Chapter 21: ... Before Dawn

Hermione looked at the seething face of her best friend sing the pure rage on his face after seeing Bellatrix. 'Crap.' She thought to herself as Harry moved quickly grasping his wand in his hand, a look she had never seen before coming unto his face. Before she could blink, Bellatrix was pushing her away from her side causing her to stumble into Dumbledore's desk.

The moment after she pushed her away, Harry opened his mouth and before almost anyone could blink, yelling out the words that Bellatrix uttered hundreds of times, "Crucio!" Everyone was quiet the mili second after he spoke the curses name, Dumbledore looked for once completely confounded and at a loss, while Hermione looked wide eyed towards the boy she looked to as a little brother. Bellatrix had a blank look upon her face as the spell struck her and caused her knees to buckle and her body to tense through the immeasurable pain the curse could inflict. It was over seconds after it began, the eldest Black sibling standing back at her full height and staring down at him, her eyes as dark as her name fighting off the pain.

"I've told you before itty bitty baby Potter. If you are going to cast an unforgivable you must mean it." Bellatrix growled looking him in the eye, but made no attempt at going to her wand. The boy before her shook with rage, similar to how he did after Sirius' death.

"You killed Sirius! You killed him and you're saying she's good?!" He yelled loudly looking at the now recovered Headmaster with anguish in his eyes before turning towards his female best friend, realization striking him as he saw the worry over that woman, and the guilt that fell onto her face after she noticed him looking. "You knew too Mione?!" His voice shook his eyes watering unsure of how to react to one of his confidants siding with her.

Hermione winced at his tone, "Harry I know this is a lot," she reasoned, her voice light, "I didn't believe anything either when I was told. You just have to hear them out. Please just put your wand down."

Harry shook looking at his friend incredulously, "She killed Sirius! She deserves to be punished, she deserves to die." He shook, his eyes moving back to Bellatrix's .

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed at that and got up from his chair, his voice booming and commanding. "Put down your wand this instant. You are threatening an Auror, a teacher, and most of all the bravest person of all the Order Members alive or dead!" The older wizard watched as Harry shot him a confused glare before lowering his wand slowly. "If you dare say another unforgivable curse I will give out punishment accordingly. Now give us a few moments to answer your questions."

Harry shook still but lowered his wand to his hip glaring at the two women, watching how Hermione fussed over the elder witch to see if she was okay and only getting brushed off. "What is going on here?!"

Bellatrix moved her girlfriends concern away but still took her hand and squeezed it to assure her that she was alright. "Perhaps we should sit down to talk about this. I'm quite sure this is going to be a very long night." She mused ignoring the glare she received from Harry when she moved to sit in one of the seats by his desk taking Hermione with her.

Dumbledore nodded a little bit as he steepled his fingers, the burned ones standing out against his healthy ones. "I believe that to be true. Now Harry if you would kindly sit down and put your wand completely away. I would prefer not to have to punish you for attacking a teacher once more." He gestured to the seat to Harry's side waiting on him to move.

Harry frowned as he moved his eyes finally from Bellatrix to the Headmaster grumbling to himself, the rage still evident in his eyes. It took him a few more minutes to actually make his body move to sit down, putting his wand into his pocket. The need for answers finally trumping his desire to kill the woman for now.

Dumbledore waited another moment looking at Harry, then at the newest couple that sat close to one another. Bellatrix was as relaxed and aloof as per usual her eyes looking around the room hungrily at the knowledge kept inside of it. Hermione, surprisingly, was more focused on Harry and Bellatrix, her loyalties torn ever so slightly between the two. Clearing his throat, Dumbledore began, "The memories I showed Harry, are from the day we made the vow and the secret keeper oath regarding Miss. Black's mission and intentions, the day that I introduced her to the original Order of the Phoenix, and the night I retrieved her from the Malfoy Manor." He informed Bellatrix before moving on. "To answer one of your earlier questions, yes Miss Granger is fully aware of Miss Black's history and her past for the most part. She knew after her incident with Greyback, and I must say she barely handled it better than you. I believe that her attitude towards Miss Black only recently changed to what you see here, if their closeness isn't already an indicator for you."

