They appeared in his flat with a small pop. They'd sat in the graveyard for quite some time as Fleur told him story after story about Gabby. Some happy, some sad, and some downright unbelievable. She'd cried, though for the first time in years, the tears were not weighed down by some unseen force. It had been a form of therapy she hadn't even realized she'd needed until the words were falling from her lips.
The guilt was still there, but it seemed lessened by the way Harry listened, never interrupting, just allowing her to speak.
She quickly moved to the kitchen and grabbed two glasses. She reached under the counter and pulled out a bottle of scotch before pouring a bit into each glass. She returned to Harry and handed him one, knocking the other against his before downing it in one gulp. She moved to the sofa and poured herself another before looking up at him.
"Ask away," she said, waving her glass in front of her.
He downed his own glass quickly before settling next to her. She poured him a refill and waited. She owed him whatever answers he wanted, regardless of his reaction to those answers. He'd told her that he wanted to help her, but she was unsure if he would still hold that same conviction after the emotions of the night wore off.
"Why did you start stealing?" he asked.
"Because I wanted to right the wrongs I saw."
He didn't react at first, just looked down at her with a questioning gaze. After a long moment he downed his second glass.
"Break that one down for me," he finally said.
She shrugged.
"After Beauxbatons, I needed a way to support myself while getting my mastery. Eventually, I was able to get a spot with the curse breakers in Egypt, working with Bill. The work was fine, even exciting, but I craved more." She sipped on her glass, trying to gather her thoughts. "I got my first week off a few months after starting. We'd just finished a tough dig and everyone was exhausted, so we took a break."
She placed her glass on the table next to the couch.
"I went back to France, but Gabby wasn't back from school, so I had the whole of Paris to myself. I read about a beautiful piece of jewelry being sold by a rather awful person and I recognized it as a very old piece that had been stolen from a matching set in Egypt. A set I'd personally broken the curse on. The theft was never reported because, presumably, the goblins would never admit their security was breached, but I had seen the set. It was a match, and it wasn't supposed to be owned by anyone."
She looked out of the window at the night sky, letting her mind wander back to that period in her life when everything was much simpler. When everything wasn't so life-and-death.
"I went to the property and their wards were interesting. So I tested them for a couple days before breaking in and stealing it." She looked over at Harry with a small smile. "It was one of the few times I nearly got caught."
He raised an eyebrow.
"So it was always about taking back things others had stolen themselves?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"The first few times, yes, but by the time the papers connected the thefts and gave me the nickname? By that time I was just doing it for the thrill." She frowned. "At least, until I stole from the wrong person. I didn't even know who I was stealing from, but days later I got an owl with a very clear message. That I'd made a mistake, and they wanted it back. If I didn't return it, they would steal something from me in return. I ignored it, thinking they were bluffing. They could have turned me in, they clearly knew my identity, but they didn't so I believed they had something to hide as well."
She looked down but held back the tears that threatened to fall.
"The next time I was in France my sister was killed."
The heaviness floated in the air like a thick fog. She grabbed her glass and drank the remaining contents to settle her nerves. She let Harry's words play in her mind, his declaration to help her, and it kept the encroaching darkness at bay. She took a deep breath before letting out a long, slow exhale.
"After that, everything we did was in service of finding those responsible."
"We?" Harry asked.
She nodded.
"Luc, one of my oldest friends. He's been helping me since that day. He's here in Britain with me."
Harry downed the rest of his glass as some of the heaviness in the air dissipated. He hadn't said much, but she was taking that as a good sign. He yawned and she looked up at the time, eyes widening. It was well after midnight and he had work in the morning.
"I should go home and get some rest," Fleur said, as Harry took the glass from her and placed it on the table. "How about I make lunch and we can talk more tomorrow?"
He smiled as they stood up.
"I'd like that." He scratched the back of his head as he looked down at her. "Just one more question."
"Yes?"
"Who's the real you?" he asked.
The real her?
"What do you mean?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Seems like there are two Fleur's here. One is the woman I've been getting to know, the other is an international criminal. Which one is closer to the real thing?"
His question made her pause. A grand total of three people knew both sides of her, and one had only found out hours ago, so she'd never been asked this particular question before. There was a lot of truth in his question, she would readily admit that. She'd split herself in two over the years, but they were separate people. Or at the very least, she tried to keep them separate. As time had gone by that line had blurred.
However, she still knew who she was at her core.
"Fleur Delacour loves charms, greatly enjoys her work, isn't very fond of most British food, and has a weakness for sweets," she said, but frowned as she finished. "She's also unsure of her future, but she sure would like to find out."
Harry smiled at her.
"I'd like to help her with that."
.
.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Harry watched Fleur as she paced her flat, chewing on her thumbnail as she muttered to herself. They'd talked after returning from France, well into the night hours. And then she'd made lunch for him the next day and they'd talked more. No more secrets, no more lies, it was all out on the table.
Now, almost a week later, she'd said it was time for him to meet Luc, the friend who'd been helping her along the way. He could tell when she suggested it that she was hesitant, but they both knew it was necessary to rebuild the trust between them.
