Harry Potter and the Mirror of Nostradamus
A/N: Well, here it is, the next one already! I hope you like it, and thanks so much for the reviews!!!! You guys really made me happy. Thanks to: Ian, A, Jessica, Silverleaf ( I guess he was kinda weepy, wasn't he? I thought so too. There won't be that much romance but I need it for the plot, actually) Morphmaniac, sabby, markhp, Mella deRanged, Waitingfor6, Kumani ( I'll try not to make him so weepy but hey, it's worse in a lot of other stories, really) Facade, Baby Anne, Aziandorkess, Stardust (Thanks! I was worried about going a bit off character on Harry and Sirius) Lady Arwen of Rivendell ( It's like you read my mind! Yes, I am an H/G shipper, only 'cos I think that's how the books will turn out, but there won't be that much romance in the story- I dunno yet.) Panther ( That's what I was going for, I was getting slightly bored of the 'Resurructed' fics) LivEvil ( Wow, I'm flattered my story can actually have an effect…)Kurbani. Sorry if I've forgotten anyone.
Here goes…sorry if it's too long and enjoy!
Chapter 2: Bellatrix Lestrange
Harry stared again and again at the map, sure it was some sort of mistake- what would she be doing at Hogwarts? The dot was now past the statue and moving along the corridor. There was no mistake; it was her, and he had to act fast. He stood up, adrenaline filling him suddenly and pumping in his blood, a snarl forming involuntarily on his face. Sirius's killer- he would make her pay. He was consumed with energy and for the first time in weeks, he felt alive and not so helpless.
Heart racing fast, he grabbed a roll of parchment from beneath his books and started scribbling as fast as possible, so that his handwriting was barely legible.
Professor Dumbledore,
Lestrange is at Hogwarts. I saw her in the Marauders' map. We've got to do something this instant.
Harry
p.s. I'm coming too. Besides, you can't know exactly where she is if you don't have this map, and it's with me.
He folded the letter, let Hedwig out, hastily tied it to her leg as she playfully nipped his finger, then looked at her seriously- as seriously as one could while talking to an owl.
"Give this to Dumbledore, or if you can't find him, anyone else from the Order all right? And go as fast as you can, girl. It's important." The snowy owl looked back at him just as solemnly with its big yellow eyes, seeming to understand the gravity of the situation. He opened the window for her and she zoomed out, wings beating rapidly.
"Good girl," he muttered absently, frowning. Did Dumbledore even know what the Marauders' map was? Asking Lupin would waste too much time. But the Headmaster had an uncanny ability of knowing everything that went on at Hogwarts and Harry was counting on that for Dumbledore to know how it worked.
"HARRY! Get down here to eat now!" He rolled his eyes and took a quick glance back at the map. Lestrange was now going down one of the moving staircases and going- to the dungeons?
Fervently hoping she would get lost, he went down the stairs to the kitchen, pushing the map into the pocket of his jeans without clearing it. What if he was too late? Maybe he could somehow get to Hogwarts by himself…
Floo powder? But I don't know how to get the Dursleys' fire into the network. Damn.
"Sit down already," Uncle Vernon growled, not looking up from his stew. Harry looked up, realizing he was standing beside the table where the three Dursleys were engrossed in a late dinner. Dudley's eyes were fixed on the TV, and Petunia was watching Harry suspiciously. Ignoring them, he perched on a chair and picked at his food, lost in thought. Maybe he could use the fire at Mrs. Figg's, it was probably in the Floo Network after all. Pushing the meat around with his fork, he came to a quick decision; if no one showed up or Hedwig didn't come back within twenty minutes, he would go along to Mrs. Figg's place.
Dinner seemed to go on endlessly and none of the Dursleys showed any sign of getting up. He was jumpy all throughout, tensing on every little sound, and once he actually grabbed for his wand when Dudley accidentally dropped the salad bowl on the floor, his eyes still glued to the screen. Both his aunt and uncle turned to look at Harry, who had reddened slightly.
"What's wrong with you today boy?" his aunt demanded, but he could trace the worry in her voice. She probably didn't want any more trouble from Harry's friends.
"Nothing," he replied, glancing nervously at his watch. Ten more minutes…
Ding Dong.
Dudley jumped. Uncle Vernon dropped his fork. Aunt Petunia drew in her breath. All three of them turned around to look at Harry.