Hermione winced at how he said closeness, she really didn't want Harry to find out this way about her dating the dark witch. She hoped that the inner dunce within Harry wouldn't catch the double meaning behind his words. She wasn't that lucky, however, as Harry bristled his gaze turning towards his friend, "SHE'S THE ONE YOU ARE SHACKING UP WITH?! WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU THINKING?! SHE MURDERED SIRIUS, WHO WAS OUR FRIEND AND MY GOD FATHER! HE WAS THE ONLY REAL FAMILY I HAD LEFT!"

Hermione winced at his tone and at what he said towards her. She never was the target for his rage before, and she had to admit that it scared her just as bad as the death eater part of Bellatrix had. She was about to open her mouth to speak but the woman beside her stopped her from saying anything as she spoke.

"First off, Potter, if you ever raise your voice, or worse your wand, at Hermione again I swear on the blood of my ancestors that I will make sure your family line ends with you," hissed Bellatrix, her voice as cold as ice, "Secondly, Yes I am the person Hermione is 'shacking up with' as you crudely put it. Get used to it because it won't be changing. Lastly, I did not intend to kill Sirius. That was the farthest thing from my mind. It wasn't even a killing curse that I casted at him, and if he'd not been trying to duel Lucius as well he would have just ended up unconscious like Tonks."

Harry glared standing up to tower over the woman, "We are supposed to believe the words of a liar?! You threatened all of us that night and hurt Neville! Sirius hated you with a passion, and he said you would have rather seen him dead when I saw you on the tapestry, so why should I believe anything you say?!"

Dumbledore intervened before Bellatrix could say anything, "Please return to your seat Harry. This is the final time I will say this." Dumbledore warned his voice terse while watching the boy comply slowly biting his tongue from lashing out. "Miss Black has risked her life for you and your God father more times than I found necessary myself. She was the one to inform us of Voldemort's attempt at using your connection to get you to do his bidding. She was the one who implored me to teach you occlumency personally, which I regret to say I did not listen and allowed Severus to do it instead. She informed us that Voldemort was going to act that day at the Department of Mysteries. While she was there Severus appeared giving us your message while you were in the company of that dreadful woman. As I recall, Bellatrix and Sirius had a serious disagreement concerning him getting involved in this before Voldemort summoned her back to his side."

Bellatrix nodded little bit as she lost herself in the memory, "I pleaded with Snape and you to talk him out of going so I wouldn't have to worry about him ending up hurt. Apparently my request was ignored once more as the Order appeared to battle us." Bellatrix added looking at Dumbledore accusingly, "I am still of the opinion that you are a foolish old man to trust Snape."

Harry blinked a bit at the accusation his anger still visible within his eyes but a bit of happiness at someone agreeing that Snape was a bad guy was visible, at least to Hermione. He said nothing however, as he thought over the information he was given, trying to be rational for once.

"My trust in Severus is well earned on his part, Bellatrix. It is not up for discussion." Dumbledore said quickly before turning his attention back to Harry. "Miss Black has been an asset to us in many ways that it has canceled out the wrongs she has done in his name. She will continue being a pivotal person in the war once it truly begins again."

Harry still looked angrily at the woman and glared at his supposed best friend. "So we are just going to forget what she did to Neville's parents, what she did to him, and what she did to Sirius?" He hissed out looking Dumbledore in the eye now.

Sighing, the older man looked at the younger one his exhaustion on the subject clearly showing. "I had hoped we would be able to rationally talk about this Harry... But if we must show you everything I shall. Your complete trust in Miss Black is of upmost importance in the coming days." He stood from his desk going to the specific place where he kept the memories of people and pulled one labeled Sirius out and walking back to his pensieve. "This memory is one Sirius gave to me upon my request should people doubt the credibility of my own memory of Miss Black. There are others as well from every order member, including your and Mr. Longbottom's parents, Harry." He uses his wand to restore his memory back into his mind and put the newest one into the basin.

Bellatrix stayed rooted to her spot not willing to move at the moment. She had been present at many of the memory gatherings, but she had never heard what Sirius's was about. She squeezed Hermione's hand as Dumbledore motioned for them to move forward, standing to come to a side of the basin.

"Miss Granger, you and Harry head into the memory first. Miss Black and I will be right behind you." Dumbledore eased with a soft smile towards her.

