Chapter 5: Malfoy's Misfortune

Thanks for all the reviews.

I was hoping this fic would get more traffic. Ah well, I welcome those that are reading it. Welcome, one and all. Your favorites, kudos, and reviews make my day.

This one has a hint of angst.

Hphphp

"Now let's talk about those visions and dreams," Sirius said the day after Harry returned from school.

"Do we fucking have to?" Harry asked, collapsing down in his chair. They were in his room, and he wasn't in the mood for this conversation.

"Yes, we do," Sirius said, not bothering to correct his language. "Harry, there has to be a reason you're connected to Voldy, and I have a theory," he said with a heavy sigh. He really didn't want to say this. It would not go over well with the boy or his snake.

"Oh?" was the questioning reply.

"I think you're a horcrux," the dogman blurted out.

"You think there's a bit of Voldy's soul in my scar?" Harry asked mortified.

"There better not fucking be," Isobel said, coming slithering up and sticking her tongue out and sniffing the scar. "Shite, there is. Gods fucking damn it. Why didn't I smell that before?" she hissed writhing in agitation. "It's so faint that it's barely detectable," she said, still twisting around.

"Isobel says you're right, but that there's barely one there," Harry told Sirius, his eyes blown wide with a plethora of emotions. The biggest one was fear.

"I'm going to call Bill," Sirius said, patting Harry on the hand trying to be comforting. He left.

"I'm going to fucking kill that dark lord," Isobel said, putting her head on top of Harry's. "He's going straight into my belly." She would not sit still. She was just too angry, her body was twisting and turning as her head rested on his.

"What if the horcrux is the only reason I can talk to you?" Harry asked, very worried over that fact. "If they take it out, then we won't be able to talk," he fretted, hugging her tight to his chest. She was his best friend.

"Harry, listen to me. Even if you lose the ability to talk to me, you will still be my best mate," she said to him, squeezing him as tight as she could without hurting him.

"Okay," Harry said, crying a bit.

"Stupid fucking arsehat," she said, tears in her voice.

That's how Sirius and Bill found them a few minutes later. "What happened?" Sirus asked concerned, rushing over to make sure Harry wasn't hurt.

"We just came to the realization that I might lose my ability to speak parseltongue," Harry said, wiping his tears.

"Oh," Sirius said, clapping the teen on the shoulder and looking at the snake with a bit of fear. "Maybe we should leave it there and just trap Voldy," he said, looking at Bill.

"It doesn't matter either way. Horcruxes don't grant immortality. They only keep you on this plane. The soul is finite. It has a lifespan, you can't really extent it without a potion, like the Flamels. They expired without the elixir, and they will probably be punished by whatever deity governs souls," Bill explained, examining Harry's scar. He waved his wand over the facial deformation and snatched the parchment that appeared next to him.

"Well?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"It's an unattached horcrux. Easily gotten rid of," the redhead said, grinning at the teen.

"But should I?" was Harry's question.

"What? Of course, you should," Sirius said, looking at the boy like he was crazy. Which was a quick turnaround from a moment ago.

"No, hear me out. I can see into Voldy's head. I can hear snakes. I can use this to my advantage," he said, not wanting to lose his connection to Isobel.

Sirius could hear the desperation in his godson's voice. "Alright, Harry, I won't take it out for now," he said, clapping a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"Thank you," Harry said. He looked to Bill with wide eyes.

"No one will hear anything from me," Bill said, giving the boy a wink.

"They'd better not, or I'll fucken bite you," Isobel said, slithering up to him and getting in his face.

"Well, I guess I've been told," the curse-breaker said, backing slowly away. He didn't want the snake to do whatever it was that it had just threatened him with. He had heard it had quite the temper. Ron told him about the time Harry left it at home and it petrified the entire house.

"That's right, motherfucker," the snake said, slowly lowering down and going back to Harry. "You stay the fuck away from my Harry." She was extra possessive of him now. There was no way she was going to let him out of her sight.

