Chapter 37:
Harry was struggling from beside Alicia but it was pointless, they were all still tied together and not going anywhere. Her scar seared again but she was able to ignore it.
The prisoners lurched into one another as they landed in a country lane. Before them was a pair of wrought-iron ages at the foot of a long drive. At least, Alicia knew, Voldemort was not here, he was still looking for the wand, still searching and so they still had time.
What did worry her though, was the likeliness of who was in that house.
One of the Snatchers strode to the gates and shook them.
"How do we get in? They're locked, Greyback, I can't — blimey!"
He whipped his hands away in fright. The iron was contorting, twisting itself out of the abstract furls and coils into a frightening face, which spoke in a clanging, echoing voice: "State your purpose!"
"We've got Potter!" Greyback roared triumphantly. "We've captured Harry Potter!"
The gates swung open.
"Come on!" said Greyback to his men, and the prisoners were shunted through the gates and up the drive, between high hedges that muffled their footsteps. They were forced to walk oddly, tied together with the others and forced down the lane at odd angles. They pulled on another and stumbled slightly but Greyback continued to pull Harry forwards. They were forced down the lane and then to a house, more of a manor, across the gravel to the front steps.
Light spilled out over all of them and Narcissa Malfoy stood at the doorway.
"What is this?" said a woman's cold voice.
"We're here to see He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" rasped Greyback.
"Who are you?"
"You know me!" There was resentment in the werewolf's voice. "Fenrir Greyback! We've caught Harry Potter!"
Greyback seized Harry and dragged him around to face the light, forcing the other prisoners to shuffle around too.
"I know 'e's swollen, ma'am, but it's 'im!" piped up Scabior. "If you look a bit closer, you'll see 'is scar. And this 'ere, see the girl? The Mudblood who's been traveling around with 'im, ma'am. And his twin sister!" Alicia was yanked slightly "There's no doubt it's 'im, and we've got 'is wand as well! 'Ere, ma'am —" Narcissa Malfoy leaned closer to Harry and scrutinised Harry's swollen face.
Scabior thrust the blackthorn wand at her. She raised her eyebrows.
"Bring them in," she said.
Alicia, Harry and the others were shoved and kicked up broad stone steps into a hallway lined with portraits.
"Follow me," said Narcissa, leading the way across the hall. "My son, Draco, is home for his Easter holidays. If that is Harry Potter, he will know." Alicia felt annoyed, all someone had to do was wave a wand at her and her transfiguration would be over and they'd know it was Harry whether his face was swollen or not. She was a dead giveaway.
The drawing room dazzled after the darkness outside. The room held very wide proportions and crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, more portraits were against the dark purple walls and looking down on the occupants. Two figures sat in chairs in front of an ornate marble fireplace as the prisoners were forced into the room by the Snatchers. One of them rose from his seat as they approached.
This was Lucius Malfoy. The other was his son, Lucius in miniature, Draco.
"What is this?"
"They say they've got Potter," said Narcissa's cold voice. "Draco, come here."
Draco slowly rose from his arm chair, he was slightly taller than Harry with his face pale and pointed beneath white-blond hair.
Greyback forced the prisoners to turn again so as to place Harry directly beneath the chandelier.
"Well, boy?" rasped the werewolf.
Alicia wondered if Malfoy could tell it was Harry. After all, thanks to their camping Harry's hair was to his shoulders and Hermione's stinging jinx had made his face huge, shiny and pink. Every feature was distorted. The only familiarity was his glasses shoved onto his face.
"Well, Draco?" said Lucius Malfoy. He sounded avid. "Is it? Is it Harry Potter?"
"I can't — I can't be sure," said Draco. He was keeping his distance from Greyback, and seemed as scared of looking at Harry. Alicia watched him and he looked at her slightly, her green eyes blazing back.
"But look at him carefully, look! Come closer!"
Harry had never heard Lucius Malfoy so excited.
"Draco, if we are the ones who hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiv —"
"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy?" said Greyback menacingly.
"Of course not, of course not!" said Lucius impatiently. He approached Harry himself, his nose might as well have touched Harry's puffy one.
"What did you do to him?" Lucius asked Greyback. "How did he get into this state?"