"Fleur," he said as he continued to watch her, "will you stop pacing, please? You're making me nervous."
She shook her head and continued to pace, wringing her hands nervously.
"I just don't know how he's going to react," she admitted. "Luc's been very adamant about this being something the two of us had to do without bringing anyone else in."
Harry sighed and stood up, stepping in front of her and grabbing her shoulders. He held her in place, not letting her go when she tried to shrug him off, trying to get her to stand still for just a moment. She looked up at him and he smiled, attempting to put as much reassurance in the act as he could. Beneath his hands he felt her shoulders relax some.
"And now there's three of us," he said. "Three heads are better than two. Now, go get a glass of wine to calm down."
"But-"
"Go," he said firmly, moving aside and gripping her shoulders again, giving her a light push towards the small kitchen.
He heard her grab a glass and uncork a bottle when the fire flared green. A tall man stepped out and dusted himself off.
"Fleur, I'm here," he said as he patted his robes. "You said you had some…"
He trailed off as he locked eyes with Harry. He smiled, though Harry's eyes had gone wide with surprise.
"Luc, you're here," Fleur said from the kitchen, "Luc, this is Harry Potter. Harry, This is-"
"Luc Bennet?" Harry asked, half turning towards Fleur, the look of shock still on his face. "The Luc Bennet? That's who you've been working with?"
She nodded hesitantly as she looked towards Luc. The Frenchman sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Am I to assume you've told him everything?" Luc asked as he opened his eyes to look back at Fleur. She nodded.
He turned back towards Harry with a raised eyebrow.
"How is it that you know me, Mr. Potter?"
Harry smiled as he held out his hand, giving Luc's a firm shake.
"Mr. Bennet, your dismantling of that illegal creature trading ring is legendary over here," Harry explained. He couldn't keep the smile off his face. He'd wanted to meet Luc Bennet for a long time. "We completely revamped our protocols for inter-department cooperation between the DMLE and the Magical Creatures department based on your handling of it."
Harry turned back towards Fleur, still smiling. He nodded his head in Luc's direction.
"He was the youngest Auror ever in the French Ministry, did you know?"
She shook her head.
"Youngest Auror and then he hung it all up to play Quidditch." He turned back towards Luc and frowned, remembering the stories that had followed. "Shame about the injury though. You'd have made a fine Chaser, by all accounts. Your record at Beauxbatons indicated that much."
Luc smiled at Harry, a warm, friendly smile before shrugging.
"As much fun as it would have been to play professionally, the healers said my knee injury was just too severe for them to fully heal it properly. A single bludger to the knee in my first practice and it was all over."
He waved his hand dismissively. "But that's how it goes sometimes, no? C'est la vi!"
He leaned around Harry and looked at Fleur.
"You should have brought him in on this ages ago," he said before turning back to Harry.
Before either could speak the sound of breaking glass was heard. Harry turned to see Fleur glaring daggers at Luc, anger rolling off of her like lava from a volcano. The temperature in the room seemed to increase and Harry looked between the two, unsure of what was going on.
"Excuse me?" Fleur asked dangerously, never taking her eyes off of Luc. "What did you say?"
Luc shrugged.
"I'm saying you should have brought him in on this sooner."
"You…" Fleur said before letting out a frustrated groan and throwing her hands up. "After all the hell you gave me for getting close to him, now you're going to say I should have told him?"
Harry moved his head back and forth as he played the words over in his mind.
"From a tactical perspective," he chimed in, "not telling me was the right call."
Luc nodded sagely.
"Just to limit the potential for…slip ups," Harry continued. "It's generally ill-advised to get close to the person investigating the case unless you're an undercover operator."
Fleur glared at them both even harder.
"You are both…I….ugh!" she said, throwing her hands up again. "I need a stronger drink."
Harry turned back to Luc, the Frenchman shrugged his shoulders as if to say he didn't understand it any more than Harry did.
"So, how did you get involved with this?" Harry asked. "Fleur's connection is obvious, but what about you?"
A momentary flash of hurt passed through Luc's face. Had he not been trained, Harry would have never spotted it before the familiar mask of an Auror slammed into place, yet even that was tinged with sadness. Luc could try to hide behind his training, but his eyes held the smallest bit of sadness that made Harry frown.
"Gabby was my Fiance," Luc said softly as a faraway look entered his face. He sighed before sending a small smile to Harry. "We got engaged not too long before she was killed."
"Oh, Luc," Harry started, but Luc waved him off.
"It's okay, Harry," he said, "I've done all the grieving I can take for now. I'll do the rest once we catch the bastard who killed my bride-to-be."
He sat down in front of the fire and looked up at Harry.
"I assume you two have something in the works?"
Harry nodded and gave him a rundown of what they'd found. He was thankful that the other man didn't ask about how Fleur had come to bring him into the fold. Those memories were for he and Fleur alone, and he had no wish to relive them when they were quite so fresh and raw.
"Do you think your godfather will pull through?"