After that insightful conversation, time moved on and tension in Grimmuald Place was at an all-time high. Ron and Ginny were at odds with Harry because they wanted him to take more of a role in the war. Harry just wanted to be left alone. The Order still didn't know where the last horcrux was, or if Voldy had made more. The twins had opened their shop and had moved out, so there weren't even their pranks to relieve the tension.

Hphphp

"Sirius. I want to go see The Rocky Horror Picture Show for my birthday this year," Harry said, blowing the man's mind.

"How do you even know about that movie?" Sirius asked as he dropped his fork onto his plate. He remembered when the movie first came out in the UK. It had been a hoot going to see it with the Marauders and Lily. They had blended in with the muggles and given Remus and Peter nosebleeds. It had been during Sirius' rebellious phase.

"I heard Seamus talk about it," the teen said, eating the last of the treacle tart. He got one for every meal. The elves adored him.

"Harry, I'm not sure you understand just what type of movie this is," Sirius said, trying to figure out a way to describe the experience to a noob.

"I know there's a lot of singing and half naked people running around," Harry said, trying to remember what Seamus said. "Seamus said I could even bring Isobel, and no one would blink," he added.

"There is that," Sirius agreed, thinking that was a plus. She would provide some protection. "Did you want to go in costume?" he asked, praying that he did not.

"No, I think plain clothes is fine," Harry said, making the other man sigh in relief.

"Friends?"

"Maybe Luna and Neville," the teen said, looking at Ron with disdain. They had been on the outs all summer.

"I don't think Neville would survive the night," the dogman said, a queer look in his eyes. "Then again, he might find himself," he mumbled.

"Hermione too, of course," Harry said, as an afterthought.

"Harry, I don't think Hermione would appreciate The Rocky Horror Picture Show." He could just picture the bookworm in the audience of the movie/play.

"But I heard it's funny, it has singing and there's half naked men. What's not there for a teenage girl to appreciate?" Harry asked, clearly flabbergasted.

"You know what, never mind, let's invite her. It'll be a hoot," Sirius said, making plans to be free that night.

So Harry, Sirius, Isobel, and his three friends went to The Rocky Horror Picture Show for his birthday. Sirius, Harry, and Isobel had a blast. As did Luna, who sang and danced during the whole thing, like a vet. Neville got a nosebleed and passed out at the scantily clad women, then he woke up and had a good time. Hermione was appalled during the whole movie/play. She kept her hands in front of her face and was called a virgin by the audience many times. Sirius protected her from being dragged up on the stage.

Isobel was an instant hit. She and Harry were dragged up on the stage to dance in the Time Warp and they had a great time, as mentioned. If people could understand the snake, they might not have thought she was so great.

"Why are you dressed like a fucking colorblind skank?" Or "I've seen less makeup on a fucking clown." Or "My tone-deaf grandmother sings better than you fucken do." Things like that were what Harry heard all night long. He laughed uproariously.

They went out for pizza afterwards and Hermione finally calmed down. She was glad Harry had fun; it was his birthday after all. It was nice to forget the war for a few hours. Harry cast a Notice-Me-Not Charm on Isobel so they wouldn't get any funny looks. He had to do it because it had to be in parseltongue, which for some reason wasn't detected by the Underage detectors.

Hphphp

One day, a few days later, Dumbledore came and talked to Harry about the coming school year. Isobel came with him to protect him.

"Ah, Harry, my boy, I want you to take some special lessons with both me and Severus," the old man said, sitting regally in the chair he occupied. It was as if the man was royalty, and Harry was his subject.

"For what purpose?" Harry asked, slumping in his chair, in that manner that teenagers did. Isobel was in his lap and on his shoulders. Her face was directed at the headmaster's. She didn't trust the old man.

"From Severus, I want you to learn to protect your mind, so that you no longer have the visions," Dumbledore stated, running a hand down his beard.

