Harry Potter and the Curse of V'Ardian
Chapter 13
Of Murder and Mayhem
Standard Disclaimers Apply
oOoOo
Harry stood to the side of the Entrance Hall, watching the students waiting in anticipation for the arrival of their parents. He scanned the crowded room, his gaze resting for a second on Katherine. She looked at him, her gaze unwavering and her chin defiantly out. Harry looked away and his gaze came to rest on Tonks. He had yet to talk to Tonks this term and that surprised him. He would have thought that she would have sought him out, but every time he had seen her she hurried off. He wondered if she was avoiding him because he had killed Sirius, and the thought made him feel guilty.
Suddenly he felt a presence at his side and looked up to see Professor McGonagall.
"Mr Potter, may I ask what you are doing over here? The rest of the students are waiting for their parents over there."
Harry stared at her in disbelief. As if she didn't know, he thought.
"And who am I supposed to be waiting for, Professor?" Harry snapped.
Professor McGonagall looked down at him sternly.
"Don't take that tone with me, Mr Potter. I am sure Mr and Mrs Weasley are both eager to see you."
"I'll be fine right here, Professor," replied Harry.
"Very well," replied Professor McGonagall, and strode off to organise the milling sixth years.
Harry returned his gaze to Tonks and saw that she was still looking slightly ill. He vaguely wondered if Lupin would be coming to visit her, or maybe even to see him. The front doors were opened and Harry looked out at the night sky. Mars burned brightly. In the distance Harry could see the carriages drawn by Thestrals, making their way slowly up to the front doors.
When the parents got here they would be welcomed by Dumbledore, who had yet to make and appearance, and a feast would be held in the Great Hall. Harry decided he wasn't going to wait around to play Happy Families, so he returned to the Gryffindor common room. Seeing no suitable company there, he decided to stay in his dormitory and do some research for the next DA meeting.
The evening passed relatively quickly after that and Harry was looking forward to the Quidditch game tomorrow. He waited though, with slight sense of anticipation, for the attack. For some reason he chose to believe Malfoy- he sensed that he was telling the truth. He wondered what Malfoy would gain from this deal but if Harry was honest with himself he was probably just saving his own skin.
Harry got up and went to the window, observing some of the families that had gathered out on the grounds. Harry sneered. Even Malfoy had his mother there, and Neville was standing uncomfortably with his grandmother. Harry saw Ron and Hermione together and noticed with a start that they were holding hands.
When did that happen?
Mr and Mrs Weasley and another couple, whom Harry assumed must be Hermione's parents, stood with them. The sight made Harry think about the only family he had left. He imagined them sitting in the lounge room, eyes glued to the television, TV dinners on their laps. He imagined them watching the seven o'clock news, Uncle Vernon treating his wife and child to a lecture about 'those people' on the television.
But suddenly the scene morphed into something else, something that terrified Harry more than he thought it ever would. A figure stepped out of the shadowy hall behind the lounge, the Dursleys sitting unaware of the intruder. The fugure stepped forward, merging closer and closer to the three oblivious muggles.
"No," Harry whispered. How could this happen? Voldemort didn't know about Privet Drive. There was no way that Harry could be seeing this unless Voldemort was really there.
Harry knew that he shouldn't care, but he did.
"Dursley," hissed the Death Eater and Harry instantly recognise the voice of the one woman he loathed more than any other.
The three Dursley's jumped up, Aunt Petunia emitting a startled shriek. Harry knew he should tell someone, but as he watched he found himself becoming drawn in.
This is what Occlumency is for, he thought, as he became more agitated.
The Death Eater spoke again.
"Petunia Dursley. I wish to know where the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is," she snarled, raising her wand. Uncle Vernon pushed Dudley behind him, while Bellatrix cast a silencing charm on the room.
"I- I don't kn-know about any Ord-" her words were cut off as Dudley feel to the floor, emitting a violent scream. Uncle Vernon gave a roar of outrage and Aunt Petunia fell to her knees beside Dudley, sobbing.
"Please, we don't know anything! Who are you?" wept Aunt Petunia, looking beseechingly up at the Death Eater.
"Do not lie to me," hissed Bellatrix. "Tell me where the boy goes when he is not here."
"He goes to Smeltings!" roared Uncle Vernon, his face a terrified red mask. "Now I demand you tell me what the devil is going on here!"
