched the bolt of green light streak toward Harry. As Lucius' killing curse struck Harry Narcissa's Sectumsempra curse hit Lucius, they crumpled to the ground together. Fleur and Nym rushed to the still form of their husband where they collapsed on either side of him. Narcissa wearily walked over to Lucius. She looked down at her ex-husband as he lay bleeding on the once fine carpet he had obsessed over.
"At least I got rid of the brat." Lucius smirked, his body shook as he bagan to cough up blood.
Bellatrix looked over the scene before her with a disappointed air and sighed. "Well, that's disappointing."
"Mr. Potter, I've been expecting you." A deep, melodious voice roused Harry. He found himself lying on a hard surface which, surprisingly, was not cold. In fact he felt extremely comfortable, almost as if cold and hot simply did not exist. He slowly opened his eyes, only to nearly be blinded. Sitting upu, Harry quinted around, he could see he was in what appeared to be a solicitor's office. A desk and chairs stood in front of one wall while an enormous book case stretching the length of another. It would have fit in with any non-magical law firm, except everything was blindingly white, and there were no door or windows.
Trying to think, Harry began to piece together in his mind what had happened. The last he remembered was looking into his wifes' eyes as the bright emerald green of Lucius' killing curse streaked toward him. So that meant he was dead. He had already survived the killing curse once, but that was because his mother sacrificed herself to protect him. It wasn't very likely that the protection would work a second time. Besides it was Lucius who had cast the spell, not Voldemort.
"Do get up and take a seat, we have much to discuss and are pressed for time." The same voice as before called him, though this time there was a hint of impatience. Harry finally took notice of the other person in the room. Sitting at the desk was a pale man dressed in a neat white suit. His elbows were resting on the desk, his fingers steepled in front of his face. There was a stack of papers at his left hand, and a jar containing...something at his right.
Harry rose from the floor and walked over to take a seat in front of the desk, accross from the man. Now that he was closer, he could see what appeared to be a human fetus floating in the jar. He recoiled slightly, causing the man to smirk.
"Does our other guest bother you?" Harry shook his head, but kept his eyes on the jar. "Well, we'll talk about him in a moment. Now Harry, you are probably wondering where you are."
"I'm dead." Harry responded shortly. "I got hit with the killing curse, so I'm dead. My only question is who exactly are you?"
"Ah yes, that is a question with an interesting response. I guess you could say that I am no one and everyone." The man replied, and his features morphed to show the faces of several different people before returning to the non-descript features he first had. "I am the embodiment of death. All who have passed from your world make up what I am."
"Even my parents, and Sirius?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Yes but we can talk about that later, if there is time. There are a couple of things to discuss first and then you have a decision to make." He gave Harry a penetrating gaze for a moment. "How much do you remember of what Albus Dumbledore told you about Tom Riddle's soul anchors?"
"That he can't pass on while they are intact, and that Tom made six of them in order to have a seven part soul." Harry supplied. "We identified three of them, two of which have been destroyed. And we worked out the likely identities of two more. We guessed that the final one belonged to either Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryfindor, but weren't certain."
"Good, and since Albus died, what have you figured out?"
"With my friends' help, we figured out that the final Horcrux is most likely Rowena's diadem. Probably hidden somewhere in Hogwarts."
"Excellent," A sly smile formed on Death's face. "You are on the right track. While the thoughts of the snake horcrux and the other portions of Tom's soul which have already been sent to me are disjointed and incomplete, I can confirm that the cup and diadem are in fact the final two horcruxes."
"So Ron and Hermione did it then?" Relief surged through Harry. "They got the snake. But why even bother telling me we were right about the rest?" Harry asked, irritated now. "I'm dead, nobody comes back from the dead. So it does no good telling me what I was right or wrong about."
"Well, you are partially right." If it had been anyone other than Death, Harry would have sworn that his smile turned compassionate. In fact it reminded Harry eerily of Dumbledore. But Death wasn't supposed to be compassionate or understanding. Was he...it...whatever? "Yes Harry, nobody can come back from the dead. But you are not truly dead yet. Tell me, do you know how the Avada Kedavra curse works?"
Harry blinked at the unexpected question. "I..I don't know. We didn't discuss how it worked in school, only that it was instant death."
"Let me give you a hint, it is very dark and advanced soul magic." The way Death said it, Harry was reminded again of Dumbledore.
