AN: Alright, so I will mention it one last time to make sure people are not confused: Myrtle is not a Horcrux in this fic. She is a Thrall - someone that was killed, brought back as a ghost against their will and then enslaved by their killer. Another point that I have to mention is that he did not need to cast the Jinx when he killed Myrtle. He just experimented with creating a Horcrux and a Thrall when he was 16. The Jinx over the DADA position was cast many years later when he returned to the school to become a professor. Since Myrtle was there, he made use of her resentment to cast the Jinx.
Hopefully, it's all clear now. Enjoy!
Chapter 29 - Serial Killer
'Myrtle! Baby!'
'Come home. Come to mummy. I've missed you for so long!'
The girl in question became wide-eyed.
"Can you hear them? Can you hear the voices?" Myrtle said in excitement.
Harry and Bellatrix had flown on broomsticks alongside Myrtle from Hogwarts all the way to London to the Department of Mysteries and, during the entire trip, the ghost girl had been on the verge of sobbing, continuously moaning in worry. What would happen after she stepped through the Veil? Was it going to hurt? How was the afterlife? She had asked them these questions multiple times. It was to the point where Harry was considering postponing the trip to the Department of Mysteries until he bred a Basilisk to petrify her and make her shut up.
'She may have lived as a ghost for decades but she's just a little girl mentally.' The Moaning Myrtle was not any wiser than when she was alive. While ghosts did have the capability to learn, they did not mature, nor were they able to surpass their original selves. It was an eternal but stagnant form of existence. Telling himself that, Harry forced himself to stay kind and amiable with the girl until they reached their destination.
However, now that they were in the Room of Death, in front of the Veil, all of Myrtle's fears, worries, and hesitation had vanished.
"I can hear some voices too. The voices of my dead parents. Is it the same for you too?" Harry said.
"Yes!"
The ghost girl was literally glowing. She came in front of Harry and Bellatrix and she tried to hug them. But she was a ghost. Her hands passed right through their bodies, sending waves of chills down their spines and making them shiver.
"I'm sorry. I forgot I can't touch you. But I'm just so happy! Thank you, Miss Black! Thank you, Harry! I'll never forget your kindness!"
Saying those words, Myrtle flew towards the Veil. Before stepping in, she turned her head one more time and waved her hand in goodbye. Then, she was gone. The Veil sucked her into the afterlife.
A long silence was instilled. Even two entire minutes later, Bellatrix and Harry were still not saying a word, both of them having a deep, pondering look on their faces. Eventually, the voice of an old man came from behind.
"Marvelous!"
Recognizing the voice, Bellatrix turned around and said as a form of greeting: "Mr Croaker."
"A revolutionary research on Magic Ancestry, creating seven new types of Warding Spells, writing the most complete grimoire of Dark Curses and their Countercurses in Europe, and now this: another groundbreaking discovery! For thousands of years, people believed that there was no way to kill ghosts and poltergeists. But you found a way to do it. Miss Black, you've just secured your seat as the next Head of this department after I retire. Sending you that internship offer 20 years ago has been one of my most inspired decisions."
Bellatrix smiled and curtsied elegantly. "It is my honour." Mr Croaker was one of the people that she respected the most. Receiving such high praise from him made her visibly happy.
"Is this your charge? The boy who helped you prove the veracity of your research on Magic Ancestry?" Mr Croaker asked and looked at Harry.
"Yes, this is my boy, Harry Potter. Harry, this is Saul Croaker, my boss, and the Head of the Department of Mysteries." Bellatrix said, introducing the old wizard to Harry.
"A pleasure to meet you, sir."
The older wizard came forth and shook his hand.
"Looks like birds of a feather flock together. Young man, if you ever wish to follow in Miss Black's footsteps, I'll be more than happy to have you working here, for the Department of Mysteries."
"Thank you, sir," Harry said blandly.
Bellatrix pinched the bridge of her nose. Most people would be beside themselves with excitement at being offered such an easy way into the Department of Mysteries yet there he was, reacting at Mr Croaker's words as if he had just received a roll of toilet paper, not a huge career opportunity.
'I should be thankful at least he didn't directly shut Croaker down by saying he wants to become a professional Quidditch player...'
Now that she knew Harry's real identity, she was more understanding than before in regards to his unwillingness to become a researcher like her. However, she still found it a pity that someone of his magical talent and prowess would 'waste' his future playing a violent sport instead of helping wizardkind in further exploring the mysteries of magic. In her mind, that was one of the noblest jobs out there, alongside Healers. But that was a problem for another time. While she did get Mr Croaker's permission to bring Harry to such a secretive place as the Death Room of the Department of Mysteries due to his involvement with the ghost (Myrtle would have not followed Bellatrix otherwise), they could not afford to dilly-dally around. It was time for them to leave.
⁂
"You've been full of energy and life as of late. You've even become less cranky than usual. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in love," a brown-haired boy said. "Oh wait, you are in love! Hahaha!"