Harry nodded.
"Yeah, he will. Sirius has never gotten on with his family, but he's never let me down, so I'm confident he'll be able to convince Narcissa to have a conversation with him. Once he reminds her about the debt she owes me she'll set up the meeting."
Luc nodded.
"Good. I'll start doing research on Regulus and Rabastan's activities over the last few years. If this Lord Riddle thinks they're dirty then someone, somewhere, might know something. I'll see if I can't shake some information out of my contacts that might come in handy. It's better than sitting on my hands."
"Good idea," Harry said before looking at the time. "I've got to chase down something for another case, but if you find anything you think might be useful just give it to Fleur. She can get it to me."
Luc stood and nodded, shaking Harry's hand once more.
"Thank you, Harry," he said sincerely. "I know helping us goes against everything your training and instincts tell you to. This whole thing does the same to me, so thank you."
"Gabby sounds like she was a fantastic person who didn't deserve what happened to her," Harry said with conviction. "I'll do anything in my power to make sure her murderer is brought in."
.
.
Harry sighed as he placed the quill down on his desk. He'd spent the better part of the day investigating, if he could even call it that, a break-in at a home in Gloucester. After the old man had argued with Harry for fifteen minutes he'd finally let Harry in. It hadn't taken long to find that the break-in was merely a large family of Puffskeins making a home in the man's shed.
Not wanting to bother the Creatures department with such a trivial matter, he'd taken it upon himself to relocate the tiny creatures to a large park just outside the city. He'd have thought twice about such a selfless act if he knew it would mean twice as much paperwork.
Harry heard the lift slam open and Sirius rushed out dressed in, of all things, muggle attire. The two locked eyes and his godfather nodded.
"Are you wearing slacks and a button up under that robe?" he asked.
Harry nodded.
"Good," Sirius said, "Ditch the robe and let's go. We've got a meeting."
Harry's eyes widened in shock as he pulled off his robe and draped it across the back of his chair.
"Narcissa came through then?"
Harry followed Sirius through the department and into James' office. This would be a floo trip, it would seem.
"I had to call in just about every favor Andromeda owed me to get her to talk to me, but yeah, Narcissa set up a meeting. It's not far from the Leaky Cauldron," Sirius explained, stating the name of the establishment before disappearing into the fire. Harry followed.
They quickly exited the Cauldron onto the muggle side, taking a left and walking a short ways to a small park. There was a pond in the middle with a fountain shooting water into the air at random intervals. Sirius steered them towards a bench beneath a thick set of trees that blocked out the sun. The older man sighed as he sat down.
"Why am I here and not my dad?" Harry asked.
Sirius laughed and shot him a wide smile.
"Narcissa wouldn't talk to Regulus unless I agreed to exclude your dear old dad."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Any reason why?"
"Probably because the last time they saw each other James called her a cow," Sirius said with a chuckle. "I told her it would just be you and I."
"You know we're in muggle London, right?" asked Harry.
Sirius' eyes widened as he looked around wildly.
"Sweet, Merlin. Is that where we are!?" He continued to look around until Harry punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Yes, I am aware, little Prongslet. It's neutral ground."
Harry nodded and took out his wand, casting a few detection spells to ensure there were no traps. He found none, though he thought it was even odder that there were no notice-me-not spells in place. Either this was incredibly last-minute or Sirius had agreed to no wards. Neither sat well with him.
"Relax, kid," Sirius said, knocking his knee against Harry's. "Regulus and I might not like each other but he's not going to try to kill me in public."
"You say that now, but don't come crying to me when you end up in St. Mungo's."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, both looking around. Despite his seemingly carefree nature, Sirius Black was one of the best in the field. He'd gotten them to the meeting place early, likely done his own sweep of the area, and brought backup in case things went sideways. Harry relaxed just a bit. He and Sirius worked well together. They'd have each other's backs if needed.
"Your uncle's were asking about you," said Sirius.
Harry sent him a questioning look.
"What about?"
Sirius shrugged.
"You know how Moony and Wormtail are," he said with a sigh. "Mooney wants to see you. Says it's been too long. Wormtail just wanted to know if you needed any more potions."
Harry smiled as he thought of his uncle Remus and uncle Peter. While they spent more time in the muggle world, Remus due to his circumstances and Peter by choice, both had always made time for Harry whenever he needed. Guilt welled up in his chest as he realized he hasn't visited either of them in several months. He used to check on Remus after every full moon, but things had been so busy that he'd slacked off.
"I really should visit them," he admitted. "I've been terribly lax with my family."
"They were very understanding when I told them about your attractive lady friend," said Sirius with a smirk.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"How are you and Fleur?" His godfather's expression had shifted instantly to concern. "You two seem to get along pretty well."
Harry mulled over his answer, resisting the urge to blurt out the first thing they came to mind. Telling his godfather and more importantly, fellow Auror, that his girlfriend was also an internationally wanted thief was probably not a smart idea. Or perhaps Sirius would find it funny and offer to help, he honestly didn't know. Better not to risk it, though.
