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He woke up feeling extremely dizzy and utterly sick but the warmth that surrounded him instantly made him feel better and put a smile on his lips,
"Bella…"
Bella answered his greeting with a kiss to his forehead and murmured,
"Your fever hasn't gone down a bit."
He opened his eyes and saw the immense concern on her face,
"I'm fine…I'll be fine now that you are here."
Bella ran her fingers through his hair and frowned,
"Greyback told me you refused to eat. How are you supposed to get better with an empty stomach?"
He nuzzled his head in her lap and spoke,
"I'll eat something in a while. Let me just enjoy this for now."
Bella pulled him closer to her and pressed another kiss to the top of his head,
"You have no idea how much I missed you."
He looked up at her,
"I missed you too, Bella. I missed you a lot."
Bella pulled a wooden box from beside her and showed it to him,
"I kept all your letters in here."
Harry sat up straight and hugged her tight,
"I'm not happy about the circumstances that led me back here but I'm glad I'm back. I won't leave again, Bella."
Bella's hold tightened on him as she smoothed her hand over his back,
"No, Harry. You can't stay. You have to go back as soon as you get better."
He pulled away from her and asked,
"Why, Bella? Why can't I stay here?"
Bella eyed him despairingly,
"He'll kill you, that's why."
He took her hand and spoke,
"So, I'm supposed to let the fear of being murdered by him keep me away from you and this place?"
Bella nodded silently and he cried,
"No, I won't go back...Gold and riches are the only thing that matter out there…People are savages…The world is a cruel place and I won't make it out there either. So, it's better that I die here where there are people who'd at least mourn me."
Bella clamped a hand over his mouth,
"Don't say things like that… Don't you dare say things like that…"
She pulled him back into a hug and wept on his shoulder,
"I love you so much…I can't stand the thought of you being hurt or worse…"
He soothed her gently and then spoke,
"I promised I'd break the curse. I have to keep my promise."
Greyback cleared his throat and Harry saw him standing a few feet away,
"You should really eat something now."
Harry rested his head on Bella's shoulder and groaned,
"Do I have to?"
Bella nodded and Harry saw Greyback smile which looked absolutely stunning on him. Bella fed him some bread and broth and he had no option but to eat. Once he felt fit to burst, Greyback spoke,
"Now, what do you want us to do to those two?"
Bella wrapped an arm around him protectively and spoke,
"They're going to die, of course. Isn't that right, Harry?"
He stared at the stone wall of the cave and nodded silently. His own choice bothered him. How could he order someone's death so calmly? But they weren't just someone. They were monsters…They'd killed Collin. They needed to die because if he let them go, he was certain that they'd hurt someone else. It was better this way.
"Can I see them?"
Greyback cupped his cheek gently,
"Are you sure about that?"
He nodded resolutely and Greyback spoke,
"Very well. Would you like to see them now?"
He nodded again and Greyback rose to his feet,
"Can you walk?"
Bella released him and he tried to push himself to his feet but a veil of darkness fell in front of his eyes and he would have collapsed if Bella hadn't caught him,
"You need to rest, Harry."
He shook his head and forced himself back on his feet. This time he managed to stay on them for a few seconds before his legs went boneless once again. Bella sighed,
"Harry, please."
She was about to lead him back to the pallet, but he absolutely refused. The sooner he got this over with, the better it would be. Greyback moved towards him and sweeped him up in his arms effortlessly. He wrapped his arms around his neck and blushed. He must really look pathetic. Some of his embarrassment must have shown on his face because Greyback shook his head,
"It's fine, Harry."
He carried him outside and Bella followed them. Harry could only stare in wonder at the dark caves. He shivered uncontrollably when the tunnels got darker and colder. They came to a halt inside a huge cavern which had iron bars fitted around all its walls. He located his uncle and Mr. Harrison shackled to the wall behind the bars. Greyback set him down on his feet and wrapped an arm around his waist to hold him up.
He stared intently at the two monsters and felt the unimaginably hot flames of rage lick up his insides and make his blood boil,
"You starved Collin, beat him and then locked him up. What should be a fitting punishment for you?"
They were gagged so of course they couldn't reply. Greyback signalled one of the guards to release them. Five minutes later, his uncle and Mr. Harrison were clutching his feet and begging him for mercy,
"You didn't have any mercy to spare for that innocent boy. Why should I spare you some then?"
He took a step back and his uncle crawled forward and began kissing his feet,
"Please…Please…Think of your aunt and your cousin. Who will look after them if I die?"
Greyback's hold tightened around his waist and he spoke,
"They'll be better off without you. Dudley probably would have turned out like you if he'd spent anymore time with you and I'm sure Aunt Petunia will manage just fine without you."
His uncle continued to grovel at his feet but during that time the entire pack had gathered in that cavern and Harry could tell that they were lusting for blood. He spoke up,
"I would do what you did to Collin…I'd starve you, have you beaten up and then lock you away and leave you to rot but…"
A hopeful look crossed his uncle's and Mr Harrison's faces but that hope was snubbed out when he spoke again,
"But my friends here can't wait that long."
Greyback stepped aside and it was Bella that was holding him then,
"What did you say when Collin died?"
His uncle continued to cry and beg but he repeated,
"What did you say?"
His uncle muttered,
"Good riddance…"
He nodded as he retreated to the farthest wall,
"You're right. Good riddance."
Greyback was the first to turn and then everyone followed suite. Low rumbling growls echoed around the cavern until Greyback pounced on his uncle with all the grace of a skilled predator. He buried his face in Bella's shoulder as his uncle's and Mr Harrison's screams echoed around the cavern followed by the sound of the flesh being ripped from the bones and the smell of blood that permeated the air. Bella held him tight and rubbed his back as the werewolves feasted upon the two monsters…
Good riddance indeed.