"That wasn't us."
"Looks more like a Stinging Jinx to me," said Lucius.
His grey eyes raked Harry's forehead.
"There's something there," he whispered, "it could be the scar, stretched tight… Draco, come here, look properly! What do you think?"
Draco moved closer and unlike his father who was excited, Draco showed reluctance and fear.
"I don't know," he said, and he walked away toward the fireplace where his mother stood watching.
"We had better be certain, Lucius," Narcissa called to her husband in her cold, clear voice. "Completely sure that it is Potter, before we summon the Dark Lord… They say this is his" — she was looking closely at the blackthorn wand — "but it does not resemble Ollivander's description… If we are mistaken, if we call the Dark Lord here for nothing… Remember what he did to Rowle and Dolohov?"
Alicia smirked ever so slightly.
"What about the Mudblood, then?" growled Greyback. Alicia was nearly thrown off her feet as the Snatchers forced the prisoners to swivel around again, so that the light fell on Hermione instead.
"Wait," said Narcissa sharply. "Yes — yes, she was in Madam Malkin's with Potter! I saw her picture in the Prophet! Look, Draco, isn't it the Granger girl?"
"I… maybe… yeah."
"But then, that's the Weasley boy!" shouted Lucius, striding around the bound prisoners to face Ron. "It's them, Potter's friends — Draco, look at him, isn't it Arthur Weasley's son, what's his name — ?"
"Yeah," said Draco again, his back to the prisoners. "It could be."
"What about the sister?" Narcissa asked and she moved to Alicia. Her hair was blonde and falling over her shoulders, her chin was pointier, and her face covered in freckles.
The drawing room door opened behind Harry and Alicia. A woman spoke, and the sound of the voice made Alicia hate everything about this house. It was the voice she feared most to be here.
"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?"
Bellatrix Lestrange walked slowly around the prisoners, and stopped on Harry's right, staring at Hermione through her heavily lidded eyes.
"But surely," she said quietly, "this is the Mudblood girl? This is Granger?"
"Yes, yes, it's Granger!" cried Lucius. "And beside her, we think, Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!"
"Potter?" shrieked Bellatrix, and she backed away, the better to take in Harry. "Are you sure? What about the sister?" Bellatrix looked over the prisoners and her eyes set on Alicia.
Narcissa did the obvious thing and wove her wand over Alicia. The blonde hair Alicia saw turned black and she felt an odd sensation in her face as well. She pursed her lips angrily.
"Well well, like his double." Bellatrix grinned at her. "Trying to hide? Save him?" she said in a baby voice. Alicia glared at her.
"Well, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!"
She dragged back her left sleeve: the Dark Mark sat there, burned into the flesh of her arm, and she was about to touch it, to summon her beloved master —
"I was about to call him!" said Lucius, and his hand actually closed upon Bellatrix's wrist, preventing her from touching the Mark. "I shall summon him, Bella, Potter has been brought to my house, and it is therefore upon my authority —"
"Your authority!" she sneered, attempting to wrench her hand from his grasp. "You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off me!"
"This is nothing to do with you, you did not capture the boy —"
"Begging your pardon, Mr. Malfoy," interjected Greyback, "but it's us that caught Potter, and it's us that'll be claiming the gold —"
"Gold!" laughed Bellatrix, still attempting to throw off her brother-in-law, her free hand groping in her pocket for her wand. "Take your gold, filthy scavenger, what do I want with gold? I seek only the honour of his — of —"
She stopped struggling, her dark eyes fixed upon something else. Jubilant at her capitulation, Lucius threw her hand from him and ripped up his own sleeve —
"STOP!" shrieked Bellatrix. "Do not touch it, we shall all perish if the Dark Lord comes now!"
Lucius froze, his index finger hovering over his own Mark. Bellatrix strode off and Alicia turned to see her approach the snatcher who had the sword in his hands.
"What is that?" she asked
"Sword," grunted the Snatcher.
"Give it to me."
"It's not yorn, missus, it's mine, I reckon I found it."
There was a bang and a flash of red light as the Snatcher had been Stunned. There was a roar of anger from his fellows: Scabior drew his wand.
"What d'you think you're playing at, woman?"
"Stupefy!" she screamed. "Stupefy!"