"We're good," he said casually, "we have fun, enjoy time together, and fight like any other couple. There's nothing special about us."
Sirius shook his head.
"Now I know you're keeping something from me."
Harry rubbed the back of his neck before looking over at the older man.
"What would you do if you really liked someone but you had something you disagreed on at a fundamental level?" he asked, trying to skirt around the real question as best he could.
Sirius blew out a long breath.
"I think it depends."
"On?" Harry questioned.
"What it is you disagree on and how much it bothers you." He clapped Harry on the shoulder lightly. "Regardless, I don't think you should let it get to you."
"Why's that?"
Sirius looked at him with a soft smile, the kind he'd seen his father wear when he'd go to him for advice.
"Because you're happy, kid. It's subtle, but it's there. I don't think even James has seen it yet."
Harry cocked his head.
"And what is it you see, oh wise one?"
"I see a kid who's in over his head yet exactly where he needs to be. You smile more. You laugh more." He winked at Harry. "I see it because I was in the same position when I was your age."
"What happened?" asked Harry.
"I fucked up," admitted Sirius with a scowl. "Didn't make the right choices. So, for the first time in my life, I'm going to tell you something I never thought would leave my lips: Don't be like me."
Before Harry could respond Sirius nodded his head to the left.
"Showtime."
Harry looked over and saw a tall, black haired man approaching them quickly, a scowl affixed to his face as he glared at them. Sirius looked at Harry.
"This will either be incredibly helpful or a waste of time."
Regulus stopped several paces away as they stood. For a moment nobody spoke until finally Regulus broke the silence.
"What the fuck do you want?" he demanded. "I'll answer your questions but make it quick, brother."
Sirius opened his mouth but Harry beat him to it.
"Who's Lord Riddle?"
Regulus was stunned momentarily, eyes going wide and fear flashing through his features before he recovered. He stepped closer, as if intending to share a secret not meant for outside ears before his shoulders slumped slightly and he made his way over to the bench. He plopped down with far less grace than Harry had come to associate with purebloods. The name had him shaken, which meant he feared the person.
Harry could use fear.
"Where the fuck did you hear that name?" Regulus asked with narrowed eyes.
His posture was difficult to read, though he was wearing a surprisingly muggle outfit. Slacks and a button up shirt, just like Harry. Far from easy to surprise them with a drawn wand if he decided he'd heard enough. That emboldened Harry as he stared the man down.
"He's my boss," Regulus continued, not waiting for an answer. "Why do you want to know?"
"He thinks you and Rabastan are dirty," Harry revealed. Once again, the taller man's eyes went wide. "Who is he?"
Regulus shook his head.
"I'm done," he said, "No more questions."
"Come off it, Regulus," Sirius said. "The mention of the name has you sweating. Help us out and we'll owe you one."
Regulus looked around nervously, taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly. Harry and Sirius shared a look.
"I don't know who he is exactly," Regulus said with a small shrug. "All I know is that his name is Tom Riddle and I'm pretty sure he's English."
"What makes you think that?" asked Sirius.
"His hatred of mudbloods runs deep," Regulus explained. "You can only find that kind of truth here, though even I'll admit the man makes the rest of us look like amateurs."
"Meaning?" Harry asked.
"Meaning he's got some plan to 'end the mudblood disease' as he says. Difference between him and the rest of us is that he's actually doing something besides playing politics."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Is that why he's smuggling rare artifacts from around the world?"
Regulus shrugged.
"Maybe, we're not exactly privy to his every thought. Says he's got some sort of ritual."
Harry turned towards Sirius with a confused look.
"Why would a bunch of influential purebloods follow someone who's clearly crazy?" he asked.
Regulus laughed, causing the two Aurors to turn back towards him.
"If you spend enough time around him you'd understand," he started. "The man is brilliant, and his knack for business is staggering. We've all been made significantly richer by partnering with him."
Harry scratched the back of his head. Something didn't add up.
"So why does your band of pureblood arseholes think you and Rabastan are dirty?" he asked. "You said yourself that everyone is benefiting from Riddle. Why are they singling you two out?"
"Probably because we are dirty," Regulus offered before smirking at Sirius. "What? Didn't think your dear old brother could tell the forest from the trees?"
Sirius raised an eyebrow.
"You've never done anything out of the goodness of your heart in your life," he pointed out. "So why are you snitching on your boss? And to whom?"
"First the French Ministry," said Regulus, once again looking around. "Then the German Ministry. Just a small bit of information to hinder progress until we could get out. Once Riddle has you under his thumb he doesn't let go, and he's got reach. Not sure how far, so we've been cautious. A fat lot of good it did, considering how easily both of their governments brushed aside most of our information."
"What changed?" asked Harry. "You jumped into business with him but now you want to leave, so something must have shifted."
"Bella did."
"Bellatrix?" questioned Harry. "She's the reason you've been leaking information?"
Regulus shrugged, though a look of regret passed through his face for a moment.