"Soul magic?" Harry thought for a moment. "So if it is soul magic used for killing, then I guess it separate your soul from your body."
"Correct Harry, very intuitive. Yes, the Avada Kedavra curse kills it's victims by seperating the soul from the body. Which brings us to our other guest." Death waved a hand at the occupant of the jar on his desk. "Tell me, what does this remind you of? Take a good look."
Harry looked closely at the fetus like thing for the first time. The shape of the thing reminded him of something from some alien movie. It's arms were long and skinny, head impossibly large, and the red eyes were filled with hate. He knew those eyes, they haunted his dreams and memories.
"Riddle?" Harry asked in shock.
"Yes." Death answered simply. "He did more than give you some of his abilities when his body was destroyed. He left a part of his soul embedded in your scar that night."
Harry felt dirty, violated. This thing had lived in him for sixteen years, what had it done to him? How would his personality have developed without this unwelcome inhabitant of his self.
"I was a horcrux too? But it looks so small." Harry peered at the disgusting, misshapen thing that was Riddle's soul. He picked up the jar for a closer look, then shook it.
"Yes, that is because of how many pieces of his soul he has hidden away." Death retrieved the jar from Harry. "Your wife was right, the more horcruxes he creates, the smaller the remaining portion of his soul. Actually, his soul is now do divided that any additional horcruxes he would attempt to create would fail. The snake was his final one." Harry looked at the jar again, thinking.
"If his soul is so shattered, how is he still so damn powerful?" Harry asked.
"Ah, yes. He has done many rituals to increase his power, including his horcruxes themselves." Death held the jar containing Voldemort's soul piece up to regard it. "They act like power syphons when placed in powerful magical items, such as yourself. That is another reason he sought items from the founders of Hogwarts. Each had it's own internal power." Death leveled a steady gaze at Harry.
"So he's been leeching off me?" Harry was incredulous. "I didn't shake the damn jar hard enough." He muttered under his breath. Death chuckled.
"Be that as it may, we have strayed from your original question. The fact of the matter is that since you were a horcrux, your body housed two souls." Death set the jar back on the corner of his desk. "Because of this, there is a choice to make. You can die and pass to the afterlife to be with your parents. Or you can return to your body, in which case the curse will harvest the soul of the horcrux."
"But if I pass on won't the horcrux just take over my body?" Harry asked, confused.
"No, because without your soul in your body it is not complete. Because the container is not as complete as when the horcrux was created, the horcrux will not return to the vessel." Death leaned forward with his elbows on the desk, his hands steepled in front of him.
"Well there really is no choice to make. I can't leave my friends and family to deal with Tom by themselves." Harry declared glaring at Death, insulted that the being thought he would even consider a different decision.
"Very well then." Death rose, a staff appearing in his hand as his clothing went from pure white to darkest black. "When you return you will find that you have more...capability than before." Death's voice changed with his clothing, becoming more resonant and daunting as his clothes became darker. "Not only has the leech of the horcrux been removed, but you will now have full control over the three hallows. Beware, as the power of the three combined could be addictive."
"What?" Harry asked, rising from his chair and backing away from the desk."What do you mean I will control the hallows?"
"You already had two, although you may not be aware of it. Now you have defeated the owner of the wand. And because the Avada Kedavra did not kill you, it did not pass from your ownership but rather strengthened it." Death's face became enshrouded in shadow as a hood formed over his head. All Harry could see were the eyes which were glowing the same green as the killing curse. The same emerald green as his own eyes. His staff sprouted a curved blade of glowing emerald flames at the top. "Now Mr. Potter, our time has come to an end."
"But I didn't beat Snape. And what about talking to my parents..." Harry began, but Death ignored him.
"Severus Snape never controled the Elder Wand. Farewell Mr. Potter our time is over." Death swung his staff with both hands, and impaled the soul shard in the jar. Harry felt a searing pain in his forehead, then darkness took him again.
"What do you mean, 'disappointing'?" Tonks snarled at her Aunt, surging to her feet to confront her even as tears of grief still fell. The outburst drew the attention of everyone in the room from the still form of Harry Potter. "He only came here because of you and Narcissa!" Despite her grief, Tonks had enough wits to not let slip about their other objective.
