IX
It was early evening and Harry limped up the stairs as NR. 45 appeared when he approached it. He quickly closed the door and entered the hallway. He called out and Andie asked him to come to the living room. As soon as he entered, he was assaulted by a raven haired missile that latched onto him and gripped him tightly, ignoring his pain induced grunts. After catching his breath, Harry put his arms around the woman, kissed her on the top of her head.
"It's OK, Bella. I'm fine."
Bella backed away and glared at him and motioned with her hand. "You are most certainly not 'fine', Harry James Potter. If this is your definition of fine, then I'd hate to learn what you call 'being hurt'," she huffed before joining her sisters by the fireplace.
Narcissa and Andromeda had looked at the scene, smiling, before turning their own glares upon the young man. Harry felt cold at that and opened his mouth to greet Andie and Cissy. Andie deepened her glare and pointed to a conjured examination table.
"Lie down, Potter. I've contacted my daughter, she'll be here soon."
Not daring to do otherwise, Harry scrambled onto the table and sat down. Bella and Cissy went to the kitchen, leaving Andie alone with him. Nym's mother immediately set about removing his clothes with tender fingers.
As his injuries were revealed, her hands started to tremble, but she kept going, making soft, horrified noises as his various scars were revealed. When she saw the slightly cooked wound on his thigh, she gasped and looked away. When she turned back, she had brought herself under control.
"It looks worse than it is, Andie."
She gave him a flat look. "Oh, does it?"
Harry smiled awkwardly. "All right, it hurts just as bad as it looks."
Andie noticed his hair was a little dishevelled on one side and she carefully moved it around until she saw the large cut on Harry's head. She stifled a gasp and her gaze found his eyes.
"Oh, Harry," she said as her hand moved and cupped his cheek. Harry leaned into her touch. "Why must you do this? You have people, friends and allies, who are so much more than willing to help you, us three included. Why can't you allow us to do that?"
Harry smiled faintly at her. "You know the answer to that question, Andromeda."
She leaned closer to him, her eyes still on his. "It's Andie, Harry, please. I do know it, but that does not mean I have to like it, and I am not inclined to accept it any longer." she whispered. "I know what may await you Harry, but I don't know what I'd do if something was to happen to you before then."
"I'm not going anywhere, Andie. Not yet," Harry said and let his eyes wander to her full, moist lips, before bringing them up to her dark brown orbs. A lock of hair had escaped from her ponytail and he tucked it behind her ear before he smiled at her.
"You had better not, Harry Potter," Andie said and leaned in to capture his lips with her own. The kiss lingered a while, before Andie moved her hand behind Harry's head and played with his hair while the other wrapped around his neck. She licked his lower lip, begging entrance, which Harry happily allowed as he ran his hands up and down her back, holding her close. Locked in their passionate kiss, neither of them noticed the green flair in the fireplace, announcing the arrival of Tonks. With a horrified gasp, she dropped her bag and practically shouted at the pair.
"Mum! Stop snogging my patient! And you, Harry, lie down on the table. You're injured! You need to take it easy!"
If she had hoped to break them apart with her shouting, she was sorely disappointed. Harry and Andie kissed for a while yet, with deepening passion, completely alone in the universe. After a while, they reluctantly broke apart, only to rest their foreheads together and gaze lovingly into each other's eyes.
"Try to be more careful, love," Andie said before turning away, only to find her daughter there, flanked by Bella and Cissy, who gave their sister approving smiles. The woman in the middle, however glared at her mother. Andie blushed prettily before stepping forward to hug her daughter.
"Nymphadora!" she exclaimed sweetly. "So nice of you to join us, dear."
Nym gave her mother another glare. "Don't call me that! I so did not need to see that, Mum. Go into the kitchen with Bella and Cissy and don't come in here unless I call for you. I can't concentrate with you lot in here." The three older witches filed out of the room and closed the door behind them. Harry looked at Tonks with an apologetic look on his face.
"Nym..."
Tonks shot Harry a glare as she pulled out her wand, which made her patient lose all the colour in his face.
"Button up your trap, Harry. I've been trying to tell myself this wouldn't happen, that if I ignored the way she looked at you, or talked about you, that it did not exist. I... Let's just do this thing, OK, Harry? I can't talk about this now. We'll do it later. Or never. Yeah, let's go with that, that works just fine for me," Tonks grumbled as she started waving her wand over her friend.
The three Black sisters found their way to the kitchen and just made it, before Bella erupted into hysterical laughter. Cissy, a bit more tactful than her older sister, hid her amusement behind a raised hand. However, she was clearly enjoying her sister's embarrassment just as much as Bella was, if the glint in her eyes was any indication.
Andie sat down at the table and dropped her head in her hands. This was not how she had wanted her daughter to find out about her and Harry. When Bella regained control of herself, she sat down opposite her sister and Cissy joined her.
"So, you finally decided to listen to your heart, Andie," Cissy stated and smiled. Bella reached for Andie's hand, which prompted her to look tearfully at her sisters.
"I did and it was wonderful. I'm just afraid I won't be able to handle it when he's gone, Bella. We know he has almost no chance of surviving, unless someone can find a way to remove that disgusting thing from his soul."
Bella and Cissy smiled sadly at their sister. "We know that, Andie," Cissy said. "I tried to resist after he told us about that, but I could not."
"Bella didn't," Andie said miserably.
Narcissa smiled softly while Bellatrix grinned happily. "Of course not. She is Bella, after all. There's always a chance he could be cured, Andie. Bella and I decided to allow ourselves to pursue this, and we are both happy we did."
Hoping to diffuse the tension, Bella smiled impishly at her sisters. "I just hope Nymphadora doesn't kill him, Andie. Or hex his bits off. I'd be rather cross with her if she did, I'm hoping to... Well, you know. Anyway, who shares his bed tonight, then? I vote myself, as I am the most gentle and he needs to recover from his injuries."
Cissy stared at her sister incredulously while silently praying her niece did not take any drastic measures with their man. Finally she said; "I don't think any of us are quite ready to take it that far, Bellatrix. That aside, there is no way you are the gentlest! You're like a bull in a china shop, for Merlin's sake!" Bella just stuck out her tongue at her sister. "Oh, very mature, Bellatrix," Cissy huffed.
As her sisters kept teasing each other, Andie just stared at them and laughed softly at their antics. They were really good at making each other feel better, and no wonder. They knew each other better than any living soul. Looking in the general direction of the living room, she hoped Harry was OK and that her daughter wasn't too angry with him.
"So, Andie," Bella said with lascivious grin. "How's that body? Come on, tell us! You're the only one of us who's seen him without clothes, after all."
Andie sobered up immediately and regarded her sisters for a while, before answering. "There are scars, Bella. Merlin, the scars..."
Both Bella and Cissy had turned completely serious. "It's that bad, Andie?" Narcissa asked softly, only for her sister to nod, unable to speak.
Bellatrix was very unhappy with her sister's revelation and glared at the wall that separated the living room and kitchen. "I'll talk to him, make him understand that this cannot go on."
Tonks had just finished with Harry when she rapped her knuckles on the top of his head with an annoyed growl. Yelping in pain, Harry grabbed his shirt and scooted over the table and off the other side, hoping to stay out of her reach. He quickly put on the shirt as he was not too keen on Bella or Cissy getting a closer look at his body just yet.
He also knew Tonks was still pissed with what she had seen earlier between him and her mother and he was not taking any chances. She might hex his bits off, or... something even worse. Well, Harry couldn't readily imagine something worse than having no bits, but it could happen! Tonks was rather unpredictable, after all. And clumsy.
"What was that for!" Harry asked as he rubbed his head tenderly. "I'm a wounded man, Nym!"
Tonks huffed at him and gave him her best impersonation of a McGonagall glare. "It's for being an idiot, Harry. Really, going against a giant on your own? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Your injuries this time were almost as bad as that time you went up against Greyback. Do you not care one bit about those who love you? Those three women in the kitchen? What about Remus and me? Ron and Hermione and Ginny? The rest of the Weasleys? Hagrid and Minerva? How about Fleur? She does not have so many friends that she can afford to lose one because he was stupid! And let's not forget Poppy. One of these days you're going to be hurt badly enough that even she won't be able to help you! Fucking Hell, Harry!"
Harry was stunned, to say the least. Tonks was shouting at him by now, the tears were running in her eyes. Neither of them noticed her mother and two aunts standing in the doorway, looking at them wide eyed. Tonks wasn't finished, though, and took a trembling breath before continuing.