They were no match for her, even though there were four of them
against one of her: She was a witch, with prodigious skill and no conscience. They fell where they stood, all except Greyback, who had been forced into a kneeling position, his arms outstretched. Bellatrix beard down upon the werewolf, the sword of Gryffindor gripped tightly in her hand, her face waxen.
"Where did you get this sword?" she whispered to Greyback as she pulled his wand out of his unresisting grip.
"How dare you?" he snarled, his mouth the only thing that could move as he was forced to gaze up at her. He bared his pointed teeth. "Release me, woman!"
"Where did you find this sword?" she repeated, brandishing it in his face. "Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!"
Alicia looked up surprised. The Fake went to Bellatrix's vault?
Hang on, What did that have to do with Voldemort? Why would he care whether the sword was in the vault or not? What did that matter?
"It was in their tent," rasped Greyback. "Release me, I say!"
She waved her wand, and the werewolf sprang to his feet, but appeared too wary to approach her. He prowled behind an armchair, his filthy curved nails clutching its back.
"Draco, move this scum outside," said Bellatrix, indicating the unconscious men. "If you haven't got the guts to finish them, then leave them in the courtyard for me."
"Don't you dare speak to Draco like —" said Narcissa furiously, but Bellatrix screamed,
"Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!"
Alicia rose an eyebrow as Bellatrix stood panting slightly, looking down at the sword, examining its hilt. Then she turned to look at the silent prisoners.
"If it is indeed Potter, he must not be harmed," she muttered, more to herself than to the others. "The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Potter himself… But if he finds out… I must… I must know…"
Know? Know what? Alicia wondered. What was so bad about being in Bellatrix's vault? She did not care if something was stolen of her's, no, she was scared of Voldemort… had he given her something to hide like Snape had?
Alicia's eyes watched Bellatrix carefully.
She turned back to her sister again.
"The prisoners must be placed in the cellar, while I think what to do!"
"This is my house, Bella, you don't give orders in my —"
"Do it! You have no idea of the danger we are in!" shrieked Bellatrix. She looked frightening, mad; a thin stream of fire issued from her wand and burned a hole in the carpet.
Narcissa hesitated for a moment, then addressed the werewolf.
"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."
"Wait," said Bellatrix sharply. "All except … except for Miss Potter. Her I can harm how I like."
Alicia stared at her. "Just as much a leader, but free game." she whispered to the girl's face. Harry started struggling.
"No!" but Harry was ignored.
She threw Greyback's wand back to him, then took a short silver knife from under her robes. She cut Alicia free from the other prisoners, then dragged her by the hair into the middle of the room.
Greyback forced the rest of them to shuffle across to another door and from the room.
Bellatrix turned to Alicia instantly.
"Where did you get this sword?" she demanded
"It was at the bottom of a frozen Pool. In the Forest of Dean." Bellatrix' hand flourished and Alicia couldn't help the scream that escaped her, she honestly hadn't expected that. Bellatrix had grabbed Alicia's arm and swung her knife. Red hot pain shot through the girl.
"This sword was in my vault!" Bellatrix said over Alicia's scream. Alicia took a gasp, ignoring the pain. Before she could do much else she was shoved by Bellatrix and throw to the floor with a thump. Bellatrix leaned over the top of her. Alicia grit her teeth at more pain before she couldn't help but scream again. No the Cruciatus Curse was worse.
Alicia! Harry's voice sounded. Alicia ignored him as Bellatrix stopped.
"I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?"
"We found it!" Alicia said back but Bellatrix flashed the knife again. Tears streamed down Alicia's face but she refused to give the satisfaction of screaming again.
"You are lying, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!"
More pain.
"There's a fake!" she shouted and Belltrix turned to her. "Someone made a fake sword identical to the real one!" she said to Bellatrix.
"You're lying! You think that'll work on me!"
"How else could we have one?!" Alicia shouted back.
"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!"
"What'll that gain!?" Alicia demanded "I told the truth! The Sword of Gryffindor presents itself to a worthy Gryffindor in a time of need! It doesn't matter where it is it can get out! It's one of it's magical properties!"
Bellatrix was now hacking at her waist but Alicia refused to scream.