"Pass," Harry said, waving his hand in a 'nope' manner.

"I'm sorry?" the affronted man asked; people didn't say no to him.

"I said, I'll pass," the teen said, looking the man in the eye. "I don't like the man, and he doesn't like me," he added. He felt a tickling in the back of his head, so he broke eye contact.

"You son of a bitch," Isobel said, freezing the headmaster. "That arsehole was trying to use Legilimency on you," she cried, turning to look in his eyes. "Did you feel an itching?" she asked.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "But it was barely there," he added, shaking his head.

"That just means he's really fucking good at it," she said, swaying back and forth. "Don't look him in the eye. Look at his nose, or his forehead," she instructed. "I want to hear what else he has to fucking say, or I'd bite his fucking head off now," she said, explaining why she was letting him live.

"Thanks, Isobel," Harry said, just as the headmaster was coming to. "I suggest you don't try that again," he told the old man. "She's very protective of me," he added, scratching her head.

"I see," Dumbledore said, staring at the snake.

"Read my fucking mind, I dare you, motherfucker," she hissed at him. "Go ahead stare into my fucking eyes," she goaded him, really wishing she had her deadly gaze.

The headmaster did the smart thing and looked back to Harry. "Very well. I have some memories that I would like you to review with me," he stated, like it was a privilege.

"Whose?"

"Tom Riddles," was the answer.

"Pass," Harry said again with the same hand wave.

"This could be vital to the war," Dumbledore said, leaning forward and putting on a very serious face.

"Then show them to Sirius. He's in charge of the horcrux hunt," Harry said, not changing his posture. "I want nothing to do with this war," he added, still slumped down in his chair.

"You are part of a prophecy," the old man stated like that changed everything.

"I'm part of a daily prophecy that says I'm going to die. I'm still alive. Prophecies are hooey," the teen said, getting up and adjusting Isobel. "I'm out of here. Let Sirius see the memories, maybe they can finally find the last horcrux. You're an absolute arsehole for keeping that from them," he stated, glaring at the man like he was lower than low.

Dumbledore looked gobsmacked as Harry left. He must have shared the memories, because the hunters seemed to have a new fire under them. They were searching everywhere that Tom had ever lived. Even Hogwarts, though it was a big castle.

"Ask the house elves," Harry suggested one morning when they were all seated for breakfast.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, serving up some fried mushrooms. It was a full English this morning.

"The elves know all the hidden rooms. Just ask them where a horcrux might be hidden," the teen said, grabbing some rashers.

"Good idea," Remus stated, going for the sausage.

With that the meal continued on what the school year would be like. Harry was hoping for a quiet year, but with the way that Ron and Ginny were glaring at him, well…

Hphphp

The train ride was uneventful, if you don't count Malfoy's yearly visit. You'd think the boy would learn by now. Isobel froze him before he got his threat out and he was floated out of the compartment.

"He's going to be trouble," Luna predicted, petting Isobel's head. She especially paid attention to the area around the Spellotape.

"Is he?" Harry asked, rubbing the snake's chin.

"Yesssss, right the fuck there," she was hissing at the attention.

"Yes, very much so. You'd best keep an eye on him," she said, picking a dry scale off the snake.

"Thank you, Luna," Isobel hissed, moving her head in appreciation.

"You're welcome, Isobel," the little blonde said, still scratching her head.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Luna," Neville said, giving and inquiring look to his Ravenclaw friend. "How is it that you can understand Isobel?" he asked, like it had been bugging him for a while.

"Oh, I can't understand her, per se," Luna said, looking around at all the curious faces. "I just understand the syntax," she explained with a casual shrug.

"That doesn't make a lick of sense," Hermione said dismissively.

"You keep saying things like that when it comes to Luna. Yet she proves you wrong, time and time again," Harry pointed out.

"I guess," the bushy-haired girl said, properly chastised.

