INTERMEZZO

A heavy darkness blanketed the streets that evening. Nary a soul was outside to witness two cloaked figures hurrying swiftly down the cobblestone street, glancing over their shoulders every few steps. Absconding swiftly down a shadowy alleyway, they came to a halt in front of a bare brick wall, sparsely lit by a single rotting lamp hanging precariously from a decrepit windowsill.

The taller of the two glimpsed hastily from left to right before lowering the hood of their robes. A slick mane of jet-black tresses emerged from underneath the thick fabric.

"Are you sure you saw her Wormtail!" Bellatrix Lestrange hissed through gritted teeth, her wild eyes flickered in the ominous moonlight. As she looked down at her shorter companion, her sable hair created a long portentous veil around her skeletal face.

He nodded furiously. "Yes, yes, yes! They l-l-l-left the cottage not too long ago." The words sputtered from his lips. "There was a f-f-f-fight you see, and they left in a hurry soon after!"

"A fight!" Bellatrix exclaimed excitedly. "Does the Dark Lord know of this?" Wormtail's head bobbed up and down eagerly. She snatched the collar of his cloak and shook him violently. "What happened exactly! Tell me you miserable creature!"

When she let go Wormtail recoiled in fear. "I-I-I am not sure…the Weasel and his sister…saw her on the beach with her lover…"

Bellatrix looked whimsically back at the grungy man, and an odd smile grew across her face. "She has a lover?"

Wormtail nodded. "Y-y-yes…a b-b-beautiful young French woman…"

"This makes everything so much more…interesting…"

Wormtail continued. "The two Weasels, they started to berate her in such horrible voices…nearly made my little ears explode! The boy even tried to h-h-hex her." Hands now clamped to his hairy ears he shook his head wildly, as if reliving the moment once more.

Bellatrix' eyes grew wide with apparent concern. "Was she hurt!"

"Um…no…she was a-able to cast a rather p-p-potent protection spell before he could hit her…"

Bellatrix snarled angrily, her teeth bared like a rapacious animal. "Those detestable little Weasel children! I'll kill them both! Rip them to shreds with my bare hands!" Her bewildering outburst greatly startled the sniveling little man and she turned to glower at him once more; her face rife with rage. "Where is she now Wormtail? Where. Is. Hermione?"

"I f-f-f-followed them through the floo…she's with her l-l-lover in the Leaky C-c-cauldron as we speak."

Bellatrix adjusted her hold upon the bulky leather satchel that cradled in her arms. She cursed to herself. "Drat! There are too many people around right now…" Her brow furrowed. "It was a mistake coming here…we're too exposed."

"W-w-w-what do we do now?"

"We wait of course." Bellatrix looked up toward the pale moon, and smiled. "You have done your job well Wormtail…it seems as if things are already beginning to happen upon their own accord…" Wormtail followed the direction of her gaze looking rather confused. Bellatrix spun on her heel and approached the blank wall, using her crooked wand to tap against it in a rapid staccato rhythm. Moments later an archway formed amongst the bricks. "Come now…there is much preparation to be done." With that, they departed through the newly formed portico that disappeared as quickly as it had formed.