"You're prideful Bellatrix!" she shouted instead of screaming. "The sword came to Hogwarts when Harry killed the basilisk! It did the same again!"
"You took it from my vault! What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"
Alicia clamped her mouth shut and she writhed on the floor from the curse.
"Why would I steal anything from your vault!" Alicia responded when the spell lifted and she breathed heavily. "And how can anyone break into Gringotts! Let along four children!"
The Cruciatus curse was put on her again.
"How did you get into my vault?" Bellatrix screamed. "Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?"
"We only met him tonight! He was tied up with Dean! Your stupid werewolf can tell you that!" she was gasping and her entire body ached. But she'd argue as far as she had to. She wasn't giving in to the wicked heavy-lidded eyed women before her. She could torture the girl and that would be it.
"I've never seen your vault! I don't know why you're so frightened right now! But I told you there's a copy of the sword!"
"A likely story!"
"But we can find out easily!" came Lucius's voice. "Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!"
Bellatrix left Alicia as Draco moved off down the stairs.
Alicia…
Yeah. she answered her brother
Are you—
I'll live. Alicia glanced at her arm out beside her, bleeding. If I don't bleed out.
I'll never understand your sass in such a situation. Harry's voice responded.
Within a few moments Draco was back, marching Griphook the goblin over towards Bellatrix.
Bellatrix seemed frustrated and Alicia was hit with the curse again. Not expecting it her scream echoed over the walls.
Dobby's here!
Then work fast! Alicia responded as she whimpered when the spell lifted. Please.
A sudden noise echoed from downstairs. It sounded similar to a crack, something Alicia had heard so many times.
The sound of an elf apparating.
"What was that?" shouted Lucius Malfoy. Just as Alicia had Lucius heard the noise of an elf disapparating as well. Alicia lay still staring at the ceiling. Her head was spinning slightly and everything hurt. She just wanted to sleep. "Did you hear that? What was that noise in the cellar?"
"Draco — no, call Wormtail! Make him go and check!"
There were footsteps and a door sounding before that was it.
Wormtail's mouth sounded before it was muffled and everyone turned.
"What is it, Wormtail?" called Lucius Malfoy from above.
"Nothing!" Alicia recognised Ron's voice, even if it was a passable imitation of Wormtail's wheezy voice. "All fine!"
Griphook was forced to Bellatrix's feet and given the Sword of Gryffindor. Alicia watched him, unmovingly, but she could see through Harry as well, and he was now watching her. They'd escaped the cellar. Thanks to Dobby.
"Well?" Bellatrix said to Griphook. "Is it the true sword?"
Griphook glanced at Alicia and she stared back, praying.
Don't tell them.
"No," said Griphook. "It is a fake."
"Are you sure?" panted Bellatrix. "Quite sure?"
"Yes," said the goblin.
Relief broke across her face, all tension drained from it.
"Good," she said, and with a casual flick of her wand she slashedanother deep cut into the goblin's face, and he dropped with a yell at her feet. She kicked him aside. "And now," she said in a voice that burst with triumph, "we call the Dark Lord!"
And she pushed back her sleeve and touched her forefinger to the Dark Mark.
Alicia gasped as her scar felt like it had split open.
"He will not care for a worthless lump. Greyback, you can dispose of the Potter girl." Bellatrix said. "You can likely have the Mudblood too."
"Expelliarmus!" Harry and Ron had burst into the drawing room and Bellatrix looked around shocked. She turned her wand on Harry but it went flying from her hand by Ron who'd shouted and had somehow gained a wand.
Harry caught Bellatrix's wand as Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, and Greyback wheeled about. Hermione was with them but she dived out of sight as she was still wandless. Harry yelled, "Stupefy!" and Lucius Malfoy collapsed onto the hearth. Jets of light flew from Draco's, Narcissa's, and Greyback's wands; Harry threw himself to the floor, rolling behind a sofa to avoid them.
Alicia gasped as she was pulled from her place on the floor and Bellatrix had her in a tight grip, something cold was pushed to her throat.
"STOP OR SHE DIES!"
Harry peaked out from behind the sofa.
"Drop your wands," she whispered. "Drop them, or I'll slit her throat!"