"Bella used to be…less chaotic," he said, softer than Harry would have thought possible for the man. At that moment, Harry felt as if he could see Sirius in his face. The resemblance was uncanny, but it quickly faded. "When we linked up with Riddle she changed, slowly, but changed nonetheless. Got more radicalized. Rabastan got a feeling that we wer- are headed for something bad. I've known him long enough to trust his gut, so we started skimming off the top. Trying to build up a base to cover our tracks properly once we cut and run."
"Get us a meeting with Riddle," Harry said.
Regulus laughed and stood up. He approached Harry and sent him a wide, humourless smile before clapping him on the shoulder.
"I wouldn't even if I could," he said. "Riddle's dangerous, and I've made it a point to steer clear of him unless absolutely necessary. Besides, we don't call meetings with him. He summons us and we go to him. I wouldn't even know where to look for him, he always meets us somewhere new."
He rocked his head back and forth as he thought, weighing his options, no doubt. Finally he looked back at the two of them.
"Now might be a good time to disappear though. I'll make you a deal," he said, "I'll get you into the Lestrange house and you can talk it out with Bella. Rabastan would have to put on a show, but if you can take down Bella and her husband then you can bring them in for questioning. If anyone knows where Riddle hides then it would be them."
"And what do you get out of this?" questioned Sirius.
"There's some…insurance in the Lestrange house that can be used to ensure nobody follows Rabastan and I. You two deal with the husband and wife and then I disappear forever."
Harry looked at Sirius and the two had a silent conversation. Bellatrix Lestrange was dangerous, they both knew that. He'd heard stories from Sirius and his father of her skill during their time at Hogwarts. Rudolphus was no slouch either. He had a reputation in the underground for being ruthless, with the skill to back it up. Most of that was hearsay, but they never relied on untrustworthy sources, so Harry was inclined to believe it.
"We need to bring James in on this," Sirius said to Harry before turning back to Regulus. "How many can you get into the house?"
"You and the two Potter men, no more," replied Regulus. "The wards around the house aren't the best, they'll probably ignore you without a problem. You've got Black blood. Getting the Potter's in should be easy, I'm sure there's a crossing of the family trees somewhere up the branches. I'm not willing to risk more though."
Sirius turned back towards Harry.
"You, James, and I against Rudolphus and Bellatrix. What do you say?"
"And Rabastan," Regulus chimed in. "He's going to have to put up appearances, though I can make sure he makes it look good."
"And you?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll help you. They already suspect me, and Bella won't believe you were able to coerce me into doing what you wanted."
"How long do you need?" asked Sirius.
"Two days," replied Regulus as he turned to leave. "I'll send you the location and time to meet tomorrow. Be ready."
.
.
"This is in the country, outside of Hereford," Fleur said as she examined the page.
Harry nodded.
"Yeah, very secluded. No muggles for kilometers. There were scattered reports of muggles being harassed for years before they all moved away."
"Fitting for pureblood supremacists," Fleur spat before looking up at Harry. "What do you need from us?"
Regulus had come through with the information, a short owl simply giving them the time, place, and a note that said "figure out how to get there." James hadn't been pleased with the plan, expressing a whole list of concerns, but in the end knew that they wouldn't get a better opportunity without settling in for an incredibly long investigation. Despite how absurd some dark ritual that could kill muggleborns sounded, he agreed it couldn't be ignored.
They'd spent the entire day planning, attempting to come up with an entry and exit strategy, though they were working with limited information. The Ministry had no records of the property they were stepping onto, a fact that both puzzled and infuriated James. Old purebloods loved to show off their wealth, and providing documentation on their many properties was one such way.
"How long do you need to check the wards and come up with a clean way in and out?" he questioned.
"Half an hour?" Fleur guessed. "Maybe longer depending on the wards."
Harry nodded.
"Let's meet there before everyone else tomorrow."
"And what am I supposed to be looking for once I'm inside?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"Anything that'll get us a fix on Riddle's location. I suspect there will be a fight, so you should have cover to do your thing without a pesky Auror crashing your party," he said with a smirk.
"Right, I can work with that," she said, nodding her head. He could already see the plans forming in her head and he wondered if this was how she always was while planning to go out as The Shadow.
She stood and made towards the fire before turning back to him.
"It's late, you should get some rest," she suggested. She walked back to him, leaned up, and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He had a light dinner before slipping into bed. The night before a raid was always its own battle for him. No matter his training or how many mental exercises he did, he could never seem to quite calm his mind immediately. As he laid there, going over potential scenarios, his thoughts turned to Fleur.
Before he knew who she was, who she really was, he'd never been concerned for her safety. She was capable, incredibly intelligent, and he knew she could look after herself. Yet now, with the knowledge that she was behind the hood, he was worried. Should he have told her about the meeting? Perhaps it would have been smarter to go through with it and then try to find something himself? Tomorrow was uncertain, and he didn't like uncertainty, especially when it came to the safety of those around him.
He smiled and shook his head as his eyes began to droop. Fleur could handle herself. He had the burn marks to prove it.
He drifted off, and for the first time in years, he dreamed.
