AN: This chapter includes elements from the last chapter that I wrote for Forevermore; from here on out, the story is purely A Rocky Road. For those of you who have followed the evolution of the story, thank you. I hope that you have enjoyed it so far. For those who haven't read Forevermore, I'm glad that you have found this story and I hope that you continue to enjoy it as well. I still don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter 7
"Malfoy, cast the Imperius curse on the other Death Eater scum that you brought with you," Harry commanded. At his command, Lucius Malfoy pulled himself into a standing position and cast the unforgivable curse upon his three comrades. When he completed his task, he looked back to Harry as if he was awaiting Harry's next command. Harry had expected a much fiercer resistance from the senior Malfoy but was happy to find that controlling Lucius was relatively easy.
"Brilliant, Harry, this way as long as Lucius is under your control there is should be no way that the other Death Eaters will be able to break through his Imperius curse. I'm sure that he is an experienced user of that unforgivable curse. Due to the nature of the Imperius curse; until you give him the command to release them from his Imperius curse or he is able to break free from your Imperius curse and choose to release them, himself, his curse will never falter and thus they will not be able to break free. If it weren't for all the atrocities that they have been responsible for, there is no way I could condone this manner of subjugation; they are no more than slaves at this point."
Harry ordered Lucius to make the other Death Eaters stand and meet at the door to the Lovegood property before he addressed Hermione. "I don't like the concept any more than you do, Hermione, but we don't have time right now to find another way to rescue Luna. Our odds are as good as they ever are going to get, when we get outside I'll have them side-along apparate us through whatever protective wards are in place and we will be able to finish what we came her to do."
Harry opened the door and the unlikely group made their way outside. "I just want this war to be over," Hermione whispered to herself, thinking that no one would hear her. "When this is over I want to go to a place with a waterfall, where we can finally relax."
Harry surprised her by grabbing her hand. "I agree, hopefully when the dust clears what is left is worth all the hardships that we've had to endure. Until then, it's up to people like us to do what we can to get to that day."
Hermione nodded then indicated to Harry that Lucius and his minions had all finally made their way outside. "Malfoy, we have to know, is Voldemort at your mansion?" Harry asked, suspicious because of the lack of resistance from Lucius against the Imperius curse.
"No, currently the only people at the manor should be my wife, Bellatrix, and Draco," Lucius replied.
"Good, I want you to take us there. Then, once we get there, make it seem as if you were able to capture us. However, do not, for any reason, let Bellatrix call her master. Do whatever you have to in order to stop her, but do not let her touch her mark," Harry directed. "Are we clear?"
"Quite," Lucius said while offering his arm to Harry. "Yaxley, you will transport the mudblood."
"Malfoy, don't let me hear you say that word again," Harry interjected through gritted teeth.
Malfoy just nodded as Harry felt the familiar tug of apparition that resulted in him looking at one of the largest mansions that he had ever seen in his life. Hermione and the others arrived a second later and Harry heard Hermione gasp.
"We have arrived," Lucius announced. "It is unlikely that we will encounter anyone between here and the dungeon. Bellatrix usually likes to conduct her interrogation sessions in the grand reading room."
Hermione cringed as Harry said, "Alright, lead us to the dungeons so that we can find Luna."
Lucius led the group up to the door and into the house. As he had anticipated, there was no one in between the front door and the dungeon. Even after six years of Hogwarts, the grandeur of the Malfoy manor was awe-inspiring. When the group passed by the library, Harry thought that they were going to lose Hermione. However, keeping in mind the danger that time in that library could represent, Hermione managed to stick with the group. Eventually they made it down the dungeon and were surprised by what they found. In front of Luna's cell was none other than the sleeping form of Peter Pettigrew.
"Malfoy, use the Imperius curse on him," Harry ordered. Seconds later Pettigrew was standing to join the other Death Eaters who were trapped by the Imperius curse. "Open the cell then give the order to the others to search the house and take down anyone that they find. Malfoy, you stay with us."
Malfoy did as Harry commanded. Harry and Hermione rushed to the aid of their friend as the Death Eaters began to search the house. "Lucius give me your wand then pick up Luna, carry her until she wakes up."
In the grand reading room, Bellatrix was taking a break from the games the she was playing with the wand maker. Bellatrix slowly waltzed around the victim of her frustration while replaying the conversation that she had with Lucius earlier in her mind. Lucius proved himself a coward when he refused our master. He got off easy! His punishment was little more than a warning; I hope he fouls this mission also. Then everyone will see him in his true form, as a little bitch.