Hermione hesitated only a moment before letting go of Bellatrix's hand and followed Harry's lead into the memory, having no clue what to expect. After her body settled she found herself standing in very beautiful living room. Looking around she felt two others join her in the memory and looked to her side seeing Dumbledore and Bellatrix looking forward.

Returning her eyes to the area before her she saw a younger and much more handsome version of Sirius sitting in front of the roaring fire, a cup of fire whiskey clutched in his hand. Everything was silent before a man, who she recognized as James Potter, came in the room. Blinking she compared father and son with a wide eyed look. They did have an uncanny resemblance to one another.

"How are you feeling Sirius?" James asked, his voice gentle as he gazed at his friend leaning against the wall beside the fire place. "You haven't spoken much since Dumbledore gave us the news of your ... Cousin." He said carefully unsure of how to approach his friend.

Sirius said nothing, only bringing his cup to his lips taking a large gulp of the strong liquid. He allowed the silence to stretch before speaking, "When I was a child... Bella, Andy, Cissy, and I were thick as thieves. We would always go on adventures near my parents estate or when I was there at the Black castle we would sneak around learning all the secret hiding places. I was the youngest as you know, and by then Bella was already in school. Immensely popular too if I remember correctly." Sirius sighed a little bit closing his eyes. "I remember one time when we were at the castle I accidentally broke something. I knew Cygnus would be angry and I started to cry. Bella found me and took me into her arms comforting me before pulling back, told me a Black should never cry, and that she would always protect me. She gave me a sad smile before hiding me behind a suit of armor."

Sirius lowered his head into his free hand. "Her father came by then and saw what happened. He didn't ask her anything. He just started to torture her with magic. I watched for thirty minutes before he left her in a heap . She didn't scream or cry during the hole thing... Even when I went to her she comforted me while I cried for her." Sirius sighed closing his eyes before shaking his head removing his head from his hand downing the rest of his drink. "That day has been on my mind since the meeting."

James waited, just as the viewers of the memory did, for the man to continue.

"She's always looked out for everyone despite what harm comes to her..." He said angrily. "She did that for us and now ... Now she's thrown herself into the serpents den to save the wizarding world." He threw his glass in the fire watching it shatter and cause the fire to grow. "And she will only get persecuted for it!"

James moved over to his best friend, "Padfoot we will make sure she doesn't get persecuted. As long as we are here... and the rest of the Order, her name will be cleared and she will be a hero. The greatest of them all."

Sirius hid his face in his hands listening to his friends words. "I love Bellatrix. I just can't help but feel that I'm going to lose her... Especially now that she's marrying that filth Lestrange. She's too good for him... Too good to follow Dumbledore's plan. Why couldn't he choose someone else?! There are others that would have jumped at an opportunity like this."

Hermione watched as James hugged his friend close squeezing his shoulders, stunned at the revelation. Looking around she saw the shock on both Harry and Bellatrix's faces as well.

"But no one is better than Bellatrix, and everyone knows that. Don't worry. She will always be our Bella ok?" James soothed as Sirius nodded slightly as the memory faded back to nothing.

Everyone within the headmasters office was silent as they all organized their thoughts. Hermione looked over at her girlfriend seeing tears streaking down her face silently and moved to embrace her a little bit, offering her as much comfort as she could. Hermione felt the woman lead her back to their seats, but instead of Hermione going to her own Bellatrix made her sit on her lap, her face buried in her neck to conceal her tears.

"As you can see... Sirius did not hate Miss Black at all. I'd wager if he had been older and had been like his older brother, Sirius would have been inclined to ask Cygnus for Bellatrix's hand." Dumbledore said gently as he removed the memory and placed it into its vial. "There is an even more recent memory he bequeathed to me in accordance to his beloved cousin. It is more so a will and testament in case he died before Bellatrix was received. He wished for Miss Black here to watch over you as if she were your God mother, Harry."

Dumbledore waved his wand summoning the vial he mentioned while sending the other away to be stored. "Shall we?" He asked "same way as last time please."