"Erm, I'll get that shall I?" he muttered, starting to get up. "No," his uncle said roughly, "I'll do that." His purple face was even more so, and he strode boldly towards the front door, muttering under his breath, "At this time of the night…" Harry watched apprehensively from behind him.
Vernon glared at the door as the bell rang more insistently, looked around him, found Petunia's portable vacuum cleaner, held it up, and yelled, "Who's there?"
Harry groaned inwardly. His stupid uncle was wasting precious time. He snuck a look at the map while everyone's attention was focused on the door. Bellatrix was now at the entrance to Snape's classroom, obviously trying to find a way in.
"We've come to see Harry," came the reply from a female voice which echoed in the silent living room, where they were all crowded now. Harry wasn't sure, but it sounded like Tonks.
"Go away! We don't want your kind here!" The vein was throbbing dangerously in Uncle Vernon's purple forehead. Petunia glanced around nervously. "Vernon dear, perhaps-"
But she never got to finish her sentence, for the next second a deep male voice shouted, "Alohomora!" and the door was blasted open. The three Dursleys all jumped back. Dudley the boxing champion was whimpering. Harry watched his uncle's back as he stood in front of the doorway, the vacuum cleaner held before him like a gun. Peering around, he caught a glimpse of Tonk's now bright orange curls and Dumbledore's silvery beard.
"Mr. Dursley, I must ask you to stand aside please," came Dumbledore's firm voice. Harry leaped forward, and Vernon caught him by the shirt, screaming, "STAY BACK!" He turned back to Dumbledore. "Every year it's the exact- same- THING! Well I won't have it in my house anymore- I won't take it! I'm warning you, mister, I've got a black belt, see!"
Harry could have shrieked in frustration as he wriggled around, trying to free himself of his uncle's grip. Why couldn't Dumbledore just blast Vernon away and get on with it?
"I'm sure you do," replied Dumbledore pleasantly, glancing pointedly at the vacuum cleaner. "Now again I must ask you to move before I do something…regrettable." His piercing blue gaze bore into Vernon's face, and Petunia muttered uneasily, "Vernon, let them in."
Still glaring, and reluctantly, Vernon moved backwards, allowing the witch and the wizard to step inside. "And let him go," Dumbledore nodded towards Harry, making sure Vernon saw him reaching for his wand. Vernon released his grip on Harry's shirt and laughed nervously. "Now, now, no need to get violent, of course…would you like to come inside? Harry, you haven't introduced us…"
"There's no time," said Harry tensely, cracking his knuckles again. It was a habit he'd picked up over the summer.
"Don't worry Harry," said Tonks reassuringly. "We've already sent Remus and Mad-Eye ahead. They've placed charms on the castle so she won't escape." Both she and Dumbledore were wearing long black cloaks over their robes but if they were hoping to avoid attention it hadn't helped much because of Dumbledore's beard and Tonks' hair.
"But she came in through the secret passageway…" Harry protested.
"Which I'm sure Remus knows about and will have had taken care of," said Dumbledore, smiling. The Dursleys were watching this exchange curiously, and Petunia was gripping Dudley's hand so tightly he yelped in pain.
"Well we- we've got to get there as soon as possible," said Harry, taking out the map and glancing at it. Sure enough, he could see two more dots, Remus Lupin by the secret passageway and Alastor Moody with Hagrid on the grounds. Lestrange had obviously given up on the dungeons and was now heading towards Dumbledore's office
"We?" Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Yes, we." Harry looked accusingly at Dumbledore. "I told you I wanted to-"
"Yes, yes, I know," the tall wizard replied calmly. He watched the map over Harry's shoulder. Bellatrix's dot was still in front of the stone gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office, and it kept moving back on forth on the same spot. "I should think not," Dumbledore muttered grimly. He turned to the Dursleys. "Harry will be accompanying us on an urgent errand. He will be perfectly safe with us, and he'll be back soon, don't worry."
Harry snorted. He highly doubted that the Dursleys even cared.
Vernon opened his mouth to protest, glanced at Dumbledore's wand and Petunia's warning glare, and shut it again. "Very- very well," he said in a strained sort of voice.
"How are we leaving?" Harry asked.
"Portkey," replied Dumbledore. "Now-" He glanced around, "Yes, that vacuum cleaner will do nicely. May I have it, please?" Uncle Vernon's jaw dropped, and he silently handed the muggle item to Dumbledore, clearly thinking he was off his rocker. "Thank you. Harry will give it back as soon as he returns," and Harry nodded fervently, stifling a laugh in spite of himself; the Dursleys' expressions were priceless.