Michael sniggered at Terry's words and then they both burst into full-blown laughter at Harry's expense. But Harry himself was, indeed, simply too happy to care. For the first time since the start of the second year of school, he was feeling relaxed and content, with little to weigh on his mind. Bellatrix was safe, the Jinx over the DADA post was gone! Now, he was happily filling his plate with bacon and fried eggs, eating a sumptuous breakfast.
"By the way, Valentine's Day is around the corner? You've got any plans?" Michael asked.
"Same as usual. Go for a run in the morning, then to classes-" Harry began to say, only for the young boy to cut him off straight away.
"You can't be serious! I'm asking if you have any plans with your girlfriend!"
"Fleur and I are not like that. We're not together, we're just good friends."
Michael scoffed. "Boys and girls can never be 'just friends', especially when they both find each other attractive."
Harry rolled his eyes at his words. His best friend in his past life had been Hermione, a rather attractive girl, but he had never looked at her that way. From the start to finish, she had been like a sister to him. While he did feel attracted to Fleur, it was not impossible for men and women to have just a platonic relationship.
"When you only think with your dick, yeah, you can't be just friends with a girl. Thirsty wanker."
Several heads turned to look at him when they heard his colourful language. But he was used to ignoring others' stares so he continued unbothered.
"Besides, look at me. I'm barely as tall as her shoulders, what could she possibly see at me?"
Terry and Michael burst into laughter again. As Harry's puberty had yet to truly kick in, he was among the shortest boys in his year; meanwhile, Fleur was one of the taller girls in her year and her body was quite developed for a girl her age as well.
"Look, I don't get it either why it's a pipsqueak like you, but it is what it is. You ought to be blind not to see the way she looks at you," Michael insisted.
"O' my, do tell, 'ow do I look at 'im?" a voice came from behind and Michael froze like a deer caught in headlights. It was none other than the very subject of their conversation, Fleur. Since she took a shower after their morning run together, she arrived a bit later than Harry to breakfast that day.
"He's saying you liiiike me~" Harry said teasingly.
The expected reaction did not come. Instead of getting annoyed or embarrassed, the older girl sat next to him and unexpectedly pecked him on the cheek.
"Michael is not wrong. I do like you, 'Arry~"
The spot where her lips touched his cheek started burning.
"What are you doing?! Everyone is watching!" He had never been one for public displays of affection.
Fleur giggled, very satisfied with his reaction. "I'll never get tired of seeing your embarrassed face. You are simply adorable!"
There were quite a few things on the tip of his tongue but when he was about to let his no-filter mouth run free, hooting sounds came from above as a flock of owls dived down towards the students, delivering their mail. Some received packages from their parents, others books, while others only received magazines or newspapers.
The noise in the Great Hall started to grow in intensity as the students that had gotten the new edition of the Daily Prophet showed others too the eye-catching titles on the first page. Harry also unfurled the newspaper that Hedwig had delivered to him and showed it to Fleur.
Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge missing
But that was not all. On the bottom half of the first page, another similar title was written in bold letters as well:
Byron Nott, Head of the House of Nott missing
"Mate, show us what's going on too!" Terry said, curious what was everyone else talking about.
"An old toad went missing."
Fleur who happened to be drinking some milk at that time choked at his words as she burst into laughter.
"What?" Terry and Michael were both confused.
He showed them the first page of the Prophet with the photo of Dolores Umbridge's bloated, toad-like face.
"Doesn't she look like a toad?"
Fleur started laughing anew and Harry chuckled too at the young boys' bewildered faces.
Nevertheless, while most of the students did not care about Dolores Umbridge, the Slytherin students were all looking at the second year boy, Theodore Nott, with worried gazes. His mother had died a long time ago and now his father had gone missing too, his fate unknown.
"Mummy thinks that Dolores Umbridge and Byron Nott aren't really missing but that they were killed," a young girl suddenly said.
It was a first-year Ravenclaw girl with platinum blonde hair and a pretty and serene face. Ever since Harry and Fleur had gone searching for her on the Hogwarts grounds at the beginning of the second term, the girl had become a new member of their little group. Luna was a bit introverted, she was not a girl of too many words. However, every time she spoke, she would say all kinds of conspirational theories and other unlikely or questionable things. Terry and Michael thought that this was just another one of her weird moments. They did not notice the meaningful look that Harry and Fleur shared.
"What makes you think that?" Harry asked her curiously.
"Mummy has a friend that works for DMLE." Luna said and leaning closer to Harry (she was sitting at his left) she said in a lower voice as if it was a secret that others should not hear: "The Aurors think that there is a serial killer at work."
Terry and Michael, as much as they liked to dismiss the girl's words as mere fantasy could not simply ignore what she was saying, especially when they heard that her mother had an Auror friend.
"Dolores Umbridge and Theodore Nott aren't the only ones that were killed," Luna continued. "My mum's friend told her that while the public doesn't know it, all the Death Eaters that had been imprisoned in Azkaban were killed too a few months ago. More than 10 Death Eaters were murdered in their cells."
"Blimey, is this for real?!" Terry said wide-eyed.
"My mum would never lie to me!" Luna said, raising her voice.