Once again they moved towards the desk and found themselves going into the pensieve after the memory was poured into it. Once the memory sharpened they recognized the room they were in as Grimmwald place with the Sirius that they all knew sitting in his chair cursing Kreacher out of the room to look at Dumbledore. He had a scowl on his face as he looked at the older man.

"She needs to come home, Dumbledore. It's been nearly sixteen years! She has done as you've requested and more!" Sirius bellowed towards the man across from him, both Hermione and Harry never seeing him that angry especially at Dumbledore. "The longer she's there and Severus is an untrustworthy git then she is not safe!"

"Is that all you wished to yell at me about Sirius? Nothing about the house arrest or the fact that I'm allowing Umbridge control over my school more and more each day?" Dumbledore asked calmly looking at her. "I must say I am surprised. You have never spoke so strongly over this before."

Sirius glared at the older man and ignored what he said, "She needs to be returned to our side Dumbledore." He repeated with a frown on his face, "her stint in Azkaban was enough."

"She volunteered to go to the prison for some of her sentence. I do say that perhaps I did leave her isolated on the island for longer than I should have, but as you can see it was good I did. Voldemort was expecting her to be there waiting his return." Dumbledore reasoned. "Her time there is nearly up, I assure you Sirius."

The animagus closed his eyes to collect himself before turning his face towards the tapestry with Bellatrix's face upon it. "Good. I miss her. Once she's back I want to see if Harry will accept her as his God parent as well. The boy needs more than just me." He closed his eyes, "I have a bad feeling about what is to come Albus. I fear that I won't make it out alive this time. I don't want the boy to be left with those muggles as his only family if that's the case."

Dumbledore nodded a bit bridging his fingers upon his lap. "Your fear is unwarranted, though I can understand it. This is a war and we will lose many dear to us."

Sirius nodded thinking of his best friends that had died during the first war. "The true reason I wanted you here is to be the witness to my will, I would have asked someone else but they are busy doing as you asked for the order." He mentioned bitterly closing his eyes at the fact that he was stuck in the house.

Dumbledore agreed with a nod watching Sirius holding his wand conjuring up the magical paper and quill that would serve as his will. The magic only took a few moments to settle before he returned his gaze to Sirius.

The younger of the two men began reciting the customary beginning of a will before finally reaching the part of bequeathing things. "It is my will that this house, and all things that reside in it be given to Harry James Potter upon my death, as well as all my accounts and holdings given to him. I wish for my dear cousin, Andromeda to inherit the land my father owned to use as she saw fit. It is my final wish that Bellatrix Black be given the land my family owns on the isles, and that she honor me with the peace of mind that she will take care of Harry Potter should he need it, and we know he will." He closed his eyes, "and I ask my witness to show this memory, which I will be giving him afterwards, to my god son in hopes that he believes me when I say that Bellatrix is a good woman, who I trust with even your life. She is to be trusted, even more so than Dumbledore if I may be so frank." He said not looking at the smile on Dumbledore's face.

Sirius looked directly towards Harry oddly enough, "I love you Harry. You have always made me so proud, and you always will."

They were pulled from the memory after those heartfelt words, Hermione looked towards her friend curiously watching how conflicting feelings coursed through him regarding everything he saw and heard in the memory. She watched as tears fell from his eyes while she was being held still by her girlfriend. "Harry." She said softly watching him sit down to pull himself back together.

Harry ignored her for now closing his eyes to stop crying. He opened them a few minutes later to look at Dumbledore then at Bellatrix nodding a little bit before quietly sitting there. He had to much emotion coursing through him to say anything verbally.

Dumbledore nodded at his silent show of pacifism and relaxed in his seat. "Now that the most unpleasant part of our conversation is over let us move on to why I truly called you here?" He said in a slight questioning tone getting a nod from all of them. "Good then." He smiled a bit and watched them. "As I said while Harry was still in the memory, we have at last figured out what the Horcruxes truly are."

Dumbledore turned his gaze to meet Bellatrix and nodded towards her dark look. "It is as we feared, they are the reason Lord Voldemort is pseudo-immortal. He has split his soul into seven pieces to gain a sense of never dying. Nevertheless, Harry and I deduced what the Horcruxes most likely are. The Slytherin Locket, the Guant family ring, an heirloom of either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw houses, Tom Riddle's Diary, his snake Nagini, and last -"

"Helga Hufflepuff's chalice." Bellatrix finished as if guessing, though Hermione knew better from her overheard conversation. Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Then you are aware that its impossible to reach at present."