"I've kept your secret, ever since you saved Remus' life and brought him back from that fight with Greyback, but I really shouldn't have, Harry. Remus wanted to tell everybody, but I told him no, that I could not betray your trust, but it's obvious you can't be trusted with yourself! Look at yourself in the mirror, Harry and I mean it! Really look! Keep this up, and Alastor bloody Moody is going to look like a poster boy for healthy living!" She spied her mother and her sisters and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down, but it wasn't working.
"Nym, I didn't even know the giant was-" Harry began, only to be interrupted by his friend, who angrily wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
"Oh, no you don't," Tonks hissed. "I only let you call me that, and that's because you're a precious friend to me, but I'm not sure you are my friend any more, Potter! And don't think for a minute you're doing this to keep us safe. You're doing this for your own selfish reasons."
Tonks went about the room and gathered her things, refusing to look at Harry. She stepped over to the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of Floo powder. She looked at the sisters, who had moved into the room proper.
"The idiot needs to rest for a few days and not strain his body too much. Do you think you can manage that, Mum?" She asked angrily and with a hint of something else, but Andie couldn't quite place it. Tonks looked at Narcissa. "I'd recommend an Incarcerous, but that might further break his ribs, and I can't be bothered to come back too soon." She shot Harry a vile look. "Or at all."
Without waiting for a response, Tonks threw the powder into the fireplace, stepped into it and disappeared. Looking over at the stunned Harry, Narcissa and Andromeda gave their sister Bella a meaningful look and left the room and closed the door behind them. Bella vanished the table and walked over to the young man and grabbed his hand to lead him to the sofa, where she sat down and pulled his head into her lap.
She gently worked her hands through his hair as Harry stared vacantly into thin air. She said nothing. After all, they were all thinking it, and Nymphadora had just happened to be the one to say it out loud, even if she had been unnecessarily cruel about the way she went about it. Then again, she was a Black and most Blacks had a cruel streak in them. Some just hid it better than others and Nymphadora was a master at it, it seemed.
"She hates me, doesn't she?" Harry asked after a while in a weak voice. Bella kept working her fingers in his hair. He'd reacted just as she had expected. In some ways, Harry was even more broken than she was. At least she had her sisters to help her. Harry had never been helped with his problems and it was in moments like these you could see them clear as day. She sighed sadly.
"Don't be foolish, Harry. She cares for you a great deal. Probably more than she dares to admit. Do you honestly think she would have been so angry if she hated you?"
"You heard her," Harry whispered tonelessly.
"Harry, if she hated you, she would have acted indifferent to this whole situation. No, she just wants to be there for you, to help you. We all do. We know why you took this upon yourself and while noble, it is terribly misguided.
You feel awful, I know, but just how awful do you think the others feel, the ones who don't know you're OK? Most of them think you're dead, Harry and I know you're aware of it. My niece's words were a bit cruel before, but anything she could say to you pales in comparison to what you've subjected your friends to over the past two years."
Harry stared Bella in the eyes. "They don't understand how dangerous this is. I've almost died a number of times and Dumbledore was dying already, even if his death was expedited by a few weeks by Snape," Harry said as took Bella's hand and kissed it. "Am I being selfish, Bella?"
She shook her head and sighed. "You're deluding yourself if you think they don't know the realities of war by now. I don't think your decision was inherently selfish, Harry. What I do think, and mind you, you can blame the family shrink for this one. I think on some level you are deathly afraid of losing everyone and being left alone. Not unreasonable as fears go, but it is unreasonable for you to try and decide for a group of adults and fully trained wizards what is suitable danger for them and what is not. It is their right to make that decision and you took that from them."
Bella lay down on her side and Harry lay down on his back. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the sound of his beating heart, and the steady rhythm soothed her. She enjoyed this a lot, how close and intimate they were being. The bond had disappeared a few minutes ago and her first thought had been a rather naughty one.
Not willing to break up this nice moment, she settled for lying with him on the sofa and she was fully content. Besides, Narcissa had first go at him. She chuckled softly at the idea of them taking turns with their lover.
Harry opened one eye slowly. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, dear. Just sleep, love. You need rest."
Harry smiled at her words and closed his eye again, knowing he would sleep like a baby in the arms of his Bella. As he fell asleep, his mind wandered into the realms of dreams, which were often filled with his memories...
An hour after he had left Bella with her sisters, and one tiny mischief later (Sirius would have been proud), Harry emerged from a hidden side entrance of Gringotts, walking a rather large motorcycle by his side. He turned around to the pair of tiny, smirking goblins, who winked at him and closed the panel behind him. Harry put the foot down and examined the bike carefully. For all intents and purposes, it looked like a regular vintage motorbike, except it could be fitted with a sidecar, which Harry had left behind in the Black vault.
What was not regular, however, were the three buttons on the steering apparatus. According to the instructions left behind by Sirius, they had been charmed by Harry's Mum to make the bike invisible, soundless and able to take flight. Most handy. Harry smirked. There was no registry in neither the wizarding world, nor among the Muggles for a flying motorcycle.
It would take much longer to reach Albania this way, days at least, because the bike was limited to its regular top speed of less than hundred miles per hour. Sirius had not used the thing for speed, after all. No, it was the simple pleasure of riding the bike which had persuaded his godfather to purchase it all those years ago.
It had its advantages, though. Due to the charms placed upon it, Harry would be able to travel at any time, whereas the broom would have been limited to travel by night, or in the clouds, since he did not have his invisibility cloak or his wand to disillusion himself.
Harry mounted the motorcycle and after a few kicks of the kickstart, got it running. He immediately pressed both the silencing and invisibility buttons, startled by the noise. The exhaust was annoyingly loud. Harry chuckled as he sat on the vehicle, examining it further. He would not have put it past Sirius to have installed such a loud exhaust, simply to be able to go full out in a Muggle neighbourhood late at night. Or early morning.
Harry put the stand up, squeezed the clutch and tapped his left foot down gently. The bike jolted forwards slightly as it grabbed the first of four gears. Harry eased up the clutch and the bike slowly rolled forwards. He gave it some more gas and it picked up speed. He pressed the flight button and leaned back and revved it heavily.
He almost fell backwards, but his strength and heightened reflexes saved him. He leaned forward and revved the motorcycle even further and it finally took off and rose into the sky gracefully. After a few minutes, Harry was high up in the air, grateful to be wearing warm clothes and especially happy with the goggles that had accompanied the bike.
The young man felt simply elated to be flying again, and the motorcycle was surprisingly nimble. It did not hold a candle to a proper broom, of course, but it was amazing non the less. A compass was fastened to the fuel tank and Harry turned to the east, picturing the map in his head. He would try to reach Paris for the first leg. From there he would aim for Geneva, then Florence, or he could push himself a little and reach Napoli. Then he would cross the Adriatic.
As Harry flew over what he presumed to be Hastings, he brought a hand to his cheek and he'd have sworn he could still feel the burning sensation of Bella's lips on his cheek. To say her kissing him had taken him by surprise would be a massive understatement. Not that it had been unpleasant, on the contrary, he'd rather enjoyed it. But what really gnawed at him, was the fact that Cissy had been there and not done the same. Or Andie. Harry shook his head in desperation.
She was Tonk's mum! And Cissy was Draco's! And yet, he was falling for those women. He knew it and could feel it in his bones. But why was it happening? And why so quickly? He had met Andromeda twice, Narcissa all of four times and two days ago, he had hated Bella with every fibre in his being. Sure, the youngest and second oldest Black sisters were utterly gorgeous and he had no doubt the oldest would be the same once she recovered, but he was not so shallow as to see nothing but the looks.
He knew they were extremely intelligent, he could see it in their eyes, and seeing Bella in action suggested immense power, which he suspected Andie and Cissy had as well. Harry sighed and focused on manoeuvring the bike through the skies. He would have to tackle this problem once he had destroyed the next Horcrux.
Aside from a few lightning storms over France, which had delayed his progress by a couple of days, the trip had gone well and without incident, really. He had decided to stay on the ground during those days, as it seemed detrimental to one's health to be riding a metal bike in the air during a lightning storm.
Or any storm, really. Harry had gotten the hang of the bike quickly, but he'd been unable to shake the feeling he'd been on it before. Had Sirius taken him on a ride sometime? Harry grinned at the thought and imagined his Mum might not have been too fond of such adventures.