"Typical Gryffindor. Never think things through before jumping in over their head." Bellatrix snorted disdainfully. "Did he at least get you two pregnant to continue the Potter and Black lines?"
Nym and Fleur's faces burned scarlet, although from outrage or embarassment was open to debate. Lucius tried to laugh, leading to another coughing fit and more blood on his lips. Nobody seemed inclined to try healing the dying man.
With an inarticulate roar Nym hurled a cutting curse at her aunt, which Bellatrix negligently batted away. Nym continued to throw Incarcerous, Bombarda, and Diffindo spells at Bellatrix, however the spells were easily batted away easily. Bellatrix yawned as if bored with the exchange of spells.
"Really Nymphadora, if this is the best you, a trained Auror, can do it is no wonder the Death Eaters won." Bellatrix taunted
"Won?" Nym was shocked. "I don't remember surrendering." Nym growled back.
"What else would you call it? They control the government, the press, and the schools. Sounds like they won to me." Bellatrix shrugged
Something seemed to snap in Nym and she started pushing more power into her spells while the spell content bacame darker. Bone Breakers, Entrails Expelling curses, and a Bone Vanishing curse she remembered Harry telling her of when he recounted his second year at Hogwarts were soon flying at Bellatrix. Again she just batted the spells to the side causing Draco to scramble out of the way of a rebounded cutting curse in order to protect the future of the Malfoy line.
"Marginally better." Bellatrix deadpanned. "Let me show you how to do it though. Solidum caeli!" Bellatrix called, pointing her wand at Nym.
Suddenly Nym couldn't breath, it felt like she was trying to chew the air. She fell to her knees, gagging on her own last breath. Bellatrix grinned.
"When you can't hit your opponent directly, target the environment around them. Make them fight the air they breath or the ground they stand on. Wear them out then you can do what you want with them."
Before she could take advantage of Nym's incapacity to send another spell her way, they were interrupted with a shouted "Finite Incantartum!"
Nym dropped forward to her hands and knees, gulping large lungfulls of air as Bellatrix's spell abruptly ended. Bellatrix looked away from her niece to see the impossible. Harry Potter, wand in hand, was struggling to a sitting position. He groaned and wobbled a little before raising his hand to his forehead. "Whoa, head rush. Anyone catch the number of that bus?" Fleur, openly gaping, mutely pointed to where the prone form of Lucius Malfoy lay having been the only one to understand the reference.
"Arry?" Fleur breathed. Not believing her eyes she reached out a hand to touch him, surprised when it met with warm flesh. Harry smiled before being engulfed in a bone crushing hug.
"I'll explain later, once we're home." He whispered in her ear. He felt her nodd her head through his now damp shirt.
Finally, with assistance from Fleur, Harry slowly stood up. Disengaging from his wife, he made his way over to the elder Malfoy. When he finally stood over the stricken man, Lucius' eyes nearly left their sockets as what little color was left in his pallid face vanished. Somewhat shakily Harry knelt down beside him.
"Nice try Lucy." Harry drawled conversationally. "I'd wish you better luck next time, but there won't be a next time."
"No!" Lucius groaned, barely audibly, through blood covered lips. "It can't be. Why can't you just die."
"I'm just that good." Harry couldn't resist making the blonde's last moments on Earth miserable. With a final blood spattered, wheezing cough, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy was no more.
Harry rose and, with Fleur, walked back toward Nym, still on hands and knees gaping at him, and Bellatrix.
Bellatrix was looking at Harry with renewed interest. "Things just got interesting again" she almost cooed.
Harry helped Nym to her feet just as Ron and Hermione, followed by Luna supporting a frail Olivander, entered the study. Nym examined Harry like she was inspecting a show horse.
"Harry," Nym asked quietly. "You're really ok?"
"More or less. Just..." Harry began. Then she cuffed him on the ear
"What the Bloody Hell was that?!" Nym lit into him. "Cheating death once not good enough for you? Just had to take another killing curse?" Harry winced, hearing a gasp from Hermione.
"Not really cheating death this time." Harry replied, rubbing the rapidly purpling side of his head. "Apparently mastering death. But I did get rid of my unwanted tennant" Harry tapped his forehead at Nym's questioning gaze. "I'll explain at home, in private. Speaking of, I think it's time to go home before we have any more unwanted excitement."