"Back to Malfoy, how much trouble is he going to be?" Harry asked Luna. He believed her and wanted to know how to prevent it if he could.

"Death and destruction," she said, her tone serious.

"Fuck," both Harry and Isobel said, making Hermione say, "Language." They ignored her.

"I guess we'll all be keeping an eye on him," Neville stated, not wanting Harry to burden it alone.

"You can't be serious," Hermione stated, looking around the compartment at the two men in it. "You're taking the word of Luna that Draco Malfoy is going to cause death and destruction. Draco Malfoy. That boy couldn't destroy his way out of a wet paper bag," she said, folding her arms across her chest in an 'I'm right' manner.

"Again, she's right more times than she's wrong," Harry said, looking at Hermione like she was just trying to pick a fight.

"It's divination," Hermione said, throwing up her hands in frustration.

"It's common sense," Neville countered, glaring at her. "Draco has lost everything. His father is in prison. His money is being held by the goblins. The Black title has been taken from him. He's lost his standing in Slytherin. He has nothing to lose," he pointed out.

"The dark lord is back, and he might be holding Draco's mother hostage. It's what I'd do," Harry said with a shrug. "Especially, if I found out that Lucius lost one of my horcruxes."

"What's a horcrux?" came the question from all three friends.

So Harry told them and they discussed those for a few minutes and what the adults were doing about them. Harry left out the one in his head, though Luna and Hermione were both giving him knowing looks.

"Back to Draco, we need to watch him," Harry said, bringing the topic back to the matter at hand.

"We'll do our best, but none of us are near the Slytherin house," Neville said, slumping his shoulders.

"I'll be keeping my eye on that slimy motherfucker," Isobel promised, though she hadn't figured out how to do that and not leave Harry behind. She wasn't going to leave her boy unprotected.

"We'll figure it out," Harry told her, scratching under her chin, like he had read her mind.

With that they talked about how to best keep an eye on the other teen, using the map, the cloak, the paintings, the house elves, and Isobel. The rest of the train ride was boring.

Hphphp

A man named Slughorn was potions master, which made Snape DADA professor. The whole student body, including the Slytherins, groaned. If he was such a harsh task master at a job he didn't want, how would he be at the job he coveted.

The first week of classes were actually good. Snape made many students, including Harry, eat crow. He was actually good at his job as DADA professor. Harry did well in the rest of his classes as well.

Slughorn adored Isobel, though she thought he was a slimy git.

"Keep your fucking slimy hands away from my Harry, you creepy stalker," she hissed at him as she froze him in the middle of class.

"Isobel," Harry said in English.

"What? He's a fucking gold-digger," she hissed, flicking her tongue at the man. He even smelled slimy.

"How can you even know that?" he asked, slipping into parseltongue.

"He's too smarmy to be anything else," she said, preening that she spotted it right away.

"You lot had better pay attention to your potions," Harry reminded the class as he turned back to his. It was a good thing he did to; it was about to go volatile.

Slughorn defrosted and moved on. He left Harry alone; in that he didn't directly approach him. He did send him invitations to his Slug Club, which Harry gladly came, bringing Isobel and Luna. They used this time to keep an eye on Draco, since the club was held in the lower parts of the castle where the Slytherin dorms were.

With the help of the ghosts, the portraits, and the elves, they knew that Draco was using something called the Come and Go Room, or the Room of Requirements. It was also being searched through by the Order of the Pheonix. So, Draco was having a hard time finding it when it was empty.

"Sirius," Harry called into the mirror the night he found out both were using the room. Sirius had given it to him this summer as a way to get ahold of him.

"Yeah, Harry," Sirius answered, looking haggard. There were circles under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"You know the room you're looking through for the horcrux?" the teen asked, a concerned look on his face.

"Yes, but how do you know about it?" was the questioning answer.

