Harry walked in the house and yawned, but quickly perked up at the smell of beef stew on the stove. Ginny was sitting at the kitchen table, engrossed in mending a small pair of pants with magic. She was notoriously bad at some of the housework magic.
"It's pointless to get him a new pair, he's going to grow out of these in months. But I just can't seem to fix this tear!"
"Sorry I'm home so late," Harry said, kissing her on top of her head.
"You know I don't mind the peace and quiet, especially after this busy weekend. Did you get everything done?" She smiled at him so supportively that Harry immediately felt guilty for ducking out of the weekend trip.
"Actually, Gin, I got done early, and I've been working on something else. Are the boys in bed?"
"Yes, they were exhausted after playing with their cousins all weekend. I am too, honestly. Now what is this other thing you've been working on?"
Harry confessed it all to her, from his original morbid curiosity to his research with Neville to where he was in the story, only leaving out Arthur Weasley's contribution to his research. Ginny was agape as he understood why, Bellatrix had tried to kill her, and her mother was the one to end up killing Bellatrix. And Harry was sure it was shocking that after all this time, he still thought about her and wanted to know more.
"But it's not just about her, anymore," Harry said, surprising even himself. Ginny looked at him quizzically. "Well, it was in the beginning, but now I realize that there's more people involved. There was a whole group of people at Hogwarts, even before my parents and Sirius, and Lupin, who all ended up affected our lives. Ginny, your parents went to school at the same time, and Moody did as well, and Ted Tonks, and Andromeda and Lucius Malfoy, it's-"
"It's creepy, and it's a little intrusive." Ginny had cut him off. "Far be it from me to defend Bellatrix's privacy, but I mean, what would it be like if someone gazed into memories of you from Hogwarts, and your birth, Harry, you saw her the day she was born!"
Harry dug his nails into his palms and looked down at the table. He had temporarily forgotten the morally unsound method in which the memories had been procured.
"Look," Ginny said pragmatically. "If it's something you have to do, it's something you have to do. And please support Neville as well, I'm afraid he'll get too wrapped up in this." She sighed.
Harry stood and walked around the table until he was behind his wife, and leaned over to wrap his arms around her and rest his head on her shoulder. "I love you, Ginny," he said, kissing her on the cheek.
"You better," she said teasingly. "And no staying at the Ministry all night to do your 'research'. The boys miss you and I want to see you before I go to bed."
"Yes, dear," said Harry obediently, and walked upstairs to say goodnight to his sons.
Harry decided that night that his 'research' would have to be restricted to his lunch breaks and any extra time he had during the normal hours at the Ministry. The last thing he wanted was for this to come between him and his family.
The next day at lunch, Harry took the lift to the Memory Bank, and was surprised to see Neville there. It was a workday after all. "Apparition," said Neville, shrugging his shoulders.
They walked together into the pensieve room, but both stopped short as they caught sight of a witch in the corner, her head bowed low as she watched someone's memories. Obviously other people must be using this room for actual work purposes, thought Harry guiltily.
Harry and Neville sat on the other side of the table from the witch, and cranked up the pensieves from their resting place below the table. Harry thought he could perhaps get two memories in before his lunch break was over.
He was getting through the second rack of memories quickly. Harry's heart beat quickly at he read the label on the next one, and anger prickled in his chest slightly. Rita Skeeter, September 1967.
Harry settled into the Great Hall as he followed Rita Skeeter to the Slytherin table for breakfast. Harry hadn't imagined her to be a Slytherin, but then again, it didn't seem like she'd fit in any other house. She did have some snake-like tendencies, now that he thought about it.
Rita slipped onto the bench between Rodolphus and Bellatrix, her rhinestones on her glasses and fingernails glinting in the morning sun. "Bella, how was your summer?" she asked, and Harry realized it must be one of the first days of school.
"Fine," Bellatrix said absentmindedly as she sipped coffee and read the Daily Prophet.
"Mine was great!" said Rita without prompting. "Daddy got us tickets to see Celestina Warbeck, and she's still amazing! Molly Prewett was so jealous."
"Hm," said Bellatrix.
"Ugh," sighed Rita, scooping eggs and hash onto her plate. "I hope this year is better than last year. I've worked hard, I deserve to have a nice romance this year!" She sighed, apparently daydreaming.
Rabastan looked over in interest, perhaps planning to make Rita's dreams reality. Harry couldn't imagine why anyone would want to.
"What a ridiculous thing to say. Nobody deserves anything," said Bellatrix, carefully folding the Daily Prophet and laying it on the table. Her voice was loud enough that it caught Rodolphus' and Narcissa's attention, as well as Rita's.
"Oh I'm sorry, Bella. I'm sure once I get a boyfriend I'll be able to find one for you, too. God knows the few guys you haven't scared off would love to date you, as well as some of the ones you have." Rita sounded openly envious.
Bellatrix's hands shook slightly as she worked to articulate her emotions. Harry could tell Rita had some harsh words coming to her, but she seemed oblivious as she shoveled hash into her mouth.
"Is that what you care about?" asked Bellatrix. Now even more Slytherins were turning their heads in her direction. "You think you deserve a boyfriend because what? You painted your nails and pulled out a few eyebrows? Or because you spent so long wanting it? Even if you work hard, fate doesn't owe you. There's no real karma to balance everything out. No one deserves anything that happens to them." She said the last while looked down into her empty mug, and her voice was more muffled.