Harry was flying over the Adriatic, the sky was clear and the currents favourable, if a bit stiff. A massive roar, coming from somewhere close by brought Harry out of his reverie. It was followed by another, of a distinctly different kind. To Harry's dismay, he recognized the latter roar, he had heard one very similar to it before, in the Tri-Wizard. He angled the bike down a and saw his suspicions confirmed. Some distance below him, he saw a pair of huge dragons engaged in a heated battle.
When Harry had faced the Horntail in the first task of the vaunted competition, he had felt the sheer, feral power the huge beast radiated. Its savage nature was nothing short of prodigious and Harry had felt suitably cowed in its presence. A lot of time had gone by since then, and his feelings toward the beast had not changed one bit. He shuddered and thought he felt a little tug on the scar on his shoulder where the dragon had grazed him with its tail. He turned his gaze upon the Horntail's enemy and instantly, the Horntail seemed like a child's toy.
The other dragon was absolutely massive. Its talons were the size of Harry's entire arm and the fire it spewed had a distinctly disturbing hue of white. It was covered in pale scales and its eyes were a light pinkish colour. During the time Harry had spent with Gryffindor, they had talked extensively about dragons, the various types and their strengths and weaknesses and Harry identified the larger beast as a Ukranian Ironbelly, the largest known dragon species.
The Horntail was completely overmatched and Harry watched as the Ironbelly overpowered the smaller dragon fairly quickly and a bite on the neck had the Horntail falling soundlessly into the sea far below. Harry decided he had seen enough and turned the motorcycle in the right direction once again and revved it slightly.
Harry heard the Ironbelly roar again and he looked back, only to see it staring directly at him. He got a sinking feeling in his gut as he remembered another thing about Ironbellies; no kind of disillusionment charms or spells worked against them. Some suspected they could even see through invisibility cloaks.
Harry set his shoulders, leaned forward and revved the bike as much as he could. He glanced back and saw to his relief that the beast was not gaining on him. His smaller size worked in his favour now as he cut through the air much more easily than the bulky Ironbelly. Harry did note, however that the wind was picking up. Unfortunately, this time, it was not favourable.
As soon as that thought left him, a massive gust of wind hit him and he felt the bike strain to keep up the speed. Harry instantly knew he was in trouble. The Ironbelly's vastly superior mass would carry it much further and at greater speed into the wind than his own.
As if by cue, the massive dragon roared mere feet behind Harry and the young man could actually hear as the beast opened its mouth to eat him. He did the only thing he could think of; he dove almost vertically down and he felt the massive beast fly by him.
The force of the air the beast pulled with it clashed heavily against the wind coming from the other direction and the bike spun in the air violently. Harry was barely hanging on, but he noticed the dragon flying on its merry way out of the corner of his eye. Great, that was one problem less to worry about. Harry started to slowly weave his body against the movements of the bike, hoping to stabilize it when the absolute worst happened; the engine died.
Harry let out a long, tired sigh. The engine died. At the worst possible moment. Of course it did. As Harry struggled to both bring the bike under control and the engine running again, he realized this was how it was supposed to be. Had the engine not died, he'd have been truly worried. It would have been most unnatural.
He was falling rapidly, the ocean approaching fast. Eventually Harry managed to regain control and hundred feet or so before the bike hit the water, he got it running again. He immediately revved it to its fullest and gradually the front end of the machine started to rise ever so slowly.
Harry felt the rear wheel touch the water, and saw the spray on either side, before it climbed gracefully into the clouds once more. Harry laughed gleefully as he angled the bike in the right direction once more, the adrenaline fuelling the exhilaration of surviving. He faced death at every turn, it seemed, but at least his life wasn't boring.
In a house, far away, a black haired, violet eyed witch paced the floor in her sister's study in an agitated state. She ran a hand through her hair and eventually sat down in the sofa and visibly relaxed. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes before taking a deep calming breath. Her sister eyed her curiously.
"Bella, what's wrong?"
"It's Harry. Something happened, he was extremely agitated and scared for a while, but he's calmed down now."
Andie stared at her sister. "You can feel that? How deep does this bond go, exactly?"
Bella tapped her lips a few times in thought before answering. "It's not like I can read his thoughts or anything like that. It's more like I can feel his most basic emotions, anger, joy, relief, that sort of thing. I can tell he's far away to the east now, and he's moving further away still. And on top of it all, I can feel the bond weakening as we speak, and it has nothing to do with the distance between us." Bella seemed a little sad at discovering that.
Andie smiled happily. "Going by what Harry told you, that just means you're growing stronger, Bella. It's only been a few days and all we've done is given you a few potions. And fixed your teeth, of course, which should do wonders for your self confidence, to be honest."
Bellea pouted. "I don't want him to disappear, Andie. It's incredibly reassuring to feel him there, to know he's worrying about me."
Andie turned serious at that and fixed her sister with a slightly hard look. "It will not do for you to be too dependant on Harry, Bella. We cannot base your treatment on that feeling. What will happen if he d-"
"Don't ever say that, Andie," Bellatrix said and quickly rose from the sofa and walked over to the window, hugging herself. "I cannot bear thinking of it, even if I know it can happen at any time, with things being the way they are. I... I'm falling in love with him, Andie and it scares me. It's happening so fast, and I can't control it. What if he does not feel the same? What if he won't care once the bond is gone?"
Andie walked over to her sister and grabbed her hand. Just then, Cissy came into the room, carrying a tray with tea and biscuits. Feeling the atmosphere in the room,she walked up to Bella and took hold of her other hand.
"I could not help overhear you two," Narcissa said. "You're not alone in that, Bella. Andromeda is quite quickly falling for him also and I know I am somehow desperately in love with him by now, despite not having met him for months and practically no interaction before then. He's on my mind constantly and it takes conscious effort to think of anything else. It is just as hard for us to know he's out there alone, risking his life for us. That's why we must be strong and rely upon ourselves and each other. Harry cannot afford to be distracted."
Bellatrix felt her face flush and made to say something, but Andie held up a hand to stop her. "Cissy is right, Bella. If all we do is rely upon Harry, then we cannot support him in whatever it is he's doing. And certainly not what comes after, which will be no less of a battle. I find the fact that we are all three falling for him very interesting and strange, same as you, and it bears looking into."
"I just don't want to be a bother to Harry. He'll hate me if it comes to that," Bella said miserably. Andie grabbed her and led to the sofa and sat her down. Sitting beside her, she stared into her eyes and all she could see there was uncertainty and misery at the thought of being a burden to Harry.
"Then focus on getting stronger, sister and help us support him, but I know Harry will not hate you, Bella," Andie said gently. "If he did not hate you earlier, he will not hate you now, or ever, I suspect. He's a good man and he is determined to help you as he has helped us. You know this, it is just your insecurities playing with your mind, something we will work on."
Bella smiled in appreciation and looked up at Cissy, who had placed her hand on her sisters shoulder. "We're here for you, Bella and we will see you through this and we sisters will emerge from this stronger than ever before..."
Harry had finally made it to Albania and was cruising along a deserted road which would take him towards his destination. It was rather cold and it was raining, as it usually did in the winter in the south of this country. He journeyed for most of the day, until he finally found a small village, a number of houses scattered about. It did have an inn, luckily enough. Not wanting to spend the night outside, Harry parked the bike and entered the establishment.
It was obviously not a terribly prosperous inn, but it was a nice, comfy little place. Six rooms and a common room. Only a few locals were present and Harry gave them a polite nod in greeting. He approached the counter and asked for a room and a meal. Something local. The young barmaid, Anja, smiled happily and gave his order to her boyfriend Edon, who set about cooking his meal. Harry sat down and a little while later, the young woman brought out his meal and a key to his room.
"Up the stairs, the second room on your right. I must say, February is a strange time to be travelling, especially on a motorcycle."
Harry found Anja's English to be excellent, if heavily accented. He told her that he had always wanted to go to this region of the world and that no time was like the present. He mentioned her good English and discovered she had studied in the U.S.A, but had returned home when her father took ill and could not manage the inn any longer.
She and Edon were going to keep running the inn and she'd try to take a correspondence course from a university that offered such. Harry and Anja spent the rest of the evening conversing jovially, when she was able, and found they enjoyed each other's company immensely.
Edon looked on and smiled. He later told Harry he was happy to see the usually worried girl relax a little bit. Around midnight, the two young people discovered the common room was empty. Anja then decided it was time to go home to her father; she would be back in the morning to prepare breakfast. Harry bid Anja and Edon good night and locked the door behind them and turned off the lights.
Harry ventured up the stairs and found his room in short order and opened the door. As soon as he entered the room, he felt nauseous and his scar hurt, for the first time in a long, long time. Harry's hand went to his forehead and he rubbed it for a while, until the pain subsided to a dull ache.