Alicia however had moved her hand as she looked at Bellatrix from the corner of her eye.
Ron stood rigid, clutching Wormtail's wand. Harry straightened up, still holding Bellatrix's. Hermione starred at Alicia terrified.
"You better let me go Bellatrix." Alicia whispered, her voice slightly hoarse. Bellatrix gripped her tighter.
"I said, drop them!" she screeched, pressing the blade into Alicia's throat. The girl winced and Harry saw beads of blood appear there.
"All right!" he shouted, and he dropped Bellatrix's wand onto the floor at his feet. Ron did the same with Wormtail's. Both raised their hands to shoulder height.
"Good!" she leered. "Draco, pick them up! The Dark Lord is coming, Harry Potter! Your death approaches!"
Alicia had moved her hand and it was in her pocket as she took a breath and closed her eyes in concentration.
"Now," said Bellatrix softly, as Draco hurried back to her with the wands, "Cissy, I think we ought to tie these little heroes up again, while Greyback takes care of Miss Mudblood. I am sure the Dark Lord will not begrudge you the girl, Greyback, after what you have done tonight."
"In your dreams." Alicia said. Her hand moved from her pocket and behind her while the other grabbed Bellatrix's hand holding the knife at her throat. Bellatrix went flying backwards as Alicia had her wand in her hand. She then pointed it quickly at Greyback while Harry raced at Draco.
Lucius and Narcissa went to move but there was a a peculiar grinding noise from above. All of them looked upward in time to see the crystal chandelier tremble; then, with a creak and an ominous jingling, it began to fall.
Alicia dived sideways out from under the chandelier which fell onto the goblin who was under it, he was still clutching the sword of Gryffindor. Glittering shards of crystal flew in all directions: Draco doubled over, his hands covering his bloody face.
Hermione and Ron caught Alicia as she stumbled, the sudden movements she'd made caused her head to spin. She felt drained and empty. Hermione took her wand and disarmed Narcissa while Harry leapt over an armchair and wrested the three wands from Draco's grip, pointed all of them at Greyback, and yelled, "Stupefy!" The werewolf was lifted off his feet by the triple spell, flew up to the ceiling, and then smashed to the ground.
As Narcissa dragged Draco out of the way of further harm, Bellatrix sprang to her feet, her hair flying as she brandished the silver knife. Narcissa however had noticed another creature in the room.
"Dobby!" she screamed, and even Bellatrix froze. "You! You dropped the chandelier — ?"
The tiny elf trotted into the room, his shaking finger pointing at his old mistress.
"You must not hurt Harry Potter," he squeaked.
"You dirty little monkey!" bawled Bellatrix. "How dare you defy your masters?"
"Dobby has no master!" squealed the elf. "Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!"
Alicia could feel the pain in her scar as Hermione held her close and upright.
"Ron, catch — and GO!" Harry yelled, throwing one of the wands to him; then he bent down to tug Griphook out from under the chandelier. Hoisting the groaning goblin, who still clung to the sword, over one shoulder, Harry seized Dobby's hand and spun on the spot to Disapparate. Hermione and Ron both grabbed Alicia and did the same and Alicia felt herself being pulling into the darkness. Her last view of the drawing room had the pale, frozen figures of Narcissa and Draco, and a blur of flying silver, as Bellatrix's knife flew across the room at the place where Harry was vanishing —
She didn't know where they were going but she gripped onto Hermione and Ron tightly, hoping they'd soon reach somewhere safe.
Finally they hit solid earth and the air smelled of the salt of the ocean. Alicia was held by Hermione and Ron but that was all that held her up as she gasped and her legs gave way.
"Alicia!" Hermione gasped.
She felt the two of them grab her and she was being pulled away from the salty air. She barely registered the house she was pulled into or the words of worry that came with a french accent.
A french accent?
And it hit her. They were at Bill and Fleur's. They were with known people, with friends, with family. That simply truth made her realise that she was okay, that she was where it was safe.
But is she was safe, than why did she feel as though she was back beside Dumbledore's body at Hogwarts? Why did she feel despair and sadness and grief? Why was she so filled with the feeling of being in a nightmare, if they were safe?
She didn't feel her lips move but she did, just, hear the word she spoke.
"Dobby."