Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling. No money is being made.
Collection of related one-shots, in chronological order, pertaining to Barty and Harry.
Written for the Harry Potter Halloween Collection Competition
Prompt: 11 (colour) Blood Red
Shattered
"Please, Harry, be careful in the maze."
Harry leaned up, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. "You worry too much. Everything will be fine."
"Everything won't be fine!" Barty grabbed Harry's shoulders, wanting to shake him. "This is the last task Harry. It's–" he couldn't say more. He couldn't betray his Lord. But if Harry just didn't try, then everything would be alright.
Blood red lips stretched into a warm smile, and Barty felt unworthy of it. "I know, Barty. It's okay. I've known what you were from the beginning, haven't I? It didn't make me love you any less."
Then Harry walked away, leaving Barty frozen in place.
Harry loved him.
Barty held it together until he was safely in his room and had silencing wards up. Only then did he scream his anguish at the sky. His magic crackled around him as he sobbed his heartbreak away from prying eyes.
Why? Why did it have to be this way? Why didn't Harry do as he asked? Why? Why?
Soundless sobs wracked his body, shattering his brittle heart and shredding the tenuous hold he had on his sanity. Laughter left his lips even while tears ran down his cheeks. Harry was such a liar. Liar, liar, liar. Harry had promised, promised he wouldn't leave, and now he was gone. Gone! Just like that.
Barty felt his mark burn, and laughed harder, a crazed edge tainting every sound coming from his mouth.
He was back. His Lord was back. It was a glorious, glorious night! Their Lord's enemy was dead and their Lord was back to power. It was a night full of joy, and Barty would celebrate with all of them, because his Lord was back and he was so, so, happy.
He laughed and laughed, while his tears never stopped falling. It was such a joyful night and Barty could feel nothing but the agony that filled every cell in his body.
His Lord was back. His Harry was dead.
"I love you too," he whispered to someone who would never again be there to hear the words.