"Then why is the Prophet not saying anything about it? Isn't Azkaban supposed to be the most secure place in the world? How could someone just come in, kill a dozen people, and then escape without anyone catching them?" Michael said, not quite believing her words.
"I don't know. Maybe Minister Bones is keeping it all a secret so people won't panic. Many are still worried after Minister Fudge and Lucius Malfoy's deaths and the assassination attempt on Professor Black and Harry too. But I think we have nothing to worry about. The serial killer is probably not a bad guy. Daddy thinks that he is someone who hates all the supporters of You-Know-Who."
While Michael and Luna were going back and forth, Harry and Fleur were staying silent and listening with attention to what they were saying. It looked like Fleur's actions had attracted the attention of the Aurors.
'If the Aurors can smell that something is fishy, it stands to reason that Dumbledore noticed it too.' Harry thought while feeding a piece of sausage to Hedwig. 'Fortunately, I started helping Fleur out before it was too late. Between the two of us, we can make sure we won't leave any traces behind.'
As he had promised Fleur before, he had started helping her with her plans. Not only that they had executed Dolores Umbridge and had disposed of her body, but they also did the same thing with Theodore Nott's father too. Harry reckoned that by the time his 4th year came around, there would not be any Death Eaters left alive at all.
⁂
A middle-aged man sitting behind a large ebony desk was writing down a series of names on a piece of parchment. After writing more nearly two dozen names, he put down the eagle quill, grabbed the newspaper on the side and leaned back in his comfortable dragon hide chair. A frown appeared on his forehead as he read the articles written in it. It was the newest edition of the Daily Prophet.
As he leafed through the newspaper, a large black snake slithered towards him and used his legs to climb in his lap.
"Someone has been killing my followers. Not counting the ones killed by Bellatrix Black, nearly 15 other Death Eaters were killed. What do you say, Nagini?" the middle-aged man spoke to the snake trying to coil up in his lap.
But the snake did not reply to him, more interested in just absorbing his body warmth.
The man's handsome face scrunched into a frown and, with a wave of his hand, the large snake was thrown away from his lap into one of the sidewalls of his office.
"What's your problem ya cunt?!" the snake hissed at him angrily and showed its teeth.
The middle-aged man grabbed his wand and started rolling it through his fingers, sorely tempted to just kill the snake and be done with it. But he changed his mind and placed his hand on the desk before closing his eyes and letting out a drawn-out sigh. If Bellatrix were to see his handsome face, she would recognize him right away. He was none other than the one that she had seen in the memories of the Death Eater before the Unbreakable Vow claimed his life. It was none other than Voldemort.
Currently, the Dark Lord was facing several rather difficult dilemmas.
'I've been planning on revealing myself to the public, take up the name of Gaunt, and get the support of the purebloods in power. But not only that Lucius Malfoy was murdered, that Black woman went ahead and published that blasted research on Magic Ancestry.'
Voldemort was not Happy with the way that Bellatrix Black had unknowingly messed up his plans.
'Even if that mudblood lover didn't come up with her research, someone has been hunting down all my followers. Someone dares to target my Death Eaters!'
The mere thought of it made his blood boil with anger.
As for the remaining problem that was bothering him, it was the fact that he could not get a hold of Narcissa Malfoy. Or better said, he had no way of recovering the Horcrux that he had left in Lucius Malfoy's possession.
'The Malfoys had always been rather sensitive to danger. Lucius' wife must've understood that someone was targeting my Death Eaters and went into hiding before she ended up like her husband.'
It was a wise move in his opinion but he was not in the mood to tip his hat at her for her decision-making ability.
'Should I make another one?' he asked himself.
It was not the first time that he had thought about creating another Horcrux, especially ever since Narcissa Malfoy had gone into hiding and he had become unable of retrieving his Diary. He was feeling vulnerable. He abhorred not being in complete control of every single aspect of his life.
'No, making another Horcrux would be foolish.'
He had felt the side-effects of creating a Horcrux when he created the Diary, at the age of 16. After that, he decided that the Diary Horcrux was going to be the first and the last as well.
'Immortality is meaningless if the price for that is my sanity.'
He glanced at the large snake that was coming back at him, attempting to climb in his lap once again.
'Then what am I keeping this snake for anymore?'
Nagini was not an ordinary snake. He had performed several rituals on her in order to prepare it as a vessel for a piece of his soul back when he contemplated making a second Horcrux. But as days passed and he kept pondering about the side-effects of splitting his soul, he decided against making more.
With that thought in mind, he raised his wand and aimed at Nagini.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A flash of green followed and the snake's body stiffened.
'Horcruxes are too dangerous to one's sanity. Creating Horcruxes is a flawed path to immortality. This isn't what I desire.'
However, he could not start researching another method yet. Not until he recovered his sole Horcrux from the Malfoy widow's hands.
'Revealing myself to the public will have to wait for a while.'
His brown eyes flashed with a red glint as thoughts of murder filled his mind. The Malfoy widow, Bellatrix Black, and the serial killer targeting his followers - he was going to make sure they all died a terrible death at his hands.