Dumbledore nodded once more before looking at the curious faces of the two students. "A long time ago, Voldemort in trusted two items to the two families who supported him unconditionally. Those two items as I now am aware, were both Horcruxes. The Diary was given to the Malfoy family to plant on a Hogwarts student. The other, the Cup, was given to Miss Black to store away in the greatest place to store ones property."

"Gringotts. A place that is impossible to break into and escape in one piece. Even the accounts of the dead are guarded with everything they can muster, if they are old enough. They are completely sealed with no hope of reopening." Bellatrix informed crossing her arms with a frown. "Which my vault is because I'm supposedly dead."

"So it's impossible to get the cup?" Hermione asked, thinking of the warning she read her first time she'd seen the wizarding bank.

"Not impossible," said Dumbledore, "for I have taken the liberty of visiting Gringotts in Miss Black's steed to reopen her account because she is very much alive."

Bellatrix narrows her eyes a little bit, "You trusted a goblin with my identity?" She hissed coldly. "We will be lucky if they aren't spewing my name everywhere by tomorrow."

"Your true identity will be revealed regardless, Miss Black. As we well know the more who know, the weaker the oath of the secret keeper, it is only a matter of time before the word spreads to Voldemort. Though he will not believe it at first of course, I want to be a step ahead of him for when he does. By contacting a goblin and having a confidentiality meeting under contract about opening your account I'm sure no one knows. They value contracts more than gold and silver." Dumbledore closed his eyes, "it will take months before your account is back to being fully accessible and I want to get the process started as soon as possible."

Bellatrix sighed nodding her head a little, "So I assume as soon as it is possible to access my account I need to do so, remove the chalice, and get it to you?"

Dumbledore shook his head no, "It must be neutralized immediately. I trust that you can preform the spells needed to do so upon acquiring it." He smiled when she nodded her head in understanding. "Please remember Bellatrix, that you are the only adult wizard I trust this information to. No one else can know of what we discussed here. Of course that excludes Mr Weasley." He added upon seeing the classmates' faces.

"Understood, I'll do what I can to support their cause." Bellatrix vowed her arm tightening around Hermione. "Even if my life is on the line."

"I am sure your life will be on the line, as will every body else's, before too long." Dumbledore looked at them quietly.

"Are their any other locations that a Horcrux could be that we know of?" Hermione questioned, unable to stay quiet any longer.

"Besides Nagini, no there is not another that we know of. However, I have received information where one may be located. I wondered if Harry would like to join me on this excursion once I receive more information."

Bellatrix opened her mouth to protest immediately but was cut off by Harry's happy exclamation of yes and Dumbledore's quick agreement with an 'end of discussion' air about him. Bellatrix clenched her jaw and inhaled slowly annoyed but not going to argue with him yet.

Dumbledore looked at the time blinking "Goodness, look at the time. You must be off to bed immediately. We all should. Miss Granger if you would be so kind as to leave with Mister Potter and return to your dormitories?" He smiled reassuringly. "I just need to have a quick word with Miss Black before we too retire."

Hermione nodded a little bit and rose with a subtle hand squeeze and walked out of the headmaster's room with her quiet best friend. "Harry? I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. It was the secret keeper oath that bound me to not say anything." She said softly looking at her feet as they exited out behind the gargoyle statue.

Harry nodded not saying anything to her as they stealthily made it back to the common room and slipped inside, after rousing the fat lady once more.

Hermione looked at him desperately once they were inside the deserted room, "Please say something Harry."

Harry frowned a bit looking up from his shoes, "I need time to digest the information, Hermione. I need some sleep." He turned to go up the stairs "By the way... Nice Lovebite." He mused disappearing up the stairs.

Hermione felt all the blood drain out of her face as she hurried quickly and quietly to her bed and pulling the curtains to. Disrobing and getting into her night clothes Hermione brought up a mirror looking at her neck with a growl, 'Bellatrix is going to get it.'

a/n- sorry for the wait. I've had a lot of things pop up lately :). Next chapter is already in the works.