"What are we gonna do about this lot?" Ron gestured to Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Draco. "I don't much fancy taking them with us and risking a curse in the back. But we can't just leave them here to possibly help Tommy."
Confusion was evident on several faces at Ron's choice of name use. Apparently Voldemort didn't clue his followers, even Bellatrix who had been one of his most trusted, into his true background. Harry looked around the ruined room and sighed. Ron was right, he couldn't just leave Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Draco here. Even if they didn't support Voldemort, he would find a way to use them for his own ends.
"Ok." Harry announced to the room. "We're leaving and you are all coming with us. Kreacher, Dobby!" Harry shouted over Draco's protests. Oddly enough neither Bellatrix nor Narcissa objected. The two house elves popped into the room, Dobby still entangled with the poorly named Mallfoy elf, Chienne.
"We are heading back to the Chamber. Everyone here is coming with us, no exceptions." Harry fixed Draco with a glare that quelled the new Lord Malfoy. You just don't argue with someone you watched seemingly raise themselves from the dead. "Three at a time, Draco with Luna and Olivander, Ron and Hermione with Narcissa, Bellatrix with Fleur, Nym, and I. We'll discuss further options there." Kreacher bowed while Dobby tried to disentangle himself from Chienne.
Harry looked around the sitting room of Salazar Slytherin's private chambers and couldn't help but sigh. The occupants of the room, after the initial awe of seeing the Chamber and then being in Slytherin's private chambers, had settled into three groups. First was Harry's group consisting of Hermione, Nym, Fleur, Ron, and Harry. Then there was the Slytherin group of Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Draco who sat accross the room, glaring at Harry's group. Finally there was Luna and Olivander who, being the worst for wear, was sitting in the chair near the fireplace. Dobby and Chienne were gleefully scrubbing walls and floors under the watchful eye of Kreacher who promised to rein in the enthusiasm of the unger elves.
Once everyone had arrived, the first thing Harry had been obliged to explain was the use of the name Tom when refering to Voldemort. Needless to say, his revelations were met with disbelief from Narcissa and Draco, thoughtfulness from Bellatrix, and surprisingly no reaction from Luna and Olivander.
"What are you on about Potter?" Draco confronted Harry. "He is Slytherin's heir, his direct decendant. Of course he's a pure blood."
"Mister Potter is correct about his name." Came the quiet, tired voice of Olivander, surprising everyone in the room. "The man you know as the Dark Lord is indeed Tom Riddle. I remember him vividly from when he bought his first wand."
"He lived in an orphanage didn't he?" Bellatrix's voice was barely a whisper. Harry nodded in answer to the unexpected question. "I thought it odd, last time, that he had us attack that muggle orphanage, it was too specific. Normally he would tell us to just attack somewhere in an area, that time he gave us a specific name." Bellatrix shuddered. "Only a couple of the littlest ones survived, hidden by one of the newer recruits."
"The Dark Lord lived in a muggle orphanage?" Narcissa was aghast.
"Dumbledore was the one who brought him to Hogwarts. But Tom was already cruel with the desire for power and to dominate others. Sending him back to that orphanage every summer certainly didn't help." Harry explained bitterly, reminded of his own prison with the Dursleys.
Harry recalled the lessons he had last year with Dumbledore. Less than a year ago, now that Harry thought about it. How many things had changed in the last year. Dumbledore and Mad-Eye were dead and now he himself was in hiding with his friends while trying to find these horcruxes. Then he looked aside at his wives, and smiled. At least one good thing was coming out of this, or rather two good things. With a sigh Harry pushed his contemplations aside and returned to the problem at hand.
"Regardless of if you believe me or not, the question remains about where you go from here." Harry fixed Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Draco with a steady eye in turn. "Will you help us beat Tom, or go running back to him. There really is no option to leave because you know how he deals with deserters."
Bellatrix and Narcissa exchanged knowing looks. They remembered how Karkaroff was hunted down, as well as several others. Draco looked defiant, haughtily sneering at Harry.
"Why shouldn't we go back Potter? The Dark Lord would reward us well for bringing in you and your whores." Draco responded.
"Reward?!" Bellatrix scoffed. "With torture and gang rape? To punish his followers who don't please him, he gives their wives and daughters out as rewards for those who please him." She gave the young Malfoy an appraising look. "But then you would think that's a reward. Get your head out of your arse Draco, the only reason you were given the Mark was so he could get more power." This comment piqued Harry's curiosity. "You were sent to kill Dumbledore to punish Lucius for getting caught. I am not going back."