"I asked the elves," was the answer. "Anyway, Draco Malfoy is using it for some reason too. That can't be a good reason. If you see anything shady, can you destroy it, or whatever?" Harry requested, with a wave of his hand, though that concerned look was still there.

"Yeah, I can do that," Sirius said, his shoulders sagging like one more burden had been added.

"Seriously, Sirius, are you okay?" Harry asked, looking hard at his godfather.

"I'll be okay when the war is over," the dogman said, not going for the joke.

"You'd better fucking be," Isobel stated over Harry's shoulder. "Someone besides my glorious self needs to take care of Harry," she said, nudging Harry to interpret.

He laughed and did, making Sirius crack a smile. They talked a bit more and signed off.

The year was actually going by smoothly until Katie Bell was cursed by an opal necklace. Isobel automatically immobilized her. "Get her to the fucking hospital wing," the snake hissed, biting the necklace out of the girl's hand, dragging it away, and making it melt.

Harry repeated her instructions to the people surrounding the girl. The other girls who had been with her, levitated her up and ran with her. "We might have wanted to have saved that for the DMLE," he said, pointing at the destroyed jewelry.

"It was fucking cursed. The only way I know how to break a fucking curse is to bloody well destroy it," she hissed, circling the item like it would come to life.

"You did well, Isobel," Dumbledore said as he came strolling up like he was the one to stop the curse. "Miss Bell will make a full recovery, thanks to you," he added, going to pet the snake, only to rear back when she showed her fangs to him.

"Get away from me, you fucken pedophile," she hissed, making him stone.

"Isobel, he is not," Harry said, laughing his arse off.

"Fine, he's just a goat fucker," she said, winding her way up his body.

"I can agree with that," the teen said, walking off now that the drama was over, and he and Isobel weren't needed anymore. "What do you want to bet Malfoy had something to do with that?" he said, as he scratched her head.

"No bets. I could smell his fucking scent all over it. It fucking reeked of fear. That boy is terrified of something," she said, her tone was thoughtful.

"Should we try to help him?" Harry wondered aloud.

"No, he's a fucking Death Eater," she hissed, sticking her tongue near his nose.

"Oh," he said, batting her nose away from his face.

"Death Eaters are evil," she reminded him. "Besides, I said he was terrified, not remorseful," she added, though there was still something thoughtful in her tone.

"I guess you're right," Harry said, and he went to dinner.

The school was abuzz with the news of Harry and Isobel saving Katie and that was the topic of conversation for about a week. Then someone broke up with someone else and the news moved on. Then it was time for Yule again and Harry went home to Grimmuald Place, with Ron and Ginny.

"Why are they still here?" he asked Sirius when they were unpacking his stuff in his room.

"Albus asked that I keep them here," the dogman replied. "I don't have the heart to boot Arthur out," he confessed, thinking of the poor defenseless man.

"Can't Bill ward their house?" Harry tried again.

"Yeah, I suppose he could," Sirius said, thoughtfully. "I'll talk to him tonight," he stated, grinning at his godson.

"It's just the tension…" Harry said, trailing off.

"I get it," his godfather said, ruffling his hair.

That night Sirius did talk to Bill and Arthur and the next day the Weasleys were back at the Burrow. Harry and Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. Remus wasn't under such a stress of them being there, but he was happy they were happy.

Yule was fun, and everyone had a great time. School was back in session, and they found out that Slughorn almost died due to some wonky ale. It had been supposed to be a gift to the headmaster, but he had kept it for himself, selfish bastard. It was a good thing he kept a bezoar around.

"Deserves that selfish bastard right," Isobel said as they were getting ready for bed that night.

"That's not nice," Harry said, not quite laughing.

"I don't know if you've noticed this by now, but I'm not a fucking nice snake. I'm a fucking basilisk. I'm a dark creature. It is in my very fucking nature to want to kill and maim. I hold myself back because of you, you bastard," she hissed, coiling herself up at the end of the bed. "Not to mention I'm too fucking old to care," she muttered under her breath.