"I've got it from here."
Harry snapped his eyes open as his surroundings came into focus, staring up into the eyes of…Sirius? He looked different. Younger, but…older at the same time. Almost haunted. Spellfire crashed around them and they both ducked as debris rained down.
He looked around. Where were they? What was going on? It was then that he noticed what they were crouched next to. The wide arches standing tall, a wisp of smoke moving between them, like a thin sheet of curtain blowing in the wind. The unmistakable stench of death. The whispers, simultaneously heard and unheard.
Why the fuck were they in the Chamber of Death?
"Black!"
He and Sirius looked up to see Lucious Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov approaching with wands drawn.
No, that wasn't right. Dolohov was dead. Killed in a potions lab explosion years ago. He'd been there, seen the body himself.
What was going on?
Before he could think, spells were firing and his body reacted on its own, shielding and sending stunners and disarming spells back. All the while, Sirius was laughing, smiling, having the time of his life. The duel seemed to invigorate him, bringing colour back to his cheeks that was oddly missing. Cackling could be heard as Harry blocked a spell, casting a blasting curse back at Dolohov, catching the man off guard and sending him flying.
"Good shot, James!" Sirius shouted.
What?
Quickly Harry shouted "Expelliarmus!" and Malfoy's wand went flying.
Why was he shouting spells like a fifth year Hogwarts student?
With a smirk and an overly-dramatic flourish, Sirius sent Malfoy flying. He turned towards Harry and smiled. He opened his mouth to say something before grabbing both of Harry's shoulders and violently shoving him to the side. Quickly, the man threw up a shield, blocking a spell just in time.
"They should have killed you years ago in that prison!" a shrill voice sounded as they traded spells with Sirius.
Harry looked up and his eyes widened. It was Bellatrix Lestrange, but like Sirius, she looked…different. The last picture he'd seen of her had been of an attractive witch, not a single wrinkle or blemish on her skin and an air of aristocratic nobility about her. Now, she looked as if she were a few brushes short of a broom polishing kit. Her hair was messy, jutting out at odd angles, and her face was lined by early aging. She, like Sirius, had a haunted quality about her features.
"Dumbledore!" someone shouted from behind.
Harry turned to look and saw the headmaster enter. The old Warlock casually flicked his wand to catch a fleeing robed figure.
"I know you're better than that, Trixie!" Sirius shouted with a laugh.
Harry turned back just in time to see Bellatrix send a jet of light, one radiating pure hatred, striking his godfather in the chest. For a brief moment Sirius looked as if he would be unaffected, the smile still affixed to his face. Time seemed to slow as Sirius looked down. The smile fell and the glow in his eyes dimmed. He stumbled back, as if his legs were struggling to support his weight, before losing his balance completely…falling directly through the Veil of Death.
"Sirius, NO!" he shouted, stretching his hand out as he sat up in bed.
His breath was laboured, and the sheets were thick with sweat. His heart was racing as he panted. He looked around frantically, searching for his godfather before realizing he was still in his room. He tried to get his breathing under control, stripping off the damp shirt and tossing it to the ground as he closed his eyes and began the breathing exercises he'd been taught.
It was just a dream.
After several minutes his breathing returned to normal and his heart rate slowed. Slowly he laid back onto the mattress, ignoring the damp sheets and too tired to grab his wand from the table. It was just a dream, yet it had felt so real, as if he were living it. None of it made any sense, but exhaustion was quickly taking his remaining strength.
It was just a dream.
.
.
She popped into the clearing and made her way over to him. As expected, she was dressed appropriately, though he couldn't see her eyes behind the hood.
"You look like hell," the distorted voice of the Shadow said. "Is everything alright?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, I slept like shit, but I'm good."
He raised an eyebrow at her and flicked his wrist, his wand instantly in his hand. He made a sloppy V motion followed by a flourish as he pointed the end at her.
She cocked her head to the side.
"What are you doing, 'Arry?" she said before gasping. Her voice was no longer distorted, but it wasn't quite her either.
"'Arry, what did you do?" she asked again, stopping at her words.
He laughed.
"Okay, that's way better than what it was intended to do," he said with a wide smile between laughs.
She placed her hands on her hips.
"You 'ad to 'ave messed up the wand movement," she scolded, but the effects of the spell made him laugh harder. "I don't see 'ow this is funny! You 'ave clearly not mastered the spell as intended. This was not 'ow it was supposed to be used!"
He laughed again as she stepped out of the small circle and canceled his spell. He couldn't see her eyes, but he knew she was glaring at him.
"How can you get the wand movement so wrong?" she asked, the normal distortion returning as she folded her arms across her chest. "It's a small V followed by a flourish. Any second year Hogwarts student could have mastered it!"
He continued to smile at her until her composure broke and she joined him in laughing, though the distortion in her voice made it come out robotic and unnatural.
"I'll admit," she said, as they regained their composure, "that was kind of funny."
She stepped towards him and hugged him before stepping back.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked. While it was masked, he could feel the concern in her question.
He smiled to reassure her.