Bellatrix had just completed that thought when she heard a spell impact upon the bookshelf behind her causing a thick black smoke to appear from that side of the room. Bellatrix whipped her head to the door to see who was foolish enough attack her while she was doing her master's bidding. Pettigrew and four others not bold enough to show their faces, they would all pay.
Bellatrix had to pirouette to the side in order to avoid a bolt of violet lightning cast by one of Pettigrew's masked comrades. As she finished her spin she used her inertia to intercept the lightning bolt with her wand and filing it back toward its caster. The caster was not as agile as Bellatrix and ended up on the receiving end of the Sangramienta curse; unable to think over the pain of bleeding from every pore of his body, the Death Eater collapsed onto the ground.
The other Death Eaters either didn't see Bellatrix's counter-attack, or didn't particularly care for their comrade, because they continued their attack without hesitation. Two of the remaining three masked Death Eaters attacked as a unit, their attacks never came from the same level, and thus Bellatrix regarded them as more dangerous than Pettigrew and the other masked Death Eater.
Cartwheeling to the side in order to avoid a trip jinx, the Oscuridad Infinite curse, and the Sectumsempra curse, she mentally applauded her opponents' attempt at tripping, blinding, and maiming her. However, she would not be taken down so easily. Delving into her extensive knowledge of magic, Bellatrix decided that the best spell to use against a pair of duelists acting as a unit was one that had been created by Morgan le Fay herself in order to combat Merlin and his apprentice. Bellatrix twirled to the side to avoid an underwhelming Reductor curse fired by Pettigrew and casting a killing curse that caused the lone masked Death Eater to abandon his attack and dive between a pair of bookshelves.
Coming out of her twirl, Bellatrix jumped over a low spell and onto Lucius' desk. From her vantage point, she twirled her wand counter-clockwise above her head like a lasso three times before slashing diagonally toward her hip and transfiguring the black smoke that had been caused by her assailants into a dragon that the duo of Death Eaters could not defend against. They were slammed against the wall causing a chorus of cracking sounds; the pair did not move again after that.
Now it was just Pettigrew, the single remaining masked Death Eater, and Bellatrix. Hopping down from her perch, Bellatrix began cackling as she circled the other two Death Eaters like a predator. Looking at Pettigrew, Bellatrix began taunting in the baby voice that she reserved for those who stood no chance against her. "The rat wants to have a go at Mistress Bella? Surely the rat has something more for me than that pitiful Reductor. Perhaps Mistress Bella should teach the rat some manners. Perhaps Mistress Bella should remind the rat how dangerous it can be to pick fights that it cannot win."
Flourishing her wand Bellatrix sent an Expulso curse at Pettigrew's pudgy face. If not for Bellatrix side-stepping to avoid a curse from the remaining Death Eater then Pettigrew's head would be a fine mist falling through the air behind his body. Instead, the spell hit another bookshelf causing a domino effect toppling all of the shelves that didn't line the walls.
Armed with a wand in each hand, Harry and his group began to make their way towards the door when they heard the signs of a battle raging in the distance.
"What was that?" Hermione asked.
"Apparently, Bellatrix was not willing to come quietly," Lucius responded. "The power behind those spells could not have come from either Narcissa or Draco."
"We should make a break for it, while she is distracted," Hermione suggested. "There is no point in going to save Imperius slaves, only to find ourselves in another battle."
"Malfoy, were there any other prisoners at your house except Luna?" Harry asked.
"We had captured that foolish wand maker, Ollivander. Before the others and I left, I believe that Bellatrix wanted to try to loosen his ancient tongue," Lucius said with a smirk.
"We have to rescue him," Harry exclaimed. "I don't know why Voldemort would want Ollivander, but he can't be allowed to get what he wants."
Hermione looked apprehensive before she finally agreed and found Lucius leading them to the Grand reading room. When they got there they found that one of the Death Eaters were lying on the ground in a pool of blood and two slumped against a wall, not moving, while the other two seemed to be on the brink of being overwhelmed. When Bellatrix saw Lucius enter the room carrying Luna she was distracted enough the masked Death Eater was able to sneak a stunner past her guard. Bellatrix fell to the floor and the house was quiet. Ollivander, who had crawled behind a bookshelf, peered out in order to determine whether or not he would be safe.
"It's ok, Mr. Ollivander, Malfoy is with us. Malfoy, order Pettigrew and the other Death Eater to bring your wife and Draco to this room," Harry ordered to the old wand maker's surprise.