"You mean, I'm making you act against your nature," Harry asked, not sure how he felt about that.

"Don't worry about it," she said, waving her tail in a careless fashion. "I don't fucken care, neither should you," she added, yawning. And with that she went to sleep.

Harry thought about that for a long time that night. He decided that if Isobel was happy, he shouldn't fret.

He was still doing well in his classes, and Snape was still treating him neutrally. Even though he only required half of what he used to ask for. Slughorn tried to buy some of Isobel's ingredients, but he had yet to come up with a price that Isobel liked.

It was getting towards the end of the year, and the horcrux team finally found the last one and asked Harry and Isobel to the Come and Go Room, via the mirror. They showed up with bells on, well, Isobel was not happy about having to bite another one, but Harry was ecstatic.

"Come on, Isobel, maybe if you just drop some venom on it, that might work," Harry suggested.

"Why didn't you think of that sooner, you motherfucker?" she hissed at him.

"You're the thousand-year-old snake, you should have thought of it," he protested, bringing the crown over to her and putting it in front of her mouth. "You're supposed to be smarter than me," he insisted.

"Fuck off," she spat, then opened her jaw and let one of her fangs drop venom onto the crown. It hissed and melted. A scream was heard coming from the diadem and it was done. "Ah, that was much fucking better," she said, satisfied that there was no bitter taste in her mouth.

"Sirius, did you ever find out what Malfoy was doing?" Harry asked, looking around at the mountains of junk in the room.

"Yeah," the dogman said, waving for him to follow. He led him to a cabinet that looked like it was being repaired. "It's a Vanishing Cabinet. You put something in one, it appears in its mate."

"That can be used for so many things," Harry said, thinking of the implications. "Why haven't you destroyed it?" he asked, fingering his wand.

"We want to know what the git is doing," confessed the other man. "We have two people here at all times, watching him," he added.

"Sirius, Luna said, death and destruction. This is a school. Destroy it," Harry said succinctly.

"Stupid wankers, always got to know what the other motherfucker is doing," Isobel said, writhing on Harry's shoulders.

"You're right, of course," Sirius said, taking out his wand and banishing the whole thing to wherever banished things go. "Done," he said, wiping his hands together in a 'it's done' gesture.

"Good, now are you guys going to sort this room? Because I have a feeling it could support the whole war movement," the teenager said, looking at a chest full of jewels.

"We've already discussed that, and Dobby and Winky volunteered to do it," Sirius said, watching Isobel slither down Harry's body and go amongst the junk.

"Isobel!" Harry called to his snake.

"I'll be right the fuck back," she said, moving further away.

They waited a few moments, and she came back with a ring on her tail. It barely held on there, it was too small, but it was precariously perched there. "Put that on," she hissed to Harry.

"What is it?" he asked as he put it on his middle finger of his right hand.

"It detects potions. You fucken need it. I've seen the way those whores look at you," she said, climbing up his body.

"I've asked you not to use that word," he reprimanded, flicking her nose.

"I'll talk anyway I wish. I'm over a thousand fucking years old," she spat. "Don't try to take me to fucking task like you're my master," she chastised him, as if she was his grandmother.

"Sorry, I just hate that word," he said, his cheeks heating up.

"Too fucking bad," she persisted, not about to bow down to his sensibilities.

"Anyway, she said, it detects potions," he told Sirius, showing him the ring.

"Good, that'll keep the whores away," Sirius said, making Isobel laugh and Harry sigh.

The Order left soon after that and the two house elves were going through the Room of Hidden Things. Harry was just doing his best to get through school and quidditch without killing anyone. It was easier this year than previous years, but the yearning was still there.

It was after the end of the year tests that he was kidnapped by a very irate Draco Malfoy.

"It's all your fault," the blond boy spat, keeping his eyes everted from the snake.