Harry noticed that Bellatrix's sleeves were long, although the weather looked to be warm, judging from the other students' attire. Bellatrix picked up her heavy schoolbag, which reminded Harry distinctly of Hermione's, and left the Great Hall without another word. Rita looked pale.
"Come off it, Skeeter, let's go to class," said Rodolphus, clapping her on the back.
Rita looked to be quite annoyed at being addressed by her last name, but stood up and walked down to potions with Evan, Rodolphus, and another student.
"Why does she have to go and say things like that? That's why she doesn't have any friends. Why do I even try?"
"Aw she didn't mean anything against you personally, Rita, she's just got a lot going on." The third student spoke up, and Harry realized he must also be one of the newest death eaters.
"Hmph," Rita said, still pouting.
"She's just so exhausting. She never has made any effort to be anyone's
friend, even though we all try. And then she just humiliates me like that. Ooh, if I had some dirt on her I would make sure everyone knew, after that scene she caused."
Evan patted her head in the same way one would calm down an angry dog. Between the gesture and the fact that it highlighted Rita's short stature, she grew even angrier. By the time they got to the potions dungeon, she stalked off to a corner.
The memory warped, and Harry realized he was travelling to a different memory of Rita's.
It was sunny and bright, and Rita was walking with two friends down the final part of the path to Hogsmeade village. This must have been one of the first Hogsmeade weekends of the year.
"Rita, you said you have to get a book?" asked one of the girls. She was tall, with green eyes and long brown hair.
"Yes, I didn't have the money for the DADA book when I was in Diagon Alley, but I just sold an article to the Prophet."
"You're getting published in the Prophet? That's amazing!" said the other girl, who was shorter with blonde hair and a black ribbon tied through it.
"Yeah," said Rita sheepishly, "Gotta pay for my expenses somehow." The other two girls looked at their friend with shining faces of admiration.
"We'll come with you!" said the first.
"Thanks, Pandora, but it's so cramped in Tomes and Scrolls. I'll just be a minute, and then I'll meet you at Honeydukes.
The girls ran off to the candy store and Rita walked across the way to the bookshop. An old wizard seemed to be asleep behind the counter, but other than that, the shop seemed to be empty. Rita found a shelf of required Hogwarts books, and found the sixth years DADA book soon after. Her ears seemed to perk up as she heard a voice from the back of the shop.
"Tom, you know I do," Bellatrix was saying. By now, Harry knew her voice at once. Rita seemed to recognize it as well, and she walked quietly to the back of the shop. She stopped one shelf from the back and peered through the spaces between the books.
Bellatrix was leaning against a wall, half in shadow, and Voldemort was standing in front of her, resting his hand against the wall over her shoulder. His other hand moved to tuck a strand of black hair behind her ear, and dragged lazily down her cheek on its descent.
Bellatrix didn't flinch, but she didn't look to be extremely comfortable. Perhaps she was just afraid of being seen, which Harry understood was a very real threat. "Bella, I have plans. And you've got talent that I need on my side. You're not like those boys, who are lazy and power-hungry. I need them too, but I have special plans for you, and for us."
"Just, my Lord, there's no reason to involve Andromeda and Narcissa now, please," she said, desperation in her eyes.
"No, I suppose you're right, Bella, not yet at least."
Relief visibly flooded Bellatrix's face and she seemed to let her guard down. A dark passion emerged from her eyes, and she smiled up at Voldemort, who stood much taller than she did.
He ran his fingers through her hair and then used her hair to pull her face close to his. His other hand squeezed her upper arm. Just as he was leaning in to kiss her, Bellatrix pulled back. Harry saw a horrible flash of anger on Voldemort's features.
"My Lord," she said in a hushed tone, "Someone is watching us." Without uttering a word, she cast a freezing charm on Rita, who was trapped motionless behind the bookshelf with a look of panic on her face.
Voldemort and Bellatrix walked around to where Rita was, and then Voldemort lifted the charm, but not before plucking her wand from her hands.
"Good afternoon," he said, his voice high-pitched and mocking.
"I didn't see anything or hear anything!" Rita squeaked.
"That's a lie," said Voldemort coldly, and Bellatrix nodded at him, indicating that she had used legilimency to confirm this.
"Tell me who you are," demanded Voldemort.
"Rita Skeeter, sir. I am a sixth year in Slytherin house, same as Bella." She seemed to think this would appease him.
"Ah well, I didn't say anything that can't be overheard by a dimwitted schoolgirl," said Voldemort, and Rita looked relieved, smiling nervously at Bellatrix.
"But if you even think of repeating anything you saw here to anyone, no matter how inconsequential you think it might be, I will not hesitate to kill your parents, slowly and painfully. And, Skeeter, was it? I'll have to send my regards to your little brother as well."
Rita looked like she might faint. Voldemort smiled mildly, seemed to say something to Bellatrix without speaking, and exited the bookshop.
"Come on, pull yourself together," said Bellatrix, wringing her hands with impatience.
"R-right. L-let's go," she said, and was so shocked that she walked out of the store without paying for the book. Luckily, the sleeping wizard did not notice.
"I've got to get to Honeydukes, I'm meeting friends," Rita said quickly, turning away.
Bellatrix grabbed her arm. "Rita. Listen to me. That wasn't a bluff. He will do as he said unless you forget everything that just happened. I can wipe your memory if you'd like." Bellatrix reached for her wand.
"No, I can stay quiet. I won't say a word!" she promised, and twisted her arm out of Bellatrix's grasp, scampering away towards safety.