"We do not care about your son," said the Bellatrix.
"What boy?" cried Aunt Petunia, her hands running feverishly over her son's face.
"Your nephew, Harry Potter," she snarled.
"We don't know a Harry Potter!" growled Uncle Vernon.
Harry felt a sense of dread creep upon him as Bellatrix hissed out the words of an Unforgivable.
It was over in a split second. Uncle Vernon crumpled to the floor in a flash of green light. Harry's jaw tightened.
Suddenly the vision left him and he was left staring out at the dark sky, Mars bright on the horizon. It occurred to him that Malfoy had been telling the truth and he berated himself for not taking the note seriously.
Suddenly Harry was overcome with panic. He had never imagined that this would happen, but now that it had, he found himself wishing that it wasn't.
He raised his wand and from his mouth issued an abnormal hissing sound.
He disappeared.
oOoOo
Privet Drive was in shadow. For the second time in its relatively short history, it found itself without any streetlights. A curlew called ominously through the darkness and Harry shivered as he got his bearings. A second later he dashed out of the deserted alley way and around the corner, his feet pounding on the pavement.
He burst through the front door and dashed into the lounge room to only to be confronted by the site of his dead relatives. Harry was filled with a kind of animalistic rage and spun around, searching for the filthy Death Eater who had done this.
He heard a crash in the hall and stormed towards it.
"Bellatrix!" he roared, his voice loud and commanding.
He ran down the hall and met her in the dining room. She sneered at him.
"Well, if it isn't baby wee Potter," she spat. "Come to save your family?"
They stood in the room, wands levelled and Bellatrix laughed.
"What are you going to do, Potter? Are you going to kill me?" She gave him a sickly sweet smile. "Do it then," she ordered. But Harry didn't kill her. His anger was clouding his mind, making it impossible to think straight. Before he knew it he had launched himself at her, instinctively wrapping his hands around her neck. She slammed backwards into the wall as he thrust her head backwards. She gave a muffled grunt and he felt her wand pressing into the soft flesh of his stomach.
He was so close…so close. He could do it, if he really wanted to. But that was the problem; the thought of doing what someone had done to him, of drinking another person's blood, disgusted him. His hesitation cost him his chance. With a muttered spell from Bellatrix, Harry found himself flying through the air, landing in a crumpled heap as he hit the table.
"Well, well, Potter's a vampire, who would have thought?" grinned Bellatrix evilly, but Harry saw a hidden fear in her eyes. "The Dark Lord will certainly be interested to hear this."
Her eyes gleamed at the prospect of the honour she would receive upon returning with this news. Harry struggled to his feet, feeling the fangs recede back into his gums as he calmed down.
"Are you afraid of me, Bellatrix?" he asked.
She laughed.
"Afraid of a boy? I think not."
"Crucio!" Harry hissed, and Bellatrix flew backwards, coming to rest slumped against the wall. Panting heavily, she struggled to her feet.
"Is that…the best…you can do, Potter?" she gasped, her voice wavering. Harry realised suddenly that she really was scared of him. "You can't even hurt me!" she yelled triumphantly, though Harry thought she looked distinctly crazy, her eyes glinting madly.
Suddenly she turned and ran, heading for the back door. Breathing heavily, Harry dashed after her. He met her in the kitchen, where Aunt Petunia had yet to cleanup after making dinner. The back door hung slightly open, but before she could pass through it, it shut with a bang and would not open. She turned, panting heavily and Harry saw a flicker of fear pass across her face. Harry felt a sick sort of triumph pass through him. He had her cornered.
But what should he do now? He couldn't kill her; he knew he wouldn't be able to do that, so he had to hold her. He wondered if he could keep her here until someone arrived; surely the Order would have been alerted that there was magical activity at Privet Drive, along with the ministry.
But it seemed that Bellatrix had other ideas. Her gaze darted wildly around the kitchen, her wand hand raised and shaking. They faced off against each other, neither willing to make the next move. But desperate times called for desperate measures.
And then she saw the knife.
oOoOo
A/N: I need more reviews or I will discontinue this story! I originally had plans for this chapter to be much longer, but I decided to leave it there for a bit of a cliffy ;) Remember to review and I'll show you the rest- Wujjawoo
Chapter 14: Of Retribution and Revenge