Harry put his Bag down by the door and sat down on the bed. He knew he had closed off the connection to Tom, so that was not the cause of the pain flaring up. He stared at the floor for a while, then he remembered a part of a conversation he'd had with Sirius once:
"Listen, I knew Bertha Jorkins. She was at Hogwarts when I was, a few years above your dad and me. And she was an idiot. Very nosy, but no brains, none at all. It's not a good combination, Harry. I'd say she'd be very easy to lure into a trap."
He remembered Bertha was murdered in Albania and he realized, much to his dismay that he was sitting in the very room wherein Riddle had murdered the poor woman. So this was where it truly began, the whole Tri-Wizard fiasco. Bertha might have been a fool, but she had worked in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and as such, had been privy to all sorts of information.
Harry shook his head. The blame for Bertha's death lay at the hands of Riddle, however, Barty Crouch Sr. was just as responsible. His vastly overpowered Obliviation when she had found out about his son had messed with her mind. Bloody, useless Ministry... Knowing he was not about to get any sleep, Harry rested his back against the headboard and spent the night meditating and thinking. About Ginny, mostly.
She had been on his mind quite often of late and his conversation with Anja had him thinking about Ginny and their relationship. Or lack there off. He did not know why he felt so strongly for her. When he thought about it, they had never really been close before suddenly he went and crushed on her bad in his sixth year.
Oh sure she'd had a crush on him for years that never really went away and he'd always noticed her, for some reason. That time when her elbow hit the butter dish at the Burrow had been adorable. He used his Occlumency and searched his mind for their interactions through the years and his own observations of her. He knew he had always liked Ginny, even if their earliest interactions had been little more than her squealing and darting from the room.
Nothing much happened after that, except, of course the whole Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle diary thing, but that was not what he was focusing on at the moment. Then there was fourth year, especially the Yule ball. He remembered dancing with Parvati and he had noticed Ginny was having about as much fun with Neville as Parvati was having with himself. He'd had a nibbling sensation in the back of his mind that, perhaps he should have asked Ginny to be his date.
Fifth year, she really came into her own and her confidence grew and she finally became somewhat comfortable in his presence, a fact he was very happy with. Of course they had spent a significant part of the train ride to Hogwarts in each other's company as Ron and Hermione had gone to the prefect's compartment. While they certainly hadn't spoken much, he'd found her company enjoyable.
That year, he realized was when he started noticing her properly, even if, at the time he did not realize just what it meant. Then she broke up with Dean and how worried he had been if someone else asked Ginny out. Soon after, they kissed in front of all those people. He could go over it again and again. He understood now that he'd been falling in love with her for years, without realizing it.
Not that it mattered any more. There was little chance of her not being involved with someone by now. Thinking about all this led him to think of the other three women he was falling in love with and he became even more confused than before. He needed to talk to them and clean the air before he became obsessed with this, he reckoned.
The following morning, Harry left the village after breakfast and made his way further south. Needless to say, he'd left a huge tip, up in the room, as he liked Anja and Edon and the service had been excellent. Soon after midday, he found what he was looking for; a deep, forested valley. There was a marked path, leading into the trees, but a warning sign caught his attention.
Apparently, the forest was home to several wild beasts, wolves and the like. People also had a tendency to disappear and never be found and as such, any visitors to the forest visited at their own peril. Well, that was lovely, wasn't it? A perfect little piece of information to set the tone for this little outing.
Harry led the bike of the path, making certain the invisibility charm was still active, before leaving it behind. He removed his sword from the Bag and hung the pack on the bike and headed over to the entrance proper. He took a deep breath and relaxed his mind, but not too much, he had to be alert. This, he knew would be the first real test of his newfound senses.
A forest like this was bound to be completely filled with animals and creatures, quite a few of which he might feel. And he would not only sense the animals, of course. The trees were living beings, even if they did not possess awareness in the way sapient beings understood it.
Harry shuddered with excitement and perhaps a touch of fear. He would really have to work to keep up with his senses, to keep them from overwhelming him. He reached out carefully and at first it came to him like a tidal wave. It rushed over him and threatened to wash his awareness away like a piece of garbage on a windswept shore. Harry kept calm and breathed his way through the initial rush. In a few moments, it had become tolerable and he managed to brace himself.
He strapped on his sword and in he went, his eyes focused on the path before him. It was badly overgrown and it was apparent that it had not been tended to for a long time. As he made his way further into the forest, it became denser and the sunlight had a harder time penetrating the treetops. The path started to slope downwards as he ventured along.
Afraid to let his mind wander to far into the forest, Harry kept his abilities in check and open to only the most immediate area. It was hugely helpful in allowing him to keep tabs on everything that was happening and nothing could sneak up on him.
Ahead and down, the path wound and Harry noticed that the further he went, the fewer and fewer animals he could feel. He found it strange, because it got steadily warmer as he walked further down. While his experience with animals was limited to Hedwig (how he missed her!) and Fawkes and whatever 'interesting' animals and creatures Hagrid brought to Care of magical creatures, it did not make sense to Harry that animals would avoid warmth, especially in the dead of winter. There had to be a reason for it and Harry was fairly certain he would not like what it was.
A fox came running over the path and it stopped to regard Harry. It walked over to him and sniffed his hand, before going about its business. In fact, the animals in the forest, at least the ones he had come upon seemed to relax in his presence, seemingly understanding that he was no threat and that he meant them no harm. Harry was glad of it. He rather liked animals and would have been quite put out if they would avoid him because of the nature of his changes.
He had been walking for quite some time when the feeling in the forest became strange, oppressive and nauseating and the heat uncomfortable. He had to be nearing the heart of the woods. Harry placed a hand on a nearby tree to brace himself when a large bear came bustling toward him.
Harry made a non threatening gesture with his hands, but the enraged animal kept charging and it forced Harry to dodge and pull out his blade. The bear turned around impossibly quickly for a being of its size and slashed toward Harry with its paw, the claws barely missing their target.
Having recovered from his initial shock, Harry twisted and turned away from the beast's attacks, trying to find a way to take it down without harming it, but it seemed impossible. Most animals would have retreated when bashed with a rock or blasted with a well aimed wedge of air. So, with a deep sigh, Harry charged the bear when it had conveniently risen on its hind legs. Feeling disgusted with himself, Harry thrust the sword deeply into the heart of the beast and it fell with a dull thud.
Harry pressed on and was later attacked by a small pack of wolves, which he dispatched easily enough. Something was very, very wrong in here. Animals did not act this way, surely and he realized he had lost the connection with the forest. Whenever he reached out with his mind, it was completely blank, as if he was a regular old muggle. It was very disconcerting, but he pressed on still, determined to find out what was wrong. Perhaps the Horcrux was here after all, perverting nature with its evil?
Some time later, Harry came upon a large clearing with a massive tree in the middle of it. It was glowing red and the heat it was radiating from a small alcove in its trunk was almost scalding. But all of that paled in comparison to the utterly evil presence he felt when he entered the clearing. At the other end, he could spy a creature, a creature he had seen in Gryffindor's bestiary. His shoulders sank a little at the sight.
"Bloody hell. A Leshen," he muttered darkly as he unsheathed his sword and gripped it tightly. Leshen were not foes people attacked alone, due to the fact the monster had an innate ability to control the animals and plants within its immediate area as well as the ability to attack with roots.
He would have to rely on his superior reflexes to dodge, as the roots that it would without a doubt attack him with were strong and could kill him with a singe strike. There was nothing for it, however. Harry had to discover what it was that made this whole place practically ooze with evil.
Harry walked into the clearing proper and side stepped a root that came burrowing towards him with force. He threw a fireball at the Leshen and while it did not catch on fire, it screamed in pain and anger. Harry rushed in and sliced and diced, before rolling away when the Leshen retaliated. He was not keen on being gutted by its claws, nor did he desire to be skewered by its antlers. A little overzealous, Harry rushed forward when he saw an opening, only to be met with a root in the face.
A blinding pain, followed by a rush of blood told him the thing had broken his nose. Another root came flying and Harry twisted out of the way and rolled under the Leshen's arms, then struck with the sword, cleaving an arm off. An ungodly shriek followed and Harry's eardrums nearly burst.
He struck blindly and hit the creature in the side, where the sword got lodged in. Before Harry could muster the strength to remove the weapon, the Leshen attacked and forced Harry to fall back. Gryffindor would have been furious; the only time a warrior did not hold his weapon in battle was if the warrior was dead.