"Do you have everything you need?" he asked, flipping the switch in his mind, returning to the seriousness that the day demanded.
She nodded.
"I can already feel the wards and can tell they're weaker on the other side," she said, looking out to the house. "They feel dark, be careful, Harry. There's something off about this place."
"They'll be here soon," said Harry, turning around to point at the far end of the clearing. "You should get out of sight before they see you…"
He trailed off as he turned around as he realized he was already alone. He didn't know where she'd gone, but now wasn't the time to think about that. Fleur had broken into dozens of wards in her life and these would be no different. Left to his own devices he paced the small clearing, practicing wand movements and trying to calm his nerves. Clear minds led to victory, Moody would say.
Two small pops and he crouched down, wand out. He exhaled and lowered his wand as James and Sirius approached.
"Been here long?" James said.
Harry shook his head.
"No, got here just a bit ago." He looked at Sirius. "Are we sure your brother isn't setting us up?"
Sirius shook his head.
"No, I don't think so. Regulus might not like me, but we're still family," he reasoned. "I got the sense that he got himself in too deep with this Riddle character and we're the best shot at getting out he's had."
James looked at Harry.
"How are we playing this, son?"
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Why are you asking me? We already went over everything and you're the Head Auror."
"Be that as it may, we're here now and I want your opinion," his father replied.
A faint pop signaled another arrival. Harry looked over to see Regulus approaching before turning back to James.
"You two take Bellatrix," he said, "I'll take Rudolphus."
"I'll help with that," Regulus said as he made it to them. "Bella is far more dangerous but Rudolphus is cunning and we're on his property, so he'll have the advantage."
"You're sure Rabastan doesn't have a problem going against his family?" Sirius asked.
Regulus shook his head in annoyance.
"I know Rabastan. He'll play his part. A bit of a light show until the other two are dealt with." He looked at them all and scowled. "Are you ready?"
"Where are we entering from?" James questioned as they started down the hill.
There was no cover across the entire grounds, but there was a stillness to the air that made Harry think nobody ever took in the view of the surrounding area. Regulus took out his wand and made a few quick motions. Harry felt them pass the wards and had to agree with Fleur. They felt…off.
"What kind of wards are these?" he asked. "They feel different than blood wards."
"Because they are," Sirius said with a shudder. "They require something more to set."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Human sacrifices?"
Sirius nodded at the question.
"How is that not illegal?" questioned Harry.
"Oh, it is," James said, curling his lip in disgust, "but purebloods got themselves an exemption that we've been trying to overturn for decades."
"Quiet," hissed Regulus. He pointed towards the side of the house. "We enter through the greenhouse. Rudolphus will be there."
"And Bellatrix?" James whispered.
"If we're quick we can subdue him and it'll be four against one," Regulus replied in a short tone.
The tension in the air mounted as they all had their wands out and ready. There was no sense of heartfelt camaraderie that Harry was used to. He'd done so many raids that they'd blurred together over the years, but they all had a sense of ease to them when he was surrounded by the team. This was a stark contrast, like they were jumping into waters without knowing the depth.
Regulus opened the door to the greenhouse without a sound, motioning for them to follow. They quickly made it inside and Harry couldn't help but be impressed. A wide range of plants were in various states of bloom. He wasn't a herbalist, but he could make out some of them by sight. alihotsy, moly, aconite, baneberry, bubotuber, and valerian were all sprouting throughout the greenhouse. Some in their own pots, others together. He even spotted a bit of Asphodel in the far corner, surprising, considering the plant wasn't native to Great Britain or Ireland.
The area was wide, with plenty of space to move around, but Harry's eyes fixed on the man standing with his back to them near the stone of the house. He tightened his grip on his wand.
Rudolphus Lestrange.
James nodded at him and he crept ahead, thanking his past self for the forethought to invest in boots charmed to be silent. The other three fell back as Harry approached and stood to his full height, slowly raising his wand and pressing it against the back of the man's neck.
"Easy," Harry said, "Don't make any sudden moves or when you wake up you'll be in far more pain than necessary."
He cast a sideways glance at Harry and chuckled.
"It was foolish of you to come here, Mr. Auror," Rudolphus said as he turned around slowly, hands raised casually. "Very foolish indeed."
He caught sight of Regulus and turned up his lip.
"Coward," he spat.
Regulus shrugged.
"Better a coward than a lap dog," he shot back.
Without warning there was a green glow and Regulus slumped to the ground, dead. As his body fell, Sirius and James turned quickly to see Bellatrix and Rabastan holding their wands, fury boiling from the woman's very being. Harry was thrown back and he quickly slammed a shield into place as the greenhouse burst into action.
Two large vines above him stabbed downward, intent on impaling him on their magically-sharpened ends. He twisted and rolled until he was clear, sending two quick balls of fire at the green plants. Instantly they ignited and he turned back just in time to be caught in the shoulder by a blasting curse. His robes absorbed most of the impact, but he had little time to counter as leaves, sharpened like glass, began to fly at him from two directions.