"What's going on here, Harry? These men would never take orders from you," Mr. Ollivander said as he indicated Malfoy, Pettigrew, and the other Death Eater who just walked out the door.
"Mr. Ollivander, we can go over all of that once we are safe but, right now, I ask that you just trust me," Harry said, attempting to placate the old man. Not waiting for a reply, Harry turned to see Hermione casting the Imperius curse on Bellatrix.
"Bellatrix Lestrange, if you can hear me open your eyes." As Hermione finished speaking, Bellatrix's eyes sprang open. "Right now, we are searching for dark items that have been cursed by your master. Do you know where we could find anything like that?"
Bellatrix appeared to be giving Hermione a very good fight because it took several minutes before she finally answered, "Yes, before the Halloween that my master went after James Potter, and your mudblood mother, he gave me a small golden cup with the instructions to hide it in my vault at Gringotts. It has remained there, ever since."
Hermione looked toward Harry for a second before she declared, "It looks like we just figured out where we have to go next. Bellatrix, give me your wand."
Harry nodded and turned his head to see the source of the noise at the door. He saw Pettigrew and the other, still masked, Death Eater dropping Draco and his mother, Narcissa Malfoy, unceremoniously on the ground. "Yeah, but what should we do with this bunch?" Harry asked, looking at the group that he had assembled. "We will need Bellatrix to get into her vault in Gringotts, but we can't have any of the others spoiling the surprise."
"Mr. Potter, it's not so late in the afternoon that the goblins of Gringotts bank would deny a group that includes me and three of their most wealthy customers; we could go there right now. However, before we go, be sure to confiscate the wands of your captives. If I may, I should be able to help you determine which wands will best serve each of you," Mr. Ollivander said while looking between Harry and Hermione. "Also, it would be wise to recast your Imperius curse. It would be a shame if the events that have transpired since you arrived here have weakened your hold to an extent that Lucius is simply waiting for the most opportune chance to shrug off your curse."
Harry, following Ollivanders' advice while taking initiative addressed Lucius, "Lucius order your men." Lucius personally collected the wands of his son and wife before ordering the wands of Pettigrew and his masked companion.
The group now included Harry, Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Mr. Ollivander, Lucius, Draco, and Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Peter Pettigrew, and Yaxley, who had been ordered by Lucius to take off his mask. Mr. Ollivander determined that the wands of Lucius and Pettigrew would best serve Harry and that the wands of Bellatrix and Draco would best serve Hermione. Since the wands of Narcissa and Yaxley didn't suit either Harry or Hermione, Ollivander slid them into the sleeves of his robes.
Together, they made their way outside and, moments later, apparated in Diagon Ally.
Hermione was nervous, she thought that there was a chance that the goblins would be reluctant to take their group to Bellatrix' vault. In Malfoy manor, when Hermione and Bellatrix were mentally wrestling for control of Bellatrix's mind Hermione was amazed that Bellatrix's mind was organized in a way that reminded her of her favorite library. Although this fact slightly bothered Hermione, she was confident that she had control of Bellatrix's mindscape. After prompting from Mr. Ollivander, Hermione gave Bellatrix her wand back so that Bellatrix would be able to prove her identity to the goblins.
Before Hermione had a chance to contemplate just how many stars must have come into alignment in order for the day to have gone so successfully, they were on a cart speeding, along what she considered the craziest roller coaster that she had ever been on, to Bellatrix' vault. She would be reluctant to admit it but she was actually enjoying the ride through Gringott's underground caverns. Although the lanterns did not provide the best lighting, Hermione thought that she could see the shimmer of a waterfall in the distance.
A second later, Hermione felt the water of the waterfall fall over her shoulders and saw Mr. Ollivander quickly cast a pair of spells before the bottom of the cart vanished and the group was falling through the ground. With each second they were falling faster; Hermione realized that she could now make out a series of lights racing toward her, on what she assumed was the ground level, before she found herself magically suspended in the air. Looking around her she saw that Mr. Ollivander, Harry, Luna, and Bellatrix were likewise suspended. She didn't consider the implication until she heard four muffled thumps from below.
AN2: Oh, the implications... I hope that you liked the chapter. Bellatrix's dual scene was kind of tricky to write and took some time. Let me know if you like the way the scene was done. I have several other dual scenes over the next few chapters and want to make sure that my readers are enjoying them. Reviews fuel creativity!