Harry eyed the monster warily. Now he would have to rely on his armbraces. Not a bad thing, per se, but holding the sword was reassuring to him. He focused on the stump of the arm he'd cut off and noticed it was liberally leaking tree sap. Harry ignited a fireball in each hand and threw them toward the creature, focusing on the severed arm. Both balls connected solidly with the beast and exploded. Harry rushed forward, throwing fireballs at the Leshen as he went.
Finally, just as Harry was about to reach it, the monster fell to its knees in pain. Harry grabbed his sword and yanked it free and brought it down on the Leshen and severed the head from its body. The thing fell and did not move again. Harry summoned what water he could from the area and put out the fire.
Breathing heavily, Harry retreated to a low tree stump some distance away and sat down, exhausted. He felt his nose and placed the forefingers of both hands on either side and with a pained grunt, twisted it in place.
After a few minutes, Harry got to his feet and approached the tree cautiously. Finally, he stood in front of the alcove and saw a marble orb, glowing red in the darkness. The orb was covered in runes and pulsed regularly, not unlike the orb in Gryffindor's study. Harry reached out to it, but stayed his hand when the ghost of a young man appeared next to it.
"Do not touch it, brave warrior! It will taint you, poison and kill you. Strike it with the sword and it should be destroyed, my lord."
Harry eyed the ghost of a man who was garbed in clothing not dissimilar to what he had found and worn in Gryffindor's house. Wait, there was a ghost here, randomly floating in the forest? Not very likely, that. More likely, he was here for a very specific reason. A reason he wagered had something to do with Helena Ravenclaw. They would get to that, but first, he had to destroy that sphere thing.
"What is it? Do you know who made it?" Harry asked the ghost. The spectre floated closer to him and eyed the thing with a look of clear distaste.
"It is a spirit tether, milord. Someone sacrificed a being of great power and bound its spirit to the sphere. The purpose of such a tether is for the one who created it to feed on its energy to sustain their own spirit if their body has been destroyed. When a tether is created with the spirit willing, they are not corrupted such as this one. That only happens when they are ripped from whatever creature they originally possessed and forcefully placed in the anchor.
The anger grows and festers and turns into hate for all living things, and eventually, if left alone, the anchor cannot contain all the energy and it bleeds into the environment, the way it has this forest. Now, as to who made it, I do not know, but he was light of skin and dark of hair. He came here many years ago and did something to my mistress' diadem and before he left, he created the anchor."
Harry nodded at the ghost. "So, that's why he came here and how the bastard survived without assimilating one of his Horcruxes," he muttered to himself. "You say a slash with my sword will destroy it?"
At the ghost's nod, he grabbed his sword in both hands and with all the strength he could muster, brought the weapon down on the sphere, which flickered a few times, before the pulses slowed until they stopped and the red light disappeared. Almost at once, the forest started getting colder, as things returned to normal. Harry motioned for the ghost to follow him as he went back to the stump he had used earlier and sat down.
"What is your name, ghost?"
"Ballard, my lord."
"You came here with Helena Ravenclaw after she stole her mother's diadem?"
The ghost blinked several times, before nodding. "I did. I was her manservant and lover. Her mother did not approve of our love, so we eloped, but not before Helena, in vindictive anger, stole her mother's most prized possession. We came here, fleeing a man her mother, the Lady Ravenclaw had sent to find us. Eventually, he did and my love and I were killed."
"Why did he not take the diadem?"
Ballard shook his head ruefully. "The man never cared about the diadem, he only wanted Helena. When she both spurned his advances and refused to return with him, he killed her and myself in a fit of rage. I learned later that he took his own life as his grief over her death was too great to bear. The diadem lay hidden for an untold number of years before the young man I told you about discovered it and performed some kind of dark ritual on it, before placing it in the same spot he found it."
"Is it still there?" Harry asked hopefully.
The ghost shook his head. "Some time ago, a man in a turban came into the forest, looking for the diadem, I believe. What he found was the spirit of whomever made the tether. It possessed him and had the man remove the diadem. Where it was taken, I do not know."
The wheels in Harry's head were turning rapidly. Quirrell had taken the diadem, of that, there could be no doubt. Hogwarts, then. It was the last place anyone would look, after all. A sudden thought struck Harry.
"Did Helena come back as a ghost? Could she be nearby?"
"I do not know, my lord. If she is nearby, I have certainly never seen her. That's not to say it did not happen. Not all ghosts appear instantly. Some take years to arrive from the in between."
Harry grabbed the Bag from the bike and put the sword and sphere in there. He got on the motorcycle and headed toward the village with Anja's inn. If he went as fast as he could, he might make it in time for breakfast.
At almost ten in the morning, Harry entered the inn and was greeted with a hug and a firm handshake from his new friends. When asked what had happened to his nose, he told them he'd fallen off the bike, which strangely escaped in perfect condition. Anja and Edon did not believe him.
"You went into the forest, didn't you?" Anja asked accusingly.
Harry froze. How did they know? Were they agents of Riddle's, set here to watch the forest and take care of anyone who went in there? As Harry's mind raced, Edon shook his head, clearly irritated at Harry.
"The signs are there for a reason, Harry. People get hurt in there and you clearly did. Some say there are monsters lurking in those woods, that take away those who venture in there unawares. Did you see something worth mentioning?"
Harry smiled at the pair. No, they were not evil, they merely worried about him. "No, nothing too interesting. Ran into a few wolves, though. Had to chase them off and got tripped by a root. Kind of stupid, really. Anyway, it's time I was on my way. Perhaps we'll see each other some day, yeah?"
As Anja and Edon watched Harry drive off, an older man joined them in watching him go. After a couple of minutes of silence, he spoke to the younger people.
"Mr. Potter got rid of that thing in the woods?"
"Yes, I believe he did," Anja replied.
The old man smiled. "Then he's still on the right path. Come, children. Let us leave this place. The Lady will want to learn of this."
A few breaths later, a very confused Anja, Edon and Anja's father wandered into the inn, trying to piece together a pair of missing days since none of them could remember a single thing.
Harry walked into the living room at Nr. 45 and was greeted by Narcissa and Bellatrix. An hour earlier, he had returned the bike to Gringotts. He really hoped he would not need it again; he very much preferred brooms. Much smoother, and faster. And, of course, speaking from experience, he knew it was easier to outrun dragons on a broom, too. He saw the worried expressions on their faces and while he did not like worrying them, he did feel a little special knowing they felt he was worth their worry.
He knew they would ask what had happened and he decided at that moment that he would always be forthcoming and tell them the truth. Not only was he their Head of House, they had thrown their lot behind him and they deserved his respect and lying to them was no way to show them he respected and cared for them. As soon as he thought that, he felt the guilt over the fact that he was hiding from his friends wash over him.
"Are you, alright, Harry? Over the last two weeks, I've felt some things through the bond which made me uneasy." Bella asked in a small voice. Harry looked over the woman and found the two and a half weeks he'd been away had been good to her. She looked much better. Her teeth had been fixed and her hair was getting livelier. She was also filling out well, despite being a bit too thin, still. Her sisters had clearly taken good care of her. With Andie and Cissy there, she would be fine, he knew.
"I'm fine, Bella. I had a little run in with an Ironbelly, but it worked out fine in the end. Though, I must confess I'd really rather not meet one again any time soon."
"An Ironbelly? Where?" Narcissa was greatly intrigued. Wild dragons were fairly rare these days, and Ironbellies were possibly the rarest breed of them all. They said an Ironbelly could be found in the very bowels of Gringotts, guarding the oldest vaults, but she wasn't certain she believed the rumours.
"I found one battling a Horntail somewhere over the Adriatic. Once the Ironbelly had dispatched the Horntail, it set its sights on me. I got away, though it was a close thing."
"The Adriatic? Where the blazes did you go?" Andie asked as she entered the house. She was carrying a few bags of groceries, which put themselves away with a flick of her wand.
Harry looked at Andie and smiled at her. "Later," he said. She nodded in understanding and did not press the issue. "How are things here? Are you getting on alright, Bella? You look much better."
Bella smiled happily at Harry. "Yes, we're getting along quite well, Harry, thank you. Andie and I have begun working through what happened to me and she tells me we have made great strides. I'm sleeping better, and the nightmares have almost stopped."