Vaguely he heard the sound of fighting, but he focused, twisting once more out of the way before sending a flock of conjured birds to meet the leaves. Several made it through, cutting his face and shoulders, but he ignored the pain and sent several spells in Rudolphus direction.
Time to go to work.
He deflected a blood boiling curse and returned a bone-shattering hex at the older man, letting his instincts guide him as he took stock of the situation. Rabastan was playing his part, distracting James as Sirius dueled Bellatrix. Though from the sight of blood running down the side of his godfather's robes he was losing.
Harry made a circular motion with his wand, jamming it into the stone of the pillar beside him. A large chunk broke off and flew towards Rudolphus, catching him in the stomach, though not before he was able to slow it down. Harry twirled his wand at the mistletoe overhead and the branches grew in size and shape, until they were two green and red arms. He launched it up in the air and sent multiple, harmless spells at his opponent before his creation fell back to the ground, wrapping itself around Rudolphus. The man struggled and Harry added more vines from the surrounding area.
"Must be difficult, Bellatrix," he called, briefly looking towards the woman as she danced around the open area. "Being so pretty, yet so outmatched."
All around her plants and vines had come to life, though some looked as if they had been infused with black goop, their once vibrant colors withered into nothing. He concentrated momentarily as James took advantage of the distraction, refocusing Bellatrix's fury so Harry could work. He muttered the incantation, knowing he didn't have much time. He could feel the vines holding Rudolphus failing, and the mistletoe wouldn't be far behind.
He dropped to his knees and drew a circle in the ground followed by a triangle at both the top and bottom. At the tip of each triangle, he drew another circle. He continued to recite the words as he placed the tip of his wand in the direct center of the circle, a bright orange light pulsing before exploding all around them.
The ground shook as thick, sharp spears of dirt burst from the ground around Bellatrix, impaling or encircling her mutated creations. She growled in frustration.
The vines holding Rudolphus snapped. Not long. He turned back towards the man, and began to prepare his next spell.
Rudolphus twitched and looked at his brother.
"You sold us out, didn't you, you bastard?" he screamed.
Rabastan ducked under a stunner from James.
"What are you talking about?" he yelled back. "Why would I know about this?"
Rudolphus struggled again as the mistletoe tightened around him. Harry could see Rudolphus didn't believe his brother, and while he didn't want to see Rabastan dead, he wouldn't be upset if they turned their wands on each other.
"You and Regulus were always close," Rudolphus hissed. "You never went anywhere without the other and I'm to believe you didn't know what he was planning? I was hoping they were wrong about you."
"Brother," Rabastan ground out, sending a spell towards James, "let's talk about this later."
Rudolphus looked at Harry with a questioning, but angry eye.
"You knew about my brother, didn't you?" he asked.
Harry took a split second longer to answer than intended and cursed. Suspicion bred more suspicion, and this battle had likely pushed things over the edge. The extra pause was confirmation in the eyes of Lestrange. Rudolphus screamed in anger and the mistletoe exploded. He raised his wand, but not at Harry.
"Rabastan, look out!" Harry yelled, but it was too late.
The green light hit the other man in the stomach and he fell, his lifeless body hitting the ground.
Without a word, Rudolphus sent a barrage of green, purple, and black spells at him, barely giving Harry time to summon several pots to catch them all. He returned with his own salvo, catching his opponent in the knee. Rudolphus was blinded by rage, and rage could make a man do terrible things.
It could also make him sloppy.
Harry pressed the advantage, encircling a large string of Belladonna plants with his magic, extending its length and wrapping it around the man. Rudolphus cut the first section, sending the bits back at Harry, catching him in the side. Unfortunately, there was simply too much for Lestrange to get rid of it all as he was captured by the plant, but not before he shot several spells wildly in panic. Harry raised his wand before he heard something that made his stomach drop.
"I know you're better than that, Trixie!"
An inhuman scream erupted from the woman's throat and James was tossed violently across the greenhouse. He'd been hit by one of Rudolphus' stray spells, a bulbous mass growing on his shoulder, distracting him from his opponent. Caught off guard, he hit the stone of the attached home and fell to the ground directly onto his right wrist, wand clattering to the ground next to him.
Harry heard the crunch of bone from where he stood. James tried to get up but fell back in exhaustion, passing out from the pain. Another scream and Harry pivoted as a stream of multicolor light that seemed to have no end or beginning came bursting forth from the end of Bellatrix wand.
Green, yellow, orange, red, black, purple, green, green, green, black.
Sirius ducked and dodged, putting as much effort into remaining out of their path as possible. He pulled several thick balls of dirt from the ground to intercept the spells as he backed away. Harry was just about to turn back to Rudolphus when Sirius lost his balance and tripped backwards.
Time slowed.
"Sirius, NO!" Harry yelled as he tried to pull up his wand to help, but he wasn't quick enough.
One of the spells impacted Sirius in the chest and he spun away from Harry, landing on his side on the ground. He skidded across the dirt for several seconds before coming to a stop, unmoving.
.
.
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AN: Thanks for reading!