Once Upon a Time

Malfoy Manor
Monday 30 November 1998

Harry Potter, the-Boy-Who-Lived, gazed out a front window of the Malfoy Manor. He sat in the third floor study. Rain pelted against the glass, it was harsh and steady. He placed his right hand against the cold window. Harry shivered. Closing his bright green eyes, he thought about the events that had transpired.

It had been months since the end of the War. Lord Voldemort had captured him – keeping him locked inside the Riddle House. He was confined to the basement, locked within cement walls. His food was delivered by Lord Voldemort twice daily and there was a small water-closet in one of the corners. The Dark Lord was the only contact he had had. And when they spoke it was usually in Parseltongue.

For the first two months of his capture, Harry had been tortured endlessly. Knives and Unforgivables had been the Dark Lord's only weapons. Voldemort had said it was a way for him to toughen up. Yet Harry knew it was for his sick and twisted games.

But by the time his birthday rolled around on July 31st, Harry had come to enjoy the pain. Throwing himself to the feet of Tom Morvolo Riddle only excited the Dark wizard even more. In time, the Dark Lord allowed Harry to practice spells. He taught the boy many pieces of Dark Magic. In late August, Tom had given Harry a gift; a plump, purple man by the name of Vernon Dursley. Harry was shocked at the task given to him – murder his uncle.

Harry did not think twice. He just lifted the Elder Wand that he borrowed from the Dark Lord and flicked it. He didn't need to even mutter the evil words. It was just a thought in his mind. Avada Kedavra.

Soon after that, the Dark Lord had told him he'd be introduced to the Death Eaters and their families. When Harry asked which family, the Dark Lord just answered with: "You know who."

This left Harry confused but he questioned no further. It wasn't until much later that Nagini appeared to him in a dream explaining his task. He would be sent to the home of the Malfoy's. He would learn the ways of the Dark before moving forward as the Dark Lord's Right-Hand Man. This confused Harry even further.

Then Augustus Rookwood arrived at the Riddle House. Angered that the Dark Lord would leave a Death Eater to bring him to the destination, Harry attacked Rookwood. This earned him a severe beating from the pock-marked Death Eater. When he was brought to the Malfoy Manor he was tossed into the cellar. For a moment he thought it was a ploy; that perhaps this was just more humiliation until the Dark Lord executed him.

But then he heard the soft voice of Hermione Lestrange – his most beloved, his most loyal. Throughout the years, he knew Hermione would sacrifice anything for him. During first year, she abandoned her cousin to become friends with him. In their second year, Hermione had helped protect the Muggle-borns from petrification. In third year, she helped save his godfather and in fourth year, she was the only one loyal to him. Even though, Hermione had not attended Hogwarts for her fifth year, she had fought against her own mother for him in the Department of Mysteries. Harry had come to love Hermione.

Narcissa Malfoy had then cared for him when he arrived. He was shocked that Malfoy's mother could be this …motherly. Yet, Harry did not speak much. During their lessons of history and magic, he kept his mouth shut. Since he arrived in early November, he noticed that Hermione and Draco were not as well-versed in Dark Magic. They seemed hesitant to join. Harry swallowed thickly; that would soon have to change for what was planned.

As much as Harry wanted the rain to drown out any sort of noise, it didn't. He heard loud whispers outside the room.

"Please, he's in there," It was Hermione. "Just talk to him. See if it will work."

"I came to visit you both not him," A female voice said. It was soft and nurturing. "This isn't my duty. If He finds out I was the one talking to him like this…" The person huffed. "I have my own mission."

"I know but just please, you might be good for him," Hermione pleaded.

"A fresh face and all," Draco commented.

The other woman let out a drawn out sigh. "Fine."

The door to the study opened and then quietly shut behind the person.

"Harry," the woman said, once again with the softness she had used with Hermione.

The-Boy-Who-Lived said nothing and continued to gaze out the window.

"Harry." The woman said in Parseltongue.

Harry's green eyes widened and he nearly gave himself whiplash from turning his head too quick.

"Harry, my name is Adhara. I'm Hermione's sister," she hissed.

"I know who you are," Harry said darkly, hoping his tone would make her leave. Except she looked more relieved that he was speaking to her, regardless of what language. He noticed that she was a petite woman. She looked startlingly like Bellatrix, her mother. Except there was softness in her face that reminded him of Tonks' mum. If he remembered correctly Tonks would be Adhara's cousin, and they were the same age. Harry looked at Hermione's sister sharply. Her brown hair was pulled back into a low chignon and her brown eyes looked at him critically. There was a small bump to her belly. Perhaps she was pregnant.

"You're safe here," Adhara paused, clearly thinking of what to say next. "Whatever happened between the Dark Lord and you …we don't have to talk about it. But rest assured, no one will hurt you here."

It was clear to Harry that the woman did not know what to say to him and probably felt awkward about it as well. "Thank you for the concern. I'll be fine." Harry turned to the window to look at the rain. Yet Adhara did not leave the room. He heard her move closer.

"Would you like me to tell you a story?" She asked. This was a very unusual question to ask but it made Harry look at her. "My father used to read me a story before I went to sleep; that is until he went to prison." Adhara shook her head trying to chase away the memories.

"I suppose," Harry hissed.

Clearing her throat, Adhara reverted to the English tongue. "There was once a handsome, rich, and talented young warlock, who observed that his friends grew foolish when they fell in love…"

Author's Notes: The story that Adhara tells to Harry is "The Warlock's Hairy Heart." This will have a huge part later on in the story. If you haven't read the story from The Tales of Beedle the BardI highly recommend it. However, if you haven't that's alright.

This chapter is very short. The next chapter will be short as well.

In this story I wanted to make parallels between Bellatrix/Voldemort to Hermione/Harry. There are a lot differences – for one, the love the friends have for each other is real, as opposed to Bellatrix/Voldemort's one-sided fanatical obsession.

Please review. I would love feedback.

-Rosie