Her cheer faded a little as she grabbed his hand and stared him in the eyes. "The goblins certainly knew what they were doing with this compulsion of theirs. I can feel the bond helping me, it gives me strength. But in no way does it disrupt my daily life. In order to feel it properly, I have to consciously reach out for it. It is weakening even as we speak. I know that means I'm growing stronger and getting better, but it frightens me a little."
Bella stepped into him and Harry wrapped his arms around her. He did not see it, but her extremely content smile gave her sisters a pause, Narcissa in particular. Bella was obviously moving on him and was not willing to wait too long for her prize. Cissy resisted the urge to fiddle with her hair, a nervous habit she had developed in her second year at Hogwarts and never really gotten rid off.
She had to do something quick. Not that she was opposed to Harry and Bella having a relationship, but she wanted, no needed to tell him how she felt. If she managed to do that before Bella outright told Harry she was falling for him, it would make what came after a little easier.
Before any of them got too serious, she would need to see if he was amenable to a life shared with her, Bella as well as Andie, even if their sister was in two minds on what to do. Narcissa was certain she could nudge her sister in the right direction, if she needed help. She formed a little plan for her own confession, but before all of that, there was a little something she needed to take care of.
As Harry and Bella broke their embrace, Narcissa walked over to them and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and looked very pointedly at Harry's nose. "Were you going to tell us what happened to your nose, Harry?"
The young man smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head, looking a little guilty. "I was rather hoping it would not come up, actually. I'm sure you don't want to spend your evening listening to my problems." All three sisters arched an eyebrow in an identical way, which would have made Harry laugh, if he had not felt he was suddenly in a very precarious situation.
"Fine," Harry said with a sigh. "I fought and killed a Leshen, Cissy. One of the roots it sent at me slapped me across the face. Had I known there was a Leshen there, I would have... Well I probably wouldn't have changed anything. I'm pants at planning, really. I'm much better at thinking on my feet. Anyway, Leshen are a difficult foe, not to be taken lightly."
Narcissa crossed her arms and tapped a finger on her upper arm. She shot her sisters a questioning look, which they shared. What the bloody hell was a Leshen? Well, no matter. Harry seemed fine and she wanted to spend some time alone with him. She would invite him to have dinner with them and perhaps, afterwards the pair of them could adjourn to Andie's study and talk about that fascinating parchment he had placed in her possession before he left. One of many meetings, she supposed and dearly hoped for.
"Harry, would you like to join us sisters for supper this evening?" She asked him, a pleasant smile on her lips. At his nod, she smiled even wider and waved her wand in front of his face, and his nose set itself properly. She ignored his pained gasp and started for the kitchen.
"Ow! You could have used a numbing charm, you know!" Harry exclaimed and grabbed his nose with one hand, while the other tried to wipe away the tears that he kept blinking out of his eyes. Narcissa turned her head and grinned darkly at him. She spied Andromeda watching Harry with a worried expression and decided they could do with a little time by themselves.
"Yes, I could have. Be more careful next time and I won't have to fix you up. Bella, could you help me in the kitchen? Andie, please keep Harry company for a while."
Bella joined her youngest sister, leaving Harry alone with Andromeda. She sat down on the sofa and picked up a Muggle magazine and flipped through it without interest. Harry allowed his senses to flare a little bit and listened for Andie's heartbeat and found it slightly elevated.
She was nervous and he thought he sensed a sadness in her. He scooted a little closer to her and took the magazine from her hands and took them in his own. Surprised, she looked at him and found his intense emerald gaze upon her and she just about managed to fight down a shiver.
"You know you can talk to me, Andie. Everyone needs someone to talk to every now and then and I'm here for you." Harry said softly.
After a moment's hesitation, Andromeda smiled at him and nodded. "Supper should not be ready for another hour, at least. Care to join me for a walk?"
A little later, the pair was walking down the street at a slow, steady pace. Andie kept her gaze on the sidewalk and wondered what to say. Harry was silent, knowing she would eventually start talking if she wanted to.
"Ted and I met in our sixth year at Hogwarts," she said suddenly and smiled wistfully. "He was a Muggleborn Hufflepuff and a prefect. He was funny, witty and smart and quite handsome, and we quickly became a couple." Andie chuckled softly before moving on. "I quite remember how shocked Cissy was when she found out, but she kept it to herself. Knowing the repercussions of anyone else learning of the relationship, Ted and I met in secret and were extremely careful."
Harry grimaced and grabbed Andie's hand. She eyed him out of the corner of her eye and was a little surprised to see an irritated look on his face. She squeezed his hand and laced her fingers with his.
"Knowing the Hogwarts rumour mill as I do, that can't have been easy. Keeping things secret in that castle is next to impossible."
Andie scowled at that. "No it wasn't easy, but as I said we were careful. We made it through that year and were quite happy together. Then, at the second term of seventh year, a series of events led to the ousting of our relationship. Mainly, I learned of father and aunt Walburga's plans of contracting me to Thorfinn Rowle." Harry sighed dejectedly. She stopped and looked up at him.
"What is it?"
Harry shook his head slowly. "It´s just that I've captured him on at least two different occasions, only for the bloody Ministry to release him again. Sometimes, I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall. Snapping their wands does delay their return, but eventually, they always come back." He smiled at her apologetically. "Sorry for interrupting. This outing is about you, Andie. Please go on."
Andie was silent for a moment, before she started speaking again. "Well, Hogwarts went into a bit of an uproar over the relationship between Ted and I. A Slytherin and a Hufflepuff? An unusual pairing. A pureblood of the finest stock, and a Black no less, dating a Muggleborn? Impossible. It was more of a scandal than Siri being sorted into Gryffindor. Needless to say, my family was not pleased. Father sent me a letter, demanding I cease my involvement with that 'filthy Mudblood'. I refused and at the end of term, I bid Cissy farewell and left with my boyfriend."
Andie let out a deep sigh and continued. "I did not meet either of my sisters for almost a year. I'd heard that Narcissa had been given to Malfoy and I was very distraught. I knew of his reputation, after all. With some difficulty, I managed to contact Narcissa without anyone knowing and convinced her to meet with me. She agreed and we set up a meet. A few days later, I arrived at the café to find both my sisters there. At first, I was very happy, but the meeting did not go well. I tried to convince them both to leave with me, but neither of them was willing."
"Cissy wasn't?" Harry asked, somewhat surprised.
"No, but I'll get to that," Andie said. "Of course, as we know, those bastards Lestrange and Riddle had gotten their hooks into Bella by then and I could not get through to her. She was so proud of her Mark. She then proceeded to call both Ted and I all manner of foul names and ended by telling me I'd been blasted of the family tapestry, before Apparating away. Cissy and I spoke for a while, before she had to leave.
Cissy knew I blamed myself for her fate, but she told me she'd probably have married Malfoy even if I'd been there, that she did not share my courage to leave. Besides, had I not left, I'd have been forced to marry Rowle, who Narcissa had learned was a sadistic, evil bastard. I was not surprised, he was friends with Malfoy, after all. She told me to live my life and be happy and perhaps we'd see each other again. After that meeting, I did not see Narcissa, until she suddenly appeared on my doorstep after you rescued her."
Harry blushed a little bit and was caught completely unawares when Andromeda hugged him tightly and after barely a moment's hesitation, he hugged her back. "I want to thank you Harry, for bringing us sisters together again," she whispered in his ear and stepped back. "It has been so much better than I'd imagined and I could not be happier about it."
Harry assured her that it had been his pleasure and that he was glad they had reconnected. On the way back, Andie told Harry of her life with Ted and regaled him with stories of her daughter. She was a little surprised Harry remembered Nymphadora from Hogwarts, as she had been a seventh year and in a different house, when he joined the school.
Harry told her it was a little hard to forget a bubbly girl, with spiky, bright pink hair, who seemed entirely too happy. Andie laughed out loud at that. That most certainly sounded like her Nymphadora.
By that time, Andie had taken a hold of his arm as they neared the house and she found she had enjoyed the walk immensely and she felt lighter than she had ever felt since Ted's death. She had half dreaded that Harry would tell her he was sorry he had not managed to save her late husband, but he had not.
She suspected her daughter must have had something to do with that. She was very glad; he carried way too much on his shoulders as it was. When they reached the house, she gave him a slow kiss on the cheek and thanked him for everything, after which they went inside for supper.
Narcissa was looking at the parchment in front of her, though her mind was elsewhere. She had seen Harry and her sister approach the house and noticed her how her sister clung to his arm. Andie had been quite a bit livelier during a truly fantastic supper than she'd been for a long time and Narcissa could only assume Harry had managed to get her to open up to him. She was glad.