Dumbledore pointed his wand at the vacuum cleaner, muttered a spell, and it glowed with a blue light. (A/N: I'm not sure if that's what happens, I don't have the book with me but just bear with it- thx) He, Harry and Tonks all crowded around it and held on to it.
"Thank you for your time, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley!" Tonks yelled to the dumbfounded muggles watching them, and Harry felt the familiar tug on his navel as the Portkey took them to Hogwarts castle.
They landed with a thud on the ground and Harry staggered up, rubbing his backside and looking around him. They were in the circular room that was Dumbledore's office, and the portraits of the not-so-sleepy previous Heads of Hogwarts started talking at once, in loud whispers.
"As I'm sure you know, Dumbledore," Phineas said smugly, "My delightful great-great-granddaughter is right outside this room at this very moment, trying to get in."
"Albus, what can we do to help?" Armando Dippet asked, turning away from Harry whom he had recognized and was glaring at.
"Just keep it down for the moment," Dumbledore said, staring thoughtfully at the door. "Harry, the map, please-" Harry gave it to him silently and started shifting anxiously from one foot to another. He was keyed up and all ready for a duel; he felt like blasting the Death Eater into smithereens right here and right now.
"Take it easy," whispered Tonks, patting his shoulder, and he nodded, cracking his knuckles again. "All right," said Dumbledore finally. "First thing- is to place a Silencing charm on the room-" he flicked his wand, "-and second, we must plan what we're going to do." He paused.
"I do not know why she is here, my only guess that it is on orders from Voldemort to search for something or cast some sort of spell. She seems to be lingering outside this particular room; obviously she thinks she can carry out what she's planning here. Alastor, Remus and Hagrid are currently nearby-"
"Can we just fling the door open, take her by surprise and get it over with?" Harry growled, earning him more glares from the portraits.
"Calm yourself, Harry, I'm getting there," replied Dumbledore shortly. "Now Tonks and I will go ahead first. Harry, wait for a little while and listen. If she gets any one of us, Fawkes will know, have him give the signal to the others, he'll know what to do. Then follow. Any questions?"
"Yes," said Harry grumpily. "How long is 'a little while' exactly?"
"Oh, a few minutes," the Headmaster smiled. "Good luck." Tonks gave Harry the thumbs up, and with that, they both disappeared behind the door and down the moving staircase, leaving Harry alone in the room.
He hastily took out his wand, leaped towards the door and leaned against it, listening closely. Fawkes, grown and beautiful once again, flew from his perch and landed on his shoulder, and Harry stroked his red-gold feathers absently. "We're both stuck here, eh boy?" he muttered.
There didn't seem to be much going on at first. Harry strained his ears, listening, but could only hear footsteps. Then there was silence, then a yell and a shriek, spells being cast, more shouts, and then loud running footsteps that grew more distant until they faded away. After that came total silence. Harry looked at Fawkes, as though asking him what to do next, but the handsome bird merely gazed back at him silently. Great, he thought. I thought 'Fawkes will know'!
He looked around at the portraits of the old headmasters and headmistresses. "Feeling lost, boy?" sneered Phineas. Harry tightened his grip on his wand. It was getting harder to ignore the ex- headmaster's annoying comments. "He said to wait a few minutes, didn't he?" said an old headmistress haughtily. "Well go ahead then- it's been longer than that."
Harry glanced at his watch. Five minutes had passed. He turned to Fawkes who seemed to straighten up and ruffle his feathers importantly. "Let's go," Harry muttered, and he left the room with the phoenix on his shoulder. He cautiously went down the moving staircase, then past the stone gargoyle very quietly. He turned around, holding his breath.
The hallway was empty.
She must have tried to run for it, and they went after her. "Go ahead, Fawkes," he murmured. "Get the others. Don't alarm them though. Everything's fine." Fawkes seemed to nod, then flew down the dark corridor, making Harry feel very alone. He cursed under his breath when he realized the map was with Dumbledore now so he had no idea where to go. In the end he just followed the corridor, walking in the direction Fawkes had gone, not daring to light his wand in case Lestrange was around and saw it, instead relying on the dim light of the candles.
He wandered randomly, but the whole floor seemed empty, so he went down the next floor, feeling very strange walking in Hogwarts castle without Filch and Mrs. Norris lurking around. Perhaps they were on vacation. He smiled to himself at that.