She turned from the pouting Draco to Harry with a pointed look. "Although I'm not too keen on joining you either Potter. I've spent enough of my life serving others' causes. I'm more inclined to leave you all to your own devices. Although I might stick around. Call it morbid curiosity."
"That's 'Lord Black' Aunt Bellatrix." Nym corrected with a smirk. "And now that you are a Black again you are bound to obey your family head."
"No Nym, I won't be like Tom." Harry admonished, directing what he hoped was a reassuring smile to Bellatrix. "Just keep in mind what I said about getting away. Although, I do expect that if there is anything helpful you could tell us you would do so."
Bellatrix glanced briefly at Narcissa before responding. "Like what?"
"What did you mean about him getting more power when Draco got marked?" Hermione spoke up first.
"I asked 'Lord Black' mudblood, not you." Bellatrix sneered haughtily.
"None of that Bellatrix!" Harry reprimanded firmly, his tone brokering no compromise. "I will not tolerate that word or any of that Pureblood bigotry. Now answer Hermione's question."
Bellatrix bowed with an "As you wish" then turned back to Hermione. "The dark mark links our magic to the Dark Lord. He can draw on the magic of anyone bearing it to use himself."
Everyone in the room blinked, even Narcissa and Draco. The knowledge that their own magic was fueling the dark Lord's rise to power was shocking to them. Apparently only a few knew that tidbit. Harry exchanged glances with his wives and Hermione.
"That explains why he keeps getting stronger." Harry muttered. "Can you draw on his power too? What happens to those who have it when Tom dies? Can the mark be removed?"
Bellatrix shrugged as if the questions bored her. "No, we can't pull share his power, it is a one way thing. I don't know what happens, or if the mark can be removed. And if he dies? Well we were assured that he couldn't die."
"Yeah, right." Ron snorted with supressed laughter. "That'll be taken care of soon enough." Narcissa shared a confused look with Draco, Bellatrix looked thoughtful.
"What about that diary Lucius sent to Hogwarts five years ago?" Ron asked the room before turning to Narcissa. "Did Lucius have anything else like that, something that Tom asked him to keep safe? Or anybody else for that matter?"
Narcissa thought about it for a few moments before shaking her head, but the reaction from Bellatrix was different. Her eyes widened and her face paled. She seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, not particularly wanting to help but knowing she had information Harry would certainly want. Harry, noticing the reaction, turned to her with a questioning look. Harry waited patiently, despite practically feeling the frustration coming from his wives and friends.
"When Lucius was given the diary," Bellatrix finally began. "He gave Rodolphus a cup. It radiated almost as much of a dark feeling as the Dark Lord himself."
"What happened to the cup?" Harry asked, hope filling him.
"It is in the LeStrange vault in Gringotts."
Slowly the world came back into focus for Lord Voldemort, most feared Dark Lord since Grindewald. Slowly he stood up and looked around, he was still in Gregorovich's wand shop. He felt weak, even rising took what felt like super human effort. Something was severely wrong, and he had a feeling he knew what. He needed to return to England at once, forget his quest for the Elder Wand. His insurance policies were in jeapardy.
"Dobby," Severus Snape called the free Elf. Moments later the little Elf popped into the Headmaster's office, looking put out by being summoned.
"What does greasy man want from Dobby?" He directed a withering glare at the man sitting in the stark office behind an enormous desk. Severus just sighed, so few people understood the necessities of the potions master. Bad complexion and greash hair were just part of being bent over some of the concoctions he made every day.
"Did Potter summon you to the Chamber?" Severus asked bluntly, noticing the brief look of hero worship cross the Elf's before it was replaced with confusion.
"Yes." Was Dobby's confused response. Why would he want to know about the dirty old room? He wasn't about to tell anyone that he was just there with the great Harry Potter.
"And you were able to help him?" The Elf nodded. "Good. Now, can you get back into the Chamber any time you want to?" Again Dobby nodded but was confused by the question.
"Superb." Severus rose from his seat and walked around to the Elf.
Dobby eyed the wizard warily as he crouched down to his level. "Dobby, I have something that you might be able to help me with. You know that we have some people down in the dungeon of the castle?"