Focused on helping Bella and herself work through their numerous issues, Andromeda kept her own pain all too close to her heart and it could not be good for her and Narcissa knew Andie was slowly slipping into depression. Hopefully Harry could help her. She heard Harry enter the study and motioned for him to sit with her on the sofa so they could look over his notes together.
"Harry, this is quite a fascinating read, this parchment you left with me. Incredibly ambitious, to say the least. I have to ask, though, why come to me for help? I was not raised in a house with tolerant beliefs."
Harry stared her in the eyes and he became completely serious." I've come to realize you are an incredibly intelligent woman, Narcissa and I'm certain I'll need your help to make most of this happen. I shudder to think what Malfoy could, no, would have accomplished had he known what he had in you. Fortunately, he is a fool who drove away an amazing woman, and now I have the opportunity to learn just how brilliant she is."
Not knowing how to react, Cissy made a show of reading a part of Harry's notes more carefully. The sincerity of his words reached her very soul and the familiar warmth ran through her. Was that how he saw her? Truly? Then it might be time to see if he was able to engage her properly. Mr. Malfoy never really could and she yearned for it.
"I thank you for the sentiment, Harry. Now, let's start at the top, shall we? I must admit your first point surprised me greatly. Abolish the Hogwarts house system? I assumed you were a proud Gryffindor? After all, you certainly embody the values of that house very well." She tapped her chin a few times. "But when I look closer, I can see a mix of all four houses in you."
Harry smiled at her, and tapped the parchment. "I had to ask the hat not to put me in Slytherin, Cissy. It said the house would lead me to greatness, but if I was sure, then it had better be Gryffindor. Meeting Draco on the train, where he insulted Ron may have had something to do with my choice, I reckon."
Narcissa smiled at him. It was not too surprising, really. "Your reasoning for the abolishment of the houses? I'm fairly certain I've come to the right conclusion, but I'd like to hear it from you, regardless. To make certain there is no misunderstanding, of course."
"Of course. If we want to change anything in the wizarding world, we have to start at the beginning, Cissy. You know what Hogwarts is like. This stupid rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin is completely ridiculous and serves no purpose. Brave, reckless and chivalrous Lions. The cunning and ambitious Snakes. The cold and smart Ravens, full of wit, the supposed brains of the school and last but certainly not least, the just, loyal and hard working Badgers. The house no one wants to go to, because all they supposedly have going for them is their loyalty to their friends. And people say it almost as if that's a bad thing." Harry growled at that. "Idiots."
The young man ran a hand through his hair, which brought Narcissa's attention to his ears. One of these days, she really needed to learn what he'd done to his body. Similarly, when he smiled a full smile, which he rarely did, she could see those canines of his. It all added to the mystery that was Harry Potter and she desperately wanted to learn more.
"That blasted hat sings about house unity almost every year, which is a bit foolish, since all the house system actually does is create and maintain a divisive atmosphere. There's even a house cup that you can win if your house does not break the rules and does well in school. Which would perhaps work to encourage students if it wasn't for vindictive wankers such as Snape who has abused the system throughout his tenure at Hogwarts."
Narcissa snorted. "Of course Severus would do that. In some ways, he's such a foolish man."
"Sometimes, yes," Harry agreed. "But the problem does not stop there. I mean, people identify themselves by which house they were sorted into, throughout their lives, Cissy. And it's not like it doesn't have an effect on your life, you know. A company owner, who went to Slytherin will probably never hire someone that came from Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. I imagine they'd likely hire a Ravenclaw if no Slytherin was available."
"That's true, I suppose," Narcissa said.
"This needs to change. Both Slytherin and Ravenclaw are notoriously individualistic; there's no real camaraderie within those houses. I mean, sure, they throw their support behind their Quidditch teams, but that lasts, what, an afternoon three times a year? The rest of the time, the Ravens compete internally for the top spot in their year, academically. They don't help each other out, either, oh no, that might give someone a leg up. The same is true of Slytherin, what with the backstabbing and cheating... It's completely different within both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. "
Narcissa eyed the parchment, then looked back at Harry."Well, that's how it's always been, Harry. What you're proposing will take a thousand year tradition and effectively throw it out the window. I know most people will not take well to such ideas."
"No, they won't, but let me ask you this. Where is the highest concentration of purebloods at Hogwarts? Slytherin. Where do most of the Death Eaters and the worst bigots come from? Slytherin. That's not a coincidence, Cissy. Some of these people come to Hogwarts as children who have been conditioned to believe they are superior to others, simply because of the 'purity' of their blood and the fact that they are human.
Then they spend the next seven years in Slytherin, surrounded by kids with similar views and it only grows and festers. Draco is a prime example of just that. He's a below average wizard, who holds steadfastly to those ideas. And that's even despite the fact that there's not a shred of evidence of any kind that suggests magical strength is always hereditary in families. In the end, it's all about the individual."
"There are bigots in more places that just Slytherin, Harry," Narcissa pointed out.
"Of course there are," Harry said, conceding the point. "Ron Weasley is one of them. He may not mind centaurs, werewolves or Muggles, but if you're from Slytherin, you must be evil, so stay away. I'm certain Molly and Arthur have not actively encouraged such behaviour, but they may not have given him a reason to believe otherwise. I know there are many decent people in Slytherin, or have been. Merlin, Horace Slughorn, even though he's an opportunistic arse. Slytherin himself, of course. He was a right decent bloke, or so I've heard."
Filing that bit about Salazar Slytherin away for later, Narcissa gave him a look and Harry stared innocently at the ceiling while twiddling his thumbs. "Can't think of anyone else?" she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice.
Harry pretended to think about it, then gave her a teasing smile. "Nope, that's about it, I think," he said and laughed heartily when he saw the look of mock indignation on Narcissa's face.
The hour was late when Narcissa rolled up the parchments and she and Harry sat back in the sofa, relaxing for a bit. Well, Harry was relaxing while her own mind was a swirl of emotions. She was nothing short of ecstatic. Not only was Harry very intelligent, he was also possessed of a devious streak that she found, to her amazement, highly arousing.
But the thing she was most happy about was the underlying kindness in everything he was hoping to accomplish and how he spoke to her as an equal and listened to her input. He even deferred to her experience when he felt she had the right of it.
She found it a little sad that this was a rather novel experience for her, but it felt great and she loved him for it. Over the past few weeks, she had gone back and forth from wanting him and denying it, but there was no hiding it any longer. She was, for all intents and purposes, head over heels in love with him and she needed to make it known, to show him proof of her affections.
"Something on your mind, Cissy?"
She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice, but managed a small smile."A few things, Harry. Nothing for you to worry about, though."
Harry eyed her for a moment. "If you say so," he said, before standing up, to get himself a drink of water. He didn't drink alcohol, apparently. When he asked her if she wanted anything, she told him she would not refuse a drink herself.
He made his way over to the cabinet, but got sidetracked by a shelf with four white stones that had a red cross painted in the middle of them. Deciding to ask Andie about them sometime, Harry moved on to the cabinet.
Narcissa watched him move and decided she was going to take a leap of faith. She rose from the sofa and stalked over to the young man, who was busy pouring his own drink. Just as he turned around, to ask her what she wanted, Narcissa fisted his shirt with both hands and crushed her lips against his in a feverish kiss. Harry instinctively grabbed her lower back and pulled her against him and his other hand caressed the nape of her neck.
Narcissa moaned into the kiss and opened her mouth a little and her tongue sought out his own. Their bodies melted together and the intimate and very passionate kiss went on for while, before they leaned back to catch their breath. Narcissa leaned in and rested her head against his chest, feeling quite happy and content.
"Wow," she mumbled softly as she listened to Harry's heart hammering in his chest.
"Hey, that's what I was going to say, you thief," Harry joked.
She looked up at him to find him gazing down at her, a happy smile on his face, although it was a little embarrassed. She smiled back, before leaning from him a little. He still held her, not really wanting her to retreat, but allowed her a little space. She was quite thrilled at his possessive nature.
"Harry, I," she began, but Harry silenced her with a quick peck on the lips.
"I have a little confession to make, Cissy," Harry said and looked directly into her eyes. "I've thought of you constantly, ever since that moment I held you in my arms in the forest surrounding Malfoy manor. I cannot explain it, because I don't understand it, but there it is. I know a spark formed there and it has grown into a raging bonfire. Your beauty and brilliant mind have captivated me in ways I cannot fathom and I am overjoyed to learn you feel the same way."