"What did I do?" Harry asked, moving back from Draco now that they had landed from the portkey the boy had tagged him with. They were in a bedroom. Isobel was already on the move. Harry had his hand on her neck to keep her from killing the fool. She was ready to strike at any moment though.

"You stopped all my plots this year. I know it was you, or your snake. Because of you, my mother might die," Draco said, there were actual tears in his eyes.

"How is this my fault? I didn't invite the dark lord into your house," Harry insisted, waving any implication that it was his doing away.

"Just die," Malfoy said, raising his wand to kill Harry.

That's when Harry let go of Isobel.

She launched herself at the boy and bit him on the nose.

Down Draco went and he didn't get back up. Pity. Harry hadn't wanted to kill him; he was just a kid. "Come here, Isobel. I'm going to put you at your largest size," he said softly, moving to hide in an out of the way spot. "We need to find our way out," he said.

She slithered over and coiled up. She sat still as she grew. She filled the room with her girth and soon her head was touching the ceiling. It was a tight squeeze, she moved with great caution.

Harry cast a Notice-Me-Not on her and she left the room. He followed, under his invisibility cloak, which he never left home without. They moved through Malfoy Manor as silently as a sixty-foot near-sighted basilisk could, which wasn't very.

"Motherfucking dammit, how many damn fucking busts does one damned person need in their motherfucking house?" Isobel said, as she knocked down another statue.

"Can't you see?" Harry asked, knowing she had her glasses on.

"Yes, but the fucking glasses don't seem to be fitting right. I can't see in my fucking peripheral," she explained as she bumped into a wall and knocked down a painting, which started yelling at her. "Shut the fuck up!" she shouted back.

"So much for stealth," Harry said, flattening himself against a wall.

A few Death Eaters poured into the hall and Isobel just ate them. No warning at all. She just opened up and swallowed them whole. Then Bellatrix came in and she was more wary, she didn't see Isobel, but she could sense her. Narcissa was next, and she was next to her sister. The two women backed away, as Isobel moved towards them.

"That's right, bitches, move out of my way," Isobel hissed, making the two women cringe.

"My master will kill you," Bellatrix stated, lifting her wand, pointing it at nothing.

Isobel opened her mouth and let drop some venom right on the woman's head.

Bellatrix screamed and ran from the room.

Narcissa ran after her. There might be a chance to save her, narrow though it was.

"Why did you do that?" Harry asked, giving a full body shudder.

"I want her to suffer. She's evil," Isobel stated, moving to the doors of the manor.

"As long as you do it to Tom too," Harry said, keeping pace with her. They continued on swiftly and were almost to the doors when the man himself appeared.

"Going somewhere, Harry?" Voldemort said, raising his wand and conjuring roosters.

Isobel didn't dawdle, she started eating the crowing birds and was down to the last one, when Tommy boy started firing on her. She swallowed the bird and ate him too. She burped and a screaming spirit emerged from her mouth.

"Curse you, Harry Potter," it said, floating in front of them. "I will be back." With that it flew through the walls and disappeared.

"Let's get out of here," Harry said, moving fast. They were still invisible so nothing could be pinned on them. Except maybe Bellatrix, but since she was an escaped criminal, no one was going to report her injuries.

Harry called the Knight Bus and went back to school like nothing had happened. He didn't tell anyone, but Luna somehow knew. Well, he told Sirius on the mirror that night.

"Now you have a big decision to make," the man said, ominously. There was caring in his eyes. He didn't want this burden on his godson's shoulders.

"I know," Harry said, slightly depressed.

"Look, the last time Voldy was incorporeal, it was ten years of peace, you have time," Sirius said, disregarding the time from the graveyard.

"I guess," Harry said, giving his godfather his love, he disconnected. He was brooding, when Isobel wound her way around him.

"I'll still love you, you idiot," she said, hugging him tight.

"I'll love you too," he said back, knowing it was true.