He was jerked out of his thoughts suddenly by the sound of heavy breathing and footsteps behind him, and he hurriedly ducked into a classroom, shutting the door but keeping it open a small crack so that he could see who it was. He seemed to be waiting endlessly, but suddenly the candlelight illuminated a tall shadow before him, and he tensed, gripping his wand for life, then the formidable figure of Bellatrix Lestrange appeared.
Harry hesitated only a second. Now! The voice in his head cried, and without thinking, he thrust the door wide open and hurdled out, seeming to fly into the corridor out of the darkness. "Expelliarmus!" he bellowed, pointing his wand and practically landing atop her.
"Dammit!" she yelled, and just barely sidestepped the curse as the red light whizzed by her ear. She looked up; saw Harry, and her face twisted into an ugly snarl. "Potter," she hissed.
"Lestrange," he nodded at her, the blood pumping furiously in his veins. "Me and you- a fair duel. Now."
To his rage, the Death Eater burst into maniacal laughter. Gasping for breath and seeming to steady herself, she choked out, "Thanks, Potter- I haven't laughed this much in years. A fair duel, honestly, and with-"
"Impedimenta!" Harry screamed, but she blocked it easily and laughed some more. "What are you doing at Hogwarts, Lestrange?" he hissed.
"Wouldn't you like to know," she replied, grinning.
"I know something you don't. Did you know we've placed charms so you can't get out of here?" Harry taunted, as they circled each other, wands pointed.
Her grin disappeared immediately, but she waved her hand carelessly. "You're bluffing, boy. Nice try."
"Suit yourself," Harry smirked, and he was pleased to see she looked slightly worried. "Avada Kedavra!" she yelled suddenly, and Harry, taken by surprise, jumped to his right just in time, crashing into a tall suit of armor, while the green light demolished the door of the classroom he'd hidden in. He had barely had time to recover when she shot a spell he didn't know at him, and suddenly he was doubled over on the ground, his wand arm somehow bound tightly to his left leg by thick rope.
Gasping, Harry shot a spell at her from the floor to distract her from killing him. "Morsmordre!" A long black serpent shot out of the tip of his wand and went for the Death Eater, who staggered back in surprise. "Bite her," he hissed at the snake in Parseltongue. "Poison her, kill her, whatever-" The snake went closer, and Harry tried to point the wand at his leg, muttered "Finite Incantium" and the ropes broke, allowing him to stand up.
"Who's laughing now, Death Eater?" he jeered. She growled in reply, and sent a Killing Curse at the snake which destroyed it at once.
"You forget, Potter," she said softly, advancing towards him, "that I am the trusted, right hand, of Lord Voldemort himself, and will not be stopped by a mere obstacle as yourself. My cousin," she smiled evilly. "-learnt that the hard way."
They glared at each other for the next moment, and Harry's wand was shaking he was trembling so much with rage. Too angry for words, his eyes emitting green fire at her, he raised his arm. This one's for you, Sirius.
"CRUCIO!"
The red light hit Lestrange directly in the chest, but it only succeeded in making her stagger backwards. She was laughing, mocking him, taunting him, but he blocked her out, feeling only the energy swelling inside him, and hearing only previous words he'd heard spoken by Bellatrix herself.
You have to want to cause pain, to enjoy seeing the person writhe in agony.
He looked up at Bellatrix, imagined her on the floor, shrieking in pain, begging for mercy, and a grim smile tugged at his lips. Nodding in cruel satisfaction, he fired the Unforgivable Curse at her again, and this time she doubled over, her wand flying from her hand and clattering on the floor. Harry was forced to ignore it so he could remain focused on the curse. She wasn't screaming, but eying her, Harry could tell she was gritting her teeth and she was definitely in pain. He smiled; she was finally getting a taste of her own medicine. The curse grew stronger with his pleasure, and he actually managed to get a yelp out of her, then two more shrieks.
He didn't know how long he kept his wand on her- it was only a couple of minutes, but it seemed longer. And he only stopped when a quiet voice said from behind him, "That's enough, Harry."
A/N :
Okay, so you can't exactly call that a cliffhanger- you probably all know who
that is anyway. I just didn't want to make it too long, really! *looks
innocent*
By the way, I don't have the book so
I'm not sure, is her name Bellatrix or Beatrix???? I'd appreciate it if someone lets me know-
thanks!