At that point, Harry's emerald eyes had grown bright, almost to the point of glowing, but then suddenly, they seemed to shut off and go lifeless and dull and he let her go. Narcissa grabbed his hand led him back over to the couch. She still held his hand, but Harry seemed unable to meet her eyes.
"What is it, Harry? If it's about you falling for my sisters, I am aware of it, and I don't mind it."
Harry turned to stare at her incredulously. "What? You know? How?"
Narcissa chuckled and placed her hand on his thigh. "It's painfully obvious, Harry. At least to me. And it's not as if it's one sided either. You mean the world to Bella. You're her everything and she will test you soon, I'd imagine. You did not see her expression earlier when you held her in your arms, but I've never seen her so content before. Don't let this bond of yours get in the way, Harry. If she makes a move and you are willing, don't resist. And then there's Andie."
"Andie?" Harry asked, surprise evident in his voice.
"Yes, Andie. She's 'on the fence' I believe the saying goes. She wants to explore it, but she is worried about how little time has gone by since the death of Theodore as well as how Nymphadora would react to her mother taking a lover that is almost seven years younger than her own daughter. Not to mention someone who's her friend. Harry, the idea of a polygamy is nothing new in the wizarding world, especially among the purebloods. As such, almost every pureblooded witch learns at a very young age to accept the fact that she may have to share her husband with another woman, sometimes even more than one. It is rare these days in Britain, but it does happen."
Narcissa moved closer to Harry and kissed him on the lips and hugged him. While she had realized this was definitely bothering him, she was also very certain there was something else he needed to tell her as well as her sisters.
"I know you are aware of the possibility of multiple wives, by the lack of surprise on your face. This most likely makes you a little uncomfortable, but I hope you'll come to accept it as a possibility. If you do choose to accept it, I know you'll make us very happy, Harry. Never doubt that. You seem to have a problem accepting that others care about you and it has something to do with your upbringing and we will discuss it with Andie and Bella at a later date. Now, will you please tell me what it is that's really bothering you?"
Harry leaned back into the sofa, his mind working furiously. Narcissa had kissed him and he had responded in kind, and it had felt just right. It was almost like slaking a thirst after working in the sun on a warm summer day. But the thought of the Horcrux in his soul had brought him crashing down. He needed to tell them, they deserved nothing less, considering what was forming between them.
"Narcissa, could you bring your sisters in here, please. They need to be here for this. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Narcissa, who was greatly alarmed by Harry's grave expression nodded and left the room to fetch her sisters. Meanwhile, Harry quit the house and Apparated to the stronghold and put the former Horcruxes as well as the tether he had found in Albania into the Bag and popped over to Andie's house again.
He entered the study to find the sisters pacing the room in a nervous fashion. Harry opened the Bag and placed the goblet on the table as well as the locket. Andie looked thoroughly confused whereas Bella and Cissy stared at locket and goblet in a shocked silence.
"What are those, Harry?" Andie asked and looked at the young man.
"The locket of Salazar Slytherin and the cup of Helga Hufflepuff. I took the locket from the sub basement of Malfoy manor. You remember, don't you Narcissa?" She nodded at him. "A friend stole the cup from the Ministry and I collected it from him."
Bellatrix looked from the goblet to Harry, a frown on her beautiful face. "I remember when Riddle entrusted me with that thing. I was so proud that I took it and never questioned what it was. Not that I questioned anything the man did, being his thrall and all."
"These are exquisite items, true, but what do they have to do with anything?" Narcissa asked. "What was it you did back at Malfoy manor? I recall you collapsed and experienced terrible pain."
Harry sighed and steeled himself. This was going to be hard on all of them. "These items contained a piece Riddle's soul, a pair of Horcruxes. As long as these things exist, he cannot be killed. His body can be destroyed, but his spirit endures. I do not know the specifics of creating one of these, nor do I care to, but I know you must split the soul, and to do that, you must commit murder in cold blood."
All three sisters stared at him and then onto the table in disgust. This was what Harry was hunting? Now, they at least partly understood why he was so adamant about keeping his activities hidden. At least concerning these. It would not do to have Riddle start moving them around. Narcissa realized now that at the time, the biggest reason he had saved her and Draco and Snape was so that he could use their escape as cover, so that no one would suspect anyone had been into the sub basement.
A move worthy of any Slytherin, but knowing him, something that would make him feel unworthy of her love. She made a mental note to disabuse him of any such foolish notions; it made her want him more, not less.
"How many of those vile things are there?" Bella asked in a slightly choked voice.
Harry started naming every Horcrux, picking them of with his fingers. "There was the diary Malfoy placed in Ginny's cauldron the summer before her first year and caused the whole fiasco of my second year. I destroyed that one with one of the fangs from the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Then there is a ring that belonged to Riddle's grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt. There are these two," Harry said and gestured to the items on the table. "And I believe I know where to find the next one, which I believe to be Ravenclaw's diadem. I looked for it in Albania and found evidence that suggested it can most likely be found at Hogwarts. I also believe Nagini, his familiar to be a Horcrux."
Andie looked thoughtfully at Harry. "And with him being the seventh. It makes sense from Arithmatic standpoint, I suppose. But Harry, surely there are some problems with splitting your soul like that? And would he not have absorb one of his Horcruxes to come back?"
"Sure," Harry said. "He's much weaker than he should be and six times is the most you can split your soul. One more and you die, or at least that's the theory. But the theory doesn't appear to be entirely accurate. He did in fact create a seventh Horcrux and lost one, I think. The night he murdered my parents, he lost his body and I think it was destroyed because, technically, it was a Horcrux, since it only held one part of his soul. He left a part of himself behind, though. Bella and Cissy, you've both seen how he looks these days, frail and weak. Unnatural. His soul is too weak to form a proper body and he is too afraid of death to seek out and reclaim the pieces he has split from his soul, in order for him to get a proper body."
Bellatrix sat down in the sofa. Her hands trembling a little, she grabbed Harry's hand tightly. She was staring at him, and he saw the truth dawning on the horrified faces of her sisters. They both found a place to sit, their eyes never leaving their Head of House. Eventually, Bellatrix mustered the courage to ask the question that was on all their lips.
"What is the last Horcrux, Harry?" she asked in a small voice.
Harry took a deep, calming breath. "You're holding it, Bella."
The room went completely silent. Bella stared at Harry in horror.
"Can it be removed?" Narcissa asked and looked at him with watery eyes.
Harry shook his head. "The only way to destroy a Horcrux in a living being is to destroy the vessel, Cissy. The Horcrux integrates itself into the host and in my case, my soul. That is why it cannot be removed. The only way to remove the soul from the body is death or the Dementor's Kiss, and I will not become a vegetable. What this means is that, in order for Tom to ever die, I have to die first."
Harry reached into the bag and brought out the two halves of the tether, holding one in each hand. "I've often wondered if Riddle used one of his Horcruxes to come back before and now to answer your question, Andie. When I was in Albania, I destroyed a thing called a tether he created to maintain his spirit. It's a kind of double insurance. It bypasses the need for him to assimilate a Horcrux each time his current body is destroyed. I have no way of knowing if he made any more of these things, but it seems likely. So, unless I die, he could, theoretically return again and again, using the same ritual Pettigrew performed in the graveyard of Little Hangleton. Assuming there is someone around to put his spirit into a Homunculus like they did last time around."
"Could we not bind his spirit to such an anchor, like he did whatever poor thing he trapped in this thing?" Bella asked.
"Probably. But what then? Do we hide it under the Fidelius and hope it will never be found? Or do we kill whoever guards the secret so that it can never be revealed? What if someone, at some point discovers a way to counter the charm and finds Riddle? Or destroys the anchor. That will not kill him. Not while I still live. I cannot in good conscience do that, Bella. He must die, for the sake of everyone. I will not settle for anything less."
Bella hugged him tightly, then leaned back. "Why tell us so suddenly? Why now?"
Harry smiled sadly at her. "Because Narcissa and I shared an incredible moment earlier, something I've been thinking of ever since I rescued her all those months ago. I've also admitted to myself that I've fallen in love with all three of you and I let myself go too far with Narcissa without telling her about this and it was not fair to her, or you. I had to tell you, because if there's a chance of you loving me back, you must know."
The silence that followed Harry's words was decidedly uncomfortable. Harry walked to the door to the study, but looked back before he left. "You have a lot to think about and I want you to take your time. It's not an easy decision to give someone your heart. Especially knowing they may not be around for long. I'll be back soon. Please put these things away somewhere safe."
There you go, chapter nine :) Thanks for reading.
